Chapter 4: Let’s Be Happy Together
2021.11.13
On the surface, my day went according to schedule. Today was the day I resumed my studies after taking a short break due to the horseback riding accident. My tutor, who had come to teach me, was Martella—a woman in her mid-to-late forties with a kind and comforting appearance. While Martella chattered away enthusiastically, my mind was completely occupied with other thoughts.
“What would happen if I left the story entirely?”
If I ran away somewhere far where no one could find me, my chances of survival might even be higher… I shook my head. That might not be a bad idea, but Orland, the head of the Brellov family, wouldn’t just sit idly by if his daughter disappeared. He’d probably search the entire continent like a hawk to find me.
“I’m a minor, so wandering around alone wouldn’t be easy either.”
I was only fifteen. Not only would I stand out too much to others, but if I wasn’t careful, delinquents could take all the money I had. Lost in these serious survival thoughts, I didn’t notice Martella’s voice take on a stern tone.
“Lady Tanashia.”
“Yes?”
“Try solving one of the problems I’ve explained so far.”
“Ah…”
I trailed off and glanced at the problem Martella had been passionately explaining. At first glance, it looked like a complicated math formula. But appearances were deceiving—my mind was naturally solving it. Even though it was a problem I’d never seen before, I found the answer instantly, as if my brain had turned into a calculator.
“Huh, this is easier than I thought.”
I solved Martella’s problem effortlessly, using a completely different method from what she had taught. At first, she looked at me with an approving gaze, but gradually her expression changed to one of surprise. I, however, continued writing the formulas on a fresh sheet of paper, speaking casually.
“This method is easier than the one you taught, so you might want to take note.”
“Oh my…!”
Martella covered her mouth with both hands, but the look of awe on her face couldn’t be hidden.
“I knew Lady Tanashia was exceptional, but this exceeds all expectations. I’ve never seen such a solution anywhere.”
“R-Really?”
Was it really that amazing? Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my cheek, but Martella’s praise didn’t stop.
“Until now, I couldn’t discourage you because your determination was too strong, but don’t waste time on things like magical studies or spiritology. You’re already a genius.”
A genius? I knew Tanashia had been passionate about magic and spiritology in order to catch up with Noxia, who could manipulate water. But magic and spirits were innate abilities—something one had to be born with. No matter how hard Tanashia tried, she could never catch up. Each time she faced that wall of reality, she became envious of Noxia. Having read the novel, I knew this better than anyone.
“Was that in the story…?”
Thinking back, it was briefly mentioned that Tanashia had been smart as a child. As I stared at the math formulas I had just solved, Martella handed me an advanced textbook she hadn’t used before.
“I remember saying that solving problems like these before would be pointless. But take a look at this. Are there any problems here that you cannot solve?”
Half in doubt, I flipped through the book. Skimming quickly from start to finish, I realized something shocking.
“I can solve all of these problems.”
A shiver ran through me. In my dreams, I had been able to instantly understand the ancient scripts and magical formulas inscribed on Ascan’s body. It had felt so natural that I never questioned it. But how could I know all this? I casually glanced around and noticed that the room was full of books. Like a person in a trance, I flipped through them—ancient manuscripts, magical formulas—all of it I could understand. I was struck, as if struck by lightning.
“This must be why I was able to notice the secret experiments on human weapons in the Kaluwa Empire on my own.”
Yes. I was a genius. Who would have thought I’d one day say that studying was the easiest thing? Surprised and stiff, Martella approached me with a bright smile and took my hand. Our eyes met, and she spoke gently, as if urging me.
“I know Lady Tanashia has deliberately hidden her genius from me all this time. But there must be a reason why you’ve shown me this solution, right? If you’ve been struggling alone, don’t hesitate any longer.”
“….”
“You don’t have to summon spirits or cast spells to be talented. At this rate, Lady Tanashia will become the greatest scholar in the Arwen Empire—or perhaps the entire continent. If the head of the family finds out, he’ll be overjoyed. Why not tell him honestly, even now?”
For a brief moment, many thoughts ran through my mind. After all, I didn’t have Noxia’s water manipulation ability. But unlike in the novel, I wasn’t jealous or embarrassed about that. In the original story, Tanashia had always envied her younger sister, Noxia, and everything was measured against her. Even if Tanashia thirsted for magical talent in the novel, I was different. I had no intention of hiding the truth from others or clinging to something that didn’t suit me.
“…Alright.”
I nodded slightly, and Martella’s face lit up with a smile. Everything else in life seemed out of my control until now, but in this moment, it felt like an unexpected gift. After Martella left to report this wonderful news to my father, Orland, I pulled myself together and headed to my room. Nothing had changed, yet I didn’t feel bad. Maybe I could use my genius to change the future. That thought gave me a small sense of hope.
“W-Wait! Watch out!”
A panicked voice snapped me out of my thoughts. A stream of water suddenly poured over my head. Drenched in an instant, I looked up, bewildered.
“S-Sis…?”
There stood a girl, looking even more flustered than I was. She had the same blue eyes, fair skin, and long, shining silver hair that caught the sunlight. She looked noble, yet different from me. Even without anyone telling me, I immediately recognized her. This girl before me was Noxia, my twin sister and the protagonist of the novel “Beloved Saint.” Silence fell for a moment. The maids standing near Noxia all turned pale, probably thinking that since I was soaked, there would be trouble.
Calming myself, I surveyed the surroundings. There was nothing nearby that could have splashed water on me. Judging by the situation, Noxia must have been practicing her ability to control water. I knew from the novel that her power was so fascinating that the maids often begged her to demonstrate it. And at her age, she couldn’t perfectly control it yet. So this was simply an accident—nothing more, nothing less.
Step by step, I heard footsteps approaching me. Reflexively, I turned and saw Ascan offering me a white towel.
“Here.”
“Ah, thanks.”
Coming to my senses, I roughly wiped my wet hair with the towel. Noxia stepped closer, unsure what to do.
“Sorry, Sis. It wasn’t on purpose—really, it was an accident.”
Her guilty expression, like a little puppy’s drooping ears, was utterly adorable. Being twins, I wondered if I looked that cute to others. But I shook my head. Even if our appearances were similar, our auras were completely different. Unlike Noxia, I wasn’t naturally charming. I had often been called chic in life, so this fit reality.
“It’s okay.”
“Oh?”
Noxia looked at me with surprise. She hadn’t expected me to accept her apology so easily. In the novel, Tanashia would have used this incident to tarnish Noxia’s image. But I had no such intention. Handing Noxia the wet towel, I said again,
“Really, it’s fine. It was an accident, so no need to worry.”
“Mm-hm.”
Noxia nodded, still a bit dazed.
“But you shouldn’t practice your ability here. There might be people passing by, and it would be impolite if they were guests visiting our family.”
“Oh, I didn’t think of that.”
Noxia admitted her mistake, while the maids nearby couldn’t help but chime in.
“Noxia didn’t do anything wrong. It’s our fault for asking her to show us.”
“Exactly. We pressured her into moving the water without preparation, which caused this.”
I glanced at the maids. Their determined expressions suggested they were ready to face consequences.
“So you understand your fault as well?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t pressure our timid Noxia to show her ability anywhere from now on.”
“Yes, ma’am!”
The maids all stared at me, shocked. I was the one who was speechless—did they think I’d punish them physically for something like this?
“Do you want me to repeat it?”
“No, we’ll remember your words, Lady Tanashia.”
“Good.”
After warning the maids, I continued walking. As I led, Ascan followed behind. Just as we were passing Noxia, she suddenly snapped out of her daze and looked at me.
“T-Thank you, Sis.”
Confused by the unexpected gratitude, I asked,
“For what?”
“For accepting my apology…”
I couldn’t help but smile. As the title “Beloved Saint” implied, Noxia was loved by many, and she was truly charming. I understood her heart, so I had no intention of treating her harshly.
“You’re welcome.”
With a short reply, I walked on. Noxia’s gaze seemed unusually bright, but I had no reason to linger.
Back in my room, I awkwardly looked at Ascan. His expression hadn’t changed since the first day, and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. Still, he faithfully carried out his duties like a robot. That’s when I noticed his wet shoulder—water from earlier must have splashed on him too. His white shirt clung to his body, revealing the red scars underneath.
“Those… are from when I whipped him…”
I suddenly remembered striking him with a whip. The realization sent shivers down my spine. Quickly, I rummaged through the drawers to find the first-aid kit I had seen somewhere.
“Ascan.”
“Yes?”
“Take off your top for a moment.”
He hesitated briefly but then calmly began unbuttoning his shirt. The sight was oddly stirring, but I shook off the thought. I needed to focus. As I searched for the first-aid kit, a sudden sound made me look up—Ascan had knelt on the floor.
“What are you doing…!”
Surprised, a thought flashed through my mind—it was the scene from my dream where Ascan endured my blows without resistance. His posture now mirrored that.
“I-I think there’s a misunderstanding… I…”
I couldn’t finish my sentence. Ascan leaned lower, almost inviting me to confirm his body. Even a fool would understand what this meant. In my dream, his upper body had been bare to test the steel-like transformation. Asking him to remove his top now was likely for the same reason.
I lost my words, and Ascan’s monotone voice broke the silence.
“Shall we begin?”
His tone was dry and emotionless. Memories of Ascan’s tragic past in the novel made my chest tighten. I found the first-aid kit and approached him, carefully applying ointment to his wounds. Feeling the cold, he looked up at me, bewildered.
“Sorry.”
He said nothing, but his eyes clearly showed surprise.
“I promise I won’t hit you again.”
“I’ve told you many times, but I don’t know anything…”
“I know. I won’t ask anymore.”
Ascan’s golden eyes looked even more confused.
“I said before, let’s just have fun together. Let’s live like that.”
I hadn’t tortured Ascan, but I remembered feeling it vividly in my dreams. I felt responsible, even though it wasn’t my doing. I wanted to avoid being involved in his potential dark path. I couldn’t guarantee survival, but I could treat him well.
“I want you to be happy.”
“…I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
It was natural he wouldn’t understand, but I didn’t need him to.
“I’m starting a project to enjoy life and live happily for a long time. If you want, I’ll include you too.”
I couldn’t ignore Ascan, who knew all the stories, unlike strangers I helped. One reason I couldn’t put down “Beloved Saint” was that Ascan, the final antagonist, was charming.
“I can’t say exactly, but… this doesn’t feel like the lady I know.”
His sharp words made me flinch slightly, but he didn’t seem to expect an answer.
“And what’s the price for that?”
“Price?”
“You said you won’t hit me or ask anything else. I don’t know what you’re offering, but you should tell me what the price is.”
I finished applying the ointment and withdrew my hands. I briefly thought about asking him to spare me, but shook my head.
“There’s no price. Nothing like that.”
I hoped that in the future Ascan might show me kindness, but one could never know the human heart. I wouldn’t risk my life on uncertain possibilities. I would devise a more concrete survival plan.
“Nothing… at all?”
Ascan’s golden eyes narrowed, as if he couldn’t believe me. I smiled at him with a complex expression.
“No need to overthink. Let’s just be happy together.”
So, my kindness toward Ascan was purely my whim. But if it strengthened our bond, that wouldn’t be bad either—consider it a small insurance for the future.
