~Chapter 118~
After returning to the mansion, Leah greeted Raphaella briefly and went straight to find Dorothea.
Bang!
“Dorothea, the magic potion we made worked!”
“What? Really?”
Dorothea was in the annex, doing research on dark magic.
“Yes! If we hadn’t made it last night, something terrible could’ve happened today.”
“Oh my gosh. So the Empress really did use dark magic!”
Dorothea frowned deeply, looking up and down.
“Are you hurt anywhere, Leah?”
“I’m fine. But Johann got hurt trying to save me.”
“Is he badly injured?”
“The wound was pretty bad, but they said a few healing spells should fix it soon.”
“Thank goodness.”
Dorothea let out a breath of relief and gently patted Leah’s arm.
“Tell me what happened at the hunting festival.”
She made Leah sit down.
“Phew, okay. So, at first, we were just casually riding horses…”
Leah took a deep breath and started telling her about the bear they ran into, which had been affected by dark magic.
After hearing the full story, Dorothea shuddered.
“If you hadn’t thought of the weakness of dark magic, I don’t even want to imagine what could’ve happened…”
Leah remembered the fish-like monster that had once hurt Penelope terribly.
“Dorothea, you said before that purifying mana alone isn’t enough to cleanse dark magic, right?”
“Yes, for some reason it just doesn’t work completely.”
“Then what if we used that fish monster to extract the dark magic?”
“Huh? That monster fish?”
Dorothea’s eyes widened.
“When it bites someone, it doesn’t just take water—it’s more like it steals whatever is most essential to the person.”
Leah’s eyes sparkled with seriousness.
“So if we make a potion using that fish and spray it on an object affected by dark magic… wouldn’t it try to take away the dark magic?”
“…Hmm.”
Dorothea leaned on her hand, thinking.
“Maybe that’s too far-fetched?”
Leah scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
“No, Leah. It’s worth trying. Let’s make it and see what happens.”
Dorothea shook her head and stood up from her chair.
“Besides, we still have some of those fish samples from Lake Blumhardt, right?”
“Then while we’re at it, let’s grind up a purification mana crystal and add it too.”
“Purification stone? Why?”
“Just in case. Maybe that’ll help cleanse the dark magic even better.”
“Alright. Let’s try everything!”
They mixed the ground-up fish and crushed mana crystal into boiling water while Leah chanted a spell.
Surprisingly, the ingredients blended perfectly, like they were meant to be together.
“Maybe opposites attract?”
“Could be.”
“Now we just have to hope it actually works on dark magic.”
They weren’t sure, but the potion worked better than expected.
“Dorothea, I think those monster fish were actually created by dark magic.”
“What?”
Leah shared a thought she had while riding in the carriage with Johann.
“Maybe that’s why the potion worked so well. If the fish were born from dark magic, it makes sense they’d ‘want’ to take it back.”
Small monsters born from dark magic.
Naturally, they’d be drawn to the very magic that created them.
The fish, when combined with purification mana, extracted and cleansed the dark magic perfectly.
It was honestly a lucky break.
“Dorothea, since our potion worked, we need to develop an even stronger version.”
She couldn’t forget the Empress’s look—that deadly glare full of hate.
“If she risked exposing herself just to use dark magic during the hunting festival, then she must have something even worse planned.”
There was no telling what a desperate Empress might do.
They had to be ready for anything.
“You’re right. Since our potion worked, let’s improve it quickly.”
Dorothea clenched her fists and her eyes burned with determination.
“Let’s start today?”
“No, Leah. You must be exhausted. Let’s start tomorrow instead.”
“Each day feels so precious now… but you’re right.”
“You need rest if you want to stay strong. Now, go get some sleep.”
Dorothea gently pushed Leah’s back.
Leah reluctantly turned to head to Raphaella’s room.
‘I almost died yesterday… Maybe that’s why I miss Lafi even more. I just want to see her.’
Raphaella was so focused on her puzzle she didn’t even notice her mom coming in.
When Helen tried to tell her, Leah brought a finger to her lips to signal silence.
She tiptoed over and gently covered Raphaella’s eyes with her hands.
“Guess who?”
“…Mommy!”
Raphaella turned and jumped into her arms.
Leah breathed in the warm, comforting scent of her daughter.
“My sweet girl, you didn’t even notice I came in. Is that puzzle that fun?”
“Uh-huh! It’s my second favorite thing after sword fighting!”
“Really?”
“At first, it’s kinda hard, but it feels amazing when I finish it!”
Leah kissed her daughter’s cheek and checked her neck.
The goddess’s mark still glowed softly.
Leah hugged her tightly again.
“Mom?”
You don’t know how scared I was I’d never see you again…
A tear slipped down Leah’s cheek.
‘Rafi, I’m not going to leave you like last time. I swear. So please, keep growing up happy and healthy.’
Mom’s going to do everything she can—for revenge, and for our family’s happiness.
—
Meanwhile…
“Johann, I heard you were hurt. Are you alright?”
Isabella walked into the room with Johann, looking at him with worry.
She’d heard the news before he got home, but didn’t show her concern in front of the kids so they wouldn’t worry.
“Yes. I was treated with healing magic. I just need to heal the scar now.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I’m sorry I made you worry.”
“As long as you’re okay… But how did you get hurt in the first place?”
Isabella looked confused.
“…Mother.”
“Yes?”
“There’s something I need to tell you first.”
Johann lowered his voice.
“Please don’t be too shocked.”
“What’s going on, Johann?”
“There’s still a direct descendant of the Goldscheider family alive.”
“…What?”
Isabella was so shocked it took her a moment to respond.
“But Alicia died in the fire, and I handled Frida and the Duke’s bodies myself—how could that be?”
“Alicia didn’t die in that fire.”
“But the royal knights confirmed her death, and Frida lost her mind after that…”
“Duchess Goldscheider set the fire on purpose.”
“Frida? Why would she…?”
“To help her daughter escape safely.”
Isabella’s hands started trembling.
“Alicia escaped with her grandmother and grew up in hiding.”
“…Are you serious? How do you know all this?”
“Alicia told me herself.”
“What!”
Isabella jumped in shock.
“Johann, when did you meet Alicia? Where is she now?”
“Mother, Alicia is with us.”
“…”
Isabella covered her mouth with her hands.
“Leah… Leah is Alicia von Goldscheider.”
My goodness. She’d had her best friend’s daughter right in front of her all this time and hadn’t recognized her.
Soft brown hair and emerald eyes.
Her hair had gotten lighter, but now that she thought about it, she did resemble the child she once knew.
“Are you okay, Mother?”
“…Yes. I’m just so shocked.”
She gently patted Johann’s hand.
“Leah is Alicia… Of course. Alicia’s nickname was Leah…”
She murmured with teary eyes.
“She was right here all along, and I didn’t even know…”
She tried hard to hold back her tears.
“…Johann. You didn’t know from the beginning either, right? So when did you find out? And how is that related to your injury?”
“…I’ll explain everything, Mother.”
Johann told her everything—Leah’s return from the past, the Empress’s dark magic, and everything in between.
“The Empress of Valerius is a dark sorceress?! And the Emperor knew about the Empress’s death and just ignored it?”
She had always found that woman creepy, and now it all made sense.
She was the root of all the horror.
“To think I’ve been talking and smiling with the monster who murdered my friend… It makes me sick.”
Isabella really felt nauseous.
If she could, she’d rush to the palace and rip the Empress apart herself.
“…Thinking about everything Alicia went through just breaks my heart.”
She pressed her temples, overwhelmed.
“Mother.”
Johann gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
