ISTV 35

Jermiel continued speaking.

“I found it very strange. Mother usually has no interest in the world. The only thing she’s ever cared about is me, her son.”

“……”

“But at some point, she started paying attention to you.”

Jermiel fell silent, and I suddenly became afraid of that silence.

‘What if he’s angry I took his mother’s attention away from him?’
‘What if he curses me out of spite—something like “Who do you think you are, stealing my mom’s attention?”’

In a world where death could come at any moment, that kind of outcome wasn’t impossible.

But what he said next completely caught me off guard.

“I was really happy.”

“…Why?”

“Because I always thought Mother could leave me at any time.”

“……”

“It felt like she was only staying in this world because I was still here. So I stopped showing her how I truly felt. I was scared she’d disappear if she ever figured me out completely. That’s why I thanked you. Because as long as she had questions, I thought she wouldn’t vanish.”

“……”

I never realized Jermiel had such thoughts as a child.

Maybe I had been too fixated on the character of Seyla to see it.

“You might not believe me, but I’ve remembered everything since the day I was born. What the midwife looked like, what people were saying, what kind of cradle I was lying in, and how I cried.”

“……”

“But I don’t remember my father’s face. I remember everything up until I was three, but not a single detail about him. All I have is this vague feeling that he was a good person. It’s weird, I know. It’s like he just… disappeared.”

I felt like I understood what he was saying.

“You’re scared that, just like you forgot your father, you might forget your mother too.”

“…Yeah. I think that’s it.”

The boy kneeling in front of me right now wasn’t the jaded, languid male lead of That Girl That Guy. He was a fifteen-year-old child terrified of losing his mom.

Jermiel’s hands began to tremble.

I reached out and held one of them.

“You don’t need to be afraid. Nothing scary is going to happen.”

In none of the routes does the Holy Lady die.

She’s a character who, later on, meets the heroine and slowly regains her smile.

Even if the heroine doesn’t pursue the romance route and goes in another direction, the Holy Lady still ends up with a mostly happy ending.

Jermiel’s hand trembled even harder.

‘What can I even say to him?’

The suffering that Arsagil and Jermiel were experiencing was partly my fault as the developer.

No, if I’m being honest—it was my fault.

If I had crafted the settings with just a little more care, this wouldn’t have happened.

If I had given even half the effort I gave Seyla, things might’ve been different.

The guilt weighed on me like a sponge soaked with water.

I wanted to help—just a little.

What Jermiel needed was reassurance and comfort, and I, who knew the future, could give that to him.

So I decided to share that future.

“I promise. I won’t let anything scary happen.”

“You? How?”

Even if I do nothing, the Holy Lady won’t die.

She’s a character in contrast to Seyla.

So I can promise this.

“Just like you made yourself someone the Holy Lady couldn’t ignore, I’ll do the same. I’ll become someone you’re curious about.”

“……”

“So don’t be afraid. Nothing’s going to happen. You’re not going to be abandoned.”

Jermiel, trembling like a wet kitten, looked so small and helpless.

I couldn’t bring myself to turn away from him.

“Let’s pray together. This is a prayer room, after all.”

I embraced the trembling child, like one would a frightened kitten.

I was startled.

What I held in my arms wasn’t Jermiel—but an actual, tiny kitten.

‘Don’t freak out.’

He hadn’t really turned into a kitten. He only looked like one to me.

It was a kind of illusion—a trait of Jermiel’s called [I’ll Show You What You Want to See].

‘He must not be able to control it properly yet because he’s still young.’

It was a trait he normally used to appear however the heroine wanted him to.

He’d become a wolf or a squirrel for her, depending on her mood.

Players used to gush over the charming contrast between his gloomy vibe and his surprising cuteness.

“Do I look different to you?”

“Yeah. I was a little surprised.”

“What do I look like?”

“A baby kitten.”

“Do you like baby kittens?”

“They’re cute.”

“I see. But it’s strange—this is the first time someone’s seen me like that.”

“Really?”

“Usually they say I look like a viper or a three-headed monster.”

Jermiel smiled softly.

Facing that smile, I barely managed to speak.

“Don’t smile like that.”

How could he smile so adorably while looking like a baby kitten?

What was I supposed to do with this burst of affection?

I almost shouted, Come home with me!

“I’m glad I met you, Seyla. You’re such an interesting friend.”

Before I knew it, Jermiel had disappeared.

The illusions of the Holy House were truly fascinating.

Knock knock—

A knock came at the door.

“Did you find peace through prayer and meditation?”

“…Yes.”

“May you be a light and salt to the world, young lady. The coming-of-age ceremony is complete. Step out into the world.”

I was now officially an adult.

On the first floor of the temple, designed like a plaza, a large crowd of children and their families had gathered for the coming-of-age ceremony.

There, a strange rumor began to spread.

“I heard Seyla cast a terrible curse?”

“Is that true?”

“Apparently, four kids who had a minor dispute with her were all cursed. They’ve been scratching themselves until they bled and are getting treated now.”

“She’s the one who ate her own mother in the womb. Of course, she’s different.”

“Witch blood doesn’t just vanish, you know.”

Temanon, who was sitting in a chair waiting, scowled deeply.

Though people were whispering quietly, his enhanced hearing caught everything.

If Rachel hadn’t gently placed her hand on his, he might have already leapt to his feet shouting, Who’s spreading such nonsense?!

Rachel whispered,

“Hold it in.”

“How can I hold it in when they say things like that?”

“Seyla is a guest of our family. It’s my responsibility to protect our guest’s honor. Trust me, and wait just a little longer.”

Temanon pressed his lips tightly and stayed silent, his face still scrunched up in anger.

Meanwhile, the four children who had been treated returned to their respective families and twisted the story in their favor.

“I just had a little chat with Seyla, and suddenly all these weird marks appeared on my skin…”

“Stuff like octopus suckers popped up all over my body—it was disgusting.”

“It felt like I was cursed. Could it have been magic?”

Based on these statements from Garp’s group, the bad rumors about Seyla spread quickly—and Garp felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

In his mind, Seyla had become nothing more than a shady sorceress with cursed blood.

‘She thinks she can get away with everything just because she’s pretty.’

In truth, Garp hadn’t disliked Seyla from the beginning.

When he first saw her, he was completely captivated.

She looked like a walking sculpture—or a living doll.

So he approached her first and greeted her, flexing his strength to show off how powerful he was.

‘A handshake disguised as skinship. Disgusting.’

Seyla had returned his gesture of goodwill with disdain.

Most people would’ve praised his grip, saying “What strength you have!”

Honestly, he could’ve let it go even then.

He simply couldn’t take his eyes off her.

But when she didn’t look back at him, Garp grew furious.

‘You won’t even glance at me?’

He felt rejected by Seyla.

‘I’m Garp Berak, firstborn of the First Noble House!’

How could she treat him like this?

He couldn’t forgive her.

So he deliberately provoked and annoyed her.

Part of it was a childish desire to get her attention.

But Seyla remained indifferent, and that stung his pride.

‘Hmph! Just a filthy sorcerer’s bloodline.’

A little while later, Seyla came down the stairs.

Garp shot up and walked toward her.

“You cursed us, didn’t you? Admit it!”

“……”

Seyla gave him a brief glance.

She wanted to ignore him, not wanting to get entangled in something annoying, but Garp and his group blocked her path.

“Answer me. You spread misfortune to us.”

“And if I say I didn’t?”

“Lies.”

Garp crossed his arms and glared.

“If it wasn’t you, then how else could the four of us all suffer the same thing?”