Chapter 48
Diana pressed her temples, and with a deep breath, she gathered the courage to ask about the meaning behind Riel’s gaze.
“Riel…”
However, Riel was already wearing his mischievous mask again, grinning widely.
“And when you’re as great a magician as me, even if there’s a mountain of work, I can finish it in no time!”
Diana blinked rapidly, her face full of confusion.
For a moment, she completely forgot what she was about to ask.
“Uh…?”
“…What’s wrong, sister?”
“I was about to ask something, but I can’t remember what it was.”
“You were probably going to ask how Catherine got her magic, right?”
That didn’t seem to be what she was about to ask, but Diana felt a strange sensation, like the world was tilting under her feet.
No matter how hard she tried to recall, she couldn’t remember what she had been planning to ask.
It felt like she was under some kind of spell—like running into an invisible, transparent wall.
“Catherine… that girl…”
Riel quickly changed the subject.
“Ah, yes.”
Fortunately, Diana listened attentively to his words. Riel let out a sigh of relief and continued.
“She broke a taboo.”
“A taboo?”
“A taboo that a naive girl should never touch.”
“What’s… that?”
Diana swallowed hard. Riel answered her question with calm composure.
“It’s dark magic.”
“D-dark magic?”
Diana’s eyes widened in shock. Now that she thought about it, unlike Icel’s magic, Catherine’s crystals had a dark hue.
Could it be… that girl…?
Dark magic was different from ordinary magic. It was the only kind of magic that didn’t require mana.
This was because dark magic didn’t use one’s own mana but instead borrowed the power of demons through a contract.
Moreover, summoning demons required powerful magic circles created with immense mana or the demon itself must show interest in humans, so it wasn’t something ordinary people could do easily.
“Dark magic… can anyone really use it?”
“To use dark magic, you must make a contract with a demon, using something as collateral. And she’s quite something.”
“…What do you mean?”
“Do you think a demon would just contract with anyone?”
Diana’s mouth fell open.
Indeed, Riel’s words made sense. If dark magic were so simple to use, no one would be incapable of using mana in this world.
“So how did that girl manage it?”
“…Desire.”
Riel’s red eyes stared directly at Diana.
“That young girl’s desire is so powerful. So strong that she could lure a demon.”
“Ha…”
Diana couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh. It was one thing to be foolish, but trying to defeat Icel with magic and then making a contract with a demon… How idiotic!
Did Alicia even know about this?
No, it was clear that she didn’t.
When Catherine had tried to use magic, Alicia had been biting her nails in nervousness.
That was her habit whenever she was anxious.
This situation was getting more interesting. Diana now knew something Alicia didn’t.
All of Alicia’s conditions had been left behind, but this was valuable information for Diana.
“What happens to someone who uses dark magic in the end?”
“Demons always speak sweet words.”
Riel took a sip of his tea before continuing.
“I’m sure Catherine wasn’t told about her end. She probably doesn’t know. It’s not written anywhere.”
“So…?”
“I know. I know what happens to those who use dark magic.”
Diana slowly studied Riel’s bitter expression. He looked as if he had swallowed something bitter.
“Are you okay, Riel?”
“…Yeah.”
Riel’s hand trembled slightly as he lifted his cup of tea.
“That person must have been someone close to you.”
“Very close.”
He poured more hot water into his tea, as though trying to calm his racing heart. The shaking in his hand slowly subsided as he drank the warm tea.
Diana watched him with concern and spoke.
“If it’s too painful, you don’t have to share it with me. I can roughly imagine it.”
“…No.”
Riel cut her off firmly.
“It’s something beyond what a human can imagine.”
“If it’s a contract with something as collateral, isn’t it something as simple as taking their life?”
Diana cautiously asked. But Riel shook his head.
“They want entertainment.”
“Entertainment?”
“They seek amusement. It’s like how we watch horses race at a racetrack, getting excited about it.”
“So…?”
He responded with a heavy sigh, as if finally revealing his thoughts.
“On the surface, they seem to fulfill human desires, but in the end, they never really do. What they really want is something else.”
“…In the end, they never fulfill the real desire. Very demon-like.”
“They enjoy watching that human break down. Like watching a play.”
Riel continued softly.
“For us, it’s not a play. It’s real life.”
Diana looked at him, her heart heavy. Was he referring to someone close to him? She felt a pang of guilt, as if her personal matters had somehow brought him down.
Diana stood up and walked over to him. Riel looked at her in surprise.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”
“Sister.”
She sat beside him and turned her body toward him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. It would have been a lie to say she wasn’t embarrassed, but at that moment, she wanted to embrace him warmly, who looked so lonely, like a leaf fluttering in the autumn breeze.
Riel tightly grasped her hand around his neck.
Diana, surprised by his sudden gesture, looked at him with wide eyes. Riel rested his face on her shoulder.
“While you’re hugging me…”
He whispered softly, in a voice lower than usual.
“Just for a moment, just for a moment, I’ll stay like this. Sister.”
Diana’s face flushed bright red, and at the same time, she felt her heart drop.
What was she wanting from him?
Diana’s pupils shook, but she didn’t push him away. In fact, she couldn’t.
Without realizing it, her feelings for him were deepening.
“Yes!”
As soon as Catherine returned to her room, she shouted in a voice full of excitement.
She hadn’t received the praise she wanted from that disgusting man who she didn’t even want to call “teacher”, but just seeing Icel’s dumbfounded expression was enough.
How badly she had wanted to laugh at her. To show that she was far superior to her.
“Catherine!”
Soon, Alicia came to her room. Her face was still flushed with the joy she had felt earlier.
“What on earth happened?”
Alicia’s red eyes shone like stars. But Catherine had no intention of telling her the truth just yet.
“I guess I have magic too. That so-called ‘teacher’ of the lower-level magic and Diana’s instructor must be a fool.”
“…What?”
That couldn’t be. Two magicians had said that they had no magic, so how could magic suddenly manifest now? Alicia tilted her head in confusion, then carefully examined Catherine’s face.
Catherine’s lips twitched.
That was Catherine’s habit whenever she was lying.
“Catherine, are you really not going to tell me the truth?”
“I told you. I guess I have magic too.”
“Catherine…”
“Stop it.”
Catherine covered her ears as if she didn’t want to hear any more.
Instead of giving praise, asking for the truth—how annoying!
For someone with no ability, to be nagging as well?
She furrowed her brow.
Alicia sighed. The expression alone told her everything—Catherine wasn’t feeling good about her right now. And she was sure that the girl was hiding something.
But one thing was clear: Catherine had used magic. And it was much stronger than Icel’s magic.
Should I let this slide? Alicia’s eyes wavered. At that moment, Catherine came straight toward her, locking eyes.
“What’s so important about the truth?”
“What?”
“Mom’s a filthy adulteress, and I’m the illegitimate child of the Duke. It’s something that must never be revealed.”
“How could you say something like that…!”
Alicia’s body trembled. Was this really the Catherine she knew?
Catherine had always been shrewd and impulsive, but she had never spoken like this since she learned that Alicia was her biological mother.
The shock lingered, and Alicia couldn’t catch her breath.
But Catherine didn’t stop there.
“Our very existence is a lie, so why does the truth even matter?”
Alicia didn’t know what to say. The words were too real.
Finally, Alicia fell silent. Catherine smirked, her eyes glowing with rage.
“…Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of my own business. You always fail anyway.”
Alicia didn’t respond. She just swayed and left the room.
Once she was gone, Catherine turned back and spoke into the air.
“Is this how it’s done?”
A dark silhouette appeared behind her.
“Yes. Well done. Your mother is a useless person who will never help you. You know that, right?”
Catherine smiled brightly at the whispering figure, who called itself “Eclipse.”
Eclipse had the form of a man, yet there was something unnatural about him.
His eyes were as red as blood, and his long black hair was darker than the night itself.
If ordinary people saw him, they might mistake him for a ghost. But Catherine didn’t mind, and she spoke casually.
“You’re right. I’m so lucky you came to me, Eclipse.”
Eclipse, as he was called, appeared to be a strange figure, but Catherine seemed unbothered.
“Thanks to you, I was able to defeat Icel.”
“And you’ll defeat her more in the future. Getting rid of that annoying girl and becoming the real one will not be a dream. As long as you listen to my advice, of course.”
“Of course. Eclipse. I completely trust you. I will never ignore your words.”
“Hehe, good. If you do that, I’ll grant all your desires.”
Eclipse gently stroked Catherine’s hair. But his face held an unsettlingly wicked smile.
