Chapter 4
<The Duke of Rockfenheim has successfully escaped from a high-security prison. Following his escape, he is suspected of having tampered with the ‘Wishing Stone.’
(…)
There are growing concerns about what dangerous schemes the Duke may be plotting using the artifact… (…)
Cardinal His Eminence has taken a firm stance on the matter and is publicly calling for his execution.>
Katrina crumpled the newspaper.
It was months old and had been difficult to acquire on her way back.
So Sylas had broken out of prison months ago?
What the hell had he been doing since?
Whatever happened to Sylas, it didn’t really have anything to do with Katrina.
And yet, something gnawed at her.
“If that bastard dies, it’ll be because of you, Katrina.”
“I’m only getting blood on my hands for your sake.”
She recalled what Lucifer had once said.
What if Sylas’s death was her fault?
Lucifer was impulsive—he removed anything that so much as slightly displeased him.
And if he had pinned false charges on Sylas…
The mere possibility unsettled her.
She didn’t want Sylas to die because of her.
So Katrina made her way to the temple—to see Lucifer.
There was no need for formalities.
The moment she arrived, the priests seemed to be expecting her and guided her straight to him.
It all felt like a rehearsed play.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Lucifer greeted her casually.
He was calmly trimming leaves off a flower bouquet.
Katrina could hardly believe it.
He had set all this in motion, and yet here he was, acting so carefree.
“Don’t tell me you came because you missed me?”
“…What?”
“It hasn’t even been that long, and here you are, rushing to see me.”
Feigning innocence, pretending to be clueless.
As if he hadn’t sent someone to hand her that note.
Wasn’t the whole point to lure her here?
“Besides, once you join the monastery, we’ll see each other all the time.”
Katrina stared at him silently.
…As if she’d ever go to the monastery.
She would never let things go the way he wanted.
Lucifer simply smiled, as if this situation amused him deeply.
“I visited the Rockfenheim estate.”
“Really? And why would you go there?”
“…”
“You hate Sylas, don’t you?”
“…”
“And yet, the first thing you do after waking up is run to see him?”
“…”
“Why?”
His lips twisted into a crooked smile. He was persistent.
Those red eyes gazed at her as if genuinely curious.
Katrina felt a chill.
“I didn’t have a specific reason. I just went, and—”
“You don’t come to me without a reason.”
He grumbled, as if offended.
Why was he bringing that up now?
Lucifer was always like this. Conversations with him often went nowhere.
“Stop changing the subject.”
“Hmph. Fine. Go on.”
He pouted slightly, tearing at a flower petal as he spoke.
Katrina watched him, then asked:
“Did Sylas really touch the Wishing Stone?”
“…”
“And now you want to execute him for it?”
“You hate him, but you’re still curious, huh?”
Katrina didn’t answer.
Lucifer stared at her intently, then smiled.
“Want me to tell you?”
“What you heard is true.”
“…”
“That’s the only reason you came here?”
‘Only reason’?
“Are you afraid I did something to him?”
Exactly.
Because you’re the type who would.
Katrina didn’t trust Lucifer. She’d seen enough of what he was capable of.
And besides…
“You hate Sylas.”
He always acted on his emotions—especially when it came to destruction.
Lucifer stopped trimming the flowers and looked at her.
“So, is that why you hate me too?”
…What kind of question was that?
“You hate him too, don’t you?”
The way he said it…
“I got rid of him—for you.”
Lucifer smiled brightly.
Exactly what Katrina had suspected.
He was trying to kill Sylas because of her.
‘Freaking psycho.’
Katrina furrowed her brows.
“So it was you who sent the note.”
She couldn’t be sure just from the handwriting. But who else could’ve done it?
Her suspicion was confirmed.
“Instead of praising me, you came to yell?”
“…”
“You should be saying thank you.”
Her head hurt.
What kind of nonsense was she even listening to?
“You’re saying you want to kill Sylas—for me?”
“Let’s call it… a proof of love.”
How disgusting.
What the hell was that even supposed to mean?
“So you framed Sylas because of that?”
“Framed? He did touch the Wishing Stone.”
Why would Sylas do that?
What kind of wish was so important to him?
He knew better than anyone that using the Wishing Stone would curse him.
“You don’t want me to kill Sylas?”
“Be clear. That’s not the issue.”
Katrina paused, then continued.
“What I don’t want—is to be involved in his death. Don’t drag me into your mess.”
Lucifer stared at her quietly.
“I can’t do that.”
“What?”
“I want you to know.”
“…?”
“I wouldn’t have done this if it weren’t for you.”
So now it was her fault?
There’s a limit to how far you can go blaming others.
“This is exactly why I never wanted to see you again.”
She’d been so happy the day she returned home, knowing she’d never have to face him again.
“We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other. So don’t say that.”
“Why would we see each other often?”
“Because you’ll be coming to the monastery.”
His shameless confidence was infuriating.
Katrina decided to mock him to his face.
“Sorry, Lucifer. But I’ll never end up at the monastery.”
She had made up her mind.
She would find the Wishing Stone—and go back home.
“Whether I go or not… you’ll see, Lucifer.”
There was no way she was going to live out her days in that monastery.
She would stay here, and make sure the Wishing Stone came into her hands.
“That’s already been decided.”
“You ever consider that it could be undone?”
“No matter what you do, the result won’t change, Katrina.”
“Don’t make me laugh.”
He’d see for himself soon enough.
Whether she listened or not, Lucifer simply smirked.
Katrina, glaring at that face, turned and walked out of the room.
When Han Seoryeong first possessed Katrina, the body had been just eleven years old.
Overnight, she became a child in an orphanage.
Those early days were nothing but confusion.
A year passed.
And then, everything began to change.
Strange phenomena began to appear in her body.
“Such divine power!”
“She’ll surely grow into a saint!”
“A saint? We haven’t seen one in a hundred years!”
It started with people flooding the orphanage.
And soon, noble houses were sending people to see her.
The Ducal House of Abiche.
One of the four founding houses of the empire.
Just like that, Katrina was adopted into one of the most powerful families in the land.
And it was there that she met the protagonists of this world.
“If not for your powers, you never would’ve set foot here.”
“You’re Katrina? The one adopted into Abiche?”
“It’s a noble’s duty to verify trash like you.”
They were all insufferably arrogant.
People who could ruin lives with a single word.
If not for their titles, they’d have been bankrupt long ago.
But…
Even so, Katrina didn’t want to become like the game’s version of herself—doing whatever it took to return home.
There had been days like that once.
