Chapter 4
Brainwashing? Brainwashing?!
“That’s forbidden magic!”
As expected of a demon contractor! Using such dangerous magic—my heart was pounding wildly.
“Oh, is it banned now? Back in my day, it was legal.”
“Well, it’s illegal here. You’ll go to prison. Straight to jail.”
If the Magic Tower finds out, they’ll come hunting you down!
“It’s fine.”
“What’s fine about this?! You won’t be the only one getting locked up—I’ll be dragged in with you!”
“If that happens, I’ll just kill them all. So no one can ever touch you again.”
He said it like he was swatting mosquitoes. I slapped my forehead.
‘I’m gonna lose it.’
What he really needed was a conscience, a sense of morality, and a bit of humanity.
‘What am I supposed to do with him?’
If Herace messed up, I’d be the one taking responsibility.
‘No—mess up or not, if they find out I broke his seal, they’ll come for me first!’
Whether he knew he was a walking time bomb or not, Herace just casually shook my bottle of medicine.
“What’s this?”
“…It’s a painkiller. I have a weak heart.”
Snatching it back from his hand, I gulped it down in one go and grimaced. The bitter taste spread over my tongue.
‘No matter how long I take these, I’ll never get used to how bitter they are.’
Even drinking water didn’t wash it away, so I pinched my nose. Then something popped into my mouth.
“Mm?”
“A candy.”
As soon as Herace said it, the sweet taste of strawberry spread on my tongue.
“Why candy?”
He didn’t look like the type to like sweets. As I mumbled with it in my mouth, he answered flatly:
“Two people I knew liked it.”
“Who were they?”
“There was an idiot and a kid.”
“An idiot and a kid?”
“The kid was my little brother.”
He had a brother? That was unexpected. I thought he’d be an only child, judging by how he acted like he lived in his own world.
I sucked on the candy and tilted my head.
“Then who was the idiot?”
“The idiot… was just an idiot.”
The vague explanation didn’t invite further questions.
His expression in that fleeting moment was heavy—like I shouldn’t prod further.
“So, Siena, which room should be mine? Left one? Or the right?”
“Huh? That wasn’t just a joke? You’re seriously planning to stay in the room next to mine?”
“Of course. I have to stay close to you.”
“Well, why not just move into my room at this point?”
“Should I?”
He jumped at the chance. I shot him a cold look.
I was starting to get used to his nonsense.
“Fine. I’ll let you have the guest house. Stay there.”
I wanted to send him far away, but the contract made that impossible.
“Siena, there’s a big problem with that.”
“What problem?”
“It’s not to my taste.”
Taste, my foot!
“I was trapped inside that godforsaken ruby for 500 years. You think I’ll be satisfied with some dusty old guest house?”
“Shut up.”
I clenched my teeth and activated a command spell. His mouth clamped shut instantly.
‘Okay. I’m getting the hang of this.’
It was a simple mechanism—think about using the spell, say the command aloud, and it activates.
Now that I had the hang of it, I gave another command.
“Don’t speak for one hour.”
Herace glared at me with obvious displeasure.
‘One hour is too much.’
His eyes protested silently. I let out a deep sigh.
I wasn’t sure whether he was dangerous or just a nuisance—but one thing was certain:
I’d definitely brought something weird into my house.
Even though I told him not to use mind manipulation magic, Herace still embedded the identity of “Herace, Siena Winter’s magic teacher” into the minds of everyone in the Winter estate.
“Good afternoon, Mage.”
Servants greeted him naturally whenever they passed him.
It was all so seamless—there wasn’t even the slightest hint of unnaturalness.
Having won over the household this way, Herace got what he wanted.
He took the room right next to mine.
That had been three days ago.
“Miss, it’s time for your lesson.”
The servants, now under his influence, would come fetch me after lunch and guide me to him.
It was supposed to be a magic lesson, but he didn’t actually teach me anything.
He just sat me down in front of him and tinkered with things.
‘What are all these magic circles for?’
The papers scattered everywhere were filled with different diagrams.
“Siena, how many times did you cough today?”
“Hmm… about six times?”
“And the blood?”
“Three times.”
Then, like now, he would ask about my health—every single day.
“Mage, why do you keep asking me that?”
Unable to hold my curiosity any longer, I asked—but of course, Herace fixated on something else entirely.
“Siena, how long are you going to keep calling me ‘Mage’?”
“Forever.”
Just because we were bound by a contract didn’t mean I accepted him.
Not at all.
Herace shrugged like he was giving up.
“That won’t do. We’re going to be together for a long time—we should get closer.”
“I don’t really…”
“Sisi, Nenna, Sena, Nana.”
Completely ignoring me, he rattled off a list of nicknames.
“Pick one.”
“…And if I do?”
“I’ll call you that.”
Herace smiled with crescent-shaped eyes.
“Giving people nicknames is a hobby of mine. Personally, I like ‘Sisi.’”
“…Just call me Siena, please.”
I didn’t want us getting any closer than necessary.
“Then I have no choice. Nenna.”
“What? Nenna? Don’t call me that! That’s disgusting! Call me Sisi instead!”
When the nickname my ex-fiancé, Rio Maze, used for me came out of Herace’s mouth, I practically exploded.
“Okay, Sisi.”
The moment I gave him permission, he latched on like he’d been waiting for it.
“Sisi, Sisi…”
He repeated the nickname on his tongue, then smiled brightly.
“Mm. I like it.”
Having a stranger use a nickname I’d only ever heard from family… it was incredibly embarrassing.
“Can’t you just call me Siena?”
Nicknames like that made us sound too close.
“Nope.”
He flatly rejected my request—but then demanded even more.
“You should stop calling me ‘Mage’ too. Just say Herace or Heren.”
“No, I like how it is now. If you don’t like ‘Mage,’ I’ll call you ‘Teacher’ instead.”
“Nenna.”
Ack. My skin crawled.
Herace smirked at the horrified look on my face.
“Then I’ll keep calling you Nenna.”
“…Don’t.”
“Ne~nna.”
“Ack!”
I jumped in place and rubbed my arms. That nickname dredged up memories I wanted to bury forever.
“Ne—”
“Herace! Herace! Herace!”
Before he could say that awful name again, I cut him off, gasping for breath.
“Okay, okay. Deep breaths.”
“Hoo— hoo— hoo—”
Why was he so good at this? He acted like someone who’d cared for the sick before.
Following his lead, I managed to calm my breathing without coughing or pain. Still, I didn’t feel thankful.
“What are you calling me?”
“…Herace.”
“Good job. The first step is always the hardest.”
“You really do have the worst personality, you know that?”
“That’s a compliment, right? Thanks.”
As if! I glared at him in disbelief, but he ignored me and carried on.
“Since we’re at it, why don’t we drop formal speech too?”
The unexpected suggestion made me blink rapidly.
“Uh… Are you sure? You’re way older than me… and a demon contractor…”
“I don’t care. Speak comfortably.”
“Well… if you say so.”
It was more convenient that way.
Herace seemed to like it too—his face relaxed once I started speaking casually.
I propped my chin on my hand and stared at him.
‘Such a strange man.’
I thought he’d be arrogant, cruel, and heartless.
But he wasn’t what I expected at all.
‘His morals are still completely messed up though.’
Unlike the tales that described demons as horrifying creatures, he was pretty normal.
Once, a maid spilled water in front of him and soaked his shirt.
“I-I’m so sorry, Mage!”
“It’s fine. Go.”
It was a situation where anyone would be angry, but he just waved her off without a fuss.
‘Is he generous? Or just indifferent?’
Either way, one thing was clear:
Herace wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought.
“If you keep staring at me like that, I’m gonna get shy.”
Yeah, right. There’s no way this man knew what shyness was.
“I get it—you like my face. But are you really going to keep staring?”
“…Aren’t you embarrassed saying that about yourself?”
“Nope. Someone once told me my face is so good-looking, I should show it off daily for the sake of public happiness.”
His blue eyes curved like crescents, overflowing with confidence.
‘Whoever said that had a point.’
“You are disgustingly handsome.”
“Sisi, your true feelings just slipped out.”
“Ah.”
