TYFGU 33

Episode 33

To think she used the power given by the Grand Duke Crisiard merely to punish a personal maid.

If the Grand Duke found out, he might consider it petty.

But she had no intention of backing down.

If word got out that she had let someone who insulted her go unpunished…

Well, she already figured out that the one who would say such dreadful things was none other than the Grand Duke.

“I-I only followed the young lady under the Count’s orders! If you punish me, the Count won’t let you off easily!”

Rita shouted boldly.

Rita hadn’t looked down on Reyana without a reason. At the very least, she was aware she was the Count’s adopted daughter.

But there was one thing every servant of House Chester knew all too well.

The Count’s adopted daughter would do anything the Count ordered—even face death.

As if under a contract with the devil, Reyana followed the Count’s commands with unwavering loyalty. The only one who could control Reyana was the “Count’s word.”

Seeing Rita act so shamelessly, as if wondering what Reyana would do now, Reyana let out a small laugh.

There was something Rita was sorely mistaken about.

Reyana’s heart had changed.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t spoken up before—she had merely let it slide.

Now, she had no intention of overlooking Rita’s insolence.

“This is Valencia. Not Chester. So whose eyes do you think I need to watch?”

Without the Count of Chester, those conditions no longer applied.

Yes, if she punished Rita for no reason, the Count might get angry.

But what if there was a reason?

The maid assigned to her under the guise of treating the adopted daughter equally had continuously made disrespectful remarks in front of the Grand Duke’s staff.

That alone was justification enough.

Honestly, justification didn’t even seem that important anymore.

Rita simply got on her nerves. She reminded Reyana of the days she spent in House Chester.

Rita, who had always belittled her, didn’t seem to realize it yet.

“You really need to learn your place.”

Reyana let go of the last chance she might have given Rita.

It was time to deliver punishment.

Reyana picked up a switch.

She didn’t know many ways for nobles to discipline servants.

She only knew one method—the one used by Isabelle. So, she took up the switch.

Just imitating Isabelle made her feel sick to her stomach.

As she struck, the unpleasant feeling of flesh giving way transmitted up through her hand.

The more marks she left on Rita, the more Reyana regretted not stepping away.

It felt like her own humanity was being scraped away.

Reyana slumped over the table by her window.

“I miss him…”

She found herself longing for Theodore.

To her, Theodore was always a source of comfort.

Unlike her, he was small, soft, and always smiled with a sweet face—seeing him gave her strength no matter how hard things were.

Should I go see him?

Just as she hesitated—

“Me?”

Reyana whipped her head around.

Was she seeing things? It felt like Theodore was actually in her room.

For a brief moment, the boy’s eyes shimmered gold before returning to their original blue.

Embarrassed by her intense gaze, the boy turned his head away.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is there something on my face?”

Theodore ran over to the mirror, checked his face, and then pouted.

“There’s nothing on it! Why’d you scare me like that?”

That wasn’t the problem right now.

“Your Highness the Young Lord, how… how did you get here?”

“What do you mean?”

“You just… suddenly appeared…”

Like a demon.

Reyana bit her lip, unable to voice the last words.

Then Theodore answered calmly.

“You called me.”

“I’m not a fairy. People don’t just appear when called.”

“Do I seem like a fairy?”

His sudden appearance was fairy-like, but even more so was the way he leaned forward and asked so innocently.

So pretty. So cute.

“Am I not an angel anymore?”

When the child asked with a gloomy face, Reyana’s expression instantly softened.

“You’re still an angel. You’re so, so adorable, Your Highness. Didn’t you know?”

Reyana unconsciously pinched Theodore’s cheek.

His soft, squishy skin was a delight to the touch.

Before she knew it, she was gently kneading his cheek.

“Reeuuaanaa, my faash hurss.”

“Oh, I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay.”

The cheek Reyana released was just a little flushed.

The boy’s skin was unbelievably soft and delicate.

“When did you gain this ability?”

“I don’t know. Just now, I guess.”

Despite saying it was the first time, the boy looked remarkably calm.

Seeing how naturally he accepted this new power made Reyana uneasy.

Was becoming one with the demon really okay for him?

What if this process was somehow related to the contract she had made?

Reyana worried she might have put him in danger again without even realizing it.

As she grew somber, the boy quietly leaned into her arms.

The warmth from his small body made her change her mind.

“Next time, even if you hear me call, you mustn’t come in like this. Especially if someone else is around. Absolutely not.”

“Mm.”

The child answered uncertainly, so Reyana put her hands on her hips and spoke sternly.

“I said absolutely not. If you break your promise, I’ll get mad.”

“You’ll get mad?”

His eyes trembled as if in shock.

“I-I’ll never do it! I promise!”

Oh my, how precious.

She nearly couldn’t resist ruffling his hair in praise.

Barely restraining herself, Reyana asked more about his mysterious ability.

“How exactly did you use it? Being able to go where you want is impressive.”

“Well, to use it…”

The boy closed his eyes tightly, as if ready to demonstrate his power.

But even after waiting a while, nothing happened.

He was still sitting on Reyana’s thigh.

Opening his eyes, Theodore looked despairingly at her.

“I don’t know how to do it!”

“Then how did you appear earlier?”

“Well, I heard you calling me…”

What did that mean?

Theodore’s words made it sound like she had summoned him.

As Reyana tilted her head in confusion, the boy looked more frustrated. He patted his chest with his tiny hand.

Suddenly, Reyana remembered what the demon had said.

He could go anywhere and hear anything.

Maybe Theodore had heard her mumbling through the demon’s power?

Reyana cautiously shared her hypothesis.

“Do you hear other sounds too? Ones you normally wouldn’t hear?”

The boy looked up at her, eyes wide in shock.

His eyes sparkled as if to say, “How did you know?”

“Someone told me. This is just between you and me, Your Highness.”

“Okay!”

Overjoyed, Theodore bounced on the spot and then whispered to her.

“It’s because of that, right?”

“That?”

“The reason you seem upset. Your personal maid.”

His whisper made the back of Reyana’s neck burn.

If he could see anything, of course he saw it.

He had seen her punish the maid.

Reyana, unable to hide her shame, covered her face with her hands.

“Reyana, what’s wrong?”

The boy’s worried voice reached her, but she couldn’t calm down.

What if he was disappointed in her?

She wanted to explain, but doing so meant talking about what she went through in House Chester.

That was the one thing she didn’t want to do. As she struggled to find the right words—

Theodore gently grasped her hand and said,

“Should I take care of it for you?”

His hand was gentle, but his words carried a disturbing weight.

Through her fingers, Reyana saw his eyes turning gold.

A radiant golden color—just like the demon’s.

“Young Lord… What do you mean by that?”

“If you want me to.”

Was this how his voice always sounded?

It was a bit calmer and lower than usual.

Chills ran down Reyana’s spine.

What stood before her might look like Theodore, but it felt like a demon wearing his skin.

Yet she knew it was truly Theodore.

Her contract with the demon wasn’t reacting.

Something in her mind screamed a warning.