Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 21 – Contract With The Devil

Jenkins was by far the busiest person in the mansion, but now Bella and Zanbar are the busiest.

The swordsmanship class opened by Bella has grown in reputation as time passed.

Zanbar used to grunt, but he seemed like a teacher the children couldn’t dare to confront.

Rumors began to spread that an excellent swordsman came down to the countryside to teach. Besides, depending on the physique of the children and their abilities, they practice different things.

It’s not an age of adventure or a wartime situation. Many children wanted to learn swordsmanship and become mercenaries.

‘But, in a country like this, it’s usually just farming or building stuff.’

Most of all, commoners learned swordsmanship over their shoulders, so they wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity.

Inquiries from the villagers flooded in without them doing anything.

At first, even the villagers were puzzled when they asked for an inquiry from a young girl. However, they bit their mouth when they learned that she was the owner of her mansion, which had made the innkeeper cringe.

“I’m going to town then.”

Thanks to this, Bella was as busy as usual.

The mansion family used to enjoy their time without Bella and rest to their heart’s content.

“It’s so good because she’s busy.”

No matter what they did, she would end up nagging.

Unlike her favorite one…

“What about Bella?”

“The Lady, she’s been out for a while.”

Kiehl didn’t like it at all.

Everything about the swordsmanship class…

He didn’t like Bella leaving him, but there was one thing he hated the most.

“Oh, what’s his name? Bowen? He’s here again.”

“It’s Bwen.”

The first thing he hated was this guy, Bwen.

Kiehl saw Bwen standing at the entrance of the mansion and greeted him with a frown.

“Hello? Is Bella in?”

“No.”

This guy wasn’t even a student in the swordsmanship class, but he always came to the mansion.

He was the kid Bella said was cute before. Kiehl was worried about the age difference.

“Oh, then give her this. Mother told me to bring it to her.”

Bwen gave him an apple pie.

The second thing he hated was this. When this guy comes to the swordsmanship class, he always sits on a bench in the garden and starts talking to Bella.

Now, he was showing interest openly.

“Bella hates apples.”

“Bella asked me to bake it before, though?”

The third thing he hates is that Bella doesn’t turn down any attention at all. Then, when Iwer saw an apple pie from afar, she ran out, asking what kind of cake it was.

“Oh, let’s make this for today’s snack. Young Master.”

“No.”

Bwen scratched his head at Kiehl’s resolute refusal.

“Ha. Bella’s younger brother is too harsh.”

The fourth thing he hated was that Bella had already told everyone in the neighborhood that Kiehl was her brother.

If they weren’t family, it would be strange for her to call Kiehl a young master and Bella a lady.

He understands, but he doesn’t like it.

* * *

Recently, the mansion family has sensed that Kiehl has changed.

He looked exhausted before he had finished his strength training, which he had insisted on adding.

“Hey, kid.”

“Just rest.”

Zanbar was happy that his break time had increased, but he couldn’t shake off his uneasiness.

It wasn’t just physical training.

“Young… Master, that’s it?”

“Yeah, I have no appetite.”

Don’t you leave more than half of your meal?

“Young Master! Move out of the way!”

“Ah… yes.”

It seemed that Bella was the only one who couldn’t see Kiehl’s sudden change.

She talked to her parents and often went out to town.

It was not uncommon for her to arrive late at the mansion these days, as she socializes with some of the famous mercenaries.

The change in Kiehl might not seem like a big deal, though it was for the people in the mansion. They didn’t seem to mind Bella, but it was the opposite with Kiehl.

Whenever they saw each other, they would gossip about Kiehl.

“Young Master, he’s lost so much motivation!”

“He’s weaker than when he first came here.”

“What’s going on?”

“I’m worried about what the princess will say if he gets sick from this.”

They were silent for a moment.

The other day, when Kiehl was haunted by ghosts every night, Jenkins said, recalling a time when he felt like he was about to go crazy. “I think I’ll have to tell her about this…”

They were procrastinating, looking into each other’s eyes.

“Jenkins, the youngest in the ranks should do.”

“Why am I the youngest? If you look at it, I am the one who was cared for the most here.”

When they heard it, they couldn’t deny that it was true, so they looked at Zanbar.

“I do all the house cleaning!”

“If I don’t cook, the lady will be sad, right?”

“…I am a general.”

In the end, they decided to be fair, with rock-paper-scissors.

“No!”

Actually, it wasn’t fair. In the end, Pur, the bear, lost after playing paper.

“No way! I’m a stupid bear who can’t speak coherently!”

“Well then, work harder.”

Zanbar and Jenkins left with a light footstep, and Iwer laughed playfully next to Pur, who was frustrated.

“Pur can do it.”

“She’s going to cut me off.”

“If you do, I’ll catch a delicious rabbit.”

“A… a rabbit?”

Pur took Iwer’s arm and spoke fiercely.

“Really?”

“Huh.”

“Then, make an oath.”

“You don’t have to do an oath for something like that…”

“Hurry up! I’m already scared.”

That was then.

Kiehl was standing between the two of them, unknown since when.

“What’s the oath?”

* * *

Bella was happier than ever, as everything seemed to be going smoothly and as she wanted.

After she came to the human world, due to the empty tower, the wizards’ visits became more and more frequent.

As the mercenaries showed interest, it seemed that she could make connections with a fairly large target group.

‘Hopefully, Iwer’s potion can also be sold in bulk.’

It was night, but Bella came into the mansion happily.

‘After all, the end of the day is my favorite.’

Bella gently opened Kiehl’s door, and he was sitting by the window, staring at the night sky.

“Kiehl, what are you doing?”

“I was looking at the stars.”

At that, she went to Kiehl’s side and looked up at the sky together. They can’t see the whole thing because of the window.

However, there were countless stars in the sky.

‘Come to think of it, it’s the first time I’ve seen the night sky like this.”

In her previous life, she couldn’t see any stars even when she looked up.

“It’s pretty, right?”

“…Yes.”

Bella turned her head to face Kiel.

Since when had he been looking at her? He immediately looked away as soon as their eyes met.

“Is it fun to see the stars?”

Kiehl nodded.

“The stars change positions every day, so you can tell what day it is today without a calendar.”

He quietly raised his head and looked up at the sky again.

When he was living on the road, there was nothing he could have on the ground, but when he raised his head, he felt like he was approaching the wide sky.

But, it always gives him the illusion that it’s his. The sky belonged to everyone.

Like now…

That was then.

“Oh, it’s a shooting star.”

Bella closed her eyes and put her hands together as soon as she saw the light across the sky.

“….?”

“It is said that if you make a wish when a shooting star falls, it will come true.”

By the time Kiehl turned her head again, the shooting star had long since disappeared.

“Wish…”

Seeing his slightly disappointed face, Bella stroked his hair.

“I will grant your wish.”

Even at night, his eyes twinkled like the day’s sun and looked at Bella.

“Can you grant me any wish?”

“Yes. The Princess of the Animal Kingdom can do anything.”

“Then, before we talk about wishes…”

And so, Kiehl took Bella’s hand and put it slowly to her forehead.

“Please make an oath.”

“Oath? How do you know that?”

“I’ve seen Pur and Iwer do it. When you make a promise that you must keep, you say you made an oath in the animal kingdom.”

It was kind of a contract. The demons didn’t intentionally lie, although they didn’t even bother to keep their promises. Of course, she was convinced that the vow Pur and Iwer had made would be futile.

‘I’m sure it was just asking to clean, in exchange for some food.’

Because there were a lot of low-level vows that didn’t do much damage even if they were not kept.

“It’s difficult to make an oath. Unless it’s a difficult wish.”

However, the oath with Bella was like a contract with the devil, so it was not easy to do.

“A difficult wish?”

Because she was forced to do something that shouldn’t be done…

“For example, being able to bring the dead back to life, or earning the love of others, and that you have to pay for your life.”

Bella paused for a moment and looked at Kiehl. A slight disappointment was evident.

If there was one more thing she could do for this child at any time, she wanted to do it.

“Then, let’s do this. When you become Emperor, I will grant you any wish.”

“…Okay.”

Whatever Kiehl’s wish is now, when he enters the Imperial Palace and the novel begins, he will want to possess magical powers the most.

‘Well, at that time, I will no longer be in this world.’

She wanted to give him the best gift she could possibly make so that the rest of his life can go on happily.

‘You can think of it as my last legacy…’

And Bella raised the sitting Kiel and walked together into the middle of the room.

“This is an oath with the Princess, so don’t be embarrassed if your oath is different from the one you saw.”

While facing each other, Bella put her hand on Kiel’s forehead slowly.

The moonlight shone brightly in his eyes.

“It will sting a little.”

At that, Bella put her thumb on Kiehl’s forehead with both her hands, and she carefully traced her fingernails.

“The oath begins with the blood of Kiehl Herian Elysia.”

Simultaneously with those words, the wind began to blow around them.

Blood slowly dripped from Kiehl’s forehead, and Bella gently wiped her forehead with her hand.

“I swear.”

Her hair slowly fluttered, and a magic circle was drawn in Bella’s ruby-red and glowing eyes.

“I, Bellatrice, will grant Kiehl Herian Elysia any wishes when he becomes Emperor.”

As if looking at the red moon in the dark night sky, a creepy beauty filled the space. Kiehl couldn’t take his eyes off her as if he had been possessed.

“…Whatever this wish is, it will be succeeded even if I am not present.”

In Kiehl’s eyes, the figure of Bella approaching was reflected. Her lips, which he had thought would overlap, stopped sadly right in front of him.

And, in the meantime, Bella’s cold breath passed on to him.

The magic circle in her eyes suddenly appeared and disappeared through Kiehl’s eyes.

It was something too terribly long.

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