There were many things I wanted to say to those words. It felt like all the words were stuck in my throat. But I shook my head. I didn’t want to go into detail. I didn’t want to bring up that memory.
“He demanded a price from me.”
So I said simply.
“Endlessly. There is no favor without a price.”
Belled frowned slightly at those words. I gave him a look.
There is no favor without a price...
The Duke of Orobas’s words were many and terrible, so I tried to ignore most of them.
But that one thing seemed to be true. Who in the world would want to give away everything without getting anything in return?
Then what about this person?
What does he want from me who gives me endless favor and consideration?
This person who has been kind to me even before he knew that I gave him magic?
“...Belled.”
Finally, I opened my mouth. Only then did I realize what I was afraid of.
“Yes.”
I was silent for a moment at the answer that came back neatly, and then asked,
“I don’t know what I can give you.”
Not only you but also the people who were so kind to me.
‘Your Highness!’
From Decarabia, who seemed to be serving me but didn’t, to the other demons who showed favor.
What could I give to those people? I could give them magic power now, but I couldn’t figure out why they showed favor to me before.
I was scared of being loved without reason.
I thought I would be abandoned without reason before I could prepare.
I thought I would be thrown out in an instant like in my previous lives.
Above all, if the gates of hell opened, wouldn’t there be no problem with replenishing my magic power?
Then I would be useless to the demons. Is there really nothing I can give?
“Do you want my magic power?”
I finally asked. Was I worthless without this energy?
The short moment I waited for an answer felt too long.
However, Belled answered right after the question was given. As if it was a problem that didn’t need to be pondered.
“How could that be?”
Although he must have been surprised by the sudden question, he did not forget to kiss me on the cheek. Then he whispered,
“Are you wondering what you are worth?”
Are you wondering what you can give me? Are you trying to give me a price?
He narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“I have never dared to measure that.”
And didn’t I tell you once? Stay by my side.
My heart beat faster at those cautious words. My hopeful heart was about to waver. My heart, which had been trying not to expect anything and had been trying to protect me, was about to waver.
What kind of feelings do you have for me when you say this? It doesn’t seem to be just interest. It shouldn’t be.
Do you want me, like me? Do you want a deeper relationship than you have now?
That was what I really wanted to ask.
Do you love me?
When I opened my mouth slightly and forgot to say anything, Belled wrapped his arm around my shoulder and whispered,
“What in the dream made you ask that question?”
It seemed like he thought I was shaking because of the dream.
“What in the dream made you suffer like this?”
What on earth happened in your past life? What made you nervous?
“...”
It wasn’t just the things in the dream that made me nervous. But since I couldn’t say it wasn’t because of the dream, I finally opened my mouth.
“There were things I don’t want to remember.”
I didn’t want to recall the abusive language that Duke Orobas had hurled without hesitation. Belled narrowed his eyes.
“You said he demanded something?”
He didn’t seem to miss a single word I said.
“...He also demanded proof of divinity.”
I shook my head as I listened to him.
“But I don’t believe they’re divine. Many strange and... bloody things happened in that mansion.”
I bit my lip. I had clearly had visions of the divine energy that had been passed down through the family. But...
Was what Orobas was doing something that a divine being would do?
Belled asked at that moment.
“Is it related to the monsters?”
“...!”
I opened my eyes wide. That was the correct answer. What I saw in Orobas.
“Or, is it related to the monster corpses?”
I nodded involuntarily at the following question. Still with surprised eyes.
What I saw in Orobas was the countless monster corpses.
“How do you know?”
Belled frowned slightly at my words. He took my hand, which had regained some warmth, and said.
“There was a report that the monster corpses were being transported in Orobas.”
“...!”
I thought back to my past life. And instinctively realized.
“They're trying to use the family’s vision.”
“If it’s a vision..."
Belled, of course, couldn’t have known about that vision. I answered.
“Orobas... is a sacred family. They have a vision to create holy water in the family’s basement.”
Although they acted far from being sacred, surprisingly, they were a sacred family.
“A vision to create holy water... Why haven’t you used it until now?”
If that was the case, Orobas wouldn’t have been included among the three families that could be demons in the first place.
“I heard that they were going to use it in emergencies. They say the price of making holy water is high.”
How big. Belled tilted his head slightly.
“But separately from that, I heard that the corpses of monsters are used to make holy water.”
Belled felt something click in his head at those words. However.
“The material for holy water is the corpses of monsters? That’s strange.”
They were objects of completely different attributes.
What kind of vision could it be?
Of course, as a demon, he knew how to make objects of completely different attributes with his earnest wish.
But that.
“It’s a method of magic...”
“...Magic?”
The temple would deny magic, right?
Well, making holy water from completely unrelated objects, with an unknown, deadly price, didn’t seem like something that could happen naturally.
However.
“They’re a sacred family that has the method of making holy water handed down as a vision, right? How could...”
Of course, if the vision itself was magic, it would be different. My mind became complicated.
“If they made the holy water, they would be revered as a sacred family, but there must be a reason why they didn’t.”
Belled raised the corners of his mouth.
He was right. If making the holy water was magic, there was no way they could reveal it.
“If they really could make the holy water with magic, that would be decisive evidence that they are demons.”
I nodded in agreement with his words.
“If that’s true, Orobas would have no way of not standing at the altar during the initiation ceremony.”
People would firmly believe that Orobas was a demon. Then Orobas would become a demon family, and Yubar could claim that he was a demon based on the fact that he had the magic wine.
“Then it would be better to postpone the accusation.”
Belled said as if he would prepare. I nodded.
“Yes. Until we get decisive evidence from the basement.”
If they really were making the holy water with magic there, they could interfere with the magic and prevent it from being made.
Then, Vine could place Orobas on the altar without the risk of being hit by the Holy Water.
There was only a little over a month left until the opening ceremony.
“Find a way to investigate the underground of Orobas. It won’t be easy.”
While I was lost in thought, Belled called someone and gave them an order.
“If the Holy Water is made with magic, there is a high possibility that certain conditions will be required to open the door there.”
Then, it might be necessary to use a cumbersome method to collect evidence. First, he had to find out if the door to the basement could be opened.
“...”
I watched him give them the order.
I had clearly been tense just a moment ago, but his voice seemed to put me at ease.
The underground of Orobas...
It was a place I had unintentionally visited in her past life, but I only thought it was too old, and I couldn’t find anything special.
Could there really be some evidence there?
It was okay even if there wasn’t. I had already established the basis for claiming that Orobas was a demon.
Moreover, since there is no rule that there must be only one demon family if there is enough evidence, it is possible to claim that both the Yubar and Orobas families are demons.
Then, with the holy water created by Orobas disappearing, Vine will be safe, and most importantly...
...They will be able to disappear from the world.
I clenched my fists at the memory of my past life that flashed past me.
“There’s definitely something there, Beryl.”
Belled said at that moment. His hand moved as our eyes met, gently wrapping around the back of my neck.
His hand, easing my tense muscles, moved down to my shoulder.
“Ah...”
“But I can’t let that memory come back to me again, so I’d like to ask you one thing.”
He relaxed my body so I wouldn’t tense up again and whispered.
“Do you want them to live?”
Thinking about taking someone else’s life. I couldn’t answer no, even though I knew it was wrong.
“That’s a sufficient answer.”
However, Belled didn’t force me to answer, as if he knew my heart.
“If you’re worried, just think about one thing, Beryl.”
This is the land of those who seek to fulfill their desires more than anything else.
“Even if you, who have already been lied to countless times, seek revenge, no one will say anything. Even if you do...”
He said, brushing my forehead.
“It was done by the devil, not by Beryl.”
As long as you’re with me, your name will never be stained with blood.
My eyes widened at those words.
“So, do whatever you want with ‘the one who deserves such things.’”
There’s no need to feel sorry. Belled laughed as he said that.
I seemed to calm down as I looked into his green eyes. Then, a clear thought came to my mind.
I will say that Vine is not a devil.
Instead, I will drive Orobas and Yubar into devils.
This is a judgment for something that did not happen or a price for something that inevitably happened.
I have almost all the evidence for that.
Now, I have to make that evidence solid.
“...Then, there’s something I have to do in Orobas.”
I said, looking out the door.
“I heard that there are a few devils like Helbas and Hanar who can transform into animals.”
Belled’s eyes widened at the plan that was carefully coming out of my mouth.
“Orobas... is a sacred family. They have a vision to create holy water in the family’s basement.”
Although they acted far from being sacred, surprisingly, they were a sacred family.
“A vision to create holy water... Why haven’t you used it until now?”
If that was the case, Orobas wouldn’t have been included among the three families that could be demons in the first place.
“I heard that they were going to use it in emergencies. They say the price of making holy water is high.”
How big. Belled tilted his head slightly.
“But separately from that, I heard that the corpses of monsters are used to make holy water.”
Belled felt something click in his head at those words. However.
“The material for holy water is the corpses of monsters? That’s strange.”
They were objects of completely different attributes.
What kind of vision could it be?
Of course, as a demon, he knew how to make objects of completely different attributes with his earnest wish.
But that.
“It’s a method of magic...”
“...Magic?”
The temple would deny magic, right?
Well, making holy water from completely unrelated objects, with an unknown, deadly price, didn’t seem like something that could happen naturally.
However.
“They’re a sacred family that has the method of making holy water handed down as a vision, right? How could...”
Of course, if the vision itself was magic, it would be different. My mind became complicated.
“If they made the holy water, they would be revered as a sacred family, but there must be a reason why they didn’t.”
Belled raised the corners of his mouth.
He was right. If making the holy water was magic, there was no way they could reveal it.
“If they really could make the holy water with magic, that would be decisive evidence that they are demons.”
I nodded in agreement with his words.
“If that’s true, Orobas would have no way of not standing at the altar during the initiation ceremony.”
People would firmly believe that Orobas was a demon. Then Orobas would become a demon family, and Yubar could claim that he was a demon based on the fact that he had the magic wine.
“Then it would be better to postpone the accusation.”
Belled said as if he would prepare. I nodded.
“Yes. Until we get decisive evidence from the basement.”
If they really were making the holy water with magic there, they could interfere with the magic and prevent it from being made.
Then, Vine could place Orobas on the altar without the risk of being hit by the Holy Water.
There was only a little over a month left until the opening ceremony.
“Find a way to investigate the underground of Orobas. It won’t be easy.”
While I was lost in thought, Belled called someone and gave them an order.
“If the Holy Water is made with magic, there is a high possibility that certain conditions will be required to open the door there.”
Then, it might be necessary to use a cumbersome method to collect evidence. First, he had to find out if the door to the basement could be opened.
“...”
I watched him give them the order.
I had clearly been tense just a moment ago, but his voice seemed to put me at ease.
The underground of Orobas...
It was a place I had unintentionally visited in her past life, but I only thought it was too old, and I couldn’t find anything special.
Could there really be some evidence there?
It was okay even if there wasn’t. I had already established the basis for claiming that Orobas was a demon.
Moreover, since there is no rule that there must be only one demon family if there is enough evidence, it is possible to claim that both the Yubar and Orobas families are demons.
Then, with the holy water created by Orobas disappearing, Vine will be safe, and most importantly...
...They will be able to disappear from the world.
I clenched my fists at the memory of my past life that flashed past me.
“There’s definitely something there, Beryl.”
Belled said at that moment. His hand moved as our eyes met, gently wrapping around the back of my neck.
His hand, easing my tense muscles, moved down to my shoulder.
“Ah...”
“But I can’t let that memory come back to me again, so I’d like to ask you one thing.”
He relaxed my body so I wouldn’t tense up again and whispered.
“Do you want them to live?”
Thinking about taking someone else’s life. I couldn’t answer no, even though I knew it was wrong.
“That’s a sufficient answer.”
However, Belled didn’t force me to answer, as if he knew my heart.
“If you’re worried, just think about one thing, Beryl.”
This is the land of those who seek to fulfill their desires more than anything else.
“Even if you, who have already been lied to countless times, seek revenge, no one will say anything. Even if you do...”
He said, brushing my forehead.
“It was done by the devil, not by Beryl.”
As long as you’re with me, your name will never be stained with blood.
My eyes widened at those words.
“So, do whatever you want with ‘the one who deserves such things.’”
There’s no need to feel sorry. Belled laughed as he said that.
I seemed to calm down as I looked into his green eyes. Then, a clear thought came to my mind.
I will say that Vine is not a devil.
Instead, I will drive Orobas and Yubar into devils.
This is a judgment for something that did not happen or a price for something that inevitably happened.
I have almost all the evidence for that.
Now, I have to make that evidence solid.
“...Then, there’s something I have to do in Orobas.”
I said, looking out the door.
“I heard that there are a few devils like Helbas and Hanar who can transform into animals.”
Belled’s eyes widened at the plan that was carefully coming out of my mouth.
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