Is it wrong for me to like seeing the villain suffer [45]
I went straight to Martha's office.
When she handed the statue to her with the news of Lacko's success in neutralizing the curse, Martha seemed to have a rare joy.
She put down the pen that did not stop writing papers for a moment, then she smiled broadly, satisfied.
She said laughing:
“Kahaha! With this, the empire owes the House of Kayin a great debt of gratitude. No one will ever dare touch Kayin from now on, even in dreams.”
Through her frankness of expression, I once again felt that she truly trusted me. So I seized the opportunity and brought up Lako's matter:
“Miss Martha, regarding the wizard we have captured, what do you intend to do with him?”
She answered hesitantly:
“I can’t keep him for long, unless something urgent happens, I intend to hand him over to the imperial court...”
Then she looked at me from behind her square glasses, her violet eyes, burning with intelligence, shining sharply. She said in an interested tone:
“You seem to have an idea.”
To understand what is in my soul before I speak...this is what truly distinguishes Martha Cain.
'That's why it's easy to talk to her.'
Without hesitation, I presented my suggestion:
“How about we take advantage of this opportunity and establish a magic tower belonging to House Kayin?”
“Magic Tower?”
“Yes. I heard that Kaien already has a number of distinguished mages. So why don’t we build an official tower, and keep the mage there under supervision?”
“But construction and maintenance will cost a lot...”
“We can offset the costs from the revenues of what is produced inside the tower!”
Martha smiled weakly at my certainty.
“Then that magician is more valuable than I expected.”
I nodded with determination to ask her to trust me.
When I remember the profits that the empire made from exploiting Lakku in the original novel, it becomes clear that this opportunity should not be missed. I had another reason too:
“If we get Lakku to do the research, maybe we'll find a lead that will lead to a complete cure for Arkle's power tank.”
Hearing my words, Martha's hand stopped tapping on the desk like someone who was diving into accounts.
She seemed tempted by the idea that this genetic restriction, like a curse, could be eliminated once and for all.
The Arkle Tank originally arose from a contract that one of the family's ancestors entered into with a demon.
If we search into black magic, we may find the thread that leads to the solution.
'Especially since Laku is already able to neutralize black magic.'
So it is not impossible.
But… if Arkle was truly healed, there would be no place for me in Cayenne.
'My healing abilities will be of no use after that.'
There will also be no reason for Erkel to continue the contract marriage with me.
So I hesitated a little before putting forward the idea.
'However…'
I knew that one day I would have to leave this place.
If I accumulate enough money by then, I will live a decent, independent life without want.
'I have already received large sums of money from Arkell and Martha, and I still have many other ways to increase my income. I will have to do a lot to prepare for my independence... but what is important is that I kick him out of his suffering.'
I too lived my previous life immersed in pain and illness, and I fully understood what it meant to be helpless and sad in the face of endless torment.
This slow pain numbs the person little by little, until he becomes insensitive and empty.
'The only thing left to do is wait for the end.'
Perhaps this is why the words preceded me before I made a clear plan for my future after being laid off:
“I would like to see Arkell's face when his pain is gone.”
Martha was silent.
Do you think he will cry tears of joy? Or will he smile with an overflowing smile of joy? I don't know...
'But it will be beautiful.'
He will show his sincere feelings unreservedly.
And maybe when I see that face, I'll be able to leave here without any regrets.
“I understand your idea well. I will consider it calmly.”
She said this after she picked up the pen to write again while looking at her papers:
“I have to write a letter to His Majesty the Emperor, so please let me concentrate.”
Her words might seem like a polite rejection if heard in passing, but I realized the opposite and smiled.
When Martha says that she will consider the matter “calmly,” this is more like acceptance!
'Her motto in life is speed of decision, so if she said that she would slow down to consider, that means that she is almost convinced!'
Ever since you kidnapped me, I know that Martha really wants to lift her brother's curse.
Whether this was to remove the danger of his losing his strength, or out of the sister’s compassion for her brother... I am not sure.
'But don't worry, Martha is a reliable housewife.'
She will make the best decision in the interest of the House of Cayenne, whether I speak further or not.
With that certainty, I said hello reassuringly and left her office.
'Now I really should start preparing for the party.'
❖ ❖ ❖
As I was heading to my room, arranging in my mind what I needed, when someone was waiting for me in front of the door.
“Lizzie!”
A bright smile appeared on Naran's face as soon as his eyes met mine.
His eyes, which were like the eyes of a cat, curved gently and became more beautiful, and his white cheeks became red.
It was a refreshing smile that I hadn't seen in a long time.
'Yes... I missed that smile!'
Since our return from Mount Krum, I have felt that meeting Narn alone is something that has not happened for a long time.
Perhaps he felt the same way, as he said in a slightly worried tone:
“I miss being alone with you, Lizzie... if it doesn't bother you.”
“I also wanted to play with you, Naran.”
I said, holding his hands with both of my hands.
Naran had gotten rid of his previous habit of self-flagellation, but he still sometimes showed a lack of self-confidence.
'It seems it's time for me to imprison him again in the Praise Prison.'
“As I expected...just meeting you is healing for me. Come on in, I will tell you everything that happened in Kelston.”
I squeezed his cheeks lightly as I said that, and he opened his eyes in surprise for a moment, then smiled brightly.
“Me too... I feel healed when I meet you.”
It was an angelic smile, and it seemed to me that wings were almost visible behind his back.
'Ah... how wonderful.'
I suppressed the repeated admiration that reached my throat, and entered the room with him.
I sat on the edge of the bed and started telling him everything that had happened: the undead residents of Kelston, that movie I made with them, and how we captured Lakko.
Naran was sitting in front of me listening with an angelic face.
“So this magician Lakko is now at the farm?”
“Yes, exactly. Why?”
“It's time to get my tools out again. First I'll start with.”
He said it with the same bright face, as if he were talking about a scene in a bloody, forbidden horror movie.
Despite the brutality of his expressions, I was relieved to see this side of him after an absence.
"Don't worry, I've tamed him well. But, Naran, is there a large unused room in the palace?"
“What size do you need?”
“Mm... capacity for more than a hundred people.”
He thought a little and then said:
“There was an old dance hall. One of the family’s ancestors loved to dance, so he united several rooms and made them. I think it is now abandoned.”
“Great! That's enough.”
“And what are you going to do with it?”
I explained to him that I intended to show the film I had shot during the ceremony, and that I would turn that hall into a temporary exhibition hall.
“So I will need a huge fabric. It is better that I choose it myself to make sure of its material.”
“So, Lizzy, would you like us to go to the market together?”
He asked me with excitement shining in his eyes.
“If we wore a cloak and a hood, no one would recognize us! I will be your guide, as I know the entire geography of Cayenne.”
"Really? That's so sweet of you!"
Taking him with me would have made it so much easier.
I actually wanted to go out for a while, but I didn't dare do it alone before the marriage was officially announced.
But now, with Naran, one of Kayin's members, it's more like an official permission.
“If we bring other servants along, we will attract attention. It is enough for us to go alone, right, Naran?”
“It will be better and more wonderful.”
He answered me firmly.
After a while, Naran returned wearing two long cloaks with a hood.
I gathered my long silver hair into a bow, threw it behind my back, and hid it under the hood.
“Silver is rare. This way no one will recognize me by my hair.”
Naran said with sincere admiration:
"As I expected from you, Lizzy! And if someone happened to recognize you, would I erase them from existence? I could completely erase their traces."
“That's why we disguise ourselves in the first place.”
“Aha, I see.”
Thus, hiding our identity, we took advantage of the absence of sight and exited through the side door of the palace.
This was my first normal outing since I came to Cayenne.
❖ ❖ ❖
The market was not far from the palace.
We walked a little while under Naran's guidance, and found us on a crowded street full of shops.
“This is the largest market in the Cayenne region.”
Indeed, the road was extended with endless small and large stores.
“Wow...it's so spacious.”
"Yes! And the fabric store is over there. Just don't walk away from me."
As wide as the street was, it was crowded with passersby, merchants, and people of all kinds.
'If I get lost here, it will be a disaster.'
So I stayed close to Naran as I walked behind him.
But after a while...
“Ah!”
A man hit me in the shoulder, then let out a sudden scream and fell to the ground.
****
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