Chapter 56
“Aagh!”
And just like that, the crown prince’s face hit the floor hard.
“Told you, you’d fall.”
“Your Highness!”
The attendants rushed forward in a panic to carefully help him up.
When Sidereus was being bullied, they wouldn’t so much as lift a finger, but the moment the crown prince tripped, they were falling over themselves to serve him.
“Get up.”
Esther turned her head slightly and spoke.
The boy, who had been staring blankly at the candy Esther had placed in his palm, slowly lifted his head.
“Why.”
“Huh?”
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“’Cause it’s tasty, so you should try it?”
Esther answered, making a gesture as if to pull on the boy’s wrist. Even though she didn’t pull very hard, he obediently stood up.
Esther shoved a piece of candy into his mouth.
Sidereus’s eyes widened.
“Good, right?”
“…It’s sweet.”
“That’s the point. It makes you feel better.”
“Hey!!”
A shrill voice rang out beside them, and Esther turned her head.
The crown prince’s face was beet red as he shouted, blood dripping from his nose and making his face look even flatter.
A smile tugged at Esther’s lips.
“What?”
“You… you dare…! Seize this wretch and throw her in the dungeon! I’ll tell my father she deceived the royal family and—!”
“I already made a promise with His Majesty.”
“What?”
Esther pulled out a black royal insignia card from her pocket.
“Um… I got a special decree from His Majesty, you know? You think you outrank the Emperor?”
The crown prince couldn’t possibly punish someone who had received the Emperor’s direct orders.
After all, even these little royals wanted to become kings someday.
“…Ridiculous!”
“And also… I’m not lying, but you’re really in trouble. You… you’ve got a lot of bad luck hanging over you.”
Esther widened her eyes and muttered.
“Oooh, tsk-tsk, you’re tainted with evil spirits.”
Shaking her head, she discreetly snapped her fingers.
“If there’s a problem, just politely tell this kid you want to see me, okay? I can help.”
“…Nonsense! Who do you think you are—!”
“Me? Hmm…”
Esther blinked, then smirked mischievously.
“I’m a genius saintess?”
Of course, inside she was pitch-black demon.
Esther grinned.
“Watch out for rats.”
“What?”
“I told you, you’re tainted! I read in a book that evil spirits command rats!”
Maybe because he was still young, the crown prince didn’t dare snatch the black card from her.
His face flushed red with fury, clearly determined to run off and tattle to the Emperor.
Esther hopped to her feet and snapped her fingers again.
Squeak, skreee!
The sound of tiny rats echoed from somewhere as Esther turned away.
Sidereus still stood rooted to the spot.
“Let’s go.”
My prey.
Esther held out her hand.
One of Sidereus’s cheeks bulged slightly—he seemed to be slowly savoring the candy.
“Why did you come again?”
“I told you I’d come.”
“I’m a monster.”
Sidereus stared down at the small child holding her hand.
“If you stay with me, you’ll become a monster too. Nothing good will come of it.”
“I won’t become a monster.”
Esther blinked innocently and walked ahead, withdrawing her hand.
The boy quietly followed behind her.
“You will. Everyone around me becomes a monster. That’s why everyone hates me.”
“Nope.”
Once they reached a quieter place, Esther spun around.
“Uwaaah! Wh-what is this?!”
“R-rats, Your Highness!”
“B-brother!”
“Of course I know they’re rats! Do you think I can’t see that? Just get these filthy things away from me!!”
Hearing the panicked cries behind them, Esther beamed.
“I’m already a monster.”
Behind Sidereus’s stunned eyes, a horde of rats swarmed, chasing after the crown prince in utter chaos.
When the crown prince ran, the rats ran. When he stopped, they stopped.
It looked for all the world as though he were leading the rats.
“Haha, look at that mess. Sid!”
Esther pointed at the frantic crown prince.
“…”
“Sid?”
When she turned, he was still staring at her in shock.
“What?”
“Name…”
“Oh, your mother called you that before, didn’t she?”
At her words, Sidereus pressed his lips together.
“Don’t like it? I won’t call you that if you don’t.”
“…No, it’s fine.”
He shook his head softly, his unkempt hair swaying.
“Did you… do that?”
“Yup.”
Sidereus blinked at her answer. His blue eyes seemed to shine an even deeper shade of azure.
“You don’t… hate me?”
“Nope. Why would I?”
“…I’m disgusting. My hair is pitch black, my face too, and… I’m really a monster.”
A dark handprint was visible around his throat—darker than before, a sign his life was still anything but peaceful.
“I used to get along with my brothers, once.”
“…Really?”
“When I was very small. For a short while.”
His voice trembled as he spoke.
At the steps of the spire, he crouched down and let Esther climb onto his back.
“Mother might not recognize you.”
“Why?”
“…She forgets a lot sometimes.”
Yawning, Esther leaned against his back. Small as he was, he was sturdy—and strangely comfortable.
“Monster, huh…”
Come to think of it, the parchment had said something non-human was born. But looking at him now, he was undeniably human.
At the top of the spire, Sidereus unlocked the door.
“Aaagh!”
The moment it opened, something flew straight at Esther’s cheek and clattered against the wall.
Clang!
Blinking, Esther looked down to see a spoon rolling on the floor.
“…A spoon?”
“Sorry.”
Sidereus muttered an apology as he picked it up and approached his mother.
“Stay away! Stay away! Don’t come near me!”
“Mother.”
Though thinner and hollow-eyed, she was once beautiful. But now, with wild hair and a crazed look, she screamed like a possessed demon.
“If only I hadn’t given birth to something like you… If only you hadn’t been born… Where’s my son, where’s my son!”
Clutching her hair, she muttered like someone cursed.
“Why… why…!”
Her head hung low.
“Why did I give birth to something like you… Why… did my life end up like this, because of you…”
She was crying.
Tears fell, filled with sorrow, rage, regret, and self-loathing.
And Esther knew those feelings better than anyone.
“If only I hadn’t had something like you… If only I hadn’t loved that man… I never should’ve had you. My life is ruined because of you!!”
“M-mother…”
“Because of you, I became a witch! Because of you, I’m going to die! It’s all your fault, you killed me. You killed me!!”
“……”
“Because you were born… because something cursed like you was born… because something that should never exist is breathing in this world…”
It was hatred.
“And you should have died that day…”
It was also a curse.
Memories welled up and Esther inhaled sharply, rubbing her face with her small palms.
“Why was a monster like you ever born…!”
Her furious voice rang through the spire.
In front of her, the boy, throat gripped tight, simply stood still. Bearing the pain, confronting the cruel reality.
“Hey, lady!”
Esther suddenly popped out from behind Sidereus, smiling brightly—so out of place in the spire.
“I met His Majesty!”
At her cheerful words, the woman’s eyes widened and her grip faltered.
Sidereus stared blankly as his mother’s arm fell limply.
“…You met His Majesty?”
“Yep! You told me to tell you, remember?”
Esther reached out and took her fingertips.
The pitch-black magic surging from her had already consumed her heart.
Those born with dark magic were always in danger of being devoured by it.
That’s why those who bore it needed firm conviction and a clear goal—or else they’d lose control.
Perhaps the harm she’d caused before was because of that.
Especially demons, who always teetered on the edge of berserk destruction. Maybe that was why witch hunts had been so easy.
‘End stage.’
She was on the brink of losing herself completely.
Darkness gnawed at her soul, piece by piece. The black magic hollowed her out, and she couldn’t resist.
‘Not impossible to save her.’
If she had the will to live, and if Esther kept her anchored, she might not spiral into madness.
“…Is he well?”
“Yes! He looks healthy and happy.”
“…That’s… a relief.”
A bitter smile spread across her lips.
Esther pretended not to see it and smiled wide.
“Ah, I’m hungry! Shall we eat together?”
“…Yes.”
Esther grinned.
“I’ll fetch it right away.”
“Mm.”
Hearing her mother’s faint but positive reply, Sidereus hurried down the spire.
