Chapter 6
At the same time.
Inside the second-floor parlor of Chloe’s sea-country mansion.
From the slightly open door, the voices of the maids chatting could be heard.
“Lady Patricia is really like an angel. They say she came again to help Lady Chloe.”
“How can two sisters be so different? Lady Chloe dislikes her, but…”
“Well, Lady Patricia has holy powers, and Lady Chloe uses dark powers. Maybe powers reflect one’s nature.”
Hearing their gossip, Patricia smiled faintly.
On the other hand, Chloe just looked at her younger sister with a dull, expressionless face.
“Do you enjoy listening to useless noises like that?”
“Huh? Sister, I don’t know what you mean.”
“I know you spread rumors about me on purpose and make sure I hear them. Stop bothering me.”
Chloe didn’t even have the energy to argue one by one.
Enjoying her older sister’s exhausted state, Patricia spoke.
“You’re still living such a hard life, Sister. Truly fitting for someone called the ‘Dark Mage on the verge of losing control.’”
Patricia Ardoth.
Her hair was a deep pink with streaks of burning red, and her golden eyes shone brightly.
She smiled like a saint.
“Don’t misunderstand. I just want to help you. As you know, my purification power and your dark magic are complete opposites.”
At her fingertips, a faint gray light flickered.
On this continent, all people were divided into two types: Gifted Ones who had abilities, and ordinary people.
The Gifted were blessed by the gods, using mana in their bodies to perform unique powers.
Even small abilities were rare. Only about 1% of the empire’s people were gifted.
That’s why each one was considered a precious asset of the empire.
Among the five types of powers, the most valuable were the healing powers based on the element of Light.
Unfortunately, Patricia’s purification ability could only cleanse and ease pain, not fully heal. It was far weaker than true healing powers.
And in this generation, no one had healing powers at all.
So Patricia’s “almost-healing” purification ability was treated as something extraordinary.
“Thanks to my power, I’ve been chosen as a candidate for Saint this time. That’s why Mother has gone to the temple.”
“Really? But if you’re such an amazing person, why come here to my mansion? Drop the small talk and say your business.”
Patricia gave a sweet smile.
“I just thought this place felt dirty. So I wanted to purify it for you.”
Chloe almost burst into laughter.
Patricia’s purification had no effect on her rampaging dark power. And even if it did, Chloe knew Patricia would never actually help her.
That excuse of ‘purification’ is only for show.
Chloe knew there could be only one real reason Patricia came here.
With a bored expression, Chloe replied,
“Do you want Father’s approval by pretending to heal me? If you want to be recognized as heir, stop bothering me and do your own work.”
“…What?”
Patricia’s lips pressed tight in anger.
Her only weakness was her bloodline.
She was the daughter that Duchess Lucrecia, Chloe’s stepmother, had brought into the family after marrying the Duke.
But Patricia still used her bloodline as a weapon when it benefited her.
“Chloe-sister doesn’t seem to like me because I was adopted so late…”
“Father, are you discriminating against me because I’m not your real daughter?”
Chloe had hit her sore spot. Patricia’s face turned bright red.
“Even if I’m an adopted daughter, I’m better than a cripple like you. Don’t forget that.”
Usually she forced herself to call Chloe “sister,” but now her real nature showed.
Chloe calmly answered back.
“I never once said anything about you being adopted.”
“I’m not like you, Sister. I wouldn’t hide away for a whole year just because a single dog died.”
Chloe’s gaze turned cold.
She might find everything bothersome, but insulting Coco was something she couldn’t stand.
For the past year, everyone had asked her the same thing.
Why are you mourning so long, just for a dog?
But Coco wasn’t just a dog.
Coco was the one I wanted to protect more than anything in the world.
What meaning did life, wealth, or power have without Coco?
But Patricia would never understand. She had never lost the one she loved most.
Chloe raised her hand slightly.
At once, a dark sphere appeared above her palm, like black dust gathered into a ball.
“You, what are you—!”
“I can’t stand this anymore. Get out.”
“You dare treat me like—!”
“Why? Afraid this ball might explode if you keep talking?”
If Chloe really lost control here, Patricia couldn’t stop it.
Knowing this, Patricia bit her lip and hurriedly left.
When the door closed, Chloe suddenly coughed up blood.
“Damn it.”
Just one spell and she was spitting blood.
Her past self would have found it unbelievable.
Wiping her lips, Chloe left the parlor and headed to her bedroom.
For the past year, her room had been completely silent.
But when Coco was alive, it had been different.
Whenever she sat at her desk to read, she would hear the soft sound of drinking water behind her.
Stupid Coco.
If she pretended not to notice, she would hear the sound of little paws—pat, pat, pat—as Coco ran over.
Then the fluffy white pup would hop onto the sofa, tilting its head cutely, with shining black eyes only looking at her.
That greedy little thing always wanted my food too.
She remembered scolding Coco when he tried to eat grapes or chocolate.
He would stick out his tongue and pant angrily in protest.
Such a greedy dog… and yet…
“…So cute.”
Whenever she struggled to be the heir, whenever people called her a villainess, she had been happy simply because that fluffy pup was with her.
His tiny breaths, the way he smacked his lips as if eating while asleep, his wet little nose rubbing against her—everything.
He was my only friend, my family… my salvation.
So when Coco died, Chloe felt as if she lost everything.
People called her crazy.
They said it was stupid to pour so much love into a dog.
Chloe had always wanted to be heir, to earn Father’s recognition.
So she had always obeyed him.
But the day Father tried to bulldoze Coco’s grave was different.
For the first time in her life, Chloe stood up against him.
The rumors about her being a villainess only grew, but she didn’t care.
“I just want to die anyway.”
She was about to lie down on her bed, like lying in a tomb.
Strangely enough…
Right in front of the door, something she hadn’t seen before lay there.
A purple flower.
“…Coco?”
Coco had always woken up earlier than her.
Every morning, he would drop a purple flower at her bedroom door.
With trembling hands, Chloe picked up the flower and clenched her teeth.
Is this another one of Patricia’s tricks?
She had always cleaned the area near her bedroom herself, afraid even Coco’s traces might disappear.
She had strictly forbidden the maids from touching anything.
So who dared to leave this flower here?
***
“A-Agim? Why are you here…?”
A maid was shocked to see me standing near Sister’s room in the hallway.
I rolled my eyes innocently.
“Huh? What’s wrong?”
“You mustn’t wander here, young master! And today you need to go back to your annex. They say there was an intruder. And… a strange flower was found near Lady Chloe’s room.”
Gasp! Did Sister see the flower I left?!
I slipped it right under the door, nice and quick!
Good thing I used my brain!
Smiling wide, I waved my hand.
“That flower? I put it there!”
The maid’s face turned pale.
“Wh-why would you do that?”
“Because it’s pretty!”
“This is no time to smile, young master!”
“Huh? Why not?”
The maid clutched her chest in frustration.
“You could die if Lady Chloe’s dark magic reacts to it! Just for placing that flower!”
What was she talking about?
My sister loved purple flowers.
If anything, maybe she’d give me a tasty sweet potato as a reward!
“Lady Chloe said to bring the culprit to her immediately.”
My purple eyes sparkled brightly like jewels.
Perfect.
Time to meet Sister in a cool and dramatic way!
