Chapter : 119
The residue, twisted into a deep blue vortex, radiated a sinister aura.
[Damn brat… How dare you interfere with us like this…]
Oh, so it’s finally showing its true colors.
From the start, it didn’t even seem to have enough power to maintain the cursed magic that mimicked Nyx.
That must be why it was so desperate to seize Emil’s body. And now, failing to do so, it’s frustrated.
[I will remember you… the name Kalmia Halrolren… I won’t forget…]
“So what?”
I raised my middle finger and warmly bid farewell to the lingering spirit.
The deep blue vortex writhed as if showing its displeasure, but it couldn’t affect us and gradually dissipated.
Finally, the blue traces were completely sucked into the air, as if evaporating.
I mulled over its words.
‘The fact it said “us”… it must not be an individual, but a group. Likely the Blood Cult.’
Perhaps it was trying to manipulate things through the grimoire lent to Emil via Nem.
At this point, the method doesn’t matter.
How dare those Blood Cult bastards drag Emil into this. They’re going to pay for that sin thoroughly.
And in another sense, I’m going to make sure the name Kalmia Halrolren is one they’ll never forget.
I ground my teeth and turned my body.
Resolving the current situation came first.
“Emil, support me! Let’s take down Pareas first.”
“…Got it!”
Emil immediately summoned a creature to protect me.
Since I had lost consciousness and the forced possession had temporarily severed my ability to call the Nephilim, I had to cast spells myself instead.
“<Sinking Silence>.”
Pareas, struggling to regain composure due to the poisoned swamp and curse, tried to dodge, but the swirling dark storm struck him directly, causing him to scream.
At the same time, the black eagle Emil summoned swiftly swooped in and tore at Pareas’ neck.
With the bone-cracking sound, Pareas collapsed dead.
“Haah…”
I exhaled in relief, letting my body relax.
At this pace, we could somehow hold out until we were rescued from outside the dungeon.
Emil quickly ran over, bent down, and grasped my shoulder.
“Kalmia!”
“Emil…”
“I’m really sorry. Getting you caught up in this because of me…”
“It’s not your fault! Every time you even think of blaming yourself, I’ll confiscate your ‘big brother’ title for a month.”
“…Always showing off even though you rarely call me that.”
“Hmph.”
I snorted deliberately but felt relieved that he had returned to his usual self.
“But that’s not the problem… Kalmia, are you really okay?”
“Huh?”
“You’ve lost a lot of blood! You can’t overexert yourself. Let me see the wounds.”
“W-Wait a minute…”
‘Just let it slide…’
I’d been too preoccupied to think rationally, but now that it was over, my mind caught up.
I was truly fine.
During the fight with the fake Nyx, I had healed more, and the pain was almost gone.
I wanted to brush it off, but Emil wasn’t a fool; he wouldn’t let it go easily.
From the start, I had prepared for this situation, stepping in front of Behemoth instead of Emil.
I took a deep breath and exhaled.
Even though I was mentally prepared, I couldn’t stop my palms from sweating.
“Listen, Emil. I’m not overexerting myself. I’m really okay.”
“But…”
I knew what Emil wanted to say. This situation wasn’t normal.
Even if I insisted I was fine, once we left the dungeon, he’d push me to get checked by medical staff. That would only escalate things.
So I had to explain.
Why I was ‘fine despite being injured.’
“…I understand why you’d think it’s strange. Normally, I wouldn’t be fine. But there’s a reason I am.”
“A reason…?”
“Yes…”
I clenched both fists and confessed in a resolute voice.
“The truth is, I have a body that heals quickly when injured.”
“…!”
“…Got it?”
Emil pursed his lips and nodded slightly.
That small gesture meant he understood.
Black magic has no healing abilities.
Anything related to healing falls under white magic.
In other words… by my words alone, he must have guessed that my blood carries a trace of our sworn enemy, the holy force.
“So please, keep it a secret that I was hurt.”
“….”
“Please…”
I couldn’t reveal that I was a saint, but at the very least…
I hoped Emil could accept that my blood carried what the Empire wouldn’t allow to exist.
I closed my eyes tightly.
Even though I risked everything to save Emil, my heart was pounding fiercely.
At that moment, Emil wrapped his strong arms around me.
“…It must have been really hard for you alone.”
His voice was gentle, kind.
I wanted to respond, but my throat tightened, and no words came out.
“Does Uncle know…?”
I shook my head vigorously.
I never wanted my father to know, above all.
“Got it. I’ll keep it a secret from him too.”
“Uh, okay…”
I barely managed to answer.
“Why are you so scared? Afraid I’ll report it to remove a rival?”
“….”
“That won’t happen. It’s okay… it’s okay…”
Emil spoke as if joking, but his hands kept stroking my back gently.
Feeling the warmth, my pounding heart gradually calmed.
Embarrassed, I quickly stepped out of his embrace and mumbled.
“…Th-Thanks.”
“No, I was the one who saw some awful things today. So let’s keep it a secret from each other, okay?”
If anything, my secret—one that could cost me my life if revealed—was heavier than Emil’s embarrassing history with Nyx.
But I realized Emil was someone considerate like that.
Because of him, I could more easily confess part of my true identity.
Still, guessing it would be okay and actually confirming it were very different.
I staggered slightly from the relaxed relief washing over me.
“Ugh.”
Emil didn’t hesitate to lift me onto his shoulders.
“W-What are you doing?!”
“You looked like you couldn’t walk. Want me to carry you?”
“I just stumbled! I’m not a baby!”
“To me, you’ll always be a baby.”
“Then take care of real babies, not me!”
“Oh, true.”
Emil set me down and picked up the baby that had been guarded by the summoned creature.
The baby, woken from sleep, fussed briefly, then went limp again.
It seemed too tired to cry anymore.
The dungeon environment itself drained a person’s energy.
“You must be tired… Hang in there a little longer. You’ll get back to Mom soon.”
Even though this baby was the cause of the dungeon burst and its earlier crying almost caused a disaster, Emil’s way of soothing it was still gentle.
‘At this rate, Emil himself might be an incarnation of a saint…’
A prodigy born in the dark forces, yet so caring.
After checking the surroundings and reinforcing the guarding summons, we prepared for the next attack.
While inspecting trap magic, Emil asked casually.
“Hey, Kalmia.”
“Yeah?”
“…Why didn’t you tell Uncle?”
“….”
“I don’t think he’d worry about something like this.”
I agreed.
I could justify it any way I wanted.
Even if, in the original story, my father handed me to the temple and left, there was no need to obsess over that.
The love our family had built over the years wouldn’t crumble just because I wasn’t his biological daughter.
‘But no one guarantees the outcome of such reasoning.’
Moreover…
The resentment lingering in my heart wasn’t just from the story itself.
