Chapter 9
Rubiana bit her lip and patiently waited for his answer.
“The current state of mana in your body is worse than that of an ordinary person. With a body below average physical capability… becoming a spirit master is impossible.”
“Ah…”
“Only after your body and soul have fully adapted to each other and your mana has stabilized will it be possible to form a contract with a spirit.”
“…”
“So for now, you must focus on stabilizing your mana to sustain your life.”
It was the answer she had expected, yet she couldn’t hide her disappointment.
A possessed life… What was this?!
She felt resentful.
A wave of sorrow rose up to her throat.
While Rubiana blinked her tearful eyes, Omar’s gentle voice reached her.
“Please don’t worry too much. There is hope. The compatibility with the mana you’ve received is quite good… I think you can expect a good outcome.”
“…”
“So don’t ever give up. It won’t be easy, but you can get through this. Believe in yourself. And I will help you in every way I can, so believe in me as well.”
“…Yes.”
With Omar’s kind farewell, Rubiana left the shop.
Her steps toward the carriage felt unbearably heavy.
“This… is really meaningless.”
Until the gap between her body and soul disappeared—until the possession was complete—she had to rely on the Grand Duke’s mana just to survive.
And until then, I can’t even form a contract with a spirit!
If she couldn’t become a spirit master, she couldn’t even be considered the female protagonist of this novel.
The entire plot revolved around the female spirit master protagonist and the male spirit master protagonist joining forces to defeat monsters and villains while falling in love.
If I can’t become a spirit master… then my connection to the male lead will completely disappear.
The image of Chad’s radiant face at the imperial banquet vividly resurfaced in her mind.
Haa… A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
As I thought, I guess I’m not meant to be the protagonist. A supporting role from the start will just remain a supporting role until the end. Even after being revived, even after possessing someone, I’m still stuck as a side character.
Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
While wiping them away with her sleeve and trudging along, she saw a woman in a deep hooded robe walking toward her from the opposite side.
The alley was so narrow and deserted that she couldn’t help but notice her.
From beneath the robe, long, gleaming blonde hair spilled out.
Is she a noble lady here to see Omar?
Even though he hid in a toy repair shop, Omar was the empire’s greatest healer.
Many high-ranking nobles quietly sought him out.
In fact, the reason Rubiana had been able to find him was because, in the original story, there were several scenes where the saintess came to see him.
As the robed woman brushed past her, a fragrant scent lingered.
It was a scent that felt sacred and pure.
Could it be… the saintess?
Rubiana turned to look at the woman walking away.
And she saw it—the embroidered iris flower pattern on the heels of the shoes visible beneath the long robe.
That’s… the symbol of the empire’s state religion, the Lamoire Church.
A chill ran down her spine.
Saintess Florencia was the villainess of this novel.
Is she on her way to request the preparation of a mana stabilizer for Elion?
It was a drug enhanced with holy water that greatly increased its effects—but also doubled its addictiveness.
She used that drug to turn Elion into the hidden villain.
Florencia was the very one who fed him the drug, ultimately making him addicted.
By withholding the supply at critical moments, she drove Elion into violent outbursts.
The war hero had fallen into villainy in an instant.
After that, she stayed by his side under the guise of loyalty, all the while pushing him deeper into the pit of evil.
She turned him against the emperor and the imperial family until he hated them completely—and eventually the empire itself!
Recalling her misdeeds as described in the original, Rubiana ground her teeth.
And a sense of urgency surged within her.
The villainess has started to move. And I… I haven’t even become a spirit master yet.
Her chest grew heavier at the thought that the original story was beginning without her.
Even though Elion, unlike in the original, had given some of his mana to her and no longer needed a mana stabilizer, the anxiety wouldn’t leave her.
Leaving Florencia disappearing into the dark alley behind her, Rubiana sighed deeply and boarded her carriage.
She didn’t know…
That Florencia, whom she thought had vanished, had turned back to look at her.
That she was watching Rubiana board a carriage bearing the Klitzman Grand Duke’s crest.
By the time Rubiana arrived at Count Payson’s estate, it was already late at night.
What a long, long day it had been.
As she stepped down from the carriage, her eyes widened in surprise.
Her entire family was gathered at the front entrance.
“Rubiana, welcome home. You must be so tired.”
“We heard you hurt your ankle. Did you get proper treatment?”
The count and his wife spoke in voices full of concern.
Still bewildered by the unexpected welcome, Rubiana felt Stephanie’s arm wrap around her shoulders.
“The Klitzman Grand Duke’s mansion sent a letter. They said you were injured in a monster attack, so they treated you there before sending you home.”
“…I see.”
“Both Mother and Father were so worried, but I reassured them that the Grand Duke’s physician is the best in the empire. But… you stayed there all this time?”
“…Yes.”
As she nodded, Justin came running over and tugged at her hand.
“Sis, I’m hungry! I couldn’t eat because I was waiting for you. Let’s eat together and talk, okay? Hurry!”
“You didn’t eat just because you were waiting for me?”
Her heart clenched.
Tears fell before she realized it.
“Oh my… Rubi, what’s wrong? Did the monster attack scare you that much?”
“Is it because of your ankle? Even if the Grand Duke’s physician is good, our family’s doctor would know your body best. Call Nicholas right away.”
Her mother, standing nearby, ordered the maid, but Rubiana shook her head hard and forced back her sobs.
“N-no. It’s not that. My ankle’s fine. It doesn’t hurt at all. It’s just…”
“Then why…?”
“What happened at the Grand Duke’s mansion? Did Klitzman—that war-crazed killer—say something to you?”
Stephanie was already fuming, ready to storm off.
“No, no… that’s not it…”
Rubiana shook her head vigorously, tears streaming down her face.
All eyes were fixed on her.
“Sniff… It’s just… all of you… didn’t even eat… just to wait for me… I’m so grateful… that’s all… sniff!”
In her past life, no one had cared whether she was home or not.
No one wondered where she went, when she came back, or whether she had eaten.
Her father was busy with work, her mother busy managing her actress older sister’s career, and her younger brother busy attending cram school.
The only one without a busy schedule was her.
She wasn’t as pretty as her actress sister, nor as smart as her prodigy brother.
An ordinary extra, barely noticeable—even to her own family.
But this family is different. They waited for me. They worry about me and care for me. I really am the protagonist here… That’s why… they love me.
Overwhelmed by the attention and affection she had never received before, her tears kept falling.
“Sniff… Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much for waiting for me. I… I’ll make sure to stay healthy. I promise I won’t get hurt again. Sniff, sniff!”
With Rubiana sobbing in the middle, the four family members gathered around her and hugged her tightly.
Ah… my eyes are swollen.
The next morning, Rubiana sighed deeply as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
They were so puffy that even when she opened them wide, they were only about a third as open as usual.
After crying so much, it was no surprise they were this swollen.
When she pulled the bell cord, her personal maid Sophie soon knocked and entered the bedroom.
“Good morning, Lady Rubiana. Oh my, your eyes…”
“Yeah… this happened.”
Rubiana gave her an embarrassed smile.
With her swollen eyes, it was almost as if they were closed.
“I think I need a cold compress. Can you prepare one for me?”
“Yes, my lady. I’ll go get ice right away.”
“Thank you.”
As Sophie hurried out, Rubiana sighed again.
Even with an ice pack, the swelling probably wouldn’t go down completely.
She’d have to spend the day looking like this.
“And I’m supposed to meet the Grand Duke and Omar… This is bad.”
Knock, knock, knock—another knock sounded.
It was too soon for Sophie to have returned with the ice.
Who could it be?
