Chapter 06
“What should we do with him? What does everyone think? Should we just leave him be?”
Sir Aile, the knight, looked troubled at my question.
“If he’s a confirmed Tilet, we might be able to track him down soon.”
“But if he’s a talented Tilet being hidden carefully by some family?”
“Yes, that is possible.”
“Then that’s a problem…”
Tilet. A defining element of this world. It was the term used for the superpowered individuals who appeared in Red Rose. It referred both to the person with the ability and to the ability itself.
Like a typical fantasy world, magic existed here. If magic could be learned through study, then Tilet was something born purely by chance.
Their abilities varied widely. Noble blood did not guarantee a superior ability, nor did humble birth mean an inferior one.
A commoner could be a high-ranking Tilet, while a noble could end up low-ranking. Even imperial royalty were often born as ordinary humans without any Tilet at all.
Unlike magic, which anyone could learn under the right conditions, a Tilet—if born with it—had no limit to their potential. Naturally, exceptional Tilets who surpassed magic were guaranteed very high titles. In extreme cases, a human could be born with power akin to a natural disaster.
“This child’s Tilet must be above intermediate level. That should make it easier to narrow down.”
“I agree.”
“Did you inquire with the guild?”
“Yes. But they said no such ability is registered.”
“Well, that’s what they always say. There are plenty of unregistered Tilets in the world.”
“That’s true, my lady.”
Of course, I already knew who that boy was, what his Tilet was, and where he came from. But I couldn’t act like I knew. I was supposed to be a sheltered noble lady who had barely left the estate except for health retreats.
With a shameless expression, pretending to know nothing, I spoke.
“Since we don’t know his identity, we can’t make a decision right away…”
Tilets were important everywhere. For the Empire to possess many high-ranking Tilets meant national power and strength. If my mother and father were graded, they would easily be SSS-rank—top-tier Tilets.
That was why people had high expectations when I was born. Though the mechanism of how Tilets were born remained unknown, children of high-ranking Tilets were usually at least intermediate level.
Surprisingly, not many people knew this, but I too was a Tilet. Despite my frail, sunfish-like stamina. Though it wasn’t something I could proudly show off anywhere…
I wiped away the tears that had pricked my eyes. Ah, what a pitiful life. Whenever I thought about my Tilet, I always ended up crying. Damn it.
Shaking off the gloomy thoughts, I returned to reality.
“What if he’s a Tilet who caused trouble somewhere and is on the run, Sir? It could become an issue between families. He might even be a fugitive from another country.”
“Hmm, in that case…”
That was when it happened. A leisurely voice slipped between our conversation.
“Then we discard him.”
The door opened, and someone entered with the sharp click of heels. Even I, frail as I was, could clearly feel the heavy presence naturally filling the room.
“What the family can accept is a capable and diligent Tilet—not a runaway.”
I didn’t even need to turn around to know who had come in. The blazing heat that surged forward, the cool wind that followed, and that voice filled with strength.
“Come here, Azalea.”
At that beloved voice, my heart pounded, and tears welled up. I spun around to see my kindly smiling mother and my beautifully smiling father. I threw myself into their arms with both arms wide open.
“Mom, Dad! I’m back!”
Feeling their arms wrap tightly around me, I rubbed my face against them. Their firm, warm embrace felt so good.
“My darling daughter! My precious jewel of a child!”
“You’re back, Azalea. Hm, haven’t you lost even more weight?”
My beloved family.
Mother and Father. The strength that let me be born into this world and endure it.
I love my family in this life so very much.
I sniffed at the savory scent of carrot cake. The combination of warm, sweet milk tea and fluffy cake delivered a happiness no one could replicate.
“As expected of Miss Jaina. The best head chef of our house!”
I cut off a small bite and popped it into my mouth. The rich flavor spreading across my tongue made my shoulders tremble. When I noticed my mother watching me with a gentle smile, I grew embarrassed and swallowed quickly. Feeling loved always made my cheeks burn. After denying reality long enough, I finally looked at her and brought up the matter at hand.
“Mother, are you really going to send him away? That child from earlier.”
“Of course. There’s no reason to keep him.”
“But he looked young. What if he’s being chased?”
“My dear, there are many assassins as young as ten.”
“That’s true, but…”
In the office, it was just my mother and me. The heavy atmosphere made me fidget with my fingers.
I knew very well how lucky I was. Though the Tinya Ducal House was mentioned only briefly in the novel, it was far too powerful and peaceful to be dismissed in a single line.
Growing up there, I would live a life without lack or suffering, calm and peaceful. The inside of the ducal estate was this quiet and tranquil. The novel never mentioned our family falling into ruin or committing treason.
In this life, aside from my sunfish-level stamina, there would be no problems.
My mother, studying my hesitation, narrowed her eyes.
“We’ll know when he wakes up. But from what I’ve heard, his ability seems dangerous. If the child shows no willingness to cooperate with us once he wakes, we’ll have no choice but to eliminate him.”
“Mm…”
I averted my eyes with a troubled expression. It was true—the ability Vasilisa had in the novel was dangerous. There was a reason he was called the “King of Shadows.”
Though to me, having lived as a modern person, it sounded extremely cringeworthy—like seeing someone shouting about black shadows writhing in their hands right in front of me, sending chills down my spine.
The King of Shadows. Within the novel, it was a title people used with both reverence and fear.
Ugh, I was fine reading it, so why was it making me cringe now?
“If I had fallen from the sky onto that carriage, there would have been blood. But that child is perfectly unharmed. I can’t even begin to guess what kind of Tilet that is.”
My mother’s eyes sank low, and I curled my toes.
She suspects him. And if it came down to a confrontation between my mother and young Vasilisa…
Oh no. I don’t even want to imagine it.
I swallowed dryly. What if one of the male leads failed to even appear properly in the story and ended up derailed from the original plot? And the reason would be me, bringing Vasilisa into our household?
“But we can’t kill him.”
Let’s at least keep him alive. Somehow, I decided to take Vasilisa’s side. He needed to appear safely at the starting point of the original story. Only then would the plot proceed properly, and as a devoted reader of Red Rose, I could have peace of mind!
“B-but still. I don’t think he meant to harm me. If he had intended to, wouldn’t he have attacked the carriage directly?”
“You can’t be sure. Careless thinking invites disaster.”
“If he had malicious intent, he would have stayed conscious and attacked me. That’s what assassins usually do. Especially someone with such a powerful Tilet…”
“Hmm? Azalea. It seems you’re…”
My heart dropped at the way my mother narrowed her eyes.
“….”
“…protecting him. Why?”
I shivered slightly and muttered, “It just feels that way.”
Though I didn’t know much about Vasilisa’s childhood, he wasn’t a legendary villain.
“I’m not defending him, but… what if he’s just a common boy who desperately escaped from somewhere he was being exploited?”
“My child.”
I had a strange feeling that we shouldn’t send him away like this. Logically, sending him away was right. I had no connection to Vasilisa, and the female lead, Tesha, wasn’t even here. But still.
The original novel never mentioned Vasilisa being in such a situation. Didn’t that mean this was a moment when he needed help? My head felt complicated.
Only then did I realize I had been nervously tapping my fingernails while avoiding my mother’s gaze.
“Azalea.”
“Yes?”
“Look at your mother properly and tell me. What is it that you want?”
“…What I want?”
I blinked and thought. What did I want?
At first, I had wanted to meet the protagonists of the original novel. To become entangled with them.
But after being born into this world, becoming part of it, receiving my parents’ love, and growing close to the people of the ducal house, I let go of that thought. The female lead’s life in the novel wasn’t truly beautiful in reality. Only the result was beautiful.
And I had been born dangerously weak. I might die screaming if a supporting character threw a plate at me.
This was serious. If my mother was this strong, just how terrifying were the male leads? I had no intention of getting caught in a monster showdown and having my insides burst.
I was far too ordinary. No, too weak.
So gradually, I came to wish for an ordinary and peaceful life with my family.
“My child.”
“Mother.”
Mother, I’m afraid. Afraid that I’ve brought something I can’t handle into our lives.
Sending him away was right. A major conflict could erupt. It wasn’t good for my peaceful family to get involved in the original plot’s turmoil. Especially considering the dangers and crises the protagonists of Red Rose faced.
“But still. Is this lingering attachment?”
I bit my lip hard, unsure how to explain myself. Just then, I met my mother’s eyes. For a brief moment, it seemed like she smiled softly.
“My child. Why that face? If there is something you want, say it. Who would dare stop you?”
“Huh?”
