Chapter 5
The light was so bright it hurt her eyes.
Miti tightly shut them.
Boom! Crash! Shatter!
Loud sounds of things breaking and collapsing scratched against her ears.
It was so loud her hearing felt numb.
The heavy crash of something falling mixed with the sharp sound of glass breaking.
A faint vibration came from the sword in her hand.
When Miti finally opened her eyes—
dust filled the entire corridor.
“What… is this…?”
She just blinked blankly until the dust settled.
Wind blew through the corridor—
even though it should have been completely enclosed.
Fragments of broken building materials dangled from the walls and rolled to her feet.
Confused, Miti lowered her head and looked at the treasured sword in her hand.
It looked completely normal—
just like when it had been hanging on the wall.
She slowly raised her head again.
Beyond the completely destroyed wall, she could see the neatly maintained garden of the Kirchhoff mansion.
If her memory was correct—
there had been no window there before.
Instead, there had been a large display cabinet filled with expensive treasures.
But now—
the wall was gone.
“What… is going on right now?”
Gulp.
Her dry throat swallowed with difficulty.
It even tasted like dust.
Moving stiffly like a doll, Miti walked forward and peeked over the collapsed wall.
The display cabinet had been thrown onto the ground, completely destroyed.
Should she feel relieved that no one seemed to be crushed under it?
She couldn’t tell.
[Break apart.]
“Where… did I hear that line…?”
Praying that her intuition was wrong, Miti stepped back.
Then she forced her stiff body to turn around.
Count Kirchhoff was frozen in place—
still holding the posture of offering her the sword.
Her bad feeling became clearer.
“Y-Your Excellency…?”
“….”
“I’ll return the sword.”
Miti quietly handed the sword back to him.
His hand was still stiff, so she even helped fold his fingers around it.
The Count, still in shock, just stared at the sword.
His gaze slowly moved—
from the collapsed wall,
to the sword,
to Miti’s face.
“What… just…?”
“Your Excellency! What was that sound—? Oh my…”
“H-Huh…?”
“What happened here?!”
Before he could finish, people rushed in.
The butler, who was leading them, saw the ruined corridor—
and immediately collapsed.
“Sir!”
If the attendant hadn’t caught him, he would have hit his head on the floor.
“Was it an attack?”
Erel pushed through the crowd and asked sharply.
“An attack? Who did it?! I’ll capture them immediately!”
A knight growled, ready to start a war.
“I’m doomed… I’m really doomed…”
Miti bit her lip and shrank her neck like a turtle.
Her throat felt blocked—no words came out.
Whether she liked the Count or not no longer mattered.
What mattered was—
whether he would throw her into the mansion’s dungeon.
“What will happen to this world then…?”
Erel’s beautiful face twisted.
“Lady Sestol? What exactly happened?”
“…What?”
Her rose-colored eyes pierced Miti.
“I asked what happened. You were here too, weren’t you?”
Her tone was sharp—
as if blaming her.
“But… I really did do it…”
Miti opened her mouth, searching for words—
but closed it again.
Her throat was dry, and cold sweat ran down her back.
“Miss Sestol, answer me. It’s not like someone just showed off their strength, right?”
“I think that was me…”
Even she was confused.
Why could she still use magic?
“Miti!”
Mirhel suddenly pushed through the crowd.
He grabbed her shoulders.
“Are you hurt?”
“N-no.”
She tried to slip out of his grip.
Mirhel looked at her, the broken wall, and the Count.
“Tell me what happened.”
“Well… I don’t really know…”
“Don’t know? You were here!”
His eyes trembled with anxiety.
Miti bit her lip.
How could she explain?
That the Count let her hold the sword—
and when she swung it, magic activated and destroyed the wall?
That she was the one who caused all this?
“Would they even believe me?”
Minachelti, using magic?
“What do I even do about all this…”
She had destroyed a display filled with the Count’s treasures.
She glanced at him.
He still looked like he couldn’t believe what happened.
That was only natural.
Even she had wondered if this was a dream.
“Should I just knock everyone out?”
If she claimed some unknown force attacked and knocked everyone out—
maybe she could escape this.
“Yeah… better than dying right now.”
Even if the Count was a sword master,
he couldn’t react to sudden magic without a weapon.
She bit her thumb hard.
“Okay. On three… I’ll strike. Use blood as a medium and cast a spell…!”
At that moment—
a large hand suddenly appeared in front of her.
“What she said is true. Miss Sestol is also a victim of this incident.”
The Count wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“Are you alright, Miss Sestol?”
He even looked concerned.
“Are you hurt?”
“…Huh? Ah—yes?”
Miti blinked in confusion.
The Count frowned slightly while examining her.
“You’re bleeding.”
He took out a handkerchief and wrapped her finger.
Then he addressed the crowd.
“Someone attacked from outside using magic. Search the surrounding area.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Unfortunately, the party cannot continue. Please return home. Erel, could you see the guests off in my place?”
“But, Your Excellency—”
“I’m asking you.”
“….”
Erel swallowed her complaint.
“…Alright.”
She reluctantly nodded and began leading the guests away.
“Miss Sestol seems slightly injured. Since this happened while she was with me, I would like to take responsibility and escort her to the lounge.”
“Then I’ll come as well—”
“Yes. I’ll bring her after treatment.”
“…What?”
“Escort Lord Sestol.”
The Count gave a short order to a servant and tightened his arm around Miti.
“Let’s go, Miss Sestol.”
“…Wait, I’m fine—”
Miti turned to Mirhel desperately.
“Don’t run away.”
Her weak resistance was blocked.
His voice was low—
gentle enough to send chills down her spine.
“We have something to talk about, don’t we?”
A shiver ran down her back.
“Romance, my foot…”
Instead of love, she was about to owe him a huge debt.
“Come.”
His grip on her shoulder tightened.
It was firm—like he wouldn’t let her escape.
“I’m really screwed…”
She forced her stiff legs to move.
It felt like being dragged to slaughter.
As she followed him, she thought for a moment—
about explaining everything.
“What would I even say?”
“If we don’t fall in love, this world will collapse?”
“He’d think I’m crazy…”
Her conclusion was simple.
“I should just knock him out.”
Hit him hard enough to erase his memory.
One uppercut should be enough.
Miti clenched her fist.
At that moment—
the Count’s sharp gaze pierced her.
“I trust you’re not planning to throw that adorable fist at me.”
“….”
“Goodness.”
Miti slowly relaxed her hand.
“Now you’re even thinking about violence?”
His lips curled dangerously.
She instinctively shrank back.
“…I haven’t hit you yet…”
Her weak protest faded away.
