Chapter 22
While he read the letter, I felt as though I had been placed back on the witness stand. I was even more tense than during the trial earlier.
‘At this point, even if he says the contract is void, I wouldn’t have anything to argue with.’
[Matters regarding the development of the treatment must be kept strictly confidential from any third party.]
I had violated a clause in the contract I made with Killian.
But I had a safeguard of my own.
‘There’s a loophole in that clause.’
The princess wasn’t a third party—she was the patient herself, suffering from an excess of divine power.
As he continued reading, his eyes gradually narrowed.
‘Ah… I’m doomed.’
I shut my eyes tightly with a groan. Killian didn’t seem like the kind of person who would overlook such a loophole.
‘From what I’ve seen… he seems to enjoy retaliation quite a bit.’
It was fitting for a demon, but that didn’t make it any less terrifying.
“Is this truly something practical?”
the princess asked, her voice slightly urgent.
Killian slowly parted his lips.
“The blood of Typhoeus, the claws of a hellhound… All materials that can be obtained from the Forest of Monsters…”
His eyes narrowed further.
He hadn’t yet heard the detailed formula from me, so he didn’t know the exact composition.
That made this situation feel even more like sitting on a bed of thorns.
“A combination I’ve never considered before.”
His gaze shifted directly to me. When those violet eyes landed on me, I instinctively shrank back.
For a fleeting moment, I thought I saw a faint smile flicker at the corner of his lips as he stared at me.
“With this mixture, it’s not impossible.”
“…You mean it’s possible?”
Princess Isabella’s voice trembled as she spoke hastily. It was clear she was struggling to maintain her composure.
Killian spoke slowly.
“Yes—at least, if I were the one making it.”
And as he continued, his gaze remained fixed on me. His eyes were filled with suspicion.
‘Here it comes.’
Bracing myself, I tensed.
“You knew this, which is why you proposed a partnership to me, Miss Diel. I’d like to ask how you came to know of it.”
“That’s…”
I opened my mouth, then closed it again.
Excess divine power.
A condition that occurs when one cannot control an overabundance of holy energy.
If there were a vessel to contain it, that would be fine—but if not, another method had to be used.
Suppress it with the opposite nature: demonic power.
If it was him, a demon, he would have already figured out the principle behind this treatment.
“…I just thought that, as a great mage, Your Grace’s power would naturally be necessary.”
But I couldn’t let him find out that I knew he was a demon.
Killian slowly spoke.
“Is that the only reason?”
“Is there any other reason?”
I asked back casually.
But his gaze remained relentless.
“Very well. Then I’ll ask how you came to learn this.”
“…It’s a trade secret.”
At my answer, Killian let out a short, sharp laugh—completely incredulous.
How annoying.
“…So this formula is truly effective?”
The princess, who had been listening, cut in. Her expression was far more anxious than before.
Killian nodded.
Princess Isabella’s dark eyes wavered.
“…Then can you begin producing this treatment immediately?”
At her request, I couldn’t nod so easily.
Duke Adelheit would surely be targeting me after today. The fastest way to protect myself would be to develop the treatment as soon as possible, but…
“But it seems we’ll need one more person for this formula.”
Killian’s gaze rested on the letter.
Ugh. Could you not keep staring at that?
I replied in a slightly timid voice.
“That’s right…”
Yes—that was the biggest problem.
The princess asked cautiously,
“Who do we need?”
“…In theory, we need someone who can freely manipulate divine power.”
“And not just anyone,” Killian added.
“It must be someone with divine power comparable to a god.”
His assessment was reasonable.
‘Those materials are byproducts of high-level monsters. One mistake, and the demonic energy could consume your consciousness.’
But someone known as a Logos, possessing divine power rivaling a god, would be different.
A Logos, born with the power to purify demonic energy completely, also had exceptional resistance to it.
“Someone who can simply use divine power… even a high priest could qualify, but… power comparable to a god…”
The princess trailed off, likely thinking of a specific person.
‘Pope Michel La Bahardi Logos.’
“Logos”—a title meaning the son of God.
A rare and honorable title granted only to those with immense divine power and the ability to wield it freely.
The first in centuries.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that, in terms of handling divine power, a Logos was akin to a god.
“This treatment requires someone with the highest level of divine power control.”
I wasn’t comfortable letting someone else handle the creation.
Setting aside safety, there was also the risk of the formula leaking.
‘Michel isn’t the type to reveal something like that.’
Knowing his role in the original story, I could trust him.
After the coffee extraction method leaked once, my caution had reached its peak.
At my request, Princess Isabella showed a conflicted expression.
Silence fell briefly.
Then she shook her head.
“That’s impossible.”
For the first time, her voice was firm.
“Is there a reason it can’t be done? With your authority, even the Pope would agree to meet.”
“Countless lives depend on the Pope. I cannot have him meet outsiders easily just for my sake.”
At her words, I fell silent.
‘Even in the face of death, she considers others first…’
She had seemed timid at first, but the more I saw of her, the more extraordinary she appeared.
‘This is difficult.’
With such a reason, I couldn’t insist.
There was no room to persuade her—for now.
“But your life is just as important, Your Highness. Please reconsider.”
“…I will.”
With a nod, the princess dismissed us.
The sun had already begun to set.
On the way out of the imperial palace, Killian suggested I ride with him.
“It seems we still have something to discuss, don’t we?”
“…I don’t think so.”
The ominous feeling from earlier had fully surfaced.
I desperately tried to make it seem like our conversation had ended cleanly—but it didn’t work.
“Then it seems I’m the only one who has something to say. Very well.”
I wasn’t very pleased with that…
His violet eyes curved into crescent moons as he smiled—a picture-perfect, beautiful smile.
But I couldn’t bring myself to smile back.
Daisy, who had been waiting outside, looked between us and said,
“Then I’ll head back to the mansion first!”
And then—she winked.
Before I could say anything, she disappeared.
“Let’s go!”
She shouted cheerfully as she took off in my carriage.
‘N-no!’
I screamed internally.
Now I had no choice but to ride with Killian!
“It seems we have no choice but to go together.”
Killian smiled at me again.
“Haha… I guess so.”
I smiled outwardly, but inside I was praying.
Please, save me.
Crash!
“You spineless fool!”
Having returned to his estate, Duke Adelheit hurled an ashtray in fury.
It shattered loudly against the hard floor.
Before the trial, he had sent gold and money to the judge as a gesture of goodwill.
For a moment, everything seemed to be going as expected.
But when Archduke Orpheo appeared at the trial, everything changed.
Those fools believed the fabricated evidence to be real, and the duke’s blood pressure skyrocketed.
‘How dare they put my money into Edit’s hands…!’
A thousand gold.
It was nothing compared to his wealth.
But the humiliation of publicly losing to Edit and handing over money stung far more than the amount itself.
‘In the end, the world sides with those in power.’
He intended to crush her so she could never rise again.
The money he had prepared as a finishing blow became meaningless due to one variable:
Killian Orpheo.
The one who had completely overturned the trial.
‘That brat…!’
To think he sided with Edit to screw him over.
He was thoroughly displeased.
Caleb, standing beside him, looked no better.
“Should I kill that judge bastard?”
“Hah! And how do you plan to do that when that Orpheo brat is lurking behind him like a rat?!”
“…Damn it.”
Caleb bit his lip.
The duke was right.
The judge ruled that way because he feared the archduke’s retaliation more than the duke’s.
That was the difference in power.
And the archduke’s cruelty played a part.
While he usually acted like a noble gentleman, everyone knew that when crossed, he was more ruthless than anyone.
If the duke killed traitors in one blow, the archduke drained them slowly until they withered away.
“Some gutter trash dares to roll in and insult me…”
The duke’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Then what about Edit? Are you going to leave her be?”
“As if I would.”
He snapped immediately.
“I’ll make sure that woman pays for a life built on lies!”
His blue eyes burned hotter than lava.
I climbed into the archduke’s pristine white carriage, awkwardly glancing around.
Even inside the spacious carriage, a faint floral scent lingered.
Killian entered, and the door clicked shut.
I flinched slightly and spoke first.
“…Thank you for helping me during the trial.”
Let’s ease the mood first.
If I did, maybe he wouldn’t hold me too accountable…
“No need. As someone bound by contract, I merely did what was required.”
“…”
The fact that he specifically mentioned the contract meant he had no intention of letting this slide.
Swallowing a sigh, I lowered my gaze.
To already be marked by the story’s hidden mastermind…
My future looked bleak, and my mouth went dry.
