Chapter 77
“By the way, why isn’t April coming out?”
Jaina said, looking around the mansion.
At least she had said a final farewell to Liriana.
But the person Jaina most wanted to see was none other than the youngest, April.
She had received a bonus of 100,000 gold.
That amount would definitely cover a full year of academy tuition for April.
Even though she had spent the past two years hunting so diligently, the money earned during that time was less than a tenth of her prize money. Still, she felt both exasperated and thrilled that such a large sum was now in her hands.
Now that she had been promoted, she would also be receiving a generous salary.
She also wanted to show April this splendid medal made of obsidian.
“…April is at the Tower of Magic.”
Liriana felt overwhelmed. Having once heard this unbelievable story from Helene and April herself, now she had to relay it to someone else as if it were normal.
“W-what does that mean?”
Liriana carefully explained everything that had happened to Jaina.
She told her about the owner of the Tower of Magic transforming into an eagle to take April to raise her as a magician, and how Helene had taken April to the tower on her behalf since Liriana was busy with her duties as chief maid.
She also recounted the recent letter from April, who was doing well at the Tower, and that it had been delivered by a talking owl.
Even after hearing the whole story, Jaina’s expression remained dazed.
“R-right… I’ve heard that magicians gather and live in a tower…”
Though it was hard to believe, it wasn’t entirely impossible.
The youngest, a clever girl who could read old books full of squiggly writing with ease, seemed exactly the kind of person the owner of the Tower would want.
And the Tower of Magic…
Wasn’t that better than the academy?
The sharp youngest may have never even needed her help in the first place.
Jaina felt both happy and a little wistful.
‘…No.’
Upon reconsideration, her little sister had achieved her dream on her own.
April becoming a magician was nothing to feel bitter about—it was pure joy and pride!
Something truly wonderful had happened while she herself had been defeating the giant monster, Femos.
“And… I’ll also be participating in this debutante ball.”
Liriana blushed as she carefully spoke.
“Really?!”
Jaina was dizzy from the stream of good news, almost fainting.
Four years ago, just before Liriana’s debutante ball, her father had suddenly left on a trip.
His absence had lasted a whole year, and since a debutante ball could not be held without the head of the household, Liriana’s ball had been indefinitely postponed.
After her father passed away from illness and two years quickly went by, Liriana, now twenty-two, had almost given up on ever having her debutante ball.
“The Duchess of the Grand Duke included my name on the debutante list. I think my stepmother asked her to do it.”
Again, her stepmother. Helene’s name came up.
Jaina recalled another uncomfortable truth: it had been Helene who had actually made her a royal knight.
She couldn’t understand what had prompted this woman to help their family so suddenly.
The witch who had once ruined the household in an instant was now restoring it just as quickly.
“…Jaina, maybe you could open your heart a little to your stepmother?”
After much thought, Liriana said this to Jaina.
She herself had truly hated Helene and understood Jaina’s feelings, but she wanted to believe, like the words of the Sun God, that those who seek forgiveness deserve a chance.
She hoped Jaina could become such a person.
Liriana suddenly remembered something from two years ago.
It was the day she went to her father, crying, because she hated Helene, who had become her stepmother.
For the first time, she had shouted, sobbing, to her father that she hated Helene.
And now, she found herself saying almost the same thing her father had said back then:
‘Couldn’t you open your heart a little to your stepmother?’
Her father had earnestly pleaded with her.
But Liriana had been stubborn.
She really had hated Helene.
Yet, hearing her father’s words that day, she could not bring herself to continue hating Helene.
‘…We are the first family Helene has ever truly had.’
Of course, Helene soon made enough mistakes that this feeling didn’t last long.
“…”
For the first time, Jaina said nothing when Liriana spoke positively about her stepmother.
She still disliked Helene, but she acknowledged her gratitude.
Grateful for sending April to the Tower of Magic and helping prepare Liriana’s debutante ball—it was truly something to be thankful for.
Jaina, as the second daughter of the Emeldia Count family and a royal knight of the Hersen Empire, knew better than anyone that she should express gratitude when someone had done her a favor.
The Next Morning
Since killing Femos, Jaina had been plagued by nightmares every night.
In her dreams, Femos was still alive.
The Femos in her dreams was far larger than the real one, devouring knights one by one.
Jaina, guarding the still-unawakened crown prince, fought back, but Femos once again tried to grab and kill Louis Hart.
She raised her sword, charging at Femos, shouting to release Louis Hart.
“…Aaaah!!”
Jaina screamed and bolted upright in bed, drenched in cold sweat from head to toe.
Fed up with the recurring nightmares, she resolved not to sleep anymore, disgusted by them.
Her throat was parched, probably from all the sweat.
The water jug by her bedside was empty, as she had just returned home after a long time.
Jaina went downstairs to get water.
There, she found Helene.
Their eyes met immediately.
Without asking, the awkward pair quickly explained themselves.
“I… I’m just getting some water…”
“I… couldn’t sleep…”
Helene hadn’t actually slept because she had heard Jaina’s screams.
Her room was directly below Jaina’s, so she had woken up and, worried, come out to the mansion’s hall.
She hadn’t expected to meet Jaina descending the stairs.
Silence lingered.
Jaina thought this was the perfect opportunity to thank Helene.
Calling her separately seemed awkward, and she would have been embarrassed if Liriana overheard.
This was the perfect moment.
“Um… uh…”
Jaina mustered courage to speak.
But seeing Helene’s face, she froze.
It was the expression of someone who had never expected thanks.
“Th-thank…”
Jaina opened her mouth bravely, but the words got stuck and never left her lips.
If Helene realized she couldn’t even say a simple ‘thank you,’ Jaina felt she would die of embarrassment.
“Thank?”
“I-I want to eat a sweet potato!”
Helene was baffled. Jaina, who had struggled to even say a word, was actually asking for a sweet potato.
Well, having barely survived, she probably craved a lot of things.
But all she wanted was a sweet potato. Helene felt even more sorry for her.
Rolling up her sleeves, Helene prepared to cook a sweet potato immediately.
“Do you want it right now?”
“Ah, no. It’s fine for now!”
Jaina ran straight to the kitchen, flustered.
A sweet potato!!
Holding her head, she berated herself.
Her face flushed, she drank water rapidly.
No matter how much she drank, her chest felt tight as if she had eaten the sweet potato already.
