Chapter 5 – Part 3

“You filthy bastard! I’m different from you.”

“Why! You’re a commoner too, aren’t you?”

Harry once fought with a servant’s child when he was young. What started as a minor squabble escalated into a significant incident.

The child had to kneel before Harry. Harry’s father made sure of that. If the child didn’t kneel, his father’s life would be lost.

“Listen well. I’m different from you. This family runs on our wealth. We’re incomparable to beggars like you who live off others.”

“I don’t understand. A true noble is someone like the lady, isn’t it?”

Maybe his father would have been content with just that—being a behind-the-scenes powerhouse who commanded respect within the family, even if subtly looked down upon in society.

But Harry wasn’t satisfied. He beat the boy until one of his eyes was blinded, and he only stopped when the boy’s father begged and wept.

Panting, he turned to find Olivia standing there. Harry felt a simmering rage as he stepped closer to her and whispered.

“You saw that, right?”

“……”

“Believe me, you’re different from those filthy bastards. I’m your friend, someone you should never underestimate.”

The three or four-year-old girl couldn’t respond. Her parents were away at war, and only dark-hearted adults controlled her. Though those opposing Harry were also sent off to war.

“If you don’t listen, you’ll end up just like that. Understand?”

‘It’s all for your own good.’

He “educated” Olivia to ensure she wouldn’t rise against him. Olivia only wielded a weapon on the battlefield to slaughter enemies. A foolish, weak, and naive woman wouldn’t dare draw a sword against him.

“Who did you hire to curse Troy Marsden?”

So, the Olivia pointing a gun at him couldn’t be real. This was all a nightmare. Yes, this was a wretched nightmare.

“Did you supply the materials and then place the order for the curse? Or was the curse already set, needing just a trigger…”

Olivia murmured as if talking to herself.

“Marsden thinks it’s the former… but our dear Harry would know the exact answer, right?”

“No, you stupid b*tch.”

Harry glared at Olivia with dull eyes.

“They said they’d place the curse if I provided additional materials besides the stone. I don’t even know the guy’s name.”

“Fine, my mistake for expecting a coherent answer from an idiot…”

“Believe what you want. This is all just a stupid dream anyway, right?”

Harry let out sporadic chuckles.

“I was just introduced to the sorcerer through someone I knew. You might be too naive to understand, but I have a lot of connections.”

He was tired. Yet, if this wasn’t a dream, he wouldn’t have another chance to lecture this woman, so he kept talking.

“He was useful. His attitude was pleasing too. Said he’d do anything to make you miserable.”

Of course.

The sorcerer’s identity wouldn’t be so simple. If he helped Harry dominate “Olivia Charbert,” he couldn’t be indifferent toward her.

Still, to claim he’d do anything to make her unhappy. That’s not a sentiment easily harbored without substantial malice.

“He was quite skilled… You’d comply well if I used him to mess with Troy Marsden.”

Harry looked exhausted. Olivia intended to make him weary until his dying breath, and even beyond death.

“Ha… But when will this dream end? Why am I being humiliated here by you… It’s so filthy. Such a dreadful dream…”

Harry clutched his head with both hands. Olivia quietly watched him.

Claiming not to know the sorcerer could be a lie. But Olivia believed Harry’s testimony wasn’t false. Because…

“D*mn it! If I had known… If I had known, I would never have died alone…!”

Yes, a fallen Harry, plummeting into the abyss, had no reason to hide the sorcerer’s identity. He had nothing left to fear and would eagerly choose to drag someone down with him.

“Don’t worry, Harry. I’ll make sure you have plenty of time to think about who the sorcerer is. You still have about 500 crimes to be judged for.”

Olivia tightened her grip on the gun, causing the surrounding prisoners to flinch.

“Now, the question about your potential 501st crime. Did you orchestrate the bomb theft?”

“…If there had been a bomb, I would have stuck it in your head and blown it up… Hahaha! Should have killed you before your head got too big! Before that damned duke started fancying you…”

Olivia twisted the gun and fired.

“Aaaah!”

A nearby prisoner screamed, but Harry, with a wound on his cheek, didn’t flinch.

“Alright, I’ll inform the kingdom that Harry Palmer is a high-risk criminal but didn’t orchestrate the bomb theft.”

Olivia scrunched her nose and approached Harry.

“See, I’m merciful, right?”

Blood vessels burst in Harry’s eyes again. He lunged, but the knights immediately restrained him. Olivia holstered her gun and tapped his cheek with her finger.

“Goodbye, Harry. I hope you live happily here forever.”

Olivia’s cheerful smile as she turned away made the cries from behind sound like pleasant birdsong to her.

* * *

Publicly humiliating Harry Palmer loosened the tongues of the other prisoners. Witnessing the series of events, they tearfully and snottily claimed to know nothing about the sorcerer.

“But we do know he met Mr. Palmer in the Kettlelin Forest! Maybe you could meet him there!”

It seemed more satisfying to act rather than just receiving reports. Olivia decided to pack light and head straight to the forest. She felt refreshed and ready.

“What!?”

“Well… you can’t reach the Kettlelin Forest without passing through the Abyss territory.”

“What nonsense… That’s ridiculous?”

But Olivia’s enthusiasm was gently subdued by Glenn. He exchanged a troubled look with the maid, Melanie.

“The area is so full of extremely poisonous herbs and minerals that access is strictly forbidden. Those who enter without proper knowledge are likely to die, and it’s considered cursed even by the empire. It’s secretly managed by the Count of Abyss under the emperor’s orders.”

“Ha… Then, what about those who know of the forest’s existence?”

“Not many, I’d say. It’s considered ominous, so people generally keep quiet about it…”

“So, if that stone has leaked outside, it’s highly likely that Count Abyss is involved?”

Olivia’s eyes sharpened. Glenn nodded.

“Yes, it’s highly likely.”

“Right. There’s no way Gael and I won’t be involved. This cursed role in the original story.”

“Pardon?”

Glenn asked foolishly at the odd remark. Melanie, too, seemed to be struggling to understand Olivia’s words.

“To investigate the forest, I have to confront Gael Abyss first. I never wanted to see that d*mn face again.”

As much as she hated seeing that insufferable man, more than that…

“If you don’t like it, tough luck. Handle your feelings properly.”

“Handling my feelings is one thing. Are you going to go alone?”

Troy Marsden’s face inevitably came to her mind. She didn’t want to burden an injured person, but could she really leave him behind successfully?

“Melanie, can you give us a moment?”

“Yes, Marchioness.”

Seeing that Olivia had somewhat regained her composure, Melanie quietly stepped back.

“Glenn, how much do you know about Duke Marsden?”

“While I can’t say we’re personally close, I’ve known him for a long time. When you were young, he handled your family’s affairs, and as you grew older, he acted as your tutor.”

It was a succinct explanation, but Olivia wanted to know more.

“Other than that? I heard I had a one-sided crush on Duke Marsden, so there couldn’t have been any forbidden romance between teacher and student. From what I recall, Marsden was always cold towards me…”

“He tried to be.”

Glenn’s soft voice interrupted Olivia gently.

“Tried to be?”

“You’re wondering if you should inform Duke Marsden that you’re going to meet Count Abyss, right?”

This perceptive human. Olivia nodded, and Glenn sighed quietly.

“Then I would recommend at least telling him.”

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said. I don’t know how much you remember, but your love story with him wasn’t just about your unrequited love. At least from what I know.”

Glenn furrowed his brows slightly, as if he were pondering whether to go into more detail.

“What I can confirm is that the one who was obsessively possessive wasn’t you, but the Duke.”

“…”

“So if you meet Count Abyss, whom you were ‘romantically’ involved with, without informing him, he will obviously be ‘furious.’”

‘How many words are you emphasizing?’ Olivia shivered at Glenn’s statement.

“Of course, this is merely my advice. The choice is yours.”

Honestly, Olivia was really reluctant. But somehow, going without telling Troy Marsden felt like she’d be making the same frustrating mistake as the heroines in this regretful romance novel!

But taking Marsden there? It would be a miracle if there wouldn’t be a war. Gael would provoke her nerves, and Marsden would certainly aggravate her just as much.

“Buddy, even if it’s just a non-blood-related biological male, I’d want to cut him off, but Gael Abyss isn’t someone I’d be satisfied with just crushing.”

Olivia was deep in thought. She had many tasks, and freeing Marsden from his curse was one of the most important. Perhaps even more important than catching the one who tried to kill her.

So she came up with a clever plan. Placing pen and paper side by side, Olivia organized her thoughts and began writing rapidly.

Glenn watched her hand with curious eyes. As he started to grasp the contents, he was shocked.

“Marchioness, deceiving the Duke like this is quite improper…”

“Be quiet. I’m the Solomon of this empire.”

Olivia smiled brightly as she folded the paper and slipped it into an envelope. She melted the sealing wax and pressed her seal into it.

“I’ll send this to Marsden. Let’s joyfully watch what choice the mad Troy Marsden makes!”

Glenn held back the urge to tell her she seemed even crazier.