I will get revenge. I will make that villainess who killed my brother without any remorse feel the same despair.

With this determination, she endured those terrible years alone.

Lilia shouted at Erin with rage.

“This can’t be… This is impossible! Why does a villainess like you have such talent? Because of you, my brother… what happened to him… How can this be happening!”

Someone blocked her path. Lilia stared blankly at the person who stopped her. Ferdin stood there.

“Lilia.”

“…”

“Erin… she entered werewolf territory willing to rescue you alone. Do you still think… she killed Calips?”

At Ferdin’s words, Lilia shifted her gaze to Erin, visible behind him.

There stood Erin, silently enduring her accusations without denying anything.

That tormented Lilia even more.

* * *

Lilia had always imagined what kind of person Erin Liserth was.

Someone who acted cruelly, tormented Calips, and eventually killed him.

Charlotte had also whispered to her that Erin was responsible for everything.

“Calips… died after being tormented by that villainess.”

“He couldn’t quit his position at the Marquis’s household for your sake. I heard your parents died early. He endured all the suffering for his young sister.”

“Lilia, you have talent in magic, so you can certainly get your revenge.”

She had to avenge herself on Erin Liserth. It was something she had been conditioning herself to do since childhood.

And for that purpose, Erin Liserth had to be a villainess.

Ferdin looked at Lilia and spoke slowly.

“Without Erin, we wouldn’t have made it this far.”

Lilia couldn’t respond to Ferdin’s words.

During the two weeks they traveled to reach werewolf territory, Lilia had observed Erin closely.

Erin Liserth was completely different from the person she knew from rumors. She was considerate of others, kind, and loyal.

Every time she saw these qualities, Lilia felt everything she knew was being denied. Did that mean… Charlotte had lied?

Charlotte had been by her side when Calips died.

She claimed to have known him well at the Marquis’s mansion and shared in Lilia’s grief over his death.

But could it really be that Erin Liserth… didn’t kill Calips? Really?

Lilia couldn’t say anything.

“Let’s move now. Lilia, I understand how you feel, but… we can’t stay here any longer.”

Amon said this while guiding Lilia. With a dazed expression, she let herself be led by him.

Even when leaving the underground prison, Lilia remained disoriented. But the sight that greeted them outside left her speechless.

Dozens of werewolves lay collapsed before them.

The newly realized power of a Sword Master sent chills down Lilia’s spine.

“Lilia, come quickly.”

Ferdin guided her while she was distracted. The child who had been in his arms was now being carried by Amon.

Lilia realized Ferdin was looking after her. He must have entrusted the child to Amon to take care of her.

Ferdin was unnecessarily kind. He never abandoned anyone who entered his circle.

‘Yes, after this subjugation ends… I’ll leave Ferdin.’

Lilia thought this while looking at him. Memories of their time together flooded her mind.

The moment she first joined Ferdin’s knight candidates, and the mischievous but kind people in his group.

There were happy memories and sad ones too. But Lilia was certain she couldn’t stay here anymore.

Whatever the truth was, she couldn’t face Erin Liserth any longer.

“Ferdin…”

I’m going to leave the knight group after this subjugation ends.

Lilia was clearly about to say those words.

At that moment, she spotted a spear flying toward her.

‘Ah, am I going to die like this…’

Lilia let out a hollow laugh at the thought crossing her mind. All her worries until now suddenly seemed meaningless.

The spear, coated with dark mana, rushed toward her too quickly for her to possibly dodge.

She saw Erin, who was walking ahead, turn around to check on the group. She must have spotted the spear too, because she ran toward Lilia with a shocked expression.

Lilia wondered about Erin’s face.

Why does she look like that? She seems completely shocked…

In that moment, someone pushed her aside. She couldn’t understand what was happening.

Blood splattered across Lilia’s face.

She saw Ferdin right in front of her.

* * *

Corelia fidgeted with the teacup in front of her. She felt strangely good.

Why am I in such a good mood?

She hummed a tune while picking up a cookie from the plate before her.

Beside Corelia stood Charlotte with a subtle smile, and across from her sat Ditrion, the First Prince of the Lexia Empire.

With silver hair reaching his shoulders, he elegantly raised his teacup.

“Charlotte’s tea tastes delicious no matter when I drink it.”

Charlotte smiled pleasantly at his compliment.

Looking at her, Corelia suddenly asked:

“Why haven’t we heard from Raymon? It’s time we should have received contact, isn’t it? He wouldn’t have followed them into werewolf territory.”

“He might have been unable to leave due to circumstances.”

“Hmm… that would be unfortunate… The werewolf chieftain must be out of his mind by now, right?”

“Since the Emperor didn’t provide the suppressant, he must be going berserk by now.”

“Even if Count Leon had gone, the outcome wouldn’t have changed anyway.”

Corelia said this without hiding her delight. At that level, no one except Duke Asili could possibly handle the situation.

The chieftain already possessed skills approaching those of a Sword Master.

So if he went berserk, he would wield power even greater than Count Leon’s.

She narrowed her brows thoughtfully and asked Charlotte again.

“By the way, how exactly did you persuade that little mage who’s Calips’s sister?”

It was a name she barely remembered unless she consciously recalled it.

If Erin hadn’t occasionally muttered the name Calips, she probably would have forgotten it completely.

That’s how worthless his existence was to Corelia.

“Those people are simple, aren’t they? I just provoked her desire for revenge, and she eventually gave in. And I told her if she successfully eliminated Erin Liserth… I’d give her this.”

“Charlotte, you’re truly wicked, aren’t you?”

Corelia cackled with laughter as she looked at the orb Charlotte held out.

A smirk appeared on Ditrion’s face as he listened to their conversation. He caressed his teacup and said:

“Ferdin’s people are, how should I put it… just like him, so naive.”

The orb emanating black energy looked similar enough to a mana stone that one could easily mistake it for one.

Lilia the mage probably thought it was just a special type of mana stone.

But it was no ordinary mana stone.

It was a special mana stone processed using black magic, which rapidly elevated a mage’s or knight’s abilities just by possessing it.

It was once a popular method across the continent. Until the fatal side effects emerged.

Those addicted to the mana stone gradually lost their sanity, and when their mana went berserk, they became similar to monsters.

Because of this, the method was now forbidden by the Temple.

However, Lilia failed to recognize what kind of mana stone Charlotte had promised her.

That was because they had recreated it using special methods to make it look different from what the Temple warned about.

“We need to be thorough. I’m not careless like Raymon. Knowing Count Leon is absent, the subjugation team will try to escape. That alone would cause significant damage to Ferdin Lexia, but… you don’t want Erin Liserth to be unharmed, right?”

“…”

“A mage of Lilia’s level isn’t bad for dealing with a promising knight. She has justification too, so no one will suspect there’s someone behind her.”

Whatever happened, it wouldn’t be bad. If Lilia succeeded, they would gain another slave.

Lilia would live addicted to the mana stone, waiting only for the suppressant they provided.

Charlotte was truly a devil. Corelia thought this while smiling sweetly.

She had a feeling today would be a good day throughout.

But her premonition was soon shattered by a knight who visited the Marquis’s mansion.

“Sir Raymon has left the subjugation team. Lord Ferdin sent me to ask if he might have come to the Marquis’s mansion.”

At this news brought by the knight, Corelia’s face hardened.