6
Chapter 6
* * *
At the same time.
Inside Chloe's drawing room on the second floor of Seahawk Manor.
The voices of maids chattering leaked through the slightly open door.
"Lady Theresia is truly like an angel. They say she came to help Lady Chloe again this time."
"How can they be so different? Lady Chloe hates Lady Theresia."
"Lady Theresia wields Divine Power, and Lady Chloe wields Dark Magic, so it's only natural. I guess Special Abilities reflect one's character."
Listening to the giggling maids, Theresia wore a smile on her face.
On the other hand, Chloe was staring blankly at her younger sister, Theresia, before her.
"Do you find it amusing to listen to such useless noise?"
"Huh? Sister, I don't know what you mean."
"I know you're deliberately spreading rumors about me and making sure they reach my ears. Don't bother me with unnecessary things."
She didn't have the energy to respond to each one.
Theresia, who was enjoying Chloe's listless appearance, opened her mouth.
"You're still living so hard, Sister. Truly befitting of a 'Dark Wizard on the Verge of Rampage'."
Theresia Ardos.
Fiery red hair with a hint of light, deep pink, and radiant golden eyes.
She smiled brightly, like a saint.
"Don't misunderstand. I want to be helpful to you, Sister. As you know, my Purification Power and your Dark Magic are worlds apart."
A faint, grayish-light mixed with impurities flickered from her fingertips.
All humans on the continent were divided into two categories: those with Special Abilities and ordinary people.
Those with Special Abilities were blessed by the gods, using the Mana within their bodies to wield specialized powers.
Those with even minor Special Abilities accounted for only about 1% of the entire empire's population.
As they were born rarely, each one was a precious asset to the empire.
Among the five main types of Special Abilities, the most valuable was healing power based on the 'Light Innate Ability'.
Unfortunately, the Purification Power that Theresia possessed could treat the sick, but it fell far short of true healing power.
Moreover, there was not a single person with true healing power in the current generation.
Thanks to this, Theresia, who possessed Purification Power, also known as 'Pseudo Healing Power,' was treated with great respect.
"Thanks to my Special Ability, I became a candidate for the Holy Maiden this generation, so Mother went to the temple."
"Is that so? But why would someone so great come to my manor? Skip the preamble and get to the point."
Theresia smiled sweetly.
"It seems like it's a bit dirty here. So I thought I'd come to heal it."
As soon as Chloe heard Theresia's words, she almost burst out laughing.
Theresia's Purification Power was ineffective against her rampage. And even if Theresia could cure Chloe, she knew she would never do it.
'Healing is just a superficial reason to show the world.'
There could only be one reason why Theresia came here.
Chloe looked at her again with a weary expression and said,
"Do you want to pretend to heal me and gain Father's recognition? If you want to be recognized as the successor, do your job instead of tormenting me."
"…What?"
Theresia's lips tightened.
Her only weakness was her bloodline.
Theresia was the daughter that her stepmother, Duchess Lucrezia, brought into the family when she remarried.
But she was making full use of her own bloodline.
"I want to get along with Sister Chloe, but I guess she doesn't like me because I was adopted late."
"Father, are you discriminating against me because I'm not your biological daughter?"
Theresia's face turned red as her sore spot was touched.
"Even if I'm an adopted child of this family, I'm better than a cripple like you. Remember that."
Theresia, who reluctantly called Chloe "Sister" every time, finally revealed her true colors. But Chloe calmly countered.
"I never said it was because you were adopted."
"You know, Sister, I don't do stupid things like holing myself up for a year just because a dog died, like you do."
Chloe's gaze turned cold.
Even if she found everything bothersome, she couldn't tolerate insults against Coco.
For the past year, everyone had asked her directly or indirectly.
Why are you acting like this just because a dog died?
But Coco was not just a dog.
'The being I wanted to protect most in the world.'
What was the point of life, wealth, or power without Coco?
But Theresia would not be able to empathize with her feelings.
Because she had never lost the one she loved most.
Chloe stared at her intently and lightly raised her hand.
Then, a sphere appeared above her hand, as if a mass of black dust had been rounded up.
"What, what is this!"
"I can't tolerate you any longer, so get out."
"How, how dare you treat me like this…"
"Why? Say more. Are you afraid that this sphere might explode?"
If Chloe were to rampage in this place, Theresia's power would not be able to stop it.
Theresia, well aware of this fact, bit her lip and left as if fleeing.
After the door closed, Chloe coughed violently, as if spitting up blood.
"Damn it."
To cough up blood from using magic just once.
It was an absurd thing that would have dumbfounded her past self.
Chloe wiped her mouth and left the drawing room, heading to her bedroom.
For the past year, her room had been quiet without any noise.
But it was different when Coco was alive.
When she sat at her desk and quietly read a book, she would hear the sound of lapping water from behind.
'Silly Coco.'
She would tilt her head knowingly and pretend not to know.
She would hear the sound of light footsteps running lightly with the sound of her paws padding.
A white fur ball that tilted its head and jumped onto the sofa.
A small dog with sparkling black eyes that always looked only at her.
'She was also very greedy for food. She coveted everything I ate.'
She would get angry when she couldn't eat grapes and chocolate.
She still remembered her sticking out her tongue and panting in protest.
She was such a greedy dog.
But still…
"…She was cute."
Whenever she struggled to become the family's successor, whenever people called her a "villain."
Just having a soft fur ball by her side made her happy.
The small panting breaths, the way she pretended to eat something every time she slept, and the way she rubbed her moist nose against her, everything.
'She was my only friend, my family, and… my salvation in my life.'
So when Coco died, she felt like she had lost everything.
Everyone said she was crazy.
That it was stupid to pour so much affection into a dog.
Chloe had always wanted to be the successor and wanted to be recognized by her father.
So she had always obeyed her father's words.
But the day her father tried to bulldoze Coco's grave was different.
That was the first time she had ever stood up to her father.
The rumors of her being a villain grew even louder, but she didn't care.
"I just want to die, I guess."
Just as she was about to lie quietly on her tomb-like bed.
It was strange.
There was a purple flower that she hadn't noticed right in front of the door.
"…Coco?"
Coco always woke up before her.
Every morning, she would put a purple flower on the doorstep of her bedroom.
Chloe raised the flower with trembling hands and gritted her teeth.
'Again, is this some prank by that damned Theresia?'
As if the traces of the dead Coco would disappear.
She had always cleaned the area around her bedroom herself.
She had warned any maid not to touch it.
But who dared to ignore her words and leave this flower?
* * *
"Young Miss? Why are you here…"
The maid was shocked to see me standing in the hallway near my sister's room.
I rolled my eyes.
"Huh? What?"
"You shouldn't be wandering around like this, Young Miss. Besides, you should return to your annex today. There was an intruder in the annex. They said a strange flower was found near Lady Chloe's room…"
Oh, no, my flower! Did my sister see it!
'I slipped the flower through the crack in the bedroom door!'
I'm glad I used my brain!
I smiled brightly and waved my hand.
"I put that flower there!"
The maid's complexion turned blue in an instant.
"Why, why did you do that?"
"Because the flower is pretty!"
"This is not the time to laugh, Young Miss!"
"Huh? Why?"
The maid hit her chest as if frustrated.
"You could die from Dark Magic! Because you put the flower there!"
What are you talking about?
My sister loves purple flowers.
She might even give me a delicious sweet potato as a reward!
"Lady Chloe ordered me to bring the culprit to her as soon as I find them."
My purple eyes sparkled like jewels.
Alright.
I have to get ready to meet my sister looking cool!