I'll Watch Over You
'This is real mana...'
Vigor filled every corner of her body. Overflowing power. Yes, this was it. This was the sensation of mana circulating through her veins.
Silvia closed her eyes, trembling as she sank into old memories. The mana she had recovered was only a quarter of her former total, yet for someone who had lived for years without feeling even a drop of it, the sensation was overwhelming.
She felt strength surging within her, but paradoxically, a wave of helplessness crashed over her.
'So this is how weak I've been all this time...'
She had forced herself to forget. The majesty she once wielded. The power she had possessed. All of it, painstakingly buried, was now resurfacing with the mana flowing into her body.
Coincidentally, both the person who had made her forget and the one who had revived those memories were from the Belmont family.
'When you shattered my mana core and left me crippled...'
Her teeth ground together with a harsh sound. Unpleasant memories flooded back alongside those long-forgotten sensations—the day she lost her power and became bound to this house.
It had been roughly two years since they offered her a deal: swear on her sword to live for the Belmont family, to fight and die for this repulsive clan, and they would erase her imprint and provide a mana stone.
Silvia could never bring herself to utter such a false oath upon her blade. They had raised the conditions again and again—money, status, and more—but her resolve never wavered.
Yet the truly ridiculous part was this: while she claimed she would rather die than belong to the Belmont family, she lacked the courage to tear the imprint from her own flesh. She simply could not muster the will to die.
'You of all people should know exactly what it means to give me mana...'
And yet Aslan had given it to her. Casually. Without hesitation. As if he were simply handing her a toy.
Mana was the fuel for all magic. And no one understood Silvia's mastery of imprinting magic better than Aslan. That was precisely why he had kept her under such strict surveillance, preventing any contact with mana stones or spirit mages.
So why give her mana so recklessly? What if she imprinted on herself and fled? It was far too defenseless. Or perhaps he was only pretending to be defenseless...
'He's changed. He's definitely changed.'
At first she had been uncertain. Aslan seemed the same as always, yet subtly different. His sinister aura and that ever-chilling smile remained unchanged on the surface. But something about him had shifted. Whether that change was for better or worse, she could not tell.
'What does he even want...?'
She had suspected some trick in the mana Aslan provided. Perhaps a hidden spell that would trigger a trap the moment she used it. But there was nothing. It was pure, ordinary mana.
Was he telling her to run? Had he suddenly grown a conscience and taken pity on her? But that didn't sound like Aslan at all.
For a moment, Silvia's mind became a tangled mess.
There was a simple way to resolve everything. She could imprint on herself right now, reduce the mansion to rubble with her remaining mana, and flee with the children. No loose ends. True freedom.
"The duel is about to begin. Stop lurking in the shadows like some child of darkness and come out already."
"...Yes."
Aslan issued the command without even turning around. He showed no interest in watching the duel, as if the outcome was already obvious. It was his usual indifferent attitude.
He had to know she could erase the imprint and strangle him at any moment. He had to understand that his life and the fate of his entire family rested in her hands.
Her heart was so chaotic she felt like she was going insane, yet how could he remain so composed...?
Her teeth ground together again.
'Damn bastard. What the hell are you plotting this time? Why are you embracing those children like that? Why hand your own lifeline over to me?'
Aslan had concocted many bizarre schemes before. The number of times he had pretended to reform was beyond counting. But those acts never lasted. They were always exposed, or he grew tired and revealed his true nature.
So what was this? It had already been four days. Why hadn't he shown his true colors yet? Why couldn't she even begin to imagine what he was after?
Could it be... that he had really changed? All the way to his core?
'Ugh.'
It couldn't be. It shouldn't be.
Silvia felt irritation bubbling up. She was furious with herself for being unable to let go of that slender thread of hope even while desperately trying to brainwash herself.
"Kuhahaha! You actually showed up on time instead of running away! Ah, or could it be that the imprint prevented you from fleeing? Kuhak."
"...Shall we begin the duel?"
"What's the rush? Kneel before me right now and beg nicely. I might show you a bit of mercy. After all, the charge of embezzlement would almost certainly carry a death sentence. But if you become my concubine instead..."
Ah. So noisy. Her head was already a mess from thinking about Aslan, and now this mosquito wouldn't stop buzzing.
"It is eight o'clock. I will consider the duel to have officially begun."
"Don't be so cold, Silvia. You're usually so straightforward, but if you simply dressed up a little..."
"Shut your mouth and pick up your wooden sword, you worm."
"...!"
The moment she gathered mana at a single point, Silvia's eyes snapped wide open and her hair whipped upward. The instant their gazes met, Leon's body froze solid.
Anyone capable of handling even the slightest amount of mana would have felt it. Fighting spirit radiated from Silvia's body, staining the entire world around them.
Aslan, oblivious in his study with his nose buried in books, noticed nothing. But Charlotte and Julia felt their skin crawl as goosebumps erupted across their bodies.
And Leon, who had to endure that fighting spirit with his entire being, turned deathly pale.
'W-what is that?! She was definitely crippled!'
What filled Leon's entire being was pure terror. Strictly speaking, nothing had actually happened yet. She had merely stirred her mana slightly and infused it with killing intent.
In an instant, Leon lost all will to fight. His legs gave out, and he collapsed on the spot.
"Aaaaaagh..."
A dark stain spread across the front of Leon's pants. He toppled into the yellow puddle he had created, foaming at the mouth before fainting dead away.
Silvia let out a hollow laugh at the pathetic sight.
"Haa. It ended before I even used any mana."
Just the warm-up before using mana had reduced him to this. She felt ashamed of her yesterday's self, who had trembled at the thought of possibly losing to someone like him.
That aside, she still had mana left. Not a single drop had been consumed from what she received yesterday.
'It's not too late yet.'
If she chose to, she could imprint on herself right now, destroy the mansion, take the children, and run. She could be free.
But then Aslan's words echoed in her mind, and Silvia squeezed her eyes shut.
'You have the talent, so you should understand. Those children aren't ordinary. If you take them outside, could you truly protect them from falling into the hands of evil people?'
'You're so foolishly honest and upright that your thinking ability is practically nonexistent. Rather than exposing them to uncertain dangers where unknown evils might be lurking, wouldn't it be better to keep them beside a known evil within your sight? That's what I'm saying, you dullard.'
Was this really the right choice? Was taking them away truly for the best? Would the children actually be happier?
Had Aslan... truly changed...?
"Ugh! Ah, I don't know anymore!"
Rumble. Once again, Silvia's mana gathered at a single point as fighting spirit erupted from her body.
"Aslan! I have no idea what you're thinking! What kind of scheme you're plotting! You called me hot-tempered, right?! Then I'll try to change too! I'll endure it and wait! I'll wait and see what choice you make! And while I wait, I'll watch over you!"
She couldn't stand not knowing. If she cut his throat and fled now, the lingering unease would haunt her for the rest of her life.
She would definitely uncover his true intentions. Until the moment he revealed his real self, she would stay by his side and keep watch.
Boom! The mana concentrated at one point ignited all at once in a violent explosion. Light burst forth from Silvia's outstretched palm.
Then came the flash. The entire area was engulfed in brilliant radiance, turning the world pure white.
When the light finally faded, a massive crater had formed in the center of the training ground.
"Huuu..."
The area within a ten-meter radius of where Leon had collapsed was now nothing but ash. A horrific scene where not even the outline of a corpse remained.
It was the first magic cast in two years by a Sword Expert and unofficial 8th-circle archmage. An undeniably excessive display of power.
Silvia laughed bitterly and collapsed with a thud.
"I'm such a... fool..."
She had exhausted all her mana. She was once again in a state where she could not imprint on herself.
After cooling her overheated mind and thinking it over calmly, the act had been far too impulsive. Perhaps she should have saved even a tiny amount of mana for emergencies.
"Still... it feels refreshing..."
For some reason, she felt no regret. If anything, her heart felt lighter than it had in ages. Everything had become simple. No more overcomplicating things. For someone as foolish as her, this was the right approach.
Silvia closed her eyes and laughed, her body shaking as if in convulsions.
"To think you would dare... I don't recall ordering you to fight so flamboyantly on my training ground. Another pay deduction it is. You foolish girl."
What was she laughing so stupidly about?
Looking out the window, Aslan clicked his tongue. A small chuckle escaped him before he could stop it.