The Spirit’s Obsession and the Sword’s Edge

Having had her identity exposed by Rosalia’s affection, Arcien spoke with Lumiant. "I actually feel pity for those children gifted with talent. Because of the heaven-sent gifts they received at such a young age, they aren't even allowed to throw petty tantrums in front of adults; they are forced to only look forward."

"I just hope that Serian doesn't feel that way, at least when she's with me."

"I wish for you to be happy as well, Lady Arcien, when ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you are before my eyes."

And then, he understood how she could approach her training with such a happy expression. 'The vessel itself is different from the start.' Instead of feeling jealous of his younger sister, he was feeling pity for her. Hearing Lumiant’s words, Arcien realized how shameful her own thoughts had been all this time. Happiness—it was a word Arcien had never even considered.

'That's right... I should go back to Yurion and apologize.' She regretted the days she had spent putting down her sword and ignoring Yurion. She realized how pathetic her behavior toward her younger brother had been. Rosalia’s voice had influenced her, but in the end, it was just an excuse. During her conversation with Lumiant, Rosalia had been quiet. Even the murderous impulses that would usually twitch, even if only slightly, were nowhere to be felt. Though she was lying on a straw mat, all the anxiety she had felt throughout her life had vanished. She thought that if she became closer to him and spent time by his side, perhaps her anxious heart and weary mind might slowly fade away.

Still, staying here any longer would be a nuisance to him. No matter how close she became to him, the difference in status between Lumiant and Arcien was not small. Just as she was about to stand up so as not to disturb Lumiant’s time any further, Arcien’s body would not move. It wasn't simply that her body had stiffened. It felt as if the very control over her own body had vanished.

"Lumiant, you really are a good person."

"Me?"

"Of course. There aren't many people who wish for the happiness of others like you do."

"You flatter me."

Words she hadn't intended to speak burst from her lips. Someone who was not Arcien continued the conversation with Lumiant. Rosalia. She realized that Rosalia, who had been quiet until just a moment ago, had hijacked her body.

'Rosalia! What are you doing!'

"Lumiant, do you have a fiancé?"

"A fiancé?"

"Yes... I was just wondering if there was someone who held your heart."

Rosalia, who had gone on a rampage as if to vent a long-held grudge, moved closer to Lumiant, contrary to Arcien’s intentions. 'Please, stop...!' She tried with all her might to reclaim her body from Rosalia, but it was completely ineffective. There was nothing Arcien could do. She could only exist helplessly within a body that was no longer under her control. As if she had noticed that Arcien could no longer control her, Rosalia brushed her skin against Lumiant’s.

"Lumiant."

"Yes, Lady Arcien?"

Lumiant’s innocent gaze. In this unreasonable world, he did not view things negatively as she did. She didn't know exactly why Rosalia had appeared in Arcien’s heart, but she could make a guess. It was likely because Arcien herself had viewed the world negatively. She might have secretly been jealous of her brother and hated her father. The "evil spirit" that the world so commonly spoke of. She had vaguely suspected it, but she had been desperately ignoring the fact that Rosalia was the one comforting her. If Rosalia was an evil spirit, then everything that had happened until now was explained. It was too late to regret it now.

Just as Arcien was trying to find some way to escape, "Have you ever kissed anyone?"

The moment she heard the words spill from her mouth, her mind went blank.

"A kiss?"

Lumiant’s innocent eyes.

"Yes, a kiss."

"No... I have never done that before."

"Then, perhaps..."

Please, stop... I don't want to cause any more trouble for Lumiant. What kind of strange person must he think I am?

"Wouldn't you like to try it with me?"

Stop...! The moment Rosalia leaned in closer to him, his gaze, which had been blankly watching Rosalia and Arcien, turned cold.

"You... who are you?"

He was looking at Arcien.

'It's exactly the same.' The castle was not much different from when she had died. A castle that was massive, yet felt empty inside. Still, she wondered if the people had changed even a little. 'Shall I take a look?' But the small expectation she held in her heart was mercilessly shattered. She saw herself in Arcien’s appearance. 'In the end... it's all the same.' Most of the sights Rosalia had seen while wandering the world were similar. Envy, jealousy. People were hell-bent on tearing each other down. And the scene she saw upon returning home was a child who looked exactly like her, crumbling away.

The moment she saw her, she felt as if hot blood were overflowing in her heart like lava. At first, she cheered for Arcien earnestly. But the moment she began to crumble, Rosalia could not hold back. Was this advice for Arcien? Or were these words she was spitting out to her past self? The initial advice gradually disappeared, and the words Rosalia spat out became increasingly sharp. While she was giving advice to Arcien like that, she met him. His words were a denial of Rosalia’s world.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

"I just hope that Serian doesn't feel that way, at least when she's with me."

Liar.

"I wish for you to be happy as well, Lady Arcien, when you are before my eyes."

Don't lie. That's clearly a lie. Otherwise, what does everything I've seen until now become? She wanted to believe that, but as if to deny the world she had known until now, Lumiant’s eyes sparkled brilliantly. Why did you appear only now? If you had been there, I wouldn't have given up so easily. Lumiant looked at Arcien. Those sparkling eyes were not directed at Rosalia herself. 'That's unfair.' She wanted to have him. It was the first thought she had ever had while looking at this world.

I almost fell for the evil spirit’s words. To think the evil spirit was already with Arcien. I hurriedly pushed her away and pointed the sword I had grabbed at Arcien.

"Lumiant, what are you saying? You were talking to me just a moment ago."

The entity masquerading as Arcien before my eyes acted with a bewildered expression. Perhaps the original Lumiant would have been fooled, but she couldn't fool me. This entity that had taken over Arcien’s behavior was likely Rosalia Harben. There was a description in the novel that Arcien’s eyes turned blood-red at the time of her execution. Originally, she was a girl with black hair and golden eyes. But from the moment she started saying strange things, her pupils began to turn a reddish hue. At first, I watched her with a sliver of doubt, but the moment her eyes turned completely red, I pointed my sword at Arcien.

I had a shred of doubt, wondering what if I was wrong, but the situation was far too suspicious for that. Staying still in this situation would be a great way to be slaughtered by Rosalia. "Lumiant, that expression... it's a bit scary... Why are you speaking so frighteningly...?"

"I don't know what kind of being you are, but get out of Lady Arcien’s body immediately. This is my final warning."

I tightened my grip on the sword. I couldn't pretend to know Rosalia’s true identity, though. If she tried to kill me, I might just become dust in this world. I didn't know what her intentions were for saying such strange things, but it was dangerous just now. In the novel, there was a scene where Arcien seduced people with the word "love" and then killed them. Perhaps that, too, had been Rosalia’s will. Even so, punishing her here was an even more difficult problem. What evidence could I use to kill her? She was the eldest daughter of the Duchy. And I was nothing more than a talentless young master of a Count’s family. In a world without CCTV, it was obvious whose words would be listened to more—the Count’s talentless son or the Duke’s eldest daughter.

But I didn't have the luxury to think about such things right now. My life was hanging by a thread. If I couldn't help it, I had to at least struggle. I couldn't just die like this.

"How long do you intend to hold out?"

"..."

"Reveal your identity."

"Is it really that important who I am?"

The moment I brought the sword closer, Lady Arcien’s pupils turned even redder, and she wiped away her bewildered expression, looking at me with a hardened face. "This body is mine now. Young Master Lumiant."

Her body moved closer to me. "Let's go far away with me. I will persuade Arcien."

What? "What is that... where are you suggesting we go?"

"Anywhere is fine. The forests of a distant continent, or a beach in the south overflowing with sunshine."

She grabbed my hand, her red pupils shining brightly. "My name is Rosalia. I am a soul and a spirit who entered Arcien’s body by chance."

Rosalia began to explain her situation in a rush. "I was a wandering spirit. Then, I just happened to enter Arcien’s body unintentionally. That’s how I’ve lived in this body with Arcien. Then I met you."

"The moment I saw you and spoke with you, I felt it. This emotion is love."

"...Love?"

"Yes! Love!"

A love confession from an evil spirit. Does she think I’ll believe this is sincere? Talking to Rosalia, I realized her condition was more serious than I had thought. In this world, most souls simply dissipate. A very small minority become spirits or evil spirits, causing harm to the continent. The Rosalia in the novel was definitely an evil spirit. And what kind of spirit possesses a human body? I tried to say this, but Rosalia looked at me with an innocent expression.

"What happened to Lady Arcien?"

"She is inside this body right now. Arcien agreed to it, too."

"Lady Arcien agreed...?"

"Of course! No-!"

Rosalia’s pupils brightened for a moment before they began to return to their original color. "Young Master Lumiant! Please get out of here quickly. I will deal with this thing..."

"Deal with me? Arcien, that’s a bad thing to say. Young Master Lumiant is listening, you know?"

"Are you trying to act like the good guy now? Young Master Lumiant, this thing is definitely an evil spirit. I’ll hold her back, so please, go back to the mansion and report this fact!"

"Arcien, you liked it too, didn't you? Your heart was definitely beating fast..."

"Young Master Lumiant! Hurry!"

The sight of Arcien and Rosalia fighting for control in front of me was a spectacle. Every time ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠their different personalities emerged, their expressions changed grotesquely, but such problems were trivial. What would happen if I went to the mansion right now and reported this? I didn't know if Rosalia would be completely removed from her body, but Arcien would be expelled from noble society one way or another. If she were a commoner, it would be immediate execution. Even as a noble, she might have to rot in a convent for the rest of her life. Depending on the conduct, execution wasn't off the table either.

"Lady Arcien. If I report that fact to the mansion right now..."

"It is fine. Please do not worry about me."

Arcien looked at me with a bitter smile. Given the name of the Harben Duchy’s eldest daughter and the fact that it was discovered early, she probably wouldn't go as far as execution. Actually, that was the bigger problem. Living with an evil spirit. A life rotting away in a convent. Which of these two lives would turn her into a villainess? Both were sufficient justifications for her to transform into one. I wanted to erase the nightmare of her appearing before Serian as an even worse villainess if she were to be sent to a convent. Since I had already made up my mind to live on my younger sister’s back, wouldn't it be my duty to at least clear away the problem right in front of me?

"Rosalia."

"Yes! Young Master Lumiant."

"You definitely told me you were a spirit, didn't you?"

"Of course. I am not a scary being like an evil spirit!"

Rosalia looked at me with a confident posture, hands on her hips and chest puffed out. Right, you should keep your word, shouldn't you?

"In that case, please contract with Lady Arcien for my sake."

"Yes...? Young Master Lumiant! What are you saying! There is no time to talk to an evil spirit. You must run to the mansion right now..."

Please be quiet for a moment, Miss. I have to try hard to persuade the evil spirit in front of me.

"I cannot love a scary being like an evil spirit."

"I see! That’s fine! ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Because I am definitely a spirit!"

"To live with humans, spirits make contracts with them."

It wasn't a complete lie. It wasn't an example that didn't exist at all. The female protagonist in the novel was that special Spirit Summoner. The moment a contract is made, a spirit cannot harm a human. I persuaded Rosalia, thinking that if she was the soul of a young child who died early, perhaps I could find a gap if I pushed her a little, given the innocent appearance she had shown so far.

"Then, Young Master Lumiant, contract with me!"

"That is not possible."

"Why?!"

Rosalia leaned her face toward Lumiant with a shocked expression. I didn't want to keep this being—who I didn't know was an evil spirit or a spirit—by my side. She would definitely harm my peaceful life.

"Isn't Rosalia staying with Lady Arcien to contract with her?"

"That is... well..."

"In most cases, spirits approach humans for the sake of a contract."

Naturally, that was a lie. While it was rare for humans and spirits to meet without a contract, it wasn't unheard of. Rosalia’s eyes went round as if it were the first time she had heard such a fact. This young soul, this evil spirit masquerading as a spirit, didn't know that fact.

"And I cannot steal Lady Arcien’s opportunity."

"That...!"

"If it’s not a contract, then for what reason... Could it be to harm Lady Arcien...!?"

I widened my eyes on purpose, pretending to be even more shocked.

"No! I am not that kind of bad evil spirit!"

Rosalia shook her head frantically.

"In that case, proceed with the contract with her and show me the fact that Rosalia is a spirit."

Prove that you are a spirit, not an evil spirit.

"...Then, will you love me?"

"...Yes, of course."

I had already become a god of pampering through Serian. Don't worry, Evil Spirit-nim. I love my mother and my younger sister, too.