The Power to Protect My Own (3)
Vivian had been steadily working to get closer to the Disciplinary Unit’s young soldiers as she had promised.
By frequently appearing in their presence, occasionally treating them to feasts like banquets, and chatting with warm smiles, the young soldiers’ hearts—which had already been loose—became even more so.
“You’re right? Next time, you’ll be able to do even better. Then, really beat Kailo to a pulp.”
“Yes…! Yes…! I will! I will beat that wretched bastard to death…!”
Vivian was visiting the Disciplinary Unit’s dining hall again today, chatting kindly with the young soldiers.
The soldiers had forgotten their meals, eagerly waiting for Vivian to approach them.
A few maids followed behind her.
Recently, it had become common knowledge in the castle that Vivian was getting close to the Disciplinary Unit’s young soldiers.
Whispers had spread about it, but Vivian showed no sign of being bothered by the rumors.
I watched Vivian.
Vivian moving among the dirty, ugly men was so utterly out of place.
Her natural smile, her gentle tone of voice, and the soft atmosphere she created were nothing like the Vivian I knew.
I knew all of it was her effort and her mask, but the fact that she could perform it so perfectly still surprised me.
Watching her smile and demeanor—the ones she never showed me—made me feel strangely uneasy.
Yet at the same time, I sensed that she was truly clenching her teeth and trying hard.
“Yanes.”
After wandering the dining hall and chatting, Vivian stopped in front of Yanes.
“…Yes?”
Even the man who always acted manly and tough among his peers tensed up in front of Vivian.
He hurriedly wiped his mouth and straightened himself.
Vivian signaled to the maid who had been lingering behind her.
In response, Serena—who had shown some interest in Vivian recently—approached with a wooden cup and a bottle of wine, looking slightly nervous.
Vivian spoke.
“I heard you came of age. Since you’re serving here, you probably haven’t had any experience drinking alcohol, have you?”
“…Yes, that’s right.”
“My father said that when a man becomes an adult, he must know how to drink. So, have a drink.”
Envy and admiration erupted from around Yanes.
The soldiers burst into laughter at Yanes’ bewildered expression.
I also let out a small chuckle at Yanes’ foolish face.
For some reason, watching Vivian get closer to them didn’t feel as unpleasant as I thought it would.
Serena handed the cup to Yanes and poured purple grape wine into it.
The men crowded around him like hungry dogs, sniffing the aroma.
Yanes snapped out of his daze and pushed them away with disgust at the greasy noses pressing in from all sides.
Then he looked at Vivian and said,
“…Lady Vivian, I will never forget this. T-thank you.”
Not only his words, but his expression showed genuine emotion.
Immediately, he downed the entire cup in one gulp.
At the same time, he let out a relieved sigh, his face panicked as he scanned the surroundings.
One glance told that the taste was not to his liking.
Still, he handed the cup back to Serena and bowed deeply to Vivian.
Vivian smiled at him, then turned her gaze toward me as if the conversation she had wanted to have was now over.
Her dignity had clearly changed now that she had decided to get close to us and was actually using the young soldiers as her backing.
Now I could feel the leader’s power emanating from her.
It was weak, but it was better than nothing.
She gave me a small smile, which I pretended not to notice and continued eating.
****
Vivian looked down from the window of Rondore Castle toward the training ground.
The Disciplinary Unit’s young soldiers were still training there.
Following Kailo’s suggestion, Burgo had delegated training authority to him, and Kailo was swinging his training staff vigorously, guiding the young soldiers as Vivian had requested.
The training, which left one breathless just watching, continued endlessly.
Vivian could not take her eyes off Kailo, who shouted and exerted himself at the center of it all.
She thought she could watch him all day long for some reason.
Though his words were harsh, she found his efforts for her admirable.
An oddly hot sensation rose from her chest.
She didn’t dislike the feeling the sensation gave her.
Since it was so unfamiliar, she didn’t know what to call it.
It was simply a strange urge to do something naughty, like when she played pranks as a child.
Moreover, the fact that all the young soldiers were training gave Vivian a sense of security.
Although no one had yet sworn loyalty to her, she felt the plan was progressing well.
Linne-nim had said,
“A woman’s weapon is beauty.”
Vivian, who wasn’t hard of hearing, could easily hear the young soldiers’ whispers.
She knew they were praising her beauty without restraint.
Gradually, she was beginning to feel that she was a little pretty.
That was why getting close to the young soldiers hadn’t felt particularly difficult.
Recently, Vivian had also begun to feel a bit more adult.
The discomfort wrapped around her chest and the pain that came every month were the price for the beauty blooming from them.
Thanks to Linne-nim’s lessons, Vivian sometimes unconsciously wielded that beauty.
With just a shallow smile, most people began to view her positively.
Not only the young soldiers, but the soldiers, knights, and maids too… sometimes stared blankly at her.
The only one who didn’t waver at that smile was perhaps Kailo Allen.
He was always the same—either watching her quietly or turning his head without reacting.
Of course, Vivian had never shown Kailo that masked smile.
There was no reason for it with him… and since they had spent so much time together, she felt ashamed.
Swish.
Vivian turned away from the window and began to return to her room.
She wanted to keep watching the training from the same spot, but as she had declared to Kailo, she was full of the desire to build up her power.
Even now, the events of that night kept replaying in her mind.
Not Kailo’s assault, but what had happened before it.
She recalled Lani circling around Kailo like a bird, laughing.
And every time she did, a vivid anger that refused to subside rose from her chest.
Instead, the day before yesterday had been fiercer than a few days ago, yesterday fiercer than the day before, and today even more so.
The more she watched and thought about Kailo, the more this anger deepened.
Where was Kailo acting in places she couldn’t see?
Did he ever hug her like that to others that day?
If it were possible, she wanted to monitor him every moment.
She didn’t know why she was thinking this, but… no matter what, that day had become the starting point.
After nearly losing the Kailo Allen she had taken in exchange for her family’s lives, she could make a promise.
She never wanted to experience that again.
Before she knew it, Vivian was recalling an impossible fantasy.
But if that day had gone wrong and Lani had taken Kailo from her…
…if Kailo had given his life to protect her instead of her, for Lani’s sake.
…if every action he took had been for Lani instead of her.
“…Ugh.”
Vivian let out a groan from the tightness in her chest.
She quickly shook off the unpleasant fantasy that had come to mind.
No matter what, if she gained power, that future would never come.
****
Vivian was sorting through various documents late at night.
The documents were filled with information on people suspected of being her enemies.
All of them had been obtained by Nesto, the spymaster.
It was thanks to his skill that Vivian could even read these documents.
Vivian had had to threaten Nesto to obtain them.
By bringing the thirty-year-old cunning man, insulting his incompetence, accusing him of not contributing to her safety, and subtly suggesting that he meet the executioner Kailo Allen as punishment, he had quickly brought these documents.
Vivian checked the documents.
Everyone was someone whose life she could easily take.
Robert Rondore. He had shown his will as regent and was a deeply ambitious man. He had participated in the war with the knight commanders, so his support base was thick. Recently, he had been traveling between Rondore Castle and his territory of Neramport, increasing opportunities to meet his vassals.
Count Corrad. The man who had owed Rondore in the past. Although Kailo had repaid the debt using the dragon he had slain, he still had to pay an absurd fine. He had never been close to Rondore in the first place. Perhaps it was natural given the relationship between count and duke. In the distant past, the Delm Kingdom had feared that Rondore’s power was growing too large and had given land to the old Count Corrad to oppose them.
Along with other lords of families loyal to Rondore. Merchants trying to swallow up Rondore’s commercial power. And so on…
There were far too many to investigate.
“You seem to be deep in thought, Vivian.”
Elena, the witch who had been guarding her side today, asked.
Vivian nodded and let out a long sigh.
“I don’t even know where to start.”
“Still, you decided to gather soldiers. That alone is a big step.”
“…”
Vivian nodded, slightly comforted.
Elena, who had exhaled a long stream of smoke, approached Vivian with a slightly different atmosphere.
Not a leisurely step, but one that seemed a bit restless.
Curious about the strangeness, Vivian looked up at Elena quietly.
“…Why?”
“Vivian, I know this is a strange thing to ask, but I have a favor to ask of you.”
“A favor?”
“You said it yourself. The persecution of witches by the Las Church is growing more severe.”
“…”
“It’s also intensifying inside Loktana. Perhaps even your executioner, Kailo Allen, will have to cut a few more necks?”
“…So?”
“It’s a request, but please at least stop the Las Church’s tyranny a little. It would be enough if you just suggested not to create too oppressive an atmosphere within the territory.”
“…”
Vivian mulled over the words.
Asking the church for help in a situation where her political position wasn’t properly established.
Moreover, asking them to reduce what was, in a way, their essential duty of catching witches.
It was the initial promise, but Vivian was calculating her gains and losses selfishly.
After all, it was only natural since the relationship had started that way.
“…Master, I’ll speak honestly.”
“Go ahead.”
“Honestly, I don’t believe that you’ve done anything to earn such a request from me.”
“…What?”
“I haven’t even used proper witchcraft yet, and I’ve never experienced receiving any help, have I?”
“…I know, but if only you had asked a little earlier… what could I do?”
“…I don’t know. Recently, I’ve started wondering if Master is deceiving me.”
“Deceiving me? Vivian, how can you say such hurtful things… You know I taught you how to judge the presence of poison with witchcraft. I also taught you the witchcraft that makes the heart tremble at a constant rate…”
“But even with just that, it’s hard to build up power. Honestly, it hasn’t been much help.”
“That’s because strong power is only obtained by becoming an adult and offering a sacrifice. We already talked about that.”
“…You definitely said you would teach me useful witchcraft that can be used as a novice witch.”
“Even that kind of witchcraft requires a vessel first… um?”
Elena suddenly showed a troubled expression.
She had been holding a long pipe and quickly approached Vivian.
Then she squatted beside her chair and placed her hand on Vivian’s lower abdomen.
“W-what are you doing…!”
Vivian was startled by the cold touch and pushed it away.
But Elena seemed to have forgotten the previous conversation and suddenly asserted herself.
“Vivian, a vessel has been born.”
Elena said.
Vivian asked in confusion.
“A… vessel? What vessel?”
“Like I just said, a vessel to use useful witchcraft.”
“…”
“It’s the story of you becoming an adult. Now you’re more like an adult than a child, aren’t you?”
Vivian said with an odd unease.
“…It’s strange, Master. It appeared so suddenly? When I was doubting you?”
“…I understand. But to be precise, it seems the vessel was born some time ago. During that time, I didn’t pay close attention and didn’t notice.”
Despite receiving a suspicious glance, Elena boldly asserted.
“It doesn’t matter when it was born. What matters is that you use witchcraft yourself and judge whether the witch’s power is worth using. Whether you can trust me from now on.”
“…”
…That was true.
No matter how much she doubted Elena, she could judge for herself whether the witch’s power was real by using her abilities.
“What kind of witchcraft are you going to teach me?”
“Hmm…”
Elena looked through the documents scattered on Vivian’s desk and gave her a beautiful smile.
“Vivian, if I teach you useful witchcraft… will you also help block the Las Church a little?”
Vivian answered after some thought.
“If it’s witchcraft that seems useful enough.”
Elena nodded with conviction.
“Ah, don’t worry. It’s really useful.”
“…What is it?”
Elena answered.
“A witchcraft that can detect lies. Doesn’t it seem the most necessary right now?”
“…”
With the practical power, Vivian was clearly drawn.
Surprised, she wondered if such a thing was even possible… and looked up at Elena.
If she had such power, she might be able to find out who her enemies and allies were.
She might be able to tell who was her enemy and who was her ally.
…But why?
Vivian kept thinking about the words “detect lies” more than the practical uses.
She wondered if he had ever lied to her…
…Kailo.