Chapter 204 - The Little Devil's Backstory
Rumble, rumble...! I was crossing the chilly streets of the empire in a carriage, the cold air swirling around us.
"Hehe."
Clinging tightly to both sides of me were Lulu, rubbing her cheek against my arm while wearing the new clothes I'd recently gifted her, and...
"......"
Irina, watching me anxiously with her arms crossed, ears perked up.
Just as the familiar routine was starting to lighten the mood, my communication crystal chimed with its all-too-familiar ring.
"...Ugh."
Thinking it was Serena from her daytime self, who often whined about missing me, or maybe Kania, I pulled out the crystal—only to hear Isolet's voice on the other end.
"Hello?"
"Do you... remember the promise from a week ago...?"
Her voice sounded utterly exhausted, the fresh memory from a week ago still vivid, so I swallowed hard before responding.
"Hmm? Not really ringing a bell."
Seizing the opportunity, I lit up and dove into the conversation.
"Anyway, sis, you sound beat. Been training or something?"
"Haa... Y-yes, but..."
"Oh yeah? Back in the day, you could train for hours without breaking a sweat. If you're this wiped out, guess you're past your prime, sis."
Her ragged breathing cut off abruptly from the crystal.
"You said you were sick to begin with, right? I don't wanna train with some toothless, feeble tiger—"
Thinking I might dodge training altogether, I smirked as I said it, but...
"Insolent brat."
Her voice shifted to that eerie tone from when she'd grabbed my throat a week ago, making me flinch involuntarily.
"Looks like we'll have to postpone training until tomorrow."
"W-why...?"
"I've been waiting for today, and now my body won't obey me properly."
A heavy silence fell after her words.
"All the rage from your villainous deeds has built up too much... I might end up killing you if we're not careful. I'll cool off and we'll do it tomorrow."
"If it's that bad, maybe we should just skip—"
"Skip without permission, and I'll visit your home as your instructor. Be prepared."
"And then... you'd better brace yourself."
Her voice, laced with heavy breathing, faded as the crystal went dark.
"........."
The girls clinging to me stared silently.
Bro, what the hell did you do to Professor Isolet? Why's she asking me for your photo!?
Come to think of it, I'd gotten a letter like that from my sister a few days ago. Between her affection levels and this call, Isolet seemed the most unhinged among the sub-heroines—Lulu aside.
"G-go on ahead, Master. I'll be right here with you."
As I pondered with a grim expression, Lulu whispered while pressing against me.
"...You girls hear that? Emergency situation. Get the spirits on standby."
Irina suddenly pulled out her telegraph crystal and frantically contacted someone.
"Mm..."
Even with two girls glued to me, an inexplicable chill made me shiver.
"We've arrived...!"
The coachman announced our destination, snapping me back. I steadied myself and prepared to disembark.
"Frey, you sure you'll be okay alone?"
Irina asked cautiously.
"Every ice mage in the world is a total asshole. It's a time-honored fact acknowledged by all mages."
"...Really?"
"Yeah, just think of the Ice Witch from a thousand years ago—that grand mage and hero party member."
I nodded unwittingly. Much of our ancestor's complaints in the Prophecy Book were about that very grand mage Irina mentioned.
"Anyway, be careful. Scream if it's dangerous. Ice can't beat fire—I'll melt it all."
"Got it."
"You gonna call for real? Hurt yourself again and see what happens? I'll bite you."
"I know."
"That shattered bird fragment inside you might activate if she gets close, so watch out. If it happens, I'll—"
"I got it, okay?"
Nodding repeatedly to reassure her, I left the stopped carriage and headed to the meeting spot.
"Hm."
What came into view was a modestly sized café. Empty inside—it seemed she'd rented the whole place. Princess is princess, even from a minor nation, huh?
- Creak...
As I pushed open the door with that thought, Aishi sat sipping tea quietly.
"........."
I stood warily, and our eyes met, plunging the café into silence.
"Come in and sit."
She broke the quiet with a low voice.
"Sure."
As I approached slowly...
- Shhhk...!
The floor rapidly froze starting from her seat. I frowned.
'What the hell is this...'
I'd need to gauge her feelings. Tough for most, but I had the system's Mind Reading skill.
- Crackle, craaackle...
As the floor slowly froze around her seat, Aishi watched Frey with expectant eyes.
'Did I get him? Did it work?'
The infamous idiot wastrel Frey. With that dumb look even now, he'd surely fall for her prank.
"...Gulp."
Frey drew closer to the spreading ice, until it reached right under his nose.
"Hm."
Suddenly, he stopped.
"Ah."
Aishi, feigning her usual cold demeanor while sipping tea, let slip a deflated sound despite hiding her anticipation.
"........."
Silence descended.
'Of course, I'm...'
In the quiet, she muttered inwardly behind her icy facade.
'...not supposed to do this.'
When young, Aishi was infamous as the royal troublemaker. As the youngest among many siblings, it was almost inevitable.
"Big bro~! Let's play~!"
"Aishi, later. I'm busy now..."
"That's all the stamina you got? Total wimp bro."
"...But hey!"
Her siblings doted on her. The mischievous youngest, unlikely to vie for the throne, was endearing to them.
But then...
"This child... seems able to control her demon transformations."
"...What?"
"A full-blooded half-demon... unseen for centuries."
After the grand mage her parents hired declared her a full-blooded half-demon, her life flipped.
Cloud Kingdom's royals prized secrecy above all. Aishi, who could control her demon form, shot to succession rank one.
"B-bro? No play today?"
"........."
"Tired already? Bro, you're such a—"
"Get lost."
Her siblings, now rivals, ignored her pranks.
"Aishi, you're the next queen now."
"So fix that attitude."
Her parents' words weren't comfort but stern advice, wounding her deeply.
"Sob, ugh..."
"No crying, Princess. A monarch must—"
"I hate it! All of it!!"
The pampered child couldn't endure it.
"I don't want queen stuff, studies, power!! I just wanna prank and play...!"
She grew to despise her power, which stole genuine love from others.
"Aishi has a terminal illness...?"
"No choice. Reset the succession."
When her congenital Frozen Heart Curse was found during checkups, she plummeted back to last in line.
"Princess? Over there..."
"Leave it."
Her heart froze, shutting everyone out.
'Everyone hates me, right? Take my hand. I'll give you power to pay them back.'
"Shut up!"
Barricaded in her room, she desperately resisted the dark voice in her head.
'Child. Just let go once.'
"N-nooo!"
Sometimes succumbing, causing incidents, she rotted from within.
"The ship with royals aboard... missing?"
"Yes."
Her first taste of freedom—and feeling alive—in ages came during the Slave Market Liberation Incident months ago.
Leaving isolation for Sunrise Empire brought liberation.
Rescuing demonized siblings made her feel alive.
And briefly lifting her Frozen Heart Curse.
Her frozen heart thawed, childish personality returning.
But...
"Princess, enough."
"...H-huh?"
"You're to lead this kingdom. Indulging pranks once or twice is fine, but..."
"I-indulging? Until now...?"
"Who falls for your idiot pranks? Get a grip."
The kingdom, thinking the curse gone, reinstated duties.
Rescuing siblings regained some love—then lost it again.
Weakened royal authority forced kowtowing to ministers.
"One more prank, and I quit."
"U-ugh... Sorry."
Even her attendant, who'd pitied her crude pranks, grew cold.
Greenhouse flower her pranks were—too obvious.
But still, harsh words from a servant.
"Ugh... Uh..."
When even Frey didn't fall, her last hope dashed, she hung her head, groaning.
"This isn't what I wanted..."
Tears welled unbidden.
"I just wanna prank... and..."
Crushed by unwanted power and duty.
"...be loved..."
Repeating her tearful cries from isolation.
'Child.'
"...!"
'Sad?'
"Sh-shut up..."
'So sad. Take my hand.'
"St-stop..."
'Or just yield to me.'
"Enough..."
Her eyes glazed despite herself. The voice, persistent post-curse, sounded sweeter today.
'Let's play like old times.'
"Ah......"
Cloud Kingdom's tragedy from her childish yielding loomed now in the empire.
"Whoa!"
"...?"
Until then.
- Thud!!
Frey, staring blankly, stepped forward, slipped on ice, and crashed spectacularly.
"Oof..."
In a ridiculous pose, he tried rising—slipped again.
"........."
Aishi stared blankly, then...
"Wh-what the hell are you doing!?"
Frey protested, looking utterly wronged. Doubting, she asked,
"You... fell for my prank?"
"Can't you tell?"
Tears brimming, he replied. Aishi...
"Pfft!"
Burst out laughing.
"Total wimp~♡ Falling for that~"
"Wh-what?!"
"Dummy~ Idiot~ Moron~♡"
"Y-you...!"
She wiped her tears secretly.
'More fun than I thought.''He did that to me last time, and he's scum anyway... I'll toy with him all day...'
With a impish grin.
'...and take back the curse.''I'd planned to pass it to a death row inmate since figuring out transfer... feels urgent now.'
Hiding the odd tremor surging through her at Frey's pitiful face.
'...Something feels off.'
She still didn't know transferred curses couldn't be reclaimed.