A Favor
The moment the class bell rang, I sank back into my worries.
The reason, of course, was Elise Lapellacia.
In the game, her fall came early. Leave her like this and she would be in danger all over again—that much was certain.
I let out a quiet sigh.
If I used the Evil God’s authority right now, I could strip away the curse on her without any real trouble.
But…
Right now… it’s impossible.
My master’s warning came back to me.
Use the authority recklessly and my soul could shatter into pieces.
And more than that…
My lives still haven’t recharged.
Decimal Reverse.
An absurdly broken spell, but once every life was spent, the recharge took a long time.
At least a full month.
Asking someone else wasn’t easy either.
My master was hardly in any condition to help right now. Even she, bound by so many restrictions, couldn’t simply undo a curse of the Evil God.
The same went for the Saintesses. There was no way to request their help while still protecting Elise’s reputation, and even if there had been, I had no intention of asking them. Unlike me, every use of their power carved years off their lives.
In the end, the only one who could lift Elise’s curse was me.
How do I… step in naturally?
I needed a legitimate reason to stay near her.
…This won’t work. I have to find some natural way to get close.
I started building a scenario in my head.
Quiet. Invisible. No one noticing a thing.
Remove her curse first, then stop the far greater disaster waiting down the line.
Is that really the only way left?
I felt a little sorry for Elise, but if I wanted to fix this, I would have to keep playing the villainess a while longer.
— Academy Headmistress’s Office —
“Master. I have a favor to ask.”
“Come in.”
The door opened and Yeon stepped inside, looking somehow hesitant.
Dorothy let out a small sigh.
That expression.
Whenever Yeon came to ask for a “favor,” she always wore that face.
And without a single exception, the favor never had anything to do with herself. It was always for someone else.
Dorothy had hoped—just this once—that it would be different, but she already knew better.
“Master. I have a… favor to ask.”
Yeon opened her mouth, fumbling.
“What is it?”
Dorothy kept her voice as gentle as she could.
Inside, the worry that her disciple was about to cause another disaster was already rising.
“Um… could you maybe change my room?”
“Your room?”
Dorothy looked puzzled.
Yeon currently occupied one of the finest single rooms in the entire academy.
“You don’t like the one you have? Shall I move you somewhere better?”
“No, it’s not that…”
Yeon hesitated, eyes sliding away. Then she spoke in a voice so small it was almost a whisper.
“I’d like to move to… a double room.”
“A double?”
“Yes. With… Elise. Same room…”
“No.”
The word cracked through the office before Yeon had even finished.
Dorothy frowned at her disciple.
Just as she had expected.
The recent incident that had nearly put the entire academy in danger flashed through her mind—the one Yeon had asked her to cover up for Elise’s sake.
“Master, that wasn’t Elise’s will.”
Yeon tried to persuade her with earnest eyes.
“She couldn’t help it because of the curse. Making her carry all the blame alone is… just too pitiful.”
“So you intend to shoulder that burden in her place?”
Dorothy’s voice turned cold.
“Have you forgotten the situation you’re in? There’s no need to go looking for danger.”
“But…”
“I said no.”
Dorothy shook her head firmly. Yet Yeon’s gaze showed no sign of retreat.
That stubbornness.
That foolish stubbornness she always put on even knowing Dorothy would eventually give in.
Dorothy drew a deep breath.
As long as Contamination worshippers—or whatever other forces lurked behind them—remained inside the academy, keeping Yeon completely safe might actually be better served by placing her somewhere she could watch over.
“…All right.”
In the end Dorothy gave reluctant permission.
“Thank you, Master!”
And that decision turned into regret almost at once.
After every piece of evidence and every circumstance had been carefully rearranged, Yeon Bennet had become the “culprit” who attempted to terrorize the academy.
When the trial over Elise’s curse incident was held, condemnation poured down.
Students, professors, even nobles pointed fingers at her.
“Villainess.” “Shame of the academy.”
Every insult imaginable was hurled at her.
Watching the proceedings, Dorothy felt her chest collapse.
Yeon simply endured every accusation and rebuke in silence.
No excuses. No explanations.
As if that were only natural.
Witnessing it was torture for Dorothy.
The guilt of knowing her own decision had driven this kind, foolish disciple to the edge crushed her.
Coming out of the memory, Dorothy looked at the girl standing before her and spoke once more, voice iron.
“Absolutely not.”
With the regret of the past still vivid, she could not allow Yeon’s dangerous plan this time.
She would not push her disciple into the jaws of death again.
“Master, please.”
Yeon did not back down.
Instead she stepped closer and began to plead with even greater urgency.
“This time is different from before. It’s for Elise, yes—but it’s also for me.”
“For you?”
Dorothy gave a short, derisive laugh.
“Every time the words ‘for me’ leave your mouth, they have never once been true.”
“No, this time they are!”
Yeon’s voice rose a little.
“If I’m right beside her, watching and stopping the curse before it can act, nothing like last time will happen.”
“Simply abandoning Elise Lapellacia would be far safer for you.”
Dorothy’s tone was ice.
“I will not watch you throw yourself into danger again for the sake of one girl.”
“I can’t do that.”
Yeon’s answer was absolute. Her eyes did not waver.
She had already made up her mind.
“Haa…”
Dorothy exhaled a long, weary breath. Once again she had lost.
She knew she could not break that stubbornness, and Yeon’s reasoning was not entirely without merit.
“…Very well. Do as you wish.”
The reluctant permission fell, and relief bloomed across Yeon’s face.
“But!”
Dorothy added in a stern voice.
“This time you must promise me. No matter what happens, your own safety comes first.”
“Yes! I’ll remember, Master!”
Yeon answered brightly and bowed.
Dorothy wore a displeased expression, yet the sight of her disciple looking so happy softened something inside her.
“That’s enough. You may go no—”
Before Dorothy finished, Yeon began to fidget again and opened her mouth.
The earlier confidence had vanished; hesitation had returned.
“Um… Master. About…”
“What now.”
“This morning… the history professor…”
Yeon asked carefully.
“He didn’t… get into any trouble because of me, did he…?”
For a moment Dorothy was speechless.
Even now she was worrying about that man.
“Haa…”
Dorothy sighed deeply once more and shook her head.
“I didn’t fire him, so stop fretting.”
Truthfully she wanted nothing more than to hunt the professor down that very instant and make him pay a brutal price for daring to lay a hand on her beloved disciple.
But if she did, this foolish girl would only blame herself again—“It’s my fault the professor was dismissed.”
So Dorothy had simply and quietly removed him from every class Yeon attended.
Of course she had given the man a plausible excuse: “other important duties.”
“Really? That’s a relief…”
Yeon’s face brightened visibly.
She smiled with genuine relief and bowed once more.
“Thank you, Master!”
The radiant smile and the thanks left Dorothy momentarily without words.
It had been so long since she had seen Yeon smile that freely. For just a brief moment the girl looked like any ordinary young lady, and Dorothy’s heart eased a little.
“Yeon.”
“Yes?”
“Come a little closer.”
Dorothy beckoned with her hand.
Yeon looked puzzled but obediently approached.
When she reached the desk, Dorothy rose from her chair and, without hesitation, stretched out her arms and pulled the small body tightly against her.
“…M-Master?”
Yeon stiffened at the sudden embrace.
Dorothy could feel her squirming in confusion inside her arms, not knowing what to do.
Her cheeks seemed faintly flushed as well.
All the usual boldness was gone; she was reacting exactly like a child.
Dorothy said nothing and simply held her a little longer.
A small, slender frame.
Yet inside it lived a strength and a sorrow beyond imagining.
Dorothy closed her eyes and quietly savored the sunlight-like scent that rose from Yeon.
Once I go to the Bennet Duchy… I may not see this child for a very long time.
The price of breaking her Geas was approaching faster than expected.
Her power was steadily fading, and she could feel how little time she had left to remain in Tera.
She had to go, even knowing it was a traitor’s trap.
The thought that this might be their last embrace made a corner of her chest ache.
Thinking of the trials the girl would face alone after she was gone made her heart heavy.
But Dorothy forced the anxiety away.
She’ll be all right.
Even without a useless person like herself, Yeon would find her own path and walk it.
A child who drew strength from pain and rose again even from despair.
She was far stronger than Dorothy gave her credit for.
Dorothy slowly released her.
“That’s enough. You may go now.”
Still faintly red in the face, Yeon stepped awkwardly backward and bowed.
“Th-then… goodbye, Master!”
She turned quickly and hurried out of the headmistress’s office.
The sight was somehow endearing, and Dorothy allowed herself a faint smile.
Once Yeon had completely disappeared and the door closed, the smile vanished from Dorothy’s face.
Her expression returned to cold resolve. She spoke a name quietly into the empty air.
“Emilla Gale.”
As if answering the summons, space rippled slightly and a witch with sky-blue hair appeared.
“You called, Grand Elder.”
“Preparations are finished, I trust.”
Dorothy’s voice was low and firm.
Emilla bowed with proper respect.
“Yes. Everything is ready. You may depart whenever you wish.”
“Once I am gone, my disciple will come looking for you. Look after her well.”
“Pardon???”
The revelation that Dorothy had a disciple left Emilla staring in open shock.
Dorothy did not answer.
She only gazed for a moment toward the door through which Yeon had vanished, then turned with quiet determination.
It was time to go.
She took a step forward to fulfill her final role.