# Chapter 100
Shalone had been in this mansion for a month.
‘What is with that kid?!’
As soon as she entered her room after going out, her legs lost strength, and she collapsed onto all fours, her mouth hanging open.
Before coming here, the witch had told Shalone several things she needed to do in her absence.
Alan’s complex about being half-human, half-beast?
Nonsense!
He wasn’t a dog, he was a wolf!
Yet he was enjoying himself as if he really were a dog.
He had no hesitation about fetching the ball that was thrown.
He even swam like a dog.
The second task was about the conflict between Kalbad Eudia and his father, Klein Eudia.
The witch had said that it wouldn’t be bad to try to mend their relationship.
According to the witch, Kalbad had worked hard to gain recognition from his father, who refused to acknowledge him, but in the end, he was never accepted.
As a result, their relationship had almost completely broken down.
There was even a possibility that Kalbad would fall into darkness and kill his father.
But—what?
Yeah, maybe it really would end in ruin!
Kalbad had already stopped even making eye contact with his father and was happily living with a new family instead.
He tried to act like it wasn’t obvious, but the way his lips twitched and his mouth softened whenever he saw Bernie made it clear.
And yesterday, do you know what I saw?
Klein Eudia, the father from that so-called “broken” relationship, had wandered near the annex, only to be caught by Bernie and awkwardly excused himself as being “on a walk” before quickly retreating.
Kalbad had watched that scene with a stupidly soft expression, his large frame hiding behind Bernie’s small back like a child.
And three days ago, Shalone had encountered an elf wandering the mansion.
An elf who had supposedly vanished one day without a trace!
She had read books describing elves as a race with pointed ears, stunning appearances, and an arrogant, noble demeanor.
They were known for despising all other races.
As a child, she studied the ancient Elven language.
Well, to be exact, it wasn’t really studying.
The witch had practically forced the knowledge into her brain through magic.
The process had been indescribably painful.
But she had endured it because the witch said it was necessary.
She would need it one day when she rescued elves and taught them the human language.
Rescue?
Teach?
What nonsense!
“What are you?
A new human here?”
“Ah, yes… Are you an elf?”
“That’s right.
This mansion sure attracts some amusing things.
Tsk, poor creature.
You won’t last long.
Do your best while you can.”
And yet, he spoke the empire’s common language fluently!
He was even wearing a gardener’s uniform and tending to the annex’s garden himself.
That mocking tone had left Shalone completely speechless.
Still, she thought something useful might come out of all this, so she visited an antique shop today.
She believed she could buy a family heirloom—a glass orb—for ten million rost.
She had assumed no one would have that much money.
But unlike her expectations, the witch had already prepared ten million rost in advance, ensuring she would be able to purchase it.
“Oh, that glass orb for ten million rosts?
A cute little lady bought it two or three years ago.”
“A cute… little lady?”
“Yes.
She had beautiful, water-colored hair just like yours and lovely pink eyes.
She was adorable.”
But even that had been taken first!
‘That’s obviously Bernie!’
And that wasn’t all.
The witch had said that Kiriel Eudia knew Bernie was a demon and, therefore, loathed and despised him.
That, despite not being able to abandon him outright, he only kept Bernie around with reluctance.
That Bernie was causing trouble to gain his affection.
She had even warned Shalone that Bernie might torment her.
In fact, she had suggested that it wouldn’t be a bad idea to provoke Bernie into doing so.
But conflict?
Disgust?
Hatred?
What a joke.
Anyone with half a brain could see how much Kiriel Eudia cherished Bernie.
Even with his usual cold and expressionless face, his eyes practically dripped honey whenever he looked at Bernie.
Whenever the kid looked like he was about to cry, Kiriel clearly had no idea what to do.
‘What am I even supposed to do in this situation?’
There was no room for her to intervene.
‘If I don’t receive love, I’ll disappear.’
If she wasn’t loved, she would turn to dust, crumbling away like a broken doll.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
She had to latch onto someone’s heart, no matter what.
But Bernie…
Bernie was already too deeply embedded in too many people’s hearts.
It wasn’t a matter of liking or disliking Bernie.
Her very life was on the line.
‘That kid is the problem.’
Somehow, she had to reveal that the girl was a demon to everyone.
That way, she could be kicked out of the mansion, and she could take her place.
That was the only way she could survive.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Sharlone, who had been biting her nails nonstop, blankly stared at her rough, uneven nails.
"You are a child born to be loved as the protagonist of this world.
If you are not loved in this world, you have no value at all."
“…Love.”
"Yes.
Right now, you may have nothing, but soon, you will take control of the ducal family and even the imperial family.
You are a kind and good child.
A child who drives out evil and embraces good."
"Driving out evil…."
"I will give you this world.
Because if you become happy, I will also be happy.
If you are completed safely, then finally, I can return."
Recalling the witch’s whispers that she had heard as a very young child while sitting in a dark room, Sharlone slowly opened her closed eyes.
"Yes… I was born to be loved…."
Muttering softly, Sharlone’s blue eyes darkened slightly.To be honest, for her, this was a matter of life and death.
She had no room to think about others.
"Hehehe, shall I help you, little lady?"
At the sudden voice, Sharlone, who had been crouched down with her head lowered, opened her eyes wide.
There was clearly no one there, but somehow, a pair of pitch-black shoes had appeared right in front of her.
Sharlone slowly tried to lift her head.Or rather, she would have—if not for the heavy, overwhelming pressure that suddenly pressed down on her.
Drip.
Thud.
Cold sweat trickled down her cheek and dripped onto the carpet.
She couldn’t lift her head.
It felt as if someone had placed a massive weight on top of it.
"Who…?"
"You don’t need to know who I am, little lady.
I simply wish to help.
The deepest part of your heart, your desire, and your ambition."
“…What are you talking about?”
"You want to reveal that young girl is a demon, don’t you?"
A playful, low chuckle mixed with a whisper that carried a hidden desire made Sharlone’s eyes widen in shock.The feeling of having her innermost thoughts completely exposed made the back of her neck flush red.
"I will help you.
I also don’t like this situation at all.
So…."
"……."
"In a place full of people, throw this at that girl."
Plop.
Roll.
Something fell to the ground.A very small glass bottle filled with pitch-black liquid.
"What is…."
"It won’t harm the user.
It’s a concentrated essence of demonic energy… It will simply force a demon hiding in human form to reveal their true self."
Hehehe.
A strange, eerie laughter echoed, and then, before she knew it, the feet before her eyes vanished.
The suffocating pressure that had been weighing down on her head also completely disappeared.
"…This is."
Blankly, Sharlone stared at the small vial in her hand.