Malice's True Intent Lies in Friendship: A Girl's Dawn and Her Father's Cold Blood (30)

Rain beat against the window.

There was a heavy silence.

But I couldn't let myself be dragged down by it.

"...Does the young lady know about this?"

The Count slowly shook his head.

So she didn't know. I thought that was for the best, too. If she found out, it would only burden her with pointless guilt.

"How is the young lady doing now?"

"As a result of her Magic Eye activating, one of my relatives was affected by it. Apparently, they were arguing with the nearby head maid over the color of a dress and attacked her."

"W-was the head maid all right?"

"Of course. The head maid has training in self-defense, after all. But Eva exhausted her magical power and was frightened by someone who had suddenly changed, so she has been bedridden."

I was relieved. Even among the worst possible outcomes, it seemed to have ended relatively well.

"Then what should we do about the young lady?"

"The mage who placed the seal said that the time would eventually come when it could be undone. He thought she would be fine if she learned to control her magical power by then. However, there are very few people skilled in seal-related arts, so we cannot find one in a day or two."

The small pouch's rounded, bulging shape was all too familiar to me.

"I intended to give her this at the Talent Gem presentation ceremony the day after tomorrow."

What emerged from it was a Talent Gem suffused with blue light—a light that, strangely enough, felt warm. The light was so strong that it brightly illuminated the room, already dim because of the rain outside.

The words visible on it were 【Mana Control★★★★】.

"Once Eva gets used to controlling her magical power, I intend to lower the star rating, until eventually she can manage without it—or get by with a one-star 【Mana Control】."

So there had been a proper solution after all... If it could be dealt with using a Talent Gem, it would not be difficult for the Count, given his wealth. Though I supposed a four-star 【Mana Control】 was quite rare.

At that moment, I suddenly realized something.

"...If the presentation ceremony had been held the day after the 'New Sprout and New Moon Banquet,' there would have been no need to worry about the seal."

If that was the case, then... it was my fault.

"Reiji-san, you saved Kurvshrat-sama's life. No one is blaming you. And no one was hurt today, either."

"But..."

"If you still cannot stop worrying about it, I have a favor to ask."

The Count smiled sweetly—Whoa, what a nice smile. He had maneuvered me perfectly.

"We are not allowed to give Eva a Talent Gem before the presentation ceremony. But we cannot leave her as she is, so we will use a magic tool to draw out her magical power to the limit."

What the Count placed on his desk was a silver bracelet with five green gems set into it.

"Is this it?"

"Yes. It absorbs magical power, and the green color gradually changes to blue as it does. It has a considerable capacity, so it should have no trouble storing enough over the next day or two... But Eva herself is the problem. A deficiency of magical power is physically taxing, you see."

"Ah..."

I had collapsed from running out of magical power myself, so I knew exactly what he meant.

"She is already under considerable stress at this time, and now her body will be suffering as well. So, Reiji-san, I would like you to stay by her side."

"I would have done that without being asked."

When I answered immediately, the Count shook his head.

"Eva relies on you more than you realize."

Is that... so? It made me happy, but also embarrassed me.

"Understood. Then I would like to go guard the young lady."

"I am counting on you."

I stood up and was about to leave the room when something occurred to me.

"Oh, right. Didn't you say there were two things you wanted to discuss with me, Count?"

"Ah—yes, that's right. I forgot."

The Count said it as if it were nothing important.

"As for the Talent Gem to be bestowed upon Kurvshrat-sama, it seems highly likely that it will have seven stars or more."

"Oh..."

What did he say?

Seven!?

"What's wrong? Was that really the sort of information you wanted to know, Reiji-san?"

"N-no, b-but I've never heard of seven stars before..."

"Neither have I. But that isn't the Talent Gem you're looking for, is it?"

"That—... Yes, that's right."

"You seemed to have some Talent Gem in mind and to be seeking information about it. So I assumed you would not be interested in an unknown Talent Gem with seven stars or more."

He's scary. The Count really had thought that far ahead.

"I am interested. I am."

"Even if it has seven stars or more?"

"Even if it has seven stars or more."

If anything, nine or more would be even better.

"Is that so? Very well. Then I entrust Eva to your care."

"Yes."

I bowed, left the Count's room, and headed to the young lady's bedroom.

According to the Slyries family's physician, the young lady was sleeping soundly, so I obtained permission to enter and made my way to her bedside.

Though it was daytime, the outside was dark, and rain ran down the windowpanes. A small magic lamp by her pillow cast a gentle light into the room.

I brought over a small chair and sat down beside the bed. Normally, a guard like me should not have been allowed to come this far, but the Count seemed to have granted permission. Although two maids were standing in the corner of the room, I faced the sleeping young lady.

(...I never thought I would learn about the young lady's mother like this.)

If the young lady learned about her past, she would be deeply hurt. She might even think that her Magic Eye had killed her own mother—even though nothing could be further from the truth.

(If standing by her side can help her, I'll gladly lend my support. Of course, I still need to search for Lark and Lulusha-san, but spending time with the young lady until she gets used to 【Mana Control】 should not be a problem. With 【All Creation】, I might even be able to give her advice.)

In my hand was the magic tool the Count had given me—a bracelet that also looked like an accessory. Through 【All Creation】, I could see many magical formulas inscribed on the surface that touched my hand.

To me, those formulas looked like chains binding the young lady.

(The reason the Count told me such private details was not merely that he valued me... He was also trying to draw out my sympathy, wasn't he? That man does things like that.)

Of course, if I said that aloud, he would probably say without twitching an eyebrow, "I told you because I trust you, Reiji-san. I find it offensive that you would take it that way."