When all was said and done, Karina had never wronged anyone; she had played her role seriously and raised El with dedication.
Except for El’s father, David. Only his wounded world had been fulfilled.
Others could condemn Karina as ruthless and unfaithful to her husband, but El could not—nor was he that kind of person.
Once Karina had calmed down, she continued, “El, do you remember, when you were five, I took you to the Cardinal’s Residence in the Eastern Territory for your baptism.”
The Cardinal’s position in the Church was second only to the Pope, and his mastery of divine arts surpassed that of an ordinary master.
“He examined your body very carefully and found nothing unusual. At first, I was worried, but after so many years, you’ve always been healthy. The only exception is your Magic Power, which is abnormal, but that could just be your own constitution.”
“I always thought maybe your father hadn’t had time to carry out his plans. Until yesterday, when you sent me your letter, telling me the demon had already invaded your body… I would rather that demon wanted to kill me instead.”
El didn’t want to see his mother sad, so he told her about Teacher Anthony’s assessment, which comforted her considerably.
“That’s good… El, there’s nothing more I can do to help you. The more I see you, the stronger this feeling becomes. You are better than me, better than your father, better than so many people. I believe no difficulty can overcome you.”
The atmosphere relaxed a lot after that, El’s optimism infecting everyone. Ivena went to prepare dinner, and Karina chatted with her son whom she hadn’t seen for so long.
The mansion’s décor was far from luxurious.
On the living room table stood a pot of fragrant Starblue Flower, and the chairs were made from wood brought from the count’s lands, elegant and dignified, in the taste of the old nobility.
The crystal chandelier cast a warm light. Karina praised the Maid’s craftsmanship, Ivena bowed her head and ate quietly, a faint smile on her face.
El loved this kind of atmosphere. The Regis family was small, each generation with only a few people, but El thought that was just right.
With more people, the distance would grow, and it would be impossible to have this kind of mutual understanding.
“Hey, hey, El, how’s your relationship with the Duke’s daughter? You used to mention her a lot in your letters.”
“Aurelia… let’s not talk about that.”
Sometimes, things like this happened.
Karina hadn’t slept at all last night, worried about El’s safety. After dinner, she decided to rest early and planned to return to the count’s territory the very next day.
She had heard that the Cult of Demons was targeting El, so she didn’t want to stay in the capital and add to the trouble, lest she distract Ivena.
After his mother left, El and Ivena went for a walk in the mansion’s back garden.
Tonight, the stars were especially bright. The evening breeze brought a hint of coolness to their faces.
The fountain in the garden gurgled with the sound of water, which only served to highlight the tranquility of the moment.
“Does Young Master find it strange that I’m so calm?”
The garden lamps let El clearly see Ivena’s delicate profile, strikingly beautiful.
“So, Ivena, can you tell me why?”
“It must have been that time, because of the Iris Princess, you were in danger, and I scared you? But people grow. I’m not as weak as I was. Now, I’ll fight for what I want. I’ll stay by your side to face any challenge.”
El recalled that time—Ivena had been covered in blood from head to toe, gripping a pair of short blades, her face twisted in a pathological terror, completely different from her usual graceful elven beauty.
She had been as ugly as a wild beast, liable to break down at any moment.
After that, for a long time, Ivena had stuck to him like a shadow. She developed PTSD, and only by El’s side could she slowly recover from that kind of nervous disorder.
El’s heart ached for her. That was also why he’d kept the dangers he faced hidden from Ivena.
“And you also gave me confidence. In your thoughts, I never heard hesitation or fear. That put me at ease.”
Aside from her Growth Authority, Ivena’s innate talent was the “Wind of Spirits.”
Its effect was: as long as she could affect someone with her battle aura or Magic Power, she could read that person’s vague thoughts.
This was her greatest reliance in protecting El. El carried Ivena’s mark; whenever his emotions were tainted by fear, Ivena would arrive at his side as fast as possible.
Usually, they were never far apart, and the process took only two seconds. El also had his own life-saving methods—Ivena could always get to him in time.
The “Wind of Spirits” made Ivena’s combat ability almost monstrous, especially when her opponent didn’t know about her gift—this was what people called a “first encounter kill.”
She could predict an enemy’s next move. Coupled with her skills as a top Assassin, she could finish a fight in two or three moves.
“Is that so…”
Once again, El realized how great his responsibilities were.
Sigh—Ivena only needed to throw herself wholly into battle, follow orders, and fight with all her might. But El had so much more to consider.
“Ivena, tomorrow, let’s go to the lower city together.”
El thought, if Cielsa led the knights to sweep through the upper city, the cultists would obviously be driven into the lower city.
And since they had their eyes on El, they would definitely be hiding somewhere close to the Yosse District, near the mansion. If he could place spies there, he’d surely reap some rewards.
“Your will.”
Ivena curtsied, lifting her skirt slightly.
She was tall—almost the same height as El, even without heels.
As she bowed, the softness of her chest became even more pronounced, though it was tightly wrapped in her Maid uniform. Still, that only lent it a different kind of beauty.
Although Ivena’s demeanor was very much that of a Maid, El felt there was no need to be so formal between them.
He reached out, wanting to help Ivena up, but the moment his fingers touched her, Ivena jerked away as if shocked by electricity, putting distance between them and letting out a startled cry.
“Ah, Young Master, what are you trying to do?”
Ivena’s pointed ears flushed a pale pink as she asked shyly.
“Ah? I just wanted to… do you dislike me that much, Ivena?”
El felt a bit hurt; anyone would, being treated that way.
“No, it’s not that. I don’t dislike you, Young Master.”
Of course, El knew that wasn’t the reason, but he was curious: “Then what is it?”
“…I’m going back first.”
With that, Ivena fled.
“Huh?”
Before El could react, the Maid’s figure had vanished.
Ivena locked herself in her room, her face flushed, her breathing ragged.
She felt a burning heat in her lower abdomen, a tingling numbness spreading through her whole body.
A strand of platinum hair clung to her cheek, sticky with sweat—her ponytail had long since come undone in her confusion.
“It’s getting worse… is it because I haven’t been near the Young Master enough? What am I going to do if this keeps up? It’s already affecting how I act around him.”
Ivena reached under her Maid uniform and touched the black stockings underneath, only to find they were already damp with a cool, wet sensation.