“Don’t make fun of me.”

“Huh? I’m getting more and more curious. Heinrich, tell me.”

Heinrich scratched the back of his head.

‘Damn it, I lost my confidence. Because that young beast sneered at me.’

It was not an outright mockery. However, he certainly looked at him with the eyes of ‘gentle contempt’.

To him, who was very proud of his ability to make magic tools.

Of course, it was not common for an 11-year-old to make magic tools.

‘..I’m a genius!’

‘What if Sister also laughs at me?’

Heinrich, who was always arrogant and conceited, only did not want to be ridiculed by Annette.

He wanted to look like a nice guy.

Heinrich said in a low voice, hesitating like a puppy who wandered into a remote area.

“Sister, I am making a magic tool. It is almost complete.”

“..Yes?!”

“It’s not that great—”

“Our Heinri is a genius!!!”

Annette’s pale green eyes brightened with delight.

“As expected, our Heinri is a genius. Really cool. You’re going to be the smartest 11-year-old!”

“....”

“No, you’re the best in the world!”

Keukrul.

The corners of Heinrich’s lips rose.

The original arrogance, confidence, and temperament was regained in his eyes.

“Yes?”

“Yeah! Yup! After all, our Heinrich is so amazing and cool— show me too!”

“Because it is not yet complete. It’s in the middle of testing.”

“Then will you show me when it’s finished?”

“..Of course.”

Heinrich’s shoulders were raised a lot. It’s like a 10-layer shoulder pad.

Like a conceited cat. I grinned inwardly.

‘My baby’s confidence has grown. Cute.’

Earlier, like a ball of cotton drenched in water, he was like?‘Hing..’?Because of this, I did not purposely try to be a bit mischievous.

Of course, developing magic tools at the age of 11 was genius in itself.

In the original story, Heinrich had a genius talent for magic. Maybe that was the setting for the character ‘Heinrich’.

But he wasn’t interested in magic tools..

Why did it change? Suddenly?

“Sister, I’m going to make a lot of money with magic tools.”

“Huh, money..?”

“Yes.”

I tilted my head.

He was not a character who was really interested in money.

With a little shyness, Heinrich said,

“Hey, a cool guy has money and power.”

“..Cool guy?”

‘But you’re just a bean sprout, aren’t you, my baby?’

Regardless of my thoughts, the eleven-year-old spoke with great exultation.

“I will become a magician and make a lot of money and become very rich! Then.”

Heinrich’s cheeks turned red. The boy looked at another spot for no reason and said, as if hesitantly.

“..You will marry the best man.”

“Yes, yes!”

‘Yes, okay, I understand. Isn’t my baby really cool?’

It’s totally thumbs up.

With a smile on my face, I listened vaguely and answered.

“Heinrich, let’s go to sleep. I’ll make you sleep.”

“Really?!”

In an instant, the face of Heinrich, who had been talking like an adult a while ago, saying things like, ‘A cool man has power,’ brightened up like a dog going out for a walk.

‘Fufu, it’s cute.’

“Yes, let’s go. Henrich.”

***

In the deep night.

I was lying on the bed next to Heinrich, patting him.

It’s been a long time since we slept together.

The first time we slept together after becoming close was to somehow put Heinrich to sleep, who was having nightmares.

‘I used to read children’s books until he fell asleep.’

Heinrich reacted bluntly, saying it was childish, but after hearing the stories of the protagonists who were always happy, he would fall asleep in peace.

Heinrich—

‘Do you know?’

That I deliberately only read happy endings to you.

‘I want you to be happy.’

I wanted to be your warmth, you who was abandoned by your father, and without your mother.

My determination at that time, wishing for the happiness of Heinrich, was still there.

Although I no longer read children’s books, a sleep fairy sat on Heinrich’s eyelashes with just a few pats.

A white, youthful face was reflected in the moonlight. It was the face of the boy I loved.

“..Sister.”

I whispered softly, so as not to wake him up.

“Well, I’m here, Heinrich.”

“I have a question.”

Whenever the boy whispered, his breath tickled me.

“Why are you being so nice to me..?”

The answer was fixed.

For every hundred times he asked, I said this hundreds of times.

“Yeah, because I like Heinrich!”

“....”

Heinrich’s earlobe turned slightly red.

Fufu, cute.

The next reaction was obvious. ‘Huh, I know,’ or something like that?

Heinrich took my hand that was patting him and brought it to his lips.

His light eyelashes were lowered as if he was embarrassed.

And a soft voice came out. The sincerity of dealing with something very precious could be felt.

“I like you too.”

His sister.

—His Annette.

Whispering carefully, the blushing boy placed his forehead on the back of my hand.

“I like you a lot.”

That clumsy confession wrapped around my heart.

Heinrich fell asleep while holding my hand tightly and whispering that he liked me over and over again.

—As if it was his only happy ending.

***

[I’m surprised. You withdrew the adoption application as the little child wants.]

“Because she is a smart and clever girl.”

[Annette is like that.]

There was a strange sense of pride in the voice of Madam Mimosa who responded.

That pride was annoying. To the extent that he wanted to strangle her neck.

‘Doesn’t it sound like I was being swayed by the girl’s will?’

Gerard drank heavily.

Sparkle–

At that moment, the jewel embedded in the cigarette case scattered a dazzling light.

Sharp eyes filled with anger moved along with the light of the jewel.

“....”

That was the core of the soul.

It was a sign of his contract with a wicked sorcerer.

It was a kind of camouflage – easily using such a precious thing in his daily life, and putting it in a case that didn’t seem precious at all. Since the more he cherished it, the more the value of the item would be revealed.

This operation had always been effective.

So far, no one has paid any attention to this.

It was the first time he was caught and in trouble.

That it was a precious thing; and to a little girl who was like a rat.

‘It’s disgraceful.’

He didn’t want to admit it to the point of death, but.. he had no choice but to admit it.

He was beaten by that girl.

[Your aide, Avilos, did he make a smooth transaction with Annette and return?]

“Weren’t you directly involved in the scene?”

[Not at all. I left everything to Annette’s autonomy.]

“....”

—But, Avilus came back in such a mess?

“It wasn’t just the girl. The child with the special first level ability, called ‘Sislin’, was also there..! I was unlucky.”

“Stop making crappy excuses.”

He didn’t think it was because he was out of luck.

Considering Annette’s personality and intelligence, it was probably her will that Sislin was there.

He was always a reliable aide, but in the end, he came back defeated.

Strangely, Gerard wanted more.

He was thirsty for the girl who screwed him up.

To the extent that no matter how much alcohol he drank, his thirst did not subside.

He was always drawn to ‘deficiency’.

[Are you going to let her go like this?]

“Well, Mimosa. I’ve never missed out on what I want.”

This time, he was planning on grabbing her by the hair, dragging her.

“Now that you mention it, it’s been three days.”

[..Three days? Ah.]

Madam Mimosa paused, then seemed to recall almost immediately.

When he first applied for adoption, he said he would bring Annette to the Imperial Palace within three days.

“The plan has not changed, Madam. The child will come to the Imperial Palace this morning. That too–”

Gerard’s red eyes narrowed.

“At her own will.”

[....!]

Gerard pulled a long cigarette out of the cigarette case, placed it between his lips, and bit down.

Then,?tak—

It was lit red. He whispered with a slightly incorrect pronunciation.

“I will send a document to the ‘Forest’ soon.”

[What..?]

“You will know when you receive it. Show the documents to Annette first.”

She would be dragged pitifully, like rabbits trapped in hunters’ traps, like small insects struggling in spider webs.

Into his grasp.

Then–

He would never let her go for the rest of his life.

‘This disgrace will be planted in the child’s belly.’

Somehow, imagining such a thing made him happy; Gerard twisted the corners of his mouth.

Although he had a handsome face, that smile looked somewhat perverse.

“Well.”

Just then, the veins of his cursed body began to twist grotesquely.

Gerard groaned lowly and looked at the back of his hand, and saw his bulging veins twitching.

“..I’m sick and tired of it.”

This body was slowly falling apart and it was painful all night long. If it was not a ‘curse’, then what else should he call it?

To escape this curse, he needed that girl.

Annette.

The power of ‘Exordium’ was needed.

After learning that, Gerard had been planning for quite some time to have Annette.

―Probably, much earlier than Annette thought.

“Am I going in here..?”

She might not remember, but it was Gerard whom she held hands and entered the Forest with.

On that sunny spring day, the little girl was crying incessantly.

With a pitiful face full of despondency.

Gerard’s eyes narrowed softly.

“Unfortunately.. You will cry even more in the future.”

He sang softly, chewing the tip of the cigarette.

“Avilus.”

Avilus, who had been like a shadow, suddenly appeared from the darkness.

“Prepare the awakening chamber immediately to lock the girl in the basement of the North Palace. There is no setback to the plan.”

“Yes.”

“Enough to scream day and night.. Make sure to create a stimulating environment.”

Ah.

What a pleasant command this was.

The corners of Avilus’ lips rose with joy.

The henchman, whose sadism resembled Gerard’s, was very pleased and disappeared like a shadow.

***

“Madam Mimosa, did you call?”

One afternoon after lunchtime, Madam Mimosa called me.

‘What? She has a colder face than usual.’

It was kind of ominous.

Madam Mimosa looked at me with her cold, golden eyes, and then suddenly— she handed me the envelope that was on the desk.

“....”

I looked at it involuntarily and was startled and surprised.

‘Gerard’s seal..! It is a document from the imperial family.’

“Annette. It’s not a document addressed to you, but you’d better see it first.”

Kkuk.

It was not my document, but she wanted me to see it first?

“The First Prince requested so.”

What was he up to?

I was nervous and slowly pulled out the papers that were tucked inside. And;

“....!”

As soon as I checked the contents, I hardened a little in an instant.

‘Ah, I knew it.’

Soon after, the corners of my lips rose.

‘You really don’t deviate even an inch of my expectations when it comes to meanness, Prince.’

In the document it was written:

Ame:?Well, well, well, whaddaya know, Gerard has a Plan B too XD I roughly read the next chapters as I was preparing the raws, so I know what’s up, but as for you readers.. see ya in a few days’ time!!

Tassie:?I’m in the same boat as ya’ll, I have no clue what’s gonna happen XD So many questions were raised in this chapter!! Why is the prince so closely related to Annette? Where are her real parents? Why did the prince take her to the forest? And the main question; WHO IS THE ML????? Anyways, Gerad is still hot, he can drag me by my hair :kek: