The Legend of Marvin

As Richard continued showing Elisabeth around the house, she paused for a moment, carefully observing her surroundings. Then, in a softer voice than usual, she said:

— By the way… I'm sincerely sorry for treating you like a loser.

Richard turned his head toward her, surprised by this sudden confession.

— Huh?

— I saw you training when I arrived, she continued. It was pretty impressive…

A confident smile appeared on Richard's face.

— Seriously, who do you think I am? I'm a Marvin, after all!

Elisabeth rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

— Well… I'm waiting.

Richard raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

— Waiting for what?

Elisabeth sighed in mock exasperation.

— I'm waiting for you to apologize.

Richard flinched at her request.

— Huh? Me? Apologize? But I didn't do anything!

Elisabeth stared straight into his eyes, her expression a mix of seriousness and playfulness.

— You called me a hypocritical princess, while I was just telling the truth.

Richard burst out laughing.

— What? I said that?

— You know very well you did! she protested, her cheeks slightly flushed.

Amused, Richard shrugged.

— Well… I was telling the truth too.

Elisabeth's brows immediately furrowed.

— You're such an idiot! And here I was, starting to see you differently…

Richard raised an eyebrow, his smirk still in place.

— You know, I already formed an opinion about you… and, in the end, I don't really care.

Elisabeth opened her mouth to retort but stopped herself. Instead, a mischievous smile formed on her lips.

— Tss… Truly incorrigible, she murmured.

They continued the tour, exchanging a few more playful jabs, but without any hostility. A strange yet undeniable bond seemed to be forming between them.

As they walked through the Marvin estate, Richard suddenly asked a question that took Elisabeth by surprise:

— My grandfather told me you inherited a rather mysterious magic…

Elisabeth froze, visibly unsettled by his words. After a brief silence, she lowered her gaze slightly before replying:

— This magic allows me to summon magical creatures…

A curious smile appeared on Richard's face.

— Seriously? That's awesome! Can you show me?

At these words, Elisabeth stiffened. Her expression changed completely, replaced by evident discomfort. She averted her gaze, uneasy.

— Sorry, but… I'm not experienced enough yet…

Richard raised an eyebrow.

— Huh? What do you mean?

Elisabeth clenched her fists, her tone growing more serious.

— The last time I tried… people got hurt… because of me.

Richard sensed hesitation in her voice. He studied her for a moment before speaking in a more serious tone:

— So… since that day, you decided to never use your power again?

Elisabeth slowly nodded.

— I don't want it… I never want to see it again…

Silence settled between them. Richard observed her tormented expression and finally crossed his arms, thoughtful.

— That's strange… he said after a few seconds.

Elisabeth looked up at him, intrigued.

— What is?

— You're afraid of your own power?

His question struck like a harsh truth. Elisabeth opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. Her gaze faltered, as if Richard had just pointed out something she refused to admit.

Richard, however, kept staring at her intently, waiting for her reaction.

Elisabeth lowered her head slightly, visibly embarrassed.

— Sorry… but I don't think I can show you…

Richard shrugged, keeping his tone relaxed.

— No problem, we'll talk about it another time.

They continued walking through the mansion until they reached a dimly lit corridor. On the wall, an enormous painting immediately drew attention. Elisabeth stopped, intrigued by the depiction of a man and a woman, both displaying noble and kind expressions.

— Who are these people? she asked, studying the painting carefully.

Richard also stopped, staring at the portrait with a perplexed look, as if he hadn't thought about it in a long time.

— They're my parents.

Elisabeth immediately turned to him, surprised.

— Oh… Where are they now?

Richard remained silent for a moment before answering in a neutral voice:

— I don't know… They disappeared ten years ago.

Elisabeth felt her heart tighten at the casual way he said those words.

— You… you don't know what happened to them? she asked, sadness in her voice.

Richard slowly shook his head, hands in his pockets.

— No. Since I was six, I've been living here with my grandfather.

Elisabeth lowered her eyes, searching for something to say.

— I'm really sorry about your parents, Richard…

The young man turned slightly toward her and gave her a small smile, tinged with nostalgia.

— It's okay… I've gotten used to it. I've accepted it.

A silence fell between them, broken only by the faint crackling of torches mounted on the walls. Elisabeth understood that, despite his words, Richard carried a void that no amount of time could ever fill.

But she respected his silence and chose not to press further.

Elisabeth and Richard continued down the long corridors of the mansion until they reached the grand salon, where Henry was waiting for them, comfortably seated in a large, ornately carved wooden chair.

Seeing them enter, he greeted them with a warm smile and, raising his teacup, addressed Elisabeth:

— So, my dear, how do you find our humble home?

Elisabeth observed the grand crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, the bookshelves filled with ancient grimoires, and the richly decorated furniture. Crossing her arms, she smirked.

— Master Henry… I think the word humble is a bit exaggerated, don't you think?

Henry burst into laughter, tapping the armrest of his chair.

— Hahaha! Indeed, I must admit that humility may not be our greatest virtue!

Richard, amused, shook his head while Elisabeth sat down in a chair opposite Henry. But in an instant, the atmosphere shifted. The old mage's gaze turned serious.

— Elisabeth… I believe you inherited your mother's power, correct?

At these words, Elisabeth's smile faded. Her hands clenched slightly on the chair's armrests.

— Yes… I inherited that power, she murmured, her tone darker.

Henry slowly nodded.

— I also heard about what happened… with one of your servants, three years ago.

Richard, who had been listening curiously, straightened up, frowning.

— Huh? What's he talking about? What happened?

Elisabeth looked away, visibly troubled. Richard immediately sensed they had touched on a sensitive subject.

Henry, however, continued to watch her with kindness, waiting for her to speak of it herself.

Silence filled the room.

Richard gently placed a hand on Elisabeth's armrest, trying to catch her gaze.

— Elisabeth… What happened three years ago?

The young girl closed her eyes for a moment as if gathering her courage. Then, taking a deep breath, she spoke in a trembling voice:

— It was because of my power…