The World Has Become Kinder to Her

After being led to Frederick’s room, Manores inspected him with a calm, unbothered expression.  

“Overwork,” he said plainly.  

He explained that Frederick had expended even the mana tied to his life force, so it would take some time for him to fully recover.  

The Marquis of Estelle and Hession, eager to see Frederick leave the household, were clearly disappointed, but Manores dismissed their hopes without hesitation.  

“Lord Frederick will be fine after a few days of rest. If you move him too soon, the man who declared he would be staying here will surely cause a scene later. The magic tower already struggles to deal with his temperament.”  

“I’ve heard of Lord Abran’s magical prowess, but it’s hard to believe that the tower finds his personality so difficult to handle…”  

“It’s the truth. He’s quite adept at hit-and-run tactics using teleportation magic. If he gets annoyed, he’ll make life difficult for everyone in the tower for several days. It’s far easier for me to monitor him here for a few days. Surely the Marquis of Estelle wouldn’t throw a patient out, would you?”  

Manores skillfully cut off Hession’s rebuttal, effectively shutting down any argument for Frederick’s removal. It became clear why this man was able to assist Frederick in the past—his unyielding demeanor and sharp resolve made him the perfect person for the task.  

“And furthermore…”  

Manores had more to say. His gaze fell on Lotus, and the moment she met his eyes, she heard a familiar voice in her head.  

— *This is Manores. I’m using voice magic to communicate with you, Lady.*  

Of course, since Lotus wasn’t a mage, she could only hear his message in her mind, unable to respond directly.  

— *We need to talk about the bracelet you’re wearing. If you could spare some time tomorrow morning, I’d appreciate it.*  

His tone was far more respectful than when he addressed the Marquis and Hession. All Lotus could do was nod in acknowledgment.  

Manores would watch over Frederick for the night, and the group that had gathered in Frederick’s room gradually dispersed.  

When Lotus returned to her own bedroom, she collapsed onto her bed, exhausted.  

Though she had been holding herself together to manage the situation, the revelation that Frederick was also a regressor had stirred a tempest within her.  

— *When someone fights for their life, whether through curse or miracle, anything can happen.*  

— *I fought to see you again. And as soon as I returned, I started making this. I didn’t want to lose you so pointlessly again.*  

His unbelievable words replayed in her mind. She couldn’t sleep at all.  

Lotus spent the next few hours staring blankly at the ceiling until the morning sun finally rose.  

***  

The bathroom was vast, with a large bathtub and a minimalistic, monochromatic design. Everything about the space reflected the personality of its owner—clean, orderly, and devoid of excess.  

For Theodore, who had long since lost the blessing of sleep, the time he spent soaking in the warm water of the bath was his only true moment of rest.  

His violet hair, more radiant than silk, glistened as his eyes remained closed and his lips were sealed in quiet repose.  

Beneath the water, his body was lean but toned, with defined muscles that exuded a subtle masculinity.  

Most people would never guess that the intellectual and reserved Theodore possessed such a physique.  

「Theodore. It’s been an hour.」  

A woman’s voice, more beautiful than any other, whispered as she emerged from the water, her presence ethereal. His violet eyes slowly opened.  

It was Salia, the Spirit King of Water, looking at him with concern.  

“Thank you for reminding me,” Theodore replied softly.  

「Frederick will be fine. He won’t die.」  

“Of course, with your power aiding him, it’s no surprise,” Theodore said with a faint smile.  

「But you’re the real problem. You should rest more.」  

“Once people let themselves rest too much, it becomes a habit.”  

He responded indifferently as he stepped out of the tub, and Salia quickly brushed her hand over his shoulder.  

The water droplets clinging to his body evaporated instantly, leaving him dry as if he had been toweled off.  

「Your mind and your abilities aren’t bad, but you’re taking on too much. You’re not like that mage or those knights who can wield mana so freely. Considering the mental strain of commanding me and handling all the other tasks you have, it wouldn’t be surprising if you collapsed any time now.」

“At the very least, I won’t collapse within the next six months. After that, I can’t make any promises,” Theodore replied calmly.  

「And yet, the wounds you received from Gaff are no joke,」 Salia muttered, frowning as she gently brushed Theodore’s forehead. Though the wounds weren’t visible, she knew the extent of the damage he had suffered.  

The injuries inflicted by a demon’s inherent powers were devastating. Normally, his body would have been incinerated, and his soul would have fallen into the demon’s grasp. But thanks to Theodore’s rediscovery of long-forgotten spirit arts and his contract with Salia, his life and soul were spared.  

Even with her healing abilities, the wounds Gaff had inflicted couldn’t be cured instantly. It was a slow, gradual process.  

「It’s frustrating. I can’t even heal a demon’s cursed wounds all at once,」 Salia grumbled.  

“I’ve told you before, he is a demon with godlike power. Meanwhile, you’re limited in how much of your strength you can use. We should be grateful that I’m healing at all,” Theodore responded, finishing dressing and putting on his glasses. His violet eyes, now concealed by the glasses, appeared less sharp.  

「The communication orb is glowing,」 Salia informed him.  

“If it’s Beagle, ignore it. If it’s Shepherd, pass it to me,” Theodore said nonchalantly.  

Despite his aversion to being called by nicknames himself, he had a habit of giving others nicknames. It was a contradictory trait, but Salia found it amusing and chuckled as she handed him the orb.  

『Were you resting?』 Kenneth’s voice came through, tinged with mild regret for the disturbance.  

“It’s fine. What’s going on?” Theodore asked.  

『I’m not sure how much you’re aware of, but there’s been contact between *him* and Lotus. Thanks to Frederick’s shield, she seems fine, but I’m still concerned.』  

The fact that Kenneth referred to her as *Lotus*—not Lady Lotus or the Estelle girl—caught Theodore’s attention. How had their relationship progressed so quickly in the short time since entering the Estelle household? Theodore’s eyes briefly clouded with a flicker of bitterness, a fleeting emotion so brief that only Salia, who shared a connection with him, could notice it.  

“As long as her gaze didn’t seem vacant, it should be fine,” Theodore replied.  

『It was my fault. I let my guard down for a moment,』 Kenneth’s self-reproach was palpable, but Theodore didn’t respond to that. What mattered wasn’t the guilt—it was what Kenneth resolved to do afterward.  

『I believe it’s time for me to take back what’s mine.』  

Kenneth’s tone was calm, but his words carried weight.  

Theodore adjusted his glasses, intrigued.  

“I thought you had decided to forgive—no, to let them go?”  

『Upon reflection, I found no reason to forgive or let them go,』 Kenneth’s eyes gleamed like a blade, his mind now resolute.  

『Frederick may be down, but he managed to give Lotus a mana stone bracelet. He won’t be able to move easily for a while. With that bracelet and Manores on our side, we’ve bought ourselves some time. It seems this is the perfect moment to act. I’m asking for your help, Theodore, to settle things once and for all.』  

“We could use the power of the Zahard family. I’ll help you,” Theodore replied smoothly.  

『Thank you.』  

“Oh, Sir Kenneth. Just out of personal curiosity, may I ask what caused you to change your mind?” Theodore, always relentless in his pursuit of answers, couldn’t help but ask. His insatiable curiosity was a hallmark of his character, one that had driven him to uncover the mysteries behind Lotus’s death. It was a trait that even demons found exasperating.  

Kenneth, sensing that further resistance would only prolong the conversation, answered without hesitation.  

『It wasn’t what you said. It was the way someone kind, someone more forgiving than this worthless world or its people, managed to get under my skin.』  

This time, Kenneth cut the connection first, but Theodore didn’t mind.  

「You look pleased, Theodore,」 Salia remarked, watching him with a knowing smile.  

“The stronger the tool in your hand, the better, isn’t it?” 

「…….」  

“I’ve never quite understood it. With all that power, why live like that? A man who could slaughter people like cattle if he wanted.”  

「That’s only on the battlefield.」  

“Half-hearted morality is useless, unnecessary, and the worst of all virtues.”  

Though his voice was quiet, to Salia, it sounded sharper than any other.  

***  

“You didn’t sleep well, did you?”  

That was the first thing Manores said as he greeted Lotus in the sitting room after breakfast.  

“No, not much,” she admitted.  

“I apologize for calling on you so abruptly, but that bracelet of yours has been on my mind.”  

“What about it concerns you?”  

A glimmer of interest flashed in his brown eyes, hidden behind his glasses. The woman in front of him seemed different from others he had met.  

“It seems my bluntness doesn’t bother you.”  

“Oh, so you’re aware of your bluntness?” Lotus responded with a hint of amusement.  

Manores’s opinion of her rose further.  

*She’s not just an interesting woman—she is interesting,* he thought. Moreover, there was a strange familiarity about her.  

“Fascinating, Lady.”  

“I think I’ve heard that word from men more times than I can count.”  

“I’d like to study you and the situation around you more seriously.”  

“And what situation would that be?” Lotus asked, intrigued.  

“The bracelet you’re wearing emanates a very strong mana. The material appears to be a top-grade mana stone, and it seems it’s absorbed mana to its limit. If I had to guess, I’d say Lord Frederick made it, which is likely why he collapsed.”  

“You’re quick to grasp the situation.”  

“I’m a mage. Mages who lack awareness don’t live long. Of course, if you have overwhelming magical talent, like some people I could name, you can get by just fine without it.”  

Lotus had a good idea of who he was referring to. The Manores she met in this life was just as cynical yet witty as she remembered.  

Above all, there was nothing more than curiosity in his gaze, which she found relieving.  

In her previous life, too, Manores had only seen her as an ally against Frederick.  

“I agree with your assessment,” Lotus said. “I think Frederick collapsed because he made this bracelet, but I don’t know enough about magic to understand the exact reasons.”  

She unconsciously referred to Frederick by his first name, but Manores didn’t comment on it.  

“Refining a top-grade mana stone is a delicate process. It usually takes more than a month. If you push yourself physically, mentally, and magically, you can shorten the time, but then you’ll end up like him.”  

*Shorten the time,* that phrase stuck with Lotus.  

“Wait, is Frederick in danger right now?” she asked, her concern evident.  

“I can’t say for sure, but I doubt it. His mana reserves are enormous. He’s been able to push himself for a week in battle without issue. Thanks to you, I’m witnessing a rare sight.”  

“…I’m glad to hear that,” Lotus said, feeling a bit of relief for the first time. Hearing both Kenneth and now Manores assure her that Frederick would be fine made her feel slightly lighter.  

Manores, noticing her relief, added,  

“Still, I advise you to keep that bracelet hidden. The power it radiates will attract the attention of anyone capable of sensing mana.”