The World Has Become Kinder to Her

The long-awaited voice finally echoed from outside the red barrier. Salia, unable to contain her fury, shouted with an enraged expression.  

「How dare you inflict such pain on me, the pinnacle of water spirits!」  

“It’s always the ones who care more who end up suffering,” Theodore muttered in his usual irritatingly smug tone.  

「Once this barrier is gone, I won’t let you off easily!」  

Salia bit her lip, using her rights as a contractor to share half of Theodore’s pain.  

It wasn’t just the pain she took on; the oppressive weight of the restriction pressing down on Theodore also lightened significantly.  

The Spirit King, summoned by exchanging willpower and mental strength, grants the contractor’s wish, but always takes what is most precious to them as payment afterward.  

What Theodore had offered her was his renowned genius intellect. Knowing she would collect on that debt someday, Salia had no choice but to help him now.  

The hazy image of the person finally came into focus—jet-black hair, deep green eyes, and the sharp features of a stern middle-aged man. He was one of the empire’s four great dukes, and before Kenneth, had been known as the Empire’s greatest swordsman.  

“…I remember now,” Theodore said.  

As he often did, Theodore had gambled well. He had successfully broken through the restrictions and reclaimed his sealed memories without going mad or becoming a vegetable.  

Freed from the overload, Theodore stood up from the floor.  

His mind felt foggy, and the pain from the cuts on his fingers and palms stung, but it was a small price to pay. His weakened body swayed slightly, but he managed to seat himself back in the chair and gestured for Lotus to sit as well.  

“Salia, thank you,” he said.  

「Shut up!」  

“Lotus, I’m sorry if I startled you.”  

“Keep your mouth shut.”  

“Seems like I’m rather disliked.”  

「You only ever do things to deserve it!」  

“Don’t people usually enjoy being hated?”  

Having regained his composure, Theodore ignored the disgruntled expressions on both the spirit and Lotus’s faces. It was time to bring the questioning to a close.  

“The Hycen heir was speaking with a higher being. Someone who likely has a significant hand in your life and regression. Like Gaap, this one also wears a human shell. That was the piece of information I had forgotten,” Theodore explained.  

However, Theodore didn’t reveal everything he had just remembered. If he did, Lotus, Frederick, and Kenneth wouldn’t be able to properly face that entity. So, he only offered enough to safely end the Hall of Truth.  

The three-question exchange was finally over. Theodore and Lotus had both emerged unscathed. As the red barrier dissipated, Frederick rushed toward Lotus.  

“Loti, are you alright? That bastard didn’t put you through too much, did he?”  

“I’m fine… really,” Lotus answered, her eyes drifting over to Theodore.

His face was pale, and he lay unmoving on the sofa, clearly exhausted.  

Salia approached Theodore and dumped a cold splash of water over him, a chilling torrent that seemed to freeze him to the bone.  

「You awful man! You’re a truly, truly awful man! What would you have done if I hadn’t shared the pain? Do you have a hobby of gambling with your own life?」  

“I trusted in your mercy and pride, Salia.”  

「……」  

“Losing your contractor over something like this wouldn’t do your reputation any good, would it, Lia?”  

「Disgusting!」

For the first time, Theodore had called her by a nickname. Shooting him a cold glare, Salia vanished.  

Theodore let out a sigh and massaged his stiff neck. Lotus asked in a worried tone, “It seems like the Spirit King is really angry.”  

“This is mild. All I’m feeling now is a bit of cold. If things around me start freezing over, *then* we’ll be in real danger.”  

“Looking at you right now, I don’t think you’d say that if you saw yourself in a mirror,” Lotus remarked.  

“…I’ll go change my clothes,” Theodore said. “Good work, Lotus.”  

Theodore rose from the sofa, his posture as upright as ever. With the poise of a refined noble, he walked away gracefully. Watching him leave, both Lotus and Frederick clicked their tongues.  

“That guy will probably worry about how his body looks even after he dies. His soul will just hang around to check on it.”  

“Exactly. I was really shocked earlier… I honestly thought he might… die.”

Lotus’s lips trembled as she spoke.  

“I was more worried about you, Loti. I was terrified something would happen to you.”  

“Theodore has a tendency to act recklessly, but I’m sure he had a degree of certainty in what he was doing. Please, don’t worry, Lotus,” Frederick reassured her.  

*Thud, thud.*  

The faint, steady sound of footsteps echoed down the second-floor hallway. Upon reaching his bedroom, Theodore leaned over the sink attached to the room and coughed up a mouthful of blood.  

The overload had affected not only his brain but his entire body. However, the information he had retrieved had been worth it.  

“With Hycen and Saber on the same side, Abran won’t be enough. We’ll need to bring in the Magic Tower or the Cabella Duchy,” he muttered to himself.  

「Hmph!」  

Salia had reappeared, watching Theodore with disdain as blood dripped from his lips. Even in such a state, he somehow managed to exude a decadent allure, a strange talent of his.  

「I peeked into part of your memories earlier.」  

“I hope you found them interesting,” Theodore replied coolly.  

「You could’ve killed Gaap with a little more sacrifice, but you chose regression instead. All to see *her* again. And yet you claim it’s not love?」  

“That’s why obsession is dangerous, Lia. I’m more of a hedonist than I’d like to admit. Lotus has a truly beautiful body, after all,” Theodore remarked, smiling mischievously, his eyes sharp and seductive like a devil’s.  

Despite the torment his body had gone through, he had fiercely protected the memories most precious to him, a testament to his inhuman strength of will.  

*Did he think I wouldn’t know just because I didn’t see it?*  

“Is this the kind of contractor you dislike?” Theodore asked with a teasing tone.  

「If I did, I wouldn’t have helped you, would I?」 Salia responded with a pout, though inwardly she was seething.  

*I’ll make him reveal his true intentions, even if I have to stake the honor of water itself on it!* This was now a matter of pride for the noble spirit of water.

After changing clothes, Theodore returned to the reception room, pushing a serving cart that his servants had just brought to the annex.  

The three-tiered tray was filled with risotto, crepes, sandwiches, and scones—enough to make a satisfying meal.  

“Lunch is a bit late today. Salia tested for poison, so it’s safe to eat,” Theodore said as he placed a plate of risotto with tomato sauce and a refreshing limeade in front of Lotus.  

Annoyed by how well he knew her preferences, Lotus snapped back at him.  

“Isn’t the drug you gave me earlier enough?”  

“The better you eat, the better. Though thin is fine, I prefer a little fullness—feels better when held,” he added with a sly smile.  

Lotus’s face flushed at the implication of his words.  

“Who said I’d be involved with you like that in this lifetime?”  

“Then I suppose I’ll have to work on making you feel that way again, like before,” Theodore replied smoothly.  

Frederick, not one to remain silent, burst out, “Don’t say such filthy things to Lottie!”  

“I wonder what’s inside *your* head, Frederick. I’d love to dissect it. Hopefully, nothing worse comes out,” Theodore mused, a mischievous grin on his face.  

“Th-That’s not it! Loti, I—” Frederick stammered.  

Amidst the bickering, dishes were being placed on the table. Frederick picked up a crepe filled with fruit and ice cream, Kenneth chose a sandwich with beef, and Theodore reached for a scone, which paired well with his tea.  

“The risotto is something I made myself. Do you like it?” Theodore asked.  

In the past, Theodore had often cooked for Lotus when they met in secret, as it was more efficient.  

Given his natural dexterity, he had quickly learned to make several dishes with ease. The risotto Lotus was now eating had finely grated cheese and was perfectly seasoned to her taste.  

“…Only the food. I don’t like *you,*” she grumbled.  

“It’s rare for a noble to cook, so doesn’t that earn me extra points? You once said my looks and body weren’t bad either,” Theodore commented, almost causing Lotus to choke on her food, and Frederick nearly spat his out. Even Kenneth paused mid-bite.  

“Well, you’re not my type at all anymore!” Lotus retorted, her face flushed red.  

“That’s unfortunate. Maybe I should exercise more?” Theodore mused.  

“No, just sew your mouth shut.”

“Loti, you can’t be with him. He’s got a terrible personality, he’s picky, and weak. You know that, right?”  

“Frederick, maybe you should sew your mouth shut too,” Lotus sighed. She must be insane for thinking she could enjoy a meal in peace with these men in front of her.  

*At least Kenneth is quiet,* she had thought just thirty minutes ago.  

But now…  

“No matter how much I think about it, I believe you need to take responsibility, Lotus,” Kenneth said.  

“What?”  

Dessert had been a light, airy meringue cookie that melted in her mouth. Unlike regular cookies, it was refreshing, and Lotus enjoyed it. As she washed it down with a cool rose tea, Kenneth’s unexpectedly serious voice interrupted her calm moment.  

“That day, you took my body and heart entirely. No one but you can take responsibility,” Kenneth continued, his tone grave.  

“What?” Lotus nearly spat out her tea again. Luckily, it wasn’t hot.  

Shock spread across her face. Could one even *take* someone’s heart like that? Of course, she had practically begged him to share a bed with her, so there was some truth to his words, but still…  

“Don’t be ridiculous!”  

“Seems like even Sir Kenneth is capable of talking nonsense,” Frederick and Theodore muttered simultaneously, evidently just as bewildered as Lotus.  

“A man as independent and strong-willed as you wouldn’t let your heart be taken by someone else’s will. And as for the physical… wasn’t that a mutual decision?” Lotus hastily retorted. She felt a bit guilty, but that was better than being burdened with overwhelming responsibility.  

“I refused you nine times, but the tenth was too difficult to resist,” Kenneth calmly replied, even providing an exact count, which made Lotus’s cheeks flush slightly.  

“Did you actually keep track of how many times I asked?”  

“No. It’s just that the experience left a strong impression on me, so I remember everything you said and did,” Kenneth replied matter-of-factly.

*Past choices always come back to haunt you,* Lotus thought as her face flushed even redder, right up to her ears. Kenneth’s nonchalant demeanor only made him more infuriating.  

“Th-that may have been the case at first… but you were the one who was more enthusiastic after that, weren’t you? Isn’t it a bit much to call that a forced situation?” she stammered, recalling how, after the initial hesitation, Kenneth had eagerly asked for more.  

─ “Once more, if you don’t mind?”  

Lotus vividly remembered the heat in his voice as he had requested a second time.  

“And you kindly accepted my request as well,” Kenneth added with a soft smile.  

Lotus hadn’t disliked being with him, and since she had been the one to initiate, rejecting him afterward had been out of the question. Still, even if she felt that way, saying it out loud was another matter. She wisely decided to stay silent, lest she face the aftermath.  

*Are these men trying to kill me with embarrassment today?* she wondered. She had just resolved to live the rest of her life calmly, and now this was happening.  

***

*Indeed… they’ve all changed,* Salia observed from the background, watching the humans quietly.  

Frederick, the usually prickly mage, was speaking with a somewhat filtered tone, his words softened. Kenneth, who was typically stoic and expressionless, seemed to be making an effort to show a more gentle expression. But most notably…  

*You seem happy, contractor…*  

Theodore appeared genuinely joyful, similar to how he looked when witnessing Gaap’s contorted face. For a man who had always moved like a machine, programmed to fulfill his duties, there was now a spark of life in him.  

*And yet, he keeps denying it’s love?*  

How could he deny it when even the mighty Spirit King of Water could see it so clearly? Salia puffed out her cheeks in frustration.