Puck. There was a loud bang that made her mouth open. Madame Pompadou frowned and stepped back, but Catherine stood still in her place and watched the priest crumble.
Somehow itâs very familiar. Even if Cesare and Damian were replaced by Percyville, there seemed to be nothing to do.
âUgh! Ouch!â
When the priest began to sob, it seems that the worry of âwhat ifâ was creeping up. After a while, he shouted out loudly with his red lips.
âWhoa, whoa, itâs Your Highness Prince!â
Prince? Thereâs no way itâs Percyville, is he talking about Jenon Fahenrichin?
It takes an astronomical amount to win an order for a luxury passenger ship.
The value of other ships was incomparable because they put great effort into not only the ships but also the interiors such as furniture and exhibits.
Among them, the owner of the Lilith, which is considered to be the greatest of all time, is trying to do that in the middle of the sea?
âIt could be a lie.â
ăIf itâs a lie, you should hit him harder.ă
As Percyville raised his arms high once more, the priest shouted as he straightened his neck.
âI, itâs real! They said this is the beginning!â
âStart? What start?â
Catherine had no idea what the priest was saying. But then Percyville and Madame Pompadouâs expressions became much darker than before.
âIt canât beââ
In particular, Mrs. Pompadouâs face was dark. Percyville grabbed the priestâs hair with a murderous glance as if replacing her, who couldnât open her mouth with a stern look.
âIs it the Great Devil?â
In an instant, the blocked head flashed.
The great beings who can shake the balance of the world.
Hundreds of hypotheses float around as a way to summon them. One is that none of the prestigious scholars of magic has ever spoken of its reliability. This is because they are all cruel.
There was also something in common among various summoning ceremonies. That they need so-called âsacrificeâ to call them out. Here, the offering was a normal human being.
âYou have to find the Grand Duke, Lady. This isnât normal. Donât you have any room? Itâs like a signal of love to each other! Lovers share that kind of thing, focus on it, itâs urgent. If you love each other, youâll be able to feel what weâre doing even if you donât see each other!â
What kind of lovers has Madame met? She guarantees that even if she closes her eyes and feels it for 100 days, she will have no idea where Cesare is or what he is doing. She doesnât know if itâs him who looking for Catherine.
It was Percyville, who was deep in thought, reacting to Madame Pompadouâs words.
âIf itâs Grand Duke, do you mean Cesare Pompadou? If itâs him, heâll probably already know everything even if you donât tell him.â
Recalling Cesareâs identity, his argument was more credible.
ââBut what do you mean about a lover?â
Percyville glanced down at Catherine with his narrowed eyes. Madame Pompadou screamed âKyaa!â before she even corrected it.
âJealousy! So much fun! But now is not the time, Knight of the Lily.â
ăPhew. This old womanâs silliness has begun again.ă
âSir, do you know where Prince Jenon is? Hurry up and guide me. You canât just trust the Grand Duke.â
Madame Pompadou took off her lace gloves with a serious face.
âHa..?â
Percyville actually looked like why he should listen to her. Self-centered thoughts that donât change no matter what the situation is. Such a reaction was so like Percyville that she couldnât help but talk.
âThis is Madame Pompadou.â
ââŠThis woman?â
From what he knew, she certainly seemed to be famous among wizards.
âNephilim, who is about to be devastated by the summoners of the Great Devil. Itâs a good day to die.â
Even with that said, Percyville headed straight for Prince Jennonâs cabin.
Catherine wondered if she had to join in between, but she quietly followed behind them because there was no place as safe as them.
However, Prince Jenonâs cabin was empty.
âAh. Itâs too late after all.â
Catherine, who was far away, followed them into the cabin. It was a little larger and much more luxurious than the room she used.
Now what? Does she have to go find it? Later, she turned her gaze back to Percyville, who was looking through the room to ask about whatâs his next move.
ââŠPercyville?â
However, for some reason, there was no sign of someoneâs presence in the room.
âMadame?â
A closed door and an unfamiliar room. And the disappearance of the presence. Catherine rummaged through her bag, feeling possessed. There was no Meow, which should have been lying around in here.
How did this happen?
It was then.
Her world around her turned into black ink and began to melt.
Controlling her rough breathing, she looked for a place to escape, but soon all of the floors were melted to black. Like when she met Cesare in her dream, she felt like she was floating in the deep sea.
Just stand there blankly for a few minutes. Suddenly, faceless people came out of the darkness without a single light.
âJust drink something if you donât know. It was successful enough just to nullify magic.â
A man and a woman who appeared to be aristocratic, side by side, holding glasses of champagne and spying on Catherine. Negative emotions came out of the white smeared face.
âThatâs why Iâm more disappointed. What do you mean a child born with that fortune has no talent in magic? So, where would you use her for anything?â
âThatâs true. Apparently, the child is timid because she is conscious. The only part that resembles her mother, who is an outstanding wizard, is only her face.â
As their voices faded, a woman with a great figure walked out slowly from the other side.
âFoolish.â
Although her face was unrecognizable, she could tell just by looking at her flowing steps.
That woman was Catherineâs biological mother.
Her mother approached the nobles and slapped them without hesitation. The shrunken bodies of men and women gradually faded and disappeared.
âDonât listen to those things, Catherine. Catherine is the greatest child Iâve ever made.â
As if not to worry, a white hand reached out and swept her hair.
âBut not listening to the nonsense is completely different from what appears to be water. This mother told you, right? Donât let anyone look down on Catherine.â
Is this a memory? Or is it just a simple illusion? Catherine instinctively shook her head and replied.
ââŠBut itâs true that Iâm not talented in magic.â
âIf you only believe in what you can see, you canât achieve higher things. Catherine must look further away.â
Her mother slowly disappeared, and another figure appeared in the empty darkness.
The man was sitting on a chair helplessly, drinking alcohol. Then, he turned his head and faced Catherine. His face, which was crushed and unable to confirm his impression, was dead black.
âCome here. Donât stand there and look at me pathetically. Come here and look into my eyes.â
Catherine approached the man as if possessed. It was a very familiar voice.
âI wonât even say to resemble me, but you must not resemble your mother even if she dies.â
Itâs her father.
âSheâs a monster. Thereâs no feeling of love. This means that you, me, and this family are all just tools for her family play.â
Her father continued speaking in a drunken voice. He was terribly saddened, self-helping, and filled with regret that could not be returned.
âAll you need is freedom, Catherine. If youâre only tied to her, you canât make anything yours.â
When was this day?
When was the day I heard this from my father?
âRather, go to Phanya.â
He spoke those words one last time, and her vision was cut off.
Catherine managed to wake up in the crumbling world. She felt like she was falling deep underground, but what caught her eye was the familiar blue canopy.
âHa, haâŠâ
She took a deep breath and looked around. It wasnât Prince Jenonâs room, where she had been standing before.
This was her room.
âDream?â
She quickly grabbed the table clock that was in the drawer. The sound of gear wheels resounded strongly in the back of her ears. The date written in the clockâs center isâ.
The fourth day she was aboard the Lilith was the same day as yesterday.
ââŠis it all a dream?â
Catherine hurriedly checked the mirror. The appearance was also the same as a foreigner.
ăHoam. Catherine overslept today. Itâs not even a sleeping beauty, but she sleeps well!ă
ăFor some reason, itâs so hard for me to get up in the morningă
The conversation between the cat and Mrs. Pompadou remained the same as todayâs conversation in memory. The Meowâs answer here is definitelyâ.
âOld woman, itâs been a day or two since youâve been ridiculous.â
ăOld woman, itâs been a day or two since youâve been ridiculousă
The startled Meow wags its tail.
ăUng?ă
Calm down, Catherine.
The more she thought rationally, the more the memories couldnât be all dreams.
After getting on Lilith, the only dream she had was meeting Cesare. Above all else, they were vivid memories that were too vivid to be considered a dream.
She roughly changed her clothes and left the room. Damian, who had been given free time, was not in front of the room. Catherine grabbed someone passing by and asked.
âExcuse me, How many days has it been since the trip?â
The man readily replied.
âItâs been four days.â
Four days. That means that memories of the Great Devil Summoners were a dream.
ăHuh? Whatâs wrong with you today, Catherine? You look very anxious.ă
ăWomen often have days like that. Just pretend you donât know.ă
The confusion only gets worse as time goes by. There was only one person who could solve this confusion.
âCesare.â
She turned and headed to his cabin. Please stay in the room. Please.
âCesare! Cesare!â
Was it luck? Just in time, she saw Cesare entering the room from a distance. Cesare opened the door and turned his back on her call.
âW, waitâŠâ
Ugh. Cesare then replied as she took a deep breath and ran with all her strength.
âIâm here, so speak slowly.â
It was a soft and calm voice as usual. Is that why? Catherine was even more anxious. Cesare led her into his cabin. She sat down on a nearby chair and caught her breath, and she immediately got her business out of the way.
âI have something to say. I think I had a strange dream, and I was so nervous unlike usualâ.â
âI think the day was too long to be considered a dream.â
âŠHuh?
She couldnât answer and quietly blinked. Whether the head was overloaded or not, Cesareâs words were not quickly interpreted.
He prepared a teacup and teapot with an infinitely relaxed operation. Soon, the red tea, like a ruby, fell finely onto the teacup in front of her.
âLetâs have a cup of tea first. To have a conversation that we couldnât talk about for two days.â