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“Medical team! Start treating the wounded right now!”
“… Incredible, I never thought it would be so dramatic. I guess they like plays.”
Valletta murmured quietly. Duke Leon, who was beside her, looked at her face without a word.
“Valletta-nim, your fellow Sokors are writhing in agony, do you think nothing of it?”
“Ah.”
Valletta’s gaze shifted from the rubble of the building.
In that horrible sight, there were people screaming and crying in agony as they held the corpse of their dead colleague in their arms.
“…”
Why was it sad that people died in an inevitable event that happened? It wasn’t like the world would move again if they cried right now.
The dead won’t come back to life, and to mourn the death of people she doesn’t know, she wasn’t confident that she could do it sincerely. If so, wouldn’t it be better to do nothing at all?
Was it right to say that she was sad and that it was regrettable even if it was a lie?
“… Snow tiger.”
At that moment, Valletta’s eyes widened at the sound of a small voice from behind.
A look of astonishment appeared on her face for the first time, then slowly contorted. Valletta quickly swept her gaze at the people who were groaning.
‘None.’
Her eyes, which had not blinked for a long time, blinked slowly after a long time. Valletta took a deep breath, then her brows furrowed.
“You, can you find the snow tiger?”
Valletta said in a bit of a hurry, turning her gaze to Ceylon.
“…My magic is not precise enough to find such a small thing.”
“You’re being punished…”
The maid, who had been sitting on the floor with missing arms, muttered in tears.
Valletta’s gaze slowly turned downward.
“It’s because you’re the only one unharmed and with that indifferent expression at the suffering of others…! An aristocrat who lived a happy life would not understand the suffering of others.”
Valletta blinked silently at the malicious remark.
‘It’s an accident that already happened.’
She could not move in a way that would help her. If she were to needlessly do something, she would’ve been a hindrance. Thinking so, she slowly moved toward the rubbles.
The Imperial Knights suddenly appeared and Gillian, who was among them, seemed very busy taking care of the situation.
“Where are you going?”
“To look for the snow tiger.”
Valletta softly answered Duke Leon’s question.
It wasn’t like there was no way to find it, it was just a little risky. Although she has no choice but to run away if she gets caught.
‘It’s a gift that I received as well.’
More than anything, she didn’t feel good hearing that it was buried.
“It’s dangerous.”
“Uhm, Your Grace Duke Leon does not need to concern yourself with me anymore.”
Duke Leon’s expression darkened at her words.
‘Carlon Delphine looked fed up with me anyway.’
He must have distanced himself at her reaction that defies common sense.
Was it because even though he tried to make the best out of someone, they didn’t change in one breath?
“Ah, you were here.”
As she spoke to Ceylon, she strode towards the rubbles of the building.
After checking the structure of the building, Valletta walked towards the place where her room was.
“Jin.”
Whoosh, a cool wind blew away the dust around her.
-What…
“Smaller! Get smaller. Can’t you get smaller?”
-…
Jin’s figure became as small as the palm of her hand in an instant. The large hawk quickly turned into a small, ornamental hawk.
Valletta leaned over and opened her mouth towards him.
“I want you to find a snow tiger in there. It’s a small, snowy white animal of this size. Please be as inconspicuous as possible. And even if it’s dead, bring me the body. My bag should also be in that room, bring that too.”
-… Ehem, where is that magician?
“Not here.”
-Then you have to pay the price this time.
“I’ll give you my blood.”
She lightly held out her bloodied pinky finger towards Jin.
Jin pecked it with his beak to absorb it. Jin’s eyes gleamed with cool, green light and shimmered.
-Good, I’ll do you a favor.
The fist-sized hawk quickly turned into a whirlwind, vanishing through the gap in the rubble of the building.
Valletta carefully crouched down to sit. It would be great if it was alive, but if it was dead…
‘Gwang!’
She shrugged at the sound of the cry in her head.
“It’s a little sad.”
It was the first pet she ever had. Of course, she was thinking of returning it later.
Kwoong.
The wind blew from below. Then Boom! Something popped up with a small explosion. Jin, who became a whirlwind, brought what she had asked for into her arms and disappeared in an instant
Valletta, feeling the fluffy fur in her arms, quickly lowered her gaze. She brought her ears close to the cub’s face.
Hiss. A hoarse breathing could be heard. Fortunately, the cub was still barely alive. Although its front legs were twisted, and it’s white body was stained with bright blood.
With a sigh of relief, Valletta carefully held the cub with one hand and lifted the bag. She pulled out the high-grade potion she had made last time that Carlon Delphine refused from the bag.
She staggered down from the rubble of the building. Valletta did not stop walking and opened the lid of the potion.
The pale, pink color of the potion was high purity even among those well-refined ones that she had made.
Valletta sprayed it like water all over the cub’s body. Half spilled on the cub’s body and half fell on the floor and her clothes.
She looked indifferent to the fact that if other people saw her, they would be astonished. She left about a sip and poured it into the snow tiger’s mouth.
While moving busily, she made it all the way down the building.
Gwang…
It was a weak voice, but the snow tiger was definitely crying.
It seemed to be alive. Watching the snow tiger rub its head on her wrist, as if waiting for warmth, a faint smile naturally appeared on Valletta’s lips.
Duke Leon and Carlon Delphine’s eyes widened slightly while watching from afar.
She took a step forward towards Carlon Delphine.
The wounds on the snow tiger’s body were slowly healing. If it takes a good rest for a day or two, it will be completely fine.
“If it was dangerous like that, you should run away.”
Gwang…
“Someone won’t always come to your aid when you need it. You need to be able to stand up for yourself when that happens.”
She advised it in a low voice. Her hand gently stroked the snow tiger’s fur.
It was a voice that was loud enough to be heard by Carlon Delphine and Duke Leon.
“Since there are many people who won’t go easy on you just because you’re young and crying.”
Gwang…
“But you met me, so I’ll take care of you for a while. It’s okay to grow up slowly. One step at a time.”
Gwang!
“I haven’t come up with a name in a long time…”
Because she knew it was useless to create one anyway. She tried hard to commit to not making anything. She tried not to give her heart away. However, it was impossible to let go of this fellow who had entered her heart.
Gwang?
“Is the name ‘little kid’ not great?”
The child did not answer at that moment.
The fellow who had been working hard gwang-ing, became quiet instantly.
What’s this? Valletta narrowed her eyes and looked down at the snow tiger. The fellow who glanced up at her, slowly closed its eyes.
“Valletta… That cub…”
Valletta raised her head at the voice that she had heard. Ceylon stuck behind her as if waiting.
“Ah, Your Grace Duke. I’m glad you’re not seriously hurt. It’s not distinct, but I received this bracelet earlier. Please engrave it here. First, setting the situation aside, I passed, right?”
Valletta said with a smile painted on her lips, keeping a moderate distance.
Carlon Delphine’s eyes slightly widened at the unexpected words.
“What?”
“If you tell me the time and place where the engraving will be completed, I will go find it.”
“… Wait. What on earth are you talking about right now?”
Carlon Delphine raised his arms to interrupt her, and asked. At that moment, Valletta let out a low sigh and turned her eyes.
“Aha, I think the mansion became like this because of that hateful guy and me. I’m sorry for bothering you.”
“That’s not it…”
“Besides, I think my way of thinking is not normal, so I don’t think it’ll be good for me to stick around.”
“…”
Carlon Delphine felt like he stopped breathing. Duke Leon always seemed like a bystander.
She alternatively looked at the two of them, and lightly shrugged.
“Don’t make that face. I didn’t think I would be able to suddenly live a normal life after living like that anyway. I’ll study a little more and I’ll probably be fine.”
“It’s not that, I’m sorry. I was tired from the shock earlier…”
“I don’t know what you felt when you saw me, but you’re right. No matter what happens to other people, I don’t particularly feel sad. Unfortunately, I’m…”
A shadow appeared from behind. Judging by the sound of the clanking armor, they seemed to be a member of the Knights.
For them to come and see her in that situation, it was not a good sign.
‘I’m anxious.’
She wanted to run away right then.
“Lady Valletta Delight.”
“I thought the Delight family was already ruined.”
Unsurprisingly, she responded lightly to the voice looking for her and turned around.
The armed knights before her were filled with darkness.
“As long as the bloodline of the family is alive, in principle, the family will survive.”
“Okay, I’m tired so can you get to the main point?”
Despite Valletta’s dry, indifferent voice, the knights in front of her didn’t even bat an eye. On the contrary, his hardened gaze was upright.
“You are under arrest as a suspect, and a witness, to the act of terrorism on this mansion.”
***
This marks the end of Volume II!