...From where I stood, it looked like you’d already done everything you could to make them hate you.

“Put ointment on it.”

“...What?”

“Here.”

With his eyes closed and his face shoved forward, Camilla blanked out for a moment.

Why is he doing things he never does today?

In the end, she let out a short sigh, lifted the ointment she’d been holding, and carefully spread it over Arsian’s face.

“.......”

Her hand, applying medicine to the split corner of his mouth, hesitated for a beat.

Why is this happening again?

Her heart thudded hard. As her pulse sped up, she pinched her brows slightly, then released another long sigh and went back to it, rubbing the ointment in with meticulous care.

*****

“Is there really a healer better than the ones who work for the Imperial Family?”

[Why are you suddenly asking that?]

[Why? You got someone who needs to be examined?]

“Me.”

[...Pardon?]

[You’re sick? Where?]

At Camilla’s words, Derrin and Zeno’s expressions hardened as they asked in a rush. Wow. People who were already pale somehow going even paler is... kind of terrifying.

“I think my heart might be in bad shape.”

[Your heart? Why? Does it hurt?]

“Sometimes it suddenly pounds, and sometimes there’s this dull, aching pain.”

[Since when has this been happening?]

“For a little while now. It started when Arsian and Laila were stuck together, having some kind of friendly conversation, and my heart started acting weird.”

[All the time?]

“Not all the time. Normally I’m completely fine.”

[Then? When does it happen again?]

“Now that I think about it, it was mostly when I was with Arsian.”

[That’s... rather strange.]

[Are you sure you’re not actually sick?]

“Doesn’t it sound like it? The Imperial Palace healer said there wasn’t anything wrong, but... should I get checked by someone else anyway?”

[It could be that your energy and his don’t match.]

“Arsian’s energy? If something like that doesn’t match, can it cause heart problems?”

[There are people who are innately incompatible with each other. I’ve heard cases where their energies don’t align and it ends up harming the body.]

“Really? So my energy doesn’t match Arsian’s?”

[How about keeping your distance for a while?]

[That does seem best.]

“Hmm. For now, I’ll get examined by someone else first.”

[Do as you please.]

[You mustn’t be ill, my lady.]

“It’s not something serious, right?”

Zeno and Derrin looked at Camilla with worried eyes.

“.......”

Off to the side, Dorman let out an incredulous laugh as he watched.

Listening to a woman who’d only ever “dated” through acting, a swordsman who’d died knowing nothing but the sword, and a butler who’d spent his whole life collecting information and died without ever marrying... it was enough to make him feel stifled.

What are they even saying right now?

He couldn’t hear the two ghosts’ conversation, but from Camilla’s words Dorman grasped the entire situation, and his head started to ache as he wondered how in the world he was supposed to fix these romance-illiterate idiots.

“...Let’s pretend I didn’t hear that.”

“Huh?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Dorman had absolutely no desire to get involved in their conversation. So he carefully backed away and quickly left the spot.

Side story. The Child Who Obeys Orders

“From the beginning. Again.”

I was always learning something according to orders. Every memory I had was like that.

I learned to dance, and I learned to sing. I learned every act that pleased others.

I also learned the easiest way to kill someone.

Even while dancing, even while singing, even while in bed, I learned—step by step—how to make sure I could cut off my partner’s life for good.

I didn’t know the reason. Questions weren’t allowed.

No, my world was simply doing what I was told so I couldn’t even think in the first place.

I didn’t even know the word “going out,” and I’d never had something like a friend. Around me, there were only people who trained me.

“We’ll use this one.”

Then one day, when I turned eleven, I met a stranger for the first time.

A man who looked to be in his early fifties examined me up and down in detail, then nodded with satisfaction.

The place I followed him to was the palace. He said he was the head palace attendant who served the king.

“You’re pretty.”

After that, for one man, I had to dance. I had to sing, and I had to sleep with him.

Only after a long time did I learn that man was the king of this country.

But it didn’t matter who he was. Whoever the other person was, if they gave an order, all I had to do was obey.

From some point on, I danced even in front of the people the king designated. I did everything they wanted. And when the king’s instruction came down, I killed them exactly as I’d been taught.

Refusal wasn’t allowed. In the first place, I didn’t even know the word “refusal.”

“Kh... kuhk!”

Time rushed by, and at some point my body started to go wrong. I could feel myself wearing out, and vomiting blood became frequent.

In the end, one day, right in front of the king, I threw up blood.

“Filthy.”

The king’s voice was colder than it had ever been.

“Remove her.”

At the king’s command, attendants approached and dragged me out roughly.

Even then, I didn’t resist. I couldn’t even resent the king. I’d never been taught how to do that either.

There was only one thought in my head. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

So who’s going to give me orders now?

“Don’t worry about that. You’re going to die now.”

At that moment, a voice that didn’t fit the situation at all cut in.

As I was dragged along, my gaze shifted forward. There stood a man, smiling mischievously.

“I came out for the first time in a while, just to do some reaper work for fun, and here I find an interesting little thing.”

“Seize him!”

The king, wary of the man who’d appeared out of nowhere, gave an order. At that command, soldiers rushed at the man in an instant.

“Stop.”

“......!”

But at the man’s single word, the soldiers who had drawn their swords froze dead still.

For the first time, fear gathered on the king’s face. The king, the biggest existence in my life.

The king tried to run on the spot, but it seemed like even his body wouldn’t move the way he wanted.

“These days it’s gone, but in the past, reapers sometimes granted the wishes of those about to meet death.”

...A reaper?

“Got a wish you want fulfilled before you die? Want me to kill that guy? Someone who interferes with a reaper’s work can be executed on the spot. And just now, that man’s order interfered with my work.”

That’s because you suddenly showed up—

“Well? Want me to kill him?”

At the man’s question, I looked at the king, whose face was turning more and more blue with terror.

A wish? Something I want?

This was the first time anyone had asked me something like that.

No, it was the first time anyone had asked me # Nоvеlight # a question. I’d only ever received orders.

“You don’t want anything? This kind of chance doesn’t come often. I’m not even really a reaper, you know. I’m a soul administrator. This isn’t what I’m supposed to be doing.”

The man held a hand out to me. Like he was telling me not to kneel—stand up.

I stared at the offered hand without a word. Then I slowly took it... and let it go again.

“I also...”

For the first time, I opened my mouth and spoke.

“I want to become like you.”

As if it was an unexpected wish, the man’s eyes went round. Then his mouth curled into that distinctive, mischievous smile.

“They’ve been screaming about a manpower shortage anyway, so I’m fine with it. You can’t become a soul administrator right away... so start by being a reaper.”

He’s allowing it? The man granted the first hope I’d ever spoken out loud.

“Really... really, can I become like you?”

“Long ago, one of my seniors had a cleanliness obsession like you. But they had better results than anyone.”

Smiling, the man held his hand out.

“I’m Dorman.”

“.......”

A hand offered again.

For the first time, a smile formed on my lips, too.

“...I’m Habel.”