Episode 111

Isabel said that magic has no will, but I disagree with that view.

Magic was definitely alive. Otherwise, could it be this disobedient?

“How is it that even the magic here does whatever it wants?”

Why is it that only such beings surround me?

I rested my chin on my hand and sighed heavily, then stood up. When my mind is complicated, it’s best to do something simple and move my body.

“How has this much dust gathered in just half a day?”

I clicked my tongue, holding a duster, and opened the window. I planned to open it wide and let some air in while shaking off the dust.

I opened the few windows wide, but since the windows were small to begin with, it felt somewhat unreliable.

It would be better to just leave the entrance of the shop open, to show that it’s open for business.

“Isabel, I’m going to leave the door open, so play inside the counter so the customers won’t be startled.”

[What? But it’s too narrow and dark in there!]

“If a customer runs away because of you, you won’t be allowed to color in the shop anymore.”

[I’m confident I can mimic a doll perfectly!]

After confirming that Isabel cheerfully hid herself, I grabbed the doorknob.

“Good to know you’re confident… Ah, you startled me!”

“Oh? Crazy Giselle! You knew I was coming, huh?”

I almost fell backward at the shadow of a person that jumped out as soon as I opened the door. Holding my startled heart, I glared resentfully at the other person.

“You should call out before coming!”

“I was going to open the door, but you opened it for me, Giselle.”

The one cheerfully retorting was Sullivan.

“Oh, my heart… I can’t handle this anymore.”

Sullivan, who looked at my trembling self with a puzzled expression, stepped confidently into the shop.

Sullivan had been stuck at the hospital for a while, taking care of two critical patients, but it seemed that both Windria and Ten were now much better.

“Is it okay to leave the hospital now?”

“Yeah! But it’s strange. This place used to be a complete wreck.”

Sullivan, looking around the shop with wonder, let out a sound of admiration.

“Wow, I heard the rumors, but seeing it in person, it’s even more amazing.”

“Rumors?”

Just hearing the word made me feel uneasy.

When I looked at Sullivan with anxious eyes, Sullivan brightly explained the details.

“The rumor is that the Grand Sorceress Giselle Roycevin showed off her power in front of the former shop owner, Mr. Rainiel. Enraged, Mr. Rainiel threw a punch at you, but Giselle mocked him by letting that weak punch land, then took over the shop.”

“Does no one have eyes?”

How does Rainiel pushing my face away when he was about to kiss me look like a punch?

How did my embarrassment at Rainiel’s words and my hurried escape to the shop turn into me mockingly taking over the shop?

Feeling dumbfounded, I stood with my mouth open, and in the same vein, I inquired about other rumors.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, Sullivan was very well-informed about the rumors, to the point where I suspected he might have contributed to some of them.

“You mean I had an epic showdown with the boss over the safe key?”

“Yes!”

Apparently, while I was holed up for a few days, the residents of Vanhel were excited, saying that the true hierarchy would finally be settled.

“So I won in the end.”

“Exactly!”

“But since I’m a reclusive Grand Sorceress who wants to hide her power, I decided to stay on as an employee, and the boss became a figurehead.”

“That’s right!”

Sullivan’s innocent response made my anger rise involuntarily.

“Aren’t you mad, Sullivan? The boss’s skills are being undermined!”

Wasn’t Sullivan a devoted follower of Rainiel? In this situation, he should be angry!

At my question, Sullivan widened his eyes and responded, confused.

“Huh? But it’s all just a story. It’s not true!”

“You knew it wasn’t true and still didn’t correct it?”

“Now Crazy Giselle is a celebrity in this city! I don’t want to be famous, but I’ve always wanted to try being friends with a celebrity!”

What an incredibly naïve response.

Looking coldly at Sullivan, I poked him in the back with the duster I was holding.

“If you’re here to mock me, get out, get out!”

“Ahh! No, Giselle! I’m not here to mock you! Mr. Rainiel sent me to call you!”

“The boss is out right now.”

I glared at him, and Sullivan quickly waved his hands in denial.

“Really! He said some excellent materials came in and you’d be interested… Oh, looks like he’s here.”

Sullivan hurriedly pointed to the door. Just as he said, the shop door slowly began to open.

A large shadow of a person slowly appeared.

As the door was halfway open, I recognized the person’s face.

“Eek!“

“Wait…!”

Startled, I screamed reflexively and threw whatever I was holding.

Fortunately, I was standing close to the door, so the duster I threw hit the target’s face perfectly.

Thud!

The duster made a loud noise as it hit, then fell to the floor. As soon as I saw it, I instinctively reached for the broom nearby.

Before the person could react, I wildly swung the broom.

Thud, thud, thud!

“Ah! Ah! Ah!“

I swung the broom so hard that my arms started trembling.

With my eyes tightly closed, I kept swinging the broom, relying on the feel of the hits, until I realized how unusually quiet my surroundings had become and finally stopped.

Panting heavily, I cautiously opened my eyes and saw the person crouched down, his large body hunched over.

He was squatting by the half-opened door, covered in blood.

“So… Giselle was a Sword Master after all.”

Sullivan’s low muttering brought me back to my senses.

…Wait, hold on. Did he end up like that from being hit by my broom?

I stared blankly at him in disbelief when a soft voice came from beyond the open door.

“Seeing you perform swordsmanship I never taught you, it seems my lover is a genius.”

Rainiel was smiling with amusement, his eyes full of joy. Behind him, Vaidro slowly appeared.

Vaidro, seeing the person crouching by the door, replied with a reluctant voice.

“…Didn’t Mr. Rainiel already half turn him into a corpse before bringing him here?”

“I only half-killed him, kept him alive. But Giselle finished him off nicely, didn’t she?”

Rainiel’s voice was so cheerful that there wasn’t a trace of tension, and Sullivan let out a gasp of shock.

“Giselle defeated Dylan too!”

Before I could stop him, Sullivan quickly shouted.

“Giselle Roycevin has defeated Dylan Stasi as well!”

“Wait…!”

I reached out too late, and Sullivan was already running out of the shop faster than ever.

He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled at the top of his lungs, veins popping in his neck.

“Giselle was a hidden Sword Master!”

As I thought, he was the source of all these strange rumors!

“What-? Giselle Roycevin killed Dylan Stasi?”

From far away, someone faintly responded to Sullivan’s cry.

Swallowing back tears of frustration, I let out a hopeless sigh.

It’s over. The rumors are going to get even more ridiculous. There’s no stopping it now.

‘But is he really dead?’

Holding my throbbing head, I glanced at Dylan, who was crouching motionless.

Upon closer inspection, I could see his back rising and falling slightly.

‘It doesn’t look like he’s dead….’

Feeling uneasy, I poked Dylan with the tip of my broom, when Rainiel suddenly jumped over Dylan and entered the shop, walking towards me.

“Where did you learn such a clever response?”

Rainiel smiled brightly, gently took the broom from me, and tossed it aside.

Then, he casually wrapped his arm around my shoulder, guiding me deeper into the shop, separating me from Dylan.

…You’re just going to leave someone crouched there, covered in blood?

“Boss, if we leave him like that, he might really die…”

“People don’t die that easily, so you don’t need to worry. More importantly, I asked where you learned that quick response just now.”

With our bodies so close, Rainiel’s voice sounded directly in my ear.

Feeling a bit ticklish, I rubbed my earlobe shyly and replied awkwardly.

“No one taught me. It’s just the result of learning through repeated experience.”

“Oh, my lover is so brilliant.”

His exaggerated admiration made me cough awkwardly and look away, sneaking a glance behind me.

Vaidro, standing with his hands behind his back, hadn’t even entered the shop, leaving Dylan still lying at the door.

“But why did you bring Dylan here? If you were going to kill him, you’d have killed him. You’re not the type to keep someone alive like this.”

“Such perfect understanding of me. I wonder if there’s a more wonderful lover out there.”

“Stop changing the subject.”

I squinted at Rainiel, who had been smiling brightly, and his lips subtly twisted.

“But since you’re showing interest in that guy, I have no choice but to remind you who your lover is.”

“You’re the one who brought him here in the first place!”

It’s not about interest or anything else—how could I not notice when Dylan Stasi suddenly shows up at the shop?

When I glared and protested, Rainiel clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

“He said he knows some important information.”

Despite the claim of importance, Rainiel’s tone carried no hint of tension.

In fact, he sounded a bit bothered and annoyed.

“He said I wouldn’t be able to protect you, and that if things continue as they are, I’m bound to die. He also claims he can stop that.”

His tone was so casual and nonchalant that I almost absentmindedly thought, ‘Oh, really?’ and moved on.

It took me a moment to fully understand his words, and then I stopped in shock.

“Good heavens, what are you doing? We can’t just leave him like that! We need to keep him alive for now!”

“Tsk, I told you not to pay attention to him.”

Rainiel clicked his tongue and scolded me, but I shook off his arm.

This is about Rainiel’s life, after all, so we need to hear him out!

“Even if we end up killing him, we need to get the important information first!”

Determined, I shouted and turned to Dylan, but then I saw it.

Behind Vaidro, there were countless eyes huddled together, curiously watching from inside the shop.

Sullivan… He really gathered a crowd of spectators…

“You’re planning to extract the information and then dispose of him? Giselle, you really are an evil villain, aren’t you?”

Hearing Rainiel’s voice, tinged with laughter, I resigned myself to the situation.

It seems my fate is to be known as Vanhel’s wicked Grand Sorceress, Sword Master, and evil villain.