Belois' first memory was the face of her crying mother.
"I'm sorry, Belois."
Her mother lay sick and wet in the rain, holding her daughter in her arms.
She was crying and repeating the same words over and over again.
"Your mother gave birth to Belois in such a weak manner because she was ugly. You are like this because I couldn't do anything.
"Mom, I'm okay…"
"Sorry. I'm so sorry, Belois…"
"Don't cry, mom. I'm really okay…"
Life was in pain. Happiness had always belonged to others and even overflowed, but unfortunately, it wasn't a thing that could be sold.
Belois learned resignation rather than achievement, and experienced giving up more quickly than desire. She didn't know the existence of hope, so she couldn't even suffer despair.
… And she learned about death at the age of seven.
"Run away. Belois, go!"
[Ctururuaah!]
"Mom. Mom…?"
"Run away! Please… Belois!"
Death soon changed into disappearance. It was the extortionist who stole the only remaining thing from Belois. He was a tyrant, an absolute, giant devil.
Belois was scared to death. She turned heel and ran away. She was just trying to get away from death when she ended up on the slave market.
"I need to survive. I will."
"…Yes, me too."
Shine seemed to consider himself a friend of her's, but he was a little different. They didn't choose their own fates. They wanted to avoid death which led them both to meet there.
He had purple eyes. Shine looked at her.
"A maid is a being who only thinks of serving her master. If you do not keep this in mind, it will be useless to learn anything. In particular, you would want to work hard on becoming an exclusive maid. So, focus on your education."
"I will do it."
"Yes, that's the spirit."
"An exclusive maid, me too! I also want to become the master's exclusive maid!"
"Yeah, both of you have almost the same mindsets, so try competing. I am looking forward to seeing who will serve by my side."
"… I'll try my best."
She learned the word 'goal'.
She also learned the words 'competition' and 'effort'.
"… Did you memorize this in a week? Did you say you are seven?"
"Yes, Master."
"You're right. You have a talent… But you shouldn't be satisfied with this much. Because a maid of the Sherden family can't get through just with good memory. You have to put your stamina. Will you try continuously, can you do it?"
"Yes. I made an appointment with the Master."
"Good, that's it."
She learned the word 'talent'.
She also learned 'favors' and 'promises'.
"You can just call me your sister, comfortably. Now, call me Sis Maybell."
"Sis Maybell."
"Okay, then we're both sisters from now on. Since you're my younger sister, can you do me a favor?"
"…I will not give up the position of the exclusive maid."
"How did you know!?"
She learned the word 'friend'.
She decided to stop giving up now.
"Belois, what I'm doing now is witchcraft. This should be kept as a secret from everyone else. Our witch's education is secretly transmitted."
"Is it really necessary to keep it a secret?"
"Belois really likes our Evan."
Belois also learned the word 'secret' in the room of the Marquis Woman. She followed her with a lamp.
Marquis's wife, who was so beautiful that Belois had convinced herself that she was indeed the mother of the Master, nodded immediately after getting a bit embarrassed by Belois' reaction.
"As I said before, let's keep this our own little secret. I don't want to burden Evan."
"Doesn't it hurt you, if you keep secrets from him?"
"I think about it sometimes. Actually, if Evan's qualities were sufficient, I would have tried to give Evan a witchcraft lesson, and would have even ignored the wall between genders. But he isn't ready yet. So it's better to keep it a secret until the end."
Belois heard that and tilted her head. Master had an older brother, who was surprisingly excellent in magical talent.
"… But the First Master learns magic, and he is Master Evan's brother."
"Eric's blood is light. Isn't that weird? The big child, who is excellent at magic, cannot be taught witchcraft because his blood is light, and my blood is thick."
It was understandable about what the Marquis wife was complaining about. But there was something that didn't make sense at all.
"But you will do good enough as a witch. Anyway, would I have brought you without thinking? The witch lineage that I thought was cut off from me will actually still continue. I am happy."
"Witch's talent…"
Belois heard another word similar to talent. She thought she was defined by words she already knew such as helpless, incompetent, worthless. Then there were those people who gave her the word 'talent' and made her feel talented without hesitation.
"Okay, then let's get started. The witchcraft training starts with magical power management, but you have a good training tool, so keep using it. Let's do it. Whoo! I don't know how Evan came up with that idea, but it's really amazing."
"Yes, I will try my best."
"…Good. You can become strong. How come Evan can see so much that others can't?"
Belois learned the word 'strength'. She put it in her mind. She engraved it on her heart.
She was sick of being weak now. She must be strong, so that she would be strong enough to protect her mother when they would meet once again.
She wanted to thank her for having given birth to her.
"I will definitely do it."
Every time she learned the positive words one by one, her empty heart swelled with each step. She never hated the change.
She wanted to reward those who believed in her. She wanted to prove it. She wanted to show it.
To Evan. To the Master. To her mother.
"…Belois, are you a real genius? The speed at which the power increases is slow, but how are you able to control it…?"
"I can still do more."
"Okay, if that happens, we can increase the progress rate a little faster. I'll teach you the essence of every witchcraft I've learned. Did you say that you have the highest flame affinity? But from a witch's eye, I think you can handle ice too, as much as you want. Hehehe, I look forward to when you grow up."
She also learned the word 'expectation' and the word 'genius'.
"How are you so pretty at a young age? It's a waste to be only a maid. Master Evan has really good eyes. I guess pretty things come only with pretty eyes."
"I'm sorry for Maybell, who has to compete with Belois. But of course, Maybell is also pretty."
"… People like me can't even begin to challenge your beauty."
She learned the words 'charm' and 'beauty'.
"Belois, you're getting prettier every day. I'm scared enough."
"…Thank you, Master."
"Master does not shy away from saying things like that."
"Oh, yes. Shine, you are also very handsome. If you rub your cheeks, you'll get a good look."
"I'm ashamed to hear that!"
"Are you serious?"
"It's even more embarrassing! Are you bothering me now, Master!?"
"Silly Shine."
She learned the word 'joy'. It would have been nice if that was the only thing.
"So, what about you? You can be honest, Evan. I know you're refusing to be engaged because of everyone else, but why don't you tell me about your feelings?"
"…She was certainly pretty like the rumors. Pink hair and pink eyes, I've never seen anyone like her. She was like a fairy."
'Envy' and 'jealousy', Belois learned two more words.
The negative words she learned after a long time made her head hurt.
"Belois, what are you going to do? I know you like Evan, but it's really dangerous if you show it openly. The Marquis people are modest and kind compared to their status, but they are still nobles. You know? You are not the person who can be selfish first."
"…I know."
Shine was purely concerned about Belois. Belois knew it too. Shine's worries were all acceptable. He didn't say anything wrong. Still, that was okay.
"He was the one who saved us from the pit. And he gave me opportunities that ordinary people could never have gotten. Caring for us and making us enjoy. He taught me what a real life is… I'm ashamed to say this, but I'm ready to die for that person."
"That's the same for me. If I can protect him, I would die as many times as I have to."
"But just because we think like this, we shouldn't expect the same things of the Master. Service is like that. It's like being a servant and a maid, like a butler and a maid. I'm not hoping for a price. We can't hope for more than what the Master said he would give."
"…I know that too."
Shine sighed as he looked at Belois, biting his lips gently. He regarded and cherished Belois like his sister, but there were times when she made more disturbance than necessary. She was doing it now.
"It's because you are still young. If you're a little older, you won't be swayed by those feelings."
"I'm not young."
"You are. You are very young."
"You moron!"
Belois turned around, kicking Shine's shin exactly with the pointed heel of her shoe. Shine grinded his teeth, but soon grinned.
Only Shine knew that Belois, who always pretended to be cold and all grown up, with a fresh expression, was actually just a child.
"But I still support you. You know my heart."
"It's already late, Shine, shut it."
"But the way the Master treats you while looking at the Princess, it seems that there is no hope at all. Don't you feel that too? Compared to your older sister Maybell, the difference is quite obvious."
'The Princess must feel glad about that too,' Belois thought.
She was somehow able to stop herself from retaliating.
"Evan, let's go play together!
The day was bright. A hindrance had intervened for going out with Evan, who had been looking forward to going on the royal road.
The Princess was such a beautiful girl with gorgeous hair and eyes that Belois had never seen in her life, whose young dignity in her body proved her high status even though she had a haughty expression.
[Wow, wow!]
Moreover, sitting on her shoulder was evidently a slime summoned by Evan, but it was very different. Until now, Belois had thought that the slime was only used for being summoned and killed, but she couldn't believe that it could be kept alive and commanded.
Belois came to know it for the first time. Maybe Evan was the first to know. He probably had shown it to the girl. Yesterday, the two went together to talk in secret in the Royal Palace where Belois could not enter. It was something only the two of them had shared.
Belois surprised herself because she hated the feeling so much that she couldn't stand it.
'When have my feelings become so unstoppable?' she was amazed.
But from now on she wanted to be honest with herself about her feelings. She couldn't deny the soaring envy and jealousy.
"You both get ready to go out with me. First, I have to buy clothes for you. For three days you have worn the same, old clothes. Change out of them and move."
"…I will be ready in a while, Master."
There wasn't much to prepare. After returning to the room, Belois washed and cleaned her face and stood in front of the mirror. She hesitated for a moment and pulled a small bottle out of her pocket. It was the perfume Maybell had given her.
'Because you are still young, you cannot wear makeup early, but a citrus-based perfume would be fine.'
'I don't need anything like this, Sis Maybell.'
'No, no, it is absolutely necessary. Belois, makeup will give you mental confidence in the future. If you fill in the confidence you lack, your beauty will bloom. So, I mean, I bet Evan would rather choose you than any other woman!'
She hadn't known what it felt like to be nostalgic but now she knew.
Confidence was what Belois needed right now. She didn't want to lose. Evan would never have even dreamed about Belois' heart in such a condition.
'Belois, you are only seven years old. There are a lot of things you don't know. It's not your fault… So, whatever it is, you just have to learn slowly from now on.'
'And if you get to know the world like that, you will naturally find what you want. When the time comes, tell me. Whatever it is, I'll help you get it.'
'Alright. You promised that you would do whatever you have wanted to do. I have not forgotten.'
If she finds what she wants, he had said, he would help her get it.
In fact, on that very day, Belois had found what she wanted.
It hadn't changed since that day.
She first learned the word 'desire' that day.
'I was always so stupid.'
Belois lightly sprayed herself with perfume and checked her expression again.
Her features included ebony straight hair, deep red eyes, and delicate artistic features along with pure white skin. In the mirror, there was a girl who was really pretty.
'Idiot Master.'
Belois turned around with a small murmur.
It was time to head to the battlefield.