"You mentioned it yourself, didn't you, Master? That wasn't the first time I touched mana."
"…You're right. When I was young, I secretly tried to follow my sister, who showed exceptional talent in magic, without my family's knowledge. I didn't know anything and thought I had no talent, but I believe I succeeded in touching it."
A talented older sister.
An untalented younger sister.
Even if it was just her misconception, it was because of this disparity that Emma began to undervalue herself from then on.
"Everyone in the village said it. They said my sister would become a hero and bring pride to our village. Yes, I thought so too. I admired my sister, who everyone had high hopes for. But… it seems I was jealous of her. … so, God punished me for that."
Emma's eyes trembled, and the grip on her clothes tightened, deepening the wrinkles. For the first time, she spoke out about what she had kept tightly sealed away.
"… one day, red monsters attacked the village. Everything burned and was destroyed. My sister was the only one who could fight against them, and everyone wanted her protection."
Emma felt her breathing quicken and forced herself to calm down, continuing to speak. Once she started, the chain of emotions couldn't be broken.
"My sister was strong. No matter how many monsters appeared, she stood her ground. I was pathetically crying at her side, unable to do anything, just clinging to her."
And the story inevitably led to tragedy.
"But even my sister couldn't protect everyone. The villagers, one by one, coughed up blood, including our parents. Realizing the situation was becoming dire, my sister locked me in a nearby shed and continued to fight. Her body gradually became covered in wounds."
At first, the wounds were small, but eventually, there wasn't an unscathed spot on her body.
"In the end, she couldn't hold out. That's it, isn't it?"
"Yes…. at that time, I watched through a small crack in the shed. … I saw it. My sister's body… her heart… being pierced by a red monster."
Haa.
Emma composed herself, wanting to quickly finish this painful story.
"After that, I lost consciousness and don't know what happened. I was the only survivor in the village, and my sister's body was nowhere to be found. It must have been too badly damaged to recognize."
Though she didn't say it, Emma later created a grave for everyone in the village.
For several days, without proper food or sleep, she mourned them all. Emma, who accomplished that unbelievable task, was only ten years old at the time.
"It was the woman you met who took me in after I wandered away from the ruined village."
A mother who sold her for 100 gold.
A woman who treated Emma as she pleased.
She had her own excuses, it seemed.
Emma said that the scene in her nightmares was the dark shed where she witnessed her sister's death.
Although the frequency of the nightmares had decreased as she grew older, they had recently started again.
"Oh… I've burdened you with a heavy story. I'm sorry, this isn't something you wanted to hear."
"No, this is exactly what I wanted to hear."
It might have been somewhat cruel to Emma, but it was a part I needed to confirm, knowing the original story.
"..."
I could feel the flow of mana around me. Even without a clock, the mana was evidence of the passage of time.
"It seems quite some time has passed."
I stood up and casually placed a blanket over Emma, who was still sitting.
"I'm heading in. Your sad story has dampened my mood. We'll postpone the mana check for now."
"Are you… upset…?"
"Don't just sit there, go back to your room. It's very late. Tomorrow will be even busier than today, so you need to rest properly."
"Ah, yes! Understood."
I began to walk away. I heard Emma rustling as she folded the blanket. When I glanced back, she had neatly folded it and was holding it in her arms.
"Goodnight, Master."
Emma bowed her head gracefully, like a flower wilting. She wouldn't lift her head until I responded. There was no need to torment her unnecessarily.
"Goodnight."
I gave a brief reply.
---
The only light in the room came from the moon through the window. In the dark, I leaned back on a luxurious chair, facing the shadows.
Emma had told me about her past. There was a bit of coercion, but I had only pushed slightly, and the rest was of her own will.
What she said matched the story I knew. This meant there wouldn't be any changes to Emma's schedule.
As I pondered about Emma, a particular word she had mentioned came to mind.
Nightmares.
The recurring dream of her sister's death.
I hadn't asked when she started having that dream again. It would have been problematic if she became suspicious. There was no need to take such a risk without any benefit.
She still didn't know.
She probably wouldn't until things truly began.
"Everything is proceeding well… as expected."
It was inevitable.
Recently, she must have started dreaming again.
"Because I made sure of it."
The day she collapsed in the den of vermin.
I had cast a curse on her while brushing her hair aside. I made sure her most terrible memories would resurface and hold her back.
Guilt?
I felt none.
I used everything for her exponential growth, including trauma. Even if it meant Emma became mentally unstable.
I used everything at my disposal.
And I derived benefit from it.
That was how a villain survived.