BCPSM 06

Episode 6 — Arrival at the Estate

The carriage came to a stop in front of my estate.

As an adventurer, I had succeeded.

This mansion was something I had obtained entirely with my own strength.

And Mancel and Klump—both of them were slaves I had purchased with my own money.

The iron gates of the estate swung open.

The beautiful elf girl who opened them was also a slave I had bought.

I don’t trust people.

I had been betrayed far too many times for that.

So I kept only slaves bound by obedience seals at my side, and made them my companions in battle.

Everyone living in this estate was my slave.

The silver-haired elf girl who had opened the gates widened her eyes in surprise when Klump arrived carrying a thin, frail young man in his arms.

Her mouth hung slightly open.

“…Who is that?”

“That’s Seth,” I replied. “I’ll introduce him properly later. For now, let’s go inside.”

Mancel guided the carriage toward the rear stables. I stepped down and walked briskly toward the mansion.

Klump and the elf girl—Lizanne—exchanged a look.

Neither of them understood what was going on.

In the sitting room, Klump placed Seth down on a long sofa.

Seth curled into himself as he sat there, shrinking as if trying to disappear.

I turned to Lizanne.

“Seth will be working in this house. As you can see, he’s blind, so the kinds of work he can do will be limited. Still, make sure he works properly.”

“…He’s blind. And you expect him to work how, exactly?” Lizanne replied, her expression sour.

I answered without hesitation.

“Seth has magic. Quite a lot of it, actually. For a human, it’s above average. Have him make potions, or channel mana into magic tools.”

At that, Seth lifted his head sharply, as if struck by the words.

He looked as though he couldn’t understand how I knew that he possessed magic.

As if I shouldn’t know.

But of course I knew.

Because he was my former fiancé.

He was royalty, and the royal bloodline often carried magical ability.

And he, as the crown prince, had possessed immense mana—I had known that much.

Strangely enough, even now, he still hadn’t realized that I was his former fiancée, Evelina.

Perhaps that was inevitable.

The Evelina he once knew was a quiet girl—soft-spoken, timid, always uncertain of herself.

Not a woman who spoke with such cold authority and commanded others so casually.

I had decided it was fine if he never noticed.

“You’ll be sharing a room with me at first,” I said. “He can’t see, so until he gets used to the house, someone needs to look after him.”

At that, Mancel, Klump, and Lizanne all visibly widened their eyes.

“Seriously?”

“What the—”

“Wait, what is that guy to you, Eve?”

“Nothing,” I said flatly. “He can’t see. Someone has to help him adjust. That’s all.”

My red hair swayed as I turned toward my room.

Then I called out to Seth.

“Come. I’ll take you to your room.”

I held out my hand.

After a brief hesitation, his trembling fingers gently took mine, and he stood.

I looked at his still-pale face.

And silently asked myself—

What is he to me?

This former fiancé I bought… what am I trying to do with him?

Pity?

No. That was gone long ago.

Revenge?

That feeling had once existed, yes.

But even that had already faded.

Love?

That, too, was gone. Not even a fragment remained.

The Evelina who once loved him had died eight years ago.

She was not here anymore.

I tilted my head slightly.

The closest thing to it now… might be a pet.

Something to cherish.

Yes. He is my cherished possession.

The old Evelina had adored this cold, beautiful crown prince.

She had gazed at him in a daze, endlessly, never growing tired of it.

She had known he found her attention bothersome.

Even when he treated her coldly, she still clung to him, still spoke to him desperately.

Good for you, Evelina.

After eight long years…

You’ve finally obtained him.

Your beloved, beloved prince.