Instead of listening to Zenon’s instructions to leave, Heloise widened her eyes and looked up at the moustached man, Marquis Velks.

His tall height, which probably was a hereditary trait from his paternal line, along with a temperamental face and a painstakingly grown moustache, gave others a deep impression.

That man is the future Duke of Lionerik.

Also…the person that would own <Zenon’s Heart>.

“Don’t you hear me telling you to leave?”

When Heloise did not respond, Zenon’s voice became filled with nervousness and impatience.

The Marquis of Velks laughed, perhaps finding it amusing, and asked.

“Why are you hiding her?”

“I’m not hiding her, but getting rid of her so that she wouldn’t interfere with my conversation with Uncle.”

When Heloise didn’t leave and stared at Marquis Velks, the Marquis raised an eyebrow and recognized her.

“Aha, so you’re the daughter of Viscount Lorca. Now that I look at you carefully, you bear a resemblance to your father.”

“Hello, I’m Heloise Lorca.”

“Heloise!”

Although Zenon’s rebuking tone was clear, there was any choice.

Heloise wanted to meet him one day.

He’s the villain from the original work, and a character that couldn’t handle the power and could cause a <Regression>.

He was also the cruel uncle who took everything from Zenon and locked him in the Langbert Mansion.

“I’ve been entering this mansion as the Young Duke’s playmate these days.”

“Young Duke?”

Both Marquis Velks and even Zenon himself looked quite surprised when they heard the form of address Heloise used.

In particular, Marquis Velks’ forehead wrinkled.

Heloise responded innocently, pretending that she wasn’t aware of their reactions.

“Yes.”

“Hah, what a surprise.”

The Marquis didn’t continue the conversation as he thought of it as a child’s provocation, but he didn’t hide his irritation.

“That’s right, I think I’d heard of it before. Originally, I’m a very busy person, so I keep forgetting about my personal matters.”

Though it was, indeed, personal matters, it made her upset for some reason.

Considering the fact that Zenon was supposed to be the head of the family, the matter of Zenon’s playmate should have been treated with the utmost importance amongst the family’s matters.

No. If he was treated as a normal head of the family, Zenon, who’s sixteen, wouldn’t need a playmate.

He might be burdened with heavy responsibilities, but he definitely wouldn’t suffer from such disregard.

“So, have you been continuing to use mana recklessly and suffering the consequences?”

Heloise opened her mouth with a serious expression.

“He has been cautious these days, and is spending his time in a different way with me.”

“Cautious? Zenon?”

Hooh. Marquis Velks’ eyes were gleaming with curiosity, and he scanned Heloise. Zenon frowned.

He seemed to want to get out of this situation right away.

“While learning magic for the sake of the family’s honour, isn’t it time to worry? It’s because this concerns the Young Duke’s lifespan.”

‘You must be hoping that Zenon dies as soon as possible.’

“Ooh, of course. Maybe it’s because I only have a daughter, but all the boys at this age seem to be reckless.”

“What?”

“Sometimes I forget that Zenon’s days are numbered. It would be lonely, but what can I do? Everyone is like that.”

Heloise was angered by his rude remark first.

In fact, Zenon seemed to be familiar with such treatment, and remained still with an expressionless face, but that appearance made Heloise angrier.

“You don’t need to worry about that at all.”

“Did the doctors say that this kid would show improvement?”

“No. No matter what, I’ll somehow find a way.”

“You?”

Marquis Velks’ face was full of ridicule.

What can you do?

You, who’s younger than Zenon?

It was as if those words had brushed past her ear.

“And if the young master dies, I’ll soon follow suit.”

“What?”

Zenon, who had remained quiet all this time, interrupted with a flustered look.

Although she could feel his shock, she didn’t care about it in the slightest.

‘If you die, it’s obvious that I’ll soon follow suit.’

If Zenon dies, the magical tool <Zenon’s Heart> would be created, and the moment it’s in the hands of the Duke of Lionerik, the world will end.

Heloise Lorca’s life wasn’t any different.

As such, Heloise was 100% sincere when she said that she would risk her life to stop him from becoming a magical tool.

She didn’t care in the slightest about how weird it appeared.

It didn’t matter as she had already spoken those words, and both the arrogant Marquis Velks and the foolishly sullen young master were surprised by it.

She turned her head and spoke while looking at Zenon.

“That’s why, please believe in me, Young Master. From now on, the Young Master only has me.”

Heloise didn’t even consider how her words then sounded like to a boy that has been lonely and sick all his life.

Upon hearing those words, the marquis burst into laughter, perhaps finding her words very amusing.

“Where in the world did you find such a child, Zenon?”

“……”

“It’s not that he found me, but I came to the Young Duke on my own accord.”

At the sight of Heloise’s clear answer, Marquis Velks, who was chuckling with surprise, tossed his cape back lightly before leaving the room without saying a word.

When the sound of the marquis’ footsteps disappeared to the far end of the hall, Heloise said to Zenon.

“Zenon! What are you doing accepting that person’s visits? Just avoid him with the excuse that you’re sick!”

“Well, he had planted people here, so he came knowing everything.”

“You’re quite good at closing the door on me!”

The thought of the day she was rejected outside Langbert Mansion still made her nape stiffen.

Then, Zenon suddenly grabbed Heloise’s wrist.

“What’s wrong?”

“What with that conversation?”

“What about it?”

“The part about you dying with me.”

“Ah…”

Heloise dodged his gaze awkwardly. Zenon wasn’t supposed to know about it yet.

The triumphant-looking Marquis of Velks was so annoying that she threw those words out.

The way he kept acting so confidently, as if he had received the day of Zenon’s death, she wouldn’t be able to endure the surge of irritation if she couldn’t say anything in response.

“That’s not what I meant, Young Master.”

Heloise returned back to her previous tone and appeased him gently.

“What do you mean by that?”

“Why would I die? I’m definitely not going to die. That’s how much… That just means how much I’ll help the Young Master live for a long time. Hehe.”

Zenon looked at her with a distrustful look.

Heloise hurriedly avoided his gaze as she sweated profusely.

Why was he looking at her so doubtfully?

Heloise gave him a big smile.

“Rather than that, I’ve also brought apple soup today. There’s also a medicine that’s good for the body, the ground horns of a Peol.”

“I’m not even a patient today, so why did you bring those kinds of things?”

“It’s just… to help the Young Master get better soon.”

Heloise laughed and said to herself, “I’ll only live when you’re all better.”

⋄────∘°❃°∘────⋄

The next day, Heloise, who woke up early in the morning, sat on her bed and stared out the window blankly.

What can she do for Zenon to get better?

Since she was neither a target nor the main character, and saving was out of the question, Heloise needed to be cautious about even the smallest of choices.

It would be even better if it was obviously a boring and safe route.

Heloise sprang up from her seat.

She opened the door and left her room, grabbing a maid that was about to start her dawn shift and asked.

“Lina, what month is it?”

“Oh my gosh, my lady! What brings you here at this hour?”

“Is it April or May today?”

“Today? It’s May, my lady.”

Heloise smiled contentedly.

May is one of the three months where the door-to-door vendor would appear in a year.

He was someone that possessed various odd and mysterious items that can only be found in the dungeon, and also a very familiar information dealer.

He would appear in January, May, and September, and would usually visit Sienna’s house personally, but a chance meeting while loitering around the square was also possible.

Anyways, since she wasn’t meeting with Zenon today as it’s a holiday, she had plenty of time, so she changed her clothes and found a carriage.

“Peter! I’m going to the square! Get ready!”

“Yes, yes, understood.”

As expected, there was an extremely thin and old woman that’s dressed in a robe when she arrived in the square.

She could have been overlooked at first glance, but Heloise had seen illustrations of her often, so she couldn’t help but recognize her instantly.

“Excuse me.”

The woman was staring straight ahead with a cane in hand, but when Heloise spoke to her, she lowered her head.

“I would like to purchase something.”

As this game’s play time wasn’t short, there were many people that used cheat keys as they wanted to collect the various endings, and this woman was one of the places to obtain the cheat item, which would apply the key.

Using cheats will make the game end futilely, so Heloise would only use it once in a while, but if the cheat item was in this woman’s possession, wouldn’t she be able to prevent Zenon from heading towards the worst-case scenario?

“What is it?”

“Please give me ch11.”

“What?”

“ch11, please.”

“……”

The woman’s expression became scary.

She gave up her absent-minded attitude and looked downwards at Heloise.

“How do you know about that item?”

ch11. Its official name was ‘Fairy’s Tears’, and was only owned by Queen Isabel and Dragon of the Lark Valley.

In the case of the door-to-door vendor, it was most likely that they managed to collect it from the Dragon of the Lark Valley’s nest.

“What does that have to do with anything? I am completely capable of paying the price.”

Heloise held up her purse at the same time.

All of the items sold by the door-to-door vendor were expensive.

Unlike Sienna Salles, who’s father could only be a <Merchant> or a <Fallen Aristocrat>, Heloise was the daughter of the spotless Viscount Lorca.

This amount of money was complete within the range of her allowance.

The woman stared at the purse blankly and finally shook her head.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t purchase it.”

⋄────∘°❃°∘────⋄

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