“Uuugh….”
I opened my eyes.
No.
To be precise, I tried to open them.
My body wouldn’t move.
“It hurts.”
My fingertips.
My legs.
My lower back.
There wasn’t a single place that didn’t hurt.
*'Yesterday.'*
*'That damn Grand Duke.'*
I tried to slowly turn over, only to roll straight off the bed.
Thud.
“…Aaaah!”
I hit the floor.
*'I don’t want to get up.'*
I wanted to go right back to sleep.
Just then—
Knock, knock.
“Lady Ella.”
Hari’s voice came from outside.
“Are you awake?”
“I’m not awake.”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m dreaming right now.”
“…This isn’t reality.”
A brief silence followed.
“…I’m coming in.”
Click.
The door opened.
Hari looked down at me, sprawled across the floor.
“So you were dreaming.”
“Yes.”
“On the floor?”
“…It was a strange dream.”
Hari’s lips curved faintly as she tried to hold back a laugh.
“Breakfast is ready.”
“…I don’t want to go.”
“You have training today.”
The next moment,
I shot to my feet.
“That’s right.”
*'Today.'*
*'New training!.'*
The pain in my body was forgotten for the moment.
I hurriedly washed my face and changed clothes.
After roughly fixing my silver-white hair in the mirror, I flashed a big smile.
“All right.”
Today, without fail,
I’m going to get Dante out among the people.
Dining room.
Hugo was already there.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning!”
I greeted him with a bright smile.
Hugo looked at my face and gave me a small smile.
“How is your body?”
“…Not good.”
“I thought it might be.”
“The Grand Duke is too much.”
Hugo chuckled softly.
“If that’s all you suffered, he was being quite lenient.”
“The Grand Duke’s usual training is—”
“About three times more difficult.”
“…He really is insane.”
Hugo didn’t deny it.
Just then—
Thud.
Familiar footsteps approached.
It was Dante.
As neat as ever in his black uniform.
His hair perfectly in place.
His face expressionless.
He sat down as if nothing had happened yesterday.
I stared at him.
“…What.”
“Grand Duke.”
“You’re not sore?”
“…I’m not.”
*'Is he even human?'*
I was genuinely shocked.
“I feel like I’m going to die today.”
“That’s because you’re weak.”
“Repeat it until your body remembers.”
“…Is that something a person says?”
Dante began cutting his bread without a care.
I sighed and spooned up some soup.
And then.
I brought up the main topic of the day.
“Grand Duke.”
“Today’s training.”
Hugo quietly set down his teacup.
Hari also raised her head ever so slightly.
Everyone knew.
*'Here we go again.'*
I smiled brightly.
“Today is—”
I raised one finger.
“Trying to Live Like a Normal Person!”
“…I refuse.”
The rejection came far too quickly.
I nodded as if I’d expected it.
“That’s why I prepared this.”
“Unnecessary.”
“It’s necessary.”
I pulled a sheet of paper from inside my clothes.
Dante furrowed his brow.
“…What is it this time?”
I unfolded the paper with a flourish.
Bold letters were written across it.
《Project: Become a Normal Person》
First.
Get clothes tailored.
“…I’m not going.”
“You are.”
“I refuse.”
“You have to go.”
“Unnecessary.”
“It’s necessary.”
“…Is this an imperial decree?”
I grinned.
“No.”
“This time—”
“It’s an Ella decree.”
Hugo coughed.
Pfft.
Hari turned her head away as well.
Dante stared at me in silence.
“…Funny.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn’t a compliment.”
“Thank you anyway.”
I folded the paper back up.
“Before the end of today, you will go to the market district.”
“To a tailor.”
“By yourself.”
“Have your measurements taken.”
“And get clothes tailored.”
“…Alone?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not going.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
In the end, Dante let out a long sigh.
“If I don’t—”
I answered as if I’d been waiting for him to say it.
“Then I won’t purify you.”
The dining room fell silent.
Hugo quietly set down his teacup.
Hari looked at me too.
I smiled sweetly.
“Grand Duke.”
“These days,”
“hasn’t your dark energy been a little calmer?”
Dante’s eyes flickered ever so slightly.
I knew it.
It was working.
Ever since I’d been staying close to him
and occasionally holding his hand to purify him,
the dark energy tormenting him had been gradually weakening.
Dante was silent for a moment before speaking.
“…That’s blackmail.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“It’s motivation.”
In the end, Dante closed his eyes.
“…Hugo.”
“Yes.”
“Prepare the carriage.”
I clenched both fists.
*'It worked!.'*
“Great!”
I sprang to my feet.
“Then I’ll get a massage and wait for you!”
“…What?”
“Cheering you on is important too, you know.”
For the first time.
Truly, for the first time,
Dante looked genuinely dumbfounded.
I let out a small laugh at the sight.
*'Little by little.'*
*'He’s changing little by little.'*
He didn’t realize it yet, but—
If this had been the old Dante,
he wouldn’t have listened to me all the way to the end in the first place.
And I had no idea.
That a few hours later,
Dante’s appearance upon returning from the market district
would far surpass my expectations.