Episode 106

[Well, that guy probably doesn’t have a shred of compassion left. He was betrayed by the humans he infinitely loved and trusted, then sealed away for over a thousand years. If it were you, wouldn’t you only dream of revenge?]

“…That may be true… but the ones responsible back then, those seven people, are no longer here.”

That was right. The ones Bergaus wanted to take revenge on had long since passed away.

Only their distant descendants remained.

So much time had passed that it hardly made sense to call it collective punishment.

[Bergaus wants to reclaim his former power—the blessings he foolishly bestowed upon humans. The way to reabsorb them is to eliminate their descendants.]

The spirit spoke in a low voice.

[That guy wants to escape this world now. He longs to return to his original dimension, to his distant homeland. But after being trapped in the seal for so long, he has grown too weak—even to the point where he lacks the power to cross dimensions.]

“…So if he eliminates the descendants of the Seven and absorbs the power he once gave them, he can return to his world.”

[That’s right. This isn’t just about revenge. That’s why there’s no way to quell his fury. He no longer harbors any emotions for humans. He’ll do whatever it takes to achieve his goal.]

“…My father has the Blessing of Terium.”

[Now that I think about it, you’re a descendant of Drenihan too. If you want to save your father, you should transfer the blessing to another relative as soon as possible.]

“I’m the one who’s supposed to inherit that blessing.”

[What? You? Even if that’s the case, if you understood what I just told you, then you must not accept it.]

The spirit was right. If I wanted to survive, I had to pass it on to someone else—like handing off a ticking time bomb.

But knowing what would happen to whoever received it, could I really just give it away so easily?

To inherit the Blessing of Terium was considered a lifelong honor—at least for now.

Even now, countless members of the Drenihan family were vying to receive it.

But once Bergaus awakened, if he possessed Ludwig’s body and went on a rampage, that blessing would be nothing more than a death sentence.

Dying because of the blessing—how ironic.

[Don’t overthink it. If you truly plan to inherit it, think about whose hands you’ll die by.]

“Whose hands…?”

Ludwig.

Ludwig, whose consciousness would be consumed by Bergaus, who would slaughter uncontrollably against his will.

His sword would be pointed at me.

‘I can’t imagine it.’

The same Ludwig who would be pulled close at the slightest tug of his sleeve, who would stand by my side without hesitation.

The one who would warm my hands with his own.

The one who would call my name in a gentle voice.

The thought of him raising his sword against me was beyond belief.

More than anything, the last image I had of Ludwig was his death.

Ludwig’s rampage would last for a week—until his body could no longer endure it, ultimately leading to his own destruction.

‘I can’t let that happen.’

At some point, Ludwig had become someone of great significance to me.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say my life had been divided into before and after meeting him.

Once that realization settled, the confusion in my mind cleared.

My goal became crystal clear.

“No matter what, I’ll stop Ludwig’s rampage.”

[……You’re choosing a difficult path.]

“I’ll inherit the Blessing of Terium when the time comes. It was meant for me in the first place.”

[That can’t happen!]

“I can’t pretend I don’t know the truth and pass this burden onto someone else. So, for my sake… please help me.”

[……]

I knew I was being unreasonable. But I was desperate—I was grasping at straws.

“Askan, please help me. If you do, I’ll form a contract with you.”

[…Hmph, so now you finally call me by my name? You kept calling me ‘Spirit, Spirit’ all this time.]

When he first appeared, he had told me his true name.

But I pretended not to hear it and never called him by it.

Because I never had any intention of forming a contract with him.

But now, none of that matters anymore.

“I don’t know the exact reason, but Askan has always wanted to form a contract with me.”

[Yeah, and yet you’ve ignored all my attempts to persuade you until now.]

Askan supported Bergaus’s ambitions.

Even though he spoke with irritation, he still held a hidden affection for his old friend.

A sudden thought crossed my mind—maybe he had deliberately kept something from me. A method he had been hiding.

The dimly lit room was briefly swallowed by silence.

After a short pause, Askan spoke again.

[Are you really going to make a contract with me?]

“I don’t go back on my word.”

[Now that I think about it… there might actually be a way.]

“Really?”

I asked in a voice filled with hope.

[It’s not exactly the ideal solution, though….]

Askan hesitated before continuing.

“What is it?”

[Only Ludwig Karsian’s Imprinted One can do it.]

“Ludwig’s Imprinted One…?”

[The Imprinted One is the one who holds the leash of the rampaging beast. The person who serves as the restraint, keeping his reason intact and preventing him from going berserk. As long as the imprint remains intact, Bergaus won’t be able to easily possess his body.]

“Ludwig already has an Imprinted One. So does that mean Bergaus can’t take over him?”

[Under normal circumstances, yes. That’s why Bergaus will try to sever the imprint before he makes his move.]

“…The imprint can be severed?”

The imprint I knew of was something that lasted a lifetime, remaining intact until the moment of death…

[For Bergaus, it is possible. After all, an imprint is nothing special. It’s an ancient magic that Bergaus placed upon a human woman he once loved, vowing to be with her for life. That magic was passed down to her descendants, and in time, it came to be known as an ‘imprint.’ Since it was originally his magic, retrieving it is no difficult task for him.]

“…Ah.”

That’s why, even in the original story, Jenna’s purification had no effect on Ludwig.

Because Bergaus had already severed the imprint between them.

[However, there is a way to prevent Bergaus from breaking the imprint. If he cannot sever it, he won’t be able to possess Ludwig’s body either, and the disaster you fear won’t happen.]

“A way to prevent the imprint from being severed…?”

[Bergaus has grown incredibly weak. Even if he regains consciousness soon, his power won’t extend beyond this empire.]

Askan hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

[The authority over the imprint belongs to the Imprinted One. Bergaus severs it by retrieving his ancient magic from them.]

Hearing that, a certain possibility came to mind.

“Then… don’t tell me… the Imprinted One has to escape beyond Bergaus’s reach? Leave the empire?”

[That’s right. Even if they flee to a neighboring country, they’ll be beyond his grasp.]

“For how long?”

[At least as long as the ‘perfect vessel’ Bergaus seeks exists in this world.]

“……”

[And they must never meet Ludwig Karsian again. Bergaus shares Ludwig’s consciousness. Even if they flee abroad, the moment he spots them, it’s all over.]

The thought of Ludwig never seeing Rachel again for the rest of his life was unbearably sad… but if this was the only way, there was no choice.

“But won’t Ludwig need his Imprinted One eventually?”

After all, he could still lose control at any time.

[Well… at least the Ludwig I saw at that time seemed fairly stable. However…]

“However?”

[Bergaus is already watching through Ludwig Karsian’s consciousness. That means even the very idea of fleeing the empire cannot be shared with him. This is why I hesitated to mention this method.]

“…Why?”

[The attachment to one’s Imprinted One is instinctive. If they suddenly vanish without explanation, of course, he’ll lose control. And don’t forget—Ludwig has the power and influence to search for them easily. In other words, even if they flee, they’ll have to live as fugitives.]

I hadn’t considered that.

Even if I provided as much support as possible, this was far from an easy decision.

But if it was her… I believed Rachel would willingly make this sacrifice for Ludwig.

“I should talk to Rachel.”

[Rachel? Who’s that?]

“She’s Ludwig’s Imprinted One. His nanny as well.”

At my words, Askan looked at me as if I had just said something absurd.

[No. Ludwig’s Imprinted One is you.]