Althea: The Legendary Saintess [Shoujo]

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Two more years passed since I made up my mind.

I turned nine, and I learned a lot about fighting.

I don't mean to boast, but I think I'm pretty strong. Still, I'm nowhere near Director Miles's level...

One day, unbelievable news came in. It was said that Lady Althea had activated her magic at the age of five. I was supposed to serve by her side when she turned eight...

The information about Lady Althea activating her magic was relayed by the Director, and I was strictly instructed not to tell anyone else.

After that, I was told that in order to serve as Lady Althea's personal maid, I had to pass the "final test". If I didn't take the test or couldn't pass it, someone else would become Lady Althea's personal maid...

Absolutely unacceptable. I don't want to give up. ...Working at Lord Thomas's mansion is one thing, but having someone take away the right to watch over that person I fell in love with at first sight that day...

I couldn't imagine not taking the "final test", but at the same time, I was afraid of it.

Until I was informed of the target of the test, that is, the "person to kill"...

The opponent of my "final test" imposed upon me was the man who instilled fear and despair in me when I was six years old.

He probably knew about my "past" and chose accordingly.

He was a likely opponent to make me falter... To dispel the fear deep in my heart and to protect my master at all times, I had to go through this path.

I tightly gripped my trembling hands and closed my eyes to calm my mind.

Behind my eyelids, I saw the sapphire eyes I saw when I woke up three years ago and the smile of the person who captured my heart two years ago. Thinking of them, strangely, the trembling subsided.

I slowly opened my eyes, looked straight at the Director, and nodded.

The days until the "final test" were not many.

Lady Althea would probably be meeting His Majesty the King in the capital by now, or perhaps the schedule was still being adjusted.

Regardless, I had to finish the "final test" before Lord Thomas and Lady Althea returned.

The Director informed me of the place where the man now lived.

Now that I knew where he lived, I first needed to observe his current actions and then decide how to kill him. So, I went to his current residence and hid to observe. He was living with a woman I didn't know. My mother, I heard from the Director, was sold by him when they ran out of money, and she eventually died of illness. ...To me now, it didn't matter.

The two of them were unaware of my presence, entangled in each other during the day.

Really disgusting.

I recalled that day a little and felt nauseous. But strangely, there was no trembling as I had right after hearing the news. I continued to observe as a mere target.

The woman dressed up and went out at night. From her attire, she was probably a "prostitute".

He seemed to be living off the woman's money without working.

Good thing he's a scumbag. Now I can kill him without hesitation.

Today, I didn't plan to kill, but the thought of getting rid of the scum quickly came up.

Tonight happened to be a new moon. In other words, it was the perfect night to get rid of him... Thinking so, I appeared in front of him alone at his house.

He was drunk, but when he saw me appear in front of him, he was surprised for a moment, then smiled the same smirk as that day.

"Laila... huh? ... You're Laila, right? Where have you been? I was worried because you suddenly disappeared."

"..."

"Your mother and I searched desperately, but couldn't find you, so your mother became desperate."

"... So you 'sold' my mother?"

He flinched at my words. He must have wondered how I knew that. To avoid arousing suspicion, he continued speaking.

"Sold?... What are you talking about, she became desperate and left on her own. I was the one abandoned."

"Hmm... So now you're living here with another woman?"

I looked up at him with no expression.

"Don't look at me like that. ...Anyway, Laila, you've become quite 'grown-up' in three years. Where have you been and what have you been doing... well, that doesn't matter. Let's celebrate that you're safe and sound and have grown so much. From now on, I'll make you a proper woman. So..."

As he said that, he approached me.

For a moment, just a moment, I felt a chill down my spine. But I'm not the same as I was back then.

It had been three years, difficult but also happy. Lord Thomas, my savior. The Director and everyone at the facility who took care of me, even if they were strict. And though I hadn't formally met him yet, the future master who would surely be an angel to me. In order to protect that future master from now on, I must not be bound by past fears.

I relaxed my face for a moment, and he must have thought I had accepted it, as he approached me with a smirk. As he approached and pushed me against the wall, I cut his carotid artery with the hidden weapon I had.

"!!!"

Blood splattered in front of my eyes, and he collapsed towards me. Of course, I pushed him away immediately and stepped on his face.

As I stepped on his face, looking down at him in the pool of blood,

"I thought about killing you in one go, but... scum like you should suffer a bit before dying. ...Don't worry, by the time she comes back, you'll surely be dead..."

I laughed softly and was about to leave his house when the Director appeared in front of the door.

"...You can't leave yet, Laila. You must witness his 'death'. And besides, with that method of killing, your clothes are too stained with blood. If you walk outside like this, it will be noticeable, won't it?... I understand that you want to torment him, but if by any chance, he's rescued by someone, you'll fail the 'final test', won't you?"

— The 'final test' —

Those words brought me back to my senses.

That's right, I had to approach this not with feelings of resentment or fear, but as a 'job'. This was a 'test' after all...

I calmed down and looked back at him.

There probably wasn't much blood left in him now; he was twitching slightly. Even so, I had to make sure he was 'dead' beyond doubt.

With the hidden weapon I used to cut his carotid artery, I stabbed his chest, his heart.

His body, which had been twitching, stopped moving in an instant, confirming his 'death', I turned to the Director.

"Well done. Being momentarily consumed by feelings of hatred or fear is a minus point... But for a first time, it's quite acceptable."

Saying so, the Director smiled kindly and handed me clothes.

"Are you planning to go outside like this?"

My clothes were stained with the blood that splattered when I cut his carotid artery.

"I'm sorry... I acted out of hatred... It wasn't the most efficient method, was it?"

"It's fine since the opponent was an amateur, but that might not be the case in the future. Always strive to be able to defeat with a single blow. Otherwise, you won't be able to protect the person you want to protect, you know?"

"Yes, I'll keep that in mind..."

I hurriedly changed into the clothes I received and neatly bundled up the dirty ones, then left the scene with the Director.

There was no one around, and we walked home together along the dark road without the moonlight.

On the way back, in a slightly off-road location, I burned the dirty clothes.

"Ryla, the timing was very good. You didn't meet anyone on the way back, did you? You must never let anyone see you..."

While murmuring, I gazed at the Director,

Maybe the Director had been following me all day today. If that's the case, there's still a big difference between me not noticing at all and the Director following me without being noticed...

I pondered vaguely.

Five days after the "final test," Lord Thomas and Lady Althea safely returned, and I was finally able to meet her as her personal maid.

Seeing Lady Althea's smile, even lovelier than two years ago, I experienced my second pulse of love.