Sylphy, the Timid Fairy.
People often approached Sylphy, deceived by her cute appearance and timid personality, completely unaware of the truth.
There had to be a reason why such a frail-looking fairy had managed to survive for so long. Sylphy possessed a powerful ability—she could hypnotize anyone she made eye contact with.
In the game, this was represented by a debuff effect on enemies. But now, in reality, her power was no different from true hypnosis.
“Caroline.”
“…Yes.”
Caught.
Ian could tell from her dazed expression and dull tone that the hypnosis had worked successfully.
So, what now? There was no harm in proceeding. Extracting information from someone under hypnosis was akin to peeking into their bare soul.
“What’s troubling you?”
“Worry…”
“Anything is fine.”
“Lately… I think I’ve gained weight… I’m worried.”
As she spoke, Caroline unconsciously touched her tummy. Whether she wore a corset or not, nothing showed from the outside.
Ian gently peeled back the layers of her heart, slowly delving into its depths.
“I didn’t do well on the last exam…”
“What else?”
“Recently, the cat I used to see in the backyard disappeared…”
The back-and-forth of such simple concerns made Ian wonder if these trivial issues could really be linked to the seeds of evil buried within. He found himself growing slightly bored.
That was when Caroline slipped out something important.
“—I wish everyone would die.”
“…Hey, why?”
“Just, just…”
That simple statement could carry two meanings: either it was so obvious she didn’t need a reason, or it was so complicated she couldn’t begin to explain.
Feelings like hatred for humanity didn’t just appear from nowhere. There had to be a deeper reason behind her silence.
Now was the time to uncover it.
“I see.”
Ian gently took her hand, which was resting on the table. At the same time, Pink activated her ability to raise Caroline’s heart rate.
Even in a hypnotic state, the subconscious remained active. The mind always revealed more to someone it liked than to a stranger.
“It’s okay. We have time. Let’s start from the beginning—slowly.”
Now was the time to completely melt her defenses and reach the core of her heart.
***
Ian had a deep conversation with Caroline.
That day, he even learned how often she had wet her pajamas as a child and how she handled her growing libido.
After that long talk, Ian came to a conclusion.
‘Rich people are more prone to depression…’
There was a reason poor beggars rarely became depressed. If they allowed themselves to be dragged down by such nonsense, they would starve before they even had time to feel sad. (G: So true…)
Wealthy aristocrats had the luxury of contemplation, which had led to the birth of philosophy and science. But that same luxury also gave rise to psychological afflictions—like the so-called “philosophy of bullsh*t.”
‘What? You’re upset because you’re not the best, and there are so many people better than you?’
How could that possibly be considered a real concern? Ian couldn’t understand it.
Sure, it was natural to feel a bit anxious or frustrated when others had more or did better than you… but still, everyone had moments like that.
The world was vast. Even dogs and cows could seem better off at times. What good would it do to waste your life being jealous?
‘Should I just let her die?’
Clearly, she was in a situation just out of reach—that’s why she felt so tormented. People don’t care when you’re far away. But once you’re within reach, they start to feel greedy.
“Done. Sylphy, Pink—you can release your powers.”
“Really!?”
“Ugh… I’m exhausted…”
Pink, who had been regulating Caroline’s brain to prevent damage from the hormone surge, rolled her shoulder and groaned in fatigue.
Honestly, all she had done was hold her breath and focus for a bit. Why was she acting like it had been so difficult?
Now that Ian had gathered all the information he needed, he gave the signal.
“Three, two, one.”
As he counted down, Caroline’s hypnosis was released. She blinked, regaining awareness, and looked around in confusion.
“Oh no, I must’ve dozed off…”
“You look really tired.”
“…Yes, well.”
Since fatigue was the enemy of good skin, she didn’t bother explaining that she always slept for eight hours every night.
Caroline simply covered her mouth with a soft smile and wiped her lips, checking to make sure she hadn’t drooled in her sleep.
Thankfully, she hadn’t.
“Oh, right. Marquis? It’s the midterm exam period now… Have you been preparing well?”
“Moderately.”
“Hmmm, if it’s not a bother… would you like to study together?”
The Academy’s exams were more than 90% practical. In truth, written tests hardly made a difference unless you got everything wrong.
She surely knew that. Even so, her suggestion to study together was a clear follow-up—a subtle appeal for more time together.
Ian, clutching his chest, shook his head and replied that he would.
When Ian accepted her request, Caroline—visibly delighted—suddenly realized how shameless she had acted and blushed.
“Then… just for today…”
“That was fun. Can I see you again tomorrow?”
“… Yes. Yes, Marquis.”
Caroline deliberately leaned closer to Ian, making it appear as though they were intimate—clearly hoping others would misunderstand.
Perhaps her intentions had worked. As they exited the café, she ran into Stella.
Stella’s expression as she looked at Caroline was sour with disgust. Caroline found it amusing. She enjoyed seeing others’ faces contort in irritation.
And whenever she felt good, she had a habit of doing something indulgent.
“Marquis~”
She hugged Ian tightly.
Right in front of Stella.
Her eyes curved into crescent moons, glowing with satisfaction.
***
“Pervert. A h0rny, perverted man who goes into heat for any w0man.”
It had been a while since Stella last spoke to Ian like that, but her tone now was vastly different.
If her previous insults had sounded like playful tsundere banter, this one came laced with genuine contempt—like an awl stabbing straight through his chest.
“That’s not what this is.”
“Really? Then what was it? You seemed to enjoy being hugged by her.”
“If that were the case, wouldn’t I have reacted the same when I was hugged by you girls before?”
“… That’s true.”
Unable to argue, Stella pouted. Why was he always so annoyingly composed?
Still, she figured she could allow herself to lose once. With that thought, she opened her arms wide toward Ian.
“Hug me!”
“Ah…”
She wanted to be hugged too—just like the other girl. She wanted him to do the same for her. There was no reason. She just… wanted it.
Ian stepped forward and embraced her without hesitation. The scent of roses she always wore floated up between them.
Her large chest pressed against his, and he could hear her rapid heartbeat. She was clearly nervous.
‘Wait, is this really okay?’
As he held her, Ian realized how strange this all was. They weren’t lovers. Doing something like this felt… odd.
He tried to brush it off, but the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
‘… I don’t know.’
Even so, Ian didn’t let go. He continued to hold her.
Eventually, Stella tapped his side lightly.
“… That’s enough.”
Her cheeks were flushed bright red. Somewhere along the way, she too had started feeling something strange.
Turning her head away in embarrassment, she glared at Ian, her eyes saying, ‘Don’t think you’re off the hook just yet.’
“So? What’s going on this time? What happened with her…”
“It’s nothing special.”
“Oh? That’s new. You always keep secrets. Why the change?”
“Hmm… yeah, well. It’s not a big deal if I tell you.”
If it had been about himself, he would’ve kept the secret. But since it was Caroline’s matter—and Ian wasn’t directly involved—he decided it was fine to share.
He told her everything: that Caroline had the demon’s seed planted in her, and that there was a high chance she would turn demonic.
Stella’s expression turned serious as she looked off toward where Caroline had disappeared.
“—Wouldn’t it be better to get rid of her now?”
“…I’ve thought about it, but you’re more ruthless than I expected.”
“What?”
“You’d just kill her without hesitation—what is that?”
To Ian, Caroline was still human. Even if she carried a demon seed, she hadn’t become one yet.
He couldn’t help but think this world’s noble system was irredeemable. They could kill fellow humans and go on living as if nothing happened.
Even if something had to be thrown away, wasn’t it better to save it first? If you always looked for shortcuts, you’d end up forgetting what truly mattered.
“…Did I say something wrong?”
“You’ll never understand.”
With that thought, Ian mentally downgraded his opinion of this world’s people by another notch.
Barbarians, disguised as civilized nobles—that was the true nature of their so-called aristocracy.
“If we killed Caroline now… her family would retaliate.”
“What family? If anything, they’d try to erase her completely, just to hide the fact that a demon came from their bloodline.”
“… Even if she’s family?”
“Exactly because she’s family.”
That answer didn’t sit right with Ian. Would a proud nobleman really allow someone stronger to unilaterally kill his daughter?
No, it was just temporary tolerance. Unless the goal was to wipe out Caroline’s family altogether, there was no point in sowing seeds of internal conflict.
“Then I’ll just say this…”
He needed someone to listen.
“If it can save her life, it might be an option to treat her like a s1ave.”
When Stella heard Ian’s words, her expression hardened.
“…S1ave? What are you planning to do?”
“…It’s not like that.”
Seeing the doubt in her eyes, Ian let out a light sigh.