I was lying in my room when I suddenly felt someone shaking me.
When I opened my eyes, I saw Valerie's worried face: "What's wrong, Cassien?"
I'd had a nightmare.
Sometimes I saw my family dying again.
I still don't know where that Rizevim bastard is, and no one knows where the hell he is.
They say he's holed up in his room.
"Just a nightmare. It's nothing. And shouldn't you be sleeping in your own room?" I said.
I turned my back to her, but she wrapped her arms around me from behind: "The mansion is so big, and I'm still not used to it… Were you living here all alone before me?"
"Yeah…"
"You must have felt so lonely. Even when I was locked up in Tepes Castle, there were servants around."
I sighed: "I never felt lonely."
I could feel Valerie's chest pressed against my back: "Then why? Is there a reason?"
"Because the room I'm sleeping in right now used to be my parents' room. Remembering they were once here, laughing, or pulling me between them to sleep… it keeps me from feeling alone. My view on loneliness is different."
I felt her press even closer, her hand resting on my stomach: "You can tell me more later… So when are you planning to add me to your peerage?"
"Two years from now. If you're still willing, of course."
I turned around again.
Our faces were close now.
She looked shocked: "Why? Am I not good enough!? Or do I not fit the clarification you want!? I'll do whatever it takes! Please don't abandon me!"
I keep forgetting this girl came from serious trauma.
I placed my hand on her hair: "An Evil Piece is like a multiplier. Even though you've gotten stronger now, in two years I'll use the piece on you when you're at your peak. That way, you'll get the multiplier at your absolute best. For example, I still haven't used my King piece."
Her grip loosened a little: "I'm sorry… For a second, I got really scared you were going to leave me…"
"Calm down, Valerie. Pull yourself together… Look, you've been through a lot in the past, but you're still alive. Those times are over. You're getting way too dependent on me, and I don't want that. What if one day I die? What would you do? I don't want you to break again."
But Valerie pulled me closer.
Her red eyes were staring straight into my soul: "Then even if my soul breaks, I'll revive you with Sephiroth Graal! It's going really well right now, and in a while I'll master it completely."
"What if I die before you master it?"
"Then I'd kill myself," she said flatly.
I looked deep into her eyes: "That's exactly what I don't want. Your life belongs to you. I don't want control over it. Even if I add you to my peerage, I wouldn't restrict anyone in it. I'd only call on them when it really mattered. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
"…It doesn't change my decision. I'm sorry."
I sighed: "I understand…"
This girl is seriously not okay psychologically.
She's turning into a yandere, and I need to stop it.
I really didn't want to deal with a dhampir yandere.
I prefer mastery over just raw physical and magical power increases.
For example, by now I've mastered everything—including firearms.
Even though I can increase my power through training, mastery comes slowly, and that's how I'll reach my goal.
Fighting EXE gods? I don't even care.
Someone else can handle that.
Or Trihexia stuff—I don't give a damn.
With Valerie around, the evil dragons won't get revived anyway.
I'm mastering Cleave and Dismantle too.
I've even tried World Cutting Slash and managed a tiny bit.
That's why mastery matters.
I've gained so many abilities from the people I judged.
Most of them get sacrificed through Binding Vows to boost or specialize certain aspects.
What more do I need?
This is already enough.
———————
Today I went through the letters and frowned.
Because among them was a marriage proposal from the Phenex family.
They want to marry off Ravel Phenex. She's fourteen right now…
No way in hell! I'm not Epstein!!!
They offered good things in return and said all they wanted was their daughter's happiness. I immediately wrote a rejection letter.
The paper vanished from my hand.
These people really have a unique way of thinking.