Chapter 15
I raised my head slowly, hardly believing my eyes.
Mayer, calm as ever, gestured to the book as if urging me to read.
I reluctantly turned my gaze back to the book.
“…Do you feel pain? If so, there’s no need to hesitate. Realize that the only way to free yourself from suffering is revenge, and for that, the method is…”
Wait, what is this even about?
Wasn’t this supposed to be 41 Ways to Overcome Emotional Wounds? And the “family edition,” no less?
And now it’s recommending revenge as a solution?
This is ridiculously suspicious.
I swallowed a short gasp of disbelief.
“Then, shall we hear the lady’s thoughts on that method?”
Mayer’s gentle voice froze me on the spot.
“…My thoughts? You want me to speak them?”
He nodded. A bad feeling made my heart beat faster.
Everyone had said this was “education.” Just a moment ago, Mayer himself had said we should start the “lesson.”
Normally, that would mean Mayer explains something, and I listen.
But instead, he had me start by reading some strange book, and now he wants my thoughts.
…Self-directed learning, or whatever this is.
I quietly kept my mouth shut and took a sip from my teacup, wetting my dry throat.
Mayer added, urging gently,
“Take it easy. As always, please share your thoughts. If there are painful memories, please do not hesitate to share them as well.”
Painful memories…
My gaze slowly reached Mayer across the teacup.
His calm smile seemed off, and I narrowed my brows.
There was only one thought in my head: I had no idea what the true purpose of this “education” was.
At first, it seemed like counseling to heal Selenea’s trauma, but the content of the book itself was far too suspicious.
Even if this were truly therapy, provoking someone’s trauma recklessly isn’t normal.
My eyes narrowed automatically.
Maybe this isn’t about education or lessons at all…
I calmly put the teacup down. My previously jumbled thoughts were settling.
“How many years has it been already?”
Mayer tilted his head at my question, but then smiled and answered,
“Quite a long time. At least three years, I’d say.”
I slowly nodded at his answer.
Selenea probably started avoiding her father, the duke, around that time.
I sensed instinctively—this wasn’t a coincidence.
And the matter with Estelline too…
Anyone who had read the novel would know: Selenea hated Estelline intensely.
The first thing I did after entering this body was to stop Selenea’s plan to poison Estelline.
But…
Did the novel ever explain why Selenea hated Estelline?
I had assumed it was jealousy.
But thinking about it, that seemed strange.
Selenea isn’t from a poor family, and she isn’t weak… sure, she’s not a manifestor.
Then she should have been jealous of all manifestors.
But she was aggressive only toward Estelline—extremely so.
My instincts are probably right.
After sorting my thoughts, I slowly lifted my slightly stiff face.
Mayer was right in front of me, his eyes kind but focused.
I opened my mouth slowly.
“Revenge… revenge, huh…”
As I fiddled with the corner of the book, Mayer leaned toward me, as if urging me to speak.
“Of course, I think it’s necessary.”
“Hmm… tell me, who exactly do you want revenge on?”
Mayer smiled faintly as he asked.
There were plenty of people I wanted revenge on.
My parents, who abandoned me at birth;
The orphanage director who secretly abused me before middle school;
Classmates who bullied me in high school, and teachers who knew but did nothing;
Ah, workplace harassment too…
There were a lot of people deserving revenge.
Mayer watched me silently, seemingly still waiting for an answer.
Breaking the silence, I spoke in a low voice.
“Why, Mayer… do you want me to take revenge on my father?”
His expression stiffened.
I remembered clearly what Anna had told me yesterday.
‘Anna, are there other people who use the library besides Ansen and me?’
‘No, my lady. You always use your personal study… though occasionally, outside guests have been seen using it.’
And in the past few days, I saw that very few people visited this mansion.
Mostly Mayer, some servants, Rozetin, and Martina.
Who, without suspicion, could have touched Ansen’s things?
It can only be Mayer.
I took a breath and added clearly,
“Or… do you want me to take revenge on Estelline instead?”
I slowly pulled the vial I had hidden in my pocket. The clear liquid inside sloshed.
“Tell me. You didn’t give this to me for that reason, did you?”
Mayer’s pupils widened as he looked at the vial in my hand—the “Tears of God.”
He raised one eyebrow and let out a “Ha ha…” while smiling.
I clenched the vial tightly, swallowing dryly. Mayer said,
“Ah.”
Then, his expression hardened, and he added coldly,
“Hand it over.”
I shook my head, sweat running down my spine.
“I said hand it over.”
Mayer’s voice echoed through the reception room. I answered,
“No.”
The warmth in his eyes flared suddenly into rage.
“Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done?”
I calmly stood up.
“How did you do it?”
Mayer hesitated.
“The brainwashing ability. The one you used on me.”
Mayer hadn’t expected that, his eyelids widening. I kept my gaze fixed and took a step back, hiding the vial behind me.
From books on abilities I had read in the library, I knew.
[Abilities awakened through manifestation are varied… including mental domination abilities like “brainwashing” and “training.”]
Mental domination abilities exist.
And…
The Prater Temple of the capital was unique.
It was the largest building after the palace.
Only the Pope and high-ranking clergy could enter; normal priests couldn’t even access it.
And Mayer was a priest from that very temple.
Why didn’t I realize it before?
I stared at Mayer. This wasn’t something trivial.
Mayer is at least a high-ranking priest, maybe more.
And becoming such a priest at such a young age must be thanks to his highly valued brainwashing ability.
Then it happened.
“I’m the one who wants to ask,” Mayer murmured, smiling creepily, staring straight at me.
“How exactly did you do it?”
“….”
“How did you overcome my ability?”
He looked at me, clearly interested. My expression stiffened involuntarily under his piercing gaze.
I silently scanned the room. The door out of the reception room was behind Mayer.
To escape, I had to pass him.
“I was foolish. I trusted you too much. I thought you’d follow my teaching correctly.”
“….”
“I should have been more meticulous. I made a mistake when I let my guard down.”
Mayer muttered as he stood. I instinctively took another step back, hiding the vial behind me.
“But it’s fine,” he said softly, eyes flashing.
“I can try again.”
I shook my head and steadied my tense throat.
“No. You already know you can’t.”
Mayer tilted his head. I swallowed dryly and smirked.
“I know you need a trigger to activate a mental domination ability.”
Mayer’s eyes widened in surprise. I continued.
“You need me to recall a painful memory to use it as a trigger.”
“….”
“So that’s why you made me read that weird book all along, isn’t it?”
Mayer’s lips curled into a small smile.
“Ha, hahaha!”
Hearing his low laugh, my face hardened. He wiped his eyes, looking like he was having the time of his life.
“So that’s why! You were confident I wouldn’t dare resist!”
“…What?”
“You thought I wouldn’t be able to activate my ability again!”
Mayer’s eyes shone sharply. The next moment, it felt like someone was choking me, cutting off my breath.
I grabbed my neck with one hand, gasping.
This can’t be…!
I had read in books that higher abilities like mental domination required a trigger to activate.
And from that strange book and Mayer’s question, I was certain: the trigger for his brainwashing ability was Selenea’s painful memories.
“W-what…”
A faint voice escaped my clogged throat.
It felt like my whole body was bound in invisible chains.
I didn’t even say anything!
As I frantically looked for an escape, Mayer whispered calmly, regaining his composure.
“This is exactly why. Why I’ve repeatedly told you to behave.”
“….”
“The more you struggle, the more I will have to act… aggressively.”
The world spun around his eyes.
“Relax, Selenea.”
He suddenly placed a hand on my shoulder, and I felt my strength drain.
I bit the inside of my mouth to hold on to my fading consciousness. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
But my strength kept slipping away.
“This time, I will help… more thoroughly. So you never have to go through this again.”
His voice buzzed in my ear, and his hands gripped mine around the vial roughly, spreading my stiff fingers.
“Ugh… ugh…”
A shiver ran down my spine, and a cold sweat trickled down my forehead.
Then,
“…Hands off.”
A familiar voice reached me, and I weakly lifted my eyelids.
In my blurry vision, familiar faces appeared.
Anna, hands over her mouth, staring at me pale-faced;
Walter, blocking the reception room door with armed knights;
And next to them…
…Father?
“Before you even think of destroying the filthy god you serve.”
Duke Tigris stood rigidly, staring only at me.
And then, the world went black.
