“Count Gaston. It was you…” I learned who he was when we entered his memories about the ball, but I was still denying it until this moment.

Maximilian turned his head to me. “Who is he, Lili?”

“He’s my godfather.”

I only learned about it back at the ball when he approached my father. Count Gaston was one of my father’s closest friends since their youth. The big-hearted sociable man I met once was totally different from this badly injured man slumped on the floor. I already knew how he ended this way and yet I still wanted to hear it from his own mouth.

“Who did this to you, Count?” I knelt, catching a glance at the necklace he was wearing. Seeing it up close, it looked identical to the pendant Susanna was about to give Zathrian.

His blood soaked the hem of my dress but that wasn’t important. In his condition, it’d be a miracle if he survived his injuries. He's merely an ordinary man compared to Zathrian when he was in his position.

“T-This… it’s cursed…” The Count tugged the jewellery with his remaining strength and threw it on the corner.

“Who gave it to you?”

“A woman I met at your party did… as a gift from their orphanage, she said… ”

As if Maximilian saw the disbelief in my eyes, he crouched beside me. “Do you know this woman?”

“Her name was…” The man coughed a copious amount of blood. “I-I can’t remember anymore… it doesn’t matter… but she cursed me with that thing… and with it, I followed everything they ordered me to do…”

“Count, you don’t have to talk anymore.” The whole time I was chasing after Susanna, another member of the Forsaken Order made it to my party and deceived another guest.

“I killed innocents, funded their heinous crimes and terrorized the capital. I did it all for the Order. I… I’m unforgivable…” His breathing ragged.

My eyes shut tight. “Don’t say that. It’s them who are unforgivable, not you… You were only controlled, y-you didn’t mean any of it…” Father told me how kindhearted he was. He mentioned how Count Gaston refused to remarry despite losing his wife and unborn child in the early years of their marriage, how he’s a devoted believer of the church and how he consistently donates massive amounts of money to orphanages and shelters. His life didn’t deserve to end like this.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

This wouldn’t happen if I didn’t interfere with the plot, right? But it would cost me my life if I didn’t do anything. In exchange, people will get harmed by my selfishness. Not only Count Gaston but many different individuals I might not know will be affected if I keep this act. That isn’t fair at all.

I just want to live.

Out of desperation to change something even just a little, I summoned my grimoire in an attempt to chant a healing spell but the man held my wrist with his firm cold hands. Tears began rushing down my cheeks.

“B-But I can still save you—“

The Count tried his best to smile. “You don’t have to, but thank you, Lili, for believing in me. Please tell your father… that I’m proud of the woman you grew up to be… and that I’ve been longing to meet my wife for so long. Thank you, thank you…” He took his final breath until the gleam in his eyes faded away.

Count Gaston has died.

“He’s gone,” I whispered to myself. Maximilian reached to close his eyes with his hand.

“I’m sorry.” He followed it with an awkward tapping on my shoulders while Charmy came up to caress my hair in a comforting manner. “Lili, once we return, tell me what you know about this Forsaken Order, okay?”

I could only nod my head.

˚₊‧꒰ა ☆ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

We exited the Domain of Seclusion in silence. The rustling of leaves and ghostly screams couldn’t bother me with the mixed emotions I was feeling: guilt, regret and anger.

“The domain disappeared!” Charmy exclaimed when she tried to open the strange door again. She approached me when I didn’t look. “Hey, Lili. Are you okay?”

“This isn’t fair…” I clenched my fists on the cursed necklace I wrapped on the Count’s own handkerchief.

“I can surrender it to the temple if you can’t,” Maximilian offered, worried. I could only hope that Count Gaston’s remaining relatives won’t get exiled after this, like what happened to the Becketts.

I turned to look at him. “I could’ve changed something, you know? It’s because I’m selfish.”

He shared a puzzled look with Charmy. There was uncertainty in his movements but the flying squirrel pushed him from the back, so he opened his arms while avoiding eye contact. “Come here.”

I walked to him and he pulled me into an awkward hug. Charmy looked at me with concern from behind.

“Lili, I may not know you that well yet, but you can’t save everyone even if you want to. You have no control over people’s fate—unless you’re a god—but you’re not a god, you’re just a normal girl. Plus, being selfish isn’t bad sometimes. So don’t let this stop you from doing what you think is right, okay?”

I nodded my head on his shoulders as Charmy floated around us. “That’s right, Lily. Leave the savings to the heroes! There’s nothing wrong with being a normie, ya hear? So please smile now and we’ll treat you to some good food, right Max?”

“Right!” We both pulled away from the hug. Somehow, my pain and anxiety have alleviated thanks to both of them. Maximilian’s eyes looked at the skies. “I know it’s sad that you’re incapable of saving everyone around you, but just think about the existence of the spirit garden. They may not be here with us in physical form, but they will always, always be watching over us up there.”

I looked at where he was looking. A new spirit flew in the heavens until it vanished from our sight. I clasped my fist to my chest. “May you rest in peace, godfather.”