Chapter 3

Chapter 3

“No. I’ll be right back, so just wait for a little while.”

“Karina…”

Not only Roland but also Melissa hung on to Karina with a tearful look, but she couldn’t take any noticeable risks from other people.

Karina barely managed to soothe the children and carefully closed the bedroom door. It wasn’t difficult to separate the children who held onto the hem of her skirt and asked if they could go with her.

However, it was heartbreaking to think of Roland desperately trying to follow Karina and Melissa holding her skirt with a weak hand grip. How hungry they were for the love of a grown up.

‘Stop thinking.’

Karina scolded herself. Now she had to stay alert. It wasn’t the time to be sentimental because of the days that had already passed.

‘Money, clothes, food.’

Three things were essential to escape. It would be better to prepare thoroughly, but she just decided to draw in whatever comes to her mind because she doesn’t have time.

‘I have money.’

Being Lord Lenque’s illegitimate child has given her several advantages in a few things. Among them, the one that stands out was the money bag that Karina always wore on her back from her birthday as an adult.

Well, despite the heavy purse, Karina couldn’t spend a single penny. The money bag could only be used to pay the merchants who came to the mansion.

‘That man’s bad taste helps in this situation.’

Karina stammered and thought after checking her pocket with money in it. She carried quite a lot of money, but she was poorer than anyone else in the house.

No, is it just poor?

Karina was literally penniless.

She had never been paid a single salary evet since she was a kid until now a twenty three years old adult. Karina could go to the kitchen and ask for any food she wanted to eat.

If she needed clothes, she bought some suitable clothes from an old clothes dealer who came to the mansion and recorded them in her books.

However, she failed to spend any money that she could not record in it. The wizards are all good at numbers.

Perhaps she can’t fool blood, she had some talent for numbers, but she couldn’t keep up with Lord Lenque.

Karina has not even attempted to use the money for private purposes since she nearly died of stealing it once or twice.

Karina was only twenty at that time.

When her close maid friend’s parents got sick, she gave them a few pennies to call a doctor.

Karina, tied to the biggest tree near the mansion and after three days wrestling with a crow that was trying to peck her eyes, cried a lot and vowed never to touch her money again with all of her heart, and at that moment she fell to the ground.

No buffers, no magic.

The doctor said she couldn’t walk well again with her broken leg, but she swallowed the unidentified potion given by Lord Lenque, and then the wound disappeared without a trace.

If she had been an ordinary person, she would have fallen and become Lord Lenque’s faithful servant. But Karina didn’t stop from being against Lord Lenque.

The reason was simple.

Karina herself was the only one who could stand up against Lord Lenque’s misdeeds in this one-way street that could not be escaped, whether she did like it or not.

However, as of today, Karina will be completely free from all of this. The unjustified role of conscience also ended today.

With lunch ahead, it was easy to sweep the fresh food out of the kitchen.

Everyone thought Karina was preparing food for Lord Lenque, and topped him with his favorite meat, rare fruits, and sweet desserts.

Finally, when she packed some clothes, she was all ready. Karina rushed to the children’s bedroom with a small suitcase in her hand. Fortunately, the children sat on their beds with tense faces, not going anywhere.

“Karina!”

Roland jumped up like a spring.

“W-why did it take so long?”

“To prepare.”

At that time, Melissa, who was sitting in bed with her coat button all the way to her neck, calmly opened her mouth.

“I thought you weren’t coming.”

The voice of resignation made her heartache again.

Roland shouted with a little excitement.

“I told you it wasn’t like that! Karina said she’s coming back…”

“Yeah, I’m back. Roland won, ya?”

Karina didn’t miss the dry tear marks that covered Roland’s cheeks. Melissa gazed at her with a pale face, but there was no sign of caution anywhere.

“Let’s go.”

The brother and sister nodded and glued to each side of Karina. Karina smiled lightly because she felt a subtle war of nerves to hold her left hand without holding her suitcase.

She sided with Melissa.

Perhaps it was because she was always sorry that her brother Roland was the one she had been interacting with. A faint smile came to Melissa’s face, who grabbed Karina’s left hand.

“Do we have to run?”

“No.”

Karina tried to make up a voice that could give her the utmost confidence. She shouldn’t have been so nervous now.

“We’re going out with confidence.”

“If we do that, we’ll get caught!” Roland screamed.

So did Roland, as soon as Melissa was tortured for the first time, took her by the hand and tried to run out of the mansion. Of course, it failed miserably, but Karina said quietly.

“I’m going out with Lord Lenque, and who dares to catch us?”

“Un- Uncle Lenque and…”

Roland stiffened and stuttered a few words. Karina quickly settled the situation. It was meant to ease the fear of the children, but she didn’t know it would make them even more scared.

“Of course we’re not really going out together. We’re just going to manipulate others.”

“How?”

Roland asked back, as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Roland, have you ever moved a homunculus?”

Homunculus.

A wizard-created artificial man.

Created by the legendary archwizard maker, the homunculus is said to have acted and moved on their own like a real human being.

However, the usual homunculus was tricky magic because the magician had to keep thinking and manipulating it.

“Yes…”

Roland answered with a grimace.

Karina fully understood the child’s feelings.

Because of Lord Lenque’s brutal education, magic for Roland was only pain, conflict, and guilt. However, Roland had the makings of an archwizard in the future.

Even if he didn’t become an archwizard because she changed his future, a child with the potential of Roland could not live a life far from magic.

Above all, it took Roland’s magic to escape this mansion.

Karina tried to smile.

“You can do it the same way you did. Can you help me?”

Roland’s lips were trembling. She waited for a few minutes, but no word came out of Roland’s mouth.

But no matter how hard she thinks about it, there was only one way to get out. Roland controlling a homunculus shaped like Lord Lenque.

If Karina herself knew how to use magic, she wouldn’t have asked Roland to do it, of course.

At the moment Roland turned his magic on extremely, Lord Lenque was furious when Karina showed interest in magic while bringing in some young children and testing them.

Melissa, too, was defeated by Lord Lenque, and now, the only thing that could save all three of them was Roland.

“It’ll just take a while.”

“…I”

Roland hesitated, unable to speak.

Karina didn’t push him further.

The situation that Roland is facing wasn’t a problem that would be solved by magic.

But she couldn’t help but feel anxious.

If she missed this opportunity, she had to fool Lord Lenque for a whole full day. Karina had no hope to overcome the rung that she had always been defeated.

At that time, a hesitant voice was heard.

“I- I will do it.”

Surprised, Karina almost dropped her suitcase. Melissa, with a pale complexion, looked up at her with hopeful earnest eyes.

“Melissa!”

“I think I can do it. I’m going to learn to make Homunculus with you.”

Karina bit her lip.

Melissa, who was always timid, was imploring herself in a voice more earnest than ever before.

Roland wasn’t the only one who Lord Lenque taught from the beginning. At first, both children were taught the same magic method.

The relationship between the two children changed rapidly from the moment Lord Lenque concluded that while Roland showed clear talent, Melissa was at an ordinary level.

And Karina knew.

Melissa nodded.

Karina smiled warmly.

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

Just then, Roland had laid himself in front of the two.

“I’ll do it! I can do better, so… it’s right that I do it.”

Karina was lost in thought for a moment, it took considerable effort to build and manipulate a homunculus.

Even if it was a mature wizard like Lord Lenque, there was no reason for two young kids like Roland and Melissa to take charge of the whole process.

“Then how about you guys try it together?”