"You must always be grateful to your savior, no matter what I do, no matter if I am misunderstood, Velka?"
"Yes, sir—"
Opening her eyes, Velka found herself inside a carriage together with Enrico. After begging so much to be taken along, even with fear of Elowyn, she finally convinced him.
'Calm down, Velka, Lady Elowyn knows that I didn't betray her now that Lord Enrico revealed the truth.'
Nervously, she clenched her hands together tightly, looking at the burn marks and cuts on them. When she looked in the mirror, she realized they were also spread across her face and certainly her neck. She knew this even though they were bandaged. In a moment of desperation, she dug her nails into her forehead and began to pierce the skin, drawing blood.
'I deserve this, I failed a second time, I deser—'
"What are you doing? If you keep this up, it will be difficult to take care of you."
Enrico, beside her, held her hand with an annoyed expression. Quickly, he removed the old bandages and applied aquatic healing magic to them. Feeling her head being wrapped in something comfortable, Velka seemed to calm down.
[They really did great damage to her, I honestly feel uncomfortable… Enrico, if you use her as a meat shield, you won't receive any more pacts.]
'As if I would do that, idiot.'
"Velka, turn your back, I'll treat you again."
"Yes, Lord Enrico."
She looked a bit better as she turned around and removed the cloak covering her body, revealing the burn scars. The reason she did this was because Enrico's water magic had the ability to be comforting, making her body feel good.
[I was honestly surprised that you revealed water magic to her.]
'That's because the more trust I show her, the more at ease she'll be with me.'
Besides, honestly, with her attitude it was impossible for her to betray him. And he was right about that, because Velka was full of thoughts about why he trusted her with that information, since having affinity with both fire and water magic was almost impossible to see. Everyone would normally think he had a contract with some spirit, summoning, or demons.
'My savior trusted this to me, I cannot disappoint him like I did before.'
With a cold sigh from Enrico, blue lines appeared on his fingers as he began to massage her back, passing over the places where he felt the most damage.
'It seems they used an infinite pain magic.'
[Wait, does that mean she will continue to feel this pain from time to time? That's similar to your fire cancer.]
'No, my fire cancer is worse because the pain will always increase each month. Her pain will always be fixed, so if she manages to get used to it in the future, she won't even feel it anymore.'
[…you're right.]
Of course, she would have to get used to it first, and Enrico thought about helping her with that. When the carriage stopped, Enrico deactivated his water magic, which made Velka feel down for a few moments before moving to stay behind Enrico, as they had arrived where Elowyn was waiting for them.
"I'm sorry, I should be in front, sir, let me go back—"
"You can stay behind, and please stop apologizing so much."
"I'm sorry—right, sir."
The two got out of the carriage and entered a dome seven meters high and wide. Seeing three figures near a pentagon-shaped item at the center of a magic circle, the two stopped to observe the place. Around them, Alaric and the entire royal family were outside the dome, watching how Elowyn would do. Her brother, upon seeing Velka, made an ugly face for a brief moment.
'Ha, it seems he's irritated.'
[That's great, I hope to see more.]
"Enrico, why did you bring someone without mana here?"
In front of him, the first to appear was Narisse with a serious expression. She knew now that Velka was innocent, so she didn't want her to be hurt more than she already was. Wanting to stir guilt in her heart, Enrico turned his face back to where Velka was hiding.
"That was quite rude."
"…damn, I'm sorry."
She kept her distance, not wanting to disturb her former companion. Before she could apologize for having participated in the torture, as Enrico was trying to force her to do, Elowyn approached along with Siena Red.
"If he brought her, it's because my consort has a plan, Narisse."
'Tsk, she arrived to interfere as always.'
"You're right, miss… I'm sorry for the rudeness again, Lord Enrico."
Behind him, Velka was a bit confused upon hearing the word consort. Clutching Enrico's clothes, she looked at Elowyn with a bit of resentment; besides not apologizing, she was forcing her new savior to be a consort.
'She is a— No, Velka, she saved you too, remember he said that.'
"I knew you would want to bring someone, so I left a slot open. Come."
With a nod, Enrico followed Elowyn, sweat running down his forehead as Siena looked at him with an excited smile, just like the last time in that field with his disciples.
"Why is Lady Siena here?"
"Because just as my father chose his two special guards, she will become one of mine in the future, along with Narisse."
Enrico didn't even need to look back to know that Narisse had a proud expression on her face. Upon approaching the pentagon, Enrico had to step just a little away from a fearful Velka. Each of them stood in the direction indicated by the pentagon's doors. After five seconds—which felt eternal to Velka—a golden light fell upon the item.
"Lord Enrico, where are we?"
As soon as he opened his eyes, Velka was already behind him with only one eye open, looking at the place they were in.
"In the Hall of the Kings of Sanos."
They were in a hall filled with many portraits showing the faces of previous kings, all from the Pendrave family. With pride stamped on her face, Elowyn approached a stone at the center of the hall. Enrico decided to interrupt this moment to ask for something.
"Before that, could you do something for your consort?"
"What audacity… very well, you may ask."
"Could you at least apologize to Velka?"
The one mentioned behind him opened her eyes in surprise. She understood why he was doing this, but it wouldn't work with someone like Elowyn—
"…I will only say it once."
'Wait, the princess really—'
"I'm sorry."
Elowyn didn't even look at her, and they were simple words, but they made Velka's heart tremble, and even Narisse was surprised. The only problem was that the two former companions knew it wouldn't be possible to be like before, because Velka…
'I… could never forgive her.'
"Everyone prepare yourselves, I will activate the Ritual of Dignity of Succession."