"An artifact?" Vitra tilted his chin slightly, his gaze sharpening at Sofia's words.
"Y–yes," she confirmed, her voice carrying a faint stutter.
"What artifact do you want? Although our house possesses many artifacts, I believe your father's house—" Vitra paused briefly, "—House Zine, which is renowned for its artifact crafting, should be able to give you anything you need."
"Yes, they can provide me with all the artifacts I could ever want," she replied, taking a steadying breath. "But… the one I need is only available in our House Kael."
Her eyes met his directly, waiting for a response.
"Interesting…" Vitra murmured, his tone low. "So there's an artifact that only our house holds…"
"So what artifact might that be?" Vitra asked, his voice razor-sharp.
"Th… the artifact I'm talking about is…" Sofia took a deep breath. "Bali."
The moment the name left her lips, Vitra felt a shiver crawl up his spine. Goosebumps erupted across his arms. He rose abruptly from the throne.
"You… you mad woman!" His voice cracked—not with anger, but with fear that could be mistaken for rage. "Do you even know what kind of artifact that is?!" His words carried a weight that could threaten the heavens.
"I… I know what it is, but—"
"But what?!" he cut her off, his eyes bloodshot with fury.
"For what reason would you seek such a vile artifact?!" His tone was so sharp that the butler beside him began to sweat through his clothes. "Is it so your son can become the patriarch?!"
"No… I didn't mean th—" Sofia tried to protest, but Vitra's voice thundered over hers.
"Then what did you mean?!" He took a step forward. "Do you even understand? This artifact might allow you to reach Third Severance… but it requires an emotion so potent it cannot be satisfied by a single person's suffering!"
"I've already thought of that," Sofia said, her tone twisting into something unnatural. "I'll buy variant human slaves… and sacrifice them. Their resentment will be enough to boost Dave's rank from Second Severance to Third." She spoke like a fanatic—someone who had stepped beyond morality, beyond reason.
"..." Vitra could only stare at his wife, eyes wide with disbelief.
"..." The butler's eyes mirrored his master's shock, so wide they seemed ready to burst.
Sofia simply looked back at them with hollow eyes, her face etched with deep lines, the weight of obsession distorting her beauty.
"…Sofia… is that truly you?" Vitra's voice trembled.
"Do you even hear yourself?!" He stepped down from the platform and began walking toward her.
"I… I—" Sofia's face twisted. It wasn't the expression of someone crying, nor someone smiling—it was the maniacal desperation of a starving soul watching their last piece of bread stolen before their eyes.
"What… what happened to you, Sofia?" Desperation colored his voice now, anger fading into grief.
"I… I don't know," she whispered, her voice breaking. "For days, I haven't been able to sleep. Something inside me keeps telling me to do whatever it takes… to take whatever I want. I can't stop it. I can't take it anymore…"
"Sofia…" Vitra stepped forward and drew her into an embrace, holding her trembling form against his chest. "You should have talked to me."
"I… I couldn't bring myself to say anything," she whispered, her voice muffled against him. "These thoughts… I can't even explain them to you." Her shoulders shook as she sobbed, the sound raw and unsteady.
Vitra's jaw tightened. It's my fault… I didn't give enough attention to my own family.
"It's okay, Sofia. It's okay," he murmured, gently stroking her back. His tone was comforting, but his eyes were distant, already calculating.
Minutes passed before her sobs softened, her breathing growing steady.
"…She fell asleep?" Vitra whispered under his breath, almost as if he didn't believe it.
"Robwin."
"Yes, my lord." The butler stepped forward at once.
"Investigate this matter thoroughly," Vitra ordered quietly, his voice low so as not to wake her. "Anyone who might be connected to these… thoughts she's been having. I want names."
"Yes, my lord."
"And send for a healer from the Holy Alliance."
"As you command."
Vitra nodded, then bent slightly to lift Sofia into his arms. She felt lighter than he remembered, as if the obsession had been eating away at her from the inside. Without another word, he carried her from the audience chamber, his expression calm… but his mind anything but.
*****
"Vern."
Charlotte's voice called out just as I was arranging the dishes on the table for lunch.
It had been two months since my mana core evolved and reached First Severance. With it came a few new abilities—small things, but useful nonetheless.
"What?" I replied, glancing over as she entered the room in hurried steps.
"Do you know what I heard—oh my, you're preparing lunch today?" She completely forgot what she was about to say. Typical Charlotte.
"We're not married yet, you know," she added out of nowhere.
I sighed. "When will you grow up?"
"What?!" She frowned and took a step back.
"Enough with the nonsense. What were you trying to say earlier?" I asked, stacking plates on the table.
"Oh, right, I forgot," she mumbled, then perked up again. "Do you know what I heard?"
"You already said that part," I reminded her.
"You're no fun." She pouted, hands on her hips.
"I heard the First Lady has been placed under strict supervision," she whispered like it was classified information.
My hands froze mid-motion. I hadn't expected it to happen this early.
"Did you say she's under supervision?" I asked.
"Yes. They say she's been under a lot of pressure lately—dark circles under her eyes, wrinkles on her face…" Charlotte trailed off, as if those details alone were enough to shock anyone.
"So?" I replied half-heartedly.
"So? Don't you know she always took care of herself?" she chided.
"These things aren't important. Go get the rest of the dishes," I said, trying to send her off.
"Ugh, you should at least listen to me." She wrinkled her nose.
"I'll listen while we eat," I assured her.
"Fine," she said, instantly brightening up again.
It was always surprising how quickly her mood could change.
Hehe
After Charlotte left, I let out a faint chuckle. My plan had worked—now all that was left was to confirm where the artifact was kept.
"Spring tea, huh?" I muttered, recalling the name of the thing that had driven Sofia to the brink.
This scheme had started two months ago, right after I reached First Severance. It had been difficult—painfully so—but the rewards were worth it.
Sigh… After mastering Footless Steps, I spent every night slipping into the forest where the spring trees were cultivated. The place was heavily guarded, and finding a weakness in their patrols took time.
A whole week of observation finally gave me my chance.
The spring trees were massive—towering things of beauty—but what I needed was their heart, the core.
In this timeline, spring trees were prized for their beauty and the richness of their wood, making them as valuable as red sandalwood which can be found in the central area of the continent under Holy Alliance's control. That value was exactly why they were under tight watch.
But no one—not a single soul—knew what the tree's core could do. No one except me.
Its essence could stir the deepest desires within a person. And it was perfect for my purposes—neither scent nor taste, impossible to detect once ground fine and slipped into a meal.
I harvested one and ground it into powder, mixing it into every meal Lady Sofia ate. At night, I used telepathy—something I had learned from a sorcerer in my past life—to further prod those desires, twisting them tighter and tighter.
Two weeks of this slow poison, and the dam broke. She stormed into the audience chamber, demanding the artifact known as Bali.
It had only been a guess on my part that she knew of it. What I hadn't expected was for my method to work so quickly.
A smirk tugged at my lips. "Now that my labor is done… it's time to enjoy the fruits."
I glanced at the empty teacup in my hand. Soon, the ripples I'd set in motion would reach the heart of House Kael. And when they did… Bali would be mine.
had confirmed it beyond doubt—Bali was indeed in our house. Now, the real challenge was pinpointing its exact location.
Hehe… in the next few years, if I could somehow create the perfect opportunity to steal it, then from there it would be smooth sailing to the Third Severance. But that was easier said than done. Bali wasn't just rare—it was the kind of artifact whose absence would shake the very foundations of the household. One wrong move, and suspicion would devour me whole. I'd have to take it without leaving the faintest trace, without a single soul realizing it had vanished.
Sigh… I let out another long breath, my thoughts turning to another problem. Hiding one's Severance level was no small feat; it was like trying to hold back a tide with bare hands.
Still… that was a worry for another day. For now, I would bide my time, watch, and wait. When the moment came, I would be ready.