The Villainess is a Marionette

This was impossible. Cayena couldn’t live for hundreds of years.

‘This woman. Could it be…’

A single person couldn’t bloom this many roses. Bayel looked at Cayena, who was clenching her fists until they were white to keep conscious.

‘It’s impossible unless the person was unable to fulfill their allotted lifespan.’

In simple terms, it meant that there was another lifetime accumulated in this person’s body.

At that moment, Cayena could no longer endure the agony and collapsed on top of the magic circle. Simultaneously, the Black Garden stopped blooming.

“Heuk…!”

It was then that Cayena finally released her breath, which had been suppressed because of the pain.

“It’s done.”

Bayel looked at the black roses on Cayena’s white back. The flowers fluttered as if they were shaking in the wind, then gradually vanished. This woman was full of things he couldn’t understand.

Bayel thought he might have signed a contract with someone who could be more dangerous than expected.

He looked down indifferently at the princess, who was pitifully retching.

“…The mark on your back will be exposed when you use magic, so you should avoid revealing clothes.”

Cayena continued to look miserable. She must have wanted to die from the pain of losing enough of her life to revive the Black Garden. She exhaled and replied. “Like you said, it hurts quite a bit.”

The feeling of losing one’s lifespan was terrible, like being combed from head to toe with a brush of fine blades. She wiped away her tears and sweat with a handkerchief. As she slowly raised her upper body, her tousled clothes fell. Bayel had to turn his head quickly.

Cayena sluggishly picked up her clothes. However, her hand rattled at the lingering pain, and she couldn’t even close a button. She exhaled a low breath with her roughly closed top.

She had thought too lightly of this. She had assumed that she would be able to resume her normal life even if she was in pain.

‘I nearly lost my mind.’

She didn’t lose consciousness, but she couldn’t stand up nor walk with her legs. Her whole body had become ragged, begging her to rest.

But she couldn’t.

‘If I take too much time, the escorts will think something’s off.’

She tried to force herself up, but she stumbled as if she was crumbling.

Snap!

Bayel flicked his fingers, and the black petals on the floor gathered together and lifted Cayena up. They soon took the shape of a long sofa and softly supported Cayena.

“Thanks.”

With a pale face and an exhausted smile, she said, “By the way, I don’t know what my ability is. I haven’t been cheated, right…?”

Even near death, her mouth was still alive and active.

Bayel shook his head. “It’s more surprising that you have the mind to think about that now.”

Cayena let out a fevered breath. She wanted to pass out in comfort. However, she couldn’t act suspiciously with her attendants nearby.

Cayena tried to stay awake by pinching her flesh and scratching herself with her nails. Bayel quickly grabbed her hand.

“Are you crazy?!”

Cayena shoved his hand away as if telling him to stop bothering her. Firmly, she said, “My entourage is waiting outside…”

Therefore, she had to force herself right now.

Bayel held both of her wrists with one hand so that Cayena could no longer harm herself. Then, he pulled his sleeve over his other hand and put it in her mouth.

“Eugh!”

As expected, Cayena had been trying to chew on the inside of her mouth. Bayel endured as she bit his hand until it bruised. Cayena was sobbing. Finally, she drooped as if she had given up.

Bayel then pulled out the hand Cayena bit.

“Damn.”

He glared at Cayena. Looking very unwilling, he took out a small glass bottle from his pocket. Bayel removed the stopper with his teeth and poured the liquid between Cayena’s lips.

The trembling long eyelashes slowly revealed her blue eyes, which had been tightly shut. The blurry intelligence behind them gradually began to recover.

‘What the hell is pushing the princess so hard?’

Cayena asked in a dry voice, “Elixir…?”

“And how do you know that?”

Bayel didn’t understand how she knew about the Elixir. No. At this point, it was entirely possible she knew, since she was Cayena.

Cayena breathed deeply, enjoying the new vitality spreading throughout her body. The ‘Elixir’ was a legendary potion that could only be made with the blood of a wizard.

“Thanks. You’re a good person, Bayel.”

Cayena was sincerely grateful for his patient kindness.

Bayel wrinkled his eyebrows.

“Hey, you know I’ve lived a lot longer than you.”

“But I’ve also lived long enough?”

“No…”

Cayena, who smiled dazzlingly like the crushing white surface of the sea, shone like the sun itself.

Bayel averted his gaze.

“…Nevermind.”

Cayena asked him, “But how long are you going to stay like this?”

Bayel only then realized that he was still holding and restraining Cayena.

“No, this is…!”

Cayena slowly raised herself up as he took back his hand like it was on fire. She still wasn’t in good shape, but it was incomparable to her earlier condition.

“I definitely feel better.”

Suddenly, she remembered that she had bitten Bayel’s hand harshly. When she checked his hand, he had a bruise.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I bit you so hard.”

Bayel surreptitiously pulled out his hand from hers and scolded, “This is the amount of flesh in your mouth that would have been bitten off.”

Cayena laughed dryly. “When I return to the imperial palace, I’ll send you the best ointment.”

“Who do you think made the medicine you just drank?”

Cayena seemed to know exactly how to make his heart weak. Bayel was just complaining for no reason.

Cayena put on her clothes properly and checked her condition.

There must be a black rose on her back, but she couldn’t check it because she didn’t have a mirror.

Bayel said bluntly, “Slowly concentrate on your senses. Then, you’ll feel a strange energy.”

Cayena focused on her senses as he advised. Then, she could clearly feel an unfamiliar sensation in the air. It wasn’t uncomfortable or alien; rather, it was soft and comfortable, similar to the safety one felt when floating in water.

“The energy is different based on the caster’s characteristics. You have to use it to figure out what your ability is.”

Cayena nodded and tried to release the energy. She imagined making a flame.

Fizzle.

“Hmm.”

The energy seemed to be burning red, then went out powerlessly.

“After a day, you should feel what ability you can use.”

“I see.”

Cayena was planning to return to the imperial palace after checking her abilities in a rented building. Since she had donated a considerable amount earlier, she could borrow the temple’s annex.

“I’ll start heading back now.”

After arriving at the prayer room, Cayena grabbed the doorknob. Before she left, she turned and smiled at Bayel, who was standing behind her.

“See you again, Bayel.”

Bayel closed the passageway without a sharp retort.