PGMTP - Chapter 16
"Uuuaaa!"
"Why are you wandering around here alone again?"
From the man who casually ignored my scream, a sweet voice echoed.
There's no need to see who the guy who nonchalantly ignored me is. As far as I know, there was only one person with such a honey-sweet voice.
"Father."
And the one who opened the huge entrance door and entered was none other than Deshar Clown.
This is my mistake. How did I end up getting caught by these humans of all people?
"Uuueuu!"
"This is..."
Given this situation, I have no choice but to curse them with my blood.
But I'm not sure if I can bear the cost of that curse with my current body, as dark magic usually comes with a price, along with magical power.
Sharent Clown unexpectedly embraced me.
Then, with his fingers on the other hand, he traced the side I was biting and found the string that was tied to the back of my head.
He fiddled with it a few times and then looked at me silently.
I contorted my face and struggled hard while he remained silent.
Tears seemed about to fall, but I forced myself to hold them back.
I couldn't cry in front of this guy because of my pride.
"Why are you doing this, Sharent?"
"Oh, Your Grace, Lord Marquis."
Behind Deshar Clown's heavy voice, the startled voice of a maid could be heard.
My body trembled involuntarily.
Sharent Clown's eyes narrowed, and Deshar Clown frowned as if he were quite displeased.
"Why on earth is this child here?"
"I apologize. I briefly took my eyes off, and the young lady went out alone..."
"Uuugh..."
The maid lowered her head with a very disgusted expression.
Such a feeble voice, as if she had swallowed a hundred snakes. I felt like I might throw up any moment.
I felt so unfairly and pitifully humiliated.
'Why do I have to end up like this because of that crazy woman!'
Sharent Clown smiled slyly and, while still holding me, turned towards the maid.
Perhaps because he had a son of his own, he seemed quite used to holding babies. In fact, being held by him was more comfortable than being held by the housekeeper Kant or whoever he was.
'I hurt my pride.'
So I struggled even harder in his arms.
Since it was obvious that Sharent Clown would hand me over to the maid, I had to come up with another way.
'Though I'm used to torture...'
Still, I wanted to avoid as much pain as possible.
The baby's body was fragile, and because of its frailty, it needed to be treated with the utmost care. A fragile creature could easily die, even in hot water.
"I must have clearly asked for good care of the child, Lady Sulivan."
She wasn't a maid? Or was she a maid and a teacher? I couldn't even think of her as nobility. I was speechless at the mention of Lady Marquis.
What's wrong with the Heyrun Empire's nobility?
'It's vulgar.'
Unpleasant, vulgar, and disgusting.
I sank my teeth into the repulsion boiling up from inside me... No, I bit down on the pacifier.
"Yes, I was taking good care of her. I just took my eyes off for a moment..."
Whether she was Lady Marquis or whatever, she smiled at me with an otherworldly affectionate expression.
I shuddered all over.
It was definitely an otherworldly laughter, not of this world, as she spoke.
"I won't let it happen a second time."
The baroness looked at me with a loving expression.
I felt her determination that she wouldn't send me out the door even if I were to die.
Feeling a sense of urgency, I searched for a solution left and right.
Now, it wasn't about my life anymore. It was about my pride.
I drew the symbol of the curse with my blood, and then I would think about the rest later.
Most dark magic involved curses with a price.
Many people wondered why anyone would choose dark magic, but it was simply because it was more lethal than conventional magic.
Moreover, you could become powerful quickly even if you didn't have extensive training or innate talent.
Generally, magical power was a force forcibly drawn from nature.
The higher and stronger your magical circle, the more significant force you could harness, but it required extensive training.
On the other hand, dark magic was the power taken from humans.
The evil, hatred, and negative energy of people could be converted into power, but the best source was the souls of those who had recently died or had exceptionally strong vitality, absorbing them as magical energy.
So, even if I were just a child, using dark magic wasn't an issue, as long as I knew how to draw the symbol and use it. Dark magic was something even an infant or a mute puppy could perform if they knew how to draw the symbol.
Usually, this price could be paid with dark magic or conventional magical energy...
The problem was that I didn't have anything at all right now.
Yes, in theory, it was ideal to learn conventional magic first, use regular magic, and gradually build up your magical power while learning dark magic.
A strong foundation was essential to prevent it from crumbling.
'It's almost like gambling...'
Conversely, it also meant that if I succeeded, I would obtain that much dark power.
'It may take some time to accept...'
Sharent Clown, who had been silent for a while, suddenly burst into laughter.
"Sometimes, I find it quite amusing."
I looked at Sharent Clown as if he were insane, listening to the sudden burst of laughter from the guy who had been silent for so long.
'What the...?'
Sharent Clown seemed to sense my gaze, and he lightly flicked my nose with his index finger, then slowly moved his hand along the string.
He then untied the string connected to the pacifier
"Whether you see people as fools or if the Clown's looks like a fool..."
He continued speaking in a calm and gentle tone.
I couldn't feel any hostility at all, and I felt like I should nod my head involuntarily.
With a gentle expression and a soft voice, Sharent Clown had more expertise in handling emotions than anyone else.
In fact, the maid, even though he had just spoken so openly, didn't seem to notice anything strange and tilted her head.
"Or perhaps, is the other party the fool?"
The words spoken in a kind and affectionate voice were as sharp as ice, cold and piercing.
His voice was elegant, his actions were noble, and his tone was as sweet and affectionate as a devoted clergyman.
"But you see, brainless insects often get entangled. Lady Sulivan, who do you see as the fool?"
However, I was sure that if demons existed in this world, Sharent Clown would probably be one.
With his beautiful appearance, kind behavior, and sweet voice, he could easily charm people...
"Thud," he untied the string and dropped the pacifier onto the floor.
I was so startled that I couldn't react in time.
Without a doubt, he'd gobble it up in one go. Just like a beautiful silken snake approaching its prey harmlessly, inspecting its position, and devouring it in the blink of an eye.
I reached out towards the pacifier belatedly.
Sharent Clown glanced down at me, struggling, but he didn't bend down to pick up the "쪽쪽이" for me.
"쫒쪼!" (Give it!)
Give me my pacifier!
In response to my cry, Deshar Clown's forehead creased even further, but what's the use of saying or knowing anything? My mind was about to go fuzzy!
After a long while, Deshar Clown awkwardly bent down, picked up the pacifier, and held it out to me.
My mind was already on the brink of entering another world, so I grabbed it from him and greedily put the pacifier into my mouth.
Eek.
Deshar Clown made a strange expression and took a step back as if he had touched something dirty.
"Gosh, he's really putting on a clean act."
The thin wire attached to the pacifier made a clinking sound as I sucked on it, and the wrinkles around the old man's eyes became even more pronounced.
I glanced at him and, like someone who had finally caught their breath, I sucked on the pacifier with an "omnom" sound.
As I sucked eagerly, I could see Deshar Clown carefully examining my pacifier.
For some reason, Deshar Clown's expression seemed to have stiffened.
Had this old man never seen a baby sucking on a pacifier before?
I turned my body, burying my face in my chest, and continued to suck on the pacifier.
I realized that I was still being held by Sharent Clown.
"I don't quite understand what you're saying."
"This is why you shouldn't associate with those of lower status... Tsk."
Sharent Clown's voice changed as if he had flipped his hand like a palm.
Whether it was Sulivan or a lunatic, the woman trembled visibly. Even to my ears, her voice, carried on the wind, sounded eerie.
"Would you like to explain what this is, Lady Sulivan?"
Sharent Clown said, tapping the string attached to my pacifier with his finger.