NOVEL NEXT Week Eraser Essence Stone
Lorraine's eyes narrowed as she glared at Nyx and Charlotte, her mind consumed with a single thought: she had to kill them. The weight of her loyalty to Lortell pressed down on her, even though every fiber of her being screamed that this wasn't right. Deep down, Lorraine was a good person. She didn't want to kill them, but her loyalty wasn't to them—it was to Lortell. And Lortell was the one in the wrong here.
But what did that matter? Lortell was the arch-duke's daughter, and Esdeath was just a baroness. Lorraine knew that if this situation got out of hand, it could cause irreparable damage to the arch-duke's reputation. Protecting that reputation was worth any cost, even if it meant killing a baroness and her entire family.
Lorraine's hand slowly moved towards the long, sharp needle-like weapon hidden beneath her cloak. She would kill them silently, quickly, before anyone could realize what had happened.
But just as she was about to act, Lortell suddenly leaped out of bed. Lorraine froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She watched as Lortell rushed to the table and grabbed one of the three crystal-clear magic stones resting on it. Lortell pour her mana into the stone. The stone began to glow a deep, ominous purple.
And then—boom!
The stone exploded, sending a burst of purple smoke billowing through the room. Everything happened so fast that Esdeath's parents didn't even have time to react. Lorraine coughed as the thick smoke filled her lungs, her vision blurring. She saw Nyx and Charlotte collapse to the floor, unconscious before they even realized what had happened. But Lorraine… Lorraine wasn't normal. She wasn't just a human but an awakened.
Her head spun, her thoughts growing foggy as the smoke clouded her mind. But soon in few seconds she regained her mentality, rubbing her forehead to shake off the dizziness. And then, suddenly, it hit her—she knew what this was.
Her eyes widened in shock and realization as she muttered under her breath, "Is this… Week Eraser Essence Stone?"
Lorraine immediately realised what Lortell is trying to do, despite that she asked for confirmation, , "Lortell, what are you planning? Kill them?" She didn't call her "Lady Mariette" this time, only "Lortell," the distance between them suddenly feeling much smaller and yet much more profound.
Lortell looked at her with that same emotionless expression she always wore, but Lorraine saw the brief flicker of something else behind her eyes—regret, maybe, or doubt. "This is partly my fault too," Lorraine continued, her voice tinged with regret. "I should have acted sooner when I saw the changes in you."
Lortell shook her head slightly and replied in her usual flat tone, "No need to kill them. Their memories of the past seven days have been erased. I just want you to make them believe they are still living in the past." Her voice was cold, detached, as if the lives she was toying with were mere pawns on a chessboard.
Lorraine stared at her, the anger bubbling up inside her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. For a moment, she didn't say anything, just glared at Lortell with a mix of disbelief and disappointment. Finally, she moved closer, placing a firm hand on Lortell's shoulder. "How old are you?" Lorraine asked, her voice serious, almost stern.
Lortell hesitated before answering, her voice small and sad, "About twelve."
"And that girl, Esdeath? How old is she?" Lorraine pressed on.
Lortell looked down, her voice even quieter as she answered, "Eight year, I guess."
Lorraine's grip on Lortell's shoulder tightened, her anger barely contained. "You're both just kids," she said, her voice heavy with emotion. "Why did you do this? You were cold-hearted, yes, but I still admired you as my master. But now... I'm disappointed. Look me in the eyes and tell me that what you did was right."
But Lortell didn't say anything. She couldn't even raise her head to meet Lorraine's gaze. How could she? Even she knew that what she did was wrong, deeply wrong.
Lorraine sighed, her anger slowly giving way to sorrow. "Do you even know what kind of consequences that girl might face? This might cause her deep trauma. Do you understand that?"
The room fell into a heavy silence, the weight of Lorraine's words hanging in the air. Lortell remained silent, unable to find the words to defend herself because she knew there was no defense. And in that moment, the roles between them blurred—no longer master and servant, but two people bound by their shared guilt and the heavy burden of their actions.
Lorraine finally turned her gaze to Esdeath, who lay peacefully asleep on the bed. A tired sigh escaped her lips as she thought, "She forgot to use silence magic, and in a panic, she used the essence stone without thinking. Even the lady Mariette can make mistakes. Kids are kids, after all."
Lorraine shook her head, her expression a mix of frustration and pity. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, her voice soft yet serious. "Both Nyx and Charlotte's memories are erased, but... Esdeath's memories are erased too." Lorraine's words trailed off as she noticed Lortell's eyes widen in shock, the realization hitting her like a cold wave. Lortell hadn't even considered that Esdeath might have been caught in the smoke as well.
"Did she really not realize Esdeath was here too?" Lorraine thought, her disappointment deepening. She could see the guilt spreading across Lortell's face, and for the first time, Lorraine felt a twinge of sympathy for her.
Lorraine sighed again, this time with a touch of sadness. "If you want to restore her memories, we can use the Lost Memories Essence Stone. But if you do that, Esdeath's parents' memories will also return, and we'd have no choice but to kill them. What's your decision?"
Lortell's shoulders slumped as she exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper, "Let's go with the first option."
Lorraine looked into Lortell's eyes and saw the deep regret and sadness swimming in them. It was clear this wasn't easy for her. Lorraine hesitated for a moment before asking, "One last question... Do you love her? Or is it just... affection for her body?"
At that, Lortell's eyes flashed with anger, and she shot Lorraine a deathly glare that made her break into a cold sweat. But Lortell quickly composed herself, though a small "tch" of annoyance escaped her lips. "Of course I love her," she said, her voice filled with raw honesty. "More than anyone."
Hearing this, Lorraine's expression softened. She stepped forward and gently wrapped her arms around Lortell in a comforting hug. "Then promise me," she whispered, her voice tender, "promise me you won't touch her again unless she accepts you herself."
Lortell's breath hitched, and after a moment of silence, she replied, her voice trembling slightly, "I... I promise."
The room was heavy with the weight of the night's events. Lorraine broke the silence first, her voice steady but gentle. "Go and put on your clothes, Lortell. Leave everything to me." Without waiting for a response, she moved to the unconscious Esdeath, carefully lifting her onto her shoulder. Then, she turned her attention to Nyx and Charlotte, their bodies still and silent, as she prepared to take them away too.
Lortell watched as Lorraine walked out of the room, leaving her alone. The task ahead was clear—remove all evidence, send everyone back to their rooms, and cover up what had happened. Lortell felt the cold emptiness of the room closing in on her she slept. .
Lorraine, meanwhile, used a "Liar Essence Stone" to alter their memories, making them believe that only a day had passed since she and Lortell had arrived at the house. There was no time to rest. Lorraine worked tirelessly through the night, burying the truth beneath layers of lies and deception.
As the night gave way to dawn, the golden light of the morning sun streamed through the windows, painting the room in soft, warm hues. Lortell stood by the window, her face as emotionless as ever, staring out at the lush greenery and the beauty of the world outside. From a distance, she might have appeared calm, even at peace, but that illusion was shattered when the door creaked open.
Esdeath entered the room, balancing a large book on her head, It was another copy of Jeanne D'arc's book with one hand and carrying a cup of tea in the other. Her face was lit up with a wide smile, her dark red eyes sparkling with excitement. She looked like a child who had just discovered something wonderful.
"Lady Mariette! Lady Mariette!" Esdeath's high-pitched, cheerful voice filled the room, breaking the stillness. "Are you really the Arch-Duke's daughter? My father told me just this morning! I don't know why I don't remember anything after what happened yesterday afternoon... I guess I'm still just a kid, but I made this tea especially for you, to say thank you!"
Lortell turned her head slightly, her gaze settling on Esdeath. She looked at the girl's eager face, her bright smile, and those strange yet hopeful eyes. For a moment, something softened inside her. Unlike before, when she had found Esdeath's energy irritating, Lortell felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Really? Give it to me," she said, her voice cool but laced with a hint of warmth, as she extended her hand.
Esdeath's eyes sparkled with joy as she stepped forward to hand over the tea. But in her excitement, she lost her balance. The book on her head wobbled, the cup of tea tipped dangerously, and before she knew it, Esdeath was tumbling forward. Everything seemed to slow down—the book falling, the tea spilling, Esdeath's tiny form heading for the ground.
But before disaster could strike, a sudden wave of magic filled the room. Without even looking, Lortell had cast a spell. The magic caught Esdeath, the book, and the cup, suspending them all in mid-air. Slowly, Lortell lowered Esdeath gently to the ground, placed the book back on her head, and took the cup of tea into her own hand.
Esdeath's eyes were wide with amazement as she looked up at Lortell. Her face was glowing with admiration. "Wow! You're so cool!" she exclaimed, her voice full of genuine awe.
Lortell chuckled softly as she stood up, taking the cup of tea from Esdeath's small hands. Without hesitation, she drank it all in one gulp. "It's tasty, just like you," she said with a playful smirk, her voice carrying a hint of humor. She then reached out and gently patted Esdeath's head.
Esdeath's face lit up with joy at the praise. The feeling of Lortell's hand on her head made her blush a deep shade of red. She remembered the last time Lortell had saved her from being bullied, she had mistakenly thought Lortell was patting her then, but this time, the touch was real. The warmth of that genuine gesture filled Esdeath with a happiness she had never felt before.
Her heart started racing, beating faster with every second. Her cheeks grew hotter, turning an even deeper red, until she could barely contain her emotions. The strange yet wonderful feeling of being patted by Lortell overwhelmed her. Without thinking, she turned and ran out of the room, too embarrassed to say a word.
Lortell watched her go, a look of mild confusion crossing her face. She didn't understand why Esdeath had left so suddenly, but then a satisfied smile curled on her lips. "Just how long will you keep running from me?" she murmured to herself, "Just you wait, Esdeath. I'll make you fall for me all over again."