Volume 2 Chapter 50: Love

To Sophie, every day spent with Spirit Wind felt like it was glowing with radiance.

She was praised and thanked for her efforts, and there was no suffering to be found. When exploring the Excavation Sites, everyone fought to protect her. Even if she failed, no one blamed her or struck her. Instead, they encouraged her.

She could move freely, talk to anyone, and do whatever she liked—all without fear of punishment.

No one directed hatred or malice toward Sophie. She no longer needed to fear their gazes. All she felt was a gentle warmth that melted her frozen heart, little by little.

By the time she noticed, she was no longer the Sophie who couldn’t feel anything.

The joy of being praised led her to willingly take on the task of managing the party house.

Even when she didn’t know what to say, those trivial conversations still brought her joy. Curious about the world around her, she asked endless questions.

Grateful for the warmth shown to her, Sophie learned how to give massages as a way to give back—much to the delight of everyone.

Rhett Cryster was a lively person.

He loved fishing, was always restless, and had a selfish streak. But his presence brightened the party, filling it with laughter and smiles.

Kreis Tialue was an unusual person.

A bit of a joker, his good looks were offset by odd behavior that exasperated everyone. Elusive and unpredictable, he seemed frivolous yet had a sharp eye for the people around him.

Mina Carat was a kind person.

Strong-willed and straightforward, she held herself and others to high standards. But beneath that tough exterior, she was deeply kind—a girlish woman with a playful side who secretly fretted over the size of her chest.

Elle Farshid was someone Sophie deeply respected.

Elle had given Sophie her name, pulled her out of hell, and granted her everything. For Elle, Sophie was willing to do anything, no matter the cost.

They were all precious to Sophie. More than anything, she wanted to stay with Spirit Wind forever.

But that was impossible.

Sophie knew her Magis Gear wouldn’t last much longer.

No matter how many Mana Bottles she used to recover her mana, it didn’t change the reality. Her gear was bound by a time limit.

There were two types of Magis Gear: those that could operate as long as mana was supplied and those limited by time. Sophie’s gear was the latter.

And when her gear deactivated, so would her life.

There wasn’t much time left.

The dream was coming to an end.

Elle was doing everything possible to save Sophie’s Magis Gear. But knowing that, Sophie couldn’t bring herself to tell the truth. She lied, claiming she still had time.

Sophie knew her companions were soft-hearted. They didn’t doubt her words and believed her without question. This made Sophie’s chest tighten painfully.

The fleeting days passed by far too quickly. Then, one day, Rhett went fishing without permission, and Elle brought someone dear to her—Noil Arlens—to Spirit Wind.

In that moment, Sophie found a chance to repay Elle’s kindness.

Sophie quietly set her plan in motion. First, she captured Rhett, who had returned unexpectedly early, locking him in a room in the mansion.

Then, with a combination of her massage techniques and mana manipulation, she hypnotized the others.

She created the illusion that Elle and Noil had become a couple, drove Fiona out of the mansion, and used Spirit Wind’s sacred artifact, Resting Haven, to sever all contact with the outside world.

Resting Haven was a sacred artifact that created a powerful barrier around a designated area. No one could enter or leave without the user’s permission. Moreover, the interior was so comfortable that anyone inside wouldn’t want to leave.

Of course, Sophie didn’t plan to trap them forever. She only wanted to ensure there would be no interruptions until her plan was complete.

It was surprisingly easy to put them under her spell.

That meant they truly trusted her.

And that trust crushed Sophie under a wave of guilt.

The only one who wasn’t hypnotized was Kreis, who had refused her massage. But it wasn’t out of distrust.

When Sophie explained her situation, Kreis agreed to help her. “It’s going to get lonely, isn’t it…” he murmured, his voice uncharacteristically weak, making Sophie’s chest ache.

Perhaps he didn’t believe her plan would succeed. Even so, he decided to humor her final selfish request. Sophie understood this, and it pained her even more.

In the end, Sophie’s plan failed. Mina and Noil broke free from the hypnosis on their own, and Resting Haven was shockingly destroyed by those who came for Noil.

By that point, Sophie already knew continuing was meaningless.

But she couldn’t stop herself.

Desperately, she turned her attention to Noel Sialsa, who had infiltrated the mansion, and underestimated her power.

The result of causing so much trouble for her precious friends was this.

How foolish to think she, who couldn’t understand love, could bring two people together.

She felt unworthy of facing her companions. She was certain they would never forgive her.

Her chest tightened painfully, and her nose stung with heat.

There was no helping it.

It was her own foolishness.

But the thought of being abandoned by everyone—

That was far scarier than death.

As those thoughts consumed her, she suddenly felt herself being enveloped in an embrace.

Warm and gentle.

It was what Sophie had wanted to know—no, what she had craved all along.

She felt it, without a doubt: the love she had always longed to feel directed at her.

◇

Sophie sat in the chair, her head bowed, and told everything. Elle silently embraced her.

Then, as if to console her, she gently stroked Sophie’s head.

We were in the mansion’s lounge. The members of White Road and Spirit Wind—everyone except Fiona—were gathered to listen to Sophie’s story.

Fiona, apparently, had a fierce battle with Elle outside. She was now resting on a nearby sofa, having pushed herself beyond her limits. Though her injuries had healed, she hadn’t regained consciousness. The Manager assured us she would wake soon, but her recklessness was worrying. I’d prefer not to have her make us worry like this again—not that I was one to talk.

“I’m sorry… for not noticing. And thank you, Sophie, for what you did for me,” Elle said softly.

“Why…?”

Sophie’s trembling voice broke the silence. It was a stark contrast to her usual calm tone, filled instead with raw emotion.

“Why… does Master apologize?” she asked, her voice quivering as tears threatened to spill.

“Because I didn’t realize what you were going through,” Elle replied, her tone steady.

“Why… does Master thank me?”

“Because your feelings made me happy,” Elle answered with a gentle smile.

“That… That’s not possible… Sophie caused so much trouble… for Master, for everyone…” Her words were broken by sobs. “Why don’t you… blame me? Sophie did something unforgivable…”

“It’s true, perhaps your methods were wrong. But I won’t blame you,” Elle said.

“Why not!!?”

The usually composed Sophie raised her voice.

“Sophie… did something unforgivable!! Sophie should be blamed!!”

Her words, filled with self-loathing, echoed through the room. She writhed in Elle’s arms as if trying to escape the undeserved comfort.

“I deceived everyone!! I caused so much trouble!! Things nearly became irreparable!! I lost the sacred artifact!! People were hurt!! I should not be forgiven!! I must be blamed!! That’s what should happen!! I should be abandoned!! I deserve to be hated!! I—I deserve… to be hated…”

Her voice faltered, and her body slumped. Her face contorted in anguish.

“Why…?” she asked, her voice on the verge of breaking.

“Why… does Master… still embrace me…?”

Elle slowly released Sophie from her embrace. Cupping her face gently with both hands, she brought their foreheads together softly.

“Because I like you, Sophie.”

“Ah…”

“A person I care about worked so hard for my sake. How could I possibly blame you?”

Elle smiled warmly, like a parent soothing a crying child, her love evident in every word. Sophie’s emerald eyes widened before she crumpled, burying herself in Elle’s chest. Large tears spilled down her cheeks as she clung to Elle.

“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!”.

Her sobs filled the room as if a dam had burst. She cried like a child, her face a mess of tears and snot as she pressed against Elle’s chest. Overwhelmed with emotion, she repeatedly clutched at Elle, seeking reassurance. Elle gently wrapped her arms around Sophie, one hand stroking her head tenderly.

Sophie once said she didn’t understand love.

But if this scene wasn’t love, then I was certain love didn’t exist in this world.

To care for someone and to be cared for in return.

Sophie had already possessed love—and had been receiving it all along.

Now, Sophie had realized that truth. She would be okay. From here on, she could walk a life filled with happiness.

Someone like Sophie, who had endured unimaginable suffering and an unspeakably cruel past, no longer needed to struggle. She deserved a life filled only with joy.

That much was her right. That much she was owed. No one had the right to object, and I wouldn’t let anything stand in her way.

Not even her Magis Gear.

As I watched the precious scene before me—one so heartwarming it almost rivaled Mar-chan and me—I clenched my fist tightly.

“Noil… can’t you do something…?” Rhett asked, his shoulders trembling as he fought back tears.

“I… I can’t do anything…” he muttered, hanging his head in frustration. Kreis-san placed a comforting hand on Rhett’s shoulder. His usual playful demeanor was absent, replaced by a serious gaze directed at Elle and Sophie. Though silent, I noticed his hand trembled slightly.

“Don’t you dare joke about this…” Mina muttered as she staggered toward the exit.

I placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

“Where are you going?”

“To find a way to save Sophie,” she said, her sharp gaze cutting into me.

“That’s reckless.”

Elle had been searching for a solution all this time. We didn’t even know if one existed.

Mina grabbed my collar, glaring at me with the fiercest anger I’d ever seen. Her tear-filled eyes betrayed her desperation.

“Then are you telling me to give up!? I refuse! I will save Sophie, no matter what it takes. Be it a drug or a sacred artifact, I’ll use whatever means necessary!”

Her voice was low to avoid disturbing Sophie, but her resolve burned fiercely. She was right—perhaps a sacred artifact could help. Yet finding one would not be easy.

“Manager…”

The Manager shook their head solemnly.

“Alas, none of my artifacts can help. Even if we forcefully dismantled the gear, the results are unpredictable. Her body is too entwined with it.”

So, the world wasn’t that convenient after all.

“Fine. I understand.”

Mina’s grip on me tightened, but I spoke firmly.

“I will save her.”

“What…?”

Her deep-purple eyes blinked in surprise. Freeing myself from her grasp, I met her gaze directly.

“I will create new Magis Gear right here.”

If the world wasn’t convenient, then I’d simply create the convenience myself.

Even if the world called it cheating, I wouldn’t stop. I was a coward by nature, stained with corruption. But that was why I could wield a power that others wouldn’t dare.

Magis Gear might manifest unintended powers, but it also had the potential to grant desired abilities.

Then, respond to my wish—save that precious girl.

This wasn’t a reckless demand like the Manager’s in the past.

What I desired now was simple: the power to save an innocent girl who had suffered unjustly. A power to save Sophie as she deserved to be saved.

Creating that should be obvious.

So, let’s do this.

Surely, this was as simple as breathing.

Raising my right hand, I began to channel mana.

“Oh hooo!”

The Manager darted in front of me, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they observed me at close range. I ignored them entirely.

“It’ll be fine. Noil can do it,” Noel Sialsa reassured Mina, placing a hand on her shoulder.

“He always delivers when it matters, doesn’t he?”