TSMMT Ch 42

A Chance Encounter (1)

The sight of Philip brought a wave of relief; survival was real. When facing the snake monster head-on, death loomed certain. Fighting the beast required everything Dianna had. If the monster had not let its guard down, her own head would have rolled.

Dianna was alive. Safe at last. Her breathing slowed.

[Philip] "Ann…… you must be terrified."

Philip pulled her into a tight embrace. Though held in a warm embrace, her gaze drifted over his shoulder toward the fallen monster and a blood-stained Guiscard.

Unconsciously brushing his arms away, Dianna stared at the severed head of the snake. The monster's face looked massive up close.

[Dianna] "Guiscard!"

At her call, Guiscard rushed forward and shielded her body.

[Guiscard] "Be careful, My Lady. The beast carries poison."

[Dianna] "……."

She nodded. Green venom dripped from the open jaws of the snake monster. Relief washed over her. She was alive. Tears streamed down her face.

[Emil] "Ann! Oh, thank God!"

She turned her attention toward the voice. Crying openly, Emil wrapped his arms around Dianna.

[Emil] "I... I am sorry."

His voice trembled pathetically. Surprisingly, his regret was real.

He wanted to cripple or scar me, but now he is terrified because I almost died? Watching him grovel out of guilt is utterly disgusting.

Even after experiencing her brother's betrayal, Dianna remained calm. She was simply exhausted. She pushed Emil away, stepped backward, and rested her forehead against Philip's shoulder.

[Dianna] "Philip, I want to rest."

[Philip] "Of course! Good heavens, what happened to your arm?"

A wave of peace took over. Wrapped in Philip's embrace, comfort finally returned.

Duke Brienne arrived late. The Duke stared at Dianna, who lay limp in Philip's arms. His gaze then shifted toward the slave watching the scene.

For a brief moment, the corners of the Duke's mouth rose into a faint smile before flattening again.

---

Ferdinand was the one who initially suggested abandoning the search for Dianna. Yet, the moment news of her safe return arrived, the prince threw a massive tantrum, ordering the doctors to provide flawless care.

The strange reaction came from Duke Brienne. Having been at the absolute front of the hunt, the Duke only learned about the snake monster, Echidna, later. Once he ordered treatment for his injured daughter, he immediately summoned the slave.

[Duke] "Did you defeat that monster?"

Kneeling in the room where Philip and Ferdinand stood, the slave confessed his achievement.

The Duke let out a hollow laugh.

It was none other than Echidna—the Mother of Monsters who possessed deadly poison. The royal knights had sent a subjugation squad, only to suffer destruction. And a slave brought by the Duke killed such a creature?

Both Ferdinand and Philip stared at the slave with curiosity. Philip, in particular, found the slave unsettling. A slave didn't need to grovel. However, the way Guiscard stared back with sharp eyes made him look like a man reading thoughts. Furthermore, Dianna's behavior bothered Philip. It was highly unusual.

[Duke] "Indeed. Snake monsters typically hibernate during winter. That must be why it was so easy to kill."

[Ferdinand] "I-I see!"

Ferdinand spoke.

What was the purpose of this conversation? Philip watched the Duke with a puzzled expression. The Duke was deliberately downplaying his slave's achievement. Owning an exceptionally skilled slave ought to be a source of great pride for him. Just then, he spoke with a smile.

[Duke] "Announcing that my slave slew the beast will only bring unwanted attention. Glory must go to someone worthy. Why don't we say Your Highness destroyed the monster?"

Ferdinand's face lit up with joy. Philip scowled, preparing to speak.

[Philip] "Duke, regardless of status, the credit belongs to the one who—"

[Duke] "A slave has no need for credit."

[Philip] "……."

[Duke] "My soft-hearted daughter feeds him well, clothes him, and even allows him to learn swordsmanship. What greater reward could there be?"

[Ferdinand] "Exactly, Philip! Stay out of this!"

Ferdinand shouted. The prince refused to lose the chance to claim the glory of defeating Echidna.

Philip glanced at Guiscard, who kept his gaze cast downward.

[Duke] "Furthermore, this slave escaped without a scratch, while my own daughter suffered injuries. Can we even call this an achievement?"

[Philip] "But Duke Brienne, fabricating a lie is—"

[Duke] "Your Highness, your elder brother has already approved the matter."

Philip glared at the Duke. Ferdinand was the next king; as long as the queen remained alive, that future stood secure. Still, that gave no reason to dismiss the second prince so completely.

[Philip] "Understood."

He was Dianna's father, after all. Philip forced his boiling anger down.

---

Dianna woke the very next day. Due to the painkillers for her shoulder, her mind felt hazy. The sun was already setting.

I overslept terribly.

She opened and closed her hand. A green light flashed, and Sylph appeared.

[Sylph] "What is itttt?"

[Dianna] "Nothing."

Disbelief still gripped her. Simply following the instructions in "The Easiest Way to Become a Spirit Summoner" allowed her to summon Sylph with complete ease.

Inside that cave, Dianna had taken the gamble of a lifetime—attempting to summon an intermediate spirit. The ritual failed, of course. Yet for a brief second, she opened her Spiritual Eyes, gaining a full view of every summonable spirit. No matter how many Sylphs she gathered, they couldn't match a single intermediate spirit.

Dianna spent a long time wondering what she could achieve with them. Then, an idea struck: instead of using Sylph directly in combat, why not use the spirits as a support mechanism?

The monster moved too fast and loomed too large for Guiscard to handle alone. Therefore, Dianna devised a strategy to overcome his speed limitations and small frame by utilizing the wind spirits.

The strategy worked perfectly. Guiscard executed the plan flawlessly. They succeeded. He performed exceptionally well! Dianna marveled at the power resting in her hands.

People said I possessed talent, but to this extent?

Surely, she could form a contract with intermediate spirits in the future. Her heart raced. She held power incomparable to her past. Yet, she soon let out a sigh. While she owed profound gratitude for this strength.

[Dianna] "Ah, right."

She scowled as a sudden realization hit her. A critical matter remained.

What should she do about Emil? Gaining the strength to protect herself brought joy, but the reality remained unchanged: her own brother, sharing the same father despite different mothers, tried to murder her.

I warned him, yet he still orchestrated this disaster.

Dianna massaged her throbbing temples. She refused to become a monster like him. In truth, hatred for Emil didn't fill her heart. Could she just leave things as they were?

He was never this kind of person. Why did he turn so twisted after Mirva was expelled?

She sighed.

---

Dianna recovered completely a day later. The moment she finished dressing to prepare for Taillach, a ridiculous rumor reached her ears. Supposedly, Ferdinand slew the snake monster, Echidna, to rescue her.

Ferdinand! The boy who carried the lightest sword because a regular blade weighed too much for him!

Just as Dianna headed toward the Duke's room to demand answers, she spotted Guiscard down the hallway. Strangely, after a single blink, the boy stood right before her. His walking pace was remarkably fast.

[Dianna] "Guiscard! Are you alright?"

At her question, Guiscard stared intently at her before lowering his gaze. A soft sigh escaped his lips. It carried an unmistakable note of relief.

Glancing around the corridor, she lowered her voice to a whisper.

[Dianna] "Did Father hand your credit over to that man?"

[Guiscard] "……."

[Dianna] "I can't let this slide. I must definitely—"

[Guiscard] "It is fine, My Lady."

[Dianna] "Why?"

[Guiscard] "A slave has no need for credit."

His words frustrated Dianna. What absolute nonsense. Regardless of status, the fact remained that he earned the victory by risking his own life.

[Guiscard] "In fact, it is better that I remain out of the spotlight. Did you not ask me to keep the matter regarding the spirits a secret?"

[Dianna] "That is...... true."

She intended to hide the existence of the spirits from Guiscard forever, but destroying Echidna forced her hand.

[Guiscard] "Avoiding interrogation makes things easier for me. I kept your secret."

He meant every word. Confronted with his perspective, Dianna could only nod.

[Guiscard] "My Lady. Are you not going to punish me?"

[Dianna] "What?"

[Guiscard] "I am……."

She stared at him.

It is fine, I don't care.

Just as she prepared to speak, her expression froze completely. Catching sight of a figure approaching from behind Guiscard, she turned deathly pale.

Wait, a reunion shouldn't happen here, not like this. What on earth……?

Angelic pink hair bloomed as brightly as cherry blossoms. Confronted with an unexpected person in an unexpected location, Dianna froze in a daze. A maid of the Brienne House standing ahead spoke.

[Maid] "Excuse me, My Lady. Guests from the Levian Ducal House of the Lodbrog Kingdom have arrived."

Lady Levian.

Instantly, a sharp throb echoed from her abdomen, as if a long-forgotten pain flared back to life. Every negative emotion in the world rushed into her mind. How could anyone forget that innocent face?

My child.

The despicable woman who murdered my child. The woman who stripped everything away from me. The one who drove me to my death.

[Saruvia] "Hello, Lady Brienne?"

The swaying pink hair moved as softly as flower petals. Still entirely oblivious, the innocent, pure, and detestable girl offered Dianna a radiant smile.

I don't want to see her. Never. Why must we meet here of all places?

---

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