The Adored Daughter of the Disliked Duke's House: My Magic Power Increases Every Time I'm Praised, So I've Been Perfecting Cuteness Since Infancy! - Episode 30

“I want to save my friend… Lend me your strength.”

Barzemir’s sincere request left me perplexed.

What he was saying contradicted itself. He had claimed he didn’t understand “emotion,” yet here he was saying, “I want to save my friend.”

As I tilted my head in confusion, Barzemir’s expression hardened.

“I simply don’t like the fact that my kin is being used by humans.”

“Used by humans?”

“Yes. Bound and enslaved by human treachery and magic.”

“But I’ve never heard of any magic that can enslave monsters.”

“Neither have I. But my friend is being controlled by a human. That is a fact.”

It was hard to believe.

However, the world of magic is filled with mysteries. Just because I haven’t heard of something doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

Still, something felt off.

“But isn’t it your kind that wants to destroy humans? How did a monster end up being enslaved by one?”

Barzemir let out a sigh of exasperation.

“Do I really have to start from there?”

“Of course. I don’t know anything about your side of things.”

This was a good opportunity. I could gather valuable information about the Demon King’s forces from Barzemir.

Or so I thought.

“I can see right through your thoughts.”

Barzemir heaved another deep sigh and stretched.

“You’re always scheming, aren’t you?”

“But if you don’t give me more details, I can’t even decide whether to make a deal.”

When I pouted, Barzemir snorted.

“I can’t reveal too much before I know if our deal will go through.”

That was a reasonable stance, but it left us at an impasse.

“Then at least tell me about your friend.”

Barzemir’s ears twitched. After another sigh, he glanced at me.

“Calling him my ‘friend’ is misleading.”

“Misleading?”

“I merely used a term you’d understand. We are not like you and those two brats.”

He must have meant Al and Leo.

“Monsters have no emotions. What we have is a kind of mutual bond.”

“A bond?”

“If he dies, I die. That’s all there is to it.”

I had no idea what he was talking about.

“That’s all…?”

If one dies, so does the other.

It was like Romeo and Juliet.

How could he carry such an immense emotional weight and claim it was nothing but a “bond”?

“I don’t understand.”

“Of course, you don’t.”

Barzemir scratched behind his ear with his hind leg before deftly washing his face with his front paw. The gesture was unmistakably cat-like.

“We have our own logic. You don’t need to understand it.”

“I see.”

“But if I say ‘I want to save my friend,’ you can understand that, can’t you?”

“Well, yes.”

“Still, I don’t want you to think of our relationship in human terms.”

“You’re so troublesome.”

“Perhaps, by human standards.”

Barzemir let out a huge yawn before curling up on the bed.

(Wait, is he planning to sleep here?)

Ignoring my concerns, Barzemir quietly closed his eyes, settling in for sleep.

“His name is Vaelzen. He is a proud monster who has lived alongside me for centuries.”

That was all he said last night.

The deal was still not finalized.

But unless Barzemir chose to leave on his own, his magic would remain within my pendant.

(What should I do?)

If I consulted Professor Caleb, he might find a way to expel him.

If I asked my father or the king, they might find a way to seal him permanently.

But neither option sat well with me.

(A friend, huh…)

He had insisted their bond was not the same as human friendship.

But still…

(I don’t think he was lying about wanting to save him.)

For now, I decided to keep Barzemir’s presence a secret and investigate further.

Which led to today—when I spotted Lady Cecilia carrying a pendant that sealed a monster.

“This is a disaster.”

“Indeed.”

Behind the school building after class, I held my head in my hands.

Meanwhile, Barzemir, satisfied with his dried fish, purred at my feet.

The moment classes ended, he had manifested in his cat form, forcing me to scoop him up and hide him in the bushes.

It was infuriating how useful the dried fish I had swiped from the kitchen the night before turned out to be.

“I knew there was a human traitor in this school. But to think it’s the prince’s fiancée!”

“That would be quite the scandal.”

“It’s worse than that! Her parents must be involved, maybe even her relatives. The Ferrandis Marquis family is one of the most prestigious. If we investigate, we might uncover a massive conspiracy!”

“So, the human nobility may have a large network of traitors.”

“Exactly! This is far more serious than I expected.”

“But we have no proof.”

I frowned at Barzemir’s taunting tone.

“That’s the problem.”

Without evidence, no one would believe me if I accused Lady Cecilia.

The pendant could serve as proof, but they must have taken precautions. If they were confident enough to carry it openly, they must have a way to counter any suspicions.

If our opponent were a minor noble or commoner, just my accusation would be enough to have them arrested and investigated.

But Cecilia was too powerful.

Accusing a high-ranking noblewoman wouldn’t lead to an arrest. Instead, the evidence would be destroyed before a formal investigation even began.

If I was going to accuse her, I needed undeniable proof that would leave no room for escape.

“Quite the predicament.”

Barzemir grinned, and my cheeks twitched in frustration.

That left me with only one choice.

“Shall we make a deal?”

The only way to break this stalemate was to strike a deal with Barzemir, gain information from him, and work together to free the monster trapped in Cecilia’s pendant.
If I could reveal that moment to others, it would serve as irrefutable proof.

I sighed and slumped my shoulders.

“Let’s set the terms.”

If I was going to do this, I had to ensure the deal didn’t put me at a disadvantage.

Barzemir’s cat-like face curled into a smug grin.

The terms of our deal were as follows:
1. The deal would be fulfilled upon freeing Vaelzen from Cecilia’s pendant. Until then, both parties would cooperate.
2. Both parties would fully disclose any information necessary to achieve this goal, but would not share said information with others.
3. Neither party would harm or sabotage the other until the deal was completed.
4. Barzemir would remain inside my pendant, appearing only in cat form.
5. I would provide a comfortable environment for Barzemir in his cat form.

“…Was the last condition really necessary?”

“You demanded I stay in cat form. Food and shelter should be included.”

“Fine.”

With that, I carefully signed the contract, watching as the ink shimmered with my magic.

Barzemir, unable to hold a pen, pressed his paw onto the parchment.

“Deal sealed.”

I was reluctant to make a contract with a monster, but…

“Let’s get this over with.”

We had work to do.