Do Not Recklessly Rehabilitate Beasts - Chapter 2

Startled by her sudden outburst, the others quickly asked, “Are you okay, Melody? Still, wouldn’t it be better to call a priest and get treatment? You were unconscious for over ten minutes.”

“I’m fine. There’s a protective magic formula inscribed on the hammer, so the impact wasn’t that severe. The reason I didn’t wake up was just… I mean, just…”

Melody trailed off, stunned.

The reason she hadn’t opened her eyes wasn’t from the blow to her head, but because a single truth about herself had flashed through her mind in that moment.

A story where Lihellin, having manifested holy power, becomes a priest and gets entangled with three men. In that story, Melody was a supporting character who died a futile death.

[“Ah.”

With a pitiful moan, a rough hand urgently pulled down Lihellin’s hem.

“Stop….”

“Do you not enjoy it?”

Lihellin felt her throat dry. Heat rose to her eyes, and her lips were parched.

She was supposed to meet with the magical tool developer. She had nearly forgotten about the one waiting for her.

“Ahh…”

The hand that had been sweeping across her skin moved to a more intimate place. Caught off guard by the foreign sensation washing over her, Lihellin let out a gasp.

“Hnng…!”

As the touches repeated, faint moans escaped between her lips. Amid the increasingly intense, strange pleasure, he spoke.

“Haa… Such a wicked woman. You must be punished.”

The man’s large body pressed down on her, and Lihellin soon drowned in the overwhelming pleasure.]

Between the endless sex scenes, a magical tool developer who was mentioned without even a name—that was her.

And in the end, she met a meaningless death.

[“That woman is the magical tool developer who aided the Duke’s rebellion, Melody Riwood, right?”

“To think such a smart head would get involved in something so horrible. It’s only right she was executed.”

“Rumor has it she worked at the temple and was dragged off by the Duke, forced to work like a dog.”

“If that’s true, it’s sad, but what can you do? She’s already dead.”]

Because of her exceptional magical tool crafting skills, she was dragged under the villainous Duke Theonis, and in the end, she was beheaded.

She didn’t know exactly when it would happen, but at this rate, she would end up caught by the Duke and meet a tragic end.

‘Run away.’

The decision was easy, but there was one problem.

The temple was the only place where magical tools could be legally produced. Not to mention, crafting magical tools was what she did best—and what she loved most.

‘Tomorrow’s payday.’

So it was only natural she decided to run away after receiving her paycheck. Foolishly, not knowing what future that decision would lead to.

***

The next day.

“The magic detection tool at the temple’s great prison broke down. Someone needs to go repair it.”

At the temple administrator’s words, the magical tool developers looked troubled.

“Isn’t the great prison where they keep the wizards?”

“Ugh, not me. The detection tool’s broken too—if we ran into an escaped wizard, we’d die instantly, wouldn’t we? I hear wizards can make fire with their bare hands.”

“You think the holy knights just sit around while you die? And wizards can’t even move properly within a holy barrier because of the pain.”

Even those criticizing didn’t seem willing to volunteer.

In the Holy Empire of Valkaras, wizards were considered sinful beings by existence alone, and the moment they were discovered, they were imprisoned for life in the temple’s great prison.

It was a law that came into place a hundred years ago, after wizards had slaughtered ordinary people.

“I’ll go.”

Melody raised her hand. On her last day working at the temple, there couldn’t be a better task to kill time while avoiding the administrator’s eyes.

“Fine, let her go. She’s just a refugee of unknown origin, so running into a wizard shouldn’t matter much.”

Listening to the administrator’s mocking tone, Melody got ready. To her, wizards were not a source of fear. What no one else knew was that her father had been a wizard.

Melody had spent her childhood outside the holy barrier, where monsters roamed. Her wizard father couldn’t take a single step into the holy barriers installed in every village.

No, it was more accurate to say he couldn’t even think of entering. The holy barriers inflicted unbearable pain on those with magic.

Outside the holy barrier was barren land. Even if one were lucky enough to avoid monsters, survival was far from easy. That was why Melody planned to run straight out of the barrier as soon as she got her paycheck and endure until the novel ended.

Anyone in their right mind wouldn’t willingly leave the holy barrier, and since the story’s setting was the capital where the Grand Temple was, she figured she’d be safe as long as she got away from here.

‘I could survive for at least a year.’

As long as she stocked enough food, spending four seasons in seclusion wasn’t difficult. If she stayed inside a house with magical tools installed to keep monsters out and focused on crafting magical tools, a year would pass in a flash.

“Let’s see, let’s see, where’s the problem.”

Basement, fourth floor. A damp space lit only by faint wall lamps. Melody began carefully examining the magical formulas engraved on the magic detection device made of pitch-black crystal.

“The detection circuit is acting up. Why did it burn out? It’s like a massive wave of magic passed through.”

The wall lamps started flickering just as Melody was inspecting the sixth crystal.

“Now what’s acting up?”

Melody straightened from her crouch in front of the crystal. The light vanished entirely at that moment.

‘It’ll turn back on if I just wait a bit.’

How long had it been? The sudden sound of footsteps made Melody furrow her brows, trying to see through the pitch-darkness. Step, step. The approaching footsteps stopped right in front of her.

“Priest…? Don’t you have a lamp? Can you see anything?”

And at that moment, the light returned.

The first thing she saw was a man towering before her. Hair like silver spun from moonlight. Eyes glowing red like rubies.

With a face so beautiful it seemed crafted by the gods, Melody’s lips slowly parted. She felt as if the whole world had come into sharp focus.

“Hello.”

What reached her ears was a low, somehow sweet voice.

“An angel…?”

“Theonis Theodel Valkaras.”

Melody, staring blankly at the man, took a step back at his words before she even realized it.

It was him. One of the male leads in The Private Affairs of Lihellin, the duke who had worked her like a dog and caused her death under accusations of being his accomplice in rebellion.

Theonis wasn’t originally meant to be a duke—he was destined to become emperor. But when the former empress Fiona died giving birth to him, her brother Schuval took the throne instead.

Then Schuval’s son, Ryan, bypassed Theonis, the original first heir, and was named crown prince. Theonis, who even lost the woman he loved—Lihellin—to Ryan, ultimately started a rebellion.

And in the midst of that, Melody was fated to be caught working in Theonis’s estate and executed.

‘I was trying to run away.’

But she had run into him. Without even getting the chance to escape.

“Melody Riwood?”

At the sudden mention of her name, Melody froze.

“Do you already know who I am?”

“Green hair. Green eyes. Magical tool developer at the temple. I plan to learn more details starting now.”

“Is that… really necessary?”

“What a shame. I’m mad with the need to know.”

Theonis curved his lips in amusement.

“I hear you have a talent for crafting magical tools.”

“Oh, talent is a bit much. I only know a few formulas. Among the toolmakers at the temple, I’m one of the least skilled.”

It wasn’t true, but Melody desperately waved her hands.

Theonis’s smile deepened.

“You’re more brazen than you look.”