Do Not Recklessly Rehabilitate Beasts - Chapter 5

“……”

“Do you truly believe that magical tools are more dangerous than monsters outside the barrier, Priest?”

“That’s not what I meant. The temple simply seeks to prevent the unauthorized creation of magical tools.”

“My goodness. Are you suggesting that the Duke might create magical tools at will and use them to threaten people?”

Melody made full use of the skills she had learned from the magical tool department manager—nitpicking.

When she put on a shocked expression, the priest flailed in alarm and waved his hands toward Theonis.

“N-no! That’s absolutely not what I meant.”

“You won’t even send a magical tool developer to someone who risks his life subjugating monsters for the sake of the country. And all I ever make at the temple are wall lamps for taverns.”

“Most people who request magical tools are merchants, so it can’t be helped. Ahem. Ahem. Serving the temple is serving the empire, after all.”

Perhaps flustered, the priest began babbling excuses about the temple’s role.

“It can’t be helped, then. If the temple is that firm, I suppose I have no choice but to give up.”

Theonis looked at her as if asking what she meant.

Melody signaled to the priest and continued, “Duke, you mentioned recently that the monsters have been growing fiercer, and you’re worried the barrier might break. That’s why you wanted a magical tool developer to accompany you, right? In that case, how about asking His Holiness to allow you to bring some priests on the subjugation instead? Surely they know more about the runes used in the barrier than we do.”

The priest’s eyes went wide, but Theonis, catching her intent, responded smoothly, “Not a bad idea. Was your name Mahil? Will you come with us, then? I need someone who can inspect the barrier.”

The weight of Theonis’s request was immense. Mahil, anxious, fidgeted with his now-cold teacup.

“I-I will recommend younger priests who are more well-versed in the barrier.”

“I don’t like that.”

“Wh-what do you mean…”

“You’re the first person who’s ever insulted me. Wouldn’t it be more honorable to die fighting monsters and return to the goddess’s side than to be punished for insulting the imperial family?”

Theonis, with a shameless face, might as well have said, ‘You’re the first to hit me.’ If Mahil had been a woman, the two might have fallen in love. While Melody entertained such silly thoughts, Mahil trembled like prey before a predator and lowered his head.

“I swear by the goddess, I never intended to insult you, Duke.”

“But you did insult me.”

“Th-that’s…”

“If you’d rather be punished for insulting imperial family, go ahead.”

Insulting the imperial family was a grave offense punishable by summary judgment. Mahil, trembling all over, suddenly jumped up.

“N-now that I think about it, I was short-sighted… You are not someone who would bring chaos to the empire. E-excuse me.”

Mahil, who had left the room, returned with the temple contract.

“Please take the magical tool developer. How could we refuse someone working to protect the holy barrier?”

Then he burned the contract.

As the paper turned to ash before her eyes, Melody clenched her fists.

‘I did it.’

But the joy was short-lived.

No sooner had they reached the worn log cabin than Theonis placed a new contract in front of her.

“Congratulations on finally signing the contract you so desperately wanted.”

“…Yes, I did say that.”

With her signature, the contract was sealed. She now had no way out—she would be working for Theonis.

Melody let out a quiet sigh and asked, “May I ask what I’m supposed to make?”

“Shouldn’t you have asked that before signing?”

“I was going to do it anyway. If I had known earlier, I think it would’ve been harder to convince the priest.”

Because her unwillingness would’ve shown through clearly. Theonis let out a deep breath and spoke,

“You just need to cure my wretched illness.”

“Ah…”

She had momentarily forgotten because he looked so perfectly fine, but in the novel, Theonis was the character associated with frailty and obsession. His meeting with Lihellin, a new priestess, had also begun with treatment.

‘He detested being touched because of his illness.’

The only male lead who never had a relationship with Lihellin. Perhaps that was why Theonis resolved to rebel right after seeing the Crown Prince and Lihellin together in bed.

If it was an incurable disease that even holy power couldn’t heal, and he sought out a magical tool developer—why, of all people, did it have to be her?

Melody looked at Theonis curiously and said, “You can’t cure people with magical tools. No matter how talented I may be, I can’t make a tool that heals humans.”

“But you did.”

“I… did?”

She had created some genius-level magical tools, but none had anything to do with healing.

It was just then that Theonis took a deep breath. Black smoke spread across the floor, and everything it touched began to wither.

The wooden chair, then the floorboards turned to ash. The walls crumbled, and the roof was already gone. Everything around him was disintegrating into ash—it was a spectacular sight.

He had used magic.

The sheer power of it made Melody cover her mouth with both hands. Her entire body broke out in goosebumps.

Theonis staggered and clutched his head. It looked like he was barely enduring a pain so great it couldn’t even be imagined.

Still in shock, Melody struggled to process the situation. So that’s why he had sought her out. Because he had found the magic nullification machine.

“You’re… a wizard?!”

“Too late to regret it now.”

He spoke like he was chewing the words.

“You won’t be able to go anywhere until you’ve cured me.”

***

Melody woke from sleep, still shaken. A small inn room. One piece of luggage sat on the floor. Today was the day she would enter the duke’s house.

[“Can I help you?”

At Lihellin’s question, Theonis had a devastated look on his face.

“No one can save me from this endless pain. There was a time I mistook it for hope, but now it’s meaningless.”

“Theonis…!”

“You only bring me pain.”

Tears rolled down Lihellin’s cheeks.

“Seeing you makes me hate the goddess so much I can’t bear it.”]

In the novel, Theonis’s illness was never described in detail. But now that she knew he was a wizard, it felt like the missing puzzle pieces had fallen into place.

‘I never imagined it.’

It was only natural she hadn’t guessed Theonis was a wizard. Surviving within the barrier without a magic nullification machine was unthinkable.

Melody couldn’t begin to fathom how he was enduring the pain.

‘He must have given up his claim to succession because he was a wizard!’

That he could even remain inside the barrier—it must have been for the sake of the imperial family.

“I wonder if Uncle Malone got out safely.”

Malone had been released and sent outside the barrier. She likely wouldn’t see him again. Melody wished him well.

‘I’m not doing well at all, though.’

She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs. The innkeeper, sweeping the floor, looked up at her.

“Are you the guest from last night? Leaving already?”

“I’ve lived here for two years.”

“Then why do you seem like a stranger?”

Because I couldn’t come home often due to night shifts. I slept in the temple’s storage room more than in my own lodging.