Claire Harold.
She was Lee Han’s childhood friend and a former member of the Hero’s Party.
A woman who played a crucial role in reviving her fallen count family and has now become a hero, shining brighter than anyone else.
However, Hero Claire Harold was gradually becoming exhausted.
It wasn’t a visible exhaustion.
On the surface, she seemed to be doing very well.
The Harold Trading Company was rapidly expanding its influence, monopolizing trade rights in the capital.
Her status, as one of the three heroes, was steadily rising.
Coupled with her image as the daughter who revived a fallen noble family, Claire’s fame had spread far and wide across the continent.
Everything was good and going well.
Except for one thing.
Lee Han.
Lee Han was a significant risk to all three heroes.
They had received a prophecy that they must find him. Because of his last words, the relationship between the three heroes was deteriorating day by day. To avoid having their sins exposed, they needed to secure him.
This burden was equally shared by all three heroes.
But.
Claire’s suffering stemmed from a different reason altogether.
– Rustle
Every night in bed.
Claire couldn’t sleep.
No matter how many times she changed to a better bed.
No matter how many times she switched to bedding crafted with the utmost care by masters.
All night long, she would lay awake, her mind restless.
‘It can’t be.’
At first, she denied it.
She had resolved to endure Lee Han’s death.
And she had managed to endure.
She hadn’t stayed awake at night after it happened.
Logically, Lee Han wasn’t the cause.
Or so she thought.
However.
“…”
Her insomnia worsened over time.
There were many nights where she barely slept an hour. It became so severe that it was difficult to even cover the dark circles under her eyes with makeup.
Why.
Why, of all things.
She could have tolerated the insomnia.
But if the cause of her insomnia, the reason she was suffering, was because of Lee Han…
That, she couldn’t bear.
She sought out renowned doctors.
And finally. Claire found the answer she was looking for.
It wasn’t insomnia. It was another illness.
“You have mana hypersensitivity.”
“Mana hypersensitivity?”
Near the capital of the Empire.
In the small city of Easton.
A renowned doctor, who had come there after hearing rumors, diagnosed Claire.
“Mana hypersensitivity is, as the name suggests, a condition where the body reacts excessively to the mana in the surroundings. It’s a disease caused by the immune system attacking mana, perceiving it as a threat.”
“So… what happens now?”
The doctor, adjusting his glasses, replied.
“We don’t know exactly.”
“You don’t know…”
“The number of reported cases of mana hypersensitivity is extremely low. I would estimate there are only one or two people on the entire continent with this condition. It’s a rare disease, even in the literature.”
Claire didn’t feel wronged.
The odds of contracting a disease that rare were astronomical.
It was just unbelievable.
But there was one strange thing.
“If it’s mana hypersensitivity, why haven’t I had any symptoms until now? Shouldn’t I have been in pain much earlier if it was reacting to mana?”
A sharp observation.
The doctor nodded.
“Indeed. In such cases, we can consider two possibilities.”
“Two possibilities?”
“Yes. First, the disease, which was previously nonexistent, suddenly manifested. As I said, mana hypersensitivity is extremely rare, so it’s difficult to determine the exact cause or correlation.”
“And the second?”
The doctor tilted his head.
“It’s unlikely, but.”
“Unlikely?”
“There may have been some factor suppressing the symptoms of your mana hypersensitivity.”
“Suppressing? What do you mean by suppressing mana…”
“Mana is an intangible substance that affects both the human body and soul. Mana hypersensitivity is related to the impact of mana on the soul. The physical symptoms you’re experiencing are merely side effects.”
The effect of mana on the soul.
She had heard of it before.
The doctor continued.
“As you know, there’s no way to physically block mana. It’s present even in the air, so it’s impossible. But it can be spiritually blocked.”
“That means.”
“Yes. An item, a symbol, or perhaps some entity was protecting your soul from certain mana.”
Claire’s head dropped, lost in thought.
If what the doctor said was true, then recently—perhaps within the last few months—something or someone must have disappeared from her side.
“… So, if I recover that object, will the symptoms ease?”
“Yes, most likely.”
She had to find it.
What could it be?
Claire quickly racked her brain.
‘But I haven’t lost any items…’
At that moment.
Claire’s face turned pale.
At that moment, Claire’s complexion turned deathly pale, so much so that even the doctor was taken aback.
“Are you alright, my lady?”
“Yes… But, the ‘existence’ that blocks harmful mana…”
“Yes?”
“Could it possibly be a person?”
There was one.
One person who had disappeared from her side.
Claire stared intently at the doctor’s lips.
And the moment his mouth opened, she fell into despair.
“Yes. It could be a person.”
◆
The capital of the Empire.
As you venture deep into the bustling and dazzling streets, the scenery begins to change little by little.
Claire, cloaked in a drab-colored hood, began walking into the depths of an alleyway.
The path grew increasingly rough and slippery.
The air became damp and heavy.
The smell of decay grew stronger, and the walls darkened.
The lavishly dressed people were nowhere to be seen, replaced by a scene filled with people bearing deep dark circles under their eyes, emaciated figures, and bodies dragging along as if burdened by some discomfort.
The slums of the capital.
Claire’s red hair occasionally peeked out from under her hood, drawing attention.
The men of the slums were dangerous. They were starved for women.
That was why Claire pulled her hood down tightly.
She walked swiftly and confidently, as if familiar with the place.
Men who had been lurking for prey scattered as she passed.
Claire sighed and turned into a narrow alleyway.
At the center of the alley stood a massive, pitch-black tree devoid of leaves.
The atmosphere in this alley was distinctly different from the others.
The houses lined up around the tree seemed to emanate a faint smell of blood.
At the end of the alley, there was a rickety wooden shack, seemingly on the verge of collapse.
– Knock, knock.
When she knocked on the door, a clanking sound was followed by a small opening at the top of the wooden door.
An old woman’s wrinkled eyes peered out and scrutinized Claire.
“What brings you here?”
“I have a request. Payment can be made in any form.”
The door creaked open.
A mix of honey, disinfectant, blood, and herbs filled the air.
People referred to this odd combination of scents.
The smell of a witch.
“How did a young lady like you find your way here?”
The unfamiliar surroundings didn’t faze Claire; she opened her eyes wide instead of being startled.
Negotiation and bargaining were her specialties.
“I’m here to find someone. And I’ve heard you’re the best in this field.”
“You have some good sources.”
“So, how much will it cost?”
Despite the blunt question, the old woman smiled.
“You’re wealthy.”
“… Anyone could tell that from my clothes.”
“No, not the kind of wealth that shows in your clothes, but the kind that could influence the entire continent.”
She shouldn’t be able to recognize her face, should she?
The disguise was perfect.
Gulp.
Claire swallowed dryly as the old woman continued.
“A young lady like you shouldn’t find it difficult to locate a single person. But since you’ve come to me, it must mean you’ve failed. This is a difficult task. A very difficult one. You don’t know their appearance or name, do you? But you know their soul. They’ve died before, haven’t they?”
Claire felt a chill run down her spine.
The witch grinned, her lips curling into a sinister smile.
“I’ll find him for you. I can tell you the general region where he is.”
“Th-that’s enough. How much will it cost?”
“You must offer a part of your soul.”
“How much?”
The old woman raised her hand, slowly folding down one of her five fingers.
“20%.”
One-fifth of her lifespan would be taken away in an instant.
All to find Lee Han—no, to discover the city where he was residing.
“Tell me.”
Claire nodded.
◆
“I need to find someone.”
In the Harold Trading Company’s Easton branch, Claire’s voice was unwavering and determined as she spoke to the branch manager.
But why would she need to search for someone here?
After all, he was merely the head of a trading company’s branch, responsible for buying and selling goods.
The branch manager couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
What crime did he commit to deserve such a task?
Perhaps it was simply because Claire happened to be in the area, paying a visit to the branch.
“Wh-who exactly are you looking for?”
Despite the odd request, the branch was still a hub of information.
More so than other places, it overflowed with contacts and resources.
‘With a few days of thorough searching, we should be able to find them.’
The branch manager assessed the situation.
A name would make the task easier, but even a clear description of their appearance would suffice.
‘I’ll just delegate this to one of my subordinates.’
Normal working hours might still be within reach.
The branch manager internally sighed with relief as he asked the next question.
“Do you have any details about the person you’re looking for? A name, perhaps?”
“Yes. He’s a boy destined to become a hero in the future.”
“And his name…?”
“I don’t know.”
“His appearance, then…?”
“If I knew that, would I be asking you to find him?”
How on earth am I supposed to find him?
The branch manager barely restrained his frustration.
Claire.
Though she could be a bit aggressive and direct, Claire, as a vice-president of the trading company, wasn’t known for openly expressing her feelings.
But now, standing before him, she was…
“…”
Anger, frustration, regret.
Her face seemed to be a storm of emotions.
This must be something deeply personal.
And in the world of business, one of the most important tasks is to handle the personal matters of those in power.
After all, a personal favor can forge the strongest of debts.
The branch manager realized something.
This was an opportunity for him.
His voice grew more serious as he asked.
“I’ll search through every person in Easton until I find him.”
“Good attitude.”
“But we need some way to confirm it’s him, don’t we? Otherwise, how will we know?”
“I don’t know his current name, but his previous name was Lee Han.”
“…Lee Han?”
An unusual name.
“And he has a few distinct habits. He acts cold, carries himself confidently, and always maintains a calm demeanor. But despite that, when he cares for someone, he’s incredibly kind, looking into their eyes and asking about their well-being, slowly and carefully…”
Claire stopped speaking.
A heavy silence filled the room.
‘Why did she stop talking?’
The branch manager looked up at Claire, only to be caught off guard.
Drip.
Tears were quietly falling from her eyes.
