SS: The Puppet Princess, Milian
Milian von Gulf… the “Mage” of the Hero Party, and Julius’s former fiancée.
The third daughter of Duke Alex von Gulf and his concubine Avril.
Her father, Alex, was one of the most powerful nobles in the kingdom, and an exceptional mage as well…
Avril was of common birth, but her mana rivaled that of court magicians, and she was known as the Witch of the Kingdom.
She was also a woman of great beauty, and was chosen by Alex.
Naturally, Milian, born between Alex and Avril, was expected to excel in magic. Even before turning ten, the duke himself personally trained her mana, and her talent stood out remarkably.
Whenever that happened, her mother Avril would gently embrace her…
“Milian, you’re such a hard worker. But it’s okay to rest when you’re tired, alright? You can go at your own pace.”
Milian loved her mother Avril, who would smile at her so gently.
“Because it makes Mama happy. I’ll listen carefully to Father and do my best.”
Avril would watch Milian with a warm smile.
Ignoring her mother’s worries, Milian’s abilities kept rising steadily.
She couldn’t use magic yet since she didn’t have a class before age ten, but her mana alone was steadily approaching Avril’s day by day.
Then, when Milian was seven years old, an incident occurred.
After finishing the social season, the carriage returning to their territory was attacked by bandits.
Inside the carriage were her mother Avril, her kind eldest half-sister Latia, and Milian.
As the escort knights fought back, several of them betrayed their duty and sided with the bandits.
One by one, the knights fell. Avril also fought back with magic, but a special mana-suppressing magic tool was used, and she was captured.
Latia and Milian, who were in the same carriage, were captured as well…
From there on, it was hell.
They were locked in what was probably a building, a dimly lit room, and beaten and kicked on the bandits’ whims. If they cried, it only got worse…
Her mother and sister were also beaten and abused however the bandits pleased.
“Why… why do they do such horrible things while laughing? We didn’t do anything…”
Every night, she would cry silently so the bandits wouldn’t notice. If she made noise, it would happen again…
Her mother and sister would gently hold her close.
“Your father will surely come to save us. So let’s hang in there, Milian.”
Her mother would always smile at her with that beloved smile, and even though her sister was suffering too, she remained kind, so Milian felt safe.
But those same mother and sister would often be taken out of the confinement room, and after a while, they would return…
And every night without fail, the two of them would cry in silence.
Milian didn’t know what to do. She could only stay quiet and wait for morning to come…
Days like that continued for a while. Nothing changed, just the same unbearable routine, until one day, her sister Latia was taken from the room… and never came back.
The next day… and the day after that…
Her mother kept asking the bandits about her sister, but each time she was beaten for it. And then, her mother too was taken away.
Left alone and terrified, she waited…
Then suddenly, her mother’s mana surged rapidly, and a massive explosion rang out.
[Mana Rampage] - magical disaster caused by emotional surges. It had happened nearby.Milian trembled in fear in the corner of the room, but the explosion caused the wall to collapse, revealing the adjacent room.
And there…
Was her sister, lying limp, never to gently pat her head again…
And her mother, covered in stab wounds, holding that sister tightly in her arms.
The bandits all seemed to have collapsed, and Milian slowly approached her mother. Despite her suffering, her mother gave her that same beloved smile…
“I’m sorry, Milian. Your sister and I… we can’t leave here anymore. You need to run right away and find happiness. Listen carefully to your father and be a good girl, okay? If you do that… we’ll meet again…”
After saying that, her mother collapsed weakly.
Around where she sat, a pool of red had spread, and the room reeked of a heavy, iron-like smell.
“Mama…? Mama? Wake up… I’ll be lonely all by myself… Sister, you too, wake up… please!!”
Waaah… waaah…
After that, she didn’t remember much…
Later, she was told that she had used up all her mana and triggered a [Mana Rampage].
With two consecutive mana rampages, the building collapsed. Amid the falling rubble, the bodies of her mother Avril and her sister happened to cover her, as if protecting her, and Milian emerged without a single injury.
Milian believed that her mother and sister had saved her.
From that day on, her father Alex, who had always been strict, yet held a certain kindness within, took action.
The kidnapping of his wife and daughters using bandits had involved a political rival noble. While being threatened with “ensure your family’s safety,” this incident had occurred. No one survived except Milian. There was no doubt the culprit was that noble.
Alone, Alex stormed into that noble’s mansion.
Everyone in the mansion who was not part of the noble’s family was killed.
The noble family, the traitorous knights, and their families were all crucified in the garden of the Duke of Gulf’s estate. Milian was brought there as well…
“Milian. Use your mana rampage to kill these people. I’ll let you avenge Avril and your sister Latia…”
Milian hesitated. Then, in her mind, her beloved mother Avril spoke…
“Listen carefully to your father and be a good girl, okay? If you do that… we’ll meet again…”
That same gentle smile.
“Okay, Mama. I’ll listen to Father and be a good girl. Come see me again… with Sister…”
That day, a massive explosion scar was left in the duke’s garden.
If she listened to Father, her mother, Aril, would surely come see her again with her sister and be happy.
That’s why, even this day, she listened to Father.
And so she came to be called the [Puppet Princess]…
Even when she got engaged to Julius, even when she joined the Hero Party, even what happened with Crown Prince Erason, everything was simply obedience to her father.
“Mama… I’m happy because I get to see you. That’s why listening to Father makes me happy. Then… I can see you again, even if it’s only in dreams… right? … Mama… Sister…”
What do you think about this chapter?
