My Ruin to You - Chapter 42

After leaving the dormitory and moving to a new home on the outskirts of the capital, the bleak reality trampled over the wreckage of our breakup. Valen had faithfully kept his last words, but the nobles still watched his reactions closely. It meant there was no place left for Roseline. Except for one.

“I really don’t get it. Why are you moping in a place like this?”

Schnitzel visited every few days, grumbling endlessly. She complained about the small space, the low ceiling—always finding something to nitpick—yet she never failed to show up. And she never came empty-handed. One day, she arrived with a maid carrying loads of groceries; another day, she tossed a tome on offensive magic and a healing potion onto the table.

“It’s the textbook my brother used to study. The potion is my own mana.”

“I appreciate it, but may I ask why you’re giving these to me?”

“Because I don’t want you blowing up this shabby house with your half-baked magic experiments, that’s why!”

“And the potion?”

“Planning to die alone? Keep it somewhere visible and use it if you feel like passing out. From the looks of it, I’m the only one visiting this place, so don’t go giving me a heart attack. Understood?”

In other words, she was worried about Roseline.

“Still no intention of joining our family?”

“If you invite me again next year, I’ll gladly come.”

“Forget it. Who do you think is waiting around just for you?”

Even as she grumbled, Schnitzel didn’t press further—she understood why Roseline had no choice but to decline.

On days when Schnitzel didn’t visit, Roseline spent her time transcribing texts. It was her only work, and if she poured all her focus into it, the sun would set before she knew it. Winter, in particular, made the days feel shorter as night fell early.

After adding firewood to the dwindling fireplace, Roseline opened the door to the small backyard. It was barely deserving of the name—more like a patch of land the size of a palm—but it was just the right place to step out for a breath of air.

As she gazed up at the frigid winter sky, calculating her remaining funds and future plans—

Rustle.

A suspicious sound came from the dry leaves.

“……Huh?”

A snake. Even though it should’ve been deep in hibernation. The emaciated creature barely flicked its tongue, its body limp. Its blood had dried up, and patches of its flesh were frozen white, peeling off like shed skin. It was a miracle it was still alive.

“Unbelievable, really.”

Roseline clicked her tongue lightly. She didn’t know if the world was always this full of injured creatures or if they just happened to cross her path, but she couldn’t just ignore it. As she approached, the snake weakly raised its head in a final act of defiance—only to flop back down immediately, too weak to hold it up. Still, its slitted yellow pupils tracked Roseline’s every move.

“Repay me with money.”

Bring me jewels. Or, better yet, go fetch some jewels. Actually, just drop a pile of jewels right here.

Muttering things the snake would never understand, Roseline crouched beside it and held out her hand. Light emanated from her palm, absorbing into the snake’s wounds. The serpent hissed, breathing raggedly as it watched her in silence. The internal injuries ran deeper than expected, and her mana drained rapidly. By the time the snake had regained enough vigor to thump its tail against the ground, a trickle of blood had begun to drip from Roseline’s nose.

Bleeding from just healing a scrawny snake?

This was unusual.

“Honestly, unbelievable.”

Roseline wiped away the blood from her nose without much concern. All the while, the snake had been silently watching her—until, slowly, it raised its head and suddenly gaped its jaws wide. A sticky liquid glistened on its sharp fangs. The moment Roseline turned back—

“Ah—!”

A searing pain shot through her wrist. She jerked upright, and the snake dropped away. Seriously? Had she ever seen such an ungrateful creature?

“…Have you lost your mind?”

Staring at the bloody bite marks, she let out a dry laugh. The snake didn’t slither away—instead, it held its head high, flicking its tongue, looking unbearably smug. For a moment, Roseline glared back, but what was the point of a staring contest with a dumb beast? She turned away first. It was absurd, but then again, she herself had been ungrateful to someone before. Maybe this was just karma settling its debts.

And the next day—in the backyard where the snake had vanished—she found a jewel.