Dolores had nightmares every time she fell asleep.
The content of the nightmares was always similar.
She saw herself in the past, between the ages of 5 and 8.
She looked up at the two figures.
Igtus Baldschmidt and Erel Baldschmidt.
"Who did you take after to be so talentless? You can't even understand this much!"
Igtus always got angry.
"There's no food for you until you finish that homework today."
Erel didn't give her food if she didn't achieve anything.
She even remembered trying to eat her shoe leather after starving for two days.
She, who was supposed to become the genius of the century, always had to understand high-intensity magic.
However, those memories were not painful for Dolores.
Rather, it was dull.
She had always lived strong with hatred towards them.
The most painful dream for her was when she was 16 years old.
She grew taller and started to develop secondary sexual characteristics.
Dolores ran towards one figure.
She called out to him like this.
"Oppa!"
Silver hair and golden eyes.
A tall figure with a friendly face that naturally smiled every time she looked up.
Dolores, panting, ran without even taking a breath and said.
"It's been a while."
"Yes......"
"I got it! I'm the valedictorian! I was right below you!"
"Yeah, I saw."
"Let's go home together. I have something to brag about to Mom and Dad. I want to go with you and brag."
Young Dolores wanted to share that joy.
More than their happiness, she wanted Reed to look at her proudly.
"......I can't."
"Why?"
The dream shattered.
"......"
"Why do you look so gloomy, oppa?"
Reed knelt down and looked into Dolores's eyes.
Young Dolores finally sensed something was wrong.
"Dolores, you and I are now strangers."
"What do you mean?"
"We are no longer engaged."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"It's called a breakup."
It was then that Dolores noticed the engagement ring was missing from Reed's hand.
"Why, why? What happened?"
"It's nothing. I just... don't like you anymore."
He threw out an unacceptable reason and turned away indifferently.
Dolores grabbed Reed, who was about to leave.
"What did I do wrong? I'll fix it. I'll change it the way you like. So please don't go!"
Young Dolores didn't know the adults' situation that day.
She found out much later.
Reed cruelly pushed Dolores away, who didn't know.
With Reed's strength, Dolores fell on her buttocks.
Her graduation certificate as valedictorian fell.
"Didn't you hear? I said I don't want to see your face."
"Reed Oppa...."
"Don't call me that friendly. Didn't I say you and I are now strangers?"
"Oppa, why are you saying such mean things? Don't say mean things. That's not like you."
"I've always been like this."
"No, you weren't... You were kind. You taught me when I didn't know something, and you patted my head when I did well. You were always like that."
She desperately denied it.
"If you mix with the Adeleheights family, you will be a disgrace to the family. Even the child we have together......"
He swallowed and spat out cruelly.
"Will undoubtedly be pathetic."
That was Dolores' pain.
She cried more sadly than ever, and even drank alcohol, which she had vowed never to touch.
"And you are......"
Reed, who had disappeared, reappeared in front of her.
This memory didn't exist.
It was a nightmare created in Dolores' mind.
"Aren't you a demon?"
"What are you talking about? I'm not a demon!"
"Look at your eyes. If those aren't the eyes of a demon, what are they!"
Dolores turned her head.
There was a mirror there, reflecting Dolores's appearance.
A demon.
A demon girl with red eyes, Dolores Baldschmidt, stood there.
"Do you think I'd be with you seeing you like that?"
"Aaaaah!"
"Damn girl... how dare you deceive me..."
Tears of blood fell.
Dolores desperately avoided those eyes.
This isn't me. This isn't me.
She wanted to run away.
Then, something touched Dolores's hand.
A very small and cozy teddy bear.
For some reason, it was very comfortable to hug.
Her body had become smaller.
The teddy bear was the only refuge for her at that age when she wanted to curl up.
She didn't want to open her eyes again, buried in that teddy bear.
Because tomorrow will undoubtedly be painful.
"Are you Dolores?"
A gentle voice whispered in her ear.
Dolores raised her head.
There was a man kneeling there, matching her eye level.
Silver hair and golden eyes.
He didn't smile.
She was scared because he was always not good at smiling, so she hugged the teddy bear even tighter.
"My name is Reed Adeleheights. Is this your first time seeing me?"
Dolores was scared by the strict, low voice and nodded her head.
"I'm seeing you for the first time too. Would you like to greet me like a lady?"
"I'm Dolores Baldschmidt."
"Good. You're doing well."
Reed handed her a candy from his pocket.
It was then that Dolores realized there was a softness contained within.
"From today, I will take care of your studies."
"Will you... hit me if I can't?"
"Let's do it together until you can."
"Even if I'm hungry?"
"......"
Reed didn't say anything.
Dolores looked up at him anxiously.
"I see."
Reed looked down at Dolores with an understanding face.
"Can I call you Dolores instead of Baldschmidt?"
"Yes."
"Alright, Dolores. Listen carefully from now on."
He looked down at her.
Her golden eyes warmly embraced her heart.
"You are the eldest daughter of the Baldschmidt family. You are of noble birth, so you must always remember that. You must not show disrespect to your parents anymore. Don't even think about it."
"I've never been disrespectful."
But Dolores silently listened to his words.
"Instead, you can be disrespectful to me. When things don't go your way, when you get angry, when you get annoyed, tell me everything."
"But then... Master Adeleheights will have a hard time, won't you?"
"It's the time when children your age should say anything. Can't I do at least that much for you?"
"Is that so?"
"Yes."
Reed's hand rested on Dolores's head.
He gently stroked her.
"So if you want to be disrespectful, tell me. I'll be with you until you get tired of it."
At that moment, a bright white light burst in front of Dolores.
***
"Do... Dolly... Dolly."
With a sharp voice, Dolores opened her eyes to reality.
What she saw in front of her was Reed.
He was smiling with a very haggard face.
"I've finished."
