Looser Lavender the Sixth — head of House Lavender.
His granddaughter, Urla Lavender, had been raised since birth for the sole purpose of warring against the Empire.
"......"
Having finished her discussion with her grandfather, Urla returned to her room and took her seat at the table.
Though no one else was in the room... her back was held perfectly straight, and not a single crease marred the white dress she wore.
Her movements were less precise or courteous than they were mechanical — they did not seem like the motions of a living, breathing human being.
"All for the name of 'Looser'... to bring the hammer of justice down upon the Empire."
With a voice still tinged with youth, Urla murmured.
House Lavender's heads have each inherited the name "The Defeated"
as their own. The current head is the sixth generation.
Why have they continued to pass down such a dishonorable name? It is so they will never forget their hatred of the Empire.
House Lavender had continued fighting the Empire as border nobles up until the alliance was formed.
In that long struggle, countless soldiers lost their lives. Members of the Margrave's direct line were among the fallen as well.
When the alliance with the Empire was signed, many nobles breathed a sigh of relief that the war with a great power had finally ended — but House Lavender alone opposed both the peace and the alliance.
The name "Looser" is a symbol of House Lavender's hatred.
It was a name designed to ensure they would never forget: they were the defeated, people who had been invaded by the Empire time and again and forced to swallow their grief and accept an alliance.
"Head for the capital... participate in the demon realm's development... persuade the other nobles... petition the king to subjugate the Empire..."
With hollow eyes, she repeated the orders that had been given to her.
Since childhood, Urla had received nothing but an elite education, all in the name of revenge against the Empire.
That education had long since become brainwashing. If her grandfather, the head of the household, gave the order, Urla would not even— flinch —at the thought of launching a solo suicide charge against the enemy army.
Urla had no parents and no siblings.
Her father had infiltrated the Empire as a spy and never made contact again, while her mother had grown fed up with the household and abandoned Urla before fleeing.
And so, there was no one to stop her grandfather's brainwashing.
Urla was nearly complete—a puppet forged for revenge and war, a weapon in human form.
"For the sake of completing the mission, research the frontier development corps in advance... Everything is done under the name of 'Looser'..."
As though muttering to herself, Urla reached for the crystal ball resting on the table.
"......Demon realm... frontier development... nobles... the Empire... magic beasts..."
She murmured the words in succession like a feverish incantation, hovering her hand over the crystal ball.
It might have looked like she was imitating a fortune teller—but it was neither mere imitation nor a pretense.
Urla had inherited the talent for divination from the mother who had abandoned her.
She was born with the "Fairy Eye," an innate ability that allowed her to perceive things beyond this world, and through the crystal ball she could peer into distant places far removed from where she stood.
"......Information... frontier development... who......?"
As her grandfather had ordered, Urla tried to gather whatever information she could through the crystal ball.
Everything was for House Lavender. It was an act of revenge against the Empire, carried out under the name of "Looser."
"......Ah............?"
Before long, a white haze began to cloud the surface of the transparent crystal ball.
The fairies dwelling in the Astral Plane had responded to Urla's call, projecting the scenes she wished to see.
"............"
What appeared within the crystal ball were the figures of those who would become key players in the demon realm's frontier development.
Young men and women gathered around Second Prince Andrew Aiwood. Andrew was surrounded by men and women of his generation, conversing inside a room.
It was, in fact, the moment they were holding a meeting about the frontier development in the student council room.
Since Urla had requested information about the development, that particular scene had been projected.
"............"
At the far end of Urla's gaze... several people surrounded Andrew.
For instance... Bethras Yusgos and Rilanda Marker, retainers who also served as student council officers. Both were children of nobles with close ties to the royal family.
In principle... their information needed to be gathered as well.
"............"
For instance... Celestine Crocus. The daughter of House Crocus, the premier noble house, and second in status only to Andrew in this gathering.
Without question, she was a key figure. Her information should have been gathered as a priority.
"............"
For instance... Wilhelm Lubeth and Isis Carbelt. Both were next-generation hero candidates with a high likelihood of rising to prominence in the future.
They would likely become the main fighting force for the frontier development. Their information should have been gathered proactively.
"............"
For instance... the sisters Viola Rosemary and Primula Rosemary. The prized gems in the hands of the chief court magician.
Among these, their priority was the lowest, but in terms of petitioning the king regarding war with the empire, it would not hurt to have their information on hand.
"............"
However... Urla's eyes were not looking at them.
She was not looking at Andrew, nor Celestine, nor any of the other people there.
The only person Urla's gaze was fixed on was a single individual.
In other words... only on the young count, Rest Clover.
『～～～～』
"……………………………………………………………………………………"
Rest was speaking about something inside the crystal ball.
She couldn't hear his voice... but Urla was staring at him.
Staring—no, more than that... staring and staring and staring. If gaze carried physical force, it would have drilled a hole clean through.
"…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………"
Intently, closely, thoroughly, earnestly, wholeheartedly... she stared at Rest for as long as time would allow.
And then... Urla's lips trembled ever so slightly.
"………………………………………………………………………………………………I love you."
As if delivering some new kind of joke, Urla whispered.
Her expressionless face—bare like a mask—flushed red before her eyes, looking as though it might ignite at any moment.
"I love you... so much, I love you. I really love you... I love you after all. I love you I love you I love you love love love love love lo-lo-lo-love love, looove, l—"
Her pitiful vocabulary crumbling apart, Urla stared into the crystal ball as though she could devour it, repeating her words of love over and over.
The eyes gazing into the crystal ball shimmered with an iridescent glow, revealing that she was perceiving things beyond the mortal realm through her 'Fairy Eyes.' "I love you...!"
It was the very first emotion she had ever felt in her life.
For Urla—created as a tool for revenge and brought into existence by the will of "Looser"—this was an overwhelming passion so powerful it washed away everything she had been before.
It was far more than having the scales fall from her eyes... It was a shock to the very soul, one that overturned the personality and values composing Urla from their very foundations.
"Like... I like... I have to go to where this person is...!"
At last, Urla managed to speak words other than "like."
She had regained her composure and her vocabulary was returning, but the flush on her cheeks remained unchanged.
The same was true of how she refused to tear her gaze away from the crystal ball, even for an instant.
"I like... ah, I really do like... how beautiful...!"
From that day on, Urla would spend her life seated before the crystal ball whenever she had the time to spare.
Thanks to that, Rest's every privacy had been laid bare—even her baths and trips to the toilet had been spied upon... though she remained completely unaware of it.
Urla Lavender, who had job-changed from a doll of revenge into a spiritual stalker.
This was an event that took place ten days before she departed for the royal capital on a mission of demon realm development.