“Yes, I’ll treat you so that you don’t get sick.”
Liarte raised Michael’s head.
Cursed red eyes shone dimly under the moonlight.
“This time, I’m going to erase a layer of the curse under the letters. So don’t close your eyes and wait.”
Blinking was a reaction that Michael had forgotten about when he leaned on her shoulder.
Because of her periodic contact with Lianrius, Liarte was rather calm even when others touched her.
Done.
Soon the energy of water flowed into Michael’s eyes.
‘You have to be careful to erase only one layer.’
Liarte carefully moved the water so as not to touch any other layers.
The Seven Veiled Curse was the most dangerous hex in black magic.
This was because if you accidentally touch another layer while trying to take off one layer, the condition will irreversibly deteriorate.
‘That’s a strong force.’
Michael admired silently.
“Michael, are you uncomfortable?”
“No. It didn’t hurt at all because of your consideration.”
It was not his benefactor’s strong ability that caught Michael’s interest. He liked the heartfelt concern and careful consideration towards the notorious Heir of Birce.
‘I like the tenderness mixed with indifference.’
Michael thought.
‘Oh, I want to see it with my own eyes.’
What kind of expression does the other person make at the moment they look at each other?
The distance was close enough for him to feel her breath, but he didn’t even know how she looked like.
‘I want to know her name.’
Of course, Michael purposefully did not recollect the identity of his ally.
There must be a reason why no one knew about a water awakener at this level.
Moreover, she was able to help Michael by avoiding the eyes of the Duke of Elheim.
‘You’ve got to quit, Michael.’
You may notice who your ally is by guessing.
Michael was in debt.
The benefactor did not say her name.
It would be so stupid of him if he tries to find out about the person who tries to hide her identity.
“I’ll pay you back on the day I get better. Then will I be able to hear your name someday?”
A faint light appeared in the place where the dark spot had faded.
A layer of the curse was peeled off, and finally, he was able to see a little.
Liarte slowly took in the energy of the water.
‘You don’t know who I am.’
She thought he had already investigated.
“I’m not going to find out anything on my own unless you tell me yourself.”
Michael reached out his hand gently to prevent his opponent from running away.
The lips that fell on the back of Liarte’s hands were warm and polite.
“So tell me your name. But if it’s hard, you don’t have to tell me.”
“You’re sweet, Michael.”
Liarte let Michael hold her hand.
“Well, it’s the first time I’ve ever heard that.”
Dozens of humans would be frightened just to see Michael begging a woman like this. Even more so if it were a Birce employee.
“My name, I’ll tell you after your eyes are completely healed, Michael.”
Liarte promised.
Michael Birce was a friendly man, unlike her pre-regression memories.
It was a judgment she made, unaware that Michael that his soft attitude was limited only to her.
“I like you. Thank you for your kindness, Michael.”
Liarte’s voice was dry, so he didn’t misunderstand her words.
Michael knew that it was a sign of intimacy, but his heart was pounding.
“I’ll be back in two days this time.”
“Why? What happened?”
“After taking off a layer of the curse, you should let your eyes rest for at least one day. So I will come back the day after tomorrow.”
Dawn was arriving.
As Liarte moved away, her refreshing scent faded.
“See you in two days.”
“Yes, good night.”
As Michael responded, he heard a light footstep and the sound of the door opening.
Michael, who was left alone, remembered the sensation in his empty hands.
”What a shame.”
It was a night where the two days of waiting for the other person felt exceptionally lengthy.
* * *
Click.
The constraints on Liarte’s door shook.
‘What’s going on?’
Liarte opened her eyes and listened to the sound outside.
The room where Liarte lived had a building that allowed people to lock it from the outside.
Locks and latches are put on to confine the unawakener.
The water energy of the Awakeners was able to move a stream of water to open the lock silently.
‘So, the person who opens the door now must be a maid.’
The iron bars slid with the dull sound of the lock opening.
As the door opened, a bright light lit up the room.
“Are you awake?”
The person who entered was Lianrius’s maid.
“What is it?”
“Young Master Lianrius has ordered the locks to be released during the day for the time being.”
Liarte had forgotten about Lianrius until the maid mentioned him.
She was busy thinking about Michael and she couldn’t afford to think of others.
She didn’t pay any attention to Lianrius’s words as most of the promises of Elheim’s blood and flesh didn’t mean anything.
Words like saying that they would let you out of the room or give you something. Those words were lightly thrown according to the mood, so the promise was never kept.
She experienced it before she returned. She had been disappointed so many times in the past.
She didn’t expect anything now.
‘It turns out that I can freely move around during the day.’
Lianrius had suddenly come into the room, hardened his face, and said something. It was surprising for him to do it out of kindness, but it made sense when I realized that he did it on a whim.
‘Good.’
She could at least wander around the mansion today.
If she doesn’t stand out in the eyes of the blood and flesh of Eheim, they will never catch her.
‘I have to go to the library and find a book on the power of water.’
If Michael’s eyes were badly damaged by the curse, he needed healing.
When she was unawakener, she used to read books on the power of water, so no one would find it suspicious.
Liarte walked to the open door.
Lianrius’s maid was still standing at the door.
“Follow me.”
It was a short, dry command.
The maid looked strangely at Liarte’s back, She seemed to be a completely different person than how she was a few days ago.
The library was exactly as Liarte remembered it.
The library building, built of white marble, was located far from the main building of the Elheim Dukedom.
A place close to the room where Liarte lived.
There was a saying that the library was built in a place where people usually didn’t come because if an accident was caused by a water awakener, the books would get wet and ruined.
‘I used to come here a lot.’
As a child, Liarte went to the library to hide.
It was because of the people of Elheim, who abhorred the sight of an unawakened person.
The only time Liarte could rest peacefully was when she hid behind the bookshelf.
‘Since when did I stop coming here?’
It seems to have been ever since the Duke caught her and dragged her out.
Since then, she seldom visited the library.
Liarte headed to the bookshelf with books on the Awakening of Water.
It was the only bookcase made of bluestone.
To find the right information, she had to go to the second floor, where only Elheim’s direct descendants could enter, but Liarte was banned from entering.
Still, the available information was enough.
Liarte, who pulled out a book, turned over the cover while standing.
It was then that I felt the energy of water on the stairs leading to the second floor.
Originally, the Awakeners did not hide their energy. It was because the Awakeners were proud of their abilities.
“Who is it?”
“Li-Liarte.”
As she looked up, she saw a young man with a weak impression.
Light black hair and blue eyes close to sky blue were the distinctive traits of Elheim’s direct descendants.
The face wearing silver-framed glasses made him look much younger.
Third born, Hwi-Amin.
Liarte’s expression, which had confirmed her foe, grew cold.
* * *
There were three brothers elder to the twins.
First, Aynias. Second, Danterion. Third, Hwi-Amin.
Aynias and Danterion had a considerable age difference from the twins, so Liarte didn’t have much contact with them.
But Hwi-Amin was close to her age so they often played together.
Unlike other family members, Hwi-Amin was timid and liked books.
When Liarte hid in the library, avoiding the eyes of her family, the two used to read books together on the second floor of the library, where only Elheim’s direct descendants could enter.
It was only until Hwi-Amin touched the forbidden book.
Though it happened in her childhood, Liarte still remembered the day when she first saw the ancient text.
There was a hidden bookshelf behind the wall of the library.
“Liarte, come here and look!”
On the day that the young Hwi-Amin pulled her sleeve with a rare look of excitement, was when Liarte first saw the hidden bookcase.
There were numerous forbidden texts that Hwi-Amin had collected by avoiding the eyes of the Duke of Elheim.
Ancient books on ancient powers such as magic, witchcraft, and black magic.
Liarte did not know that the books were forbidden.
“Oppa, what is this?”
“This is remarkable knowledge that was forgotten long ago,” said Hwi-Amin with eyes shining with excitement.
Without knowing anything, Liarte followed Hwi-Amin to read the forbidden book in the hidden bookcase.
As time passed, Liarte was able to understand the contents of the book.
Later, she memorized the forbidden book, hoping to help her family without the power of water.
She was able to recognize Michael’s curse thanks to the old books she read at that time.
All the secrets are bound to be revealed one day.
The secret of Hwi-Amin did not last long either.
The hidden study was not a secret device*.
(E/N: *It refers to a device, which’s contents aka documents cannot be viewed without destruction.
So here it’s saying that the hidden study that they found was not destructive like the secret device thus allowing others aka Liarte and Hwi-Amin to read the books. There is no English word for the secret device thing.)
It was not used because it was difficult to manage, but it was strictly looked after by the librarian.
The Duke of Elheim eventually discovered the forbidden books that Hwi-Amin acquired.