“Who brought these into Elheim?”
The Duke was angry.
Until everything broke out, Liarte did not know that the Duke hated the ancient powers.
The Duke of Elheim hated the subjects of magic, sorcery, and black magic, which he thought was a power that was capable of jeopardizing the positions of the Awakened.
Liarte just wanted to receive a little affection.
If she had known the Duke hated the forbidden book, Liarte would never have read it.
“N-not me, father.”
“Then who did it, Hwi-Amin?”
Hui-Amin’s terrified finger trembled and turned towards Liarte.
That day, Hwi-Amin sold out Liarte.
He was born in Elheim, but he wasn’t brave enough to ask Liarte money to buy forbidden books.
Knowing that, the Duke punished Liarte.
‘If you were beaten, you would’ve known how painful it was.’
The violence that the Duke inflicted on her using the power of water remained as a trauma before her return.
Since then, Hwi-Amin has often spoke awkwardly towards her.
How have you been?,The weather is nice today isn’t it?, yes.
Like now, coming down from the second floor of the library, as their eyes met, Hwi-Amin smiled hard.
“How have you been?”
“How dare you say hello to me?”
Dry words flowed naturally.
Before her return, Liarte was busy obeying and trembling every time she saw Hwi-Amin.
This was because she recalled the trauma left behind by the forbidden book incident every time she saw Hwi-Amin.
However, after her death, such a memory did not remain a nightmare.
‘Now I’m just offended by the sight of Hwi-Amin.’
‘There’s no time to waste. I need to read some medical books for Michael.’
Hwi-Amin called Liarte who looked at him with a cold gaze and coldly turned away.
“Li-Liarte.”
Stuttering was Hwi-Amin’s habit when he did something wrong.
“I heard that you fell because of poison.”
Hwi-Amin, who could not make eye contact with Liarte, bowed his head.
“So?”
She never had good feelings towards Hwi-Amin.
Hwi-Amin was different from the blood and flesh of the Elheim with his timid personality, but at the same time, he was just the same as the others.
She hated the indecisive Hwi-Amin, who pretended to care more than the humans who considered unawakened people as a thorn in their eyes.
“I thoughtyou would avoid me after the taboo case, Hwi-Amin.”
“T-that’s.”
Hwi-Amin’s face turned pale.
“I-I didn’t mean to do that.”
“You pointed me out yourself, didn’t you? You know what the Duke did to me because of you.”
A fully awakened person using the power of water to choke an unawakened person was overwhelmingly painful.
“I, I…”
“There is no need to make excuses, Hwi-Amin, because that is exactly what all of you did to me.”
Hwi-Amin drowned in his emotions so much that he did not notice that Liarte called the Duke as his title, and not as her father.
“Or are you planning on selling me off to make me get trampled by the power of water again?”
After he regression, Liarte was able to say what she always wanted to say.
Before, because of her lingering attachment to her family, she had shut her mouth and swallowed her words.
Hwi-Amin’s face distorted as if he would start crying anytime soon.
“I know what I did when I was young. Yes, I’ve always wanted to apologize. I-”
“You don’t need to apologize. I don’t have any intention of receiving it.”
Liarte wasn’t interested in Hwi-Amin’s reaction in the slightest.
“I’m trying to apologize because I’m worried about you, Liarte…”
“Oh, yes.”
Liarte whispered coldly, “You absolutely hate to be the bad person, don’t you?”
As she turned around, Liarte knew she would forget about Hwi-Amin.
‘I hate him, but if I don’t see him in front of me, he will be forgotten quickly.’
“I just wanted to atone for you, Liarte. Because you’re having a hard time.”
“It is pathetic that you do not see what’s before your eyes.”
Liarte had little change in facial expression.
Her eyes were cold, but she was neither angry nor mad.
It was because she realized that Hwi-Amin really didn’t care about how she felt.
“You just want to be comfortable, so you’re doing this to me, right?”
Hwi-Amin abruptly shut his mouth and could not continue his words as Liarte had hit the nail on the head.
Liarte turned around.
She wasn’t in a mood to read, so she was thinking of leaving the library.
“Liarte.”
Hwi-Amin hurriedly followed Liarte.
Thwak-
Hwi-Amin’s hand, trying to grab her shoulder, was slapped away.
Eyes that looked as if they were shrouded in ice shards diverted from Hwi-Amin.
It was the first time.
That Liarte had rejected Hwi-Amin.
”Dissembler.*”
*a person who professes beliefs and opinions that he or she does not hold in order to conceal his or her real feelings or motives.
The dry whisper brought Hwi-Amin the anxiety that he was already late.
* * *
“It is said that the Spirit Stone will awaken,” reported Walter, who was visibly impoverished during the days of his visit to Elheim.
“You mean the stone that has been supported by generations?”
Michael’s sarcasm was harsh.
“You’re right. How tight does the Duke of Elheim keep his mouth shut?”
Birce also knew about the existence of the spirit stone.
They couldn’t know the other’s situation well because of the long years of the awakening family that didn’t lose their ability.
But still, Michael didn’t seem to trust Walter.
“Young Master.”
Eventually, Walter flopped down to his knees.
”It may sound like bullshit, but I’ve been working really hard on it.Even the Young Master of Elheim said that the Spirit was awakening.”
“So, where’s the evidence?”
“It is impossible for me to go out again for a few days. I’m sorry for being incompetent, but I might get caught at this rate.”
Even Elheim, who seemed ridiculous to Birce, was a duke of the empire.
Walter had to pass by the patrolling knights several times and he was almost spotted while walking around.
“Then it can’t be helped.”
Michael looked down at Walter.
He could see that there was moonlight or light but couldn’t tell the colours.
“I have no choice but to write to my father to find out about the Spirit Stone.”
“Yes?”
Walter asked back in embarrassment.
The only information I got from suffering for a few days was that the spirit stone was awakening.
Even he couldn’t get any evidence.
Michael, who thought about investigating again right now, listened to his opinion.
‘Are you finally crazy because you can’t see?’
Walter looked up and found a pleasant smile on Michael’s mouth.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
Michael replied to what he said casually.
“It’s been a day, and she*’ll be back today.”
Walter wasn’t considerate enough to ask who she* was.
(Tl note: *Actually Koreans sometimes use a gender neutral word rather than saying he/she. And It seems like Walter has no idea that it was a she who’s curing Michael.)
‘You mean the Awakened that came to release the curse?’
Michael seemed to be in a good mood from the day he met her.
“Then I’ll go to send my master a copy of the report.”
It was said that the ally who broke Michael’s curse will come after midnight.
Walter noticed and quickly left.
Soon, Michael, who was left alone, stood up.
“No wonder.”
When he removed the eye patch, he felt the night breeze passing through his eyes.
“It’s been so peaceful and quiet so far.”
Since entering Elheim, the one behind the curse has been quiet.
He was thinking why the one who sent the assassin to Elheim in time to prevent Michael from getting help was staying still.
Human figures hidden in the room, after Michael talked to himself, popped out.
“I can’t believe Elheim’s security is so bad.”
Left jaw-!
He felt the dagger cutting through the blood vessels.
Even though he couldn’t see it, he could detect the blood splatter on his face.
‘Well, it can’t be helped.’
He had a visitor’s note with him, so he shouldn’t have been seen armed.
Michael didn’t have any intention of attacking Elheim.
If he uses the power of death, they will misunderstand it as him trying to attack Elheim.
But if he used a gun, someone will come running right away because it’s loud.
A normal family would be embarrassed to hear that an assassin entered the guest’s area, but Elheim was anything but a normal family.
‘It would’ve been nice if the Duke of Elheim doesn’t go wild and makes a false accusation.’
So, Michael had to deal with them quietly.
He was thinking of ordering Walter to remove the blood and body.
As Michael faithfully cut down his enemies, his mind was elsewhere.
‘You’re trying to keep Elheim and Birce separate.’
Although at first glance, Walter seemed lax, he was one of the best in Birce at stealth.
Assassins had managed to entered Elheim, as said by Walter, who were on a high alert.
Had Michael been a bit more stupid or impatient, he might have decided that it was the Duke of Elheim who sent the assassins.
‘What’s the intention behind this?’
When he was lost in his thoughts, the door slid open.
It was Liarte who came to cure the curse of his eyes.
“I’m sorry, but please go out and wait for a minute,” Michael said to the door, as he avoided the attacks.
He had noticed something strange about the assassins since a while ago.
Some have been killed, while others have been cut by daggers, but their movements did not decrease.
However, Liarte did not follow Michael.
The water sprang from Liarte’s feet,who came inside, bound the assassins’ ankles.
“Are you all right, Michael?”
Michael, who was seen under the moonlight, was bloody.
Liarte approached him and looked up at Michael.
‘It’s alright. But you’re not going outside. You shouldn’t run away alone when you’re in danger.”
When Michael heard that, he looked somewhat dumbfounded.
The awakener of water was protected by water from the moment he/she has awakened the ability.
If someone attacks her, the water will wrap around Liarte by itself.
So it wasn’t a dangerous situation.
“I think your cheeks are cut. After the situation is cleared up, I’ll treat you.”
Michael was so tall that she had to tilt her head up.
Liarte, realizing that she was too close, fell back insignificantly.
On the other hand, Michael’s ears were red.