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Chapter 155
Ever since I recovered enough to walk on my own again, the sound of the violin once more filled the Halbern mansion every afternoon after lunch.
It was our usual post-lunch time — when I would play a light piece and everyone would listen.
But today, there was a special guest.
A hundred high-ranking mages from the Mage Tower had come to visit.
“Are you sure I can really perform?”
I looked suspiciously between my father and the seated mages. Father only smiled gently.
Something about this felt unsettling.
“Didn’t you tell me not to play in front of mages, Dad?”
“You already did, didn’t you?”
“Well, that was because…”
There had been that time with the rampaging mage, and the time when the others panicked — I hadn’t had a choice.
Still, Father was right. It was my fault. And somehow, that felt unfair.
When I pouted, Father just laughed.
“How cute.”
“I am a bit cute.”
He rubbed his cheek against mine affectionately, then let out a deep, relaxed breath.
That calm exhale — and the peaceful smile on his face — were so different from when we first met that it almost felt surreal.
“If you don’t want to play, you don’t have to. I’ll throw them all out myself,” he said lightly.
“That’s not it…”
Since I already knew why all these high-ranking mages had gathered, it wasn’t easy to refuse. They were all waiting eagerly, eyes shining with expectation.
They were here for my performance — a strange thought, but it made me feel a bit ticklish inside.
“I’ll do it.”
Father patted my head, as if he knew I’d say that.
“I figured you would. So I already made sure to squeeze a generous payment out of the mages.”
“Is that something to brag about?”
I sighed as Father smiled proudly.
When will my dad ever grow up?
Hmm. But if he did, I think I’d miss him just the same.
‘Dad…’
He wasn’t my biological father — technically, he was my uncle. He had never even been married. Circumstances had somehow tangled our lives together, and he became my “father.”
But even after learning the truth, nothing about our bond had really changed.
Because I didn’t start calling him Dad just because of blood.
In my previous life, my only memory of my father was his distant plea: “Please understand your mother.” That was all.
But this time… I already had so many memories with him.
“If you get tired while playing, stop immediately, all right?”
He said that because of the sheer number of mages present — just in case something unexpected happened.
So why perform anyway?
Because I wanted to test something — the limits of my “purification” ability, or whatever it was.
He’d said, “To use your gift properly, you need to know its limits.”
“Okay,” I replied.
After he left, I stepped alone onto the small stage the servants had built for me with their combined effort.
As I stood there, I could feel countless eyes on me — the household knights, retainers, servants, and the mages.
“Let’s do this, Ethel.”
Wuuung—
The silver violin I held was my partner, Eter — who had become possessive enough that it refused to let me touch any other violin now.
The moment the silver bow met the strings—
Jiiiing—
Spring arrived.
* * *
It felt as though a spring breeze was blowing through the hall.
The bright, gentle melody transformed the space into another world entirely.
Warm sunlight of a spring day, fields dotted with early blossoms — the sound painted a picture of peaceful countryside.
Beethoven, Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major, Op. 24 “Spring,” Movement 1.
As the melody flowed, Valer, who had taken a seat to watch Arelline play, found himself smiling without realizing it.
‘She becomes a completely different person.’
The Arelline who played the violin showed none of her usual indifference or detachment.
Normally, she acted as though nothing in the world truly mattered — yet, when she held a violin, her whole being became serious and alive.
Sometimes, a faint trace of pain would flicker in her eyes, but when she faced the instrument, her expression was solemn and resolute — like a knight about to enter battle.
Even the audience couldn’t help but share that reverence.
Her hands moved tenderly, almost lovingly, drawing out beautiful tones as if caressing the strings.
No matter how many times Valer had seen and heard it, it still felt like watching a miracle.
“What exactly did you do to the mages?”
“Various things,” Valer said casually as Mehen sat beside him, frowning.
“If you make enemies of the Mage Tower, it’s us who’ll suffer,” Mehen muttered.
“Enemies?”
Valer chuckled as though he’d heard a joke.
“That’ll never happen. The mages could never abandon Arelline.”
He tilted his chin toward the front. Mehen looked over — and froze.
The mages were openly weeping, overwhelmed by emotion, their faces silently screaming awe and longing.
Mehen turned away awkwardly and sighed.
“Haah…”
“What’s got you sighing again?”
Startled that Valer could read his mind, Mehen flinched.
‘Should I tell him that Arelline isn’t really the Regent’s biological daughter?’
That question had been haunting him lately.
But he already knew the answer.
“I heard something interesting from the Regent,” Mehen finally said.
“Oh?”
“He told me Arelline wasn’t his real daughter.”
Valer didn’t even blink, his face calm.
“You’re not surprised?”
“I was surprised.”
“Liar.”
Valer only shrugged.
“So you expected it?”
“Well… maybe a little.”
He said he’d wondered, now and then, whenever he met his sister in those endlessly repeating dreams.
“She’s my sister, but she was incredible, wasn’t she?”
In a foreign land, utterly alone, in a situation where most people would have broken… she had managed to turn things around.
Ordinary people couldn’t even imagine doing something like that — much less succeed at it.
“What am I supposed to do with a crazy person like her?”
He laughed lightly, though there was no real trouble in his tone.
“Remember, Mehen?”
“Remember what?”
“The piece Arelline played for everyone right after she could walk again.”
“Oh — that grand, heavy one?”
“It was a long performance, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, but what about it?”
“That piece — it was a requiem.”
Mehen’s eyes widened.
“It was her way of holding a funeral for her mother.”
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine,
Lord, grant them eternal rest,
et lux perpetua luceat eis.
and let perpetual light shine upon them.
Dona eis requiem.
Grant them rest.
Valer remembered what she’d said afterward when he’d asked what the words meant. He smiled faintly.
“My sister wasn’t lucky with parents, but she sure was blessed with her child, wasn’t she? Her brother never even thought of doing something like that for her.”
Mehen looked at Valer with a complicated expression.
He wanted to say that Valer had only refused to accept his sister’s death — that’s why he was acting this way — but instead, he simply nodded.
“Arelline’s a devoted daughter.”
“She is.”
Valer recalled the question he’d once asked Mehen:
Was what he wanted to hold on to the last thread connecting him to his lost sister… or to his daughter, Arelline?
Back then, Mehen hadn’t answered, and Valer hadn’t known.
But now—
“What does it matter? She’s precious, either way.”
It no longer mattered.
As the bright, cheerful melody of “Spring” filled the air, Valer felt the strange, warm emotion Arelline had given him — something he hadn’t felt since childhood.
Aren’t you happy, Valer?
Yeah. I’m happy, sis.
* * *
The performance ended in a great success.
The high-ranking mages, teary-eyed and emotional, tried to rush toward Arelline — but Valer stopped them.
Instead, they made an agreement: from now on, the mages would visit two or three at a time on a rotating schedule. Mehen began arranging the timetable.
And then—
“You haven’t forgotten our promise, have you?”
“Of course not. We swear on our honor — we will find a way to fully restore Lady Arelline’s health!”
Valer and the mage Hege exchanged a meaningful glance.
“……?”
And so, such strange scenes became part of daily life in House Halbern.
Until, one day—
The Regent, Ludwig, who had left for the Holy Kingdom of Remren, returned in less than a week.
“Arelline, I have something to tell you.”
