TDOWD 02

Chapter 2

Three years passed after I became aware of the reality that I desperately didn’t want to believe.

“Sierra, I’m here.”

“Oh, Arzen.”

After the day I learned the truth about this world, Arzen and I became friends.

My father hadn’t brought Arzen to me simply because he wanted me to have a friend my age.

“How are you feeling? Is your body a little better?”

“Yeah. You gave me some of your energy yesterday too.”

Like Jena, Arzen was also a healer with special abilities.

It seemed that his power helped improve my illness.

Forget the original story and everything else—this was directly connected to my survival.

So, following my father’s wishes, I actively tried to become close to Arzen.

At first, it was a bit difficult because Arzen was more timid than I expected, but as time passed, we naturally grew closer.

Still, thanks to him, my health had improved greatly.

These days, I no longer coughed up blood even without taking medicine.

Whenever he had time, Arzen visited the ducal estate and used his healing ability on me.

I had always wondered why he cared about me this much.

Only recently had I learned the reason.

“The first time I saw you, you reminded me of Jena.”

Jena.

Arzen’s missing twin sister and the protagonist of this world.

Maybe it was because she and I gave off a similar impression.

That was what Arzen had said.

“Jena was weak like you too. Maybe that’s why I wanted to help and take care of you. Of course, I don’t confuse you with her anymore. Jena was very quiet and kind, but you, Sierra…”

Arzen stopped there.

After seeing the sharp look in my eyes, he awkwardly laughed and decided not to continue.

In any case, it was only natural that we became close after seeing each other so often.

I looked at Arzen.

His silver-blue hair swayed around his shoulders.

His blue eyes looked almost holy.

I can see why he would mistake me for Jena.

At first glance, Arzen had such an androgynous appearance that people could mistake him for a girl.

Because of his unreal beauty, he was apparently quite famous in high society.

But to me, he was simply a cheerful boy.

Looking at Arzen’s bright smile, I remembered the problem that had been troubling me lately.

The memories of my previous life returned vividly, as though they had happened yesterday.

Recently, however, more details from the original story had also resurfaced.

And those memories were troublesome.

Arzen would not die by my hands like he had in the original story.

There was absolutely no reason for me to kill him.

But…

Even if it isn’t me, he was originally destined to die at Ludwig’s hands.

The people Ludwig killed after losing control all had one thing in common.

The Crown Prince.

The Duke of Millein.

The Duke of Selver.

The Master of the Magic Tower.

The High Priest.

They were all heads or heirs of the founding hero families of the Therium Empire.

The leaders of those families inherited a special power called the Blessing of Therium, passed down since the empire’s founding.

And Ludwig instinctively slaughtered those who possessed that power.

Not by his own will, but by force.

The Therium Empire had been founded after the heroic founders sealed away the evil dragon, Bergeus.

For a thousand years, the dragon waited deep within a lake, seeking revenge.

Eventually, it noticed that Ludwig, one of its distant descendants, had inherited an unusually large amount of its power.

In the end, the dragon’s soul seized the opportunity and took over Ludwig’s body.

The evil dragon hunted down everyone who possessed the Blessing of Therium and massacred them.

As a result, all the male leads—including the one I had been rooting for—vanished like dust.

That was the part of the original story I had remembered recently.

The problem is that Arzen’s Selver family is also one of the founding hero families.

As the likely heir, Arzen had already inherited the Blessing of Therium from the duke.

The blue butterfly mark beneath his right eye was proof of it.

In other words, if Ludwig lost control and was consumed by the evil dragon, Arzen would die by his hand.

And not just him.

In the original story, it was never mentioned because they were destroyed long before Ludwig’s rampage.

But the Drenihan family was also one of the founding hero families.

At the moment, my grandfather, the family head, possessed the Blessing of Therium.

However, it was highly likely that my father would inherit it in the near future.

If Ludwig loses control… my father and Arzen…

The moment I remembered those horrifying scenes from the novel, a chill ran down my spine.

No! That can’t happen!

I looked at Arzen.

At the moment, he was still closer to a delicate pretty boy than a strong grown man.

Honestly, he looked like he wouldn’t even last a single punch against Ludwig.

“…Hurry up and grow up.”

Only if you become stronger and can protect yourself will I be able to help you somehow.

“What? What do you mean, Sierra?”

Arzen burst out laughing and patted my head.

“I’m already much taller than you.”

“……”

I raised my head until my neck hurt and glared at him.

You oversized beanpole.

I almost snapped back at him.

But having lived two lives, I endured it.

“Right, your birthday is coming up soon. Is there anything you want?”

“Hmm… No.”

The only thing I lacked was good health.

I already had everything else.

That was who Sierra Drenihan was.

Naturally, I wasn’t interested in material things.

“You really have no greed.”

“If you fill me with lots of healing energy, that’s already a gift.”

“I always think this, but you treat me like some kind of medicine.”

Arzen looked completely dumbfounded.

I simply shrugged.

It was the same conversation every year.

I never wanted anything.

And despite that, Arzen always brought me a surprisingly nice gift.

This year’s birthday banquet was approaching, just like every other year.

At that time, I had absolutely no idea what was about to happen.

Time flew by, and before I knew it, it was my birthday banquet.

Every year, my father hosted a grand celebration for my birthday.

As expected from one of the most powerful families in the empire, a large number of guests attended.

Of course, they weren’t there to celebrate my birthday.

They came to build connections with my father, who was considered the strongest candidate to become the next head of the Drenihan family.

Every year, I simply showed my face for a short while, had all my energy drained away, and returned to my room early.

While absentmindedly watching the endless stream of guests pouring in like clouds, a fresh bouquet was suddenly held out before me.

“Happy birthday, Sierra.”

Arzen smiled brightly as he handed me a large bouquet of roses.

“Thank you, Arzen.”

Along with the bouquet, he placed a small tiara on my head.

The delicately crafted diamond tiara matched my dress perfectly.

“Thank you for always taking care of our Sierra, Arzen.”

My father, who had been greeting guests beside me, smiled as he spoke.

Recently, he had realized that my noticeable improvement in health was thanks to Arzen.

His healing ability was gradually helping me recover.

People said he possessed the strongest healing power in the history of the Selver family.

Apparently, it wasn’t just a rumor.

At that moment, an unwelcome voice sounded nearby.

“This year’s banquet is as extravagant as ever, Brother.”

It was Orzen Drenihan, my father’s younger brother and my uncle.

Beside him stood his son, Kalik.

“It’s Sierra’s birthday. It only comes once a year.”

Orzen had once fiercely competed with my father over the succession.

However, he could never surpass my father, who was perfect in every way.

The inferiority complex he developed from that failure still remained.

As the saying goes, excessive inferiority can ruin a person.

Orzen had become a hopeless wastrel who spent his days drinking, gambling, and causing trouble.

And perhaps bad personalities were hereditary.

His son Kalik was just as awful.

“Then of course you’d prepare such a luxurious birthday banquet. It’s not like she has much longer to live anyway.”

Imagine saying something like that as a birthday blessing.

Kalik brushed back his red hair, which he had inherited from his father, and smirked maliciously.

He’s already an adult, but he’s still immature as ever.

The best response to people like him was to ignore them.

Arguing only encouraged them.

At least, that was what I thought.

Apparently, my father disagreed.

“Kalik. You should learn when to watch your words.”

A cold expression settled on his face.

For the first time, an intimidating pressure radiated from him.

Even Kalik visibly flinched.

Facing my father’s icy expression felt like standing in the middle of winter.

Kalik even started hiccupping from fear.

“He only meant it as a joke. Don’t take it so seriously. Besides, it’s not entirely wrong. Come, Kalik.”

Sweating nervously, Orzen forced a smile.

He patted my father’s shoulder before quickly leaving.

I was fine.

But I worried that my father might be upset.

So I reached out and held his hand.

“Dad.”

His gloomy expression instantly disappeared.

He smiled warmly.

“That’s unusual. You called me Dad instead of Father. Don’t ever pay attention to what those people say. Your illness will definitely be cured.”

“I don’t care at all.”

I’d have to consider their words human first before caring about them.

I smiled brightly and hugged him.

Then—

A voice echoed through the hall.

“His Grace Grand Duke Fesil Carsian and his son, Young Master Ludwig Carsian, have arrived!”

Excuse me?

What did that man just say?

I’ve been nervously wondering when I’d meet the other protagonists.

Ludwig Carsian?

Maybe I should have paid closer attention to the guest list sitting on my desk for the past few days.

Though even if I had known, there wasn’t much I could have done.

“Oh my, the young master of the Carsian family actually came.”

“This is my first time seeing him. I heard he rarely appears in public. We’re lucky today.”

“As rumored, he never takes off that mask. Unless scales are actually growing on his face, why would he hide himself like that…”

“But you can clearly see his eyes. Those bright yellow eyes…”

“The blood of an evil dragon…”

Even among countless people, the male lead stood out the moment he entered the banquet hall.

It was the first time I met the future destroyer.