TDOWD 06

Chapter 6

“It was your birthday not long ago, wasn’t it?”

“Yes, Father. It was Sierra’s seventeenth birthday—”

“I wasn’t asking you, Sercan.”

Father knew I was afraid of Grandfather, so he tried to answer for me, but he had no choice except to fall silent again.

“Sierra, answer me yourself.”

“…Yes. I turned seventeen recently.”

It was unusual for him, a man famous for showing no interest in his relatives, to pay attention to his granddaughter. My uncle watched the situation with displeasure in his eyes.

“Sercan first manifested his ability when he was twenty-five. I was thirty.”

That alone was already unbelievable.

Ability awakening depended on talent, but it also required years of training.

That was why young ability users were called geniuses.

This was what I had forgotten for a moment.

I awakened my ability too early.

I had never intended to attract attention, but now I had ended up being called to a grand banquet because of it.

Then again, Argen had already been an ability user at my age, and Ludwig had been using fire abilities since he was ten years old.

I had focused too much on the main characters and forgotten what was normal.

“I heard you awakened a water ability. The same ability that Sercan and I possess.”

Yes, it seems the Drenihan genes are very strong.

It’s not easy for three generations to all awaken abilities.

I swallowed those words and quietly nodded.

However, it seemed Grandfather had become interested in something other than my ability.

“You no longer avoid my gaze.”

There was a smile in his wrinkled eyes.

It was a rare smile, as though he had finally found something amusing after many long years.

I could see my uncle’s hands trembling slightly across from me.

Of course he wouldn’t be pleased.

I was receiving Grandfather’s attention.

More than that, he probably hated the fact that his older brother’s daughter had awakened an ability at such a young age.

Ignoring his frightening glare, I smiled.

“It’s nice to see you again, Grandfather.”

Everyone seated here wanted to earn points with the most powerful person in the mansion.

No matter the reason, I had been given an opportunity.

“Haha, you’ve changed a lot since I last saw you. Sercan, she’s becoming more and more like you.”

That was probably a compliment.

Grandfather liked Father quite a lot.

“Since a new ability user has appeared in House Drenihan, it should naturally be celebrated. Sierra, I will hold a banquet in your honor.”

“…Father, that’s—!”

The protest came from my uncle, Orzen.

A banquet personally hosted by Tergon Drenihan would have enormous influence.

The competition between Father and Uncle was still ongoing. If too much attention gathered around me, outside nobles might think the family head had already decided on his successor.

“My granddaughter awakened an ability. Are you saying I should do nothing? And that I should consider your feelings while doing so?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant…”

What an idiot, Orzen.

He had already fallen out of Grandfather’s favor after causing a major incident at a tavern recently, yet he still dared to argue back.

“Who am I to question your decision, Father? Please do as you wish.”

Orzen immediately backed down and spoke in a submissive voice.

No one dared to object after that.

***

Something unusual happened in House Drenihan.

Tergon Drenihan, famous for never appearing at public events, personally organized a banquet for his grandchild.

The ducal estate, already considered one of the most beautiful places in the capital, was decorated with countless rare flowers gathered from all over the Empire.

The scenery was so magnificent that even people who had not been invited desperately wanted to come just to see it from afar.

Flowers symbolized awakening.

The moment a small sprout grew and finally bore fruit.

Because of that, people in the Empire often gifted flowers when someone awakened an ability or manifested sword energy.

Naturally, everyone connected the grand banquet hosted by Tergon Drenihan to that meaning.

Had someone from House Drenihan awakened an ability?

If so, that would mean there were now three ability users within the family.

Everyone speculated about who the guest of honor could be.

Most believed it would be Orzen’s child.

If not, then perhaps Sercan’s sickly daughter.

But that seemed impossible.

How could a young lady so weak that she rarely left her room ever awaken an ability?

And soon, everyone learned the meaning of the saying:

Sometimes the impossible becomes reality.

The young lady Sierra, who had been secretly mocked as the burden of House Drenihan, had awakened a water ability.

The Empire was built upon land filled with the energy of fire.

That made water ability users extremely rare.

Droughts and forest fires occurred frequently throughout the Empire, so water ability users were treated with the highest respect.

The rumor that another awakened ability user had appeared in House Drenihan, which already possessed two powerful ability users, spread across the entire Empire.

And the person at the center of those rumors was currently lying on a bed in a room filled with the fragrance of flowers.

“I think this has become a much bigger deal than I expected.”

***

“So many people have gathered, Miss. It’s almost like a debutante ball.”

Nella happily adjusted my dress.

Young noble ladies usually made their debut at the New Year’s celebration after turning fourteen.

But at that time, I hadn’t even met Argen yet.

My body had been so weak that I would collapse at the slightest strain, so I had never been able to have a debutante.

That had always been one of Nella’s regrets, so today she was treating this banquet as my debut and putting all her effort into it.

“You look absolutely beautiful, Miss.”

Nella beamed and guided me toward the mirror.

A flowing white dress.

Golden hair tied halfway up and decorated with a pink jewel pin that matched my eyes.

Combined with Nella’s careful touch, my already decent appearance looked even brighter.

“You can do this!”

“…Okay.”

Later, I would have to demonstrate my ability in front of everyone.

If I made a mistake, I would only give Uncle and Kalik something new to laugh about.

More importantly, this banquet had been personally arranged by Tergon Drenihan.

It would strengthen both Father’s position and mine.

Whether I succeeded or failed, I had to do my best.

“Then I’ll go now.”

“Yes. I’ll bring you some tea later, Miss.”

Nella waved cheerfully and told me to go ahead first.

She even dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief.

I could only force a smile.

When I opened the door, Argen was already waiting outside.

“Argen, have you been waiting long?”

“…”

He stared at me for a moment before quietly speaking.

“…No. I just arrived too.”

That’s strange.

I thought he would scold me for taking so long.

I stepped closer and fixed his crooked brooch.

“It’s crooked. There, all fixed.”

“Mm… thank you…”

He touched his reddened ears as he spoke.

***

The moment Argen and I entered the outdoor venue, everyone’s attention turned toward us.

Some people were whispering and asking whether I was the granddaughter favored by Tergon Drenihan.

I wanted to tell them they were mistaken.

I still saw all of this as part of his plan.

He had never shown much interest in either Kalik or me.

Even his sons were little more than candidates to inherit House Drenihan in his eyes.

This banquet was simply a way to warn Orzen and to further increase the prestige of House Drenihan through my awakening.

It wasn’t because of grandfatherly affection.

The venue was unbelievably beautiful.

It was as extravagant as expected from the wealthiest family in the Empire.

While I was admiring the garden, I suddenly spotted someone who stood out even from a distance.

My steps immediately stopped.

Among the countless guests moving through the outdoor venue, I found Ludwig.

I didn’t expect to see him again so soon…

Black hair like ebony.

Bright golden eyes.

The unreal face I had seen that night was hidden behind a mask once again.

Many young nobles lingered around Ludwig, yet no one actually spoke to him.

More accurately, they couldn’t.

Ludwig carried an indescribable pressure around him.

Like a bored predator whose thoughts nobody could understand.

I’m pretty sure he rarely attends public events, so what brought him here?

“Sierra? Are you okay?”

Argen asked worriedly from beside me.

“Ah, there are just so many people. I’m a little nervous.”

The moment I said that, I noticed Ludwig’s gaze resting on me.

For a brief moment, it felt as though a strange light appeared in his otherwise empty eyes.

The instant he spotted us, he started walking straight toward us with his long strides.

He’s coming this way?