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Chapter 22
“What is the meaning of this! What have you all been doing while the child ended up in this state!”
“My apologies.”
“You useless…!”
At the sound of the apology, the grandfather, who had been shouting angrily, turned his head and clenched his teeth as if forcing the words back down his throat. It was because he had spotted me lying on the large bed, dressed in clothes stained heavily with blood.
He pushed down the words he was about to say, and Grandfather, who stood stiffly with a face full of fury, slammed his cane down and turned his back to me. His gaze seemed to say he couldn’t bear to look at my disheveled appearance over my deathly pale face.
Of course.
How could anyone remain calm seeing their six-year-old granddaughter collapse, blood streaming from her nose and mouth? It was only natural for him to be shocked.
But this isn’t an illness, is it?
It’s not something Grandfather can solve, and I didn’t want to cause him unnecessary worry.
If it were like before, I would have thought he obviously wouldn’t worry—
‘But now I know.’
I know that Grandfather is worried about me.
Moreover, the Imperial Surveillance Team was also in the mansion at that time, so I didn’t want to complicate matters further.
If I said I had collapsed, Grandfather would worry, and if he then decided to come to the annex, things would have become truly difficult. Because Grandfather lying ill was to deceive the Emperor.
So—
“I told you not to tell Grandfather.”
I had asked Bennett and Paul to do so. Who would have thought we’d get caught so publicly.
“I’m sorry.”
Of course, the fact that it was an ability side effect was still a secret, but regardless, hadn’t I ended up reinforcing the image of me being sickly?
‘Those outside the door must have been frantic to find out what was happening inside this bedroom.’
Thinking of the people who would be burning with curiosity about whether I was sick or if it was due to something else, I continued speaking to Grandfather, who stood with his back turned.
“I didn’t want to make Grandfather, who is sick, worry unnecessarily.”
“You!”
If those words had come from another child, he might have thought, ‘Oh, how admirable!’ But—
“What on earth is going on in that head of a mere six-year-old that you have so many thoughts?!”
Haven’t I lived my whole life reading others’ moods?
Grandfather seemed to know that too.
If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have gotten so angry for no reason.
“Grandfather.”
“You stubborn child.”
At my call, Grandfather, biting his lip, sat down on a chair, leaning on his cane. Even after sitting, he stared at me for a long time with a look of utter disbelief, then breathed heavily and sharply asked Paul.
“So, why is she in that state?”
“It seems… it’s a side effect of her ability.”
“Side effect?”
Grandfather’s reaction showed he was hearing this for the first time too.
“Those who are younger often don’t know how to properly control their inner ability. It seems this symptom occurs when the ability, forced out unnaturally, attacks the body in unexpected ways.”
“……”
“Those whose abilities manifest at birth mostly learn to internalize it and grow alongside it, but the Young Lady missed out on learning that.”
Paul glanced at me briefly, sucked his lip, and gave a small, dry cough.
“If she continues to use her ability recklessly like this, her life could be in dang—”
“What?”
*Bang!* Grandfather slammed his cane on the floor. At his angry expression, Philip, who had been standing back, raised his head. He couldn’t keep his dry lips still, fidgeting uneasily, his worry evident. He was worried about me, but at the same time, he was concerned about what would happen if Grandfather’s Inextus erupted.
It was a completely understandable worry.
Because I was worried about that most of all.
“Grandfather.”
So I called out to him, smiling as if to soothe his anger.
But instead, my smile made his face contort even more, and he turned his head away sharply enough to make a *swish* sound. The muscles in his jaw were bulging tightly. He must be holding back a great deal of anger.
“When is Olga coming?”
“It seems she’s been delayed due to personal matters…”
*Bang!*
“Drag her here immediately!”
“Family Head!”
“Grandfather!”
I looked up, startled by the angry shout Grandfather let out as he roughly set down his cane. But Grandfather’s face, red as if about to burst, showed no signs of calming down. For some reason, I found myself taking a sharp breath at the intensity of his emotions, which felt excessive.
Why can’t he hide his emotions to this extent?
As I took a sharp breath at the strange feeling—
“Drag her here immediately, or bring someone else!”
“But—”
At Grandfather’s words, Paul adjusted his monocle.
“Only two people have exhibited such symptoms until now. There might be others elsewhere, but to my knowledge, including Young Lady Leticia, there are only two.”
“Who is th—”
As Grandfather tried to turn his body, Paul let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
“It’s Lord Sharlier.”
And at those words, I saw Grandfather’s expression turn cold in an instant.
* * *
‘Please save Young Master Sharlier! He is also a blood descendant of the Family Head, is he not? Please!’
One night, the nanny who came running to the main family’s office, carrying young Sharlier on her back, was covered in blood. Not just the nanny, but Sharlier’s condition was the same. His wheat-colored hair was soaked in red blood, and his clothes were a mess with it. It was a sight that would make anyone think he was seriously injured.
But the child on the nanny’s back had no wounds. His body was just withered and twisted, continuously bleeding from the mouth and nose.
‘Did that continue all the way to Leticia?’
“I remember. It was when Sharlier was six. I remember hearing about it from Emmet. An ability side effect, he said.”
“Yes, it appears to be the same symptom.”
The nanny, who knew nothing, brought the bleeding child to me, begging and pleading to save him. She said Sharlier would die if this continued.
But—
‘Go back at once.’
Even in that situation, Mago could do nothing. He only said he would send a doctor to the annex soon, nothing more. He couldn’t say anything else. Because the piercing gaze of the former Family Head was watching from all around.
‘Why did I so foolishly think back then that not openly caring for him was the way to protect Sharlier?’ That becoming the Family Head first was the way to do more for Sharlier than acting like a kind father.
I was so foolish.
And that foolishness shattered when, after the former Family Head’s death, I tried to reverse all the situations. My grown son no longer sought his father.
‘When have I ever been your child, let alone your son?’
‘Please let me go.’
Even when Sharlier refused the successor position and left the family, I couldn’t hold him back strongly. Because I had no right.
But Leticia is different, isn’t she?
The child standing before me is my granddaughter, entrusted to me by Sharlier.
“So.”
“Should we bring Lord Sharlier here…”
“Forget it.”
“……”
“Do you think that fellow coming would be any real solution?”
Back then, Sharlier overcame the side effect with his own ability, ‘Sword Energy,’ and realized how to control it on his own. So it wouldn’t help Leticia. If he comes, he’ll just cause a bunch of troublesome issues. ‘It’s better if he doesn’t come. Hmph.’
“According to your words, shouldn’t it be fine if she just learns to control her ability?”
“That is correct.”
At Paul’s words, Mago looked at Leticia. The face and hair so similar to Sharlier’s.
Yes, this was the only atonement I, filled with regret, could give. Regret for what I couldn’t do for my son back then.
“Summon all the ability users within the family immediately.”
“Underst……”
“And give me one day.”
His gaze still fixed on Leticia, he turned towards Bennett.
“Find Olga and bring her before me by then.”
“But……”
“If you don’t even have that capability, get out of my house.”
“……”
“I have no need for incompetent people.”
At Grandfather’s coldness, Bennett wiped his face and then nodded.
“I will do my best.”
“I don’t need ‘effort,’ bring me results.”
“…Understood.”
And finally.
“Leticia.”
“…Yes.”
“You will live in the main residence from today.”
“…Pardon?”
For a moment, Leticia blinked blankly, not understanding what this meant. Mago’s words signified that he was acknowledging Leticia as a direct descendant.
“I will grant you the qualification to be the successor.”
And even the qualification for succession.
But before she could grasp the immense meaning of those words—
“However, you must learn to control your ability before going to the ‘Onero.’”
“……”
“If you lack that, there will be no ‘Onero’ under any circumstances.”
A condition was attached.
“You must prove your qualification as the successor yourself.”
