The True Head of the Family Was Me — Chapter : 6
Light that entered through the bars illuminated the head of the bed.
Noon was one of the rare times when sunlight entered the room.
‘Afternoon?’
Riarte blinked.
Perhaps because she had been mentally exhausted from using the water ability, she had fallen asleep immediately yesterday.
When she opened the hand that had been tightly clutching something, she saw a single black cord.
It was one of the knots from the blindfold that had covered Mihael’s eyes.
‘It wasn’t a dream. I met Mihael Virche.’
Riarte had succeeded in changing the future, even if only slightly.
Before her regression, she had never had any connection with Mihael.
There had been no one who would inform Riarte, the abandoned daughter of the Duke, about Virche’s visit.
At the time, she had also been confused and delirious because the fever caused by the aftereffects of the poison had continued to rise.
‘Is the reason I’m not suffering from a fever like I did before my regression because I awakened the water ability?’
It was only several years later that she learned how the Duke had insulted Mihael.
In the future, Mihael would take half of Elheim’s territory by force during a war.
Driven to the brink, the Duke of Elheim had confessed the events of the past to Riarte from behind the bars of a prison.
“That is why Virche wants revenge on us.”
With that, the Duke had demanded that Riarte die.
He said that they had to complete Rian through her death and awaken the Spirit Stone.
Her blood relatives believed that once the Spirit Stone awakened, the water ability would become powerful enough to drive Virche away.
Contrary to their certainty, however, the one chosen by the Spirit Stone had been Riarte.
‘I have to hide this fact thoroughly.’
She had to keep both the fact that she had become an Awakened and everything concerning the Spirit Stone completely hidden until she came of age.
If Elheim found out, they would never let Riarte go.
Riarte recalled the laws of the Empire.
A minor noble born into an Awakened family was forcibly bound to that family until reaching adulthood.
In return, once they became an adult, they were free to choose where they would live.
‘There are only two ways to legally become an adult.’
Either the family held a coming-of-age ceremony, or they turned seventeen.
The coming-of-age ceremony was a ritual held by Awakened families after the age of sixteen.
In the case of twins, when one twin underwent the coming-of-age ceremony, the other twin was also recognized as an adult.
‘My seventeenth birthday. Or Rian’s coming-of-age ceremony.’
On that day, Riarte would be able to leave Elheim completely.
This time, she had made Mihael indebted to her, so even if something went wrong, she would probably be able to receive Virche’s help.
“See you tomorrow.”
Suddenly, Mihael’s farewell came to mind.
She had often heard people say they would meet again out of courtesy, but this was the first time she had actually made a promise to someone.
Come to think of it, it was also the first time she had ever been in close physical contact with someone other than Rian.
Unlike the Awakened of water, whose bodies were cool and cold, Mihael’s body temperature was warmer than she had expected.
It seemed as though a faint warmth still lingered in her palm.
Click.
While she was lost in thought, the door opened.
“Riarte.”
The person who entered was unexpectedly Rian.
Out of habit, Riarte calculated the interval.
Considering the time of contact since she had opened her eyes after regressing, Rian should be able to use the water ability by himself for several more days.
She felt wary, unable to understand why he had come.
‘Did he find out that I went to see Mihael? Or did he sense the water ability I used?’
She thought she had thoroughly concealed every trace of it. Could he really have noticed?
Contrary to Riarte’s thoughts, Rian’s gaze was fixed on Riarte’s face.
On that face that still looked at Rian without emotion.
At that moment, Rian’s expression hardened.
A little earlier—
“The Spirit Stone’s light has grown stronger than yesterday, Rian.”
Ainriyas had spoken to Rian.
In the middle of the First Head’s Room, the Spirit Stone was shining more brightly than it had the day before.
“When did it become like this, Ain?”
“Huamin said that the light suddenly became stronger around dawn today.”
Ainriyas asked cautiously.
“You didn’t do anything, did you?”
Rian looked up at the Spirit Stone. He still couldn’t sense anything.
He had no idea what had caused the change in the Spirit Stone at dawn, either.
Nevertheless, Rian did not take his eyes off the Spirit Stone.
“Rian?”
The Spirit Stone’s blue radiance.
It reminded him of those eyes that had been as cold as the crystal-like, icy surface.
“I’m not going to waste my time on such pointless things again.”
Riarte’s strangely irritating words passed through his mind.
“Rian. Are you listening?”
Ainriyas placed a hand on Rian’s shoulder.
“Has something happened to the Spirit Stone? You’ve been making a face as though something has been bothering you for a while now.”
At Ain’s words, Rian became aware of his own feelings.
Yes. He had felt a faint sense of displeasure after hearing Riarte’s words.
Until now, Riarte had been nothing more than his twin sister who allowed him to use the water ability.
She was someone not even worth deliberately spending time thinking about.
Yet Riarte’s dry attitude would not leave his mind.
‘Enough time has passed. The side effects of the poison should have almost disappeared by now.’
The hallucinations caused by the side effects of Operatarium lasted no more than a day at most.
When Rian moved, Ainriyas asked from behind him,
“Rian, where are you going?”
“There’s something I need to go check.”
He intended to go to Riarte’s room.
If he saw Riarte back to normal, his interest would soon fade.
He intended to confirm that she had returned to her usual timid state.
The plan went awry the moment Rian entered Riarte’s room.
“What is it?”
Riarte still seemed unfamiliar.
Instead of being happy that Rian had come, her businesslike attitude simply asked why he was there.
‘Why?’
The hallucinations from the poison’s aftereffects should have disappeared by now.
“I came to check whether you still have any aftereffects from the poison. How are you feeling?”
“Why do you care?”
Rian doubted his own ears.
Wasn’t it almost as though Riarte genuinely intended to reject Rian?
“Either way, the only thing that matters to you is whether I’m capable of regaining consciousness or not, isn’t it, Rianlishus?”
Riarte answered coldly.
When Riarte lost consciousness, Rian could not use the water ability no matter how much he came into contact with her.
Because of that, even when she was sick, Riarte had been forced to regain consciousness whenever Rian needed her.
She had never once been allowed to rest, even while suffering from a high fever.
“No. Your condition matters to me.”
Rian finally acknowledged that Riarte had changed.
The Riarte who had jumped in front of an assassin’s blade and the Riarte who had awakened again after collapsing were different.
“As for why I came…”
Feeling a strange sense of stubbornness, Rian continued.
“I’ll leave your door unlocked for the time being, so you can walk around freely during the day, Riarte.”
He had impulsively handed her freedom, but Riarte showed no reaction.
In reality, Rian meant nothing to Riarte.
If she were asked whether she hated him or liked him, she would answer that she hated him, but that was all.
It was only after Rian left the room that he was able to organize his thoughts.
Riarte had changed.
For some reason, he could not stop thinking about the changed Riarte.
The bell announcing midnight rang.
Mihael breathed in a little of the refreshing fragrance.
Then he greeted her.
“Hello.”
It was such a gentle attitude that Walter, who had gone out to gather information, would have been horrified if he had seen it.
Riarte returned the greeting.
“Hello, Mihael Virche.”
“Isn’t it too long to call me by my surname too?”
“Then shall I call you Young Master Virche?”
“No. I’d like you to call me by my name.”
When Riarte moved closer, Mihael held his breath for a moment.
“Yes, Mihael.”
The clear voice sounded close to his ear.
“I need to remove the curse, so I’ll take off your blindfold again today.”
Unlike yesterday, when the blindfold had been tied tightly and the knot had been difficult to undo, its cord had been tied loosely today.
Thanks to that, the blindfold came off easily.
“How are your eyes?”
“They hurt even when exposed to a small amount of light until yesterday, but they’re fine today.”
His eyes were exposed to the moonlight coming through the window, but Mihael felt no pain.
The agony that had not disappeared even when Saint Estella had poured her holy power into him had finally subsided.
Thanks to that, Mihael had been able to sleep for a long time today.
It had been a while since he had slept for several hours without waking.
“That’s a relief.”
Riarte moved right up to Mihael and tilted her head.
It was purely an action meant to examine his eyes closely.
“But if I can’t remove all seven layers, the pain will become severe again. Even if it still hurts after I remove one layer of the curse today, be sure to tell me.”
Compared to Mihael, who was tall and had a solid build, her body was slender and delicate.
The fact felt strange.
“I’m fine.”
Riarte interpreted Mihael’s silence differently.
“Don’t be anxious. I can restore your eyesight. From now on, you’ll gradually stop feeling pain even when you look at light.”
The touch against his face was extremely gentle and soft.
She was so small that he could easily lift her into his arms if he pulled her toward him, yet she was trying to comfort Mihael instead.
“All right. I trust you.”
Mihael stroked the ends of Riarte’s hair that had fallen into his hand and met her gaze.
“I won’t worry about my eyes anymore.”
In truth, he had never been worried, but somehow, he didn’t want to correct her misunderstanding.
When he lowered his head slightly, Riarte’s slender shoulder touched Mihael’s cheek.
“Even if it hurts, you’ll treat me, won’t you?”
Mihael’s eyes curved beautifully.
It was a sly attitude that Riarte failed to notice.
