Episode 12
Seeing Rakein standing firm like a statue, a sudden, inexplicable irritation surged up within me.
Simply because the blood of Keuroijen flowed in his veins, the very fact that he would go to such lengths made him feel detestable.
“Then do as you please.”
Having spoken spitefully, I turned and began walking toward the mansion, as if to show him.
I did not look back even once until I arrived at the mansion. Thus, I did not know whether he was truly following behind.
When I arrived at the mansion after passing through the main gate and walking across the wide garden, the crimson sunset was descending upon the earth.
I opened the door of the mansion, quietly went inside, and tried to head straight to my room as always—had it not been for the voice coming from upstairs.
“Are you only returning now?”
When I raised my head, I saw the figure of a beautiful woman descending the stairs with elegant grace.
My half-sister, and the successor of Keuroijen—Biateu Keuroijen.
The poor young lady who failed to inherit the power despite being the rightful legitimate heir of the Keuroijen family. Everyone in the mansion called her that.
Therefore, not a single person had celebrated when my ability manifested. Everyone merely whispered behind my back that the god had made the wrong choice.
“The ability should have manifested in the young lady of the legitimate line, so why of all people did it have to go to a mere bastard.”
Those were the words I had heard most often in this mansion over the past two years.
Well, it was not that I could not understand. With the rightful legitimate bloodline plain as day, the family power had gone to an illegitimate child instead—how revolting that must have been.
Even unrelated people were like that; I could guess how Biateu, the person in question, must have felt without even looking. Though she had congratulated me with a smile on the surface when I rejoiced at my manifested power, inside she must have been gnashing her teeth.
That the family power had been passed down not to her, who had inherited the full bloodline, but to me, who had inherited only half blood at best, and moreover to someone she normally despised and scorned—perhaps she had even cursed the god for that fact.
No, no. Such vulgar curses could never have left those noble lips of hers.
Look at her as she approached me. Though her deep green eyes brimmed with contempt and scorn, was not the smile blooming at the corners of her mouth ever so gentle?
She did not even need a mask. She was hypocrisy itself.
Barely straightening my lips before they could twist again, I lowered my eyes as before and faced her with a dejected, drooping demeanor.
It would be troublesome if she noticed even the slightest change in me.
Biateu, having descended the stairs, walked toward where I was standing. When I remained still, she stopped at a certain distance.
Yes, until before my power manifested, this had been the distance between her and me.
“Hmph. What an amusing outfit.”
I could feel Biateu’s gaze slowly sweeping down from the top of my head.
Judging by the low scoffing laugh at the end, my attire must have looked quite ridiculous.
“Wherever did our half-sister acquire men’s clothes? It is not as if anyone would have brought them for you… Did you steal them?”
Steal?
I laughed coldly inside.
Even though my blood was only half-mixed, was I not still a Keuroijen like her? Yet by asking such a question, she was showing that she had never considered me a Keuroijen from the very beginning.
Now, how should I react? What would I have done at this time back then?
The conclusion was simple.
“That could not be further from the truth. I merely found it while taking a walk near the incinerator.”
All I had to do was look at her with a gaze that seemed surprised and flustered, speaking hurriedly as if mumbling.
At my answer, Biateu asked again, as if surprised.
“You found it?”
“Yes. Do you remember, Biateu? The servant with golden hair who previously worked in this mansion. These are his clothes.”
It would be a shame to just let this pass. Since you prodded me, should you not get a taste of it too?
I dredged up a faint question lingering in my memories and flung it at her.
My intuition told me that the servant, who had been the owner of the clothes I was currently wearing, was definitely connected to my half-sister.
“A servant… with golden hair?”
As if my intuition was correct, deep bewilderment heavily clouded Biateu’s dark green eyes in an instant.
Not missing that timing, I tilted my head with an innocent expression, as if knowing nothing, and spoke.
“I once saw him being dragged away by the knights from the mansion. And that day, his clothes and belongings were in the incinerator. Men’s clothes seemed both novel and comfortable, so I took a set, but I did not know I would end up wearing it like this. Do you know why he was kicked out, Sister?”
“…He must have been kicked out because he made a mistake.”
From Biateu’s lips, which had been silent for a moment, flowed a sharp voice unbecoming of her. It was a voice with one layer of kindness peeled away.
She changed the subject as if she no longer wished to speak on that matter. It was a sweet voice once more, but within it, a faint sharpness still remained.
“You returned sooner than I thought. It seems you did not walk all the way to the village? If you had walked, you would have returned late at night. It seems you received help from someone?”
“Ah, I was fortunate. Someone happened to be heading to the village, so I was able to get a ride on their cart. If not, I would have returned late at night, just as you said, Sister.”
I thought to myself that it was a good thing I had prepared an answer in advance.
At my answer without hesitation, Biateu stared at me quietly before opening her mouth.
“Is that so? Then, by any chance, when you went to the village today, did you not see Lord Hekeuseu?”
A chill ran down my spine in an instant. It was difficult to tell from her expression alone whether she had asked because she knew something or if she was merely probing.
What was certain was that I had to get through this moment well.
“Lord Hekeuseu? Who is that? Are you perhaps speaking of Rakein Hekeuseu, the one the maids spoke of?”
When I tilted my head with as innocent an expression as possible, asking as if I did not know, Biateu answered sweetly with a smile at her lips.
Yet her gaze was extremely sharp. I could feel her scrutinizing my every glance, my every expression.
“Yes. Rakein Hekeuseu. The knight of our family, called the Sword of Keuroijen.”
“I do not really know. I have never met him, so I do not know his face. But I have heard of him. They say he is a swordsman recognized even by the Empire. Is he that wonderful?”
Blinking my eyes like a naive girl who knew nothing of the world, I awaited her answer.
Though I pretended to be calm, cold sweat was oozing from my hand holding the book due to tension.
Fortunately, it seemed my act had worked; I could see the lingering suspicion in her eyes fade somewhat.
Biateu tilted her head slightly and muttered as if to herself. Even in that gesture, she was elegant.
“Well, it is not as if you would have ever met Lord Hekeuseu… Then why did he suddenly take leave?”
At Biateu’s words, I did not show it on the outside, but inwardly I was surprised.
I had simply thought that perhaps he was on holiday today; I had not imagined he had suddenly taken leave.
Could it be that Rakein had taken leave because of me?
Recalling that he had done nothing but follow me around all day, such a doubt suddenly crossed my mind, but I soon denied the thought.
Going to the village was something I had not done in the past.
Moreover, Rakein and I were barely even acquainted. So the very thought that he had taken leave for me was laughable.
He must have already been on leave when I met him in front of the main gate. Otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to go directly to the village.
Because he was not someone who would go AWOL.
‘Could it have been then? When he said he was bringing the horse tied at the pawnshop, had he gone to take care of some business?’
That was the only time Rakein had left my side.
Seeing that it had taken quite a bit of time, I thought that perhaps he had gone to handle some other matter.
Only Rakein himself would know for sure.
It did not take long for Biateu, who had been lost in thought for a moment, to direct her gaze to the book in my hand.
“What is that?”
At her question, the corner of my lips rose ever so slightly.
Yes, it would be a problem if she did not ask. I had bought this book precisely for this moment.
“It is just a novel. I heard the maids saying it is popular these days……”
I mumbled, feigning embarrassment, and furtively hid the book I was holding behind my back.
At that, Biateu’s eyes turned sharp.
Nevertheless, the voice that left her lips remained soft.
“A book? How unexpected. To think you went out to the village to buy a book. Will you show me what kind of book it is?”
My half-sister approached me and elegantly extended her hand. Her pale, soft-looking fingertips were carefully manicured.
I deliberately hesitated without handing her the book. It was to appear shy, but hidden within was also a petty spite that made me unwilling to comply obediently with her words.
“Oh my, are you thinking of not showing me?”
Biateu’s eyes curved beautifully. While brimming with a chilly gaze.
At the unspoken pressure to hand it over quickly, I pretended to be overwhelmed and placed the book I was holding onto her hand with timid reluctance.
Only then did Biateu smile with satisfaction, take the book from my hand, and look down at the cover. A low scoff escaped her lips as she checked the book’s title.
“‘Who Stole Lorein’s Heart?’ …So it is a romance novel? Well, I suppose a book like this suits your level.”
Having flipped through the book quickly, Biateu returned it to me with her characteristic gentle smile. In her eyes, mockery and contempt for me reading a romance book were evident.
Yes, mock me to your heart’s content. The more you let your guard down around me, the easier it will be for me to make my move.
Purchasing the romance novel was partly to create a reason for going to the village, but also to instill the perception that I was a foolish girl who only read love stories.
Only then would she, just as before, set me up as a fool and prepare to plunge a knife into my heart.
Of course, someone might say this.
That since I know the future, I should simply avoid it and let things be. That they have not committed their crimes yet, so punishing them is not right.
Ridiculous.
Even if I successfully switch out the Guardian Stone and gain the use of the family power, do they look like they would leave me be? They would obviously try by any means to kill me and reclaim the Guardian Stone and the power.
As long as I bear the name Keuroijen, I will have to fight them until the very moment I die, for they will covet my life.
Therefore, I will not avoid it.
If they have not committed their crimes yet, I will make them repeat the very crimes they committed against me, turning them into sinners.
Unlike the previous ending where I could not lift a single finger, this ending will be tied up by my own hands.
I will not die, and they will pay the price for the sins they commit.
Anticipating that moment, I held a cold smile inside. But outwardly, I wilted like a withered plant and mumbled as I extended my hand to my half-sister.
“Biateu, I am truly sorry, but I have gone all the way to the village and I am so tired. If you have nothing more to say, may I go up? If you could return my book as well……”
“You may.”
Biateu returned the romance novel she was holding, as if bestowing a favor upon me.
As I took the book and tried to pass by her side, she suddenly called out to me.
“Hereuna.”
“Yes, Biateu.”
I tensed up, wondering if she had caught on to something, but looked at her without showing it.
Then Biateu spoke. Her eyes brimming with delight.
“That attire suits you so very well. Go around dressed like that from now on whenever you go outside. Then no one will ever know that you are a bastard of Keuroijen.”
In that instant, I barely suppressed the surge of rage rising from within.
Truly, she was someone who made it impossible not to anticipate what was to come. My half-sister, Biateu.