Episode 23: I’m a Ability User Too
Python and Liche walked into the library.
After passing several bookshelves, they arrived at an empty space about the size of a room.
The familiar space was just like it was two months ago. Even the broken mirror on the floor.
“….”
Liche hurriedly ran to the wall, trying to distance herself from the mirror as much as possible.
“Contractor, over here.”
Python, who had jumped ahead, tapped the marble floor. It was where the energy of the star fragment could be felt.
Perhaps due to the training, Liche managed to drill a hole as deep as Python had mentioned.
Python, who crawled into the hole, managed to find the star fragment with his flailing body.
It was a pure white stone. With a satisfied face, Python spoke.
“Lucky, isn’t it?”
“Why?”
Curious, Liche asked, and Python explained.
The color of the star fragment is determined by its characteristics, and white usually indicates healing or restoration-related abilities.
“If this is a healing star fragment, it means we’re the strongest. It’s nothing compared to Hikanka.”
Python grinned like a villain. At this moment, Python in his squirrel form seemed convincing as the god of battle.
“How do you use it?”
“It’s similar to using my own power. Think of it as carrying the ability within your body, and the unique ability of the star fragment will be activated. Some fragments even have multiple abilities. First, you need to know what ability it has, so give it a try.”
“Okay.”
Liche took the star fragment handed to her by Python. She tried to use her ability towards the drilled floor, but…
“Is it working…?”
There was no change at all.
“Hmm.” Python scratched his head.
“It can’t be.”
Since she held the star fragment in her hand, something should have happened. It should have exploded or burst.
As Python looked around, he noticed something.
“Oh!”
Python jumped behind Liche. Startled, she froze in place.
“This is it!”
Excited, Python was holding the problematic mirror in his hands.
The one that had been shattered on the floor. Yet, the mirror looked completely intact, as if nothing had ever happened to it.
“That, that?”
“Yeah, look at this! It must be a restoration ability! Isn’t there any healing ability? If it’s an intermediate-level power, it should have at least two characteristics.”
A star fragment with a restoration ability. It should have been a good thing, but Liche couldn’t bring herself to laugh. It felt like someone would start speaking from the mirror at any moment.
Forced to smile, Liche went along with Python’s mood.
Still, the fortunate thing was that the mirror remained silent until now.
“Contractor, we should also train to improve our accuracy in the future. The target was the floor, but we ended up restoring the wrong mirror.”
Just then, the door creaked open, and someone entered the library.
“Hey.”
It was Deon. Python quickly closed his mouth and slipped into Liche’s pocket.
“Brother?”
What happened to make him look so serious?
Approaching where Liche was, Deon grabbed her arm and said, “Damage.”
—
“Doyen-nim will be a little late.”
“Hmm. Is that so?”
At the drawing-room of the Rodwick mansion.
The butler, Paul, informed Robenhaf, who was sitting on the sofa.
Thirty minutes had already passed since they had waited, but it was nothing.
And he didn’t even think that Deon would appear to greet him.
“Derkedion. Didn’t expect this, huh?”
Robenhaf smiled like a winner.
Three days ago, when it was said that his father, Duke Hebetzmann, would visit the Rodwick mansion, Robenhaf promptly followed along.
The process wasn’t smooth, but he managed to insert himself.
“Brother, I’m bored.”
Next to Robenhaf, a girl sat swinging her feet, grumbling. With light blue eyes and long pink hair swaying along her feet, the girl wore a dress adorned with lots of ribbons. She was Lily Hebetzmann, the sixth and youngest daughter of Duke Hebetzmann, who was just six years old this year.
And…
“Brother! Can I raise a puppy, huh?”
Running into the drawing-room, making a ruckus, a boy who looked exactly like Lily called out to Robenhaf. He was Lily’s twin, Rotus Hebetzmann.
Even now. Didn’t they think they could do anything as long as they made a fuss?
Caught between the two siblings, Robenhaf kept a smile on his face, but it felt like blood was dripping from his ears.
This was why he didn’t want to bring the twins along.
It was my mistake not to notice the plan of my grandmother and mother.
“Still, what brought me all the way here? I just need to confirm this time.”
There was a reason Robenhaf persistently tried to enter the Rodwick mansion.
It wasn’t simply because the silver-haired girl he had met back then was on his mind, but because he wanted to confirm something.
Was it because he heard the bell ringing and his cheeks tingling, as if he were sick? Or was it because he-.
“Brother, did you hear me? Can I raise a puppy, huh?”
He was interrupted by Rotus at a crucial moment.
Suppressing the rising irritation, Robenhaf asked his younger brother, “A puppy? Where would we get one?”
“Here!”
Suddenly, Rotus revealed a puppy hidden under his clothes, shocking Robenhaf.
“Zigbert Serdia?! What are you doing here?”
He recognized Zigbert at a glance, having met him at last year’s hunting party.
“Isn’t he cute?”
“Cute? I found him in the garden!”
“Rotus, give him to me.”
“No, he’s mine.”
“Give him to me!”
For a moment, Robenhaf doubted if this was real life.
Zigbert, who was treated like a toy by his younger siblings.
He noticed bandages on his legs. Where was he injured?
Robenhaf carefully examined Zigbert’s condition, and their eyes met. Not now. He needed to get him away from these nonchalant kids first.
Robenhaf reached out to his twin siblings.
“You two, calm down. Give him to me.”
“No.”
“He’s ours.”
It was always like this. The struggle to persuade the twins to hand over Zigbert escalated into a toy fight.
“I said give him-”
Robenhaf grabbed Zigbert forcefully from the twins’ arms. Zigbert, still nursing his injuries, let out a loud yelp.
“You brute!”
Just then, Liche entered the drawing-room. Deon followed behind her, pointing at Zigbert with a gesture.
“He’s over there. Why are you making a fuss about finding him? Just leave him be if he’s gone.”
“He’s injured.”
“Hmph. Why would I care about the same dog?”
“…Brother, I want to stop now.”
Robenhaf couldn’t take his eyes off the Rodwick siblings approaching him, especially Liche.
“Hello.”
Liche greeted the three Hebetzman siblings with the manners she had learned from Madame Michelle.
Her practiced gestures made her look like a refined young noblewoman.
“Who are you?”
“…So cute!”
A peer noble child who spoke impeccable etiquette.
The twins’ attention quickly shifted to Liche.
Standing before Robenhaf, Liche received the sparkling gaze of the twins.
Then, Liche reached out both hands to Robenhaf, who was holding Zigbert.
“…?”
“Brother, what’s wrong?”
“Hyung, you’re acting like a fool.”
The twins looked at Robenhaf, who seemed dumbfounded. Meanwhile, Robenhaf’s hands automatically followed Liche’s lead and handed Zigbert over. It was an unconscious action on his part.
Then, Robenhaf remembered the scene of Zigbert screaming in pain. He had to clear up the misunderstanding.
“Uh, um, you see-!”
Someone interrupted Robenhaf, a hand blocking his path. Crimson eyes stared straight at him.
“Robenhaf. My brother’s in pain.”
“Oh, it’s not-”
Liche grabbed Deon’s hand, lowering it. She knew he was just teasing, but why pick a fight with Hebetzman, a skilled ability user?
It wasn’t safe to stay here any longer. Liche grabbed Deon’s hand, signaling to leave.
“Let’s go, Oppa.”
“Huh? Are we leaving?!”
“Play with us!”
The twins reluctantly let go of Liche, but when they made eye contact with Deon, they quickly withdrew their hands. Even fearless twins made an exception for the Rodwicks.
After bidding farewell once again, Liche left the drawing-room, pulling Deon along.
Robenhaf watched Liche’s retreating figure.
Derckedion Rodwick held by Liche. Zigbert Serdia cradled in Liche’s arms.
“…”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear anything.”
When Gerwer Count asked what he had heard, Ian replied as such. However, it was futile in front of Gerwer Count’s keen perception.
Ian, also a fellow ability user, had eavesdropped on Lutium’s information. Enraged, the count locked Ian away.
He ordered Ian to be confined to the warehouse within the mansion, where the late Countess Gerwer’s belongings were stored.
Ian sat on the floor, facing the mirror in front of him. Even though he used his ability to see, the mirror reflected nothing. Yet, Ian found solace in its silence.
It was like his mother. Sitting in her armchair, listening attentively to his words, stroking his hair gently, his affectionate mother.
“…Father must dislike me.”
Ian muttered as if talking to himself in front of the mirror.
The Countess Gerwer suffered from the same illness as Ian. Until the day before she died, she took medicine once a day. Now Ian was taking the same medicine.
“Can I go there soon too?”
The child of merely eight lost his zest for life.
He didn’t know what he was living for. There were times when he once shouted that he didn’t want to die. But it was a sound hitting the wall. Reaching no one. Now it didn’t even echo back.
Big and small disappointments came. At some point, he gave up getting up. And then everything dulled.
Ian had once thought that he would leave his father’s side like his mother.
“….”
Ian leaned his face on his arms raised on his knees. He kept coughing.
It would take another two days for the anger of Count Gerwer to subside. Until then, he wouldn’t be given anything to drink or eat.
Since no one came, Ian sat in the same posture for hours. Then he nodded off.
[Not enough. Not enough.]
What woke him up was someone’s voice.
