Chapter 27
“My proud little sister!
I heard the news. You caused quite a stir at Father’s birthday banquet, didn’t you?
Since when did you know how to use your abilities? You never told me! You sure have a lot of secrets—how unfair.
Anyway, Evgenia is buzzing about you. Your story even made it into the newspapers! Helene bought twenty copies to put on display.”
A few days later, a letter from Leon arrived, confirming the rumors that had shaken high society.
Ebony stroked the newspaper article enclosed in the envelope, feeling proud. Her siblings had carefully cut out the article featuring her and sent it as a gift, proud of her achievement.
In her reply, Ebony thanked Leon and admitted that she had been able to use her abilities for a year now.
She teased him, saying she had kept it a secret just to see his surprised reaction.
As she opened another letter, a fresh, clean scent—one typical of men—hit her nose.
The sender, who had been too busy to write earlier, explained that after hearing the news, he finally picked up his pen.
“The whole world will want to be on your side now.
Congratulations, my lady, on taking the first step of your revenge.”
Compared to Leon and Helene’s enthusiastic praise, this message was short and simple.
Yet, strangely, it gave Ebony more strength than any words she had ever heard.
‘It feels nice… knowing someone else understands my secret.’
Was this why Leon had always told her to open up?
Hearing encouragement from someone who truly understood her situation felt deeply reassuring.
After finishing letters for Diego as well, Ebony tidied up her desk. That was when she noticed Irene’s letter, which Amy had delivered earlier.
She slit the envelope open with a knife, and a strong perfume scent wafted out—just like Irene herself.
Shaking the paper slightly to lessen the fragrance, she read through the contents carefully.
The words were shockingly intense.
‘If His Grace saw this, he’d be horrified.’
The letter was filled with passionate declarations—how she loved him, how she could die happy just gazing into his beautiful eyes.
As expected from a woman who had supposedly studied romance novels just to write this letter, the emotions were overflowing.
After reading the entire thing, Ebony pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and her fountain pen.
She placed Diego’s letter to the left and the blank parchment beside it, allowing her to compare them side by side.
With a steady hand, she carefully mimicked his elegant handwriting.
“Your words are overwhelming, but I found them interesting.
I’m honored to have left such a strong impression on you.”
‘This is probably how His Grace would respond.’
Using Diego’s usual tone, Ebony kept the response short and formal.
She didn’t want to write too much—just enough to stoke Irene’s feelings further.
Besides, Diego didn’t seem like the type to reply with a long letter about such things.
Afterward, she delivered the letters for Leon and Diego directly to the messenger.
The letter for Irene, however, she placed in the designated spot at dawn—just as the Magnus family’s courier would arrive at the estate.
On her way back, she unexpectedly ran into Edward in the hallway.
Usually, he would ignore her completely, but this time, he hesitated.
After standing still for a moment, he finally spoke.
“…Good morning.”
Ebony, already walking past, paused at the unexpected greeting.
“Thank you for yesterday.”
His sudden gratitude stopped her in her tracks.
“You look just like Violet.”
“……”
“I never realized how beautiful you are.
I never knew how smart you were either… I didn’t see it before.”
For the first time, Edward—who had always acted as if nothing could shake him—showed real emotion.
His change in attitude after her birthday banquet felt ridiculous to Ebony.
She turned to face him, staring directly into his eyes.
Seeing her direct gaze, he looked slightly startled.
“Are you trying to apologize now?”
“I….”
“There’s no need. It’s too late for us to be a real family.”
Her firm response silenced him.
With nothing more to say, she turned her back and walked away.
Even if he acknowledged his mistakes now, nothing would change.
Her past—the pain, the loneliness—wouldn’t disappear.
She had accepted her father’s embrace that night for the sake of public opinion.
But beyond that, she had no reason to forgive empty regrets.
That night, after a long day, Ebony lay in bed and drifted off to sleep.
When she opened her eyes, she was no longer in her bedroom.
She stood in an unfamiliar forest, surrounded by towering trees that blocked the sky.
‘Where is this place?’
With no idea where to go, she walked forward.
But no matter how far she walked, there was no end.
The endless, maze-like forest filled her with growing fear.
Winter nights in the forest were brutally cold.
She had no food, and wild animals, just as hungry as she was, would see her as easy prey.
‘How do I get out of here?’
She pushed through the dense trees, searching for a path.
She even turned back and tried walking the other way.
But no matter what she did, she couldn’t find a way out.
As time passed, darkness fell, making it impossible to see.
Her unease deepened.
‘I need to call for help.’
She opened her mouth to shout—then hesitated.
‘…But who should I call?’
She should have been screaming for help, yet this foolish question popped into her mind.
Violet was gone.
Leon was in another country.
Her father wouldn’t come even if she called.
Neither would Irene or Hermann.
Who could she rely on?
She shut her mouth again.
Instead, she moved faster.
That was when she saw it.
A light.
It shone beautifully, like a candle in the darkness.
‘I have to go there.’
Believing it was her only way out, she ran desperately.
But no matter how fast she ran, she never got any closer.
‘Why…? Why can’t I reach it?’
Growing frantic, she pushed herself harder.
If she didn’t make it, she’d die.
If she didn’t make it, she wouldn’t even be able to breathe.
And then—
The ground beneath her feet disappeared.
She fell.
The endless forest had a cliff after all.
She was plummeting.
She couldn’t see the bottom.
‘Am I going to die like this?’
She didn’t want to die.
She had only just begun taking control of her life.
At that moment, everything slowed down.
<Call the name!>
A voice rang in her head.
It was Wade.
<Say the name of the one you’re looking for!>
Who?
She didn’t know who he meant, but his voice urged her on.
<The name!>
A brilliant light shone over the dark forest.
And then, without thinking, she whispered,
“…Lucy.”
Who was Lucy?
Why had that name come to her?
She didn’t know.
But she kept calling it.
“Lucy, Lucy, Lucy…!”
Then—everything went dark again.
Her falling body felt weightless.
And in that moment, a small light slowly approached her.
As it touched her fingertip, it flickered—then took the form of a young girl.
<…Did you call me?>
The voice was soft, almost too quiet to hear.
A moment later, a spirit with flowing white hair gently touched her fingers.
