Chapter 12
Until just recently, the eyes that looked at me were full of affection, but now, they were filled with hostility.
‘I can’t believe this.’
Sienna looked flustered, while Father stood rigid, his expression complicated as he stared at me.
To me, they were still family. But to them, it seemed I no longer was.
I straightened my shoulders and held my head high to avoid looking intimidated. Watching me, my brother turned to the butler and asked,
“Why did no one stop that girl from entering the house?”
“Young Master, the young lady forced her way in—”
“Selena is no longer a young lady. She’s nothing more than a con artist who deceived us.”
At my brother’s harsh words, the butler pressed his lips shut. I had braced myself for this kind of reaction. Even so, the sting of sorrow made my nose tingle.
I looked to Sienna. She met my gaze with a subtle expression. I couldn’t tell if it was a smile or something else—just faint and unreadable.
“There were parts I couldn’t accept, so I came here despite the rudeness.”
“What lie are you going to tell now? Father, there’s no need to listen. Butler, take her out and don’t let her near the mansion again.”
It was so cold and heartless. Once, I was still his sister… The sorrow welled up, and I felt like I might burst into tears.
But I had no time to dwell on my emotions. I hurried to say what I came for, afraid I’d be dragged out again.
“Estarion’s Treasure resonated with me.”
“…What?”
My brother’s face twisted in disbelief.
Sienna, who didn’t understand what the treasure was, looked uncomfortable. Father’s expression was dark with displeasure.
“When I was young, I sneaked into the secret chamber and accidentally touched Estarion’s Treasure. At that moment, holy water flowed from it.”
“You’re lying.”
“If I’m lying, you can accuse me. You’ve been so desperate to find your real daughter—why didn’t you think of using Estarion’s Treasure to determine the truth?”
Do you want me to be a fake?
The treasure could clearly distinguish whether someone belonged to the bloodline of the Estarion family. It only responded to their lineage.
“The treasure does not exist to test parentage.”
“It doesn’t exist for your personal use either. I know you’re using it for Uncle.”
“It might be wise to use the treasure to clarify the truth, Father,” my brother added.
I immediately turned to Father and pleaded.
“We can clearly see who the liar is by using the treasure. Please, just check it once.”
Father went quiet for a long time, face sinking into contemplation, before he finally asked,
“…What color was the holy water?”
“Clear and transparent, like ordinary water.”
He remained silent, and I had to wait what felt like an eternity to know what he was thinking.
I wanted to know what kind of faces my brother and Sienna were making, but I couldn’t take my eyes off Father. Holding back tears in this moment was hard enough.
At last, Father gave his answer.
“Very well.”
“Father, what is this treasure, and what are you saying? Selena, what are you even talking about…?”
Sienna couldn’t hide her anxiety. She trembled like a wet baby bird.
“Shion, Sienna. You both come with me.”
Everyone from the Estarion family quietly moved toward the secret chamber.
The chamber could be accessed only through a hidden door in the most secluded part of the mansion. After passing through two more doors, we finally arrived at the room where the treasure was kept.
“…Wow…”
Sienna let out a small gasp. I had so many questions for her. About what she said to me that day, and why she subtly drove wedges between us since arriving at the mansion.
‘I only realized after I was thrown out into the storm—how cunningly you manipulated everything, Sienna.’
I didn’t want to believe it. I kept telling myself not to misunderstand her, that she was someone who had lost her entire life because of me.
But as time passed, I saw everything more clearly. And I had to admit it—Sienna was against me.
‘Focus. Now’s not the time to be thinking about that.’
I shook off my thoughts and looked ahead to Estarion’s Treasure—Crucus.
Even in darkness, Crucus glowed alone. It was a sacred relic created before the founding of the empire.
At least five hundred years old, yet it looked as pristine as if it had been made yesterday.
Sienna asked,
“This… is the treasure?”
The treasure, in appearance, was a large and deep earthenware vessel. It was adorned with ancient, ornate decorations.
Father removed the glass case that enclosed it and said,
“Sienna, I know you’re my real daughter. Everything you remember, everything you’ve said—those are things only my daughter would know. So you don’t need to worry about anything.”
It felt like a slap to the face. We were once family, but in just a few days, he changed so much…
No, I could understand. When heartbreak turns to resentment and hatred, even love can become bitterness.
I wanted to set everything right. Not because I wanted to reclaim nobility, but because I wanted to reclaim my family—prove who I truly was.
To do that, I had to prove myself through the treasure.
“I kept quiet all this time because I feared punishment for touching something forbidden. I completely buried the memory.”
It was a childhood mistake, something that could have been forgotten—but I remembered it because the thing I touched was Estarion’s Treasure.
The treasure. Also called the Sacred Relic, and by another name—Crucus. It resonates with a specific bloodline and produces holy water.
Father regularly used Crucus to produce holy water, sustaining my unconscious uncle’s life.
Because using such a precious relic for personal use was nearly unforgivable, Father was especially strict about safeguarding it.
“Father, I’ll go first and use Crucus.”
“Very well. Shion, you go ahead. But don’t hold it too long—an ordinary person who holds Crucus too long may lose their strength.”
At Father’s order, my brother stepped forward, opened Crucus, and lifted it. A glow shimmered across the white surface of the relic.
Confirming the light, he returned it to its original position. A red trace appeared briefly where his hand had touched, then vanished.
Then—
“My goodness! Father, did you see that?”
Sienna gasped. Transparent water began to rise from the bottom of the vessel. Father’s calm voice summarized the scene.
“It’s working properly.”
He transferred the holy water to a flask and signaled to me with a nod.
Hoo…
I took a deep breath. All I had to do was touch the relic, yet I was incredibly nervous.
Right before stepping forward, I made eye contact with Sienna. Her eyes mirrored my tension and fear.
If she were truly the daughter of Estarion, she shouldn’t be nervous.
‘If Crucus doesn’t resonate with me…’
It’s fine. I came here ready to stake my life.
Sienna gave me a faint smile that felt cold and unreadable.
‘If she’s the real one, does she resent me for stealing her place?’
If she really was the real daughter… then did my biological mother—a maid—plant me here on purpose? It’s not like she’d gain anything by pushing out the true daughter and embracing wealth. Is that maternal love?
As I stood blankly in front of Crucus, my brother’s cold voice cut through the silence.
“What are you doing? If you’re stalling, it won’t help.”
“I… I’m sorry.”
I relaxed my shoulders and took a deep breath. Then, I grabbed Crucus.
“Ah…”
A gasp slipped from my mouth. As soon as I touched it, the light appeared.
Not as bright as my brother’s. In fact, it was a dim light—almost like it might flicker out.
Like the faint rays of a sun just barely visible beyond the horizon in the darkest night. But one thing was clear—Crucus had resonated with me.
When I set the vessel down, holy water filled it. At the same time, tears welled in my eyes.
This proved it. I was part of this family too. That was my brother. That was my father.
I turned to look at them. Both wore expressions of confusion and emotional turmoil.
“How can this be… Father…”
My brother’s voice trembled violently.
“Selena. How could you…”
“Please believe me. I truly don’t remember anything.”
I wanted to speak clearly, but my voice trembled stupidly.
My brother inhaled sharply in shock. Father, however, remained silent, deep in thought. Then, he spoke to Sienna.
“Sienna. Come forward and try it.”
Sienna stared at me briefly, then boldly asked,
“Father, are you doubting me?”
“We must make everything certain.”
“I’m your daughter. But asking me to try it—doesn’t that mean you want to confirm I’m not?”
“You’re being stubborn.”
“I thought I’d proven myself enough. But it seems you don’t believe me.”
Sienna showed no hesitation in expressing her wounded heart.
Her confidence might have come from the belief that she truly was his daughter. That scared me—and at the same time, I envied her.
Where did that kind of certainty come from? Why couldn’t I stand like that in front of Father and my brother?
“Sienna.”
My brother called her name like a warning. Sienna bit her lower lip and looked between the two men with teary eyes.
“You’ll regret this.”
And then, Sienna grabbed Crucus. In that moment—
“…What is this…”
Crucus responded. And it was far stronger than either mine or my brother’s.
A brilliant light like the sun burst forth. From that light came a powerful, surging energy.
Something only possible with pure Estarion blood.
Drip, drip. The sound of water filled the room as Crucus overflowed, holy water spilling down to the floor.
