Episode 7
I couldn’t hide my startled expression as he approached without any hesitation, but he hadn’t come to see me.
“It’s been a while, Arzen.”
“Yes, Your Grace. It has been a while.”
He greeted Arzen, who was next to me.
‘…Ah.’
Duke Selver and Duke Karsian had a long-standing close relationship, so it seemed that their nephews, Arzen and Ludwig, were also familiar with each other.
Arzen, with a guarded gaze, spoke as if surprised by Ludwig’s unexpected presence at such a modest gathering.
“I didn’t know Your Grace would also come.”
“Oh, I have someone to meet separately.”
Was it just an illusion that his eyes briefly met mine?
“I see. This is my friend, Sierra. She is also the protagonist of tonight’s gathering.”
Upon Arzen’s introduction, Ludwig finally looked at me directly.
The fully buttoned-up collar gave off a sense of austerity, yet his eyes remained raw, evoking the image of a wild beast.
“It’s an honor to meet Your Grace.”
“Congratulations on your ability awakening, my Lady.”
He responded with a nonchalant grace, as if not forgetting our promise that day.
“T-Thank you.”
At that moment, when it felt like a secret between the two of us had emerged, flowers began to scatter from the sky.
Simultaneously, the musicians began to play, announcing the opening of the reception.
“It looks like it’s starting. I’ll go to my seat first.”
Ludwig left, and Arzen and I headed towards our designated seats.
In the gathering of the Drenihan family, my father and my stepbrother’s adopted siblings were also present.
My Uncle and Kalik were staring at me with a dissecting gaze, while my Aunt, with an indiscernible expression, sipped her drink and spoke quietly.
“Congratulations on your ability awakening.”
Her face showed no signs of celebration.
“I’m glad to finally prove my worth as a Drenihan.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Beth. Now, if Kalik does well, Drenihan will become even more perfect.”
As I smiled and replied, her eyebrows twitched.
You should take care of your household’s good-for-nothing.
At that moment, Nella’s voice was heard from beside me.
“Miss, I brought the tea.”
Nella handed me a well-brewed cup of tea with a familiar touch.
As I smelled it, I realized it was my favorite Hieren tea.
“Thank you, Nella.”
It was when I was sipping the tea Nella had poured for me.
The melody of the musicians gradually subsided, and the herald raised his voice.
“The head of the Drenihan family, Duke Tercon Drenihan, is entering!”
The attention of the people focused on one place.
My dignified grandfather was walking from a distance.
He soon climbed onto the platform and began the opening address.
“I express my gratitude to the esteemed guests who have honored us with their presence in the midst of their busy schedules. The reason we are hosting this gathering today is none other than the newly emerged pride of Drenihan.”
He looked towards me and gestured for the applause of the esteemed guests.
“It is with the heartfelt desire for everyone to congratulate the ability awakening of my granddaughter, Sierra Drenihan.”
As he spoke, the people applauded and praised me without hesitation.
It seemed like they were competing to see who could congratulate me more fervently.
It was an attempt to earn recognition from the Duke of Drenihan.
Observing their expressions, my grandfather seemed very satisfied.
He looked at me and spoke.
“Sierra, come over here.”
As I stepped onto the platform, the expectant gazes of the people grew even stronger.
“For the esteemed guests who have attended this gathering, please demonstrate the ability of refreshing water on this hot day.”
In front of me was a golden cup filled with shimmering water.
The water in the cup was brought from the Aisil Lake, known to contain ingredients that amplify abilities in an instant.
‘Well, my ability is still nothing special….’
I wondered if there was enough amplification for my ability.
‘Well, it’s just a matter of showing that I’ve awakened.’
In the end, with a mindset of letting things go as they may, I reached out my hand towards the golden cup.
And as I drew out my ability and manifested it, the water in the cup suddenly sprang up into the air, transforming into sparkling crystalline ice.
Those crystals then extended outward, creating a magnificent spectacle, sparkling and dazzling as they covered the outdoor venue.
A momentary chill filled the air.
“Wow….”
“In an instant, the venue became so refreshing. This water ability is amazing.”
People exclaimed with admiration.
I looked down at my hand with a bewildered expression.
I had done something I couldn’t even accomplish during practice.
Then, from behind me, I heard a low laughter that seemed satisfied.
“You’re quite capable, Sierra.”
I felt a sense of recognition from my grandfather for the first time, and my cheeks were reminded of it.
“As a gift, let me show you something amazing.”
He raised his large hand and gently stroked my head.
And his other hand reached out towards the air.
In that moment, clusters of radiant crystals extended gracefully, creating a dazzling display.
The brightness and vastness of what he showed far surpassed the ability I had demonstrated.
He accomplished such a level of ability without using the water from the lake in the golden cup.
“This is the ability of Tercon Drenihan, the Guardian Sword.”
He was the most celebrated ability user who had quenched the dry land and freed people from endless drought, earning praise from the empire’s citizens.
“Unbelievable…”
“I’ve never seen such a beautiful spectacle before.”
The people who had gathered at the venue stared in awe at the large rainbow and sparkling crystals that floated in the sky.
It was a breathtakingly fantastic and beautiful scene.
“Thank you, grandfather. It’s so beautiful.”
I smiled softly as I curiously looked at the crystal that had fallen onto my hand.
“Wow! It’s truly amazing!”
“As expected of the Drenihan family. Three generations handling the water ability…”
Applause erupted from those who witnessed the magnificent sight.
I could only let out a sigh of relief.
My grandfather seemed quite satisfied as well.
“Sierra, you were truly amazing.”
Arzen descended from the platform and took his seat again, applauding and expressing pure admiration.
People whispered among themselves, saying that I had truly earned the favor of Tercon Drenihan.
Their interested gazes felt piercing.
From afar, it seemed like Nella had an expression of excitement on her face.
“Phew…”
Even though the ceremony was successfully completed, I felt unexpectedly tense, and my throat felt dry.
Even after emptying the cup in front of me, I somehow felt thirsty.
Arzen seemed to notice my condition and spoke up.
“Are you okay? Should I bring more tea?”
“Yeah, would you? Can you?”
I chuckled lightly and tried to hand him the cup.
Suddenly, my vision blurred for a moment.
The cup appeared as if there were two of them.
“Huh…?”
My vision flickered and I felt dizzy.
As if my insides were twisting and turning, I sensed that something was wrong when my body was already tilting to the side.
I felt my sight flashing as I lost my balance.
“Sierra!”
The screams of people and Arzen’s voice simultaneously grew distant.
It hurt.
Every corner of my body hurt.
There was a loud commotion around me, and I could hear people talking.
Unknown words echoed in my ears.
“It hurts…”
I wished someone, anyone, would take me out of this pain.
‘It’s been a long time since I felt this much pain…’
Surely, since that day…
“What on earth is happening?”
“It seems that the young lady has no immunity to the toxicity of the Draegus fruit. It seems she took a bite out of curiosity, and it has resulted in this…”
“The child is in so much pain! We must do something!”
“The detoxifying potion administered just now is all we can do. Any further medication would be too much for the young lady’s body to handle.”
Damn it, I was cursed.
“We can only observe from now on, Serkan…”
It was a mysteriously fragrant tea with a mysterious rosy hue.
Everyone was drinking it just fine, and I wanted to try it too.
I barely managed to take a sip, and yet it ended up like this.
In the midst of the excruciating fever, whenever I opened my eyes sporadically, my father was always by my side, without closing his eyes even once, as the sky outside the window went from blue to red and then darkened.
The seemingly endless fever finally subsided on the third day.
‘I thought I was going to lose you. It was the most frightening moment I’ve ever experienced…’
Looking at my father, with his red eyes, embracing me, I felt like I never wanted to worry him again. At least that’s what I thought in my young mind.
Afterward, even on days when my body wasn’t well, I pretended to be fine.
It was because of the deep scars that remained as memories from that time.
“Si…er…a…”
Amidst the buzzing in my ears, I heard my father’s voice break.
“This is unbelievable, Draegus tea…”
Among the voices of several people, there was someone whose voice reached my ears.
It was Chesar, the head physician of the Drenihan family.
Draegus tea… As someone sensitive to scents, I couldn’t be unaware of it…
Even a sip caused me to suffer for three days, and yet now I had drunk Draegus tea until I could see the bottom of the cup.
“This might be really dangerous…”
I could feel Arzen continuously injecting power into me, but it felt like I was sinking, as if pouring water into a bottomless pit of poison.
If the power of healing didn’t work, it meant I was in a precarious situation, on the verge of losing my life.
There was no way to intervene.
If I die like this, will I return to my original world?
To that empty, cold place…
As I entertained that thought, my consciousness began to fade.
“Step aside, Arzen.”
Through the dizzying noise, I heard Ludwig’s voice.
Hope you enjoy ❤️
