17.

In the end,Clagen returned with no gain.

‘I’ve never thought about winning a verbal battle againstClagen.’

He had always been someone who seemed too high. It was fascinating to see him acknowledge Serenity’s words.

Perhaps the reason he had never tried was that he hadn’t thought about whether he could do more than he believed.

‘I might be capable of more than I think.’

Seated at the desk, Serenity infused confidence into herself.

‘Now, what should I do next?’

Clazen is not a magician. He needs to consider that Dante might not have told him everything. They, as successors, didn’t quite have matching personalities.

First, there was something she had to do.

“Adele, prepare some letter paper.”

“Yes.”

Adel returned with letter paper and an envelope. Serenity began writing a letter to arrange a meeting with Yulia.

To meet Yulia.

While writing the letter, memories from the past resurfaced.

[“I hate that you came to our mansion.”]

She still remembered Yulia’s voice, which tightly gripped Julie’s hand. The sight of her smooth fingers gently touching the calloused skin of Julie’s knuckles.

She understood the meaning behind it.

[‘Isn’t that right?’]

Her smiling face was elegant.

Elegance emanated from her behavior even in her rebellious state.

[‘You, who are different from blood, could only enter the mansion by chance. If the power of water hadn’t manifested, our marquis mansion would have been a place you couldn’t even look at.’]

She had no intention of denying her words. However, she did not agree either.

It was just by chance that Yulia was born into this mansion’s lineage. It was also by chance that she could enter the mansion. The fact that Yulia, born into this mansion’s lineage, preached about luck was strange. But knowing how foolish it would be to speak out, Serenity kept her mouth shut.

[‘Quietly, live like a dead mouse.’]

A bitter smile appeared on Serenity’s lips.

“Life is unfair.”

Yulia’s resentment towards Julie was greater than expected, and it was always directed at him. She knew that to survive in the mansion, she needed to maintain a good relationship with Yulia. However, it didn’t go as smoothly as she had hoped.

‘Can we become friends?’

Entering the Marquis mansion was a good opportunity for Julie.

Julie, who had been just an orphan, gained the name of the Marquis and, on top of that, the status of the successor of the Water Element. Foolish as he was back then, Julie harbored hope. It was the hope of leaving the orphanage and starting a new life.

It was the same when she met the three successors.

‘Maybe I already knew back then.’

That all those connections were not Julie’s alone.

It might have been something she wanted to deny.

It was the only ray of light in a life where there was nothing.

* * *

There was a time like that.

“Welcome, Serenity!”

Yulia approached Serenity with a bright smile.

Serenity stared at her for a while, finding Yulia’s face unfamiliar. The upturned corners of her mouth, drawing a smile, seemed strange, as if she were looking at someone other than Yulia.

Serenity had delivered a short letter to her with minimal courtesy, asking if she could visit the mansion.

Yulia accepted the mansion visit without asking anything.

Just as the successors were Julie’s only opportunity, now Serenity was Yulia’s only chance.

Life is ironic.

‘Who would have thought I’d become Yulia’s tether?’

Serenity, with an expressionless face, stared at her and nodded.

“Is there… something bothering you?”

Yulia observed Serenity’s reaction. The atmosphere that was somewhat muted when she was with Julie now seemed as sharp as a rat.

Serenity shook her head. “No, I’m fine. May I meet your sister?”

“Even though you seem unwell, how about having a cup of tea first? I’ve prepared some snacks in the backyard garden according to your arrival time. I’ve stocked up on the entire menu from L’heure, a pastry shop known for its delicious desserts, as I wasn’t sure what you’d like.”

‘L’heure.’

L’heure was a dessert shop Yulia frequented. The desserts there were not only visually appealing but also fantastically delicious, making it a popular place.

The people of the Lirv estate never took Julie to L’heure. The only opportunity he had was when he followed Clagen.

Serenity remembered the first time she tasted the cake.

The cream sandwiched between the soft and spongy cake layers was surprisingly sweet. Eating the cream with the strawberry-flavored cake made her feel like she was flying in the sky.

“Shall we go to the garden together?”

Yulia urged Serenity as she opened her mouth. Serenity smiled inwardly.

‘…Is she anxious?’

It felt like a sweet taste was spreading in her mouth. Whether it was because of thinking about the cake or watching Yulia in this way, Serenity raised the corners of her mouth.

“I’m really okay. We can have the snacks together after meeting your sister.”

Yulia’s eyes narrowed slightly. It wasn’t because she didn’t like it; rather, she was examining Serenity’s feelings and reactions again.

After a moment, Yulia lowered her head slightly and shrugged her shoulders.

“It would be great if Julie wakes up… Well then, let me guide you.”

Yulia took the lead. Serenity, familiar with the corridors of the mansion, followed her.

Among the numerous rooms in the corridor, Julie’s room was not there. It was a somewhat extravagant and luxurious guest room that high-ranking nobles used when visiting.

Serenity stood in front of the room, realizing that this was where the nobles used to stay. It was far too luxurious and extravagant to call it Julie’s room.

Yulia opened the door.

“My sister, Julie Lirv.”

Serenity, leaving behind Yulia’s faint voice, walked towards the bed. Near the bed was a large window allowing bright sunlight to penetrate. Julie, who used to soak up the sunlight through the small attic window, was no longer there.

The faint light seemed to settle on Julie Lirv’s face.

On the face of Julie, who was lying there as if asleep like a dead person, there was almost no trace of color.

Serenity recalled the words. The words were about the reflection of one’s own face on the mirror and clear water not showing the true self.

‘…Seeing myself for the first time.’

It felt really strange.

The dry body, not properly nourished. The black shadows under the eyes. The rough skin from spending a long time outdoors. The tangled hair. The small scars and callouses visible through the nightwear.

Julie’s reality seemed vividly clear. Serenity’s stomach churned.

‘…So, this is me.’

Clagen’s words came to mind.

‘More radiant and beautiful than anyone I’ve ever met. Julie Lirv.’

His words were undoubtedly a lie.

‘Did he really think of me that way?’

Now, I’m curious about Clagen’s intentions.

Julie appeared completely different from his concept of beauty.

Is it because I’m too accustomed to Serenity’s life, or does he want to turn away from Julie’s reality?

She disliked it. She didn’t like it at all.

The dark and miserable appearance. Julie Lirv, who sleeps like the dead, unable to die. Julie, who had nothing, could not have anything, and was an orphan who could not die.

Serenity closed her eyes tightly.

“The doctor and the priest regularly check on his condition… But, unfortunately, there’s still no hope.”

Yulia’s voice, strangely, calmed Serenity down. The sight of her pretending to love her sister repulsively chilled Serenity’s blood.

“I hope my only sister gets better as soon as possible.”

However, despite that, she didn’t specifically ask Serenity any questions.

Even though Serenity had come here personally, and they had spent time alone together, it seemed like Yulia, the sole survivor in a comatose state, had no questions for her.

It wasn’t the attitude of a worried person.

It was completely different from Clagen or Dante. Even Crown Prince Wyatt Crayton had asked Serenity questions.

Yulia’s words and actions were completely different.

“At least Yulia wouldn’t be wishing for Julie to wake up.”

Because her words and actions were going in opposite directions. This fact could make the murder easier.

Serenity narrowed her eyes.

“Now, how should I kill myself?”

If there were priests and doctors, straightforward poisoning might be difficult.

“No, what if I kill myself and make it look like an accident?”

If Serenity builds an image of caring for Julie, even if evidence emerges that she is the culprit, it won’t be easy to pin it on her.

While planning Julie’s murder, Serenity discovered a bracelet on Julie’s wrist.

“What is this bracelet?”

“Oh, this bracelet was personally made by Dante Odrayen. It monitors Julie’s physical condition. Any slight changes are instantly communicated to the magician.”

“…”

“There have been times when Dante instantly teleported here when there was a slight change in Julie’s body. I saw him with a pale face… even though he came instantly.”

Yulia paused for a moment.

“As a fellow successor, he cares a lot about me… I was impressed by the way he took care of my sister.”

In the end, what she was saying was that she was important to Dante.

Suppressing a bitter laugh, Serenity focused on the information Yulia provided.

If you wear the bracelet, Dante detects danger and comes immediately.

In that case, Serenity had to take off the bracelet.