“The most important thing is, once I draw sothing into my space, it becos forever mine. I imprint it on what’s mine…”
My father trailed off as he picked up the glass I had just drunk from. The glass spun round in his hand and then vanished.
No… it disappeared and reappeared.
With a rush of heat.
‘… fire?’
In a rectangular fra, twisted like a knot, black flas flickered and danced.
The flas slowly faded, the fra disappeared, leaving behind a charred mark.
Suddenly, even that mark lted away through the glass. Now the glass appeared so smooth it was hard to believe it had once been on fire.
My father turned the glass around, displaying its perfect form.
I could still feel the heat, see it burning, sll the tantalizing scent of sothing charred…
Yet it looked perfectly unburnt.
I opened my mouth slowly.
This… this… was nothing like my own power. No, could it be considered the sa
as mine?
My father’s voice remained calm.
“What do you think could be done with an imprint?”
I had no guesses. And he didn’t really wait for an answer.
“It could be used for destruction, for tracking. No matter how far away. As long as it retains the form I first imprinted.”
Did the Astariol of Judgnt truly be born with powers suited for judgnt for generations?
I nearly shook my head.
This power did not belong to the judge at all. This wasn’t for law, justice, or rcy.
My father spoke calmly and softly.
“When you disappeared with Evan earlier, I deeply regretted not attempting to imprint soone.”
A shiver ran through
from toe to head.
I had just witnessed the process of imprinting. Though the mark was gone, it was clearly an imprint created by .
Wasn’t the sll of charring still lingering in the room?
My father wouldn’t do that to . So, the target he indicated was likely the Emperor.
And if he had actually imprinted him… it was obvious what he was going to do, destruction or tracking.
My father sighed elegantly.
“I don’t want to have such regrets again, Claire.”
So, right now, my father was speaking to
in a very gentle and chilling manner.
Could she really be under a spell? If she was enchanted and couldn’t speak of it…
I would do whatever it took to kill the Emperor.
I froze, then desperately grasped my father’s hand.
“No, I’m really not under a spell. I’m serious.”
His purple eyes narrowed slightly. I looked at him anxiously.
His icy, sparkling eyes examined
gently and thoroughly.
Very slowly, my father replied.
“Alright, if you say so.”
Unconsciously, I let out a sigh of relief. My father briefly smiled and patted my head.
His gentle and warm touch soothed my body slowly and rhythmically. My tension began to ease, but sleep seed no longer possible.
I was already too startled. And I doubted I could sleep again.
Father gazed quietly into my unyielding eyes and asked.
“Even if it’s not magic, has His Majesty coerced you in any way?”
I shook my head firmly.
At first, I was afraid he might not spare Mom. When I stood under the magic circle, I couldn’t breathe.
But the Emperor didn’t intentionally threaten .
Rather, Evan…
“His Majesty seems to be a good friend.”
Dad raised an eyebrow slightly, as if questioning my sincerity.
Still, I nodded firmly.
“It’s a story I had to hear at least once.”
Dad said I would be his successor.
So, Mother’s story was bound to erge through people’s mouths sooner or later.
There would surely be a lot of distrust, insult, and suspicion.
If confronted with such suspicions without knowing well, I might not be able to defend myself.
But who among my parents would tell
this?
A mother who was in a panic just by entering the palace? Would it be better to hear of my mother’s agony and sins from my father instead of not knowing about her faults?
‘Neither of them are capable. Absolutely not.’
In the end, Evan was simply the one who inford
of the stories I needed to know most quickly and accurately. Nothing more, nothing less.
Therefore, Evan seed even more like a good friend.
I’d never had a friend… but I knew that a good friend was soone who could replace the parts that even your friend couldn’t talk about.
I said to Dad again.
“His Majesty seems like a good friend. I hope you won’t be too angry with him.”
Dad smiled awkwardly.
“I can’t promise that.”
… it seed like he’d already ssed up a lot. Well, I did wake up late.
“Anything else?”
“I want to go see Mom and Eciel.”
A gentle response ca back.
But when I went to see Mom, she was asleep.
It was not a big deal to wake soone up and ask what was wrong, not to worry, but explaining everything carefully would be embarrassing even for a daughter.
So, I quietly turned around and left.
As I briefly held her hand, I just hoped Mom’s dream would be peaceful.
I whispered that I was okay, and her slightly strained face gradually eased into calmness.
But Eciel was awake.
And extrely angry.
“… Eciel, it’s late. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”
“Would you prefer if I was?”
‘To be honest, yes. But she’ll get mad if I answer that way.’
I had a premonition that we were about to have a real fight after a long ti.
I silently cast my eyes down.
When was the last ti she was this angry? There was even a ti when she didn’t speak to
for a whole week.
… anyway, Eciel and I weren’t exactly compatible sisters.
It was inevitable.
One was terribly indifferent, and the other was just as lively.
When I read one more line of a thick history book, Eciel would run outside to catch one more minute of sunlight.
‘The problem is that Eciel insisted on taking
with her.’
If I refused, she’d cry.
If I told her no, she wouldn’t understand.
If I suggested that individual activities might be better since we value different things, she would dislike it.
I really couldn’t understand Eciel at that ti.
Once, I asked Mom seriously.
– Isn’t it universally valid that humans cannot fully understand each other? But if both share the sa language and cultural background, shouldn’t there be at least so basic communication? Why are we born as twins unable to communicate and empathize with each other?
Mom sighed deeply as if the ground had sunk.
– Just as you can’t understand your sister, your sister can’t understand you either. But at least she tries to be with you.
At that mont, I said I didn’t need such efforts.
Since we were different beings, it was natural that we couldn’t understand each other, so I didn’t desperately want to be together.
Before Mom could respond, Eciel ran over and pushed
away.
Then she didn’t talk to
for a week.
A week of silence, quiet, and solitude.
The first day was comfortable, the second I wondered if sothing was wrong, the third I thought I should try sothing.
The fourth I made up my mind, and by the fifth, I started to worry a little.
On the sixth day, I spoke first.
Eciel ignored .
In the anti, I’d ignored Eciel countless tis, but this was the first ti she ignored .
‘… it was a bit shocking. It was so shocking that it made
surprised.’
On the seventh day, I seriously contemplated.
Whether I should change one of the values I had accumulated so far because of Eciel.
And if I changed my values, how should I approach Eciel with friendly and constructive intentions.
I needed ti to think about that.
The next day, I grabbed Eciel. I tried to put forth the problems I had been thinking about all day and solutions for improvent.
But Eciel’s response was only one sentence.
– I’m sorry, I’ll try to be with you more in the future.
I heard those words from the young face that brightened as if she had heard sothing unbelievable and hugged
tightly.
Since then, we’d beco sowhat ordinary sisters.
‘…But did Eciel really understand my apology back then? She probably didn’t know much, but she just accepted it, right?’
I montarily escaped to the past, and when I returned to reality, Eciel was glaring at
intensely.
At tis like this, she was just like Mom, which was a bit scary.
I said soothingly.
“Hey, Eciel. Look, nothing happened to . I just talked.”
“Aren’t you always telling
not to follow strangers?”
“Of course. It’s dangerous.”
“Do you think it’s not dangerous? Are you stupid?”
Angry Eciel yanked and threw the blanket.
Dad, seeing Eciel angry for the first ti, blinked beside .
Dad must have seen Mom angry for years… I hoped he’d intervene for a mont, but it seed like he just wanted to watch.
I gave up and evasively uttered a few words.
“Eciel, I… was just thinking logically…”
“Why did you follow along so easily?”
Oh, I wanted to avoid this. I wanted to run away. I wanted to quit…
My ntal strength was gradually draining away. I resigned and surrendered.
“I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”
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