Chapter 143
The horse Isaac rode headed toward a mansion on the outskirts of the capital.
“Uncle, where is this place?”
“It’s where I’ve been staying lately. I rented it.”
Liena stepped off the horse and looked around the neatly maintained mansion.
Compared to the Cassius townhouse or Mikhail’s palace, it was inferior, but still not bad.
“Well, I suppose I don’t have much choice right now.”
“What did you say?”
“Nothing. Thank you for inviting me.”
“…Alright, let’s go inside.”
Isaac led Liena into the mansion and handed her a warm cup of tea.
The warmth of the gesture slowly melted the anguish in Liena’s heart that had felt like hell just moments ago.
“Sniff…sniff.”
Tears began to flow again.
The stern faces and cold words of the three Cassius men in the townhouse had tormented her.
“Why are you like this, my niece? Tell me everything.”
Isaac’s gentle tone encouraged her, and Liena poured out all her experiences, as if a dam had broken.
Of course, she omitted the story about black magic, excusing herself that the adoption switch was a false accusation.
“It’s so unfair! How could Dad and my brothers treat me like that? I’m so sad and frustrated.”
The years she had spent as family could be erased in an instant.
She had long suspected the blessings affecting them might be unstable, but facing their changed attitudes in person was shocking beyond measure.
“It’s alright, Liena. Your family loves you so much.”
Isaac smiled and reassured her.
“Even if they were deceived by that absurd accusation for now, they’ll come to their senses and apologize to you soon.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“Of course! I’ve watched your family’s tight bonds closely, so I can guarantee it.”
His words seeped into Liena’s heart.
‘Yes… Dad and my brothers are only reacting in shock for now.’
The truth about the adoption that Idel revealed might have been shocking, but in time, they would regret attempting to confine her to a hospital.
Above all, Liena believed that her father and brothers’ blessings were only a slight accelerator.
Between her and her family was true affection that went beyond any blessing.
As proof, unlike Roland, they had worried for Liena until the very end.
Isaac also instilled confidence in her.
“If you wait here just a little while, your father and brothers will come seeking your forgiveness.”
“…But what if they try to send me to a hospital again?”
“If that happens, I will protect you no matter what. Don’t worry.”
“Like I said before, thank you so much, Uncle.”
With Isaac, one could rest assured; he would stop at nothing to protect her.
With a sigh of relief, Liena turned her attention to another matter.
‘Why is the blessing causing so much trouble?’
At first, she thought it was because of the Cassius bloodline, but seeing Mikhail acting strangely too suggested another cause.
There had to be something.
While pondering, Liena recalled someone who had recently sown discord between her and her family with a pesky, infuriating face.
‘Idel.’
Could Idel also possess a mysterious power like her blessing?
“Tell me. Do you have a blessing like mine that makes others love you?”
“No, I don’t have that ability.”
Idel had said she didn’t have a blessing, and indeed, she hadn’t been loved by others like Liena.
But what if Idel’s blessing was a different kind of power, not one that draws love?
What if the goddess’s blessings differed depending on the person?
For decades, Liena had equated the goddess’s blessing with the power to be loved, so naturally, she hadn’t considered other possibilities.
Her arrogance, believing she alone was chosen by the goddess, had reinforced that complacency.
Hence, she had assumed that Idel regaining memories from a previous life was simply a divine mistake or a flaw of the world.
‘But Idel is also chosen by the goddess?’
It was a speculation she wanted to deny, yet no other possibility came to mind.
Indeed, the timing of Idel recovering her memories coincided with the moment Liena’s blessing began acting up.
She had to investigate. If this was really Idel’s doing…
‘I won’t forgive her!’
What? She dares interfere with my family? She even dragged Angela into it and shamelessly stabbed me in the back.
It had all started because Angela had kept hiding, and Liena had turned a blind eye out of old sentiment.
Liena trembled with rage and rose to her feet.
“Why are you like this, Liena?”
“I need to go out. I have something to check.”
“It’s dangerous. If your family finds you now, they might forcibly send you to the hospital.”
“I’ll be careful not to get caught.”
“No, you should stay safe here.”
“You’re too overprotective, Uncle. Really, I’ll be fine! I can disguise myself.”
Liena smiled gently at Isaac, grateful for his concern.
“You can’t go out, Liena.”
In response, Isaac gave her a charming smile, but an inexplicable pressure seemed to settle over her.
“…Uncle?”
Instinctively, Liena stepped back.
Isaac’s blue eyes were entirely devoid of any laughter.
“I’ll bring you meals. There’s a restroom inside, and plenty of books on the shelves, so you won’t be bored.”
“W-What are you saying!”
Isaac walked steadily toward the doorway.
Liena quickly followed, but the door slammed loudly in front of her.
Click. The door locked.
“Wait, Uncle! Uncle!”
Liena pounded the door with aching hands, but instead of opening, only Isaac’s voice came.
“Don’t worry, my cute little bunny. I told you I would protect you, didn’t I?”
“Open it! What is this? Are you locking me in?”
“Locking? No, protecting, protecting.”
“This isn’t a joke! I have things to do!”
“It’s not a joke. You’re too fragile, little bunny. If I let you go, you’d quickly become prey. Protecting you like this is the right thing to do.”
Liena was left speechless by that absurd reasoning, while Isaac concluded the conversation alone.
“Wait here a bit. When your father and brothers come to apologize, I’ll let you go. I’ll return at dinner time.”
“Uncle? Wait, where are you going! You have to open the door first! Uncle! Come back!”
But Isaac’s footsteps faded beyond the thick door.
“Uncle! Where are you? If you come back now and open the door, I’ll forgive you.”
Liena called desperately for a while, unable to accept her situation.
“Hey! Is anyone in there? Someone is trapped! Please open the door!”
When Isaac still didn’t return, she searched the mansion, calling for the servants.
But no one answered.
Looking back, until entering this room, Liena hadn’t seen anyone inside the mansion besides Isaac.
She trembled in fear, surveying the room.
Deep inside the mansion, the room had no windows.
There was no other exit besides the door.
Liena was completely trapped.
Something was seriously wrong.
“What’s your plan?”
I asked Isaac immediately.
The location was Roland Cassius’s safe house, where we had once summoned Isaac together.
The eccentric old man sat beside me, glaring fiercely at his youngest son.
“This guy… this looks suspicious. Has he been enchanted by a witch again?”
“I’m perfectly sane,” Isaac shrugged in reply.
“My plan? To deal decisively with that cunning, insolent little brat who’s been playing me for over ten years.”
Roland’s eyes widened.
“Have you already killed her?”
“Killed her? Do you think I’m that cruel?”
“You look like it.”
“Really. I am her uncle? I’ve got her safely in my house. If I handled it myself, her brother would surely hold a grudge, so I don’t do such bothersome things.”
Isaac sipped the drink in his glass.
“Edmund isn’t cruel. So when he removed Father from the dukedom, he probably left most of Father’s wealth and subordinates intact.”
Roland groaned but didn’t argue.
He seemed well aware that the Duke of Cassius had shown him leniency.
Historically, power struggles often left no regard for parents or children.
Isaac laughed.
“If I were the older brother, I’d have locked Father in the tower at least, to prevent future retaliation.”
“That bastard?”
“Alright, enough of that.”
I intervened before they escalated into a full argument.
“So what does Liena plan to do?”
“Well…”
Isaac revealed the ending he had planned for Liena.
“At this point, even you can’t help but accept it, and unlike us, Lucivius, who has ordinary morals, will agree too, right?”
I thought for a moment and nodded.
Roland looked unsatisfied but didn’t openly oppose it.
“Then there’s something you, Lucivius, must do.”
Before Isaac finished, I answered.
“You mean freeing those who were brainwashed by Liena.”
“Exactly. While I hold Liena captive, it ensures that any fools shielding her will disappear even if I have to sacrifice myself. You handle that part.”
The unspoken implication—that Liena would rot in prison forever—was left unsaid.
