Chapter 25
Just how deeply did you read that novel?”**
At this point, you’ve reached a state of perfect unity with those possession novels.
If that’s not the case, how else could you be so convinced that I’m the one who’s been possessed?!
“Lucian, what are you talking about?”
“Son, could you ease up a bit on the work?”
See? Even our parents thought Lucian’s claim was so absurd they didn’t even bother to entertain it.
Yet, Lucian alone stubbornly pushed his ‘Ciela Possession Theory’.
“Mother, Father. I need to know.”
Know what…?
“Where ‘Ciela Eizens’ has gone.”
I’m right here…
“Right here! In front of you! Plain as day!”
But even if I shouted myself hoarse, I didn’t think Lucian would understand.
‘…Should I just leave it be?’
If others were swayed by his words, it could be a threat to me too, but who would believe such a thing?
It was a rather tempting thought.
“No matter how much of an irredeemable scoundrel Ciela was, she was my one and only sister.”
If only Lucian hadn’t said that, I might have just let it go.
‘Sigh, what am I to do with that father and son?’
I swallowed a sigh and shook my head weakly.
To be honest, I could understand Lucian’s attitude somewhat.
‘Just how much must I have tormented him all this time?’
No wonder he found it hard to accept that I had reformed overnight.
I was pondering how to clear away that suspicion when—
*Thud!*
Lucian closed the possession novel and spoke as if granting me a chance.
“If you’re the real Ciela, you should be able to answer this.”
“Sigh, what is it?”
“That day, a year ago, when you came up to me while I was with Izhel, held me, and said you were in pain. Tell me what you said to me back then.”
Go on, Lucian urged, lifting his head.
‘I really wish I could tell you, Lucian.’
But that’s my shameful past…
Asking me to say it in front of our parents? He must be out of his mind.
At this point, it was clear Lucian was doing this deliberately to torment me.
I looked at him with a troubled expression, but he didn’t budge an inch.
No, on the contrary, his face grew even more stern.
“Fine, I’ll tell you. I’ll tell you, alright?”
I wiped my face wearily and forced my mouth open.
The words I said to Lucian when I hugged him, saying I was in pain, in the spring when I was 19.
They were…
“What? Trying to act like affectionate siblings now? Must be hard for you, having to put up with disgusting me for Izhel’s sake, huh?”
It was torture to spit out such words with my changed personality, especially since the regret I felt now was proportional to the malice I had back then.
‘It was probably from that day on that Lucian gave up all hope for me.’
It was one of the few, unforgettable incidents in my life.
Ugh, having to reveal my shameful past in front of my parents to prove I wasn’t possessed made my head throb.
‘And it’s equally tough feeling like I’m getting payback for my past misdeeds.’
“Happy now?”
I looked at Lucian with an even more exhausted face. I really wanted to escape this nightmare now.
“No. There’s more.”
“Again?”
Just how far does this flesh and blood plan to doubt me?
Looking at my pale, drained face, Lucian persistently continued his questions.
A full 20 of them, no less!
***
“Huff… huff… huff…”
It was so, so exhausting.
Not only did I have to struggle to recall barely-remembered shameful memories and speak them aloud, but I also had to list them all out in detail in front of our parents!
Even our parents, perhaps finding it too much to bear, quietly slipped out of the dining room while I was at it!
‘Am I going to die again because of this?’
It had been a forced march, yesterday and today again.
Both my mental and physical fatigue had reached their limits.
At this point, I didn’t care what Lucian thought of me anymore.
“Enough alrea…dy…”
I waved my hand weakly, pleading for this to be the end.
Fortunately, he seemed to have some sense, as Lucian promptly closed his mouth.
Thus, a brief lull arrived.
“Sighhhhh.”
I slumped against the chair, leaning my body back.
The half-eaten cherry cake came into view. Instinctively, I picked up my fork, scooped a generous portion, and put it in my mouth.
The cake layers, soaked in the fresh fruit syrup, were fluffy, and the layered cream softly wrapped around my tongue.
The cherry on top was, needless to say, perfect.
‘I… I feel alive.’
…Though probably not as much as *that guy*.
In stark contrast to my worn-out state, Lucian looked more vibrant than I had seen him in years.
Seeing him like that was so irritating! I felt a surge of anger, and my old personality flared up.
“Happy? So happy you could die, now that you’ve stripped your sister bare of all her shameful secrets because you couldn’t believe she came back from the dead?”
“Hmm… There are still some parts I find suspicious. For instance, why are you eating cake when you hate sweet—”
This possession novel fanatic, seriously?!
“Excuse me, it’s not that I *hate* them, I *restrained* myself! I’ve been holding back all this time because I thought they were bad for me! Why would I hate this heavenly taste! Sheesh….”
It’s not like I can show him my actual soul.
‘Getting a taste of my own medicine after remembering my past life.’
Now that I’m alive again, I can’t help but crave sweets because of the aftereffects, what am I supposed to do about it?
“Seeing your temper, you do seem like Ciela.”
“……?”
He agrees not because of the 20 Q&As, but because of that retort?
I glared at him sharply, feeling half incredulous and half furious.
But Lucian merely smiled brightly back at me.
“Thank goodness. I’m sure now. It really is Ciela.”
I felt like blowing up in anger, but seeing the sheer relief plastered all over his face, I could only sigh.
‘What kind of relief is this?’
Instead of anger, I just felt sorry for him.
‘Lucian had to put up with all my scoundrel behavior all this time.’
Although we had grown apart over the past year, until then, he had been nothing short of a ‘bodhisattva’.
Those 20 questions were all about the things he had endured from me.
And if those were the ones I could remember, the ones buried in his subconscious must be immense.
‘No wonder he’s so suspicious, seeing me, who was that vile to him, suddenly change.’
Enough for him to entertain ridiculous theories like possession novels.
Ugh, I’m reflecting on my immature actions all over again…
I scratched my cheek awkwardly and mustered the courage to speak.
Since I’d decided to live anew, I wanted to properly apologize to Lucian too, while I was at it.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Lucian.”
I looked at him timidly, meeting his eyes.
I expected Lucian to smirk or scoff at my words, but he didn’t.
“……!”
Lucian was visibly shaken by that single apology.
His face showed not suspicion that I would never say such a thing, but rather overwhelming emotion.
He looked so pitiful, making me feel even more apologetic.
“Just… after dying and coming back, I started thinking. Why did I live my life filled with so much hatred for others? There must have been a better way to live.”
“…….”
“That’s why. Like you said, it’s time for me to change too.”
I offered him a gentle smile.
He, however, flinched and trembled, recalling the words I had spat at him not long ago.
***
**”You never had any intention of changing! We, who were so happy to see you awake…!”**
***
“…….”
“…….”
Lucian didn’t utter another word after that.
How long did we sit like that?
*Swooosh—*
Suddenly, the sound of rain filled the quiet dining room.
I glanced briefly out the window and slowly raised my heavy body.
‘Lucian probably needs some time.’
It wasn’t like I was expecting an answer to my apology, so it seemed right to give him space.
“I’m going to my room now.”
“…….”
“Lucian, just close your eyes and trust me. I’ll try harder too.”
This time too, Lucian only moved his lips slightly, remaining silent.
Until the moment I turned and headed to my room, the sound of footsteps echoing in the hallway was mine alone.
***
Meanwhile, Lucian, who had returned to his study.
*Thud.*
“…….”
He was staring out at the pouring rain for a long time.
Beyond the rain, the garden of the ducal residence was visible.
Lucian was blankly staring not at the freshly bloomed flowers, but at the ground beneath them.
Then, *tap*, something thick touched his fingertips. It was a letter.
*Rustle—*
With a troubled expression, Lucian picked up the letter.
The stationery was already tear-stained, as if several sheets had been stuffed forcefully into the envelope.
Lucian reread the letter he had seen in the early morning hours.
“I’m sorry.”
As expected, the written words didn’t transform into different text.
But still, the human heart is a funny thing.
The deeply ingrained suspicion towards Ciela refused to fade.
The letter looked ordinary on the outside, but what if some trick was used on the letter itself?
“…….”
Lucian tightened his grip on the letter.
*Creeeak—*
Amidst the sound of the rain, the faint, strained sound of tearing paper could be heard.
