PLTSVA 23

Back in my room, I decided to stake everything on the expression I had briefly seen on his face.

Drehan, who had remained silent until I finished speaking, had finally looked me straight in the eye.

Just like how I felt Dad and Miller’s sincerity and accepted them…

But I couldn’t wait forever for him to turn around. So today, I decided to go to the main library of the Rayes estate.

According to the original story, that’s where Drehan discovered the ancient book written by the first Duke of Rayes.

I had no intention of showing the book to Dad or Miller. Especially not since it likely described my terminal illness.

Because I didn’t want to show my weak side to anyone.

Especially not to those who cared about me.

I didn’t want to see them more worried and in pain than I was.

Why are you crying? Stop crying! Don’t cry like your world has collapsed just because of me!

I had even struggled to comfort my sobbing mother with my arm in a cast.

A lingering memory from my past life passed faintly through my mind.

But with Drehan, I had no choice. I had to tell him the truth and prove myself.

According to Garnet, the main library was in a secluded part of the estate.

There were still many parts of the estate I hadn’t explored, and one of them was the west wing, where the library was located.

Leaving the main building, where the family resided, I followed a garden path to a beautiful mansion that looked like something out of a fairy tale.

There weren’t many servants assigned to it, and it was usually used for guests—but there were none at the moment.

Through a second-floor window of the west wing, I could see shelves densely packed with books.

A gardener told me the librarian was out for a bit.

Creak—

The door opened with a sound. Inside, I was greeted only by the scent of wood and the presence of thousands of books.

“Wow…”

Even though it was just filled with books, the atmosphere was antique and mystical. Like a fantasy novel, tall bookshelves—far taller than me—lined the walls, complete with ladders.

Huge windows poured in sunlight, and the spring breeze wafted in beyond them.

As I walked leisurely across the library, the clicking of my shoes echoed rhythmically.

Countless books—classical novels and historical volumes of this world—lined the shelves endlessly.

One day, I’d love to read them all, I thought, as I arrived at a large door at the end of the library.

A sign above it boldly read: Ancient Text Archive.

This was it.

Clank—

Surprisingly, the door I expected to be locked opened easily. Inside was another secret library with an extremely high ceiling.

Though the floor area was small and circular, the shelves soared to what looked like five stories high—completely filled with books.

Unlike the outer shelves, these books had a more ancient atmosphere. Even at a glance, many were falling apart.

This was definitely where I’d find the book.

The ancient text that Drehan read in the original story, confirming the truth about the Rayes daughter.

The question is: which one is it…?

I started scanning the first row of books. Although some were written in ancient script, the imperial language hadn’t changed much since the founding of the Grepin Empire, so I could read most of the titles.

“Run at Midnight,” “The Moon That Swallowed the Sun,” “The Shrimp and the Chef’s Relationship”…

What’s with these weird titles…?

Time lost meaning as I climbed up and down ladders scanning the titles.

Is Garnet worried about me?

I had left without saying anything, thinking I’d return quickly—but the worry started creeping in. Just one more row, I told myself.

Then I spotted a red hardcover book placed high up. The title read “The Roots of Rayes.” It looked suspicious.

How did I miss that?

I quickly set up the ladder and climbed up, stretching my hand toward the book.

But…

Too short!

I couldn’t reach. Even stretching my arm as far as it could go, it was no use.

“What are you doing here?”

“What do you think? I’m trying to get that book—”

…Wait, someone else is here?!

“Who…?!”

Startled, I turned quickly to see who it was. But my sudden movement caused the ladder to tip.

Oh no!

I couldn’t even scream. I shut my eyes, bracing for impact—when someone’s arms urgently caught and embraced me.

“Oh my god, Dre… han?”

His startled face filled my vision. His disheveled silver hair proved he had run here desperately from the door to save me.

“So reckless!”

His scolding tone snapped me back to my senses.

I just decided to do this properly and now I made him angry…

Worse, I didn’t even call him “brother.” I spoke informally.

“I’m sorry. I thought I was going to crack my head open. Thank you so much…”

My voice trailed off.

His glaring face didn’t look like someone who wanted thanks.

I gave an awkward smile instead. Surely he couldn’t scold someone smiling at him.

For a moment, his pale green eyes wavered slightly.

Drehan sighed and gently set me down.

“Do you even know that the estate is in an uproar because you’re missing?”

I really should’ve told Garnet before leaving. I hadn’t said anything because I was afraid she’d insist on coming along, but now I just felt guilty for worrying them.

Speechless, I lowered my head, and Drehan said:

“You still haven’t told me what you were doing here.”

“Oh, right. I was trying to get that book, but I couldn’t reach it.”

“What book…?”

Drehan walked to where the book was. He effortlessly retrieved it with just a step onto the ladder—where I couldn’t reach even at the top.

He winced at the musty smell as he examined the dusty book. But when he saw the title, his eyes widened slightly.

“You… this is…”

He seemed to recognize it too. The long-lost record of the first Duke, thought to have vanished generations ago.

A book once dismissed as servant negligence, its contents mostly praising their Elven ancestor.

Drehan looked at me with eyes urging me to explain.

Why this book, specifically?

“Well… now that I’m part of the Rayes family, I wanted to learn more about our history.”

I quickly snatched the book from his hands.

“Thank you.”

Even though Drehan had dusted it, time still clung to its cover as it touched my hands.

Books like this usually spill vital information on the first page. This one was over 1,000 pages long—if the key part came at the end, most protagonists would miss it entirely.

As he watched me, Drehan muttered under his breath:

“You really… do look like her.”

Of course he’d notice. I’d been told that, as a child, he and Miller had held me every day.

Now, I was ready to show him the truth.

As I opened the book and began reading the first page, Drehan watched me with quietly shadowed green eyes.

Then he snapped back and spoke.

“We should let them know you’re here. You can read that later, back at the estate.”

But as he turned toward the door, I hurriedly grabbed his hand.

I had come to show him this book—he couldn’t just walk away.

His eyes fell on my hand. Oh no—I forgot he hated physical contact, even in the original.

I gently let go and said:

“Just a little more time. If I go back now, I’ll be stuck preparing for the debutante ball.”

To my surprise, instead of looking disgusted like I expected, Drehan glanced at his hand, then raised his gaze to meet mine again.

He sighed softly, ran a hand through his face, and muttered,

“Just for a little while.”

Phew. I relaxed and quickly began reading.

The first page had only one strange word:

[Trenaila]

“Trenaila…?”

It sounded like a magic spell, so I said it aloud—but nothing happened.

I guess expecting something from the first page was too much. It wasn’t until around page three that the Rayes family was first mentioned.

I kept flipping pages, searching for anything about the Rayes daughter.

Then I found it—an entry about Daeos, sister of the first family head.

Suppressing my excitement, I faked surprise instead.

“Oh my goodness.”

Drehan calmly stepped closer and read over my shoulder.

“There’s something about the Rayes daughter here!”

Focused on the book, I didn’t notice how stiff his expression became.

Everything was written—her murky silver hair, the birthmark on her stomach like a burn scar…

I lifted my shirt slightly to show him the red mark on my belly.

His eyes visibly trembled.

“You…”

Drehan started to speak, then stopped.

Yes. Go ahead—accept me.

My heart pounded wildly.

“If what’s written here is true… then you’re going to die soon…?”

That’s where his focus went?

He wasn’t wrong, so I nodded lightly.

“Seems like it. I already have some of the symptoms.”

Alarmed, Drehan responded:

“Then why are you so calm? Shouldn’t we be looking for a cure…?”

“There isn’t one. It says here it’s incurable.”

There’s no treatment. All I need is a vessel strong enough to channel the vast magic burning inside me. I was just thinking I needed to look for it—

“I can’t believe this…”

He was overwhelmed, his emotions tangled.

A long-lost younger sister, the late Duchess’s final gift.

Sometimes, on TV or social media, you’d see families reunited after decades—and they’d cry regardless of the years apart.

But Drehan would never react like that, would he…?

After some hesitation, he finally spoke.

“Even if… even if you really are Raveria, I can’t believe it. I’ve lived the past 12 years convinced you were dead.”

I understood. In the original, the reason Drehan finally believed the book was because Raveria’s death played out exactly as it said.

Now, with me standing alive and well, asking him to believe the text? That was a long shot.

I was about to say I understood when I saw Drehan look at me with a resolute gaze. In that moment, a deeply buried memory returned to me.

A younger Drehan, even younger than I am now, holding little me in his arms and smiling.

Like a photo, the memory surfaced—and then the Drehan in front of me spoke.

“Even so… I want to believe. It sounds ridiculous, but when I held you earlier, an old memory came back.”

He remembered something. Maybe the same day I did.

I used to think his distrust was unreasonable—but maybe it took even more courage and resolve.

“…It’s okay if it takes time.”

I smiled brightly. Just like Dad said, what we needed was time. And I didn’t think of that as endless waiting.

Because Drehan was already trying.

Just then—bang! bang!—rushed footsteps approached the library.

“Young Lady!”

“Ria!”

Garnet and Serin burst in.

“There you are! I was so worried—I thought you got lost…”

“Are you really going to scare me like that?”

I sheepishly admitted my mistake.

They both noticed Drehan beside me and bowed politely. Garnet looked a bit flustered—maybe surprised I was with him.

“We’ll take the young lady back now.”

When Drehan nodded, Garnet and Serin guided me out of the library.

Clutching the book to my chest, I turned and silently mouthed to Drehan:

This is a secret.

Even without specifics, he would understand what I meant.

About the incurable disease, and dying before turning twenty. Things others must never hear.

He had kept that secret in the original too—and I trusted him now for the same reason.

Even as I exited, Drehan, with a complicated expression, couldn’t take his eyes off me.