Volume 3: Chapter 18 - Robert is Dead

(Lia's Perspective)

"Father, you called for me?"

I entered the study and saw Marquis Bahod sitting in the Sofa, looking cold and serious and asked softly.

"Yes. There is news about your brother Robert."

Marquis Bahod handed over a letter and said with cold face.

"Brother Robert..."

I took the letter and opened it.

"This is..."

My eyes widened as I read the letter.

"As you can see, the Magic Train Robert was on, encountered an attack from the Love God Cult."

"Though I don't have any hope for Robert but currently his body along with another passenger hasn't been found either among the Corrupted or among the dead."

"Therefore, it is possible that Robert is still alive but more is the possibility is that he is dead."

When he said this, Marquis Bahod's was devoid of emotion as if the one he was talking about wasn't his own son.

However I could no longer hear him.

Love God Cult's Attack

Brother Robert going missing.

Even the possibility of his death.

Just hearing these news I felt the sky in my heart collapsing.

Why? Why? Why?

Brother Robert, how could he die? Why would he die?

Clearly, he promised me that he would wait for me at the Royal Academy.

Clearly, he promise me and Sister Aisha that we would stay together for life.

Clearly...

My fingers unconsciously tightened around the letter until the parchment crumpled.

No...

This couldn't be true.

Brother Robert wouldn't die so easily.

"...Impossible."

Marquis Bahod quietly watched me before speaking in indifferent voice, "Lia, reality will not change because you refuse to accept it."

"Prepare yourself mentally. If his body is found later, the Anglus family will conduct the funeral according to noble customs."

"..."

Funeral?

Brother Robert's funeral?

Just thinking about it, i could no longer control the turbulent emotions in my heart. All the noble etiquette and teachings were thrown to the back of my mind and I shouted, "No!"

"Brother Robert is still alive. Father, you said it yourself that he might still be alive. So why are you already assuming he's dead?"

No permission covered this copy. The author publishes the chapter on for readers.

No matter how much I have learned, no matter how precocious I became or how much I got stronger, I was ultimately a girl around 10 year old. There were some emotions that were impossible to control.

Therefore, at this moment, I forgot the consequences that my actions would bring to Brother Robert if he was still alive.

Facing a pawn that dared to resist his control and value someone other than himself more, Marquis Bahod's expression remained unchanged.

"Lia, emotions and reality are two different things."

"The survival rate of someone of Robert's caliber in such an incident is infinitely close to zero."

"Hope is merely delaying disappointment."

"..."

I bit my lower lip so hard that I tasted blood.

To Father, Bother Robert was already dead. Or perhaps, whether he lived or died simply didn't matter.

The realization made my chest ache even more.

Marquis Bahod slowly stood up.

"If there is nothing else, you may leave. I still have work."

"And rather than focusing on a possible dead person, it's better for you to focus on cultivating your Magic Power."

Without waiting for my response, he picked up another document from his desk, as though the discussion regarding his son's possible death had already ended.

"..."

"...Yes, Father."

My voice was so soft that even I could barely hear it.

Holding the wrinkled letter tightly against my chest, I slowly walked out of the study.

Click.

The moment the door closed behind me, the tears I had desperately held back burst forth once again.

I leaned against the corridor wall as my shoulders trembled uncontrollably.

"Brother..."

I covered my mouth to suppress the sobs threatening to escape.

Please...

Please be alive.

You promised me.

You promised Sister Aisha.

You promised that we would meet again at the Royal Academy.

You never broke a promise.

So...

Please don't break this one too.

...

...

(Perspective of an Unknown Girl)

My name is Reina von Astrea. I am the Daughter of the Astrea family which is a noble family with the rank of a Count.

However, my Mom and Dad left me and my Elder Brother six years ago. They said they were only going to investigate the strange mist that had appeared near the border of our territory.

But they never came back.

Not only that, my Elder Brother also strangely fell ill.

We invited all kinds of doctors from across the Empire, however no one could heal his illness.

As a result, due to large amount of expenditure on my brother's health and the disappearance of my mother and father, the Astrea family, which was a Count level family fell from the altar and turned into a poor noble family.

In order to save my brother and continue my family, I had no choice but to take up the position of the Countess.

But a title alone cannot fill an empty treasury.

So even though I was called Countess, I had to dismiss most of the servants and maids in order to lower the expenditure.

In the end, only a few old servants who had served the Astrea family for many years stayed behind. Even when I could no longer pay their full salary, they refused to leave.

Because of this, I could not bear to sit inside the mansion and wait for everything to collapse.

I learned how to manage accounts, how to bargain with merchants, how to repair torn clothes, and how to identify herbs in the forest.

My thoughts were that if I could find some useful herbs myself, I could save at least a little money for my brother's treatment.

On this morning, I carried a small basket and entered the mountain range near the city.

But strangely, the area a bit too quiet today.

Usually, I could hear birds chirping or small animals moving through the bushes, but today there was only the sound of flowing water.

I tightened my grip on the small sword at my waist.

"Maybe I should go back earlier today."

Just as I was about to turn around, I saw a faint silver flower growing near the riverbank, and my eyes lit up.

"Moonlight Grass!"

This was a rare Second Grade herb.

Similar to Mage and Martial Artist Ranks, Herbs also had their own grades.

In her knowledge, they were divided from Zero Grade to Ninth Grade with Zero Grade representing mortal herbs with no magical properties while those above had certain magical qualities.

For example, this Second Grade herb contained gentle moon-attribute magic power. It was often used to calm the mind, reduce fever, and stabilize weak spiritual fluctuations.

For my Elder Brother, it was very useful herbs. Even if it could not cure him, it could at least make him suffer less during the night.

I quickly walked toward the riverbank and carefully crouched down.

"Good, the roots are still intact."

I took out a small knife and began digging around the Moonlight Grass. But just as I was about to place it inside my basket, I suddenly smelled something strange.

It was the smell of Blood. Although the smell was very faint, almost covered by the wet soil and river water, I was certain it was the smell of Blood.

I quietly placed the Moonlight Grass into my basket and pulled out the sword at my waist then slowly raised my head and looked upstream.

"Who's there?"

No one answered.

Only the sound of flowing water remained.

I swallowed nervously and took a few steps forward

...