"A strange last words for soone who was a peak demigod." A soft voice echoed from behind. "Don't you think?"
I slowly turned around; a woman ca into my view, walking towards .
She had long, pointy ears that peaked from her crimson hair, her eyes a shade of golden with spirals in them, staring at .
She had a striking resemblance to Ragnar.
And my blood boiled just by thinking about him.
"It is strange." I replied, gazing back, suppressing my emotions. "Strange how no one is able to find the aning of his words to this day."
Mariam ca to a halt just in front of , her eyes softened a little.
"You have grown a lot." She whispered, reaching her hand, touching my face. "I thought I would never see you."
"Don't act like you care for ." I replied, gently removing her hand away. "I hate when people do that."
Hesitation flashed in her eyes as she retracted her hand.
Her lips curled up in a gentle smile as she turned around. "Co with ."
"...."
I followed behind as she took towards the side of the mansion.
"Do I need to put on a disguise of an elf?" I asked the question that had been bothering for a while.
"No one knows who you are here, and even in Lumina, there isn't a record of how you looked." She replied without looking back at .
"So, no, just be yourself. Besides that, every family head already knows your identity."
"And they still allowed ?" I questioned, raising one brow.
"Half of them were against it." She replied. "But Corett—Uzu family head—changed her decision."
"Is that so?" I mumbled, throwing another question at her. "And why Himl?"
"Hm?"
"You chose that na for , didn't you?"
"....It suits you." She softly replied.
"I don't think it does." I said, looking down at myself.
"You changed a lot since last I rember." She said, glancing at my left hand, while slowing her steps to walk beside . "What actually happened?"
"Can't say." I replied with a light shrug.
"I see." She nodded, refraining from comnting. "I had prepared so ways to help you—."
"Of course you did." I cut in her words, sarcasm clear in my voice.
"It would have hurt your pride if a cripple beca the heir for the oh-so-great Segyal Highbloods."
"That's not the reason." Mariam softly wishpered, glancing at my face. "I never wanted you to be burdened with my family's situation."
"Then why bother adopting ?" I scoffed as I ca to a halt. "Surely it's not without a reason."
Mariam stopped as well, staring back at .
She sighed as her gaze shifted towards the golden tree looming over us.
"Do you know what that tree signifies?" She asked, keeping her gaze on it.
"Nuaria." I replied, looking back at the handcuff in my hand. "Sothing that keeps Akasha alive by refining ethereal mana."
She slowly extended her hand, the space beside her rippled like waves in a still pond.
A brownish tree branch slowly conjured into thin air; it moved gently, patting my head.
"Anyone with Segyal bloodline has a subspace-like thing where they can cultivate a tree." Mariam explained while I slapped the branch away.
Her gaze returned back to the golden tree, her voice prideful as she whispered, "Nuaria was the tree cultivated by the first head of Segyal Highbloods."
"....I know that." I grumbled, annoyance filling my mind.
[]
Inna comnted, and I subconsciously nodded my head.
Verdant Nexus.
The ability to connect to a tree, which can take the enemy's damage inflicted, give one infinite mana, and much more.
An offensive and defensive ability envied by everyone.
"You still haven't answered my question." I asked again, shifting to look at her. "Why bother saving ?"
She averted her gaze, unable to look at as her gaze returned, fixed on the tree.
"...I have so many regrets in my life." She whispered, her voice barely audible. "Regrets that keep drowning ."
"..."
I waited for her to untangle her emotions as she remained silent for a while.
"I-I j-just don't want you to beco like Ragnar." She confessed, squeezing her hands. "I don't want you to take the wrong path like him—."
"So, I am just a tool for you." I cut in her words with a tired smile. "...A tool you can use to correct your mistakes."
"What? No—."
"You can see it, right?" I asked as I turned, standing in front of her. "That I am going to die soon."
Her gaze trembled slightly.
Just like I thought, she can see through my condition.
"And yet you didn't ask how this happened." My lips curled up in a slight smile. "Were you delighted knowing I won't live long enough to be a threat like Ragnar?"
"Why are you talking like that?" She grumbled, staring into my eyes. "I was going to help you with your condition and even provide a peaceful and happy—."
"Sure you do." I cut in, sarcastically. "Aren't you best at helping others and making them happy? I an, just look at your happy famil—Urgh."
"Himl." Her cold voice echoed, and a heavy pressure hit my body.
It felt like I was being crushed by a boulder, but the pressure vanished as soon as it appeared.
Her eyes widened as she noticed her blunder. "I am sorry, I didn't an to—."
"It's fine." I raised my hand, stopping her from coming closer. "I shouldn't have overstepped my boundary."
Her expression crumbled at my words.
I forgot she is a demigod and has no reason to care about .
There isn't any reason for to act close to her either.
She is using to lessen her guilt, and soday I am going to use her as well.
So....
I straightened my back as I stared at her restless face before I calmly asked, "What order do you have for , Lady Mariam?"
"Please don't act like that—."
"Your. Order."
"Sigh." She sighed, rubbing her temples. "Orelena asked to et you, and so did Edwin."
"....I see." I replied with a slight nod. "Anything else?"
"No, you can do as you please." She shook her head in response. "I will help you assimilate with ethereal mana in the next few weeks."
"I understand." I said as I turned around. "Then I will go et the Aljanah family right away."
"They are your family."
I chose to ignore her words while I kept on walking.
[]
'Urgh, whatever.' I groaned, walking inside the palace.
The beautiful hallway was the first thing that ca into my view.
At the end of the hallway was the staircase that led to the second floor.
"Please have a seat." The maids bowed before walking away.
We both moved toward the sofa while a few more maids glanced toward us.
'Co to think of it, Elijah should be here as well.' I mused, taking my seat.
[]
'...'
I remained quiet at her words.
Technically, he is my brother.
The problem is he is also the protagonist of the second ga.
And if I want to influence the events of the ga to my accord, I need to be close to him.
[]
'...We have another problem.' []
I sighed tiredly. 'I don't know which route he took.' []
'Depending upon which main heroine Elijah is close with, the ga has different endings.' So good, so bad, and so disastrous.
[
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