Chapter 582

It was a night of blizzards.

The central region, where the Academy was located, was suffering from an unexpected heatwave, but not the northern region. On the contrary, it was a sight of snow and ice unfolding like a harbinger of the approaching winter.

The sound of the wind was so fierce that it felt as if it could break through the frost. The noise of the trembling windows was mournful. Even just hearing it made the perceived temperature drop several degrees. Amidst the blizzard, the head of the Yuridina Clan was swirling the wine in her glass.

Delphine Yuridina.

In the office of Yuridina Castle, this enchanting blonde woman was dressed almost as if she were n*de. Her white skin was visible through the flowing robe.

According to Senior Delphine, it was not the kind of appearance one should show to anyone.

I was the first and was expected to be the first in the future, she said.

In my heart, I wanted to take more time to etch this sight into my memory. However, the topic raised by Senior Delphine was so shocking that I could do nothing but remain silent for a while.

Even my voice, finally released, was filled with disbelief.

“The mother of Ceria… killed Senior Delphine’s mother…”

“She did. To be more precise, it would be a kind of curse. Your elf friends discovered this fact while investigating Leorick’s office. My father confirmed it as well.”

“Why on earth?”

I inadvertently asked back.

In truth, it wasn’t even a question directed at Senior Delphine. I was so flustered that it was close to a mere exclamation.

Yet, I could not erase the feeling of regret.

This was a secret surrounding my mother’s d*ath. The person who would be most painfully affected by this unexpected truth was none other than Senior Delphine.

Lady Yuridina was said to have died of a disease during her childhood. In the northern region, where extreme conditions prevailed, it was common for someone to suffer from an unknown ailment and d*e.

It was a story with no one to blame.

If she truly had died from illness.

But it was no longer so. I had to break out in a cold sweat, unable to fathom Senior Delphine’s state of mind.

Senior Delphine, however, maintained an indifferent expression.

“It seems the Dark Cult has been interested in the northern region for a long time. So, they likely attempted to take over the Yuridina Clan. Thanks to my foolish father’s contract, they embedded even the ‘vampire’ bloodline into the north without suspicion… The next step is obvious, isn’t it?”

“They wanted to completely control the Yuridina Clan.”

“Only my mother was sacrificed in the process. The problem is that their scheme has been exposed.”

As she sipped the wine in her glass, Senior Delphine declared so.

Her tone was dry.

There were no emotions of sadness or anger that should have been felt. Her extremely businesslike demeanor was rather worrisome.

I wondered if Senior Delphine was intentionally pretending to be strong.

However, she left no openings for me.

“I heard that a guest has visited the clan. It seems an unnamed non-mage offered some advice. He said our mother’s illness wasn’t natural.”

“A non-mage? You mean to say you welcomed an old man who didn’t even reveal his name as a guest?”

That was a suspicious story, no matter who heard it.

Mages were generally not trustworthy. Among those who pursue the truth, there are some who believe that their goals justify their means.

After all, more than half of the tales passed down in folk traditions feature bad mages.

Thus, nobles undergo strict verification processes when inviting mages.

An unnamed non-mage?

It would be fortunate if they didn’t drive him away instead of accepting him as a guest, especially if his skills were outstanding.

It seemed that Senior Delphine shared the same doubts.

“Well, I can’t easily understand it either… but the records from that time aren’t detailed. My father has been particularly tight-lipped about that issue.”

“The claims of that non-mage…”

“My conclusion is that they are trustworthy. It is the conclusion reached not just by me but also by my father and the elves.”

In that case, I had no room to interfere.

These individuals had likely scrutinized the matter more carefully than I could. It would be more rational to assume their claims were correct.

So, I could do nothing but remain silent again.

How long had the stillness settled?

A cautious voice slipped from my lips.

“Um, Senior Delphine. Ceria…”

“She doesn’t know. She won’t for the foreseeable future.”

It was a firm answer.

From that unwavering tone, a resolute will could be felt. It was a stubborn way of speaking that indicated she would not reverse her decision.

After hesitating for a moment, I posed a faint inquiry.

“…Aren’t you resentful?”

“Who? Ceria? Or, Ceria’s mother?”

As Senior Delphine said this, she let out a half-hearted laugh. The lips sipping the wine looked particularly alluring.

“Just a joke, my dear. I don’t blame anyone. The ‘head of the household’ bears responsibility, not the one to shift blame onto others.”

“Still, I imagine Ceria resented it a lot. The other day, she mentioned feeling upset that Senior Delphine seemed to be hiding something…”

“This too would be my responsibility to bear.”

In that murmuring, Senior Delphine’s sincerity seemed to briefly emerge.

With a bitter expression, as she sipped wine, I wondered how heavy a burden lay upon her shoulders.

That was merely a fleeting thought, though.

Moments later, Senior Delphine donned a playful smile once more, and I made no effort to pry into her feelings.

The head of the household has a role to fulfill.

I did not want to indiscriminately unearth the true feelings of a solitary person situated beyond that role.

Even if comfort could be delivered when we meet again, that would suffice.

I thought so and decided to engrain Senior Delphine’s request in my heart.

“Please keep this issue a secret too. Ceria would be more fitting if she remained foolishly blaming others.”

Eventually, she ended her words with a faint smile.

“Wouldn’t that, in a way, make her a bit more endearing?”

A sigh escaped my lips, after which ordinary conversation continued.

Senior Delphine looked at me with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? Objectively speaking, our power is far too lacking. It might be better to aim for next time….”

“Senior Delphine, you mentioned that the head of the household is a position of responsibility.”

No response came in return.

Only the crimson eyes gazed silently at me, with a faint hint of something else swirling within them.

I met that gaze and reiterated.

“I too hold responsibilities to bear. Perhaps… I don’t know if I will succeed.”

It was a few days before Ceria would hear the truth.

Ceria was trembling uncontrollably.

Not knowing what to say in response, or perhaps wondering if she had misunderstood her mother’s confession.

I-an was in front of her, holding his forehead. His desperate expression revealed the emotions of a man.

In the end, I couldn’t keep my promise.

Only a few days after I-an and Delphine made their pact, Ceria overheard the truth she shouldn’t have. No one knew what kind of repercussions this disaster would lead to.

Except for fate.

Ceria’s trembling lips struggled to squeeze out a voice. But what seeped through the gaps were only groans that could not form language.

“Ah, uh, ah….”

Snap, snap, snap.

The overwhelming shock caused the muscles throughout her body to spasm. Her jaw muscles were no exception, causing Ceria’s teeth to clash and produce sharp sounds that pierced her mind.

The maiden’s blue eyes were filled with terror.

It was not a fear based on any objective target.

It was merely a despair directed at the truth, the world, and an unbearable past. Yet, her mother, intoxicated by bl**d, could not comprehend her daughter’s heart.

Because she was a monster.

How could a monster understand a human heart?

Thus, Ceria felt a chill. There was one thing she understood even with her fractured mental state.

Am I also a monster?

Images of bl**d from memories intertwined, emerging in a tangle.

What exactly did I do?

“It was a perfect plan even now. You see, Delphine’s mother was weak. Just by slightly disrupting her balance with a ‘curse,’ you know? Especially since our clan’s sorcery was used in ancient times, the chances of getting caught were slim.”

“Ugh, uh, ugh….”

“Delphine, that foolish girl didn’t even know what became of her mother. Though she acted boldly for a young girl… on the day she died, she couldn’t hide her tears. That’s how the world is.”

The silver-haired woman spoke with a nurturing smile, as if imparting precious teachings, all the while not knowing the trembling heart of the quaking Ceria, who was staring at the ground.

“If you don’t take, you’ll only be taken from you… Since you couldn’t take anything from Delphine, you lost it, and this mother took her mother from Delphine.”

The crumbling dam of memory unleashed various scenes onto her retinas.

All the words she had resented.

The words she had spat out just recently flickered through her mind.

[“What do you mean by ‘that day’? What are you saying…?”]

[“It’s the day you drove mother away.”]

What did I say?

Even as her heart collapsed, the woman’s voice continued. Voices mingled in the void.