Keira: âDo you have an idea if itâs possible for a person who isnât a elementalist to witness a spirit?â
Johanna: âUm, well. They said only the elementalist could see spirits. So Iâm a bit skeptical.â
Keira recalled the memories of that day.
A warm hand rested on her shoulder. A certain energy swept through her body, and Keira could see the spirit for a while right after that.
Keira: âBut what if thereâs help from the elementalist? Would it be possible?â
Johanna: âIf it were that easy, I wouldnât have known until now. Itâs been more than a century since I awakened my power, but I can neither confirm nor deny.â
At the end of the day, nothing was certain.
âIf even Great-aunt doesnât know thenâŠâ
Keira unconsciously bit her lip. However, the clues hadnât completely disappeared yet. Johanna continued.
Johanna: âBut why are you curious about that?â
Keira: âAcademic curiosity. If the priests and magicians can see the spirits with my help, I think they will make progress in their research.â
The excuses that Keira had prepared in advance came out smoothly.
Johanna: âOh, thatâs true.â
Johanna looked impressed. It was curious that young Keira had thought of such a thing.
Johanna: âI donât like studying, so I donât know much, but our ancestors might be different.â
Keira: âYes?â
Johanna: âAs you know, most of our ancestors stayed here, didnât they? There are many personal and research records of them. So there might be some clues there.â
Keira brightened at her Great-auntâs words.
Johanna: âI kept a diary hidden to protect our ancestorâs privacy, but⊠if you use it for research purposes, they will understand. Gordon, are you there?â
Gordon opened the door and appeared.
Gordon: âYou called?â
Johanna: âBring me my staff and my coat.â
Gordon: âCertainly.â
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With Gordonâs help, Johanna got up and put on her coat. Then she pulled out a bundle of keys from the bedside table.
Johanna: âLetâs go.â
They headed to the attic. The place was pristine, without a hint of dust anywhere.
Johanna: âThis side of the bookshelf and drawer are personal records, and on the other side are the research materials. Stay here as long as you need. Iâll let your father know. Does he not like it when you stay out?â
âThatâs right.â
With a giggle, Keira replied.
Keira: âYou know him too well. Anyway, thank you.â
Johanna: ââŠitâs nice to see you smiling.â
Keira: âHuh? Oh, um. Yes.â
It would be difficult for others to approach you if you wore a cold expression, so relax your muscles.
It was the advice given to her by the people around her.
Keira patted her cheek in embarrassment.
Johanna: âAs these are materials confidential to the family, youâll have to look at them alone. Iâll help you a little bit.â
Keira: âItâs alright. Iâm satisfied just to be able to see it.â
Johanna: âIt might take a few days if you check it by yourself.â
Keira: âEven better. Iâll have an excuse not to go home.â
ââŠâ
When Keira said that, Johanna seemed momentarily speechless but then burst into laughter.
Keira: âGreat-aunt?â
Johanna: âYes, I thought what changed had to do with your father. I wonât ask you whatâs going on. Make yourself at home while youâre here.
Keira: ââŠYes.â
Johanna: âGordon, please prepare a guest room for Keira. Iâll move half of the materials from here to my room and the other half to your room.â
Keira: âYes, I understand.â
Soon the maids came and guided her to the most spacious guest room. They mentioned it was a room that was hastily prepared after they heard Keira was coming.
Keira changed into comfortable indoor clothes and sat on the bed.
A cool breeze blew through the slightly open windows. Keira looked out the window and saw an unfamiliar garden. It was different from the garden landscape sheâd been looking at for the past two decades.
The more simple but neatly arranged ornamental trees gave off a more natural feeling.
She turned and looked around the room.
A room Iâm staying in for the first time. Clothes that arenât mine. Unfamiliar scenery outside the window.
Keira: âItâs likeâŠâ
âItâs kind of like a vacation, isnât it?â
Keira had never taken a step outside the capital in her entire life. She spent most of her time in the mansion.
Of course, sheâd never would have had a summer vacation or a trip far away.
ââŠâ
Keira dragged a chair and sat by the window, listening to the birds chirping outside. The wind caressing her cheek felt pleasant.
âIf everything is sorted out⊠â
She wanted to shake it all off and go on a trip outside the capital. Just like Roseâs wish.
She sat by the window for a while, enjoying the feeling of being on vacation in the countryside.
Keira began investigating the day after arriving at Johannaâs place.
For three days, she encountered the same information over and over again. Unable to withstand the boredom, she eventually moved to her ancestorsâ personal records.
She wanted to avoid reading private correspondence, such as love letters, but the moment she turned the first page of the notebook, she realized it was a diary of a former elementalist.
The owner of the diary was the eldest of three sons and two daughters. When she was ten, a younger sibling was born, which was surprisingly a girl.
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Since the daughter was of the noble Parvis family, the birth of a girl was of course an auspicious event, and the young woman was just happy because she was unaware of certain things.
It was because the parents were happy, and the energy in the house was contagious.
Her sister, who was ten years younger, followed her very well. It was hard not to be proud of their young and obedient sister, so the two grew quite close.
Until the younger sister manifested her ability first.
ăJune 10th, 817.
Evangeline has awakened her powers. Itâs something worth celebrating. According to the child, the spirits were more beautiful than theyâve ever imagined.
When will I be able to see the spirits? My sister, whoâs ten years younger than me, has already awakened her powersâŠă
ăMarch 7th, 818.
Father is livid. They said he went to the Imperial Palace and heard the other nobles talking.
They said the nobles speculating that I was not Fatherâs real daughter and that Father was furious and punished them for damaging the Parvis familyâs honor.ă
Keira felt a strange sense of deja vu as she was reading the diary.
âFor defaming the family? Not her honor?â
Whether it was a century ago or now, Keira thought that the fathers of this family were all the same.
âIs this a family tradition?â
Just as the elementalistâs ability had been passed down from one generation to the next, maybe a cold-hearted personality could be passed down, too. Keira sighed and turned to the next page.
ăJanuary 25th, 820.
Evangeline said happy birthday to me. She also comforted me, telling me not to worry about the vile remarks from people outside. Eva, Iâm so glad youâre kind.ă
ăApril 11th, 820.
Father and Mother argued loudly. They werenât the type of people whoâd raise their voices when fighting⊠I think I know what they were arguing about.
Iâm afraid. What if Iâm not the daughter of this family?ă
As Keira read the last line, she unconsciously clenched her fists.
The thin paper rustled and creased. Her heart pounded.
ââŠI know how you feel.â
Nervous, anxious, afraid.
A sense of hopelessness that the whole life theyâd ever lived might be denied.
She didnât think it was true, but anxiety would plague her heart dozens of times a day. Keira knew very well how terrible the feeling was and how much it ate at her.
With her heart on her throat, Keira turned to the next page.
ăJanuary 25th, 821.
My thirtieth birthday is approaching. People said Iâm the first one who hasnât manifested their skills at this age.
The atmosphere in the house is completely chilly. The peopleâs stares are frightening. Above all, Iâm afraid to run into Father.
I canât get out of the bedroom.ă
ăAugust 1st, 821.
A whole summer. Today, itâs Evangelineâs birthday.
This situation might not have come if you hadnât been born and you hadnât awakened your ability before me.