Chapter 13
“This is…”
“That is the power the Shainon family possesses.”
Bliss smiled bitterly.
“Unlike Beryl, I can only heal minor wounds.”
Beryl Shainon.
Lilith’s mother and Bliss’s twin sister.
I had only heard rumors or read about her in novels. I had never truly felt how extraordinary her power was.
“What kind of person was Lilith’s mother?”
I asked cautiously.
The bitter expression on Bliss’s face deepened.
“She was loved by everyone. Bright, beautiful, and lovable…”
Her gaze fell on Lilith.
“Not only did she bring back those near death, but many people’s lives were saved thanks to Beryl’s blessings.”
“I see.”
Beryl Shainon seemed even more amazing than I had thought.
There were few with powers in this world, and even fewer with useful abilities.
‘My own ability isn’t very practical.’
It was just sensing emotions.
“The Shainon family had great expectations for Beryl. Maybe that’s why they resented Lilith even more.”
Bliss’s red eyes seemed to recall the past, then sadness began to show.
“Chloe.”
“Yes, Lady Bliss.”
“Have you seen Lilith’s power?”
“…Yes.”
On my first day here, Lilith’s power had gone out of control and almost killed all the maids.
Bliss smiled bitterly, swallowing her sadness.
“Actually, that power might have come from Beryl.”
“Lilith’s mother?”
“Yes. After Lilith was born, Beryl realized she would soon die.”
Bliss’s hand clenched the skirt beneath the table; veins bulged.
“It’s ironic. Despite such power, she couldn’t save her own life.”
“…”
“Beryl blessed the crying Lilith.”
I focused on Bliss’s words. A blessing given by Beryl.
Bliss slowly spoke.
“‘My beloved child, may you be happy. I hope you are protected from those with impure hearts.’ With the blessing, Beryl poured all her strength into Lilith.”
She added that Beryl then closed her eyes as if to sleep.
“So you’re saying Lilith’s power going out of control is due to Beryl’s blessing?”
“Yes. Even in death, protecting Lilith by dying in place of the maids, perhaps?”
Bliss seemed to think so.
‘Beryl’s divine power was certainly strong…’
But it wasn’t certain yet.
‘If it really is Beryl’s blessing…’
Her blessing protected Lilith but also made her an object of fear.
Beryl probably never imagined it would turn out this way.
“Sorry, Chloe. I didn’t mean to bring up old memories.”
“I’m glad to have heard about Lilith.”
I smiled gently; Bliss looked at me intently.
“I’ve noticed since before, you act mature beyond your years. Maybe that’s why I open up so easily.”
She said she usually didn’t talk like this to young maids.
I felt a bit caught off guard but hid it.
“Kyaa!”
Suddenly, cheers came from the next table.
Noel smiled brightly and hugged Lilith.
Johan quickly stood up.
“Noel, what are you doing?”
“Brother, did you hear? Lilith called me!”
“…What?”
“She called me ‘Noel unnie’ with that cute mouth! So adorable!”
“…Sigh.”
Johan sighed, looking like he was exasperated by the fuss.
‘Surprising. Noel is such a bright person.’
The Lilith held by Noel barely lifted her head and looked at him.
“Nini?”
“That’s right. Lilith! Can I call you by a nickname?”
“Nini? Okay! Noel unnie.”
“Kyaa! Did you hear that? Brother, you heard it this time!”
Noel rubbed his face against Lilith’s cheek, delighted.
Lilith didn’t seem to dislike it.
“I want to take Lilith home like this.”
“That’s not possible, Noel.”
“Tch, I know.”
Noel pouted but was sincere about wanting to take Lilith.
“Sorry for the noise, Noel.”
“It’s okay, Johan. I’m glad you’re getting along with Lilith.”
Bliss shook her head at Johan’s words.
Noel, who had been suppressing his frustration alone, suddenly brightened with an idea.
‘What now?’
I was watching Noel and Lilith while holding an empty teacup.
“Brother!”
“What now?”
“How about you become Lilith’s tutor?”
“…What?”
“…Yes?”
Who said who would tutor whom?
Johan and I were both surprised.
Noel continued without caring about our reactions.
“You’ve been arguing with mother lately, so isn’t it easier to leave the mansion if you’re Lilith’s tutor?”
“Sigh… Noel.”
“Think about it. Of course, I’ll come with you to see Lilith.”
“…”
Johan was silent for a moment.
Feeling the tense atmosphere, I put down the teacup and stood up slightly.
“But wouldn’t that trouble Lord Johan too much?”
I tried to look meek and apologetic.
As I got up, Lilith reached out to me, calling “Chloe.”
She broke away from Noel and hugged me.
“That sounds like a good idea…”
Noel murmured, watching Lilith with longing eyes, unwilling to give up easily.
I hadn’t expected Noel to like Lilith this much.
‘I needed a tutor, but not quite like this…’
I was planning to pass the matter off awkwardly.
If not for Johan’s voice, it might have stayed that way.
“Yeah, that’s not a bad idea.”
“Yes?”
“If you’re thinking about it, I’ll talk to Seraphina too.”
“Lady Bliss?”
Bliss added her voice.
Each person adding a word made Noel’s face brighten further.
“B-But is it okay?”
“Chloe, what’s the problem? Nothing’s impossible. Brother Johan is more than capable of teaching Lilith!”
Noel quickly answered, worried the idea might be rejected, then listed Johan’s qualifications as a tutor.
Unlike her bright smile, my feelings were complicated.
‘I wanted a professional tutor…’
Not one with such high specs.
It has been a month since I came to the Shainon family.
Many things happened during that time.
Verdi and Lilith became quite close, and Noel couldn’t stop adoring Lilith every time he saw her.
Moreover, Bliss seemed to have relayed the message well, and Johan accepted the tutor position.
From that day, Johan came to the annex every other day to teach Lilith.
‘At first, Lilith was unfamiliar with Johan, hiding behind me and refusing to come out.’
What moved her was one word from Johan.
“Looking at you two, you seem like sisters.”
For over an hour, we couldn’t even start studying.
We stood facing each other, and Johan suddenly spoke.
“Sister?”
Lilith noticed Johan was referring to us and tilted her head.
She seemed to ask what ‘sister’ meant.
“I mean, you and I look like family. Do I look like your sister?”
“Sister! I like Chloe unnie!”
Luckily, Lilith seemed to understand this word, probably learned from Verdi.
“Maybe it’s because your hair colors are the same.”
I answered Johan, turning my head.
Both Lilith and I had jet-black hair.
Lilith seemed pleased by being called sisters and completely dropped her guard toward Johan.
It seemed she had decided he was a good person.
“That’s a relief, but I’m worried she’s too obedient when it comes to me…”
That worried me a bit.
‘When she gets older, she’ll probably rebel and change.’
For now, she obeyed me because of the first day’s impression.
Later, while cleaning Anne’s room, we found another assassination tool.
This time it was a type of poison hard to obtain.
It wasn’t lethal but caused a high fever for several days.
‘Why did they have that kind of poison?’
Whoever ordered Anne to harm Lilith probably didn’t want her dead.
‘Then who?’
Could Gideon Shainon have ordered it again?
I wanted to ask Anne, but now I couldn’t.
Anne, moved to Bliss’s mansion, disappeared without a trace one day.
They sent people to search, but no luck, as I learned from a letter.
