Katy's birth revelation part II ⊱✿⊰ After Katy's collapse ⊱✿⊰ Summary of Chapter 130 ～ 132 Spoiler: [Katy collapses] 1. Katisha collapses in a similar manner to an incident that occurred four years ago, leaving Niella shocked. 2. Margaret and Sir Lucis quickly respond and move Katisha to her bed. 3. Niella realizes that if Katisha hadn't called for her maid and knight, she would have been framed for attempted murder. 4. Niella notices the snow leopard by Katisha's side, which humanizes when the Blasco siblings leave the room. 5. Niella is captivated by the humanized form of the snow leopard dressed in white and wonders if his presence is fueled by excitement or fear. 6. Aikal speaks to Katisha, berating her for not listening to him. 7. Niella questions why Aikal is blaming her and reflects on her own actions. 8. Aikal creates a wall of ice and threatens Niella. 9. Katisha appears to be suffering from a nightmare, and Aikal comforts her. 10. Niella asks Aikal if he likes Katisha, but he doesn't respond directly. 11. Aikal creates a pillar of ice to trap Niella when she questions his feelings. 12. Niella asks Aikal what their relationship is, and he responds with "friends." 13. Niella explains the concept of romantic feelings to Aikal, but he doesn't seem to understand. 14. Aikal considers Niella's words and appears to be deep in thought. 15. Niella concludes that their relationship is unbalanced and one-sided. 16. Aikal tells Niella not to interfere and uses his powers to push her out of the room with the door slamming shut behind Niella. Spoiler: [Aikal getting inside Katy's locket] 1. Aikal and Katisha are alone in a bedroom, undisturbed. 2. Katisha reveals in her recurring nightmares that she doesn't want to die. 3. Aikal realizes that there is another self in his subconscious and that Katisha's dreams are not just dreams. 4. Aikal is instructed to go to the tower or open something left by an old man to find answers. Choosing the latter, Aikal picked up the clam locket hanging on Katisha's neck. 5. Aikal discovers two strings around Katisha's neck, one with a bank pass and the other with a locket that holds a secret. 6. Aikal opens the locket and everything around him disappears, revealing an old warehouse. 7. Aikal realizes he is in a secret subspace with a grid-like structure woven with magic that has the energy of the goddess Heleiya and the demon Gürst. 8. Aikal finds a table with rolled up scrolls that was the same from the White Coat Order, he also find that the letters were written in the language of the White Coat Order that he was familiar with. 9. Aikal begins to read the first scroll and realizes he was reading a long story that he was involved in. Spoiler: [Lute being scolded by Herzen and finally returning to the capital] 1. Lute is having a conversation with Herzen about the Tower of Heroic Spirits and its isolation from the outside world. The Tower of the Heroic Spirits is a subspace where time has stopped and is cut off from the outside world. 2. Herzen feels like someone is warning him, but he doesn't know who it is. The mysterious voice warns Herzen about defending the tower from a divine beast. 3. Herzen mentions the Ikhlas tribe and their connection with divine beasts, as well as the dangers associated with them. 4. Herzen advises Lute to keep Katisha, who resembles him, away from the divine beast. 5. Lute admits to allowing the snow leopard, who is actually a divine beast, to stay with Katisha. 6. Herzen scolds Lute for his thoughtlessness and warns him about the dangers of the divine beast. 7. Lute plans to return to the capital and send the divine beast named Aikal to the garden to talk to Herzen. Lute feels guilty for leaving Katisha alone and plans to apologize to her. 8. Herzen asks Lute what he will tell Katisha, and Lute hesitates before leaving. 9. Herzen notices a change in Lute's expression and laughs, feeling relieved. 10. Lute leaves the tower and Herzen watches him with a sense of relief and confidence. Spoiler: Aikal's interaction with Niella and his other self Spoiler: Aikal not understanding love Katisha collapsed again. It was exactly the same abnormal reaction as four years ago. As if her five senses were closed, she remained still and frozen like a corpse, then closed her eyes and collapsed. It was natural for Niella to be shocked when she witnessed that scene in front of her eyes. Margaret and Sir Lucis, who had experienced the situation once, moved nimbly. They immediately reported the situation to the Blasco siblings and then moved Katisha to bed and laid her down. If Katisha had not shouted out for her maid and her knight at the last moment, Niella would have been framed for the attempted murder of the princess. Did the princess think she would collapse? Niella glanced at the bedside out of the corner of her eye. The snow leopard crouched by Katisha's side had shifted as soon as the Blasco siblings had left the room. The hem of its white coat fluttered silently, then slowly fell down. Niella stared mesmerized at the boy's back, clad in pristine white. She had seen him before, but he drew her senses like a magnet. She wouldn't be the only one to be swept up like a moth to a flame by this dangerous man. Wherever he set foot, it seemed to be the center of the world. It's unclear whether this excitement is fueled by excitement or fear. But for now, at least, it was the latter. 'Even if it's just a half, does it make sense for it to exude this much presence......? There was a crunch, and small ice pellets crunched beneath her feet. It was almost at the same time that Niella flinched and the boy opened his mouth. "......Kati." She still couldn't quite place the tone. One moment it was creepily low, indifferent and monotonous, the next it tickled like a boy's whisper. "You never listen to me, never have." Niella swallowed hard at the spiky stalks of ice that formed a circle around her. For a moment, a voice laced with hostility cut through. "I should have killed that thing a long time ago." "You can't ...... Please don't take it too hard, because I am not the cause of this problem this time either." I didn't know why he was blaming me for everything. What did I do? Sure, I had impure thoughts, but after all, I hadn't laid a finger on Blasco and the princess, had I? Who was it that cleverly blocked everything before anyone could do anything about it? A wall of ice grew through the floor and was just about to trap Niella. The princess, lying as if dead, let out a small moan. Katisha was panting. Almost simultaneously, the chill in the room vanished without a trace. "I don't want to leave......." "......." "I want to stay here. Let me stay here......." The princess looked like she was suffering from a terrible nightmare. Niella had never seen the princess in such distress before, having always seen her bubbly and cheerful. The boy's throat rumbled low, like a broken bone. "You're crying again......." I can't get into your dreams. Muttering under his breath, the boy climbed onto the bed with a light gesture. As if this wasn't the first time he'd done this, he lightly scooped the girl up and placed her on top of him, his hands deftly brushing her back. The princess's sobs quickly ceased. Niella watched them, then asked impulsively. "Do you like her?" The boy didn't turn his head toward her. Instead, he merely glanced away. If his gaze had weight and texture, she could have sworn she was being pierced by his two eyes right now. Niella instinctively knew what she had to do to draw an answer from him. "Princess, do you like her?" When the subject was entered, Aikal's reaction drastically change from a moment ago, but not in Niella's favor. With a snap, a pillar of ice shot up through the floor, flexed, and caught Niella's ankle. Aikal hissed at her. "Don't call Kati." "I'm asking you, is it just an obsession? Or......." Obsession? Aikal paused from trying to break Niella's ankle as it was. Obsession. It was an interesting word. Aikal knew the dictionary meaning, but had never thought of it in terms of himself. "If it's not a one-sided obsession, what is it?" The fearless question came again. This time, it was an easy question to answer, so Aikal didn't think long before answering with one word. "Friends." "Friends?" Niella repeated, incredulous despite her sense of crisis. "What kind of nonsense....... What kind of friend in the world does that?" "Make it understandable." "Well, at least normal people don't call that normal friendship." "Then what else is it supposed to be?" Looking back, it seemed like he didn't understand the previous question itself. Niella suddenly became dumbfounded. What is this? "......holding hands..." Do I have to teach you all this stuff? Niella hesitated, feeling skeptical. "When you hug, you get excited......." "Excited?" "I mean, your heart starts racing, you can't make eye contact....... You get hot in the face, like......." Looking at that indifferent face, it was clear that he didn't understand what she was saying. What on earth did the princess do without teaching that divine beast these basic emotional expressions? Niella had such doubts, but they soon disappeared. Well, if the princess had known this, there would have been no way she would have been that close to that divine beast. Anyway, once I said something, I had to finish it. Aikal was glaring at her, waiting for her to finish. "Are you sad to say goodbye or ....... Oh, or." "...... Or?" "Or maybe you don't want to see anyone else get close to the princess?" "Are you sad to say goodbye or ....... Oh, or." "...... Or?" "Or that you don't want to see others approach the princess?" "........" "So, man, approach. A man, not a woman. The opposite sex ......." Niella blushed for speaking up. It was a bizarre experience indeed. The boy was now tilting his head. He seemed to be mulling over the implications of Niella's words, but what exactly he was feeling was impossible to read from his outward appearance. To Niella, he looked like this. Blind affection, one side being too desperate to be friendship, but not enough to be love. An unbalanced relationship where there's only a giver and a receiver, with the horizon heavily tilted to one side. That was her conclusion, and she lowered her eyes. An eerie voice flew into the top of her head. "Don't stop on your whim." "......." "What the hell." The icy stalk, still at her feet, crawled up her calf. Niella squeezed her eyes shut as she realized the pain that would follow. "Ugh, it's cold......." But this time, a small moan from the princess saved Niella's ankle. Aikal's gaze snapped from her. "Get out." "What?" Before Niella could ask, a gust of wind pushed her out the door. The door slammed shut behind her. Spoiler: Aikal getting inside Katy's locket The two of them were alone in the bedroom, without a single disturbance. It had been a long time since he'd had a moment like this, Aikal thought, and he bent his head toward Katisha. He wanted to hear every word in her sleep. "......I didn't want to die......." Katisha stirred in his arms. Aikal's arms tightened around her, trying to keep her from the sleeping habits that still baffled him after all these years. "I had one too...... name......." "......." "I don't know how to read......." "......." "I don't want to die." This kid had been having the same nightmare for five years now, with similar sleep talk. Normally, she would have answered him, even though he knew she couldn't hear him, but Aikal kept his mouth tightly shut. The unfamiliar voice in his head had begun to echo once more. 'You should have figured it out by now.' "......What do I need to know?" 'Blanks.' Starting with that one word, the pieces of the puzzle in his head began to come together. Aikal held Katisha tightly in his arms as she began to stir, and he pieced together his thoughts. Another self that exists in his subconscious. However, the other self have already come of age and passed through a time period that he do not know...And then there's Katie, the teary-eyed girl who says she didn't want to die in her recurring nightmares. Katisha's dreams are not just dreams. A future to come, or a future that has been rewound, either way. 'A world I've forgotten.' At that moment, an overwhelming sense of rejection washed over me. Aikal's expressionless face cracked. Forgotten? Did I? I could 'forget' something? His mind spun as if mocking him. 'If you want to know, go to the tower.' 'The tower where the demon sword sleeps.' 'Or you can open the one left by the old man.' There was no need to think. Aikal chose the faster of the two. He gently brushed aside the orange locks of hair that covered Katisha's neck with his hand. Two strings were revealed around her slender neck. One was a black leather strap with a central bank pass on it, and the other was a thin metal string. Aikal's fingertips caught the gleaming golden string, and with a flick of his hand, the end of it slowly drew up from Katisha's collar. The old locket fell into Aikal's hand. He knew that Katisha always carried the locket with her, and that whenever she opened it, the flow of air would be reversed. The only thing Aikal doesn't know about Katisha is the locket's secret. Aikal used the tip of his fingernail to crack open the locket. A click, the clam-shaped locket open wide. In the split second it took him to close his eyes and open them, everything around him disappeared. Katisha was gone, too. "......." Instead, the stale air of the old warehouse greeted him. 'Magic.' Aikal looked into the reality of the magic that harmonizes space as easily as breathing. In his eyes, this place was inside a huge net woven into a dense grid. The breath of Helaiya flowed in the weft, and the energy of Gürst flowed in the warp, and the unrefined mana of the natural world covered it in countless layers. A secret place where none but those authorized could enter or leave. A subspace that appears to be the most familiar form to those who enter. Aikal approached a large table as if he knew what he was going to do next. There was a mountain of rolled up scrolls on the table. It was a paper mainly used by the White Coat Order when giving orders. It looked like a bundle of papers with the rules of the Order written on them. It was a familiar shape to Aikal. Without hesitation, Aikal unwrapped the first scroll he could reach. It was written in the language of the Order. The words were familiar to him. Aikal slowly pronounced the words at the top. "Now we......." Like magic. It was a long story he was involved in. Spoiler: Herzen scolding Lute about Aikal That time in Artem. Tower of the Heroic Spirits. [Lute, the spirits do not dream]. Herzen muttered, lost in thought. Lute listened to Herzen's words. [I can see and hear, but all other senses are absent. Naturally, I have no physiological needs, and since I don't need to sleep, I don't dream]. "......So?" [And this Tower of Heroic Spirit is completely cut off from the outside world. A subspace where even the passage of time has stopped. A forbidden realm that nothing outside can enter until the gates are opened from within, so there's no way that a mere mortal could invade it]. Herzen grunted as he rattled off a long list of facts that everyone knew. The spirit crossed its arms and began to spiral. [But I keep thinking someone is warning me]. "Who and what warning?" [I don't know who it is, because I can't really distinguish the voice, but it sounds like it belongs to an old man about my age.......] The grim 'voice' was very nagging, just like Herzen himself. 'Defend the tower.' 'Because some furry crazy guy might come barging in.' 'It's no ordinary beast, it's a god beast, so he might realize it sooner than you think, but first I-no, I need you to find the memories. Tsk, tsk. How are you going to defeat a divine beast?' 'I've gotten some help from him, but it's not much of a relief. Monopolizing his attention is not a good sign in any way.......' There was no way to know the identity of the man muttering in his head, but Herzen agreed with him. There was no human who lived a peaceful life in connection with the divine beasts, especially the Ikhlas tribe of the snowy plains. There are only three known human women with whom the demigod Ikhlas has ever had a brief, deep connection with, and each was either killed by the Ikhlas, or caught in his rage, or committed suicide. Ikhlas's descendants, the Half and Quarter, may not be quite as ruthless as their blood is diluted, but their nature remains the same. There is always a ‘reason’ for their interest. A factor that aroused interest in those who regard humans as trivial. There is no way to know what it is about Katisha that has stirred Aikal, so it's best to keep them apart for now. [I've been telling her to keep her distance from the divine beast every time she comes to the tower, but she doesn't listen to anything I say because she resembles me]. Katisha seemed to listen to her grandfather's advice. From the looks of it, not only does the divine beast like Katisha, but she depends on him more than she realizes. Lute remained silent. Herzen raised his eyes, not missing the momentary discomfort. [......By the way, Lute, why did you allow that snow leopard to stay with Katie even after you found out it was a divine beast?] "I didn't know, I didn't know he could humanize." Lute groaned inwardly at the hasty way he said it. Of course he'd separate them when they reached adulthood, but even given that fact, he was complacent. No matter how small the cub was, he was still a cub. Herzen, sensing his distress, shouted at him. [You thoughtless thing, they've taken out your liver and gallbladder just because they look cute again!] "It's not that, it's just that the child hugs me so much......." [No, no! Just leave this bastard alone!] An invisible honeycomb flew out of thin air. Lute quickly twisted his head to dodge it, then hurriedly pushed himself to his feet. "I need to get back to the capital, that kid almost ran away recently......." He left Katisha and her divine beast in the capital. Even if the golden sphere had been filled in, it would not be of any use if the coming of age is imminent. Katisha must be worried. He has sent one letter but has been away for a month, to his surprise. ....... He reminded the child not to leave her father alone, when in fact he was the one who left the child alone. It is pathetic to the extreme. As Lute prepared to descend quickly, Herzen called out to him. [When you get back, send that divine beast named Aikal to the garden, and I'll talk to him myself]. "Understood." [......What are you going to tell Katisha?] Lute's back, already turned to this side, swayed momentarily, but he quickly regained his center and stood upright. Herzen turned his head to read the expression on his son's face as he glanced this way and that. A flash of surprise flashed across the heroic spirit's wrinkled face. But then Herzen broke into a hearty laugh. He hadn't seen that expression on his face in a long time. As if it were a lie, the relief piled high like a mountain. [Yes, I get it, kid]. You're right, you're right. It doesn't make any difference, does it? Herzen chuckled pleasantly as he watched Lute leave the tower and disappear across the Garden of Time. After all, his second child looked much better with that confident, careless look on his face rather than being shaken by the storm and showing tears. Katy's birth revelation part II ⊱✿⊰ Katy's real family ⊱✿⊰ Summary of Chapter 133 Spoiler: [Katy telling Lute they are real family] 1. Katy wakes up surrounded by concerned voices after passing out from reading the unlocked episode 171 in the locket. 2. She struggles to piece together her memories and her identity, feeling overwhelmed by the revelations. 3. Katy expresses her fears and insecurities to her father, who reassures her of their bond. Lute reassures her of their bond and expresses regret for not being there earlier for her, but emphasizes that nothing has to change drastically. 4. Katy finds comfort in her father's words and realizes that her worries about being accepted were unfounded. Her father's loving and comforting words help Katy overcome her worries and find peace. 5. Katy realizes that her father's love and acceptance are what truly matter, regardless of blood ties or past uncertainties. 6. The episode ends with Katie embracing her father and feeling a sense of belonging and security in their relationship. Spoiler: [Werner and Arnin confirming Katy's identity] 1. Lute reassures his children that nothing will change in their family dynamic, emphasizing the importance of gratitude and acceptance. 2. Arnin and Werner confirm Katisha's true identity as a Blasco. The siblings share a lighthearted moment and joke about protecting their sister. 3. Lute's emotions resurface as he remembers his past with Serena, expressing regret for not being there for her and his longing for her. 4. Despite his inner turmoil, Lute tries to maintain a sense of humor and lightness with his children Spoiler: [Lute taking his next step] 1. Lute is reflecting on his daughter Katisha's resemblance to her mother Serena and her adorable nature. 2. Katisha's notes are neatly organized by Lute, showing her growth and maturity. 3. Lute finds solace in Katisha's presence and plans to protect her from potential threats. 4. Arnin presents a strategic plan to dismantle Marquis Orgen's power gradually instead of through direct conflict. 5. Werner and Arnin told Lute that they receives a message from the crown prince address to Katisha, prompting Lute to rethink his plans and prioritize Katisha's safety. 6. Lute decides to take a more active role in protecting Katisha and dismantling Marquis Orgen's influence. 7. The siblings, Arnin and Werner, express their desire to take down Marquis Orgen and the emperor, but Lute asserts his claim over them. 8. Lute's true identity as a powerful and influential figure is hinted at, causing anticipation and excitement among his children. 9. The narrative ends with a sense of impending action and a desire for Lute to reclaim his former glory and power. Spoiler: We are real family Spoiler: Katy trying to tell Lute she is his daughter "......ty." Someone called me. "Katie....... Now wake up....... T......." "You were fine for a while....... Why are the aurors going on such erratic rampages......." The voices of Werner and Arnin and the doctors and employees rose and fell in volume. There was so much activity around me that my head began to ring. I closed my eyes and thought back to what had just happened. Ah, yes. The locket had opened. <G.U.M.A> 171 episode was unlocked and....... I read and read and read until I memorized it by heart. I lost track of time and kept repeating my newfound facts over and over again, until the time limit ran out and I must have bounced off the locket. '......Is that why I passed out? How long had I been lying here this whole time?' The faces of those who must be worried about me slowly flashed through my mind's eye. Jamie, Margaret, Sir Lucy, Sir Keith, Uncle Homi......., not to mention my sister and brother. And Dad and Grandpa. As I pictured each face in turn, a line from episode 171 came to mind. It was a line from Aikal. <"How is it possible that you feel so strongly about your family's mission that you didn't realize you had another granddaughter until now?"> <"The head of the Yator kingdom received the infant with this deed. From Serena Aiyelnas."> My head began to ache like it was going to break. <[You intend to turn all of this to nothing and start anew.]> Memories I don't have were kicking at me from beneath the frozen surface. I screamed without sound. This is weird, my previous life was in Korea, and I just happened to be reincarnated in a book with a bad plot. But if it wasn't just that.... If there was another past I didn't know about. As I pieced the pieces together, a headache unlike anything I'd ever experienced before sneaked up on me. "Evil......." The pain was so intense that my eyeballs burned. I sucked in a sharp breath and blinked. "Hmph, hmph......." "Oh, God. Katisha!" I heard a voice calling out to God from somewhere. It sounded like Werner. I could hear sister Arnin's sobbing. "Are you okay, are you awake?" "What's wrong, does your head hurt, huh?" But it was Dad's voice that I heard most clearly. "Katie!" As oxygen was pumped into her lungs, the fog in her head lifted. The headache that felt like dozens of needles digging into her brain from all directions quickly disappeared. Only then did she open her eyes and were able to see the people surrounding herself. Her father was closest to her, looking down at her. "......Dad?" Perhaps because it had been a long time since I woke up, my voice suddenly cracked. My father, with a serious face, extended his hand as if to touch my forehead. I immediately grabbed my father's sleeve and jumped up. "An adult running away from home......!" "What?" My father suddenly made an absurd expression. "Runaway adult....... Yeah, well. I wouldn't say no, but that's not important right now, Katie." "Hmph......." "Shhh, it's all good. Just take a deep breath." As I breathed in and out, barely keeping up with the beat, my father's palm covered my forehead. It was a big, warm hand, big enough to cover my eyes. I felt its warmth in a daze. 'That’s right, that’s not what's important.......' I felt like my mouth was suddenly dry. My heart was beating irregularly. I couldn't hold back for a moment and opened my mouth. "You know, Dad. I have something to tell you......." "You have a fever. The auror is still unsteady. Margaret, see to it that she gets a light meal and some medicine first. If it turns into a full-blown cold, we'll have to......" "Dad......!" Her lips quivered. The words spilled out in a jumble. "I, ⎕⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕, ⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕, ⎕⎕ ⎕⎕......." I saw it in the locket, Dad and Serena, the engagement certificate. My name was on it. Serena was going to send me to the desert, but....... "⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕, ⎕⎕⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕......." I died, so Grandpa and Aki spent the time....... Tears welled up in my eyes as I said that. To those who do not remember <G.U.M.A> or the Lost World cannot reveal of what happened in that world. That is the world's taboo. Because of that, my mouth was silenced, and only unintelligible words were pouring out. I muttered incoherently. "I, I really am ⎕⎕⎕⎕⎕⎕. (I, I really am Blasco.)" "Katie." "I, too, am ⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕ ⎕⎕, ⎕⎕⎕, ⎕⎕⎕⎕⎕....... (I have a mom too, and a dad, and a grandpa.......)" "......Katisha." "⎕ ⎕⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕....... (I'm not adopted.)" That always bothered me, actually. Just because Blasco was nice to me didn't mean everyone in the Empire was nice to me. "That's her, the heiress who rose in status overnight." "From a commoner of unknown origin to a direct descendant of the Empire's highest noble family. I guess even Blasco can't claim to be a pure-blood noble anymore." "If I just change my name, will I become a noble? Your birth is nothing to write home about." During the three years I attended the academy, there were quite a few students who threw rude comments in my face. In order not to be ignored by them, I did my best to study for the exam. It was because I knew that there would be people lurking around who would laugh at me the moment I slipped from the top spot. But even if it wasn't because of other people's opinions, I constantly wanted to prove my worth. Because we are not a family connected by blood. Because they are not ‘real’ direct relatives. That was like my Achilles heel. But now there was no need to whip myself like that. The 171 episode that was released was the clearest answer of all. I am my father's daughter. But, but, but, how can I prove it? I sobbed and gripped my father's cuffs hard. "Dad, who did you go looking for?" I couldn't think of any other reason for my father to be gone for a month. He knew about the child Serena left behind, and that's why he went looking for her. I'm here. "⎕⎕, ⎕⎕....... (That's right, I'm here.......)" I was still frustrated that nothing was coming out of my mouth. What if I'm never able to speak again? What if my dad says he's going to find another child? What if he says he's going to find his real child....... If he doesn't know that I'm his real daughter. Her eyes flashed red. Her grip on her father's sleeve loosened. Instead, I gripped the bedsheet tightly. I tried to keep my voice as steady and calm as possible. "But you can't throw it away." "......." "I'll stay here. ⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕⎕⎕ ⎕⎕⎕.(I said I'm allowed to stay.......)" Aki and Grandpa sent me here. My grandpa raised me to live without dying this time and sent me to Blasco so that I could visit my family. So I am the 'real' Blasco. My real father, my real family, the ones I never found in my previous life, were here. But who would believe me if I claimed that? Tears began to trickle down my cheeks and onto the back of my hand as my heart sank. I rubbed my eyes nervously. "C'mon, why can't you let me talk, you could at least let me say something like this.......'" That's when it happened. My father, who had been silent the entire time, spoke up. "Katie." "Ugh......." "Don't rub your eyes." "......neh?" "Blow your nose. Do it." As soon as I wiped away the tears, they began to well up again, making my vision blurry. Because of that, I couldn't see exactly what kind of face my father was making, but his voice was so calm and sweet. As usual. Yeah, like usual....... "Do you have a headache, or feel like you're going to throw up, or feel dizzy, or anything like that?" "Uh, no......." "Anything else that hurts?" I shook my head, feeling nervous. My father leaned his upper body towards me and looked carefully at every part of my face. Only then could I see him properly. He smirked at my puffy face. It was a languid smile, with the corners of his mouth coolly pulled up on either side, the exact same look as the day he teased me by asking me to call him dad for the first time. "Ugly little pumpkin, what are you crying about?" "......." "Are you scared that your dad might go somewhere and not come back? You're a teenager now, and you shouldn't be crying over such nonsense. Tsk." He playfully pinched my cheeks and stretched them. I stubbornly asked, despite my trepidation. "Dad, you're not going to go find someone else, are you?" "Find who, what are you worried about?" "You went to look for someone, ah...... heh......." "I didn't look for anyone. My youngest child is here, and I'm not looking for someone anywhere." "...... Really? Even if Dad actually has another child......?" "Yes. And there is no such child." It was a firm answer. How can you be so sure? He looked as if he could barely stand the mention of Serena's name....... But when he continued, I couldn't help but widen my eyes. "Because my father already found her and sent her to me a long time ago." I hiccupped in surprise. Oh, how does he know that? He bent down and carefully wiped the tears from my cheeks. His eyes, touch, and body temperature were so loving and reassuring. "Your mom didn't cry much, I don’t know who our little girl took after and why she’s such a crybaby." "Uh......." "Does she look like me......?" My father chuckled softly and tapped his index finger on my cheek. As if asking what on earth you are worried about. t's as if he already knows everything without having to say anything. The meaning in his eyes was tired yet serious. "Dad is sorry. For running away without telling you." "......." "I wish I could have found you sooner, but I'm sorry I couldn't, and it's a little frustrating that your grandfather robbed me of the opportunity to see you as a little girl." Was it an illusion? This time, my father's voice seemed to tremble a little. My father took a shaky breath and leveled his gaze with mine. "But that doesn't mean anything has to change drastically now, Katisha. You know that, right?" "......." "Nothing unfamiliar, nothing confusing....... And most of all, you don't have to be insecure anymore." I stared at him blankly, then nodded. The brief glimpse of trepidation in his eyes had been erased without a trace. His eyes had regained their hardness and seemed to whisper to me constantly. Whether I'm real or not, my father will never abandon me. Dad and his Blasco were still, and of course, my fence. In the past, now, and forever. It was a strange thing. My father's demeanor was no different than it had been in the past, and suddenly, all the worries that had been plaguing me for so long were volatilized and blown away. It seemed like it really didn't matter that I was his real daughter. After all, I'd been the youngest in the family for five years. It was just an added, slightly more welcome fact that I actually had Blasco's blood flowing through me. I sniffled and laughed like I was crying. 'What the....... What were you worried about.' Straightening up, my father spread his arms out in a familiar fashion. "Okay, now give your father a hug. Say hello again." "Mmm......." "You should say, 'Welcome home.' Not suddenly yelling out that you're a runaway adult." "......Yes!" I immediately kicked off the covers and jumped up and hugged my dad. Spoiler: Werner and Arnin's reaction to finding out Katy is their cousin "Will it make a difference, Dad?" It was only when they had finally soothed Katisha, who had been crying and sobbing for a long time, that they returned to the study. Arnin asked quietly. "If I'm right in what I suspect, will things change for us in the future?" Werner asked, his eyes asking the same question as his sister's. Lute stared at the siblings, who were now his own children, and shook his head. "No, nothing." "......." "Nothing changes. From 5 years ago until now, and in the future as well." Katisha had been his youngest daughter, Arnin's and Werner's sister, since five years ago. He'd accepted it, and it had always been that way. There was no need to label her as a "real" Blasco or anything else. I just have more people to be grateful to in my heart. "I have to thank my ancestors, and......." To the child who didn't give up and kept coming back to me. The siblings were quick to recognize the hidden meaning behind the unfinished sentence. Arnin pinched his brother's side in amusement. "As expected, right? Look, brother. What did I say? I told you there's no way she's not a Blasco." "I never denied it." Werner's lips twitched in satisfaction. "Now I can beat up the people who secretly chew on my sister behind my back with a more relieved feeling......." "What, you mean you haven't done that before now?" "No, I've beaten them to death." "Then you can kill them next time." The brother and sister, who looked exactly alike, looked at each other and giggled. Lute inhaled deeply, hearing their laughter echo behind him. The air here was warm and generous. The capital's mansion had always been overwhelming to Lute, a mixture of precious and terrible memories. It was here that he had recovered the bodies Lutiard and his wife, and it was here that he had kissed Serena for the last time before sending her away. The emotions he'd kept bottled up for fear of adding to the child's confusion were now stirring. 'Seni.' The mask of composure he had barely maintained since returning to the capital from Artem and waking up his youngest daughter crumbled helplessly. Lute cupped his hand over his mouth and turned to face the siblings. Thinking of Serena always left him with an empty hole in his chest, followed by a rush of longing that threatened to suffocate him, and now, without warning, he was about to burst into tears. Lute kept repeating to himself the unspoken words of love. I'm sorry that I only now realize that you left such a precious gift in this world. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you in the moment of your birth. For letting you suffer alone, for being too late. Lute forced the corners of his mouth up. "Still, I raised a third of her, so you have to cut me some slack......." It was a whisper, barely audible to the siblings.
Summary of Volume 5 chapter 134 ~ 138 Spoiler: [Lute, Arnin, and Werner plans for the future] 1. Lute reflects on the small tombstone where he had been in a daze for three days and nights, thinking about taking Katisha there. He contemplates how curious Serena would be about their daughter, Katisha. 2. Lute thinks that Katisha resembles her mother Serena and described her as the cutest and most adorable child. 3. Lute carefully collects the notes left by Katisha over the past month, appreciating her neat handwriting and unchanged content. These notes provide him solace and strength during moments of overwhelming guilt. 4. Arnin approaches Lute and talks about a game board Katisha made while Lute was away with Werner joining them. Lute finds himself amused and surprised by the strategy laid out, which differs from the usual all-out war approach preferred by Blasco. 5. Arnin suggests that Katisha's method to dismantle Marquis Orgen gradually is appropriate, considering Katisha's young age and her potential vulnerabilities. This strategic approach contrasts with Blasco's preference for overwhelming force. 6. Lute recalls an unofficial letter from the crown prince, expressing interest in inviting Katisha to the imperial palace. This letter was intercepted and destroyed by Arnin and Werner, reflecting their protective nature. 7. Lute realizes that Katisha, having surpassed the crown prince at the academy, is now a target for the imperial family. He decides to build a perfect defense for her while planning to dismantle the Marquis' foundation. 8. Lute decides to personally take on the task of dealing with Marquis Orgen and the imperial family, intending to act within the next four years until Katisha becomes an adult. 9. Arnin and Werner express their desires to take down the Marquis and the emperor, respectively, but Lute asserts that he will handle all three targets himself, showcasing his determination and authority. 10. Lute's intense aura and authoritative declaration surprise his children, revealing his true nature as Lute Blasco, a formidable figure who once spread fear across the continent. 11. Werner realizes the gravity of their father's identity and the potential impact of his actions, feeling intense anticipation for the future as Lute prepares to reveal his true self and take on the challenges ahead. Spoiler: [Katy searching for Aikal] 1. Katisha wakes up at dawn, feeling empty and noticing the absence of her snow leopard, Aki, who is usually by her side. 2. She calls out for Aki and searches for him, but there is no response, which is unusual since Aki always responds to her calls. 3. Katisha feels a sense of discomfort and checks for her seashell locket, which she always wears. She finds it missing and becomes alarmed. 4. Margaret enters the room, concerned by Katisha's shouting. They both realize Aki has been missing since Lute returned. 5. Katisha steps on and finds her open seashell locket on the floor, realizing that Aki must have taken it. 6. Katisha fears that Aki might have been influenced by a dangerous fragment of his consciousness that harbors anger and power from his past life, the dangerous Aikal. 7. Katisha decides she must go to the Tower of Heroic Spirits, where Aki likely went. She urgently asks Margaret to prepare for a teleportation to Artem, despite the difficulties. 8. In a panic, Katisha runs through the mansion, causing a commotion as she prays for Aki's safety and hopes to reach him in time. Spoiler: Aikal went to the Tower of Heroes 1. Aikal arrives at the Garden of Time in Artem, where the statues of past family heads come to life as spirits, recognizing him as Katisha's divine beast. 2. Aikal commands the heroic spirits to open the tower's door, but they refuse, stating that only those permitted can enter, especially not him. 3. Aikal effortlessly removes the leather restraint around his neck and on his hands, feeling impatient. 4. Aikal realizes that his memory is incomplete and seeks to fill the gap by destroying the tower's barrier, which holds memories of those who stood at the last moment. 5. Aikal scratches the barrier with his fingernails, creating cracks, and eventually breaks it with a kick and sword strike, causing chaos among the heroic spirits. The heroic spirits reprimanded Aikal that he will be scolded by Katisha. Aikal did consider the possibility of being scolded by Katisha for his actions but ultimately decides to proceed with breaking the barrier despite the risk. 6. The collapse of the barrier causes the tower's outer wall to shake violently, leading to further turmoil among the heroic spirits and indicating a significant change in the tower's state. Spoiler: Aikal destroys the Tower of Heroes 1. The moment the barrier collapsed it started raining. Aikal, who is closely connected to water, can freeze water easily and uses this ability to cause the rainwater to freeze, weakening the tower's structure. 2. The tower begins to collapse, and the 32 heroic spirits trapped inside start to escape. They have been in the tower for a long time, preserving their souls and duty, but now they find themselves finally free. 3. Gaius, one of the heroic spirits, realizes the seriousness of the situation and calls for the others to prevent the demon's seal from breaking, which could lead to disaster. 4. Meanwhile, Aikal finds the demon sword and plans to break the seal on Gürst's room. He decides to only interfere to a certain extent, not wanting to cause a catastrophe. 5. Aikal's actions somehow trigger a memory within him, revealing a conversation with Herzen Blasko about bringing back Blasko's granddaughter, who was believed to have died young. 6. Flashbacks reveal Aikal's encounter with a child in a snowy field and hint at his motivations and emotions surrounding this encounter. Spoiler: Memories coming back 1. Aikal grapples with his inability to harm or touch someone he doesn't know, regardless of their form in his lost memory. 2. The Aikal in his memory focus on Katisha Ainsley, a name the Aikal in the memory recently learned but whose face he still doesn't know. 3. Memories and realities blur as Aikal grapples with his past and present, haunted by headaches and fragmented recollections. 4. Aikal realizes that exposure to demonic energy triggers the return of his lost memories. 5. He understands that to get more of the memory he need to destroy the seal further but it could result in a disaster. 6. However, Aikal, who is uninterested in the human realm, resolves to break the seal despite the risks. 7. Aikal's determination to break the seal and regain his lost memories is interrupted by Katisha's sudden appearance and concern for his well-being. 8. Despite warnings, Katisha climbs the tower, prompting concern from her siblings. 9. As Katisha climbs the tower to reach him, Aikal faces a mix of emotions, including fear of endangering her and a growing warmth within himself. 10. Katisha's care and presence evoke conflicting emotions in Aikal, as he grapples with his feverish condition and a surge of unexpected affection. 11. Aikal broke out of his contemplation when he heard the duke's ferocious call to catch Katy. 12. Aikal rescues Katisha from a precarious situation using his ice powers. 13. Aikal struggles with controlling his aura, causing a cold environment around him. 14. Katisha was surprise to see the room in shambles and saw the demon sword. 15. Katisha takes the demon sword and uses her own cardigan to wrap around it and console the demon to be quiet. 16. Aikal's internal conflict intensifies as memories intertwine with his current reality, leading to tears as he confronts the strange yet familiar connection he feels towards Katisha. Spoiler: Brother Isma came to visit Aikal 1. Katisha gently urges Aikal to acknowledge her presence, using the nickname "Aki" and expressing her patience and concern. 2. Aikal, overcome by conflicting emotions, finally embraces Katisha, acknowledging her coolness and his own heat. 3. Despite Aikal's discomfort and confusion, Katisha reassures him and expresses her determination to stay with him. 4. Memories resurface, revealing a deeper connection between Aikal and Katisha, intertwined with a sense of duty and protection. 5. Amidst the chaos, a figure from Aikal's past appears, revealing himself as Aikal's older brother and acknowledging their shared heritage as descendants of the divine beast Ikhlas. 6. Despite Aikal's reluctance, his brother intervenes, separating him from Katisha and engaging in banter with her. 7. Katisha recognizes Aikal's brother as her opponent from a past auction, realizing the connection between them. 8. Isma reveals that he was called by Katisha's father. 9. Katisha remembered her father mentioning an adult half from the Ikhlas tribe to help Aikal.
Your grace knows no bounds You are the hero we need but don't deserve!! Thank you for the amazing spoilers!!!!
Yes, she is a member of the Blasco family. She is more than qualified as the successor because she is the current duke's ーLuteー real daughter.