Between Your Letter and My Reply

Chapter 77

[Translated By Divinity]

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep that jewelry box in Lilliana’s room. What if a thief breaks in?”

“Oh, uh… I agree. Then what should we do with it? Should we deposit it in a bank?”

Lilliana asked, and Damian thought for a moment before replying.

“It’s probably best to ask Ms. Pascal first before deciding what to do with it. I don’t think she sent it without a reason.”

“Right, right. I’ll ask Auntie about this too when I contact her.”

Strike while the iron is hot, as they say. Lilliana was about to get up immediately. Suddenly, the jewelry box on the floor rattled, making a clunking sound.

Both Lilliana and Damian were startled and jumped to their feet. At that moment, the lid of the jewelry box burst open. An uncut amethyst popped out and started emitting light.

Damian had never been so flustered in recent times. While he was bewildered, unsure how to react to this situation, Lilliana picked up the amethyst as if it were nothing new.

Then, a familiar voice came from the amethyst.

—Lily, I knew you’d contact me as soon as you saw this jewelry box.

It was Pascal’s voice. Lilliana’s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open.

“Auntie! You’re alive!”

Lilliana’s voice was filled with joy. Relief washed over her as she finally made contact with Pascal, and her tension eased. But her happiness was short-lived.

—This message was pre-recorded. By the time you receive this, I’ll probably be asleep. That’s why I sent the jewels along. So you can use them when you need to. You can always exchange them for money, right? Of course, I’ve left plenty of money in your bank account too.

“What?!”

Pascal’s message was enough to shock Lilliana.

“Asleep? What do you mean?! Auntie?!”

—That’s why I sent Damian to be your bodyguard. You two are getting along, right? I assume so since I haven’t heard any complaints from you.

“You mean you didn’t leave me alone here because of the hideouts being exposed and the hospital issue?!”

—Of course, the hideouts being exposed and the hospital issue were part of the reason I sent you to the capital. But it’s also because you wouldn’t have anywhere to hide if I wasn’t there. And I couldn’t entrust you to any other spirit because they’ve all been out of touch with humans for too long and don’t know how to interact with them anymore. Damian seemed trustworthy, so I asked him to look after you while I’m gone.

“But what about my opinion in all of this?!”

Pascal’s voice continued from the amethyst, but she wasn’t conversing with Lilliana. It was just a pre-recorded message playing.

—Did you tell Damian about your nature? I have a feeling you might have by now.

Lilliana nodded at Pascal’s words and protested,

“Yes, I already told him. But wouldn’t it have been better to tell me from the beginning if you were planning this all along? Why did you tell me to keep it a secret and make me suspicious, Auntie?”

Lilliana called out to Pascal desperately, but unfortunately, Pascal’s voice continued on its own.

—Anyway, I’m sorry. That’s just how it turned out. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you beforehand. I was worried that the information might leak to the royalist faction.

“But why do you have to fall asleep?!”

—Lilliana, if you’ve told Damian about your nature, listen carefully to what I’m about to say. It’s about those who are after you.

Pascal’s tone suddenly turned serious, and Lilliana, who had been muttering complaints to herself, calmed down and knelt on the floor, sitting upright. Damian also came over and knelt on one knee beside her.

—The group chasing you and Casey is called the ‘Lion’s Heart,’ a faction within the royalist movement. It’s more of a gathering than an organization… and at its center is Marquis Sigmund Sutton.

“Sigmund Sutton…”

Damian muttered involuntarily. It was a name he knew. One of the most prominent marquis families in the country.

He was a marquis on par with Marquis Jeska. Unlike Marquis Jeska, who was known for his pride in his family’s tradition, Marquis Sutton was famous for his immense wealth.

He had his hands in countless businesses. As a result, he was one of the wealthiest individuals in the country.

—To overthrow the current republic system, they need a legitimate successor to Oracis Shelbyr. And as you know, Oracis Shelbyr was a half-spirit. Yes, a half-Salamander, to be precise. That’s why they want Casey’s and your power. They’re probably… planning to use it as a tool to strengthen the spirit power of the Shelbyr bloodline. To make them continue that legitimacy. And in that process, you’ll get hurt.

Damian and Lilliana looked at each other. It seemed their guess was right.

—Your power going out of control was also because of them. They tried to take you, and you reacted violently, causing your power to surge. I had a hard time hiding you from them after your heart stopped in the process. Anyway, you survived, and I hid you in the capital.

Lilliana’s eyes widened. It was the first time she had heard the details of the incident that had caused her amnesia, and the reason behind it was shocking.

—And the reason I’m falling asleep… is because I used my power to suppress your outburst… And I’m exhausted.

“What?!”

Lilliana gasped, and Pascal’s voice hurriedly continued.

—Ah, don’t feel guilty! There’s no need to feel guilty! Nothing went wrong, I’m just sleeping! You’ve been pushing yourself too hard since you were in the hospital. You should have rested earlier. But I’ve reached my limit. I’m sorry I couldn’t come see you in person and had to send this message instead. This was the best I could do. But I won’t be asleep for long. I plan to wake up as soon as I recover a minimal amount of power. It’ll take about three years.

“Auntie?! Three years is not a short time for humans! It’s plenty long enough!”

Lilliana exclaimed, and Damian felt like he had been hit in the head with a hammer.

‘So that’s why it was a three-year contract!’

—And unfortunately… based on my experience, it’s almost impossible to escape from them. Their information network is quite extensive.

Damian’s expression hardened. If they couldn’t run or hide, what were they supposed to do? Did that mean they had to live their whole lives being hunted?

He hoped Pascal had some kind of plan, but she had already moved on to the next topic.

—I even considered sending you abroad to escape, like Casey. But I wasn’t sure if your body could handle a long journey. So I decided to have you stay in Istarica and endure as much as possible for now… I’m not sure if that was a good decision. Even if we can’t do it right away, it’s good to have a backup plan for the future.

Pascal’s voice grew softer, almost a whisper, as if she lacked confidence.

—Well, I believe you can do well even without me. As you emphasized, you’re an adult, and you can take care of yourself. So it’s okay, Lily. Nothing will happen to you even if I’m not there. You have Damian.

At those words, Lilliana turned to Damian with a worried expression. He was stunned by the supernatural phenomenon, and seeing her look at him like that made him break out in a cold sweat.

—Honestly, it would be a lie to say I’m not worried at all… But what can I do? I won’t be there. You’ll have to manage on your own.

Pascal’s voice was mixed with deep self-reproach and resignation. She seemed angry at herself for not being able to be by Lilliana’s side, even though she wanted to interfere.

—I’m so sorry. I didn’t expect this to happen either. At the time, all I could think about was saving you… I didn’t consider the possibility of me falling asleep. Hahahaha.

Pascal’s laughter was devoid of any joy.

—And trust Casey, Lily. Casey hasn’t done anything wrong. He might seem unreliable, but he’s your brother. The reason he disappeared… is probably because of you, but he won’t cause you any trouble. He cares about you in his own way. If you ever meet him, rely on each other.

Lilliana’s eyes widened at Pascal’s additional words. The light from the amethyst was now flickering faintly.

—That’s all I can tell you. If you want to know more, it would be best to ask Casey when you meet him. I love you, Lilliana. I hope you stay safe and sound while I’m gone.

“Auntie! No, wait! Auntie!”

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