Chapter 16: The Way Only She Knows (2).

“Miss!!!”

Parnen shouted.

It was impossible to know which of the two she was calling.

The unconscious Yukomis’ back lifted off the bed, and for the first time, a groan came from her mouth.

“Ahheuk…!”
“What did you do to the young lady!”

Signo blocked Parnen, who almost threw herself to pull out the dagger stuck in Yukomis’ palm, with her small body.

“Blood… there’s blood!”

“Please trust me. It’s necessary!”

Signo desperately blocked Parnen. But the difference in size between the two was too great.

She couldn’t overcome the power of the horrified Parnen and was pushed over, hitting her head on the wall in the process.

“She…she pierced her hand, the young lady’s hand…”

As Parnen said, the dagger neatly pierced from the palm to the back of the hand and was embedded in the surface of the bedside table. The blade of the dagger was sharp enough for even a child’s strength to exert such penetrating power.

“What should I do, what should I do…”

Yukomis’ convulsing hand was firmly fixed to the dagger.

Fearing that the bleeding would worsen, Parnen couldn’t carelessly pull out the dagger and was fidgeting.

“Please… listen to me…”

And Signo grabbed her ankle.

Twitch.

Unable to turn away from another voice that she couldn’t bear to ignore, Parnen turned her gaze to her feet.

“Young lady…?”

The fallen Signo’s attire was a mess.

The robe was haphazardly undone as she fell.

Inside, she was wearing a men’s coat that didn’t fit her at all for some reason,

and even that wasn’t properly buttoned, so the front was all open.

Parnen covered her mouth with her hand when she saw the girl’s skin, revealed under the meager clothes, was all bruised.

The most serious of all the bruises was her ankle.

Her ankle, which was bruised dark bluish, was swollen almost twice its original thickness.

It was hard to understand how she had even been standing in front of her until just now.

“Do you remember when Yukomis… first awakened?”

Signo asked with a difficult voice.

“The first time… she brought magic power into her body… didn’t she suffer terribly…?”

“…Heuk…”

Parnen couldn’t answer because her throat was choked up by the sight of the wound, but the girl didn’t care.

“Because Yukomis is special…”

“Because the amount of magic power she can wield is too great…”

“Surely a terrible pain followed the first awakening, didn’t it…?”

Forcing herself to steady her head, the girl finally slowly stood up.

Parnen recalled the memory of Yukomis falling seriously ill shortly after returning to the main house when she was twelve years old.

As the girl said, it was common for most magicians, including Parnen, to be lightly bedridden for about three days after their first awakening.

It felt similar to catching a cold.

But Yukomis at that time was bedridden for more than a week with a terrible fever. She couldn’t even support her body in bed.

“This is similar to that time… if you just trust me, you can solve this.”

Parnen asked back with a trembling voice.

“How, how should I help? How do I help the young lady…?”
“Shar.”

The girl, who was standing straight, gently wrapped her hands around Parnen’s this time.

And she slowly brought them over and placed them on the handle of the dagger.

“This isn’t a dagger.”
“…Yes?”

“It’s a small staff with a blade.”

When Parnen’s hands touched the dagger handle, she felt a cold and hard sensation there.

When she looked closely, the handle had no surface treatment at all.

There was no painting, no wrapping with leather or wood. There was nothing like that at all.

Not only that, but the dagger was made of solid metal from the pommel to the tip of the blade.

It only had the shape of a dagger, but it was like…

The structure was similar to a magician’s metal staff, which was made to easily channel magic power.

“This is like a defibrillator that only Yukomis can use.”

Defibrillator. What does that mean?

But the girl, who was letting out a weak smile, didn’t bother to explain that word either.

The dagger was wrapped in Parnen’s hands, and on top of that, the girl’s hands were gently placed again.

“…Shar. Look closely at Yukomis’ hand. Can you still see the moment when magic power is being sucked in and released?”
“…Yes.”

“When Yukomis releases magic power, intercept it.”

“Intercept it and bring it all into yourself. Never let it go.”
“How… how much should I do that?”

“There’s no amount. Just bring it all in as much as your mind and body allow. And when I signal… release it all at once into the wound through the dagger handle.”
“Yes?”

Surprised, Parnen looked at the girl.

“Then… then the young lady will receive that shock as it is!”
“That’s what I’m trying to do.”

But the girl seemed very calm, as she had been all along.

“With that shock, we’re forcibly intervening in this closed absorption and release phase. We’re forcibly resetting the signal.”
“If a magician receives such a big shock, they can die!”
“That’s right. And Yukomis isn’t an ordinary magician.”
“But…”

“She’ll be shocked. That’s right. Even Yukomis will be in a lot of pain. So…”

This time, the girl looked into Parnen’s eyes.

“Because it’s a painful thing, we have to do it.”

It was an eye that gave endless trust to the other person.

I can do it. You can do it. Nothing will go wrong.

That longing and heartbreaking, but long unseen, willful look…

A little bit of strength gradually entered Parnen’s grip.

“Do you feel like you can trust me now?”

“…Yes.”

Having made up her mind, she slowly nodded.

Holding the metal dagger that would become a conductor of magic power, she could feel more clearly when Yukomis was releasing and absorbing magic power.

It was like having a volcano erupting under her hand.

“If you’re ready, start right away.”

Parnen followed that instruction to the letter.

As magic power poured out through the dagger, Parnen gathered it to the level of the limit that her body could withstand.

Without even taking the preparation step, Parnen rapidly charged magic power into her body, and her breath was immediately short and her vision was blurred.

It was a familiar sign that her body was under a great magical load.

“More.”

But the girl, who was stroking her hand, said calmly.

“You can do a little more.”
“Heueuk…”

Even the magic power that Yukomis possessed unconsciously was enough to push Parnen to her limit. Even though she was only absorbing a small portion of that magic power, Parnen couldn’t handle it at all.

“More.”
“Ah… no… I can’t anymore…”

Parnen’s hand began to tremble like Yukomis’.

The girl still instructed ‘a little more’ in a subdued voice.

“Not yet. Not yet.”

“Now… now is the limit…”
“Just a little. Just a little more and you’re done.”

“But… I’ve already exceeded my capacity…”
“Shar. Just a little more. Just a little more.”

“Heuk… Eueueuk…”

Just a little more.

Just a little more.

It was like filling a glass bottle with gravel, filling it with sand, and filling it with dust.

It felt like she was realizing that there was a limit beyond her limit every moment.

Just when she thought it was full, every time that girl’s subdued spell was chanted…

Parnen unknowingly carried out that instruction to the letter.

Every time she heard that quiet voice, which had no suspicion that something would go wrong,

Parnen managed to do that ‘just a little more’ one more time.

And… when that ‘just a little more’ was repeated ‘just one more time’,

Just when she thought she would die if she heard those words just one more time…

Finally, the girl took her hand off the back of Parnen’s hand.

“Now. Let it all go.”
“…Yes!”

Although no sound was actually heard, it was like a small explosion had occurred.

As explosive magic power flowed into the dagger handle, Yukomis’ mouth opened wide and her chin shot up into the air.

While feeling a sense of powerlessness that made the world all white, Parnen heard the last words of the girl standing next to her.

“…You’ve worked hard. Thank you. Shar.”

The adults all said that she would get well in just three days at most.

But Yukomis had been groaning in bed for a week already.

The sky was spinning, she couldn’t put any strength in her hands and feet,

and the terrible headache that plagued her head whether she was asleep or awake showed no signs of disappearing easily.

Her awakening had started suddenly.

About two months after returning to the mansion from the capital.

While she was in the middle of an afternoon theory class, a pure white light filled her eyes, and Yukomis fainted on the spot.

‘It’s an awakening symptom. When a magician sees and feels the flow of magic power for the first time, they often lose consciousness due to the shock.’

‘You don’t have to worry. You’ll get up quickly once your body gets used to this feeling.’

Parnen explained kindly.

Rather, it was said to be an auspicious event that one more magician had been added to the family.

However, she also began to worry slowly when Yukomis’ illness was much more severe than she thought,

and there was no sign of her getting out of bed even after four days had passed.

All the magicians and doctors who examined Yukomis didn’t understand why her awakening sequelae were prolonged for so long.

‘It seems that you haven’t gotten used to the feeling of…releasing magic power yet, so your body is forcibly holding magic power for a long time, which puts a strain on your body to some extent.’

And no one noticed that the amount of magic power that the twelve-year-old Yukomis had ‘forcibly held in her body’

was so enormous that most magicians couldn’t even fathom it.

‘My head hurts so much.’

My head hurts so much.

It was a simple word.

But no one understood how much weight it had when she, who had hardly ever complained, uttered those three words.

In fact, it wasn’t ‘my head hurts so much’.

I hear tinnitus and see hallucinations.

Whether I close my eyes or open my eyes, the world is all white.

It feels like the world is spinning. Sometimes I can’t see anything at all.

It feels like my head is being torn apart from the top of my head to my temples every moment…

Six days, seven days, eight days passed.

While the people around her just thought ‘it’ll be okay after a little more time’, she gritted her teeth and endured it.

She had a stubbornness.

A stubbornness to be better than her inferior sister, who only complained about everything in the world.

She had a duty to meet her mother’s expectations and become the perfect heir to the duchy instead of her sister, who only failed in everything.

‘This is natural. Everyone has experienced it.’

Her sister, who can’t become a magician, probably doesn’t even know this feeling.

But if I endure this, I’ll become a better person than her…

But for some reason, as it became a midnight plagued by headaches,

that smiling face swept through the mind of Yukomis, who had covered the blanket almost over her head.

Her dazed smile, first preparing a tea party, being kicked out, and still not getting angry.

‘I might have been a little harsh.’

She quickly shook her head.

‘No. She deserved it.’

I said such harsh words. I fought all the time.

I threw clothes, I threw books, and one day I even threw a paperweight…

‘Still… I thought we should reconcile someday.’

There’s no need for that. She’s still an idiot and a fool.

It’s clear that we’ll fight again soon even if we reconcile.

‘She said she lost her memories.’

Do you believe that? She’s throwing a tantrum. She’s trying to get attention.

She’s just creating an opportunity to act nice because she’s tired of being holed up in the study.

‘She really had a high fever.’

You’re so naive! You’ll be betrayed again!

Two thoughts fought endlessly against each other.

Unnecessary random thoughts kept intruding on her already shattered head, making her more dizzy.

‘I really hate her. She’s the worst. My head hurts more because of her.’

Yukomis turned her head.

Outside the half-drawn curtains, the light of the magic streetlights was faintly felt.

The light was somehow too stinging. It was clearly burning quietly, but her eyes could see the faint flow of magic power inside the magic lamp so terribly well.

Rotating, dancing, bouncing, and rejoining…

She could see it even with her eyes closed.

If she lifted this blanket, which she had covered herself with even for a moment, that light would attack Yukomis’ sensitive optic nerves through her thin eyelids.

‘Someone… turn off the light.’

No voice came out of her parched throat.

She was too lethargy in the thick blanket. She didn’t want to move, and she couldn’t move.

It seemed like almost an eternity existed in the space between this bed and the window.

That bright yellow lamp, countless shadows, thousands of flashes, this small bed…

Still, she couldn’t move and couldn’t escape from the light of the magic lamp that filled her eyes.

‘Someone… please draw the curtains.’

It was unbelievable how long the night felt.

She knew that dawn would finally come, but it was too far to wait.

While that small streetlight almost pulled at Yukomis’ soul, it felt like almost an entire season was blooming and falling.

The time until sunrise was too far, it felt like it wouldn’t come.

But… in the middle of the night. At one point when Yukomis was just getting tired,

She heard the sound of her door creaking open.

Shuffle. Shuffle.

The sound of dragging the heels of her slippers awkwardly.

It was a sound that she had already become familiar with while living in the mansion. Yukomis had always tried to avoid that sound.

“Yukomis… are you asleep?”

She didn’t answer.

“You’re not asleep yet, are you? I heard you tossing and turning.”

“Um… well… Shar told me not to go in, but I couldn’t just leave it alone, so.”

“You know. I heard you’re really sick…”

“I should say that I know roughly what that feels like too… First of all, I’m also an experienced fever sufferer, you know?”

It was a ridiculous joke.

“When you’re really sick, you originally have a lot of random thoughts like this and that, right? You wake up in the middle of the night for no reason and have sad thoughts, and you feel like you’ve been abandoned by your family for no reason. The night feels too long…”

Something clattered as her voice approached.

She didn’t look out of the blanket, but it seemed like she was holding a lot of something.

“So, it’s a bit hard to explain, but I hope it helps…”

Thud. Thulak. Tueok.

This time, she heard the sound of something being placed on the table next to the bed.

“I heard you’re not eating properly. So… I brought some cookies and tea.”

As she said, a faint sweet smell and the fragrant aroma of tea leaves penetrated under the blanket.

‘She’s still foolish.’

But Yukomis ridiculed her sister. I can’t even eat properly, so you’re telling me to eat snacks instead?

“Wait a minute. Is this tea with caffeine? It doesn’t seem to keep me from sleeping at all, but oh well. It’ll be okay.”

Caffeine? What is that? Is she stupid?

“It’s hard to get up, right? That’s why I prepared a special courage. If you don’t have an appetite right now, eat a little bit later.”

“Honestly, but I made this really delicious? I baked and brewed both the cookies and the tea? You might clap in bed.”

·A person who is the eldest daughter of the Duke’s family is baking cookies or something? How Missing is her mind?

“Especially the tea… I have a little secret, you know? I hope you like it too.”

Even though it was the middle of the night, her sister was in a very cheerful mood.

She was saying that she would go for a walk later when the weather got better, that you could teach me how to study,

It seemed like she had completely forgotten how long it had been since she had been severely chine at the tea party.

“I’ve been talking too much by myself. I’m sorry.”

After I was chattering for a while, she finally became quiet when Yukomis covered herself with the blanket and didn’t say anything until the end.

“Then… I’ll go now. Take good care of yourself.”

I’m going to do that anyway.

Shuffle. Shuffle.

That sound of footsteps, which was moving away towards the entrance, stopped at some point and then turned back towards Yukomis.

Swipe swipe swipe swish.

“I heard you won’t grow tall if you look at the lights at night.”

Those footsteps passed the bed,

Chwareureureureuk. Soon after, the sound of the curtains closing was heard.

“I’m really going now. Goodbye.”

Click. She heard the sound of the door opening and closing gently.

When she was sure that no one was there, Yukomis slowly lowered the blanket and looked next to the bed.

‘…She closed the curtains and left.’

Her eyes, which had undergone dark adaptation, found a few nut cookies and a leather water bottle under the curtain.

‘Water bottle?’

That water bottle was warm.

“What is this…”

When she opened the lid, wondering if that was possible, there was plenty of the ‘tea’ that Thermis was talking about.

Only then could she understand the words ‘I prepared a special courage’.

She thought it was willing
To drink her tea laid down on the bed …
“Who… who the hell puts tea in a water bottle and drinks it?”

She was at a loss for words.

It was an brazen idea that could never come out unless all the steps of tea ceremony were completely ignored.

“This… ruins the taste and the fragrance. What are you boasting about? There’s no way this could be delicious…”

Even as she said that, Yukomis’ lips were heading towards the mouth of the pouch as if possessed.

“…Ah.”

It’s delicious.

Unbelievably, it was delicious.

It didn’t smell of leather, the floral scent didn’t die, and the subtle sweetness filled Yukomis’ parched lips.

How could this be delicious?

The answer could be found quickly.

There were very faint traces of some kind of magic left in the liquid.

That must have been bringing out the flavor of the liquid.

And it wasn’t difficult at all to guess who this insignificant and trivial magic came from.

“You were using that useless magic power… on this… sister?”

Yukomis smiled for the first time that day.

gulp. gulp.

As she regained a little energy, her hand naturally went to the cookies.

It seemed like she had just realized that she had been too hungry until now.

Nut cookies that Yukomis hated.

That cookie basket was brazenly filled with only her tastes. But…

‘No way… this is delicious too.’

It was so delicious that she couldn’t even think of cynical thoughts.

It’s sweet.

The dry cookie quickly made her thirsty, so Yukomis gulped down the tea water from the pouch.

It’s bitter.

Sweet and bitter, dry and moist.

That contrast is so good. I feel like I can keep eating…

Yukomis had already forgotten her headache.

She forgot all her etiquette for a moment and lay on the bed, nibbling on cookies.

Crumbs were falling little by little on the bed, but she didn’t care about that at all that day.

When she finished eating all five of the five cookies,

She was able to fall into a deep sleep for the first time with a smile on her face.

In the infirmary, Signo, who was standing alone and blankly,
was checking her two bodies.

Even she was about to fall down and faint, but she had to finish what she had to do.

Parnen, who was asleep lying next to the bed where Yukomis was lying down, seemed to be exhausted, but there was nothing wrong with her body.

Signo, who confirmed that she was safe, also checked Yukomis’ forehead this time.

“…Sister.”

Then, those words came out of the unconscious Yukomis’ mouth.

“…Sister?”

When there was no answer, Yukomis repeated the words once more.

It was as if she was mumbling in her sleep.

“Yeah. I’m here.”

Signo, who confirmed that her body temperature was normal, gently stroked Yukomis’ cheek.

Her complexion was much better than before, the convulsions had stopped, and her breathing was stable…

She finally looked okay. Everything was back to normal.

“Sister… say goodbye, please.”

“Say goodbye, just one more time…”

When Signo hesitated, she continued to whine.

“…Sister?”
“Yeah. Goodbye, Yukomis.”

As if those words reached her beyond her dream, Yukomis slightly raised the corners of her lips.

And she didn’t say anything more.

What kind of dream is she having? Well, anything is fine as long as it’s not a nightmare.

After confirming that she was safe, Signo slowly moved away from the bed.

The first thing that caught her eye after saving her younger sister’s life was her right hand, which was still bleeding.

It was a penetrating injury, but there was no problem. When Yukomis regained consciousness, she would be able to use healing magic herself.

Before she wakes up, she should first give her first aid so that no scars remain…

She had Aisha waiting outside for that.

She had also repeatedly told Karat to prevent anyone from entering before she allowed them, even if she heard any sounds.

Everyone did a good job. There was almost no chance that things would go wrong now.

So… so I just need to strength a little more.

Signo walked out of the room with staggering steps.

Slowly, the door opened and closed again.

While only two people who had fallen asleep for a while were left in the infirmary,

Therefore, no one could hear the last words that came out of Yukomis’ mouth.

“…I… I’m glad to meet you for the first time too. My beloved sister…”