Alex remained depressed after that day. He refused invitations to go out and play for a change of pace, and he often stared blankly into space while eating.
My self-esteem had already hit rock bottom, and I felt alienated and helpless.
I guess that's the only way.
Out of twelve brothers, he's the only one who's incompetent.
'Did I... did I think wrong?'
Maybe that's why confusion arose.
When I first saw nine-year-old Alex after returning, I wanted to keep him hidden. I thought that was right.
For Alex, the manifestation of this ability was rather painful.
So, for Alex to be happy in the second round that has just started...
I thought it should be hidden, of course.
So that even Alex himself would never know his secret.
But what about Alex now?
Do you look happy?
Rather, aren't you in a state of despair and unable to get out of it?
“Are you alright, miss?”
Inside the moving carriage, Kali asked me, looking worried, as I stared out the window.
“No, it’s not okay...”
“Ugh.”
Ryan, who was across from me, let out a deep sigh.
The three of us are now on our way to Koenig. We're going to buy Alex a gift to cheer him up.
"But is there really such a thing as an incompetent person? Perhaps it's because the Wassenberg family has kept it so secret so thoroughly, but ordinary people like me find it hard to believe."
“Oh, there it is.”
Ryan answered Kali's question plainly.
Ryan also knows that "there are no incompetents." However, he likely assumes that Alex hasn't inherited this ability.
But the truth is...
Alexander Wassenberg.
He is the 'first' manifestation of the <Immortal Blood>, a power that can only be activated after death, and cannot be awakened normally like others.
"Why am I the only one who's incompetent? I feel so useless. I don't need a special blessing like Father. I want anything, too, Sister. Anything..."
I kept hearing that over the next few days as I tried to calm Alex down.
I was so heartbroken that I felt compelled to tell the truth.
'But... if I tell him the truth, that you're also a person with special abilities? What would change?'
Immortal blood.
A supernatural ability that can only be awakened after death.
Even if Alex knew, it wasn't a power he could 'use'.
Besides, unless he commits suicide, there's no way to prove that he's a person with superpowers, even if I tell him the truth.
Rather, Alex might think it's a lie to appease him.
'This is driving me crazy, really.'
A frustrating situation where you can't do anything.
“Ha, there is no other answer than the Academy.”
Ryan sighed.
"Because bears don't come out there, it's safer than home, and there are plenty of friends his age. It's hard to find kids as outstanding as Alex, so it's good for boosting your self-esteem."
Ryan looked at me as he said that.
"Yeah, your choice was the best. I didn't tell you to hold the pen for nothing..."
“Can you afford the tuition?”
Kali poured cold water on him. Ryan sighed again, his face sinking.
“I can get you admitted right away. Ha, but... I have to dig up more rocks quickly...”
The magic stones that had been dug up in abundance were all used as research materials for Revan.
We need to mine more quickly, but the miners who were scheduled to return to work in March haven't come yet.
Because...
“Crazy bear cubs!!!”
...Yes. As the days get longer, the beasts that have awakened from their winter sleep are in full swing.
Ryan and our mercenaries go up to the mountains every day to hunt bears and wild boars.
There was no end in sight to creating a safe working environment for miners.
“Monsters come out every six months, man-eating bears come down from the mountains... What kind of beggarly territory is this?!”
He used to say that Belzer was a good place to live, that there was no other land as good as this one...
After suffering from the bear for several days, the lord was getting increasingly irritated. I just kept sighing.
That moment.
Merchen looked out the kitchen window at Alex, standing alone in the backyard.
'What should I do with that poor child?'
Alex has been depressed lately.
It seems that the fact that he was the only incompetent person was quite hurtful to his young mind.
Despite the efforts of his family to comfort him, Alex's depression showed no signs of improving.
“Alex.”
"Brother..."
Merchen came out to comfort Alex. Kind Alex smiled faintly, thinking he was worried about him when he stroked his head.
“Shall we go for a walk?”
"... Yes."
The two walked along the path behind the mansion.
An isolated land devoid of outsiders. As always, it was quiet and peaceful. Contrary to Alex's restless mind.
“Are you feeling unwell these days?”
"Well, I just... I wonder why I was born without this ability. It's sad, too. Everyone in my family does something for each other, but I don't do anything. I feel bad about that..."
"Why do you insist on doing something? You're the cutest youngest in the family. You've done everything you needed to do, just stay still."
"Hey, how could you say that? I can't just eat. I'm not going to the academy either."
"No, why?! Didn't you say you were looking forward to studying with your friends?"
When Merchen was surprised, Alex became sullen and said.
"Tuition is incredibly expensive. My family works to pay for my tuition, so it would be shameful for me to just study comfortably."
"Alex, don't think about that. Ryan is your father on paper, so he has a duty to support you. It's his duty to earn money and educate you. You don't have to worry about what others think."
"But..."
"And you're a twelve-year-old child, so what if you don't do anything? Of course, I was busy learning the government at your age, but that was because I was a Prince."
Here we go again. That damn Prince's voice.
Alex nodded roughly.
Merchen was a good person, but sometimes his mind would wander.
Vania asked for understanding.
“Also, don’t think that you’re doing nothing alone. Then what would become of me?”
Merchen shrugged.
"I'm the one who's just eating. These days, Ryan doesn't even ask me to clean or do the dishes, so... I really don't have anything to do."
“Brother...”
Alex stared blankly at Merchen.
He was curious.
He knew that Clara, who claimed to be his biological mother, wasn't a real person. If that's true, then Merchen isn't Clara's younger sister either.
Ryan's words, Vania said she picked up Merchen...
“I think I know.”
“What?”
Alex stared at Merchen's tilted face.
“...Because you’re handsome.”
"Suddenly?"
Alex said, looking forward again and starting to walk.
“Yes. I think you’ve done everything you could have done, since you’re handsome. I guess they like good-looking people...”
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“Anyway, my father said I had no talent, but if I tried, I might be able to pick up the sword again...”
Alex's words stopped.
Walking too.
"Again..."
A face that suddenly became thoughtful.
“Why are you doing that?”
Alex's gaze was fixed straight ahead. Merchen followed his frozen head, his eyes following.
"Ah..."
A wild beast was seen just coming down from the mountain.
It's a bear, the size of a house, with gleaming eyes.
'Oh my god.'
Merchen became dizzy.
The territory felt safer than any other place because there were no people.
Je heard there are some wild beasts in the mountains, but they have never come down.
All Merchen has seen so far are the corpses of wild beasts that Ryan has captured.
This is the first time he's seen a live bear.
It was complacent.
Why did I do that?
I absolutely should not have left the house...
“Alex.”
The bear's eyes flashed. They were found.
Merchen thought quickly.
There is no way to escape the hungry beast.
If you run away carelessly, Alec will die.
“If the bear starts chasing you, you run home.”
The silver lining is that they're quite far from home, and if you keep going down this road, the forest will be thick.
“And... there’s a monster in the forest...”
Can the monster inside be controlled?
No, he had to make it happen even if it didn't work out.
Because they can't kill everyone.
“There’s a monster... Be sure to tell Vania.”
“Hey, bro!”
Merhen immediately left Alex behind and ran into the forest. The hungry bear fiercely pursued its leaping prey.
My self-esteem had already hit rock bottom, and I felt alienated and helpless.
I guess that's the only way.
Out of twelve brothers, he's the only one who's incompetent.
'Did I... did I think wrong?'
Maybe that's why confusion arose.
When I first saw nine-year-old Alex after returning, I wanted to keep him hidden. I thought that was right.
For Alex, the manifestation of this ability was rather painful.
So, for Alex to be happy in the second round that has just started...
I thought it should be hidden, of course.
So that even Alex himself would never know his secret.
But what about Alex now?
Do you look happy?
Rather, aren't you in a state of despair and unable to get out of it?
“Are you alright, miss?”
Inside the moving carriage, Kali asked me, looking worried, as I stared out the window.
“No, it’s not okay...”
“Ugh.”
Ryan, who was across from me, let out a deep sigh.
The three of us are now on our way to Koenig. We're going to buy Alex a gift to cheer him up.
"But is there really such a thing as an incompetent person? Perhaps it's because the Wassenberg family has kept it so secret so thoroughly, but ordinary people like me find it hard to believe."
“Oh, there it is.”
Ryan answered Kali's question plainly.
Ryan also knows that "there are no incompetents." However, he likely assumes that Alex hasn't inherited this ability.
But the truth is...
Alexander Wassenberg.
He is the 'first' manifestation of the <Immortal Blood>, a power that can only be activated after death, and cannot be awakened normally like others.
"Why am I the only one who's incompetent? I feel so useless. I don't need a special blessing like Father. I want anything, too, Sister. Anything..."
I kept hearing that over the next few days as I tried to calm Alex down.
I was so heartbroken that I felt compelled to tell the truth.
'But... if I tell him the truth, that you're also a person with special abilities? What would change?'
Immortal blood.
A supernatural ability that can only be awakened after death.
Even if Alex knew, it wasn't a power he could 'use'.
Besides, unless he commits suicide, there's no way to prove that he's a person with superpowers, even if I tell him the truth.
Rather, Alex might think it's a lie to appease him.
'This is driving me crazy, really.'
A frustrating situation where you can't do anything.
“Ha, there is no other answer than the Academy.”
Ryan sighed.
"Because bears don't come out there, it's safer than home, and there are plenty of friends his age. It's hard to find kids as outstanding as Alex, so it's good for boosting your self-esteem."
Ryan looked at me as he said that.
"Yeah, your choice was the best. I didn't tell you to hold the pen for nothing..."
“Can you afford the tuition?”
Kali poured cold water on him. Ryan sighed again, his face sinking.
“I can get you admitted right away. Ha, but... I have to dig up more rocks quickly...”
The magic stones that had been dug up in abundance were all used as research materials for Revan.
We need to mine more quickly, but the miners who were scheduled to return to work in March haven't come yet.
Because...
“Crazy bear cubs!!!”
...Yes. As the days get longer, the beasts that have awakened from their winter sleep are in full swing.
Ryan and our mercenaries go up to the mountains every day to hunt bears and wild boars.
There was no end in sight to creating a safe working environment for miners.
“Monsters come out every six months, man-eating bears come down from the mountains... What kind of beggarly territory is this?!”
He used to say that Belzer was a good place to live, that there was no other land as good as this one...
After suffering from the bear for several days, the lord was getting increasingly irritated. I just kept sighing.
***
That moment.
Merchen looked out the kitchen window at Alex, standing alone in the backyard.
'What should I do with that poor child?'
Alex has been depressed lately.
It seems that the fact that he was the only incompetent person was quite hurtful to his young mind.
Despite the efforts of his family to comfort him, Alex's depression showed no signs of improving.
“Alex.”
"Brother..."
Merchen came out to comfort Alex. Kind Alex smiled faintly, thinking he was worried about him when he stroked his head.
“Shall we go for a walk?”
"... Yes."
The two walked along the path behind the mansion.
An isolated land devoid of outsiders. As always, it was quiet and peaceful. Contrary to Alex's restless mind.
“Are you feeling unwell these days?”
"Well, I just... I wonder why I was born without this ability. It's sad, too. Everyone in my family does something for each other, but I don't do anything. I feel bad about that..."
"Why do you insist on doing something? You're the cutest youngest in the family. You've done everything you needed to do, just stay still."
"Hey, how could you say that? I can't just eat. I'm not going to the academy either."
"No, why?! Didn't you say you were looking forward to studying with your friends?"
When Merchen was surprised, Alex became sullen and said.
"Tuition is incredibly expensive. My family works to pay for my tuition, so it would be shameful for me to just study comfortably."
"Alex, don't think about that. Ryan is your father on paper, so he has a duty to support you. It's his duty to earn money and educate you. You don't have to worry about what others think."
"But..."
"And you're a twelve-year-old child, so what if you don't do anything? Of course, I was busy learning the government at your age, but that was because I was a Prince."
Here we go again. That damn Prince's voice.
Alex nodded roughly.
Merchen was a good person, but sometimes his mind would wander.
Vania asked for understanding.
“Also, don’t think that you’re doing nothing alone. Then what would become of me?”
Merchen shrugged.
"I'm the one who's just eating. These days, Ryan doesn't even ask me to clean or do the dishes, so... I really don't have anything to do."
“Brother...”
Alex stared blankly at Merchen.
He was curious.
He knew that Clara, who claimed to be his biological mother, wasn't a real person. If that's true, then Merchen isn't Clara's younger sister either.
Ryan's words, Vania said she picked up Merchen...
“I think I know.”
“What?”
Alex stared at Merchen's tilted face.
“...Because you’re handsome.”
"Suddenly?"
Alex said, looking forward again and starting to walk.
“Yes. I think you’ve done everything you could have done, since you’re handsome. I guess they like good-looking people...”
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
“Anyway, my father said I had no talent, but if I tried, I might be able to pick up the sword again...”
Alex's words stopped.
Walking too.
"Again..."
A face that suddenly became thoughtful.
“Why are you doing that?”
Alex's gaze was fixed straight ahead. Merchen followed his frozen head, his eyes following.
"Ah..."
A wild beast was seen just coming down from the mountain.
It's a bear, the size of a house, with gleaming eyes.
'Oh my god.'
Merchen became dizzy.
The territory felt safer than any other place because there were no people.
Je heard there are some wild beasts in the mountains, but they have never come down.
All Merchen has seen so far are the corpses of wild beasts that Ryan has captured.
This is the first time he's seen a live bear.
It was complacent.
Why did I do that?
I absolutely should not have left the house...
“Alex.”
The bear's eyes flashed. They were found.
Merchen thought quickly.
There is no way to escape the hungry beast.
If you run away carelessly, Alec will die.
“If the bear starts chasing you, you run home.”
The silver lining is that they're quite far from home, and if you keep going down this road, the forest will be thick.
“And... there’s a monster in the forest...”
Can the monster inside be controlled?
No, he had to make it happen even if it didn't work out.
Because they can't kill everyone.
“There’s a monster... Be sure to tell Vania.”
“Hey, bro!”
Merhen immediately left Alex behind and ran into the forest. The hungry bear fiercely pursued its leaping prey.
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