Chapter 10

After Freya died, Nicole missed her very much.

After a very long time, she envied even a ray of sunlight shared by Freya and Isabel.

“Don’t say that. I should stay. Mother’s health is not well.”

Nicole sat next to Freya.

“You always worry about our family. So do I. I always rely on you because you’re the eldest daughter.”

“……Mother.”

“Jay is young, but he is a boy, so he will get through the world well, and Isabel is immature but lucky. But you always keep your heart where your mouth is. That’s why I’m always worried. It may seem brazen of me to worry about this, but…….”

Nicole almost burst into tears.

‘You’re right, Mother’s right. I can’t resist my destiny. After all, even Jay, no. No one in this family can protect me. Eventually, Isabel takes my everything.’

At this time, Father had a hard time taking Freya to the doctor.

And the doctor said Freya’s days were numbered.

Since I went back in time, I guess I turned back time. It’s a miracle. But…… but there’s nothing I can do about a sick person.’

Their family had the gift of healing.

But they could only cure an injured person.

A disease that spread throughout the body is incurable.

‘Even healers can’t cure natural diseases. I… do I have to experience my mother’s death twice?’

But this life will be different. We’ll be together until Freya closes her eyes.

“I’ve never blamed Mother. Sometimes I complained that I wanted to go down to the village. But I didn’t mean it. This little world we live in, what a peaceful place our home is. I know how difficult it was for Mother to teach us, dress us well, and feed us while living in hiding.”

“Nicole?”

Freya opened her eyes wide.

It was the first time Nicole had spoken so truthfully to Freya.

“You’ve never been down to town. How do you know about the world…….”

“I secretly read a book that Father had hidden.”

Nicole said humbly. Her parents collected quite a few books they needed despite their difficult lives, but hid things that were too secular, to protect their children.

Most of them were books about learning or fairy tales.

But Nicole knew that. In fact, she was talking about what she read in her last life.

“…….I see.”

“And Father sometimes goes down to the village and buys things. He tried to take us with him once or twice. Mother was absolutely against it.”

Nicole said quietly.

“There must be a reason why you want to hide us so much. Maybe we could… Are you being chased by someone? For example, a very high-ranking person or the royal family?”

Freya breathed in. She looked at Nicole with a sorrowful expression.

“Everyone in the family says Isabel is smart. But I know you’re as smart as Isabel. You’ve noticed it.”

“What did you tell Isabel?”

Nicole’s voice changed.

“No, nothing yet. But now that you’ve noticed it so far, I can’t hide it from you anymore.”

Freya, in a very small, weak voice, told the truth that Nicole already knew.

Including the fact that the Yveschapel family is a rebel family, and Freya fled.

“Treason is a system of association. If you’re taken, maybe…… You’ll be killed or enslaved.”

“I read about the history of the empire in a book. There is no slave status in the empire, but traitors and their descendants are the exception.”

Freya sighed softly and said to Nicole.

“Right, listen to me from now on, Nicole. The biggest reason we live in hiding like this is for you.”

“Me?”

Freya opened up about the marriage treaty with the Grand Duke of Valentine.

“I don’t understand, Mother. How can the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke and a traitor be married?”

“Just thinking about it makes me shudder. That’s because the Valentine family and the Imperial family covet the healing power of our family.”

“I mean… Are you saying that they want to breed us like livestock?”

“I’m surprised you understand that far. The Valentine family is planning to have children with the Yveschapel family to bear children with healing abilities.”

Freya coughed. When Nicole leaned down to help her, she shook her head to show that she was okay.

“I want to tell you everything about my family when I’m even a little healthy. Nicole, listen.”

“……Yes.”

“The Yveschapel family is famous as a family of healers. They can heal an injured person and also show healing power that has pain-relieving effects……. However, it is just a kind of ability that is manifested among the people of our family.”

Healing power was the flower of the Yveschapel family’s ability. But there were other unknown abilities.

‘I have the ability to sacrifice myself to give life to others only once in my lifetime.….’

“Raising poisonous insects and herbs for medicinal purposes is also a special ability of our family.”

“Nicole, you don’t have healing power, but you have the ability to grow herbs better than others. However, detailed abilities are unknown because the Yveschapel family has long concealed their abilities. In the end, the Imperial family…….”

“In the end, you mean that the imperial family only wants the healing power of our family.”

“Yes, so when they find our family……. They’ll ‘take’ the eldest daughter. If they kill you, Isabel, who has healing powers, becomes the eldest daughter”

“……the moment I get caught, I’ll be killed.”

Nicole now knows what will happen in the future.

The Grand Duke of Valentine, Raul, does not kill Nicole. From his point of view, he made Nicole his wife despite the fact that she is useless.

‘Why did he choose me instead of Isabel, who had healing abilities?’

Nicole had no idea what Raul was up to.

‘I want to know you.’

Nicole suddenly bit her lip. But that’s a wrong feeling.

Nicole should never be Raul’s wife in this life. She couldn’t repeat that kind of relationship.

“Nicole, are you okay? Were you surprised?”

“I was a little surprised because it was different from what I initially thought, but…… It’s all right. Anyway…… Mother, Isabel’s better off not knowing this whole thing.”

“I think Isabel should know someday. It’s a little early now.”

Nicole bit her lips.

⟨It’s all because of you.⟩

Isabel in her previous life had been blaming Nicole for a very long time.

‘What if instead of me, Isabel had heard the family secret from Freya today?’

⟨For us to survive. Most of all, we have to live in hiding to protect Nicole.⟩

Freya would have said something like this, but Isabel would have twisted it.

⟨Because of Nicole, we live in hiding. Nicole is the reason we can’t afford to live freely.⟩

‘Yes, I’m sure Isabel will take it that way.’

It was not until she died in her first life that Nicole knew Isabel’s true self.

Since she knew her, she could predict her way of thinking. So Nicole could see through Isabel’s mind by thinking calmly.

“What if Isabel gets caught up in a false dream after hearing about the marriage agreement with the Grand Duke? I’m a little older now so I understand Mother’s story. If we are sent to the Grand Duke, we will be raised less than pigs, and it will be our grave at the same time. But she’s still young and has no sense.”

“No way. Isabel is such a kind girl.”

“The nicer a person is, the more innocent she is. I’m afraid she’ll get hurt. Knowing the whole truth, she might be curious and do something crazy.”

Freya was convinced by that.

“I understand. Nicole, I’ll do as you say. Anyway, I feel at ease after telling you the truth. Even if I go first, you can tell the truth to your siblings. I’ll leave those things up to you now.”

“Just think about being healthy as soon as possible. I’ll do my best to take care of Mother.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard. I’m fine, so take care of yourself.”

“I don’t overdo it. And… it’s not difficult at all.”

Nicole spoke truthfully. Nicole was terrible at everything in her last life.

‘At this time, I was so scared of Mother passing away. I couldn’t express my feelings honestly to Mother, so I had a lot of regrets.’

Nicole has always been sincere and quiet, but that’s all. She didn’t know how to express her feelings and couldn’t communicate with others skillfully. So she always caused misunderstandings.

She was completely the opposite of Isabel, who communicated well with others.

‘Maybe someone gave me another chance.’

One more chance to say goodbye to her Mother and let her go.

“Nicole, if I die, please take care of your younger siblings. Don’t have a bad heart and just think about protecting yourself and your brothers.”

“Mother…”

Tears welled up in Nicole’s eyes.

“My daughter. Don’t cry. Since you were young, I always put pressure on you because I lacked as your mother.”

“No, you’re not.”

Nicole wiped away her tears.

“Mother, I didn’t have a chance to meet other people. My family always knew how I felt, no matter what I did. So I always wanted to settle down in this world and thought it was happiness……. But now I know it’s not.”

Nicole now knows that there is a world outside the mountains.

It was a dangerous, chaotic world outside. But now there is no turning back.

Some of Isabel’s words were true.

⟨Isn’t it weird that we’re hiding like a rat forever with our family!⟩

“And… even if it’s your family, sometimes you have to tell them your true feelings.”

“Nicole…”

Something about Nicole has changed.

Is it possible to grow like this overnight? Freya didn’t know what to say.

“No matter what bloodline I was born into or what life we were given, I’ve never blamed Mother. I was really happy to be your daughter, and it’s the same now. I know you did your best to care for us. Mother is a great person.”

Freya’s eyes also shed tears. Regardless of who said it first, the two hugged each other.

“I have no regrets in my life now. Because I knew you were such a kind and strong child.”

“Don’t worry.

“I’ll protect my family. By all means.”

Nicole said to herself as if she was vowing.

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