I didn’t even know what I was doing—I just shoved my divine power into him.

“Stop it, stop! Are you trying to kill Yuta like this?! Huh?!”

Just like I did with Athena.

The Divine Beast had said it didn’t want to choose, but it was doing it because its master wished for it.

Then… if I became this little one’s other master, maybe it could stop.

<You don’t understand.>

And my divine power bounced right off.

It felt just like it had with Athena.

My chest tightened.

I still didn’t know how I’d become Athena’s master in the first place.

<You don’t understand…>

The rabbit muttered, burying its face in its paws.

<You don’t know how I feel…>

I was desperate too—shoving divine power into it with everything I had—but it kept getting pushed back.

The hopelessness filled my chest and I began to panic.

Tears streamed down my face as I shouted without thinking,

“Why wouldn’t I understand, you dumb rabbit with those oversized front teeth?! Is your brain smaller than your teeth or what?! Huh?!”

It was almost a reflex.

“I know exactly what that feels like!”

The rabbit flinched and raised its head.

“Doing something you don’t want to do just because you care too much about someone—how would I not know what that feels like?!”

Before the regression, I left the Count’s estate on my own, leaving Julian behind. There was only one reason.

I didn’t want to be a burden to him.

Back then, I was twelve. I didn’t know how to do anything. I just ate up money. I was afraid I’d ruin Julian’s new life.

Of course—I really didn’t want to leave him and go back to the Temple—but…

Back then, I thought that was the choice that would help Julian.

I believed it was natural for me to be heartbroken if it meant helping the brother I loved more than anyone in the world.

“But, you know…”

I sniffled and murmured,

“If we could just talk about it honestly, maybe we’d find a better way. We might regret it later. So maybe… maybe it’s worth being brave and telling the truth just once.”

I still remembered how empty I felt when I heard the news of Julian’s death at the Temple.

Even now, that memory still crushed my chest.

“Of course, I understand how you feel. I’ve felt that way too. I really, truly get it, but even so…”

And then—

The divine power that had been bouncing away started flowing into the rabbit.

My eyes widened.

‘Wait… this feeling—’

I recognized it.

It was the same feeling I had when I poured divine power into Athena to stop her rampage.

‘What is this? What’s happening?’

That time, it happened when I became Athena’s other master.

From deep within my chest, a faint surge of hope bloomed.

Whatever the case—it was working.

“Stop. Please, stop! This pathetic little rice-grain-sized bunny…”

I kept pouring divine power into the rabbit and shouted desperately.

“Stop choosing Yuta! Not now! Please!”

Tears dropped like beads.

“I saw him every day at the Academy, and I never even called him my brother…”

Yuta’s smiling face came to mind—the way he always looked at me with a gentle grin.

“Don’t die, Assistant Yuta…”

I shook my head, sobbing.

“You still have to tell me who my dad is. Not that I’m expecting much…”

To be honest, it wasn’t that I was curious about my father—I just wanted to have a proper conversation with Yuta.

Back then, he had arranged that meeting on a day no one knew was my birthday. He gave me strawberry cake and told me to blow out the candle—and I never understood why.

‘But now I do… I do understand.’

I sniffled, remembering that strawberry cake.

I had worked so hard for Julian and Zahid up to this point.

‘I know… I really understand…’

They didn’t remember me. And I thought—if they never did, then so be it.

But it wasn’t okay.

Sometimes, it was incredibly lonely.

That’s why I also knew how painful it was to carry a secret ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) all alone.

How lonely must Yuta have been, watching me eat that strawberry cake and then run away without a word?

“I really do get it… I understand all of it…”

Every time my tears dropped, the rabbit’s body trembled.

<I knew from the start that Yuta wasn’t a bad person.>

Its clumsy voice reached me.

<That’s why I didn’t choose him until now. I didn’t want him to die.>

“I know… I know all of it.”

<…Thank you.>

At the same time, radiant light filled the prison cell.

Just like with Athena, fragments of the Divine Beast’s memories began to flood in.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

* * *

Mariaz Orgon.

A white-haired old woman—she had been Liri’s long-time master.

While she had tea with Yuta in the garden, Liri quietly nibbled grass on Yuta’s lap.

That was Liri’s happiest memory.

People said Mariaz and Yuta didn’t get along. That Yuta had been assigned to her by force so the Temple could steal her Divine Beast.

But in truth, they were very close.

“You really shouldn’t be so nice to someone like me, Duchess. I came to steal your Divine Beast. You’re too old to be so naïve. You know that?”

“Oh?”

Mariaz had smiled gently.

“Liri seemed to like you at first sight. Maybe she saw someone like herself in you.”

“Excuse me?”

“Liri is the kind of sweet child who will choose what’s best for someone she treasures—even if it breaks her heart.”

Liri suddenly chomped down on the back of Yuta’s hand.

“Ow!”

Yuta flinched, then placed the grass from the table on his lap.

Liri looked proud as she started munching on the fresh grass.

“But unlike her, I don’t use my cute, cuddly looks as an excuse to be violent and demand table service.”

“Hohoho… In any case, if Liri trusts someone, then I don’t see a reason to be wary. You’re certainly a kind, gentle… utterly insane young man.”

“Feels like that last bit didn’t need to be included, but sure…”

“So, Yuta.”

Mariaz looked at him slowly.

“Liri will do what you want, even if it breaks her heart…”

“…”

“Is this really what you want? You’re determined to die for your little sister? Please… think about Liri’s feelings too.”

“I’m sorry, Duchess.”

Yuta smiled weakly and turned his eyes to the distant sky.

“Just like Liri, I want to make that kind of choice. One for someone precious to me.”

Liri spat out her grass. It was too sad to swallow.

The future was set. The choice had been made.

She’d cry enough when the day came. She decided to save her tears until then.

* * *

And when the light slowly faded—

Yuta had already collapsed, and I, too, slumped to the ground, barely conscious.

“Kiddo, are you okay? Huh?”

Julian shoved Zahid aside and rushed over, cradling me in his arms.

“Are you really okay? What happened?! What even is this?!”

“Brother… you can’t just push kids around like that. That’s what bad adults do…”

“Gah—I forgot for a second that I’m seventeen! Sorry, kiddo! Cut me some slack—emotionally we’re both minors!”

“Seventeen-year-olds shouldn’t shove eleven-year-olds… Anyway, what about Assistant Yuta?”

“That’s what you’re worried about? Got it!”

Julian very carefully set me down and ran to Yuta. Then he started shaking his shoulders roughly.

“Cough—hack—guh!”

With a painfully raspy breath, Yuta let out a wheeze, and Julian shouted,

“Don’t worry, kiddo! This bastard’s still breathing just fine!”

Then he slapped Yuta’s cheeks with light smacks and clicked his tongue.

“Whew, thank god. You’re the same age as me, aren’t you? Still way too early to drop dead, man.”

At that, Yuta gasped and muttered in a thin voice,

“…Cough. And where does an emotionally underaged brat think he’s getting off talking like that? Call me big brother and apologize…”

“This bastard’s completely lucid. Don’t worry at all, kiddo!”

They didn’t seem to get along, but honestly, I was just relieved they were both okay.

And then, in my blurry vision, I saw a pair of violet eyes.

Even in the midst of all this chaos—they were focused on only me. Full of worry. Crystal clear.

Only then did I feel a true sense of peace—and let my eyes gently close.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep