Kael was fully aware of the illness afflicting Viona's body. It could be said that the two of them had kept this secret, agreeing to reveal everything at the right time.
Today, they would lay everything bare. The reflections of the two people with him stood still—except for Miyu, who was frozen in shock at Vale's arrival. Kael urged her to stay calm while he steadied his thoughts, ensuring that his emotions would not take control of him.
At that moment, his hand slipped from the collar of his shirt. Vale's expression, initially governed by his emotions, gradually began to calm. Suddenly, he broke into a smile, shaking off his anger.
"Just kidding!" Vale muttered, smiling as he felt his emotions dissipate, replaced by a lighter mood.
In his mind, he wondered about this room, filled with towering bookshelves, lined sofas, and single chairs. The space had an air of an old laboratory, with bookshelves reaching for the ceiling and neatly arranged sofas, resembling a library that harbored secrets.
The soft candlelight cast dancing shadows on the walls, giving the room the feel of an ancient church that had been abandoned for centuries.
The long sofa in front of them was already occupied by the four of them, forcing Vale to look for another seat. His gaze landed on an empty sofa beside the bookshelf, and he decided to sit there.
After settling down, he crossed his arms and rested his chin on his hand as if deep in thought about a question he desperately wanted answered.
Kael, who had been watching intently, narrowed his eyes at Vale, who appeared serious. He actually knew what was on Vale's mind: the illness that plagued his sister.
On the other hand, Kael felt a sense of relief at Vale's concern for his sister's strange ailment. He knew everything, including the moment Viona first informed him seven years ago...
It was seven years ago when Viona first fell ill with this strange disease.
The illness made her body feel peculiar, and her mouth sometimes bled. Kael wanted to help find someone who could heal her, but Viona refused, not wanting to burden others.
She also urged him to keep her strange illness a secret from their family, fearing it would cause them worry. It was a plea for Kael to stop following her and assisting her.
Since that day, they had rarely met, keeping everything under wraps.
This reason left Kael stunned by her nature; Viona didn't want to trouble anyone, including him and especially their family. Since that day, their parents had not been informed by Viona, nor had Vale.
…
Today, Kael would finally reveal all the secrets behind Viona's strange illness. From that moment, Viona felt something was wrong within her. Their close bond allowed her to share with Kael that something strange had been residing in her body, particularly in her abdomen.
Viona confessed to him that every few hours, she felt a pain as if her internal organs were being pulled by something. At the same time, she would vomit blood, and she had no idea what was causing her condition.
When she told him, Kael felt as if some kind of magic was afflicting her, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was making her this way.
He asked Viona if she had seen anyone strange following her. She simply nodded, but there was one thing she remembered: something had entered her mouth.
Upon hearing this, Kael was taken aback; indeed, this world felt strange, full of events beyond human understanding.
…
Vale understood, after being struck by the notion of something bizarre having entered Viona's body, as she had described.
Curious, he eventually asked what had invaded Viona's body. But Kael shook his head, admitting he didn't know the specifics of what had possessed her.
In the end, he couldn't find the information that piqued his curiosity. Vale felt that something was amiss with whoever had been following his sister, and that this possession was the cause of Viona's strange illness.
The information Kael provided was sufficient for him. Vale began searching for clues one by one to rid Viona of whatever was afflicting her.
Resolved, he stood up and thanked Kael for sharing this with him. Kael could only nod with a faint smile in response.
He walked out of the room, but as he opened the door, he saw a figure of blue light swirling before him. Vale was startled and stumbled backward.
He glanced back, pointing with his index finger at the blue ring. Kael, witnessing this, quickly explained where they were.
He moved closer to Vale and elaborated on the nature of the room. It was a place from another realm, controlled by the imagination of its powerful owner.
Kael pointed to a man with long black hair, neatly dressed in a white shirt and brown jacket, who appeared to be holding a strange staff.
Vale could only remain stunned as he listened. Once again, he observed something like water swirling in the center. At that moment, he urged the man named Leonis Arsal (the one controlling everything) to eliminate what was before him.
Shaking his head, Leonis said he couldn't make it disappear suddenly. But suddenly, he snapped his fingers, and Vale found himself standing in front of a gambling den.
Stunned.
After witnessing what had just occurred, Vale walked away from the place and headed home to his apartment. The gray clouds made it hard for him to tell the time.
Bells chimed, and his eyes were drawn to the sky, which was growing darker by the minute. His pace quickened as the drizzle soaked his clothes.
A few steps later, he arrived at his apartment, hastily removing his head covering. His shoes were wet, while one side of his shirt remained slightly dry, shielded from the drizzle.
He sighed; the weather felt quite chilly today. With his breath visible in the cold air, he entered his apartment and walked down the hallway.
A few more steps, and he was almost at his room. From a distance, he noticed something odd—the door to his room was ajar. His steps quickened, and he was abruptly shocked to find Viona lying motionless beneath the bed.
No way!!
Seeing this, he shook her body and quickly checked her pulse, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Her pulse had stopped, and Viona had ceased breathing hours ago. Vale was unaware that she had passed two hours earlier, and now he stood in shock, unable to comprehend the sudden death of his sister.
His heart ached at the memory of Vale; tears began to fall slowly, wetting Viona's face, which was now in eternal slumber, never to awaken again.