Chapter 95

‘I won’t give it to anyone. I can’t give it to anyone.’

The whale’s greed and obsession had already taken hold.

The obsession directed towards the existence within my fence. They had already stepped inside the line through this journey.

No, it was just that I had been trying not to acknowledge it because I wanted to return to Seoul.

The gate of the fence had been open since the time when they treated me without prejudice.

I got up from my seat after watching the maids giggle.

‘Father’s conversation with the knight will take a bit longer, I think.’

I wasn’t feeling down, but I wanted to be in a quieter place.

There happened to be a rock a little distance away, so I sat there.

From the way Father glanced at me and then turned away, it seemed that as long as I was within his sight, it was fine.

‘Ah, the weather is nice.’

What should I do when I return?

‘That’s not something a three-year-old should worry about.’

I know it’s not.

Father said I could rest for a while, but it was a necessary question for me.

Having lived for over 60 years, I know myself well.

I need a goal.

And it was necessary to forget the pain that hasn’t yet healed.

I looked up at the sky and spoke.

“How long are you going to stare like that?”

When I slowly turned my gaze, there stood Belus, who had approached at some point.

Actually, I had sensed his presence but didn’t bother to turn around.

“Stop staring in the carriage. You’re going to burn a hole in my face.”

“I’ve never stared.”

“Yeah, sure, and stop it.”

“...”

I was still a bit sensitive, so a hint of irritation crept into my voice.

I’m sorry, but I wasn’t in the mood to be considerate of my eldest brother.

“Or, what. Are you trying to start a fight and settle things?”

“You can’t beat me now.”

“What do you know? Have you even tried?”

I smiled crookedly.

“And, brother, if I need to, I won’t hesitate to use any means. What’s important in winning? I’ll even pull in my allies if necessary. Can you beat Father?”

I pointed to Father with a nod.

“If you can say that, why were you so down yesterday afternoon?”

“What, were you feeling down?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe. Did you suddenly start caring? Were you worried?”

“Yeah.”

I had asked with the intention of mocking, not expecting a real answer.

But a straightforward answer came out, and I was taken aback.

I stopped swinging my legs on the rock and straightened my posture.

“What do you gain by lying?”

“I’m not lying.”

Belus said with a cool, almost cold expression.

“What do I gain by lying, as you say?”

“...”

His words were true, so I suppressed my sneer and anger and stared at him intently.

Thinking about it, he had been acting strangely throughout this journey.

“Let’s make one thing clear. Are you an enemy or an ally? You don’t plan to be an ally, do you?”

“Why not?”

“Well, are you going to give up the head of the family? Do you want me to become the head?”

His blue eyes stared at me intently.

Even though my brothers always stared at me, their faces were always slightly different.

Clearly, this is the eldest brother I met in the fourth cycle, but why do I sometimes see the face from the third cycle?

I wanted to know the reason now.

“Are you looking for a goal now?”

His words hit me right in the heart, but I didn’t show any reaction.

Showing a surprised reaction here would be a loss.

“You look like you’re asking how I know. I’ve been there too.”

“...You?”

“Do you think I’m perfect?”

It was strange to see him admit his shortcomings.

“I’ve seen the same expression on you that I once saw in the mirror. This shows that we are siblings, after all.”

As Belus took a step closer, I clenched my fists.

When I quietly guarded myself, Belus didn’t come any closer.

“If you need something to focus on, become the head of the family.”

“What?”

“Challenge the head of the family.”

What is he saying?

I couldn’t help but frown again.

“Are you telling me to become your rival? To challenge a much older and perfect successor? So I can die in the process?”

A crooked smile appeared on my lips, while Belus remained calm.

“That’s strange. You’ve been talking about perfection... Is there such a thing as a perfect whale from birth? We are all imperfect. Among us, the one who appears perfect to grandmother is chosen as the next head of the family.”

“...”

“I’m not suggesting this for no reason. Calypso Aquasia.”

For the first time, a troubled look appeared on Belus’s face.

“When you reach my age, if you are stronger than me at the same age, I will follow you.”

I couldn’t help but blink.

...Is this kid on drugs?

“What’s your game, no, I’m tired of saying this. I’ll just say one thing.”

I pointed at Belus with a short finger.

“I will beat you when I reach your age. Definitely.”

“Then that’s even better.”

Belus smiled faintly.

It was incomprehensible.

But as he did in the beginner’s guild and the dragon duke’s castle, Belus turned and left without any hesitation once he finished speaking.

His attitude suggested that a fight wasn’t necessary.

Once again, I was left with a bewildered expression.

‘No, it’s not completely useless.’

It’s absurd.

But a different thought crept into a corner of my heart.

‘Head of the family.’

I needed something to focus on now.

Maybe because we are siblings, his words sparked a fire in my heart.

‘If I’m going to stay here and live a new life.’

Just becoming the head of the family isn’t enough.

I don’t want to repeat the life of the third cycle.

If I’m going to stay here... I.

‘I want to take revenge.’

I want to show the grandmother who abandoned me three times what kind of person her granddaughter is.

That her judgment was so deeply wrong.

You were wrong, and I was right.

The only thing I regretted in the previous cycles was that I returned to the family after she died.

Because the person I wanted to show it to was gone.

And...

“You’re the culprit, right?”

“Isn’t she the woman who deserved to die?”

“Father, it’s that woman! She’s the one who caused trouble!”