IEL - Grupo 21 (5 capítulos - ~5,378 palabras) ⚠️ MENOR A 9000 palabras

’...’ Ethea stared at Soren, her chest tightening so sharply it felt hard to breathe. A sudden heat pricked behind her eyes, and before she could stop them, tears silently spilled over, tracing down her cheeks.

She had no idea he had been carrying this kind of burden all along. And, compared to what he had faced every day of his childhood, her own struggles felt almost trivial. The sheer resilience it took to merely survive that house was beyond her imagination. Living for years under the weight of everyone’s hatred without ever knowing what it felt like to be wanted or loved was a torment she could barely wrap her mind around.

Her heart ached for the boy he had been, but he spoke of his past with a calm detachment that made the tragedy feel even more profound.

’But the story didn’t end there. When I was nine, things changed once again. One afternoon, my father returned to the estate, but he wasn’t alone. He brought a little girl with him, barely three years old. There was a big fight between my parents that day.’

’Could it be...’

’Mm. I only learned the details later. As you might have guessed, she was the daughter of the woman he had cheated with. And... her mother had died, leaving her with no one, and my father decided to act on some sudden, hypocritical sense of guilt. He wanted to officially bring her into the family and give her our family name...’

His tone dipped slightly, the words slowing as the bitter memory took shape.

’Obviously, my mother refused. She was already humiliated, her standing ruined, and she wasn’t about to let the physical proof of her husband’s infidelity live under her roof as an equal. She fought him with everything she had, threatening to drag the family name through the mud if he officially recognized the girl.’

’...’

’In the end, my father backed down to save his reputation, but he didn’t send the girl away. He simply did what he always did with things he couldn’t fix. He tossed her aside. From that day on, she was stripped of her status before she even understood what it meant. She ended up exactly like me—another unwanted ghost, hidden away in the shadows of the estate.’

’Unlike me, she was at least given a room of her own and a personal maid to look after her. I suppose even my father realized a three-year-old girl couldn’t survive entirely on her own. But that was where any semblance of privilege ended. She received nothing else from the family.’

He picked up another ingredient, his hands resuming their steady pace.

’By then, I had already learned that the best way to survive in that house was to remain completely indifferent to everything around me. I kept my head down and focused entirely on my own survival. The estate was vast, and perhaps because we stayed in entirely different wings of the manor, we rarely crossed paths during those early months. However, one day, I saw something that would change my whole life.’’

He paused, his gaze softening slightly as he stared at the knife in his hand.

’She was in the garden, cornered by our cousins. They were bullying her, knocking her down and laughing as they threw dirt at her clothes. At first, I tried to keep walking. I pretended not to notice. I knew how the house worked; if I intervened, I would only bring trouble down on my own head.’

He stared down at the board, his voice dropping slightly.

’I didn’t want to get involved. But... I couldn’t take more than three steps before my feet just froze. In an instant, my own past played in my mind. I saw myself at her age, cornered in those same dark hallways, with no one coming to help me...’

Soren slowly looked back up, his gaze distant.

’I turned around and looked at her. As I watched her try to shield her face, I felt as if I were looking directly at myself. Before I even realized what I was doing, my body moved on its own. I walked over, pulled her away from them, and told them to get lost. I was a few years older than they were, and I suppose I looked intimidating enough to scare them off. They ran away back toward the manor, but to my complete lack of surprise, the little girl bolted immediately too. She probably got scared of me as well, perhaps thinking I was just another bully coming to take a turn.’

Soren shook his head, a humorless expression touching his face before vanishing.

’I figured that was the end of it, so I just went back to my chores. But actions always have consequences in that house. Later that evening, my older cousins and siblings cornered me. They beat me so severely for interfering that I was completely bedridden for three straight days.’

He picked up the knife again, cleanly slicing through the next ingredient.

’Even after that, the peace didn’t last. Over the following weeks, I kept witnessing her getting targeted more and more. It wasn’t random, either. It was likely one of my older siblings or even the adults who were deliberately instigating the bullying from behind the scenes. And like a fool, I couldn’t just sit back and watch. I ended up intervening again and again.’

His movements slowed down slightly, his mental voice softening.

’But something unexpected happened because of it. Slowly, my relationship with my half-sister began to change. Once she realized I wasn’t going to hurt her, she started to follow me around the estate. Eventually, she even began calling me "big brother." She would sit with me while I did my chores, trying her best to help with whatever small tasks she could manage. And I, too, started calling her little sister...’

He set the knife down, resting both hands on the edge of the counter as he looked back at Ethea.

"Are you bored?" Soren asked aloud, his voice taking on a casual tone to keep up the facade. "I can find something else for you to do if you’re tired of just sitting there."

Ethea shook her head quickly, offering a reassuring smile as she spoke aloud. "Not at all. I’m actually enjoying watching you cook. Please, continue."

Soren gave a brief nod, apparently satisfied, and picked up the knife to get back to work.

’You really aren’t bored, right?’

’Mmm. I’m listening to every word. Please, continue. I... I want to hear the rest.’

’Where was I? Ah, right, I remember now.’

He mentally cleared his throat before continuing.

’As I was saying, the family’s retaliation never actually stopped, meaning both of us constantly bore the brunt of their malice. Yet, even with all that hostility, my days finally became bearable, because for the first time in my life, I had someone in that house who actually looked forward to seeing me. We always clung to each other because we had no one else to rely on. As a result, we ended up incredibly close, eventually becoming closer than any real siblings could ever be.’

’And, just like that, many years passed.’

’As we grew older, I began to realize that things couldn’t stay this way forever. We were getting by, but survival isn’t the same as living. I wanted a better life for both of us, a way to lift us out of the dirt. And soon enough, the perfect opportunity to change our lives for the better arrived.’

It was none other than the awakening ceremony.

’As I mentioned earlier, awakening determines one’s fate in our family. I knew that if I could awaken a strong enough affinity or ability, the family would be forced to acknowledge me. I would finally have the leverage to demand a decent life, a proper education, and most importantly, protection for my sister.’

Ethea watched him, holding her breath as she felt the shift in his thoughts. She could feel the ghost of the desperate hope he had held back then.

’I started planning everything. I spent months preparing my body, studying whatever books I could find, and counting down the days. I genuinely believed that this was our way out. And soon, the awaited day finally came.’

Soren paused, a heavy silence falling over their mental link. When he spoke again, his voice was flat, devoid of the hope he had just described.

’But... I ended up being unable to awaken. No matter how hard I tried, or how long I stood at the awakening platform, nothing happened.’

Ethea felt a sharp pang of sympathy, her chest tightening further as she listened.

’Naturally, the treatment at the manor became even worse after that. Before, I was just an unwanted, ignored child. Now, I was officially labeled as the embarrassment of the Valmere name. But I refused to give up. I endured the sneers, kept my head down, and tried the following year again. I trained, I pushed myself, and I prayed. But the results never changed. I remained a dud.’

Soren finally finished preparing the ingredients, setting them aside with a slow, deliberate movement.

’By the time I turned seventeen, the family decided they had tolerated my useless presence for long enough. Without a shred of hesitation, they cast me out of the manor, forcing me to leave the estate and survive entirely on my own.’

’...’

’In a way, when they threw me out, I should have been happy,’ Soren continued, his mental voice carrying a grim, mocking edge. ’I was finally free from that suffocating house, and I no longer had to look at their faces or take their beatings. But the moment those heavy gates slammed shut behind me, all of that temporary relief vanished, because the cold reality hit me that I was never actually free.’

He reached for a pan, setting it on the stove with a quiet clink.

’I couldn’t just walk away and start a new life, because my sister was still trapped inside that place. So, I turned right back around and tried to take her with me. I practically begged them to let her leave, arguing that she was just as useless to them as I was, but my pleas were coldly refused. The guards didn’t even let me past the courtyard before throwing me back onto the street.’

Ethea watched him light the burner, the small flame casting a warm glow over his sharp features, though his expression remained completely blank.

’It was obvious what the family was doing. By keeping her, they were keeping a leash on me. More than anything, they were waiting for her own awakening ceremony to see if she possessed any value.’

His fingers tightened slightly around the pan’s handle.

’If she awakened with enough potential, they would keep her in the family. However, they would use me, the brother she adored, to control her. They would probably promise her that they would treat me better, or even let me back into the family, if she complied with their demands. And what if she failed as I did? The best possible outcome in that scenario would be for them to kick her out, so I could finally take her in and protect her. But there was no way they would let her go that easily. If she had no power to offer, they would simply use her as a political tool, marrying her off to whoever offered the highest price.’

It was a cruel calculation, but one based on a very obvious truth.

Even as a child, his little sister had been incredibly cute, carrying an innate charm that made people stop and look. Anyone could see that she would undoubtedly grow up into an exceptional beauty. The Valmere family knew this, too. That realization was precisely why they had begun watching her more closely, viewing her as a valuable asset to be preserved for the future. Her appearance made her far too profitable to simply cast aside.

Soren adjusted the heat on the stove, his focus remaining on the rising steam. The terrifying certainty of her future was what finally pushed him to act, even when he had nothing left to offer.

’So, there I was. A powerless outcast with nothing to my name. All I could do was work myself to the bone, doing whatever jobs I could find to scrape together every single credit. I had to build some kind of foundation, to find enough money, so that perhaps one day... I might finally have the power to buy her freedom and save her.’

’But things rarely go as planned.’

Soren let out a bitter chuckle.

’I spent four years working myself into the ground, saving every scrap I could, constantly watching the calendar. I was naive enough to think I had time...’

’I thought that as long as I kept accumulating credits, I would eventually have enough to negotiate with my father, or at least bribe the right people to help her slip away. But reality completely shattered those plans. Everything took a turn for the absolute worst on the day of her awakening ceremony.’

’Fortunately or unfortunately, she succeeded in her awakening. In fact, she awakened a powerful SS-rank flame constitution, but... it was too powerful. Her fragile body simply could not handle the sheer intensity of the constitution, and she nearly died right there on the testing platform.’

Ethea’s heart skipped a beat. ’W-what happened to her?’

’...So you didn’t hear about it, but I guess it makes sense,’ Soren recalled how the family had done their best to keep the incident under wraps. ’Anyway, I think you can already imagine how exhilarated the family was. They finally had a prodigy, someone who could elevate the Valmere name to new heights. However, they became deeply conflicted as well. While they had a legendary flame constitution on their hands, she was fundamentally broken. The very fire she commanded was slowly burning her alive from the inside out. Unless they could find a cure or some way to suppress and stabilize her runaway energy, she was entirely useless to them. She would die before she ever reached adulthood.’

Ethea realized what must have happened next, yet she chose to remain silent, letting Soren finish the story in his own time.

’In the end, they decided to gamble,’ Soren continued. ’But even so, they kept her existence and her condition as hidden as possible. They were terrified that someone would snatch her away. After all, if an emperor, a high-ranking family, or a powerful organization like the Zenith Guild discovered an SS-rank talent and decided to take her in, the Velmere family would have had no way to keep her. And considering how terribly they had treated her in the past, they knew she would never forgive them once she had the backing of a stronger force. So, they kept her locked away, secretly searching for solutions while acting as if nothing had happened.’

He gave the food another slow stir, keeping his eyes on the steam to anchor himself.

’They even warned me. My father made it clear that if a single word of her condition leaked out, she would suffer the consequences. With her very life used as a threat against me, I had no choice but to comply. I couldn’t risk her safety on a gamble. So, I could only work even harder, pushed by the constant fear that if they ever decided she was a lost cause and threw her away, I had to be ready to support and protect her on my own.’

He lowered the heat on the stove, finally turning slightly to smile at her.

’But then, one day, the family head, my father, actually came to see me in person. He stood right in front of me and offered me a deal. A deal to save my little sister.’

’...’

’That’s right, I had to marry you.’

The silence that followed was immediate. Soren froze, suddenly realizing how incredibly blunt that must have sounded to her.

’Ahem, I mean, I had to marry someone,’ he corrected himself quickly, his mental voice returning with a distinct hint of embarrassment and apology. ’At the time, I didn’t have a clue who they were planning to pair me with. I only knew it was an arrangement. Please don’t misunderstand.’

’...’

He sensed Ethea’s quiet amusement ripple through the connection, which only made him feel more self-conscious. He paused for a moment to let the minor embarrassment pass before clearing his thoughts and pushing forward.

’Anyway, naturally, I doubted him. My father had never shown us an ounce of kindness, so I demanded proof. I wanted a full explanation of how this marriage would magically cure my sister, and where this sudden remedy was coming from.’

His gaze darkened at the memory, his knuckles tightening slightly.

’But I only got vague answers. He refused to give me any real details, simply telling me that the alliance would secure the resources needed for her treatment. He cornered me completely, knowing exactly how much I loved my sister and that I couldn’t risk her life just to satisfy my suspicion. He knew I would eventually break.’

And he did.

’With my back against the wall, I had no choice but to agree. But I added my own conditions. I told him I had to see her myself and confirm with my own eyes that she was or would be actually getting better. And they had to promise me they wouldn’t treat her badly anymore, and they would let her attend the Etenia Academy. I added that because that was her dream ever since I had known her.’

He also hoped she would catch the eye of some powerful professor, become their disciple, and be freed from the shackles of the family.

’Surprisingly, he agreed to my terms. But of course, it came with his own set of strict conditions. I was forbidden from questioning anything about the bride, and I had to proceed with the marriage quietly, without causing a single shred of trouble. And the final condition...’

Soren paused, a flicker of complex emotion passing through his eyes.

’I was never to seek my little sister out again. They wanted me entirely gone from her life. I suppose they feared that, because she trusted me more than anyone, I would manipulate her and turn her against them once she became powerful. They also wanted her to be their means to ascend, and to ensure that, they needed me out of the picture.’

Hearing his own words, he felt a sudden wave of clarity wash over him. It finally made sense why he hadn’t been that surprised when he received the disownment notice back then. He also recalled something important.

’My father... He didn’t just take my word for it. To ensure I complied, he had a mental spell placed on me so I wouldn’t actively think of her. It kept me from dwelling on her existence, forcing me to ignore her memory entirely. But I think that very spell was finally destroyed the other day during the mental battle, which is probably why I can finally remember everything clearly now.’

’As for my sister,’ Soren continued, his mental voice softening, ’she had recovered enough by the time of our wedding to be moved. I remember them taking her straight to the Temur Empire.’

Ethea let the piece of information settle, the memory of that day finally making sense. ’So that’s why she wasn’t at the wedding.’

’Mm. And actually, only a handful of people from the family attended it, mostly because of my father’s orders. He wanted to keep the whole affair as quiet as possible. And I think the same went for your family.’

Ethea remained silent for a moment. Her thoughts drifted back to their very first meeting, recalling the sheer shock in his eyes when he had looked at her. Back then, she had misread his expression entirely.

’...Did you find out who your bride was only on that day too?’ she asked.

’...Yeah,’ Soren admitted, a chuckle echoing through the link. ’And to be honest, I was completely lost. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was the dud, the embarrassment of the family, yet there I was, marrying the most beautiful woman in all of Oros. It was hard to process, let alone accept that it was actually happening.’

Ethea felt her pulse quicken. The sudden praise caught her completely off guard, sending a warmth straight to her cheeks. But she quickly realized what was happening. He was, as usual, letting his raw thoughts leak without any filter.

’...Idiot,’ she thought, her mind scrambling to regain its usual composure.

Soren paused, sensing the sudden spike of flustered emotion through the bond. ’Huh? Did you say something?’

’...’

No response.

Soren cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to smooth over the sudden awkwardness. ’Right... well, as I was saying. I had heard the rumors about your condition, of course. But actually standing there in front of you, seeing you in person... it felt completely surreal. It made me realize that despite everything the family had put me through, I was incredibly lucky to be the one standing by your side. And...’

Soren paused for a moment before letting out a self-deprecating laugh. ’...I was somehow relieved too.’

’...Why?’ Ethea asked, a hint of curiosity slipping into her tone.

’Well, I guess I have my own wild imagination and overthinking to blame,’ Soren replied, his mental voice warm with amusement. ’Before the ceremony, I was secretly agonizing over who they were going to force me to marry. I kept imagining the worst-case scenarios. I thought my father would pair me up with some incredibly terrifying, short-tempered noblewoman who would use me as a punching bag. Or worse, some snobbish, power-hungry lady who would treat me like a servant. I even seriously prepared myself for the possibility that I’d end up marrying an old widow who had bought me from the family.’

’...Pfft.’ Ethea couldn’t stop herself. The image of Soren, terrified and bracing himself to be handed over to an old woman, was too funny.

’A-An old widow?’ she teased. ’Is that really what you thought of your future bride?’

’Hey, can you blame me?’ Soren protested, though the warmth in his voice showed he was glad to hear her laugh. ’My father was smiling weirdly when he offered the deal. Whenever that man smiles like that, it usually means someone’s life is about to be ruined. So, I just assumed the worst.’

He paused for a second, his playful tone softening into something much more sincere.

’But then the doors opened... and it was you.’

"..."

At the sudden silence, Ethea found herself pulled back to the memory of their wedding day. At the time, she had been too numb, too consumed by her own ruined state to pay attention to the details of the ceremony. The faces, the vows, and even the man standing next to her had all been a distant blur. But now, a sudden curiosity gripped her.

’...What about my condition?’ she asked softly. ’What... did you think when you saw me like that?’

Soren understood her question instantly. It was a polite way of asking what you thought of a cripple like me.

’Or... were you just relieved because I was beautiful?’

’...’ Soren fell silent, turning her question over in his mind. He knew he had to tread carefully, but since he had decided to be honest, he had to give her a genuine answer without trying to paint himself in a better light.

’I won’t lie to you,’ Soren said. ’Finding out that the woman I was marrying was the most beautiful person I had ever seen... of course, it made me relieved. Honestly, it made me strangely happy, too... Wait... When I put it that way... Well, I guess I’m just pretty shallow.’

He laughed a little at himself, wondering if he messed up just now. (Urgh... Was that really necessary? She doesn’t hate me now, right?)

As the seconds ticked by, the awkwardness began to feed his insecurity, bringing back the nagging doubt that he had somehow ruined everything again.

’...Was that the only reason?’

Ethea’s voice finally came through, her tone unreadable.

’N-No,’ Soren said, wanting to correct the impression he had just made. ’I... I was also incredibly glad that it was you. Ethea, The Ice Empress. Actually, I admired you a lot. You were like a true hero, always risking your life to save others, protecting the helpless, and even making those massive donations... Well... What I am trying to say is, you were the perfect partner anyone could have ever asked for.’

’...’ Ethea continued to remain silent.

’But all of those thoughts were just a blur until we finally got home. Because that was when the noise of the day finally died down, and I could actually think properly. After putting you to bed, I lay there for hours, just staring at the ceiling as the reality of our situation gradually sank in. I realized we were both abandoned, essentially cast aside by everyone we knew. And then, I made a promise to myself. I decided that I would support and protect you until the very end, no matter what.’

’But that was just the start,’ Soren said, his voice dropping as he steered them toward the memory of that night. ’I lay there thinking about all of this, and eventually, I fell asleep. It was during that sleep that my Awakening actually happened. My dormant power finally unlocked, though I didn’t even have time to process what was happening to my body. Because the very moment my eyes snapped open, I saw an assassin standing over your bed, their Cuchilla already falling toward you.’

Soren paused, letting the memory of that split second settle between them before his tone grew serious.

’Ethea... Before I go any further, I want you to know something. I obviously know you were the actual target of that assassination. But... I also know the incident that left you in this condition was no accident. There is someone powerful, whether it is a single person or a whole organization, behind all of this. I think they are probably your biggest enemies, and they must have been the ones who opened that gate as well.’

The mental link remained still as he let his words sink in, giving her space to process what he was saying.

’But I don’t know who they are,’ Soren admitted. ’I don’t know why they are targeting you relentlessly, or... how your father is involved in all of this. That is why I am hoping to get those answers from you.’

’...’

The connection fell into a long, suspended pause. Soren waited as the seconds stretched on, eventually realizing that he might have pushed a bit too far.

However, he had no desire to corner her, so he focused on finishing the food, placing the lid back on the pot to let it simmer.

A minute passed.

’Ethea...’

’You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,’ he sent through the link, his tone easing to reassure her. ’I only brought it up because—’

’Soren.’

Ethea’s voice cut him off, carrying a freezing edge that made him freeze in place.

’That... wasn’t an assassin.’

Soren blinked. ’Huh? What do you mean?’

Another pause stretched between them. When her voice returned, it sounded incredibly distant, as if she were forcing herself to face a nightmare she had spent so much time trying to ignore.

’...I think... it was my older brother.’

’?!’ Soren froze, his heart hammering against his ribs. The revelation caught him entirely off guard.

’Y-you mean... Calix?’ he asked, his thoughts scrambling.

He immediately thought back to their wedding day. Aside from her parents, Calix was the only family member who had actually bothered to attend. Although they had barely spoken, Calix had left a good impression on him. He had seemed polite, presenting himself with respect. But now, a sudden wave of disgust hit Soren. It seemed the man was just like his father, a two-faced snake hiding his venom behind a pleasant smile.

But Ethea’s next words only deepened his confusion.

’No... it was not him,’ she sent, her tone turning tight. ’Though he might have had a hand in it.’

Soren paused, trying to reconcile her words with what little he knew of her family. As far as he could remember, Ethea only had two brothers. One was Calix, and the other was a younger boy named Roan, who was only about fourteen. There was no way it could be him. After all, he was still just a child. The idea of someone that young attempting to murder his own sister was too absurd to even consider. Not to mention the build of the assassin.

’Wait...’ Soren paused, a sudden chill settling in his chest as he tried to make sense of her words. ’Don’t tell me... you have... another brother?’

’...Yes.’

The mental link trembled slightly with the weight of her admission, the connection suddenly feeling incredibly fragile.

’...His name is Julian,’ Ethea continued, her thoughts turning tight. ’But you won’t find his name in public data, and you will never hear anyone, even my father, speak of him. To the rest of the world, he doesn’t exist.’

Soren stood completely still by the stove, the wooden spoon in his hand forgotten. ’What do you mean? How can a son of the Morvain family just... not exist?’

’Because...’

She paused, a cold, bitter note echoing through their bond.

’My family is just as rotten as yours, Soren. Perhaps even more so. Beacuse your family did not completely erase you or your sister from the face of the earth at least.’

Soren froze. The parallel struck him instantly, a sharp piece of realization falling into place.

This Julian guy might be both unawakened and an illegitimate child.

As if reading his thoughts, Ethea’s voice returned to confirm his suspicion.

’He’s unawakened like you were, and also a product of an affair... My father’s, to be more precise.’

Soren fell completely silent.

His opinion of his father-in-law, already incredibly low, quickly hit rock bottom and plunged straight into the negative. He then recalled how Darius had acted during their wedding, behaving like a devoted husband. He also remembered when the man had first visited them, speaking with such warmth and acting as if his wife were the center of his universe.

Soren didn’t truly expect Darius to be like his own father.

No, maybe he shouldn’t be surprised anymore. Heck, the man was probably even more depraved than he could imagine.

’Julian was one of my father’s biggest mistakes,’ Ethea’s voice was laced with cold disgust. ’He was the physical proof of his hypocrisy.’

Soren kept his gaze fixed on the stove, listening in silence as the ugly truth unfolded. He didn’t interrupt, sensing that she needed to get these words out just as much as he needed to hear them.

’To protect his public reputation as a flawless leader and a perfect husband, he decided Julian had to vanish,’ she continued, her thoughts sharp and bitter. ’So, he declared the child dead at birth. He hid his existence from the world entirely, ensuring no one would ever find out about his failure.’

The mental link went quiet for another beat. When her voice returned, it sounded smaller, stripped of its sharp edge and replaced by a hollow quiet.

’I only learned it by accident.’