Bell’s mind was reeling.
That soft, airy whisper gnawed through his nerves and into the depths of his soul.
“Now, I can go with you, right?”
Fear.
A boundless terror paralyzed him, making even breathing a chore.
He shoved Cecilia away with such force that she stumbled back several steps before barely managing to steady herself.
“You...” Bell opened his mouth, only to find he couldn't squeeze out a single word.
He wanted to interrogate her, to roar at her, to tell her to get out.
But as he looked at her face—at those eyes that had returned to a state of pure innocence, even carrying a hint of hurt and bewilderment from being pushed—every word died in his throat.
Cecilia tilted her head, as if the demon who had just whispered in his ear had never existed.
“Brother?” she spoke timidly. “What’s wrong? Why did you push me?”
Her small hands remained in the air, held in the same position they were in before he flung them away, looking utterly helpless and pitiful.
That was it! That was her!
Acting.
She was still acting!
Bell felt a cold shudder rise from the soles of his feet, instantly freezing his entire body.
This monster knew exactly how to weaponize that innocent shell.
For a split second just now, he had even doubted himself, wondering if he was hallucinating again.
But the lingering warmth of her breath against his ear and the way his soul was still trembling were silent reminders that it was all real.
“I...” Bell’s voice was terrifyingly dry. He looked away awkwardly, not daring to meet her gaze. “I... I was just a bit surprised.”
He couldn't expose her.
He had no evidence.
The moment he dropped the facade, he would only sink into deeper despair in this house where everyone was blinded by her.
Watching Bell dodge her gaze, a nearly imperceptible flash of amusement flickered in the depths of Cecilia’s eyes.
She didn't press him further. Instead, she withdrew her hands and let them hang obediently at her sides.
“Does Brother think Cecilia’s talent will cause you trouble?” she asked in an understanding, slightly aggrieved tone. “If Brother doesn't like it, I won't use it in front of others.”
She was playing the long game.
Bell instantly understood her intent.
If he dared to say “no” now, this demon would undoubtedly blow the situation out of proportion, making him look like he was jealous of his sister’s talent.
“...No,” Bell squeezed the word through his teeth. “Being able to go to the Royal Academy of Magic is a good thing. Father will be proud of you.”
“Really?” A brilliant smile immediately bloomed on Cecilia’s face, the grievance and hurt from moments ago vanishing without a trace.
She took two steps forward, seemingly wanting to get close to Bell again.
Bell instinctively took a step back.
Cecilia’s footsteps stopped.
The smile on her face stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Then, I’ll go tell Father the good news!”
She stood on her tiptoes and turned to run out of the room with the cheerful, skipping gait of an innocent child, her pale yellow skirt fluttering in a happy arc.
Bell watched her silhouette disappear through the doorway. His tensed body suddenly went limp, and he leaned against the wall behind him, gasping for air.
He had lost.
From the moment she revealed her talent, he had lost completely.
He couldn't escape.
Just as Bell was falling into despair, a cry of suppressed shock suddenly echoed from the direction of Duke Alisker’s study.
Following it was the Duke’s loud, excited roar.
“Quick! Go and get the Duchess! Hurry!”
Bell’s heart sank to the bottom of the abyss.
He knew Cecilia had succeeded.
Sure enough, before long, the study door was thrown open.
Duke Alisker personally carried Cecilia out, striding with a manic ecstasy on his face.
“A genius! A true genius! The House of Lucas has produced a God-given genius!”
The Duke’s voice rang throughout the entire mansion, causing all the servants to peer out with shocked expressions.
Duchess Eleanor hurried over upon hearing the news. When she learned from her husband that her young daughter was actually a genius capable of instant-cast all-elemental magic, she nearly fainted from the excitement.
The entire Lucas Estate was plunged into a feverish joy because of Cecilia.
Bell stood on the outskirts of the crowd, watching coldly as Cecilia was surrounded by their parents and servants like a star among the clouds.
She was held high by their father, her face showing a hint of shyness and unease as she clung to his neck, looking like an ordinary little girl overwhelmed by too much attention.
But Bell clearly saw her cast a glance at him through a gap in the crowd.
That glance was filled with triumph, boastfulness, and unmasked possessiveness.
It was as if she were saying: See, Brother? Everyone is on my side.
Bell felt a wave of nausea.
The banquet that evening was heated to the extreme.
Duke Alisker had clearly had too much to drink. His face was flushed as he stood up and announced a decision that came as no surprise to Bell.
“I have decided! This autumn, Cecilia will enroll in the Royal Academy of Magic alongside Bell!”
“Oh!” The relatives around the table erupted in gasps and congratulations.
“Enrolling in the Royal Academy of Magic at such a young age... such a thing has never happened in the history of the kingdom!”
“The future of the House of Lucas is bright indeed!”
Duke Alisker laughed heartily. He looked at Bell and spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. “Bell, as the older brother, you must take good care of your sister at the academy. Do you understand?”
Everyone’s eyes fixed on Bell.
What could he say?
What else was there to say?
Bell stood up and raised a glass filled with juice, forcing a stiff but appropriate smile onto his face.
“Yes, Father. I will take good care of my sister.”
He raised his glass toward Cecilia at the head of the table.
Cecilia also obediently raised her glass of juice, giving him a sweet smile.
To others, that smile looked like a sister’s reliance and affection for her brother.
But in Bell’s eyes, it was the cruel sentencing of a demon who had gotten exactly what she wanted.
The next day.
An extremely luxurious, giant magic carriage slowly rolled out of the Lucas Estate.
The interior space of the carriage was surprisingly large, lined with soft velvet carpets and furnished with comfortable sofas, a coffee table, and even a small bar.
Bell and Cecilia sat side by side on the sofa.
Duke Alisker and Duchess Eleanor sat opposite them, giving their final instructions.
“Bell, you are the older brother. You must yield to your sister in all things.”
“Cecilia, you are young. Listen to your brother when you reach the academy.”
Facing his parents' exhortations, Bell only nodded numbly in agreement.
Cecilia snuggled close to his side, her small hand gripping his arm tightly, looking like she trusted her brother completely.
The carriage started, gradually accelerating as the scenery outside the window began to fly past.
The free capital had now become another magnificent cage in Bell’s eyes.
Just then, Cecilia, who had been gripping his arm tightly, suddenly moved.
She looked up, her obsidian eyes watching him without blinking.
She leaned toward his ear and whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear—a whisper that was part innocent, part eerie.
“Brother, don’t be afraid.”
“From now on, I will protect you.”
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