《After I died, everything changed.》 1. After I died, everything changed. My funeral began. There was a time when I thought it would be nice to have a sunny day at my funeral. As I went through my father''s funeral in the winter rain, I thought that it would be nice if it wasn''t such a dreary and cold day. Fortunately, that day was clear today. People in black clothes and black veils laid flowers down one by one in front of the tombstone. Finally, it was my turn. I put the white flower I was holding in front of the tombstone and bowed my head. I never thought the day would come when I would put flowers on my own tombstone. I heard a whisper. ¡°How can she not even shed a tear when her twin sister has died?¡± ¡°The rumor of her being an idiot must have been true.¡± ¡°I heard that she has always had an inferiority complex? Who knows what she is like on the inside?¡± ¡°It¡¯s creepy.¡± ¡°Like a heartless human being.¡± Saying cruel things despite knowing that I¡¯ll hear it obviously means that they don''t care whether I feel bad or not. Sick Irene. Idiot Irene. Mergen¡¯s burden. Some people treated Irene as terminally ill and sympathized with her. At least, that was what the so-called good people did. Most of the people in Mergen thought that Irene was a burden, hanging on to the shoulders of the family. Well, didn¡¯t I treat her the same? An annoying, weak girl. I became Irene from Deborah, the heir of the family, overnight. ¡°Is Deborah really dead¡­? It was right after the banquet, right?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Then who will become the heir of Mergen?¡± The biggest issue following my death was the concern about the position of heir which has become vacant. It was not a mourning for the life that has ended in a short and futile way. I died last night after an argument with Irene. As per the doctor¡¯s report, the cause of death was an acute cardiac arrest caused by poison. My heart stopped, but I¡¯m still alive like this. Not in my body but in Irene¡¯s body. Then what about Irene? Looking at my current situation, it would be most plausible when she died inside of my body. On that day, it was clear that we had switched bodies. This ability is not common by any means. It must be a bizarre phenomenon that can be only dreamed of with Mergen¡¯s special powers. But I had no intention of doing such a thing. I wonder if Irene¡¯s alright. Why did she switch bodies with me? If you had an ability to change souls, why did you live being treated coldly? The questions continued endlessly. ¡®Stupid until the end¡­¡¯ My bitten lower lip hurt. For whatever reason, Irene made such a stupid choice. The light pink hair that flowed down on the side of my cheek is annoying. When I put the flower down and stood up, people shut their mouths as if they were talking about me. Pretentious fools . And then, I heard them muttering. When I turned my eyes to the source of the sound, I saw a man with silver hair running towards me. A man in armor, unsuitable for a funeral. ¡°Abel!¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. My stepmother, Chloe, looked at him and smiled brightly. People started to murmur. Abel Mergen. My younger brother who constantly threatened my position as the heir. ¡®I heard that he¡¯s coming back from the battlefield.¡¯ Abel, who returned home from the battlefield, received people¡¯s trusted stares and Chloe looked at him emotionally. Looking at them overlapping, I suddenly had such thoughts. Was it a coincidence that Abel returned at the right time for my funeral? There must be a connection between his return and my death. I coolly glanced at him under the black veil. Abel ran straight to the place where my tombstone was placed. People generally gave a glance, even if there is a person on his way, but he simply passed by me as if I was invisible and went straight to the tombstone. ¡®It¡¯s unreasonable.¡¯ At least it hasn¡¯t been like this for me. I turned my head to look at him kneeling in front of my tombstone. The shiny hair that fell like a waterfall, a large body in ruins and hands gripping the soil. At first glance, he looked extremely sad. His trembling shoulders made me wonder if he was really crying or not. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Although we had a good relationship when we were younger as Chloe¡¯s ambitious children, we were incompatible just like water and oil. I closed my eyes and moved on. When I turned around, I saw people lined up in front of me. Mergen¡¯s grandfather, the head of the family, the vassals swarming around him like bees, my stepmother and her friends besides her. I saw the faces of nobles who were involved in business, and next to them¡­ ¡®Henry.¡¯ I saw my fianc¨¦. No, to be precise, Deborah¡¯s fianc¨¦. ¡®Now the engagement will be broken¡¯. We aren¡¯t in love with each other. To put it bluntly, it was a political marriage, and none of us had any desire for affection from each other. ¡®In that respect, he was a perfect fianc¨¦.¡¯ Even at this moment, I was drawing a rough picture of the damage that would result from a relationship with him that would be broken by my death. But soon, a laugh came out. What should I do if I have to worry about that now? As I was about to turn my head away from him, our eyes met. I slightly bowed my head, greeted him and avoided his gaze. And at the end of the gaze that moved as if it wanted to escape, I saw an unwelcome guest. ¡®Rahan¡­¡¯ Archduke Rahan Bahel. He is a man who had a land adjacent to Mergen and competed in every case. Did the public call such a person a nemesis? Did he come to my funeral to be indulged in joy? Well, no matter how bad the relationship was, you will feel sympathy in the face of death. To be honest, I didn¡¯t like him because he was completely different from me. If they are open-minded without any sense of dignity, then there''s no transparent personality. And I¡¯m not immune to those people. ¡®All the people who would come are all present.¡¯ Pausing for a moment, I looked through at every single person who had come to my funeral. And a thought came into my mind. ¡®Who killed me?¡¯ I guess I didn¡¯t live that well. Seeing that everyone I see has at least one reason to kill me. *** gigg ~ A squeaking noise arose from the mirror I touched. I stared at my reflection in the mirror for over 30 minutes, mesmerizing it. Pale-looking skin. Light pink hair strewn like a spider¡¯s web over the nightgown. The unpigmented blue eyes seemed to have moved a drop of water from the stream. Every time I blinked, my long eyelashes staggered and created a shadow. Suddenly, the image of Irene I met the night I died came to mind. ¡°I made a recovery potion for you, sister¡­¡± ¡°Please stop doing such useless things.¡± I was worried at the beginning. Probably. It was because I didn¡¯t like the fact that she used her strength to make a healing potion with a sick body. ¡°If you thought of me, you should have attended the banquet instead of making this healing potion! It¡¯s the only way to reassure people!¡± But I didn¡¯t have to be that harsh. ¡°Again, I was wrong¡­¡± Why did I say that to the dead child? I don¡¯t know why either but it is definitely not something good to say. ¡°I am jealous of you.¡± At the end of the argument, I finally lost my reason for her words that burst out like a confession. ¡°You know what I hate the most? That you always show how low a person can go¡± I told Irene that it makes me feel dirty as if I was the perpetrator. ¡°Please do it in moderation.¡± Pamper yourself in moderation. You¡¯re not the only one having a hard time, we¡¯re just living in different hells. So how did the conversation end? ¡°I don¡¯t have time to listen to you. If you¡¯re going to whine, find someone else.¡± Of course the ending couldn¡¯t have been better. But if I had known that would be our last conversation, at least I wouldn¡¯t have ended it that way. ¡°Is this real? Could it be that I¡¯ve gone crazy?¡± But in the mirror, I was facing myself with a sharp expression that Irene would never make if this was reality. When the emotions disappeared from Irene¡¯s face, which always had a colorful expression on her face, I finally realized that she and I were quite alike. ¡°Irene¡­¡± Like someone who had never held a pen before, smooth, callus-free fingers lingered in front of the mirror. As I touched my cheek on the mirror, the nightgown that had been stretched to my wrist slid down. Then the bony wrists were exposed. The blue veins were clearly visible on the white arm, which seems like it can snap with a flick. A needle mark was visible in a corner of the wrist. It wasn¡¯t even one or two. ¡®Did Irene receive this kind of treatment?¡¯ I gazed at the hideous mark for a long time before taking my eyes off it. Well, she was so sick. ¡°Hah.¡± My mind was complicated. Deborah is dead. The most suspicious person is, of course Irene, who gave her the potion last night. That is me. ¡°What a fucking situation.¡± They say that death is the end, and the dead do not speak, or that death is also called rest. This doesn¡¯t apply to me though. The housework I were in charge of, the business I was working on, And other matters I was responsible for¡­ Even though Deborah is dead, they become a bigger burden and meshed like cogs in my head. But that wasn¡¯t what mattered now. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s save this body first.¡± 2. After I died, everything chnaged My funeral was rushed right after the day I died. In other words, it was the same as saying that my grandfather wanted the case covered sooner rather than finding out the reason of my death. Since it was an unsavory thing that happened inside the family, he must have decided that it would be beneficial to put an end to the turmoil as soon as possible. My death must have been a cheap reserve on my grandfather¡¯s scales. As Deborah, who was the successor, the choice was understandable, but as Deborah, who was a family, it would be a lie if there was no sadness. ¡°How could this happen? She drank poison?¡± ¡°There was a rumor that she committed suicide¡­¡± ¡°No way! Lady Deborah can never do that! She was in a good mood at the banquet.¡± The whispering voices of the maids could be heard from some corner of the hallway. Even after the funeral, the atmosphere in the house was chaotic. It¡¯s probably the most shocking thing that has happened to Mergens in recent years. Of course, it was no different for me. It was shocking and unbelievable at the same time. Contrary to my usual creed that the past cannot be helped, and that recovery is paramount, I am still preoccupied by this. After the funeral, I decided to approach the situation step by step. First of all, I decided to start my investigation from the last place I visited. My room was the same as always where it all started. This all happened after I took the restorative that night and went to sleep. A red string was attached to the room to prevent people from entering, but I removed it regardless and opened the door. When I opened the door, a familiar scent rushed in. The refreshing and calming scent of my favorite cedarwood greeted me. I scanned the room that was too familiar. In the room, which has always been arranged neatly, I could clearly see what was there without any effort. A space without any doubt. Of course, my gaze went straight to the side table where I put the potion last. The bottle I had emptied there has already disappeared. ¡®Did it get collected because of the investigation?¡¯ I ran my hand over the window frame. The window sill is smooth without a speck of dust. There was no sign of breaking in¡­ ¡®To think that I was the only one who disappeared in this place where everything started.¡¯ My mouth went bitter. *Cluck At the time, I heard the sound of the door opening. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Soon, a low, thick voice cut through the silence and pierced me. I turned my gaze towards the door, where the sound came from. ¡°Abel.¡± There, Abel, who was changed into his everyday clothes, stood leaning against the wall with his arm propped up. Beneath the shiny silver hair, his purple eyes shine coolly. ¡°How did you dare to set your foot here?¡± Abel¡¯s words are misleading. I know where this place is, and rather, he¡¯s the guest here. And¡­ ¡®You dare¡¯ Abel shouldn¡¯t have said anything like dare to me. A faint smile came out without my knowledge. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. However, Abel seems to have accepted this as a mockery.. His gaze grew sharper. Soon he removed the arm he was leaning on and strode toward me. ¡°Irene Mergen.¡± I raised my gaze at his call. At a close distance, our height difference of over two spans made it difficult to meet our eyes. Whether it was because he got taller while on the battlefield or because Irene was shorter than me, it felt completely different than usual. A faint scent of soap wafted from Abel. Abel, who had gotten closer, leaned his upper body towards me. He lowered his voice to a whisper, knowing that it was just the two of us here. ¡°Did you kill sister Deborah?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Abel was asking me a question, but strangely there was a strange certainty in his tone. ¡°You¡¯re over-imaginative.¡± Why is Abel, who was on the battlefield for years, suspicious of Irene? At my answer, Abel crossed his arms as he stepped back. There was a familiar look of exploration when his gaze looked down at me. ¡®He¡¯s probably trying to see my reaction¡¯ Is there anyone more unfair than me in this situation right now? In an instance, the heartbeat intensified. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the one who will benefit most from Deborah¡¯s death, but you?¡± At my answer, Abel¡¯s brow furrowed in an instant. ¡®He showed his true intentions right away at such a provocation.¡¯ Abel¡¯s reaction gave me a strange feeling. ¡°You made the potion that our sister drank, right?¡± When did he do all that research? It came to mind that the evaluation was pretty good for a person who had just returned from the battlefield. ¡°Are you saying that the potion I made contained poison?¡± That¡¯s something I¡¯m curious about too. If I hear it from Abel, things will get solved easily. However, Abel did not answer my question easily. ¡°That means no.¡± It was like getting the answer you wanted without having to say it out loud. Then Abel opened his mouth. ¡°The only person who can kill her is you.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± I was holding it in for a while, but I eventually burst into laughter. I never thought I would hear this from Abel. ¡°It seems like this body is so great in your eyes.¡± No one in this family could think of Irene that way. How can a terminally ill woman who seemed as if dying soon, covet the position of a successor? In the first place, Irene ignored everyone in Mergen. Do you really feel threatened by such a person? Does Abel know of Irene¡¯s other self? Rather, it was more persuasive that his decision was made because of excessive indifference to family affairs after being on the battlefield for a long time. ¡°I¡¯m done with my business in this room, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± I had no intention of wasting my time with Abel. I don¡¯t have any time to tune into his ridiculous delusions. I just passed by him. No, I was going to pass but feeling the resistance pulling my right arm, I looked down my shoulder. My wrist was held in a hot, brawny hand. The white, skinny wrist held in Abel¡¯s tanned grip was so fragile that it seemed like it would crumble with the slightest force from him. The stark contrast bothered me. ¡°What are you doing? ¡° I glared at Abel without hiding my displeasure. But Abel squeezed my arm tighter and opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll die by my hand if you really killed her.¡± His suppressed voice sounded like that of a roaring beast. If the real Irene was here, she would have burst into tears. ¡®Abel always hated Irene like this.¡¯ But the Abel that I remember was different from what I see now. Five years ago, when he couldn¡¯t take off his youthful identity, he was just a quiet and obedient child before he went to the battlefield. He just agreed to whatever I said, sometimes laughed with me and even chased after me. So, I was even more wary of him. I was afraid that there might be something hidden behind that affectionate smile. I realized the moment my stepmother set her eyes on me, that one day Abel would become a threat to my position. So, I drew a line between us, and couldn¡¯t be my family ever. Even so, Abel, who never showed his dislike and hatred, was a difficult existence for me. It was because I always doubted what kind of purpose he had behind that smile. It was more difficult to understand Abel than my stepmother, who always showed her true feelings. And I¡¯ve always been curious. Is it my twisted sight that is rotten or is it this guy whose true intentions are unknown. At that, Abel said with an angry expression. ¡°Who? You, kill me?¡± I bit my lips belatedly. Abel killing me? Isn¡¯t that interesting? ¡°There is no such thing as hypocrisy.¡± Even those two were incompatible and never shared the same blood, Irene was his elder sister. Besides, it¡¯s such an unreasonable doubt. To my eyes, Abel was nothing more than a one-day puppy who needed someone to vent his anger on. I lifted the hand opposite the arm he was holding and placed it under Abel¡¯s chin. The fingers that had been stroking his chin, cupped his chin. ¡°Okay. Try your best.¡± If Deborah disappeared and Irene was also removed, it¡¯ll be easier for him to get the title of a successor. The reason I was able to become the successor over Abel, who was a man, was because he was not of Mergen¡¯s lineage. He was just a child brought up by my stepmother. Of course, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to even get closer to the position of the successor. However, the problem was the only children inheriting Mergen¡¯s blood were me and sickly Irene. And even though he did not belong to Mergen¡¯s lineage, he was revered as a war hero for his merits on the battlefield. My stepmother gathered her supporters to summon her own power and tried to make Abel the successor. However, her ambition seemed to fade away as Abel left for the battlefield without a promise. Well, considering the current situation, it might not have been like that at all. ¡®Did they plan in advance to get rid of me?¡¯ Actually, I just wanted to make sure, if Abel¡¯s claws were hidden apart from my stepmother, Chloe¡¯s ambition. So, I really wanted to prove the awkwardness I felt. That you, in the end, were suspicious and restrained like me, under the framework of the family. And you are just like me who have festered away. *Tap Abel released my hand and grinned and withdrew my tingling hand. ¡°You feel much closer than before.¡± Just like that, I passed by Abel with a distorted face. I felt intense stares following me behind my back, but I didn¡¯t look back. 3. After I died, everything changed. After Irene left, Abel unwittingly relaxed his tightly gripped hand. He ran his calloused hand angrily through his hair. ¡°Shit.¡± Abel Mergen. He participated in four campaigns from the young age of fifteen and made notable achievements. Eventually, he was praised as a hero in the Empire. The medals embroidered on his conquest were so dense that there was not enough cloth. However, likewise, even the deified war hero was nothing more than an insignificant person in the mansion of Mergen. He dazedly held the curtain of the moon-drenched bed in his hand. A familiar scent rose from the thin cloth. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Once with his hand and once with his eyes, he continuously swept the half-transparent veil. ¡°¡­ If you were going to leave like this¡­¡± The gaping mouth was closed once again. He had a habit of carefully choosing his words in front of Deborah. There were times when he wasn''t able to answer her. Even after she¡¯s gone, he can''t fix that habit of his. The mansion of Mergen had always been a suffocating place for him. A place in which you had to hide and bury every expression, mood and feeling. And that¡¯s why, Abel always thought of the Mergen mansion as the tombstone of his feelings. He didn¡¯t expect to return to this grave on his own with such news. He had imagined one day, when Deborah was still looking down at him, and her eyes were growing colder. He had imagined that one day she might present him with a coffin and also thought that he would eventually be willing to crawl into that coffin. But he didn¡¯t know that coffin would be Mergen itself. Really, it shouldn¡¯t have been like this. ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± A calming scent permeated his fingertips. At the same time, the anger that had lost its way in his heart was dyed black again. *** ¡°You need to re-appoint the successor.¡± Mergen¡¯s vassal, Zupelo, said to the family head. ¡°Deborah¡¯s body isn¡¯t even cold yet.¡± Looking out the window at Deborah¡¯s tombstone, the family head answered his words. The conference room filled with the vassals were busy exchanging glances with each other. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s discuss it slowly.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the answer already decided?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Irene is sickly and cannot stand the position of the successor, so the only remaining children are Abel and Nerzu.¡± ¡°Abel already has a high reputation within the Empire. He lacks nothing that takes to be a successor.¡± ¡°Of course! We should be grateful that Abel, the war hero of the Empire, is a member of our family!¡± The vassals raised their voices at once. Hearing their voices, the family head took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Fatigue piled up inside him at the words of the vassals who crowded like a flock of crows. It¡¯s been only three days. It¡¯s been only three days since Deborah died. Unable to endure those three days, these people were raising their voices while discussing the position of the successor. ¡°It has been 10 years since Deborah was loyal to the family as a successor.¡± ¡°That is right¡­but since it happened like this¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Aren¡¯t we saddened with Deborah¡¯s death?¡± Like those who decided to be shameless and disrespectful, everyone was frantic in pushing forward with the issue of succession. Chloe was leisurely watching the scene in the meeting room. The tide has already turned. She was certain that she could give the position of the head of Mergen to her son without even lifting a finger. Her gaze turned to the family head, who was standing by the window. It had been 11 years since she remarried and became a member of Mergen. No one knew how high was the threshold of Mergen for her child, which she crossed while holding his hand. Her husband died young and she struggled in Mergen in order to survive. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. And the result of those efforts are now in front of her eyes. A long shadow stretched from the toes of the family head with his shoulders dropping. This situation in which the hopes of an old man who wanted to preserve his bloodline even if he died was trampled on. And it was savory to Chloe who felt full even without eating. The corners of her mouth went up involuntarily, but it was too much for anyone to look at. ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Anyway, there was no other way. However, the family head was postponing the decision out of loyalty to the deceased. ¡°That¡¯s right. I think Father and all other members of Mergen need some more time to mourn.¡± Chloe said in a slightly sad voice. And the vassals exalted in a lowered voice. ¡°Above all, isn¡¯t it more important to find the culprit?¡± After hearing the word ¡®culprit¡¯, the family head turned around and looked at Chloe. Their gazes were sharply mixed. ¡°I know who is the most suspicious person in this situation. Therefore, I want to find the truth of this matter so that not even a single doubt remains.¡± The confident eyes of the family head narrowed slightly. ¡°I am innocent. There is no way that Abel who was on the battlefield and Nerzu, who is at the Academy would be the suspects.¡± ¡°Then, who do you suspect?¡± The family head asked Chloe who talked as if she had already prepared. ¡°Isn¡¯t there one more person with the qualifications of the successor?¡± ¡°Are you perhaps suspecting Irene?¡± Chloe gently tilted her head in affirmation and the Family head laughed at her words. ¡°That child is not interested in such a position! And she¡¯s not even in a good condition¡­! Could it be that other vassals also suspect that child?¡± When the family head looked at the vassals, they were busy looking at each other with puzzled eyes. Anyone who knows about Irene¡¯s condition could never doubt her, but these people are willing to sacrifice anyone in order to have what they want. ¡°Ahem, we can¡¯t say that there¡¯s no chance at all.¡± ¡°Look here!¡± ¡°Firstly, wasn¡¯t it Irene who made the healing potion that Deborah drank last?¡± ¡°No poison is found in that potion!¡± ¡°Who knows, it could be harmless when it¡¯s just a potion but poisonous when it¡¯s mixed with something else¡­¡­ Hmm.¡± The vassals kept looking at the Family head even as they continued to talk. No, they were pretending to look. ¡°You guys¡­¡± Just when the Family head was about to say something mixed with anger, the door of the conference room opened. *** ¡°Sorry to interrupt the meeting.¡± As I entered the conference room, the vassals looked at me with varied expressions. Some were puzzled, some were surprised and some were immediately hostile. ¡°I apologize for daring to meddle in the conversation as it leaked through the doors.¡± ¡°How dare you barge in here!¡± One of the vassals said angrily. ¡°Weren¡¯t you investigating Deborah¡¯s death?¡± ¡°This is not a place where you should be.¡± ¡°You should give me a chance to defend myself, if you suspect me.¡± The man who spoke up was taken aback by my swift answer. Because if Irene were in a situation like this, let alone answer clearly, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to open the door and come inside. I looked at their faces calmly, as I received their pouring stares. Those who acted like a gentle sheep in front of Deborah, me, were like an awl stabbing me with their sharp gazes. ¡°First of all, Deborah¡­ if anyone had a motive to kill my sister, that includes most of the people present in this room.¡± ¡°What does that mean!?¡± ¡°How dare you talk such nonsense!¡± The vassals could not hide their anger at my sharp remarks. Some of them even sprung up from their seats. I turned my eyes to Roosevelt, my stepmother¡¯s younger brother, who was the first one to get up from his seat and opened my mouth. ¡°Sister Deborah was the one who hide the truth about Mr. Roosevelt¡¯s mine embezzlement. Wasn¡¯t it because you were frustrated that she caught your weakness?¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­!? This is absurd¡­! This is all nonsense!¡± Roosevelt waved his hands in denial. Then I turned to my next target, Vermont. Mr. Vermont¡¯s trade ship which was carrying wool was plundered, and he¡¯s trying to hide it with other trade proceeds in fear of being found out by the family head. And sister Deborah knew about it.¡± ¡°H-how did you¡­Ahem! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡± Everyone denied it, but no one was able to hide their embarrassment. I slightly closed my eyes and smiled. ¡°Lord Gavian¡¯s infatuation problem, Lord Miles¡¯s embezzlement, and what else¡­. Lord Yusekan also had some problems regarding children. Well, should I keep talking like this?¡± ¡°Ahem!¡± ¡°Wh-what nonsense are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Why is the air so hot in here? Hmm.¡± Each of the vassals were busy fanning their hands and clearing their throats while avoiding my gaze. Meanwhile, I caught sight of my stepmother, Chloe. ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to explain Lady Chloe.¡± Her red eyes didn¡¯t even budge in this chaotic situation. Those beautiful eyes kept disappearing and reappearing every time she blinked. ¡°Next time while discussing this issue, I would appreciate it if you make a seat here.¡± After I finished talking, I looked at my grandfather, the family head. The eyes of a person who always gave off a sense of intimidation and were upright like a straight tree, shook. ¡®He must have been surprised.¡¯ To think that no one else, but ¡®Irene¡¯ could speak so confidently. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± But after I finished talking, I couldn¡¯t help coughing because I felt my throat tickle. I hurriedly took out my handkerchief and covered my mouth. ¡°Cough.¡± The expression of surprised grandfather turned back to normal. ¡°¡­Okay. You are right. There¡¯s no one here with his weakness hidden from Deborah.¡± People were a little shaken by Grandfather¡¯s pure affirmation. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to find the culprit, so I hope the vassals don¡¯t talk about this matter anymore.¡± ¡°However,¡± ¡°Family Head!¡± ¡°Are you trying to refuse my words?¡± Grandfather¡¯s words made the entire hall go quiet. When my cough stopped and I raised my head, my eyes met Chloe¡¯s eyes which were fixated on me all the time. ¡®She must have been quite surprised¡¯. I smiled slightly at her. 4. After I died, everything changed. ¡°Let¡¯s hear what you have to say.¡± After a while, grandfather¡¯s voice resounded in the conference room where everyone had disappeared. After Chloe and the vassals are gone, grandfather told me to meet him alone. Indeed, it was a place where the two of us faced each other for the first time after a long time. ¡°Irene, you seem different today than usual.¡± The answer to his question was simple. Because I¡¯m a different person. But if I say that, will he believe me? ¡°Because many things have changed.¡± I answered in a roundabout way, but my grandfather nodded slowly while stroking his gray-bearded chin, ¡°Right. The reason why Deborah died so suddenly¡­¡± My father stopped abruptly while talking even though he speak well, it didn¡¯t seem like a family head. The person who seemed to be unmoved no matter who died in the world or disappeared was visibly agitated. ¡®The position of Mergen¡¯s successor is not an easy place!¡¯ ¡®There are many people who you¡¯ll be responsible for. Be more serious.¡¯ ¡®Are you saying this is difficult?¡¯ The one who always whipped me with those words. However, it wasn¡¯t that grandfather was soft to Irene. Grandfather, who only prioritized the family in the first place, did not feel sorry for or valued Irene. He just stood by the sidelines despite the contempt of his vassals. Is it because his heart went weak because one of his granddaughter is dead? ¡°Sister Deborah is dead, and I know as the family head you don¡¯t want me to bear the stigma of being her murderer.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± At least I wanted to free Irene from being a suspect. Whether I use this body forever, or whether Irene¡¯s soul returns back. Even if Irene really killed me. ¡°I have no intention of being the successor. No, I¡¯m not in a position to be one.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Everyone will know. ¡°So, let me just preserve this frail life. I know you can do that.¡± I said it using the title of broken grandfather. Then, a complex expression crossed his face. ¡°Please protect me from my stepmother.¡± I am already dead. It would be foolish to want to live like before with this body. When I became Irene, I could clearly see the swamp where I was floundering without even knowing I was in it. Family Head, what did I risk my life for? What¡¯s the point of reigning in this place where filthy bugs are swarming? Mergen was nothing but a shiny apple which was rotten from inside. If you just poke it, or grab it, it will explode and maggots will pour out. Without me, Mergen would even lose its shiny shell and disappear. ¡°If you want me to leave this place, I¡¯ll leave. So,¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Grandfather blocked my words about leaving this place. ¡°You don¡¯t need to leave this place.¡± ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡°Is there any reason for Mergen¡¯s blood to run away?¡± At my grandfather¡¯s words, I couldn¡¯t hide my furrowed brow. Could it be that he¡¯s trying to use Irene since Deborah is gone? ¡°Do you think it¡¯s right for Chloe¡¯s son to become the head of Mergen?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡­¡± Apparently, grandfather was way more obsessed with bloodline than I expected. If not, he must be trying to test me. But my decision was very easy. I shook my head. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I didn¡¯t want to go through that bell again. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Silence followed my firm words. Grandfather just sip his tea in front of him. We couldn¡¯t make any promises or endings. *** After talking to my grandfather, I returned to my room and fell asleep. Even before it¡¯s evening, my energy was completely gone. I must have felt asleep for quite a while. I felt a headache as I raised my eyelids. When I came to my senses, I felt a terrible thirst. ¡°Ah¡­¡± I just barely turned around and a sick sound came out. With a body like this, it felt difficult to even pass a day. ¡°Hah.¡± It was when I was brushing my hair that it was disheveled and covered my eyes. A strange feeling permeated the dark room. ¡®It¡¯s strange.¡¯ I had a habit of putting my hand under my pillow. ¡®Shit.¡¯ But I wasn¡¯t prepared since I didn¡¯t realize earlier that this isn¡¯t my room. The dagger I always carried around was not under Irene¡¯s pillow. I moved my gaze to the bedside table. But the only thing I found there was a vase. I slowly opened my mouth in alert. ¡°Who is it?¡± My voice broke out and at the same time two figures hiding in the dark spot appeared. They were dressed in black and their faces were with black masks. ¡°Unfortunately, I opened my eyes early.¡± The cracked voice that seemed to come from the scratching throat terrified the eardrums. ¡°Reveal your identity.¡± ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s not something difficult.¡± Contrary to my expectations, the man took off the mask easily. ¡°¡­Vermont.¡± I couldn¡¯t help but frown at the identity of the masked person. He was one of the vassals and Chloe¡¯s subordinate. He was no different than a right hand man of Roosevelt, Chloe¡¯s younger brother. ¡°Why are you here¡­.?¡± ¡°You are really acting like a stranger today. Well, it was mind-boggling to think that you exposed me in the meeting room.¡± Did Vermont have any problem with Irene? What kind of relationship did Irene have with the family in the first place? My mind was full of questions, but I couldn¡¯t ask any of them as the masked man suddenly grabbed me. ¡°Hey-!¡± That man¡¯s hand covered my mouth. Vermont approached me in a leisurely way. He had something in his hands. ¡®What is it? A syringe?¡¯ As soon as I confirmed that it was a syringe in his hand, an unpleasant chill ran down my spine. ¡°Um, Umm!¡± I couldn¡¯t say anything to Vermont, let alone scream for help. I eventually stepped on the foot of the person who was holding me with all my might. ¡°Ah!¡± While the man holding me lost his strength for a moment, I grabbed the vase on the bedside table. Thud-! The vase hit that man¡¯s head with a thud and shattered in pieces. ¡°Argh¡­!¡± The man grabbed his head and rolled on the ground in pain, and soon the smell of blood wafted out. ¡°What happened to you today! Why are you rolling on the ground! Catch that bitch right away!¡± I firmly held the remaining pieces of the broken vase and stomped them in the body of the man who was lying on the floor immobilizing his body. As I bent down, Vermont¡¯s gaze followed me. ¡°Halt, if you come closer I¡¯ll stab this man¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°Ha, you¡¯ve gone really crazy.¡± Vermont opened his mouth and couldn¡¯t hide his absurd expression. ¡°You, are you really Irene?¡± He was suspicious of me. But moreover, this situation was an unimaginable reaction from Irene to Vermont. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t carry your eyes around as a decoration.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t make sense! You usually give your blood without a word, why are you acting like a crazy person today!¡± I pondered over every word he said. ¡®Usually give your blood without any word?¡¯ ¡°Are you here to draw my blood?¡± ¡°Ha, then do I have any business with you other than that?¡± ¡°Put the syringe away.¡± ¡°You damn bitch¡­.. where do you learn to talk like that?¡± Vermont muttered under his breath and tossed away the syringe and other tools he was carrying. At least it was a relief that this man was helpful to be a threat to Vermont. ¡°So, what are you gonna do? Stab that man with the broken vase fragment and kill me too? Vermont twitched his lips at these words. ¡°Your hand is bleeding. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just give it to me than to waste it like this?¡± He said, looking at my blood dripping from the cut of my hand. ¡°How do you use my blood?¡± ¡°Are you curious about that after 10 years?¡± 10 years? I felt as if I had been hit in the head for a moment. It was shocking to know that this man was drawing Irene¡¯s blood for these 10 years and I didn¡¯t even know about it. In that instant, the needle marks and bruises on Irene¡¯s forearms flashed through my memory. I just let it go because I thought it was just a sign of treatment. ¡°10 years¡­ what the hell did you do with all that blood for these 10 years!?¡± My stomach groaned. Could it be that something fishy is going on within Mergen¡¯s walls that I don¡¯t know about? ¡°Hah, what do you mean by what? It¡¯s obvious. It¡¯s because of the great power of your lineage. I also don¡¯t know about it so deeply. Since i explained everything to you, will you give me your blood willingly?¡± Judging by Vermont¡¯s brazen conduct, it was clear that he didn¡¯t feel any slight of guilt. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you''re acting so strange today, but let¡¯s not waste our strength anymore.¡± Vermont moved a step forward toward me. In response, I pressed the sharp piece of base in the man¡¯s neck lying down. ¡°Ah-Argh! St-stop it! Pl-please save me!¡± The man begged instinctively, and Vermont stood still in his place with a hard face. ¡°Does it seem like I¡¯m joking?¡± ¡°¡­.You¡¯ve completely gone crazy.¡±