Chapter 32
“This isn’t something even a blood-born Mergen could walk away from unscathed.”
“And yet… you’re not even of Mergen blood. What would you know?”
No matter how sharply I replied, Chloe seemed thoroughly entertained by the situation.
She must’ve thought she had the upper hand—her smug expression hadn’t left her face for a second.
“I’m looking forward to seeing how long you can keep that arrogant look. Soon, your knees will touch the floor, and your hands will burn red from begging. Beg, and maybe—maybe—the Lord of the house will take pity on you.”
At that moment, I still wasn’t thinking much of it.
It was just a mirror.
But when I spotted Elliot running toward us, his face growing pale by the second… a small flicker of regret crossed my mind.
“Let’s go, Karlin.”
Karlin helped me up, her eyes filled with quiet fear.
* * *
This house seems to have too many meetings lately.
And each time, I’m the reason behind them.
“You’ve lost your mind. That mirror was a sacred item! This isn’t just a family matter—the imperial court could get involved!”
“Why would the palace interfere with something that belongs to our house?”
“This is nothing like upsetting the retainers—this is entirely different.”
This was the first time I’d seen Elliot this anxious.
He was always steady, like stone. And now here he was, pacing like a parrot that wouldn’t stop squawking—and I was the one who’d done this to him. What a shameful accomplishment.
“Elliot.”
“Yes?”
“If I die… avenge me.”
“…”
He didn’t even blink. Clearly, jokes weren’t going to land today. The situation was that grim.
“I’ll just say it was me, my lady. I can take a beating. That’s all it would come to.”
“Why should you be beaten for this?”
“But… you…”
“Dozens of people saw what happened. If we were going to lie, we shouldn’t have made such a scene.”
Now that I thought about it, Karlin really was the crying sort.
She’d bawled her eyes out the first time we met, too.
“What’s done is done. Regret won’t change anything. All we can do now is try to find the best possible way forward.”
“You need to beg. Apologize sincerely.”
“I’m not good at that sort of thing.”
“Be bad at it, but do it anyway. Tell the Lord it was a mistake. Swear it won’t happen again. Beg for leniency.”
“…I’ll try.”
The words rang hollow in my own mouth. It was hard to even meet their eyes when I said them.
“Clear your schedule, just in case.”
“What schedule…?”
Elliot started to ask, but we’d already arrived in front of the council chamber.
The doors opened.
A chill swept down my back, pushed by the wind as we stepped into the chamber.
The air in here… is just lovely.
* * *
“That mirror is a sacred object! The rain ritual is coming up soon, and now you’ve gone and destroyed one of our most important items! This… this is unforgivable!”
Unforgivable?
It’s already done.
“What are we supposed to do now? If the drought drags on like it did last year, Mergen’s reputation will be ruined.”
“There must be consequences for Irene.”
“He’s right!”
“Lord Patriarch, why are you staying silent? Please, say something!”
Grandfather’s silence wasn’t indecision—it was a clear signal.
He was furious.
Most likely, he was biting back his rage, trying desperately to calm the storm within.
“Why did you do it?” he finally asked.
“It was an accident. If I had to describe it… a regrettable one, perhaps.”
“You do understand. That mirror holds the sacred energy of the forest.”
“Yes.”
“It is meant not just for the upcoming Rain Ritual, but for many other ancestral ceremonies.”
“Yes.”
“If word spreads that you destroyed the sacred mirror, and the Rain Ritual fails… do you have any idea what might happen?”
“I’ll face heavy criticism.”
“You’ll be expelled from the family.”
Well, that made it nice and simple.
Of course, all these calculations had already been done by the time I felt the vibration of that mirror breaking beneath my foot.
“But Grandfather, every object has a lifespan. Whether it breaks tomorrow or a hundred years from now, nothing lasts forever.”
I continued calmly, and Grandfather fell silent—inviting me to go on.
“Clinging to something so old… is it because we have so little real power left that all we can lean on are dusty antiques?”
“Mind your tongue.”
“What’s the real meaning of these rituals? What is it that Mergen has tried to gain through the Rain Ritual? Isn’t it all just a message? We possess sacred power. You should look up to us. Revere us.”
With every word, the retainers’ faces twisted in discomfort.
“Wasn’t it all about proving that heaven’s favor lies with our family? But tell me—does it, really?”
“How dare she—!”
“What is Irene saying right now?!”
“She’s insulting the House of Mergen with that shameless tongue of hers!”
Just as expected, backlash erupted.
“Last year, the ritual failed. No rain came, and we were humiliated. Did it rain the year before that? The Rain Ritual has become little more than a waiting game—keep performing it until the skies happen to open.”
“…”
A heavy silence settled over the chamber.
Because, deep down, they knew I wasn’t wrong.
“Do people truly still believe in the ritual? The nobles laugh behind our backs.”
Someone had to say it.
Even when I was alive the first time, I’d already decided—if I ever became the head of this house, the first thing I’d abolish was the Rain Ritual.
“So then, what exactly are you trying to say?” Grandfather asked at last. “Surely you’re not just venting without offering an alternative.”
“She’s just trying to dodge punishment with pretty words. There’s nothing worth listening to here.”
Ah. Busted.
Roosevelt was mostly right—what I was doing now was talking my way out of trouble, plain and simple.
“Is sacred power really something that comes from an old mirror?”
“Then… where does it come from?” someone challenged.
“Let’s be honest—this ritual is just for show. Whether we have the mirror or not… it doesn’t matter.”
That’s when Chloe, who’d been silent all this time, finally spoke.
“So, what you’re saying is that with or without the mirror, the Rain Ritual is doomed to fail?”
“If that’s truly her belief, then she must be expelled from Mergen immediately! This is blasphemy!”
A bit quick to anger, aren’t they?
At this rate, by the end of the meeting, Irene’s name would be erased from Mergen’s family registry.
“I’m saying the opposite. If it rains, it won’t matter whether the sacred mirror is there or not.”
“Hah.”
Chloe scoffed.
“And how, exactly? We’ve been in a drought for years now. You really do think lightly of Mergen’s traditions, don’t you?”
“If you think the ritual is ruined because of my mistake, then I’ll take responsibility for restoring it.”
“What do you mean?”
My grandfather finally spoke up.
“I’ll conduct the Rain Ritual myself.”
A murmur swept through the chamber at my words.
“You’re saying you’ll do it?”
“Yes.”
The retainers grew restless.
Some cursed under their breath, others called on the gods, and a few didn’t hesitate to point fingers.
“And if I fail, I’ll take full responsibility—just as everyone here seems to want.”
“…Do you even understand what taking responsibility means?”
“If the ritual fails, I’ll leave the family on my own.”
The moment I said I’d leave, the atmosphere shifted.
Some looked shocked, others intrigued. A few eyes gleamed—sensing opportunity.
“Once a promise is made, it can’t be taken back.”
“I know.”
Think before you speak. Think deeply, then think again.
My grandfather had always taught me about the weight of words—especially those spoken by the head of a noble house.
Words from the heir could carry the fate of the entire family.
“And yet, you still intend to go through with this?”
“Yes.”
My answer stirred another wave of murmurs in the room.
My grandfather closed his eyes slowly, deep in thought.
Chloe stared at me, clearly trying to decide whether this would work out in her favor—or backfire.
Beside her, Roosevelt leaned in to whisper something in her ear again and again.
“…Very well.”
At last, my grandfather gave his consent.
* * *
“What were you thinking saying something like that?”
“This is a chance.”
“A chance? A chance to get yourself thrown out, is that what you mean?”
Back in my room, I was immediately bombarded with lectures. My ears felt like they were being worn down.
“I think… people have started to lose trust in me, Elliot.”
“…”
Elliot took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.
“What are you planning? No matter how I look at it, this is a dangerous gamble.”
“Safe choices. You said they were my style, right?”
“That’s right.”
“But you can only make safe choices if you’re in a position to choose. And right now, I don’t have that kind of luxury.”
“You do have the room to avoid unnecessary risks.”
“Maybe my personality’s changed since switching bodies.”
“I’m not accepting that excuse.”
Elliot cut me off firmly.
Of course, Elliot was never the type to wave something off with a “You must be losing your mind.”
“Elliot, have you ever heard it?”
“Heard what?”
“The sound of the forest.”
“…Pardon?”
He probably thought I was speaking nonsense.
But ever since my meeting with Duke Lahan, something inside me had shifted.
“Listen to the sound of the wind.”
And now… I could hear it.
