WHYMCF 18

Chapter 18

Fortunately, Claude’s attention soon shifted elsewhere.

“You were looking at something like this?”

His gaze swept over the newspapers Lizbet had been reading.

“Father and eldest sister said they’d handle it themselves. They said you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Yeah. I won’t anymore.”

“Your wrist… it really is okay, right?”

“Yeah. You checked it yourself.”

Lizbet smiled brightly and began unwrapping the bandage.

Thanks to the healing Claude had done with divine power, Lizbet’s wrist was already perfectly fine.

Even so, she continued wearing the bandage because of the attention it drew.

If she walked around with an injury, it would attract more sympathy.

‘And the article was printed big this time too.’

The rumors would spread soon enough.
That the young lady was still struggling, remembering what had happened that day.

Lizbet thought calmly as she sipped her tea.

‘I still don’t understand why Calyx made that face…’

That was the only thing still bothering her.

The gloomy expression he had shown then.
The eyes that had looked almost angry.

Of course, Calyx hadn’t truly cornered her at the time…

But Lizbet couldn’t stop thinking that he might still be holding it in his heart.

‘I hope he’s calmed down…’

If Calyx kept looking at her with those eyes, it would make her a little sad.

After thinking about him for a while, Lizbet concluded that the biggest problem was that she had almost been dragged away helplessly.

‘Maybe I should learn some self-defense?’

So no one could grab her wrist like that again.

Honestly, she found it unpleasant that things like this kept happening.

If she could properly protect herself, Calyx would probably feel more at ease too.

Having reached that conclusion, Lizbet set down her teacup and spoke.

“Learning swordsmanship would be too much for me, right?”

“…You? It sounds difficult…”

“Yeah…”

Claude’s perfectly objective response made Lizbet a little dejected.

Even she thought swordsmanship was unrealistic.

She didn’t have the strength to hold a sword, and she wasn’t the type to train consistently.

‘And thinking about last time… swords really don’t seem to suit me.’

Even when she thought she could do it if the situation demanded it, she had hesitated before she could even swing properly.

Lizbet knew that kind of hesitation wouldn’t help anyone.

“But why swordsmanship all of a sudden?”

“If something like last time happens again, it shouldn’t happen the same way. I think I need the strength to protect myself.”

“You’re right, sister! That’s a great idea.”

Claude clapped his hands in agreement.

Encouraged by his reaction, Lizbet quickly brought up another idea.

“What about using divine power?”

When people heard “divine power,” they usually thought of healing.

But that wasn’t the only kind.

Like Duke Armierosha or Marcella, there were forms of divine power specialized in destruction.

Of course, Lizbet couldn’t wield power like they did.

‘But for self-defense, it should still be possible.’

Even ordinary divine power could be used to protect oneself.

Claude could probably do it too.

“I’m not expecting anything strong like Father or Sister’s. Just enough to stop someone from moving.”

“Hm…”

Unlike before when he had eagerly agreed, Claude now hesitated.

“Wouldn’t eldest sister be more helpful than me for something like that?”

“She’s busy with the knight order.”

“Sister, I…”

Claude seemed uncomfortable and fidgeted before finally admitting the truth.

“I-I was worried you might not like this kind of thing! I don’t want you to hate me too.”

“What wouldn’t I like? And why would I hate you?”

“You hate it when people talk like they’re teaching you… And especially when it comes to divine power…”

“Ah.”

Only then did Lizbet understand why Claude was reacting this way.

‘He’s afraid I might get irritated.’

In her previous life, Lizbet had hated whenever her family talked about divine power with her.

She believed they were reminding her that she had no power, mocking her by telling her what to do.

Looking back now, it had all been because of her inferiority complex.

‘And Claude doesn’t know I’ve already manifested divine power…’

If they tried something and nothing happened, he probably thought she’d snap at him again.

He probably didn’t want to ruin the relationship they had only just repaired.

Looking at her discouraged younger brother, Lizbet gently tapped his arm.

“Claude. I won’t be like that anymore.”

“…Sister.”

“Even if you can’t believe me right away, I understand. But I won’t hate anyone in our family anymore. Not you either.”

“…”

“So please don’t get scared and avoid things before even trying.”

“No, I’m not avoiding it. If you want to do it, of course we should. If it’s something I can do, I’ll do anything.”

Claude shook his head firmly and sat up straight.

He lightly placed a hand on Lizbet’s shoulder.

“If you have divine power, it’ll react to mine.”

“Okay.”

“After that it’s easy. I think the source of this power is ‘wish.’ Like… divine power grants what I wish for. Of course, we’ll have to see whether your power works the same way.”

Claude pressed his forehead against Lizbet’s and slowly took a deep breath, releasing his divine power.

Something like a shimmering haze rose from his body.

It was brilliant and warm.

‘So this is Claude’s divine power.’

Lizbet watched it before slowly closing her eyes.

Then she felt something flowing into her body.

It rippled like warm water, tickling near her heart.

As she focused on the sensation, Claude’s voice spoke softly.

“Sister, make a wish. Think about what you want to do right now.”

Feeling Claude’s warm power, Lizbet thought about her wish.

She had countless wishes inside her.

The desperate hope that she would never lose the things she loved again. The wish to protect her family.

Perhaps one of those wishes had even turned back time for her.

‘Among them… what I can do now is…’

Claude.
My kind and faithful younger brother.

‘I want you to feel my heart too.’

Thinking that, Lizbet slowly opened her eyes.

“It’s okay. Everything will turn out the way you want.”

What came into her clearing vision was the bright sunlight pouring through the window, and her younger brother smiling warmly as he murmured those words.

Had her wish reached Claude properly?

Lizbet wasn’t sure.

But the warm and gentle breeze swirling around her seemed to say there was nothing to worry about.

Following Claude’s claim that she had indeed manifested divine power, Lizbet began practicing how to properly use it.

Divine power was completely different from the other two powers in this world.

‘Aura is something anyone can use if they reach a certain level.’

In that sense, divine power was more like magic, since only those born with it could use it.

But it was still fundamentally different.

‘Magic and divine power are said to oppose each other from the start.’

Claude said divine power was a force borrowed from the gods.

Because of that, there was no need to draw magic circles or calculate formulas like when casting spells with mana.

And there was no need to coat weapons with energy like when using aura.

The only thing required was a wish.

A desperate desire to achieve a goal.

Lizbet thought that sounded relatively easy.

But once she actually began training, it wasn’t that simple.

Even grabbing hold of the power required intense concentration.

And if her mind wandered even a little, the power would manifest in completely different ways.

That was because there were too many possible ways to fulfill a wish.

‘So I need to think as specifically as possible about what I want and how to achieve it.’

Realizing new things one by one, Lizbet refined her ability to use divine power.