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.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

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.