~ [But regardless, after sending away that extra addition, Theresis, you and Theresa could finally, in the truest sense, be alone together.] [You could also, according to the plan in your heart, set Theresa upon the very road you had once walked.] [Time trickled by, day by day, amidst such an ordinary routine.] [Thereafter, each month, Theresa’s challenge would arrive on a different day.] [Unfortunately, because Theresa was still young, and because of your own overwhelming strength, Theresa failed to achieve any results in any of her challenges.] [This left you mildly dissatisfied with the growth of Theresa’s strength.
But fortunately, you could faintly glimpse the shadow of your past self in Theresa’s developmental trajectory.] [So even if you weren’t entirely satisfied with Theresa’s performance, what filled your heart was mostly anticipation for the girl’s future.] [Thus, you began teaching Theresa swordsmanship in your spare time.] [And so another year passed.] [At year’s end, Theresis—who had been tormented for several months—was brought back to the ducal manor by you and Theresa.
He had clearly grown much taller and sturdier.] [At the same time, the timidity that had once marked Theresis had vanished without a trace.
He now looked more like a man, more like an elder brother.] [Clearly, after undergoing hellish training, Theresis now possessed both the ability and the will to protect Theresa.] [Actually, Theresis had not been permitted to return this year.
But you learned from intelligence reports that, in order to come back and see Theresa, Theresis had completed a specialized training regimen that was nearly impossible to finish—only thus earning the chance to return…] [And after reading those reports, watching this pair of siblings—who on the surface didn’t seem particularly close, yet in truth constantly grew stronger for each other’s sake, overcoming hardship after hardship—for some reason, you felt the black tea in your mouth taste sour.] [It must have been that the tea had spoiled.
So afterwards, you ruthlessly crushed that black tea producer, and after acquiring it at a rock-bottom price, replanted the entire estate with lemons.] [And during this month of Theresis’ return, after casually dealing with Theresa’s assassination attempt, you decided—to avoid any shift in your mood—to simply follow the principle of ‘out of sight, out of mind.’ You no longer sought Theresa out at every spare moment as you once did.] [The courses and swordsmanship lessons you had arranged for Theresa were also canceled alongside.] [Except when necessary, you did not seek out Theresa or Theresis.
Only, after doing this, whenever you felt weary alone in your office after reviewing documents and trade agreements, and paused while pouring yourself black tea, you would often stare at the teapot—without a single drop of tea in it—and inexplicably feel that, without that pink-haired little dumpling, the entire office felt somewhat empty.] [This left you rather unable to adapt.
In the end, you even had to get up and brew the tea yourself, only to discover there was no hot water prepared either…] [This greatly impacted your work efficiency.] [Fortunately, this situation only lasted half a month.
After half a month, Theresis was once again kicked out of the house by you.] [On the day you sent Theresis away, you were in a very good mood.
Thus, you gave him a considerable amount of money and prepared plenty of daily necessities—with the distinct feeling of ‘you don’t need to come back anytime soon.’] [Theresis was completely dumbfounded by your enthusiasm.
Finally, before the envious gazes of the students at the school gate, he bewilderedly accepted all the things you gave him.] [Theresa simply watched this scene with tender eyes.
Though she felt some reluctance, seeing Theresis’ transformation, she was already at ease.] [The second year, the game continued.
But Theresa still did not succeed.] [Compared to the previous year, however, Theresa had indeed grown much stronger.
Her temperament also began to turn steady and restrained.
At times, even you couldn’t read what she was thinking.] [This made you feel that Theresa had grown even more similar to your former self.
So in this year, you began teaching Theresa Originium Arts.] [One thing that also weighed on your mind was that Theresis, this year, had to accompany his classmates to the Gaul frontlines and crouch in trenches.] [You couldn’t help but frown at this.
You felt Theresis was still somewhat young; should anything happen, it could impact Theresa.] [You originally intended to pull strings and bring Theresis back.
But Theresa refused—her reason being that she believed in her brother.
Theresis himself also expressed that he didn’t want to lose this opportunity.] [And seeing the look of trust on Theresa’s face, unable to understand what the girl was truly thinking, you ultimately decided, after much deliberation, not to interfere.
You merely privately hired several mercenary companies and bribed a few frontline officers to pave Theresis’ way.] [Finally, staring at your much-diminished private coffer, in utter financial heartache, you wrote a letter demanding that Theresis must achieve the best results in his class—or else die in the frontline trenches and never bother coming back.] [Thus passed that year.] [The third year was no different from the second, save that Theresa became even more mature.
And you, considering all aspects—plus the additional workload from your revitalized business operations, and realizing you could spare no more energy—finally decided to stuff Theresa into the Royal Academy of Victoria.] [Theresa did not refuse.] [As for the results of her challenges, needless to say—though Theresa once managed to snip off a few strands of your silver hair, that was all.] [Your Originium Arts ensured you stood on invincible ground.
This could also be considered one of the guarantees allowing you to wager your life on this game.] [Of course, if Theresa truly managed to defeat, or even kill you, you wouldn’t regret it either.] [This year, you felt a familiar sensation from the past emanating from Theresa.
She truly was very much like you.
Under your arrangements, she indeed let you glimpse your former self.] [But alas, you still hadn’t found your true self.
So the game remained ongoing.] [Still, you felt that the day would come before long.
So you waited, and harbored anticipation.] [And at the end of the third year, Theresis returned.
He had grown very tall, no longer resembling a fifteen-year-old child.
Clad in a Victorian military uniform, several medals pinned to his chest, his face had shed its boyishness and matured.] [Seeing the medals on his chest, you reluctantly acknowledged his achievements.
You opened the manor gates for him, and just as the youth breathed a sigh of relief and walked to your side, you ordered him to halt.] [Theresis’ body stiffened.
Then, obedient under your icy voice, he lowered his head.] [You looked at Theresis, so utterly deferential toward you.
You glanced around, confirmed no one else was present, and then patted Theresis on the head.
Rarely, you spoke a single sentence specifically to him: “You did well, Theresis.”] [When you said this, you didn’t notice that your voice had turned gentle.
It wasn’t strange, really—you had read frontline intelligence reports about Theresis every week.
Seeing him return whole, adorned with medals, it was only normal for you to feel some satisfaction.] [At least, that was what you told yourself.] [Theresis was briefly dazed by your actions and words.
But in the end, a warm smile replaced the tension on his face as he replied, “I am honored to have fulfilled the mission.”] [You nodded and, leaning on your cane, led him inside.] [Up on the second floor, Theresa, who had watched all of this, curved her lips into a gentle smile, then prepared to welcome her brother.] [Thus ended the third year.] [Such days were actually quite pleasant.
Compared to the past, your life now was filled to the brim, more so than you could even measure.] [And this gradually made you feel that perhaps the fourth year would also end this way—which wouldn’t be bad at all.] [The game could continue like this.] [Your life was enriched.
And in the days to come, you could slowly accomplish your plans and see the game’s outcome.] [You could, in the end, thoroughly obtain Theresa, and also gradually glimpse your former self through the girl’s developmental trajectory.] [Continuing like this, the future seemed unimaginably bright.] [But alas…
the fall of the Sarkaz King of Kazdel changed everything.] [The moment the black crown—the very symbol of the Sarkaz King—manifested in Theresa’s hands as she was practicing piano, bringing with it the fate of the Sarkaz race…] [The music stopped.] [Your original plans became wastepaper, never to be realized.] [On a rainy night, Theresa and Theresis—who had hurried back to the manor—knocked on the door of your office.] [You, who had been dozing wearily over your desk, were startled awake.
Realizing that at this hour it could only be Theresa, the iciness that had originally surfaced in your expression gradually thawed.
You straightened your clothes and opened the door.] [You had assumed it would be like usual—Theresa bringing you a late-night snack, or reminding you to return to your room to sleep.] [But unexpectedly, you were met with Theresa’s pale golden eyes, dimmed and uneasy, dodging your gaze, and Theresis’ equally complicated expression.] [You vaguely sensed something was wrong.
But in the end, you still allowed them into the office with you.] [And this, too, became your final moments gathered together…]