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Episode 17
The part that Letty unfolded was partially torn in places but still intact enough to grasp the content compared to other episodes.
【…Omitted…
Tierra used the ‘Eternal Lantern’ to summon the dead victim, clearing her name from false accusations.】
Shortly after Tierra became an adult, someone appeared, accusing her of murdering her own husband and unjustly driving her into a corner.
“Look, look! It says here you can talk to dead people!”
Tinker read the letters that Letty was pointing to with her small fingertip.
‘That’s true. Why did I forget about this episode?’
The relics of the Divine are critical items in the world of [Panda Daughter-in-Law], and each time they appeared, they left a significant impact, whether big or small. The ‘Eternal Lantern’ was one of these relics.
Even so, Tinker couldn’t recall the scene where the protagonist used this relic to summon the dead. Letting out a groan.
‘No matter how damaged the book is, I’m still the Book Demon. But this isn’t just a fuzzy memory—it’s content I have no recollection of at all.’
As if someone had tampered with its mind, Tinker frowned deeply. Sensing its unease, Letty tapped the fairy on the shoulder.
“But, Fairy.”
“Yes?”
“Looking here, it seems like Tierra knew where this relic was from the start. Then why didn’t she summon grandpa’s daughter?”
“…Good question.”
Tinker tilted its head at Letty’s inquiry.
Indeed, Tierra seemed to use the Eternal Lantern effortlessly, as if she had known its location all along. To someone unfamiliar with Tierra’s true character, it might even seem selfish, as she appeared to use it solely for her own benefit.
‘Does this overlapping part of the story reveal something significant?’
The fairy struggled to pry apart the glued-together pages, attempting to uncover the next scene. However, the pages refused to open, as though stuck together by some sticky substance.
‘If the book being damaged ruined Tierra’s character… then this is all my fault.’
Tinker felt a pang of guilt, noticing how different Tierra’s behavior was compared to the protagonist it remembered.
It felt as though its negligence in caring for the book had twisted this world completely.
‘It’s fine. As long as I make sure she doesn’t fight with Letty's mother, the book and Tierra will both return to normal.’
Tinker calmed its racing heart and flew gently toward Letty, fluttering near her face.
“Well, isn’t the important thing right now not Tierra? Didn’t you say you wanted to let that old man meet his daughter?”
The child, who had been looking up at the fairy with a strange expression as she redirected the conversation out of guilt, nodded eventually.
‘Mom always said it’s wrong to force someone to open up if they don’t want to…’
Letty had noticed that Tinker wasn’t telling her everything about the book but decided to turn a blind eye to the secrets the little fairy was keeping.
“Then, Fairy, I’ll go to the cave mentioned here.”
Letty puffed out her chest confidently, motioning toward the cave where Tierra had found the Eternal Lantern.
At Letty’s determination to go to the cave alone, Tinker narrowed its eyes.
‘That’s strange. Solving incidents using the original story is something only the reincarnated protagonist does.’
Was it because it had let Letty read too many of the books it had collected?
‘Or maybe the kid is just too kind…’
Perhaps Letty’s desire to help Brunhardt was making this extra character act like the protagonist.
Nodding its head, Tinker followed Letty as it flew toward the cave where the relic was hidden.
✦ ✦ ✦
As the chattering voices of Letty and Tinker gradually faded away, Letty’s bedroom became eerily silent.
Even Dolores, who would usually tidy up the bedroom early in the morning, was absent.
At that moment, the book lying open in the room began to move. A gust of wind slipping through the cracks in the window flipped its pages.
Creeeak―!
Finally, the part of the book that Tinker had struggled so much to pry open revealed itself.
【"Alicia… Please, let me meet Alicia just once."
At Brunhardt's earnest plea, Tierra blinked her eyes slowly.
"I’m sorry, but the Eternal Lantern is a relic that can only be used once. I’m truly sorry, Lord Brunhart."
Although none of the relics of the Divine were one-time-use items, Tierra lied without hesitation, turning Brunhardt away.
‘If he meets Alicia and clears up any misunderstandings, Lord Brunhart’s curse will be lifted.’
If that were to happen, Tierra’s value within the Grizzly family might diminish. She wanted the people of the Grizzly family to suffer under the curse for as long as possible.
‘That way, they’ll realize how precious I am. Then they won’t long for that child anymore.’
Every time she encountered someone who mentioned 'that child' in front of her, Tierra’s insides twisted.
‘I’ll erase every trace of that child. From now on, I’m the protagonist!’】
Another gust of wind lifted the book’s pages, and the letters that had once blackened the white paper began to fade, as though vanishing in accordance with Tierra’s resolve to erase someone’s traces entirely.
✦ ✦ ✦
The Hall of Frost, where the Grand Duke’s regular meetings were held.
As always, the conference room was dark and quiet, but today the atmosphere was unusually heavy. The elders and retainers of the Grizzly family exchanged glances, hesitating to be the first to break the silence.
“Who will be the one to bring this up to Lord Brunhardt?”
“I didn’t step up last time! It’s your turn, isn’t it?”
The retainers, tasked with requesting Brunhardt to lead the troops, exchanged glances, silently passing the responsibility to one another.
The emperor had once again demanded that the Grizzly family participate in his conquest war.
Everyone knew Brunhardt was a strong warrior, but they also knew he was now an aged and retired soldier. None of them wanted to be the one to ask him to return to the battlefield.
‘But if Lord Brunhardt doesn’t step up, someone else will have to risk their life…’
Since the emperor hadn’t specifically requested Brunhardt, and only direct heirs were obligated to participate, there was no absolute need for him to join the war again. However, none of the collateral relatives were willing to volunteer for an expedition that offered no real rewards.
Moreover, this war wasn’t against a small eastern tribe but a powerful nation, Markes, making it even more dangerous.
“There have been serious reports about the current state of the war. His Majesty has once again demanded reinforcements.”
Eventually, one of the elders, whose own son was next in line, broke the silence. With a heavy sigh, he looked toward Brunhardt.
“But wouldn’t the situation improve if the strongest member of the Grizzly family were to step forward?”
His words carried an implied suggestion, and Brunhardt glanced down at his own hands. They had turned black, poisoned by the toxic mists of the Black Mist Forest, no longer resembling human hands.
“Lord Brunhardt is experienced in war and physically robust…”
“Yes, indeed. He’s still as strong as ever. Isn’t this the perfect example of when we say age is just a number?”
“Furthermore, Lord Brunhardt is always ready to lay down his life for the Grizzly family. Such loyalty!”
Yet they pretended not to see Brunhardt's deteriorated state, instead praising him excessively.
“Hah.”
Brunhardt chuckled briefly. Knowing their true intentions, he couldn’t help but laugh sarcastically.
“So, you’re all saying I should go fight in the war for the Grizzly family again and die, is that it?”
The elder and retainers, who had been speaking up until now, fell silent at the old man’s blunt remark. After a heavy pause, Brunhardt allowed a faint smile to form on his lips.
“Well, I don’t mind. I’ll go.”
While their behavior didn’t please him, Brunhardt could empathize with their reluctance to go to war. Who would want to risk their life for nothing?
‘But my time has come.’
If he could repay his debt to the Grizzly family this way, perhaps he could face Alicia with a more peaceful smile when they met again.
It was the moment when Brunhardt, despite his aging body, resolved to go to war once more.
“Dad, are you crazy?”
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