“The most important thing is, once I draw something into my space, it becomes forever mine. I imprint it on what’s mine…”

My father trailed off as he picked up the glass I had just drunk from. The glass spun round in his hand and then vanished.

No… it disappeared and reappeared.

With a rush of heat.

‘… fire?’

In a rectangular frame, twisted like a knot, black flames flickered and danced.

The flames slowly faded, the frame disappeared, leaving behind a charred mark.

Suddenly, even that mark melted away through the glass. Now the glass appeared so smooth it was hard to believe it had once been on fire.

My father turned the glass around, displaying its perfect form.

I could still feel the heat, see it burning, smell the tantalizing scent of something charred…

Yet it looked perfectly unburnt.

I opened my mouth slowly.

This… this… was nothing like my own power. No, could it be considered the same <power> as mine?

My father’s voice remained calm.

“What do you think could be done with an imprint?”

I had no guesses. And he didn’t really wait for an answer.

“It could be used for destruction, for tracking. No matter how far away. As long as it retains the form I first imprinted.”

Did the Astariol of Judgment truly be born with powers suited for judgment for generations?

I nearly shook my head.

This power did not belong to the judge at all. This wasn’t for law, justice, or mercy.

My father spoke calmly and softly.

“When you disappeared with Evan earlier, I deeply regretted not attempting to imprint someone.”

A shiver ran through me from toe to head.

I had just witnessed the process of imprinting. Though the mark was gone, it was clearly an imprint created by <burning>.

Wasn’t the smell of charring still lingering in the room?

My father wouldn’t do that to me. So, the target he indicated was likely the Emperor.

And if he had actually imprinted him… it was obvious what he was going to do, destruction or tracking.

My father sighed elegantly.

“I don’t want to have such regrets again, Claire.”

So, right now, my father was speaking to me in a very gentle and chilling manner.

Could she really be under a spell? If she was enchanted and couldn’t speak of it…

I would do whatever it took to kill the Emperor.

I froze, then desperately grasped my father’s hand.

“No, I’m really not under a spell. I’m serious.”

His purple eyes narrowed slightly. I looked at him anxiously.

His icy, sparkling eyes examined me gently and thoroughly.

Very slowly, my father replied.

“Alright, if you say so.”

Unconsciously, I let out a sigh of relief. My father briefly smiled and patted my head.

His gentle and warm touch soothed my body slowly and rhythmically. My tension began to ease, but sleep seemed no longer possible.

I was already too startled. And I doubted I could sleep again.

Father gazed quietly into my unyielding eyes and asked.

“Even if it’s not magic, has His Majesty coerced you in any way?”

I shook my head firmly.

At first, I was afraid he might not spare Mom. When I stood under the magic circle, I couldn’t breathe.

But the Emperor didn’t intentionally threaten me.

Rather, Evan…

“His Majesty seems to be a good friend.”

Dad raised an eyebrow slightly, as if questioning my sincerity.

Still, I nodded firmly.

“It’s a story I had to hear at least once.”

Dad said I would be his successor.

So, Mother’s story was bound to emerge through people’s mouths sooner or later.

There would surely be a lot of distrust, insult, and suspicion.

If confronted with such suspicions without knowing well, I might not be able to defend myself.

But who among my parents would tell me this?

A mother who was in a panic just by entering the palace? Would it be better to hear of my mother’s agony and sins from my father instead of not knowing about her faults?

‘Neither of them are capable. Absolutely not.’

In the end, Evan was simply the one who informed me of the stories I needed to know most quickly and accurately. Nothing more, nothing less.

Therefore, Evan seemed even more like a good friend.

I’d never had a friend… but I knew that a good friend was someone who could replace the parts that even your friend couldn’t talk about.

I said to Dad again.

“His Majesty seems like a good friend. I hope you won’t be too angry with him.”

Dad smiled awkwardly.

“I can’t promise that.”

… it seemed like he’d already messed up a lot. Well, I did wake up late.

“Anything else?”

“I want to go see Mom and Eciel.”

A gentle response came back.

But when I went to see Mom, she was asleep.

It was not a big deal to wake someone up and ask what was wrong, not to worry, but explaining everything carefully would be embarrassing even for a daughter.

So, I quietly turned around and left.

As I briefly held her hand, I just hoped Mom’s dream would be peaceful.

I whispered that I was okay, and her slightly strained face gradually eased into calmness.

But Eciel was awake.

And extremely angry.

“… Eciel, it’s late. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”

“Would you prefer if I was?”

‘To be honest, yes. But she’ll get mad if I answer that way.’

I had a premonition that we were about to have a real fight after a long time.

I silently cast my eyes down.

When was the last time she was this angry? There was even a time when she didn’t speak to me for a whole week.

… anyway, Eciel and I weren’t exactly compatible sisters.

It was inevitable.

One was terribly indifferent, and the other was just as lively.

When I read one more line of a thick history book, Eciel would run outside to catch one more minute of sunlight.

‘The problem is that Eciel insisted on taking me with her.’

If I refused, she’d cry.

If I told her no, she wouldn’t understand.

If I suggested that individual activities might be better since we value different things, she would dislike it.

I really couldn’t understand Eciel at that time.

Once, I asked Mom seriously.

– Isn’t it universally valid that humans cannot fully understand each other? But if both share the same language and cultural background, shouldn’t there be at least some basic communication? Why are we born as twins unable to communicate and empathize with each other?

Mom sighed deeply as if the ground had sunk.

– Just as you can’t understand your sister, your sister can’t understand you either. But at least she tries to be with you.

At that moment, I said I didn’t need such efforts.

Since we were different beings, it was natural that we couldn’t understand each other, so I didn’t desperately want to be together.

Before Mom could respond, Eciel ran over and pushed me away.

Then she didn’t talk to me for a week.

A week of silence, quiet, and solitude.

The first day was comfortable, the second I wondered if something was wrong, the third I thought I should try something.

The fourth I made up my mind, and by the fifth, I started to worry a little.

On the sixth day, I spoke first.

Eciel ignored me.

In the meantime, I’d ignored Eciel countless times, but this was the first time she ignored me.

‘… it was a bit shocking. It was so shocking that it made me surprised.’

On the seventh day, I seriously contemplated.

Whether I should change one of the values I had accumulated so far because of Eciel.

And if I changed my values, how should I approach Eciel with friendly and constructive intentions.

I needed time to think about that.

The next day, I grabbed Eciel. I tried to put forth the problems I had been thinking about all day and solutions for improvement.

But Eciel’s response was only one sentence.

– I’m sorry, I’ll try to be with you more in the future.

I heard those words from the young face that brightened as if she had heard something unbelievable and hugged me tightly.

Since then, we’d become somewhat ordinary sisters.

‘…But did Eciel really understand my apology back then? She probably didn’t know much, but she just accepted it, right?’

I momentarily escaped to the past, and when I returned to reality, Eciel was glaring at me intensely.

At times like this, she was just like Mom, which was a bit scary.

I said soothingly.

“Hey, Eciel. Look, nothing happened to me. I just talked.”

“Aren’t you always telling me not to follow strangers?”

“Of course. It’s dangerous.”

“Do you think it’s not dangerous? Are you stupid?”

Angry Eciel yanked and threw the blanket.

Dad, seeing Eciel angry for the first time, blinked beside me.

Dad must have seen Mom angry for years… I hoped he’d intervene for a moment, but it seemed like he just wanted to watch.

I gave up and evasively uttered a few words.

“Eciel, I… was just thinking logically…”

“Why did you follow along so easily?”

Oh, I wanted to avoid this. I wanted to run away. I wanted to quit…

My mental strength was gradually draining away. I resigned and surrendered.

“I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”