"Did you find anything useful?"
A cold voice broke through my thoughts, grounding me in the present.
I turned my head to see Soo Jinyoung watching me. Her indifferent eyes carried a faint glimmer of curiosity, barely noticeable but impossible to ignore.
I shook my head.
"It's nothing important."
"Then what's that journal you're holding?" Her gaze flicked briefly to the book in my hands.
I hesitated, glancing at the worn cover. "It seems to be Reginald's personal diary. Do you want to take a look?"
"Hm..."
Without a word, Soo Jinyoung took the journal from my hands and began leafing through its pages. Her expression shifted subtly as her eyes scanned the writing.
Her brows knitting together in a subtle but growing frown.
"... What is this?"
"A love letter to his dead wife, I think," I said dryly.
She flipped to another page, her frown deepening. "Then what's this about a man who doesn't exist? Was his wife in love with... a fictional man?"
"Who knows? Maybe his wife really was in love with someone else. Or perhaps Reginald was so paranoid about the idea that he invented a fictional rival in his own mind."
"That's not right. He said something about taking away her silence. What does that mean?"
"I honestly don't know. I'm rather useless in this regard."
A wryly smile formed on my lips.
Minerva may have only sought solitude to reminisce about her past lover, but Reginald entered her life and somehow managed to claim her for himself.
Therefore, taking away her silence.
Reginald must have realized that Minerva was unhappy in their marriage at some point and became depressed. Her death only compounded his pain, leaving him alone in a world that felt emptier than ever.
Perhaps that was the true reason Reginald secluded himself in his study, refusing to step foot into the outside world.
He couldn't come to terms with the loss of his wife, Minerva. Even though he suspected she might never have truly loved him and had stayed by his side for reasons he couldn't fathom, his heart refused to move on without her.
Considering that Minerva was the Black Witch, it was likely she had stayed with him to pursue some hidden agenda. What that agenda might have been remained a mystery.
It was impossible to truly know the depths of another's heart. Even when you share your life with someone, you can never fully understand them, as they only reveal the image they choose to portray. In truth, even Minerva herself may not have fully understood the secrets of her own heart.
If Minerva didn't love Reginald at all, why would she leave him all her possessions and gold?
Witches were known for their greed, never parting with their possessions unless they gained something of equal value in return. If Minerva was truly a witch, her actions made no sense in that regard.
She was the Black Witch, therefore, the black sheep.
Even if Minerva hadn't felt anything for Reginald initially, she must have developed some affection for him over time. They shared moments of intimacy, which led to the birth of four children.
Two sons and two daughters.
Would anyone willingly bear children with someone they didn't love?
Perhaps such people exist—those who use children as pawns to achieve their own desires—but I don't believe Minerva was one of them.
Yet, that was not enough to convince Reginald, who was burdened by his own flaws and insecurities, causing a huge shift in his personality.
But was my deduction correct?
"Hold on... That doesn't add up. Reginald, the Family Head, was the type of person who locked himself away because he didn't trust his own family. There's no way he would have opened the door for anyone except his personal butler. If there were no hidden entrances then how exactly did he kick the bucket?"
Soo Jinyoung shrugged. "Maybe he simply killed himself. That's also a possibility considering his declining mental state."
"I know that but still...!"
If he had wanted to take his own life, wouldn't he have done so long before his 80th birthday celebration?
Furthermore, it would be too simplistic to say he simply took his own life. We still don't fully understand the depth of this entire incident.
Therefore,
"What If he died before his birthday?"
A voice suddenly asked.
It was an unexpected question.
Soo Jinyoung and I turned our attention to Miyuki who had been silent throughout the conservation. She looked at both of us with dull eyes.
"What do you mean by that?"
Miyuki snapped her eyes open.
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Didn't you ask a question just now?"
"I asked a question?"
"You can't remember the question you just asked?"
Soo Jinyoung frowned, while Miyuki Kuroi tilted her head in genuine confusion, clearly unable to grasp the situation.
"I think I know what happened."
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Soo Jinyoung turned to me, "What do you mean?"
"Miyuki has the Medium attribute. It's possible that entities from the spiritual plane are using her voice to convey their thoughts."
"There's an attribute like that?"
"There are countless undiscovered attributes. Most are completely useless, but a rare few hold significant value. The Medium attribute is one of those rare exceptions, and I was genuinely surprised when I recognized it myself."
Soo Jinyoung's gaze shifted from me to the bewildered Miyuki Kuroi.
Her eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light, resembling flickering will-o'-the-wisps.
[Soo Jinyoung has activated Dragon Demon Eyes!]
Wasn't this person rather greedy?
She meticulously scanned all of Miyuki's information with her glowing eyes, carefully analyzing every detail as if conducting a thorough examination.
She spoke briefly.
"I see. I understand the situation now."
"What are you two talking about?" Miyuki asked, still looking bewildered. She clearly didn't grasp the extent of her own ability. How was I supposed to break this to her?
I crouched down and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before speaking calmly.
"Miyuki, it seems you have the ability to see and communicate with ghosts and spirits."