Chapter 91 Ysabelle Blackburn (2)

[Author’s Note: I’ve received many complaints about how Irina addresses Jin, and after thinking about it, I decided to change how she calls him. Going forward, Irina will call Jin ‘Lord Brother’ instead of ‘Brother’, so it sounds a little better. Thank you for your consideration!]

“Irina met you first,” Ysabelle smiled in contentment as she recounted the day she met me. “You found her when we were roaming the meadow, and somehow, you managed to win her heart. I don’t know the details, but Irina started calling you Lord Brother when she returned.”

Yeah, that part I remember.

Back then, my parents weren’t usually home as they had full-time jobs as Hunters. Therefore, I’d spent most of my childhood in the countryside with my grandparents, which turned out ideal for me anyway, as I could find a remote place to hone my magical skills.

During one of those routine trips, I stumbled across a young girl who seemed lost. Naturally, that girl didn’t need my help and would eventually find her way back, but my chauvinistic self back then wouldn’t leave her alone.

“The three of us were curious. How could a mere human boy charm the Princess of the Everwinter House? And so, we had Irina introduce you. She happily obliged as she wanted to show off her precious Lord Brother to her new friends.”

If I’m not mistaken, Irina should have been eight-years-old back then. Any eight-year-old would be happy to show off their precious sibling, even if they weren’t blood-related.

“When we were first introduced to you… We were stunned.”

“Stunned? How so?”

“By how charming you were.”

Ysabelle giggled while reminiscing about the past. She looked straight at my face as if trying to pick out the features that stood out the most and whispered:

“You were handsome, so handsome back then. Not only that, you walked with confidence beyond your years, elevating your charm to beyond a ten-year-old. You were kind and gentle, yet at the same time, funny and smart. Before we even realised it, you had joined our group of four and had even become the centrepiece of our relationship.”

Yes… That did happen.

Irina had brought me to meet the other three. We were all children around the same age, and our personalities had little to no clashes. In less than two weeks, we had become as close as siblings; in fact, Irina had proclaimed herself as my own sister.

“Irina was obsessed with you. She wanted you to be with her, even if it meant crying all night for it. And you, being the kind soul that you were, obliged her selfishness. However, Irina wasn’t the only girl you charmed.”

Ysabelle let out a heavenly smile, her cheekbones rising and her agate eyes sparkling. Heat permeated from my cheeks as my heart gravitated towards that alluring young woman. She possessed the face of a warrior, an Amazonian that could split limbs and sever heads without a moment’s thought.

And yet… Ysabelle possessed a gentleness that no woman could compare to.

“Lilith was the next to fall. The two of you were geniuses, after all. Whenever Lilith was with us, I felt like she was holding back her knowledge. She would talk like a child when all she wanted to do was talk about the latest research paper. None of us could match her intellect, and it showed… That is, until you showed up.”

“You would talk for hours about magical science and other things that I know nothing about. Whenever you left the villa, I could see her longing gaze, yearning for your intellectual company. If you came earlier the next day, Lilith would try to monopolise you by asking questions we knew nothing about. One day, Irina got so pissed off by Lilith’s incessant hogging that she challenged her to a duel.”

Ysabelle started to laugh gingerly like a maiden giggling at the foolishness of her past.

“As for me… Jin, I think I fell for you at first sight.”

“…”

Did I just receive a confession? How was I supposed to react to that?

“Your chivalry, your desire to protect us even though we had no relation with you, and even your overwhelming talent and power… Jin, you were like a knight that jumped out from a fairy tale.”

“A knight, huh?”

“That’s right! A knight!”

Ysabelle nearly jumped in response to my reply. Stars brightened within her eyes, and her pale white face grew animated. A red tinge permeated out from her cheeks, not from embarrassment but pure excitement.

“You were more powerful than all of us, even though we were around the same age. Not only that, you were so dependable, despite being a child. It was as if… the gods had sent you to us to protect us from the dangers of the world. You were… Our knight, no… my knight.”

“… Were you romanticising me back then?”

“That… I was.”

The black-haired beauty didn’t deny my claim. Rather, she seemed convinced of it.

“All my life, I was the only daughter in the family. There weren’t any expectations for me. No one cared if I became a Blackburn worthy of fighting on the frontlines or a spoiled heiress whose sole purpose in life was to spend money.”

“…”

“I wasn’t a genius like Lilith, and neither did I have the brains of Lilith. I wasn’t powerful like Rosa, either. All my life, I felt useless and like nobody. A driftwood in the ocean, moving where the waves dictate and never once deciding for itself. I had no direction. No purpose. I was just a girl sent by the Blackburn House to make connections with the other three geniuses.”

“…”

I see… Ysabelle had a severe case of inferiority complex growing up. That actually makes sense now, thinking back. Ysabelle was by no means inferior to the others, but when it came to individual strengths, Irina and Lilith towered over most geniuses their age.

If Ysabelle was a prodigy, then Irina and Lilith were generational talents. Geniuses that came once every thousand years. Comparatively speaking, Ysabelle would feel inferior.

Also, from what I understood…

The girl lacked the direction or a drive, so to speak.

I wished to advance my magical knowledge and one day become the strongest being in existence. Lilith wanted to forge a new path in magic, becoming a researcher who pioneers new magic. And Irina… Let’s just say she had a single-minded obsession with a certain individual.

“Hey, Jin… Do you remember what you said to me?”

“I apologise…”

“No, don’t be.” Ysabelle laughed it off. However, there wasn’t any joy within those raised, pink lips. “You said to me something that had changed my course in life…”

“What was it?”

Ysabelle raised her hand, inching it closer and closer to my face. Our eyes melted together, and our hearts merged as one. At that moment, a flashing vision flickered within my mind. A young girl crying and a young boy stroking her head to console her. And at the same time as Ysabelle’s voice echoed out, I could hear the young boy’s calm and confident speech resonating with her.

“Talent doesn’t mean anything… If one doesn’t work hard.”

“…”

That’s right… I did say that to her.

“Even though you were the most talented person on the planet, Jin… You never skipped a day of practice. During your times of leisure, you spent it reading magical textbooks. Whenever you needed to train, you ran until your legs gave out. During magic lessons, you kept trying to cast difficult spells, even if it meant staying up till daybreak… Your dedication and desire to keep going… It moved me.”

“…”

“You told me that it was fine to not know what you want to become, but once you do, you must do everything in your power to claim that right.”

“…”

“And if I were to never find that thing and remain a mere Princess for the rest of my life…” Ysabelle’s hands finally connected with my cheeks, her eyes never once leaving mine.

“You would be my knight in shining armour, always there to protect me should I need it.”

Fuck… Was I such a cringe child? The more Ysabelle talked about my past, the more I felt like digging a hole for myself. Unfortunately, the girl noticed my apprehension and let out a cheerful giggle. She moved her body to one side, and I responded, thinking that she wished to dive deeper into my chest. However, contrary to my expectations, the girl moved further away from me.

“Your words moved me, and I realised that I had to change. I couldn’t just be the crybaby who felt sorry for herself. I had to become stronger for my own sake. And so, when I started to practise with my sword… You were the one who taught me.”

Hoh? I was Ysabelle’s first teacher? Now that’s surprising. The young crybaby who couldn’t even stand confidently amongst her friends had turned into a War Goddess beyond anyone’s imagination.

And to think that her journey started with me…

“Those days… Were the happiest days of my life. I was a lost lamb and a mere political pawn for my House. But when you came into my life, Jin… I was set on the journey of a fighter. I had something to work towards now. Something to grow my confidence in.”

Haha, I could tell.

On the outside, Ysabelle had morphed into a beautiful Amazonian Goddess. She danced with an ease, rivalling that of the best sword fighters. She possessed a physical body that even the Gods would be envious of. And her ability within the Blackburn House was unparalleled in her generation.

Ysabelle had completely turned into an entirely different being, contrary to the little girl who cried for help.

But at the same time… The Ysabelle of the past was still within her.

She was kind and gentle, much like a Saint of the Holy Church. She wept for her people and fought valiantly to drive off the Outer Beasts. In fact, just a few minutes ago, Ysabelle was ready to sacrifice her life to save mine.

The noblest soul I’ve ever met.

Ah, how could I forget?

What moved and attracted me in the past was Ysabelle’s silent power. She held such suffering within her heart, and yet she remained strong. Even though she was the second youngest among the four, she always served their interests like a selfless elder sister. She never once complained about the hard work she got, ploughing through the hardships even though she wasn’t as gifted as the rest. And finally, the sight of her trying her absolute best every morning when we trained.

Those were the attributes that made me attracted to Ysabelle, this lovable Vampire that was holier than the Priests of the Church.

Ysabelle longed for a knight so much that she had become one.

“Those days were the happiest of my life. I’m sure it was the same for the other three too. And yet, I had to ruin it.”

“Ruin it?”

“Yes…”

Ysabelle was now on the verge of leaving my lap. If not for my tender embrace, I was certain that she would have leapt out by now. Her legs were shaking, and her head swaying. The colour on her complexion disappeared, and so did the lustre of her eyes. Her distinct heartbeat pounded at a higher frequency while cold sweat broke free from her crystal clear forehead.

And when she was unable to take it no more, Ysabelle took a deep breath in before unleashing a ruined voice:

“Jin… The Outer Demon that attacked you. The one who ruined your future and forced us to separate from you… I was the one who brought it.”