Chapter 14
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Manifestation of Ability
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The air behind me felt somehow heavier.
Curious, I stopped taking out the brownie and turned around.
Ruena's shoulders had slumped noticeably.
Her eyebrows,
the corners of her eyes,
and even the corners of her mouth.
She looked utterly dejected.
It stung my heart, like I'd said something I shouldn't have.
'No helping it, though.'
I set the brownie from the oven down on the counter and spoke.
"It's just... we have an event at my house that day. I'll be tied up all day."
"...An event?"
"Yeah. I'm turning ten on my birthday this time. My unique ability will probably manifest then."
The continent's greatest magitech powerhouse, Ethersia.
The seven founding houses that established this nation.
The heirs of those houses
awaken with unique abilities derived from their family's powers at the age of ten.
In House Noir's case,
the awakening happened on the night of the first full moon after one's birthday.
My birthday happened to fall when the full moon hung right in the center of the sky.
A birthday,
and at the same time, the once-in-a-lifetime grand event of a unique ability awakening—
all overlapping on the same day.
'I heard Sis had to wait through a new moon for hers.'
Mine ended without any extra waiting.
It was an incredibly efficient schedule, but one with absolutely no room to escape.
Scratching my cheek, I cautiously told Ruena.
"So that day, Father and all the elders of the house will be there. I can't skip out."
"I see..."
Ruena must know it too.
How important a unique ability awakening was to the seven houses.
Ruena's birthday was half a year earlier than mine.
She must have awakened hers already,
and felt its importance more surely than I did.
That's why she just nodded, full of disappointment.
'She's still slumping, though.'
Ruena's shoulders sagged even more than a bird's perch.
I glanced at her carefully as I set down the brownie...
But neither the sweet aroma nor its appetizing look lifted her shoulders.
I gingerly touched Ruena's shoulder.
"Ruena."
"...Yeah."
"You should try the brownie. I worked hard on it."
"......"
Ruena paused for a moment before cutting off a piece with her fork.
Freshly baked, warm brownie entered Ruena's mouth.
Even as the sweet scent and flavor filled her mouth, her expression remained dark.
"Doesn't taste good? Not your thing? Want some lemon madeleines? I baked them ahead."
"...No. It's fine. This is delicious too."
Her voice was certain, but her head stayed bowed.
Ruena set her fork down on the counter and, after a long moment, murmured softly.
"I wanted... to congratulate you."
"Ah..."
That one phrase made a corner of my heart twinge needlessly.
Embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck.
If it were a normal birthday, I could've made time without issue.
'Why'd the full moon have to rise that day.'
On the day of the awakening ritual, sneaking out was impossible.
It'd be insanely busy.
Even now, the whole house was buzzing with preparations for the ritual.
Today was probably the last day I could see Ruena before my birthday.
If it was like this now,
on the actual day, I surely wouldn't have a moment to breathe from morning till night.
Looking down at the thoroughly dejected Ruena, I scratched my head.
'Isn't there some way...'
The most feasible option was
sneaking out two or three days before my birthday for a quick visit.
"How about celebrating early, then?"
"Early?"
"Yeah. I might be able to make time three days before. It'd be short, though."
Ruena's expression brightened a little.
She nodded slowly and held out her pinky.
"Then... promise you'll come that day."
"Yeah. I'll definitely drop by three days before your birthday."
We hooked pinkies to seal the promise.
After a brief silence, Ruena picked up her fork again.
Another piece of brownie went into her mouth.
This time, she chewed it thoroughly with a brighter expression than before.
"It's delicious..."
"Good thing. Eat lots."
"Yeah..."
Ruena picked up a second piece of brownie.
As more brownie entered her mouth, her usual blank expression softened bit by bit.
'...Good.'
My lips loosened without me realizing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Finally, the day of my birthday arrived.
I caught my breath for a brief moment, waiting for the day to change.
"Whoa... I'm gonna die..."
A birthday that should feel great with everyone congratulating me.
Before even starting the awakening ritual,
my stamina was already hitting rock bottom.
From early morning, the house elders had kept me occupied for hours.
"Save me..."
As I mumbled in a half-dazed state,
Rapina Sis, who was beside me, giggled and patted my shoulder.
"Tired?"
"Tired doesn't cover it. I feel like I'm dying."
"Yeah, yeah. I get it. Sis went through it all too."
Rapina Sis playfully ruffled my hair.
"At least yours is a one-day grind since the full moon rises right away."
"...What was yours like?"
"Me? Not a day trip like yours, but... I prayed morning, noon, and night. Until the full moon rose. While watching the elders' moods."
"Whoa......"
That sounded brutally tough too.
Judging by Sis's face, it wasn't a fond memory.
As she grimaced dramatically, she soon grinned and straightened my hair.
"Still, our fourth kid's finally getting his unique ability, huh?"
"Yeah."
"Once the baby of the family does it in a couple years, we're done. Man, this is exhausting... Helping with prep is work enough."
Sis said that with exaggerated gestures, rolling her shoulders.
I wasn't sure if she was exaggerating,
but each roll came with a distinct crack.
'She must've really been through it.'
Well, Sis was the eldest among us siblings.
She must've helped with every awakening ritual for the four younger ones below her.
So she knew the procedures better than anyone,
but that meant she'd been dragged into them constantly, wearing herself out.
'Sis feels like a real big sis for once.'
But I didn't say that out loud.
I didn't want to turn my birthday into a funeral.
Sis stretched with a grin and slapped my back.
"Just hang in there a bit longer, Celen. Catch your breath before the awakening ritual."
"Yeah. I'll just close my eyes for a sec."
"Okay. But don't actually fall asleep. You'd have to pray for a whole month."
Her half-joking, half-serious words snapped me alert.
In the end, I rested with my eyes open for a fleeting moment.
Soon, a knock came at the door.
I signaled to come in, and the head butler entered with a polite bow.
"Young Master Fourth, are you prepared?"
"Yeah. I'm ready."
"Then allow me to guide you to the ritual chamber."
Why was I so nervous about this?
My fists clenched tight, and my feet wouldn't move properly.
As I hesitated unintentionally,
Rapina Sis shoved my back with a thud.
"Go on, today's star. Don't miss the full moon, whatever you do. Sis doesn't wanna suffer again."
"Ugh, got it. I don't wanna either."
"And grab something awesome while you're at it. Got it?"
Her playful tone eased my tension a bit.
I nodded and followed behind the head butler.
The full moon visible through the window looked exceptionally large and bright.
'Ruena went through this too, huh.'
Three days ago, I'd kept my promise and visited Ruena's mansion for birthday wishes.
Time was short, so we'd only met briefly.
Seeing each other's faces,
exchanging short greetings,
and me receiving her gift—that was it.
Ruena handed me a palm-sized rectangular box and said,
"Happy birthday, Celen. Even though it's three days early."
"Still, thanks so much. For celebrating with me."
"Yeah."
I really liked the birthday gift.
It was excellent, practical and meaningful.
I pulled out the gift from Ruena that I'd tucked in my pocket.
A pen made from a feather of the parrot, Buddy.
Ethersia's national bird, the parrot, symbolized luck and prosperity.
And Buddy was Ruena's favorite pet bird.
Her giving me one of Buddy's feathers carried great significance.
It meant she saw me as someone special.
'Two years... progress.'
I'd steadily build favor from here to avoid death,
and quietly leech off high status by Ruena's side once she became Grand Duke Eliad.
Even better if I got a survival-excellent unique ability today.
Born under House Noir,
my siblings all had unique abilities of different natures.
Sis specialized in theft,
Big Bro in infiltration and espionage,
Little Bro in charming people.
Sis's unique ability
stole objects from the surroundings most similar to drawn ones,
Big Bro
hid his body in shadows and vanished completely.
And finally, Little Bro
could read and manipulate the thoughts of those who favored him.
So, what ability would come to me?
I had no intention of becoming a thief,
so ideally something like Big Bro or Little Bro's.
Plus, one with zero mana cost.
'Please...'
Ruena's gift, the symbol of luck and my birthday present.
I clasped the tail feather pen from Buddy in both hands and prayed fervently.
May the meaning of Ruena's gift not be wasted,
and may it be the unique ability to save my future life—!