Chapter 27

Why does something like this exist?

Back then, I never had anyone draw a picture like this for me. Besides, this painting is relatively new. It seems as if someone who knew me back then only drew it recently.

Faced with this unbelievable fact, my mind went blank, and I didn’t even notice the door to this room opening.

"...Lisette, Miss?"

At the sound of that voice, I hastily turned around to see Nadia standing right by the door. Her already large eyes were even wider.

"You're safe...!"

She ran over to me, tears in her eyes, and hugged me as I sat on the floor. Her warm body, which I hadn’t felt in a long time, made me want to cry.

From the look of it, she hadn’t heard anything from Ralph. I stopped Nadia, who was about to call for a maid.

"I don’t want anyone to be called. And I need to go back."

"Where, exactly?"

"..."

I couldn’t tell her that I was being held captive in the basement of this house. If I didn’t return to that place before Ralph came back, I didn’t know what would happen to him.

Nadia gently held my hand, which was unable to speak.

"It’s okay, I’ll always be on your side, no matter what. Please, can you at least tell me where you’ve been and what happened?"

Her words left me unsure of what to do. But now that I’ve been found, if I tried to disappear again, it would only worry her more.

"Ralph was hiding me in a safe place."

"Brother?"

"Yes. I left without permission, so I’m worried that I’ll cause him more trouble if I don’t return soon."

"…Was this with your consent?"

Her gaze was directed at my bare feet, where the marks of the shackles were clearly visible.

I nodded, gripping her hand in return. "Yes, it was."

"If Miss says so, then I understand. Brother may be hopeless, but I believe he will definitely protect you. I, too, will do anything for you."

Nadia hugged me tightly again, whispering, "I love you," in a voice that seemed on the verge of tears. I, too, had come to find her very dear and lovable.

After hugging Nadia for a while, I eventually said, "I’m going now," stroking her beautiful silver hair and standing up.

"I need to talk to Ralph."

"Yes, but why this room?"

"I wanted to see this painting."

Pointing to the painting in front of us, Nadia tilted her head.

"This painting...? I believe Brother drew it soon after he came to this house."

"Ralph drew this?"

I had thought it was done by a professional artist because it was so well-drawn. I didn’t know Ralph had such a talent.

"Yes. Brother drew all of them. He’s very talented, isn’t he? …Brother has always been able to do everything. Even things he shouldn’t know, he knew."

"Things he shouldn’t know...?"

"Yes. From the time I could understand, he had knowledge that rivaled adults. Even though he had never properly read a book."

The dots connected, and my suspicions turned into certainty.

"Brother Ralph is definitely a reincarnated soul."

And Nadia clearly stated it.

◇◇◇

"Lisette...!"

As soon as I returned to my original room, Ralph appeared, looking flustered. He must have noticed that I had escaped.

The moment he saw me in the cell, he looked immensely relieved, almost on the verge of tears.

"Lisette, why...?"

"I need to talk to you."

Saying this quietly, Ralph came over without a word and knelt in front of me, who was sitting on the bed.

His beautiful eyes were filled with deep anxiety.

"Ralph, I’m sorry. I was out for a little while."

"Why?"

"Because there was a painting I wanted to see."

At this, Ralph’s eyes widened.

"Do you know Erika?"

My name in my first life was Erika. I remember being a simple girl, able to use magic but naive and straightforward, not knowing how to doubt others.

After a moment, Ralph, who had been looking at me, nodded slightly.

"…I also know a little about Monique."

"Huh?"

That was my name in my third life. The unexpected words made my heart race.

"As you might have guessed, I am also a reincarnated soul."

"..."

"But I’m a little different from you."

Taking my hand, which was still trembling, he smiled with a troubled look and continued.

"This is my 13th life."