Fakes Don’t Want To Be Real Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 

‘Why so suddenly?’

 

Startled, Psychke couldn’t tear her eyes away from Lia, who was radiating fury with her entire being. Despite her small frame, she was so threatening that Psychke felt she might be killed at any moment.

Lia’s vivid green eyes, fixed on her, gleamed sharply as if they were piercing straight through her thoughts in real time.

Then, suddenly,

 

“So you really don’t know. Hmm. Is it because it’s not exactly good news that no one told you?”

 

As if she had never been angry at all, Lia restored the room’s temperature and smiled faintly.

 

“Relax. Why are you so tense?”

“If you behave like that, anyone would be on edge.”

 

Verndia, who had been standing by with his arms crossed while Psychke froze, stepped in with an incredulous tone.

 

“You’re not.”

“Have you forgotten what Lestir’s power is?”

“So what if it exists.”

 

When he can’t even control it on his own.

Lia silently mouthed words only Verndia could understand.

 

Then, with a playful wink toward Psychke, who was clearly flustered by the sudden shift in mood, she teased, “Your fiancé, you know. All polish on the outside, a complete mess within. This is a secret, but should I tell you or maybe not…?”

 

Grinning mischievously, Lia leaned closer to Psychke. Suddenly, she frowned, tilted her head, shut her eyes, and began sniffing.

 

“Hm? What’s this?”

 

As Lia’s face drew closer, Psychke instinctively tried to pull back.

But Lia grabbed her collar, stopping her from retreating.

The grip was weak enough that she could have pushed her away but strangely, she couldn’t move at all as if she were under a spell.

 

“Vicente? No… no, that’s not it. Too weak to be divine power. No matter how I look at it, this feels like your power. Don’t tell me you did something to yourself?”

“What are you talking about?”

 

Verndia, now singled out, looked genuinely confused.

 

Lia scowled and complained, “No, I’m serious. You think I wouldn’t recognize your power? Come here and check it yourself.”

“I don’t feel anything.”

“Why wouldn’t you know?”

 

Sighing in frustration, Lia abruptly grabbed Psychke’s hand.

She handled it as if appraising a rare artifact, then repeatedly pressed and withdrew a strange magical device.

After a short while, her eyes flew open in shock.

 

“…What? Wait, don’t tell me you’re—”

 

Dozens of emotions, shock foremost among them, flickered across her face before vanishing.

Muttering to herself, Lia leaned over the desk, closing the distance, and whispered into Psychke’s ear.

 

“You’re the awakened one of this generation of Silkisia.”

 

At the word ‘awakened’, a chill ran down Psychke’s spine, draining her face’s color.

 

Unaware, Lia shook Psychke’s hand excitedly, “My goodness, so that’s it! You were so quiet, I thought you hadn’t been born yet!”

 

Her neatly tied pink hair swayed wildly, and her youthful voice burst out sharp and shrill, like a fledgling bird.

 

“Well, whatever. Silkisia isn’t the problem, it’s the awakened one. But what’s wrong with your energy? Did you ingest something strange? There’s foreign matter mixed in everywhere. With such state, controlling it is impossible.”

 

Lia’s whispering chatter never stopped but Psychke heard none of it. Her mind spun violently at the realization that her cursed power had been discovered.

Unaware that Verndia was overhearing everything, Psychke stood dazed and helpless, shaken back and forth.

Then, snapping back to herself, she hurriedly stopped Lia.

 

“But weren’t you adopted? That’s odd. This power—”

“Please, wait.”

 

At Psychke’s desperate plea, Lia’s rambling cut off instantly.

Psychke forced out a fragile excuse, as though it might snap at any moment.

 

“I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

 

She wrenched her hand free and clasped both hands tightly together, trying to suppress the tremors.

 

“You must be mistaken.”

“What? No, that can’t be—”

“No. I’m nothing. There’s nothing about me. Nothing at all.”

 

[‘This is a curse. It must never be revealed to anyone. If it becomes known that this child is alive, the Empire will be drenched in blood.’]

 

The words she had heard as a child echoed like thunder and the memory of being bound in cold restraints, imprisoned in an underground cell, resurfaced vividly.

She was terrified, overwhelmed by fear.

 

“There’s nothing. I really am… nothing—”

 

Nausea surged up, and she could no longer endure it. Psychke covered her mouth and began trembling violently.

She was too disoriented to realize that Verndia might be sensing her emotions.

 

“Oh my, child!”

 

Startled by her reaction, Lia summoned a cup of cold water with magic.

As the chill touched her lips, Psychke regained some clarity.

While she drained the cup with shaking hands, the childlike mage gently soothed her.

 

“What did you do?”

 

Verndia, who had been watching everything with a sharp gaze, asked quietly.

 

Lia cut him off coldly, “You don’t need to know. I have things to discuss with the child alone, so get out for a moment.”

 

It had been a long time since Lia had shown such fondness as to call someone ‘child.’

Catching something interesting, Verndia’s eyes curved slightly.

 

“Is it acceptable to chase away a valued guest without a proper explanation?”

“Do you want to leave now, or not?”

“There are limits to courtesy, Lia. You don’t give me orders.”

 

His tone grew dangerous, implying he would retaliate if respect was not shown.

 

Lia turned toward him with a snarl, “Want to test that?”

“I wouldn’t say I can’t.”

 

A wave of bitter cold flooded the room again.

Yet Verndia’s expression didn’t change in the slightest, as if he felt nothing.

Lia raised one hand, clearly intent on teaching the arrogant brat a lesson but then,

 

“Tch. Damn it.”

 

She withdrew her hostility.

Her gaze had shifted to Psychke, who was just setting down her now-empty cup.

 

“Consider yourself lucky, you insolent brat.”

 

Snapping out the words, Lia hopped down from the desk and dropped back into her swivel chair, just as she had when she first greeted them.

Clap.

With a sharp clap, Lia drew attention back to herself.

 

“Now then, shall we continue where we left off earlier?”

 

＊＊＊

 

The rest of the meeting proceeded peacefully.

In exchange for retrieving Keitan’s necklace, Lia agreed to provide the ice-magic formula, a method to suppress Asum, and even the medicine Verndia needed.

 

“Three things for one job. Since when were you this generous?”

“Oh my. When have I ever not been generous?”

 

After joking it off, Lia imposed a condition.

Since it was an illegal auction house, they were not to obtain it legally, but to steal it illegally.

 

Verndia snapped back irritably, “Have you lost your mind?”

“Why? It’s more fun that way.”

 

Verndia was about to curse when he suddenly froze, realization dawning on his face. He offered no further objections.

 

“Come visit again next time, my dear. I’ll be waiting.”

 

With Lia cheerfully waving them off, they left the room. Psychke staggered now and then, bracing herself against the wall.

She couldn’t feel the ground beneath her feet, she had no strength at all.

Contradictory words echoed endlessly in her mind.

 

[“As expected of Silkisia. So you’re the awakened one of this generation.”]

[“This is a curse. It must never be revealed.”]

 

She couldn’t even remember why she had come here in the first place.

Unaware of how Verndia was looking at her, she trudged along until her legs gave out and she nearly collapsed.

Fortunately, her fiancé, who had been watching her closely, caught her before she hit the floor.

 

“Th-thank you.”

 

Verndia escorted her as far as the lobby.

It was a gentleness reminiscent of before their relationship soured from excessive attention—but Psychke didn’t notice.

She was too lost in confusion.

 

“I’m not feeling well, so I’ll take my leave. There are additional matters I’d like to discuss. May we meet again tomorrow?”

 

After asking for understanding, Psychke fled as if escaping.

She completely forgot her original plan to visit the temple afterward.

＊＊＊

Verndia watched until his fiancée became a small dot in the distance, then finally boarded the carriage.

 

Seeing her lord’s grave expression, Isolet tensed, “Did she find out you can’t control your flame?”

“No. You really have that little faith in me?”

“Then why do you look like that?”

“Something came up. Isolet, are you busy these days?”

“No. Nothing urgent.”

“Then find out whether Lillian Silkisia has ever visited Vicente’s temple.”

 

Crow, his subordinate, couldn’t infiltrate places imbued with magic or divine power, so the task was delegated to Isolet, who puffed out his chest confidently.

 

“That’s already been checked. Who do you think I am? I served under someone who replaced five aides in a year, for five whole years—”

“So, the conclusion?”

 

Fed up, Verndia cut her off.

Isolet hurriedly recited the information.

 

“None, aside from the bloodline test conducted upon her return to Silkisia.”

“That’s odd.”

 

‘I heard the High Priest returned, so why didn’t she go to the temple?’

 

Don’t tell him… Psychke is truly that awakened one?

Verndia tapped the armrest with his fingers, recalling the imperial legend passed down for centuries.