* * *

“You might feel like you’re a burden, Heewoon, but honestly, you’re not.”

Maria, who had just let go of my arm after making sure I was steady, sat down beside me.

She smiled faintly, her face showing traces of fatigue.

“Outsiders wouldn’t know, but after Eunsoo’s incident, the Polwel family has been in chaos because of internal matters. It’s clear that it was Jake’s fault, but you know how it is—people always look for someone else to blame. And Grandma’s an easy target for that.”

Jake Polwel’s mistakes could have been corrected before things spiraled out of control, but they weren’t.

“They probably have their own share of guilt, though…”

If someone—anyone in the family—had noticed Jake Polwel’s feelings of inferiority and worked with him to resolve them, perhaps things could have turned out differently.

Surely, as his family, they must have sensed his struggles.

Yet their failure to act was everyone’s fault.

If they truly hadn’t noticed, it only meant they hadn’t cared enough about him.

In the end, this entire situation grew out of the family’s collective neglect and indifference.

It wasn’t solely Elizabeth Polwel’s responsibility.

Still, it’s always easier to point fingers at someone else rather than reflect on oneself.

That tendency, it seems, is no different even among the supposedly great Espers or the illustrious Polwel family.

Maria rested her chin in her hand and sighed deeply.

“Grandma is respected because she never uses her abilities for personal gain. The entire Polwel family lives comfortably thanks to what she’s built and still relies on her in so many ways. But when things go wrong, she’s always the first to be blamed.”

“She must have a hard time.”

“Yes, she does. As the elder of the family, she doesn’t show it, but I’m sure she’s felt lonely and blamed herself a lot. She really loves her family.”

That much was clear.

Though she had only appeared briefly in the original story during a scene foreshadowing a world crisis, her love for her family was evident.

Even in her final moments, she had worried about them.

Perhaps her decision to embrace death in the original wasn’t just out of guilt toward Eunsoo but for other reasons as well.

A bitter taste filled my mouth.

“She’s probably doubted her abilities, too. It was during such a time that you arrived, Heewoon. She told me that suddenly, she couldn’t see the futures of the people close to her anymore. At first, she seemed unsettled, but now she seems far more at peace than before.”

Maria looked at me with a warm gaze, adding, “It’s all thanks to you, Heewoon.”

“So, if there’s another reason you’re staying, aside from what I know, don’t feel bad about leaning on us. Don’t think of it as a burden or counseling for no reason. If it’s hard to tell me, then try talking to Grandma. She’s the best confidant you could find, and she’d never spread your secrets.”

“…Alright.”

Revealing the family’s flaws, something they had kept under wraps until now, was probably her way of encouraging me.

I was touched by her thoughtfulness. I couldn’t let myself remain stuck any longer.

I stood up. I’d only completed my shooting practice so far today—there was still much to do.

“Maria, if there’s a field mission I can participate in, let me know. I may lack experience, but I’ll do my best not to drag anyone down.”

“Of course!”

Maria’s cheerful voice followed me as I left.

---

Thanks to Maria’s consideration, I woke up feeling refreshed despite yesterday’s exhausting day.

No muscle aches, no mental fog.

Everything felt clear.

It gave me a chance to organize my thoughts, too.

‘Sulking alone isn’t going to solve anything.’

I resolved to bring up my thoughts during tea time.

But as I reached for the office door, I paused.

Voices drifted from inside.

Since Maria was out for external work today, someone must have been on a call.

‘I’ll just wait so they can speak comfortably…’

Thinking it was impolite to stand idle, I decided to fetch some tea.

But a voice from inside froze me in place.

“I keep having nightmares. What if my brother is really dead? When unregistered Espers target Guides… the results are always horrifying.”

“That’s true. They’re often starved for proper guiding.”

“If something terrible happened to him when I wasn’t there… I…”

It was Eunsoo.

The voice was more mature than I remembered, but I was certain.

I knew every little nuance and breath.

“I miss my brother…”

The moment I recognized his voice, my body locked up.

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

Though I’d gathered articles, interviews, and photos of Eunsoo, I had never watched any videos.

I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle hearing his voice or seeing him move.

Afraid I’d crumble.

As expected, guilt swept over me along with the longing.

Hearing his trembling, tearful voice made it unbearable.

“He’s everything to me…”

That was when my body moved on its own.

I swung the office door open, ready to speak.

“….”

But no words came out.

It felt as if my chest and throat were filled with solid concrete.

My mind was blank. I didn’t even know why I had barged in like that.

“You must be so worried.”

Elizabeth Polwel glanced at me briefly, smiled faintly, then returned her focus to Eunsoo on the screen.

Her calmness only made my impulsive behavior more mortifying.

Realizing how rude I had been, my face burned with embarrassment.

I quickly bowed, grabbed my notebook, and hurriedly left the office.

---

I escaped to the lounge and sat down, trying to work, but nothing stuck.

Familiar tasks that should’ve been simple refused to flow.

My thoughts were a mess.

Eunsoo’s voice echoed in my mind—the trembling, the quiet sobs.

‘Pull yourself together, pull yourself together.’

I slammed my head onto the table.

I must be spoiled now.

No matter how tough life had been before, I had always worked through it.

Yet here I was, letting my emotions get the better of me just because I no longer had to worry about food or rent for the next day.

Slapping my cheeks to snap out of it, I glared at the screen, only for my phone to buzz.

[I’ve informed the kitchen. Please bring tea and cake.]

I headed to the kitchen.

The staff, as if expecting me, handed over an elegant tea set and a tray of desserts worthy of a movie scene.

Today’s selection was milk tea and a flat peach cake, rich with cream and chunks of fruit.

While I usually found the meals here unappealing, the desserts were different.

Tea time with Elizabeth Polwel was the one moment when eating felt like pure happiness.

Normally, I would’ve rushed back, eager to dig in, but today my steps were heavy.

Upon returning to the office, I set the tray down and bowed deeply.

“I’m sorry for barging in so rudely without knocking…”

“Child, lift your head. I wasn’t offended at all. You have no need to apologize.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“But more importantly, is there something you’d like to talk to me about?”

“….”

Elizabeth Polwel’s extraordinary ability didn’t work on me.

Perhaps because I was an anomaly in this world.

Yet, somehow, she always seemed to know what I was thinking.

‘Must be the wisdom of age…’

“Or is it that I’m just too simple-minded, and everything I think shows on my face? Either way, right now, it didn’t feel all that bad.”

Following Elizabeth’s suggestion, I sat down and clasped my hands together.

What should I talk about first?
I had mulled it over all night, but now that I was about to speak, nothing came to mind.

Even as I merely opened and closed my lips soundlessly, Elizabeth didn’t rush me.

She simply poured hot water into the teapot, steeping the tea.

“You never asked me why I was in a place like that, why I left Eunsoo’s side, or why I don’t intend to go back. For that, I am truly grateful.”

The fragrant aroma of tea soon filled the room.

As always, a slice of cake was served to me with the tea—a gesture of Elizabeth’s kindness, wrapped in delicious form.

Summoning my courage, I straightened my back and spoke.

“It’s long overdue… but I would like to share my reasons with you.”

* * *