YM778.TV Chapter 276: We also owe him
I saw my face, I saw my sisters\' faces, I saw my Mother, The vibrant tapestry of this world unfolded before my eyes, revealing its beauty in every hue imaginable.... Yet, amid the kaleidoscope, a profound, endless silence lingered.
The world around me echoed with a deafening quietude.....
I wondered what my voice sounded like....
I wondered about the resonance of my name.....
I wondered what the melodic charm of my sister\'s voice was like – a voice existing solely in my imagination.
A wave of deep longing swept over me, and in that moment, I truly wondered.....
With my aurora night sky eyes fixed upon the auburn-haired man, I stole a glance at my sister, Kira, seated beside me.
In a realm where appearances were everything, only a select few knew my secret - the secret of my deafness.
As royalty, we understood the attention we drew and the potential dangers lurking in the shadows. We concealed our imperfections behind a veil of normalcy, except for Kira. Her blindness was laid bare for all to see, unlike my hearing disorder which remained hidden.
Amidst a sea of masked expressions, I and another sister played our parts with practised perfection. She avoids speaking, While I rely on lip-reading, and maintain the illusion of normalcy. But for Kira, there was no such escape.
And I cannot hear telepathy, while my other sister cannot use her telepathy.... I guess, we were bound to curse in the blessing.
\'I\'m not certain how this happened, but witnessing her claim to have seen those lightning birds... it\'s truly a miracle\' I mused, a warm happiness sweeping through my heart as I celebrated my sister\'s joy.
However,
\'Song\'
Those were the only words she conveyed to me through hand signals. To conceal our shared predicament, I avoided staring at others\' lips, a strategy that would undoubtedly raise questions. Hence, she chose the discreet route of hand signals, and I played my part nonchalantly like normal.
In a sudden revelation, I comprehended that she must have utilized her unique blessing power.
Her blessing was unique and stood out among ours... hers was the \'Answer.\'
It was an enigmatic blessing, and as a result, the answers it provided were equally cryptic.
In simple terms, when she posed a question, an answer would materialize in her mind. Yet, there were limitations; she could use this power only twice a day, and the response would manifest as a single word that she had to decipher.
During the training program, when Oliver fell victim to poisoning, Kira sought a remedy through her blessing. However, the answer she received was \'Deaf\'
Deciphering that was perplexing, especially since it seemingly pointed to me. Yet, Kira insisted that I wasn\'t the subject of that cryptic revelation.
Later, after encountering Eli and being trailed by a horde of ominous black monsters, Kira said Eli was the one who could cure Oliver. I remained uncertain as to how she concluded Eli\'s deafness, but I chose to trust her instincts.
It was only afterwards that she divulged her deduction... when Arlyne shouted at everyone, Eli exhibited no reaction. Not even a twitch of his ears. From this, Kira deduced Eli\'s deafness, a deduction that proved to be true.
My sister was a genius.
"What did you ask now?" I murmured into her ear as I was curious about what she asked to her blessing.
"How. Kyra. could. Hear. like. how.
I. Saw?"
She tapped and rubbed my palm, and understanding her question, I locked eyes with her.
"How could Kyra hear like how I saw? Right?"
Kira nodded.
"Answer: Song, Right?"
Kira nodded again.
My eyes twitched, \'How in the world are we supposed to decipher this?\' I screamed inwardly.
What\'s more her blessing answered!!!
To my surprise, there was an answer, contrary to what I thought.... Because in the early days, Kira wanted to find an answer to our disorder so she asked about curing illnesses/disorders, but the response was always elusive... A blank or no response.
As if saying there was no solution to our problems and wanting us to suffer like this until the end of our lives.
\'I wonder what\'s makes a difference now?\' I muttered inwardly but putting that aside now,
"So, I have to sing?" I asked with eagerness.
Kira shook her head in denial.
"???" I furrowed my brow, and then she pointed her hand toward Eli, saying, "He must sing"
"...." I- I- tried to calm my nerves and queried, "Why? Him?"
I mean it was the right question, right?
But she asked me to repeat the question she had asked.
"How could Kyra hear like how I saw?" I reminded her, and she stared at me for a few seconds.
Soon, I raised my eyebrows in understanding, \'Like how I saw\' was the crucial phrase.
I then glanced at Eli, and a wry laugh escaped my mouth.... Our mother had explicitly warned us not to interact with him, but here we were..... sigh.
Following our impromptu plan, we successfully cornered Eli into singing. However, success came at a significant cost - an \'Owe\' that left me feeling uneasy.
\'Sigh\' I released an audible sigh and observed Kira, who eagerly awaited Eli\'s song.
I wasn\'t sure if it was worth it, but let\'s give it a shot. It\'s not like he would ask something ridiculous.... hehe..he won\'t right?
Already, I could sense the scolding from my mother looming in the near future.
"...."
"Hmmm?" It seemed he had started to sing.
Everyone gazed at him with surprise, including Kira, who wore a bewildered expression. However,
"..."
\'Just as I thought, I couldn\'t hear anything\' I pondered, feeling the emptiness in the world.
I whispered into her ears, conveying that I couldn\'t hear anything. She frowned, and just as I was about to give up, Kira stood up, delivering something with a haughty tone.
"...."
Eli responded with a deathly glare before indicating two fingers.
"K-Kira?" I stammered, sensing his visible anger.
Seated, she signalled into my hand, "I just told him, \'You lack emotions, not enough power, not the same as the one when you wake up the princess. Don\'t tell you just playing at us?....\'"
"...." I wore a taken-aback expression. \'Does she really want to provoke him?\' I thought.
\'You can manipulate the children, but....\' I pondered as I glanced at other children who were also berating him as if requesting the same treatment, while Fiana sighed in weariness.
"I owe him three times"
"!!!" When I \'heard\' that, I blankly stared at my foolish sister.
My foolish sister just smiled, adopting a victorious pose. Veins popped on my forehead.
\'I will definitely tell Mother about this\' I noted in my heart.
I was on the verge of scolding her when,
"SSSHHHHH"
The hush spread through the room, and my eyes widened at the sound of a deep exhale. My head instinctively turned towards Eli.
Eli released a warm breath, and at that moment, his entire demeanour shifted. His expression softened, and his eyes transformed into something entirely different—he appeared to be a changed person. His gaze conveyed a lovely and gentle smile that made every little girl blush and every little boy admires him.
He looked like a totally new persona....
Even my cheeks turned a little warm.
Suddenly, I flinched when I felt Kira tapping my palm. Taking a long, deep breath, I composed myself and shared the details with her... carefully excluding the part about feeling warmth.
Kira nodded eagerly, her blindfold gaze fixed on Eli.
I, too, with a mix of anticipation and a \'slightly\' faster-beating heart, looked at him.
He moved his lips,
"...."
But again....
My eyes slowly dropped as my heart, once racing, calmed down.
"I couldn\'t hear anything" I muttered, glancing at Kira, who was captivated by the song just like everyone else.
Biting my trembling lips, I whispered, "I shouldn\'t have gotten my hopes up" I should be happy for my sister, grateful that she was able to see even if just for a little while... that\'s all.
Concealing my emotions, a gentle smile formed on my lips. Lifting my head, I looked at Eli and observed everyone being mesmerized by the song. The room seemed to breathe with the melody, and a shared sense of enchantment enveloped us all, creating a moment that transcended the ordinary.
\'I wonder what he was singing...\' I thought, prepared to feign enchantment like everyone else when,
hmm~~~ I will always watch over you~
~You are all I see~hmmm~hmmm~
~My dearest girl, You are all I see~~ My dearest~~Oh! you are forever mine~
~My lap is your swing~
~Ever so quietly.....ohhh....we\'ll float away in the sky~~
~Where the winds blow, whispers passing by~~hmmmmmm~
~I will hold you close against my chest~
~Come, you sweet girl~
\'Drip, Drip\'
Tears dripped from my cheeks upon hearing a melodious voice that I had never heard or even imagined.
~A hundred-year life, you have blended with my life~
~The Path.... The Breeze Are My Witnesses~~~OH~
~In Front Of My Precious, I Will Dance~~~
~~With Your Desire, like a melody, we will play~~
~I\'ll Bring You Happiness~~ Even If I Have To Walk On Thorns~~
~Your Footsteps Will Echo In My Heart~~aaahhh~~~
I...I immediately stood up, pulling Kira with me as we left. The others remained immersed in the beautiful music, oblivious to our departure.
\'Tap, Tap, Tap\'
I walked as fast as I could, tears streaming from my eyes.
"KYRA!!" Kira\'s urgent shout broke through the musical trance, pulling me to a sudden halt.
Tears blurred my vision as I turned to face her, and with a voice trembling with the depth of emotion, I uttered, "K-Kira, I need to go home now".
".....Kyra" she called me affectionately, her touch on my cheeks then she said "Okay" conveying a shared understanding.
"Thank you" I said, my words carrying a mix of relief and lingering vulnerability.
"Hehe... Do you need to say that?" Kira pouted her playful demeanour, an attempt to lighten the heavy emotions that clung to the air. She pulled me close, hugging my hand and leaning on my shoulder, providing silent but steadfast support.
Despite the strong front, I presented to the world, on the inside..... I was a weak, timid girl, and Kira was the anchor that kept me grounded.
It was terrifying when everything around me flourished brightly, but this dead silence made me fearful as if the vibrant colours had faded into a monochrome world.
When I heard for the first time in my life, I didn\'t know how to express this, but I felt... truly scared. The haunting melody touched a chord within me, I don\'t the reason but I felt the fear of losing.... Tears poured out from my eyes unconsciously.
I.... I didn\'t want others to see my crying face. I only showed it in front of my family... no one else. The vulnerability I felt at that moment was a secret reserved for those closest to my heart.
"So, how was it?" Kira asked, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and concern, as she tapped my palm.
"....." I remained silent, unsure of how to articulate the complex emotions that swirled within. I had made an internal promise to myself at that moment, vowing to never go near Eli again.
Hearing no answer, Kira smirked, choosing not to press any further, and her silent understanding spoke louder than words.
"I wonder who was the lucky girl....." Kira muttered, her tone tinged with mystery and intrigue as she realized Eli was singing about his loved ones.... Even those children might understood what Eli was trying to convey.
"We should inform Mother" I said with a serious face, attempting to shift the focus to a more pragmatic solution. However, Kira\'s next words caught me off guard.
"NO!! I don\'t want to"
"Kira?"
"Listen, Kyra, I want to see those beautiful birds again"
"B-But-"
"You also wanted to hear those beautiful songs, right?"
"W-What? N-No--"
"Fine, if you don\'t want to. But I want to see those beautiful birds"
"... sigh, fine. Do whatever you want" I said defeated tone.
"You also want to hear his voice, right?" Kira smirked her words carrying a wicked edge.
"...." I chose to stay silent because, deep down, I also yearned to hear his melodious voice again.
\'Well, it\'s not like he lost anything; we also owe him, so let\'s use him\' I thought, completely forgetting the promise I had just made to myself.