Confessing the truth to the Duke

Duke Enilde couldn't contain his emotions when he felt a weird vibe coming from his daughter. A frightening cold expression appeared on her face in an instant at the mention of the tower, as the veins in her facial muscles started to dilate.

"Helena?" Duke Enilde reaches out worriedly.

Upon hearing her father's worried tone, Helena snaps back into reality, shaking her head in an instant.

'Damn it, i got too irritated that i showed off an unusual reaction to father.' she thought.

She composes herself once again, straightening her back and giving a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry father, i was just worried that the tower might plan something since we left them for the Abuneian Empire."

He sighs, knowing what her daughter feared. "You're an adult now, so i guess your mother wouldn't hate me so much for warning you, after all this is all for your protection."

Helena's eyes didn't falter as if she already knew the words that would come out from her father.

"You're right, it's strange that the emperor would approve the request since the tower always avoided such public events. I tried inquiring the emperor about the decision he made, but he only gives me a smile in the end." He sighs, feeling stressed.

At that time, even Helena shared her father's burden as she pondered about the tower's intentions. Doubt can never leave her thoughts whenever the tower is involved. After all, her life was completely ruined by a really perfect plan from the tower.

So it wasn't a surprise that she felt like she needed to be alert.

"Father, i hope you never inquire the emperor like that again. It is too risky, even if you are obeying the imperial family ever since, you were an archmage in the past, and that thought will never leave the emperor's doubt. He might even think that the tower specifically planned this." She replied sternly, not holding back.

Her father of course didn't expect her tone, as if she experienced a hard life ahead of her, her eyes burning in resiliency. He couldn't help but feel worried at her sudden words.

Duke Enilde noticed her unwavering and austere eyes.

"Did something happen? you talk like you have a lot of doubt in both nations."

Helena flinches, realizing she still gave herself out even when she tried not to. She sighs, "It's just.. i want our family to avoid any misfortunes. You may not believe me right now father, but our family is blessed with unique gifts."

"Unique gifts?"

The Enilde family is one of the few families in the obsidian nation that possessed great mana capacity, that they can produce strong offsprings. In all generations, two archmages came from the Enilde family. So it was pretty natural if there's talent among them. The only disadvantage in being an Enilde is the short lifespan they get because of their ability to absorb mana, and the more they absorb and use mana, is also how much start to lose a pinch of their lifespan.

The reason why Helena is explaining herself was that the Enilde generation today was definitely different from the past generations.

"Every generation in our family history has at least one talented individual right? In our generation, there's you, mother, my brothers... and me."

Duke Enilde's eyes widened, not expecting her to mention all of their names.

"What do you mean? your mother and your brothers never practiced magic from the start since they don't have enough mana capacity to learn our family's ability inheritance. And there's no record that there were that many talents in one generation."

She shook her head.

"That's not it. Everyone in our family has the potential, yet they were not able to fully manifest their power due to their lack of knowledge about it. You could just call them 'late bloomers'."

Duke Enilde raises an eyebrow.

"Just what exactly are you trying to say?"

She sighs. "Father, i'm not sure if you'll believe anything i'll say but.. i have lived twice now."

She closes her eyes, her heart pounding as she confessed complete nonsense that anybody would laugh at. She knew that her father was a rational magician, so there's a possibility that he might not believe her, what's worse is that Time magic was deemed impossible in the Uglor continent.

Would he believe her?

No one but the seers and oracles was related to time mana, but even they were not able to travel in dimensions like she did.

After an awkward silence, she lifts up her head. When she saw her father's expression she immediately could tell that he believed her.

His eyes were firm and serious, not a pinch of doubt in it.

"I believe you, time magic isn't impossible. I believe that magic can do anything, there's still a lot of abilities that have yet been to be discovered. And seeing your sudden change of attitude in recent years made me study it." He looks at her seriously. "You were also leaking a huge amount of mana when you woke from the winter competition, it was not something a child like you to handle so i guess that i was somehow already aware of it."

'So he was observing me after all?' She thought.

"It's good that you believe me father." She smiles, her cheeks feeling warm from the thought.

It was relieving that she could share her burden to her father, seeing that he fully believed her without any look of doubt.

He looks at her worriedly. "I could even sense time mana in your body 6 years ago, that's why i never confronted you about the incident where you requested that to the emperor. Even when you lied, i could only ignore it. i know you had your reasons."

She frowns, even though it was a relief for her to share her burdens to her father. It was also saddening that she can't fully explain what happened in her past life. For she remained guilty that she turned a blind eye to her family's death due to her greed for power in the past.

But it was different now, she was determined to protect her family.

Even if she have to fight both nations.

"I'm.. not ready to say it to you father." She tears up. "This daughter of yours have been unfilial in the past, in this life I promise that I'll protect all of you."

She wipes her tears away, 'Don't cry, don't cry!' She reminds herself continuously. Yet even with those reminders, she couldn't help but tremble at the events that happened in her past life.

It was there once again, her desperate appearance that seemed to tell a big story.

It was weird enough that her daughter came from the future, but what's bothering him is the fact that her daughter looked like she suffered a great amount of pain in her words. He had no choice but to stand in his sit and walk towards her, kneeling as he placed his hand on top of her daughter's hand.

He tried to reassure her.

"You do not need to carry such a heavy burden alone. Even if you're my daughter from the future, i hope you won't forget that we're all here to support you." He smiles.

She nods, yet she still couldn't stop crying.

"Thank you for believing me father! I promise i'll protect all of you! not just from the. tower but also from the empire!" She said her eyes filled with determination.

He pats her head, chuckling to lessen the tension in the air. "That's good, but i hope that before you think about us, you also think about yourself. I know you've been hiding your abilities, even to the extent that i can't see it. I'm very worried, your ability got worse 6 years ago, you're absorbing too much mana from the environment. Your soul could take it, but your frail and young body wouldn't last long if this continues."

'That's right, that's why i needed the obsidian ruby. I won't last long if i don't have it.' She thought, a bit frightened.

"It's fine father, i have my own plans for that, first we have to talk about how we can counter the events that will happen in the future."

Duke Enilde knew that her daughter was trying to avoid the subject yet he ignores it in respect for her decision. Going back to his seat, he takes a cup of tea and drank it slowly before speaking. "Before that, mind telling me more about the unique gifts that even i am not aware off?"

Helena smirks, satisfied that things are starting to finally turn in a good direction.