<h4>Chapter 290 Two “sisters” alone? (IV)</h4>


    White Dragon Labyrinth Exploration Arc.


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    (POV: Akashic Records)


    Lum observed her younger self and Elise from the gazebo.


    Sensing her sister''s solemn behavior, little Lum spoke up.


    "Why are we even staying here, Elise? This gazebo is always empty."


    Elise let out a small, sniffled sigh, her face reflecting a tinge of sadness.


    "I... I got lost and ended up here. And I remembered you once told me that when I''m lost, I should sit where I am, put my head down, and hope you''lle find me," she confessed quietly.


    A sigh escaped little Lum''s breath. "Honestly," she carried her face in her palm.


    "I was waiting for you and got lost..."


    A gentle smile graced little Lum''s lips as she scratched her rosy cheeks. "I guess I did say that," she admitted, extending her hand towards Elise. "Well then, let''s get going. It''s gettingte."


    Elise nodded slowly, wrapping the ck scarf around her neck forfort and warmth. It was now her most prized possession. Calmly, she took little Lum''s hand, allowing herself to be led away from the gazebo.


    Lum watched them depart.


    "Now I remember why she almost always says sorry to me... I forgot that was even a secret code..."


    However, the scene swiftly shifted, dissipating like a thick mist, and Lum found herself in the opulent halls of Belfort Manor. It was a memory from when little Lum was nine, standing before her father, Lord Marges Belfort. His bald head was adorned with thick green beards and his piercing blue eyes held a stern re.


    His voice boomed through the hall as he berated his daughter, cautioning her against associating with the other branches of the Belfort family.


    "I''ve warned you before, Lum! Associating with them only shows weakness, something members of our prestigious family should never disy!" he thundered.


    The Belfort house was the most powerful of the three houses. As such he saw their association with the lower houses as a means through which they could exploit the Belfort house. He especially feared Elise Qute''s family. Because the Qute house at some point had patriarchy as the leading norm, but again, the women of the house were able to overpower the patriarch and restore the matriarchal system of leadership in their noble household.


    Marges feared the scales could be tipped more. And more than anything, he was scared they''d use his daughter to achieve that goal.


    Little Lum, showing a surprising strength despite her tender years, met her father''s gaze without flinching. "But Elise is my sister," she dered earnestly.


    Lord Marges bellowed back at her.


    His voice was echoing through the hall, demanding her silence.


    "Shut up, you foolish little girl! Elise is nobody to you; she should be forgotten!"


    Little Lum, her small frame quivered. However, determined she was.


    She mustered every ounce of courage within her and took a few steps forward. She squared her shoulders and met her father''s intense gaze.


    She refused to ept his words.


    "No, Father! There''s no way I''ll ept that! Elise''s my sister, and I''ll cherish her more, infinitely more than even Huga!"


    Her words hung in the air, a challenge to her father''s authority.


    The moment those defiant words left her lips, Lord Marges Belfort snapped. His face twisted with anger, and without a moment''s hesitation, his handshed out and struck little Lum across the cheek. The force of the blow sent her crashing to the ground, blood dripping from her trembling lips.


    She spat out the metallic taste of iron, her shocked golden eyes brimming with tears.


    "Y… Y… You pped me," she stammered.


    Lord Marges, his anger still simmering, refused to show any remorse.


    His pride was too great to admit to a mistake, and instead, he admonished her for speaking ill of her half-brother.


    "You shouldn''t have spoken like that about Huga! He''s your brother!" he barked.


    Even while attempting to address his daughter in a lenient matter typical of familiarity. And yet, it came out as him trying to impose his will on her.


    Still, that was always the goal.


    Little Lum''s voice trembled with anger and anguish as she lifted herself up from the ground, her gaze never wavering.


    "You defend him so fervently because Anne gave birth to a son, while my mother couldn''t. All my mother could give birth to was me, and in the end, I''m just coteral damage, aren''t I?"


    Anne was her stepmother.


    Her words pierced through the air, striking a nerve within Lord Marges.


    Unable to control his mounting fury, Lord Marges stepped forward and forcefully grasped Lum''s delicate wrist. He tried to collect himself, but her words continued to sting him, striking at his very core.


    "Shut up this instant!" he spat, his grip tightening around her wrist.


    Little Lum, her voice filled with defiance, let out a shout.


    She didn''t let down for even one moment.


    "Let go of me! I''ll never agree to that! Elise is my sister!" she retorted.


    In a flurry of rage, Lord Marges assaulted his daughter with ps and punches that he didn''t even know he had in him. He let out an overwhelming rage he never believed could''ve sprouted from his being.


    The mist then vanished again, and Lum found herself immersed in another fragment of her past. She stood on the road within the sprawling grounds of the Belfort estate, watching as her younger self approached Elise and her mother. It was clear that they hade for a meeting between the three noble houses, and Lum couldn''t contain her excitement at the sight of her sister.


    With every intention of greeting Elise, little Lum bounded forward, but her eagerness was quickly quelled by a stern-faced maid.


    "Lady Lum, it wouldn''t be appropriate to associate with Lady Elise in public. It''s important to maintain proper appearances," the maid scolded.


    Frustration etched onto her face, little Lum halted in her tracks, her brows furrowing in disappointment.


    "But..."


    "No buts, Lady Lum..."


    She muttered under her breath, but her words carried the weight of her longing.


    "But she''s my sister…"


    As the mist swirled around her, more memories unfolded before Lum''s eyes. Each scene revealed how her younger self had undergone a transformation, shedding her tomboyish nature for a more feminine demeanor. She found herself surrounded by friends from various noble houses, and she would often pass Elise without exchanging a single word. In those moments, Elise could only bury her face in her scarf and retreat, clutching tightly onto her books.


    As time went on and it was revealed that Elise was next in line to lead the Qute house, tension seeped into their fractured friendship. Lum observed these memories, feeling a tight pain constricting her throat, but words escaped her grasp.


    "Elise…" she whispered.


    Suddenly, a voice broke through the silence, urging her to confront her emotions.


    "Do you miss her?" the younger Lum asked, her eyes searching Lum''s with curiosity.


    Lum blinked in surprise, snapping out of her daze.


    "Hm?" she mumbled, meeting the gaze of her younger self.


    The scene around them faded, leaving only darkness as the two Lums stood alone.


    "Wait, you can see me?" Lum questioned.


    The younger Lum smiled gently.


    "Yes, we share the same heart, after all. Do you miss her?" she asked again, her voice soft yet persistent.


    "I..."


    Lum froze up.


    They both knew the truth.


    But knowing the truth and admitting it... Were two different things.