“Vinny?” Seeing him still unable to return to his senses for a long while, Mirexia called out with a trace of worry.

“Well then, Vinny—are you willing to forgive your great-grandmother?” After the long silence, King Friane V finally asked.

“...Even after death, she leaves behind words like that. Truly overbearing.” After another stretch of silence, Vinny let out a faint sigh, then forced a crooked smile. “If Great-Grandma were still alive, I’d probably complain to her first. Complain about the hardships the Facilis family fell into after her death, complain about my own childhood, then forgive her after that.”

“In the end, she didn’t get to decide her own afterlife. And besides, she acted for the people and for righteousness.” Vinny paused for a moment of thought before softening into a small smile. “Even if it’s troublesome to have a relative like her, the truth is I still feel mostly proud. I can’t help it—this is the family I was dealt, after all.”

“Vinny...” Mirexia pressed her lips together, her fingers tightly entwined as she looked at him.

[Virtue +100]

[Current Virtue: 5984]

“If she could hear those words from you, she would surely be comforted.” Friane V smiled faintly as he lifted the tattered book from its casket.

“As for the significance of this book’s survival, truth be told, even our Peono family does not know. The writing is understandable, but too much is missing. And I have always felt that its meaning lies not in what’s written upon its pages.”

“This book—Saintess Sophia instructed that if, in the future, we encountered a descendant of Facilis who had reached adulthood, we should hand it to them. If there was no response, we were to reclaim it, so it wouldn’t fall into the wrong hands.” Friane V thus explained why the notebook had never been shown to Vinny as a child.

So it was a kind of entrusted guardianship from his great-grandmother. No wonder the Peono family had once extended a hand to the Facilis family in their darkest hour.

“Your father and your grandfather both read this book, but alas, there was no reaction.”

“To be frank, I don’t know what kind of ‘response’ Saintess Sophia meant. But she said that if no miracle occurred, the Facilis line would be fated to perish. Whether there is a response may determine the rise or fall of your family, perhaps tied to the withering of your bloodline.” Friane V’s tone was grave.

“Vinny, you have grown now. You’ve even successfully entered Carillian Academy, standing as a young man capable of shouldering responsibilities—an achievement neither your father nor grandfather reached. So, are you willing to take up the relic and duty your ancestor left behind?” Friane V’s eyes locked steadily on Vinny’s, his words solemn.

“Whether I can shoulder responsibility or not, I honestly don’t know yet. But at the very least, I can try—since it was left behind by my family.” Vinny smiled. “Besides, both my father and grandfather failed to trigger any reaction. I may not either, right? I’d say it’s too early to draw conclusions, Your Majesty.”

“Then—this notebook, I entrust to you.” Friane V held it out to him.

Vinny reached with both hands and received it.

Under the tense stares of Friane V and Mirexia, Vinny studied the notebook’s strange texture, light as if weightless. He examined it over and over.

Seeing no response, he opened to the first page and read the words there. Still nothing happened.

So—it failed?

Friane V shook his head.

Among three generations, Vinny was the one who had achieved the most on his own merit, managing to enter Carillian Academy. He had thought there was hope—but it still seemed to end in failure.

So this was why miracles were called miracles: they never bent to human wishes.

Yet in that very moment of resignation, a dazzling blush-pink radiance suddenly flared to life.

Friane V’s weathered face showed rare astonishment.

For Vinny—who had turned the first page without any reaction—had let a single strand of hair drift down onto the parchment.

At once, the notebook seemed to sense something. It came alive, lifting into the air as though animate, while the strand of hair touching the page shifted from blue to pale cherry blossom.

Vinny felt his chest tighten. The notebook was resonating as if it had recognized the awakened part of his bloodline, forcibly turning the dormant portion into awakened form.

What should have been passive had turned active.

Thankfully, this small detail seemed to escape notice.

The pages transformed into pure white wings, fanning outward and radiating flawless blush-pink light before their stunned eyes.

A miracle. This was a true miracle.

Friane V stared unblinking, scarcely daring to breathe.

He knew—he was witnessing something real, something divine.

The notebook hovered on beating wings, releasing streams of blush-pink runes that flowed into Vinny’s brow. As they did, the light of the notebook faded, drawn away into the symbols.

The pages flapped rapidly with a clicking sound, its outline growing translucent before dissipating into nothingness. One by one, the radiant characters entered Vinny’s forehead, and a six-winged cross aflame with sacred fire bloomed upon his brow.

Mirexia and Friane V held their silence, watching in awe, not daring to interrupt.

When the last glow finally died, Vinny’s eyes slipped closed, and the mark upon his forehead vanished like a fleeting blossom.

He did not stir for a long while—until suddenly his body tipped backward.

“Vinny!” Mirexia rushed forward, catching him before he hit the ground.

Friane V came to check him over. “He’s fine. Do not worry.”

He closed the hidden compartment and reset the mechanism, then had Mirexia help Vinny onto a long bench in the library.

Once Vinny was settled, Mirexia hurried to the door and informed the butler waiting outside. “Butler, please summon a court physician.”

“As you command, Princess.” The elderly butler bowed without question and departed at once.

“Vinny, are you all right? How do you feel?” Mirexia asked quickly once Vinny regained a bit of consciousness.

“Ah—ow—what the hell just happened to me...?” Vinny clutched his head, face twisted like a mask of pain.

“Are you hurt? Where? You nearly fainted just now,” Mirexia pressed, worried.

“I—I think something flew into my head just now. Then it stabbed like needles, my vision went pure white, and I blacked out. How long was I out?” He rubbed his head, grimacing, though the pain slowly eased.

“Head pain? Hold on, the physician will be here at once.”

“No, no need. I’m all right now. It only hurt badly for that moment. It’s fine.” Vinny waved his hand.

“Vinny, just now—the notebook Saintess Elusha left behind transformed into radiant characters and flew into your forehead. A family crest also appeared at your brow.” Friane V spoke gravely.

“Crest...?” Vinny touched his forehead, murmuring, “Is it still there?”

“No. It lasted only a brief moment before vanishing.” Friane V’s gaze lingered on his brow, still unsettled by what he had witnessed.

“Father, Vinny’s head hurt so badly he lost consciousness. Could it have been those characters that caused it?” Mirexia asked anxiously.

“Haha, Mirexia, you needn’t worry. This is a great blessing. That notebook belonged to Saintess Elusha and was entrusted to us by your great-grandmother Sophia. Do you think the two Saintesses would harm their own descendant?” Friane V chuckled helplessly at his daughter’s flustered concern.

Ah, so even this work-obsessed daughter had reached the age of awakening feelings.

Well—perhaps that was for the best. He had often worried about her, not only her health and state of mind, but whether she had no interest in men at all.

Now it seemed he needn’t fret. And the boy was her childhood companion, after all—though his family had declined, he had relied on his own effort to enter Carillian Academy. That alone made him a genius worthy to stand at her side.

And now he had received recognition from the Goddess of Dawn herself.

Friane V recalled Saintess Sophia’s words: “If no miracle comes, Facilis decline is certain, and the world shall no longer need them.” But now, with a miracle having occurred, the saying could be reversed: If a miracle comes, the revival of Facilis is fated, and the world still needs them. Thus the miracle has been given to the last of the Facilis line, and both Goddess and Saintesses recognize him.

Could the Facilis truly rise again?

Looking at the fractured state of the Dawn Church, the hope seemed slim. The times had changed.

But then—wasn’t Vinny himself already a miracle?

A so-called “dead line,” an orphan with no kin, who by his own strength had cast off despair and entered Carillian Academy in mere months. That itself was a miracle.

With only a one-star Spirit Soul, he carved a path through opponents with high-star Souls—that was another miracle.

As a first-year student, he foiled Bronze Blood’s conspiracy. Was that not a miracle as well?

In truth, Vinny was steeped in miracles already. The resonance of Elusha’s notebook was but a natural progression.

Friane V exhaled softly.

“Vinny, do you feel any change in your body?” he asked.

“Change? You mean...?”

“Such as new memories or knowledge suddenly appearing in your mind. Those characters flew into your head.”

“No, I feel the same as before.” Vinny rubbed his head. No abnormality.

“Is that so? To think Elusha’s notebook truly responded to you...” Friane V sighed in wonder.

“Yeah, haha—I didn’t expect it either.” Vinny scratched his hair.

Though truthfully, he had suspected the notebook might resonate. After all, the Facilis blood in him was not dead. It had already awakened.

“Perhaps this is a form of revelation,” Friane V said. “Vinny, the Goddess of Dawn and all the Saintesses acknowledge you. They are watching you, placing their hopes upon the last descendant of Facilis.”

“Maybe—you really could inherit their mantle.”

“Your Majesty, that’s far too much. I never thought of it that way.” Vinny hurriedly waved it off. “And this supposed recognition... I don’t feel anything of the sort.”

“Haha, indeed. The choice of the future rests in your hands.”

Soon, the court physician arrived. Vinny insisted he was fine, but Mirexia refused to relent until he was checked over thoroughly.

“No, I’ll only feel at ease if you’re examined. Sit down.”

“But I already feel at ease?” Vinny looked dumbfounded. “It’s my body—wouldn’t I know it best?”

“That’s not acceptable.” Mirexia’s tone left no room for refusal. “I am not at ease.”

“...” With no way to win against her, Vinny surrendered helplessly.

Friane V watched the two, smiling with fatherly warmth.

In their exchange, he glimpsed his younger self with Mirexia’s mother.

If these two could come together, it would indeed be a fine match.

After the physician’s check confirmed Vinny’s good condition, it was late. Vinny excused himself, and only then did Mirexia let him leave.

At the door, she pressed a scroll into his hand. A signal scroll—if he felt headaches or discomfort, he was to open it, and she would receive his message and rush to his side.

Vinny felt it unnecessary, but Mirexia insisted. With no choice, he accepted it. Otherwise, she would never be at ease.

“...Father?” After warning Vinny to be careful on the road, Mirexia turned to find her father smiling at her meaningfully. At once she flushed, as if all her thoughts had been laid bare.

“My daughter has grown. Her heart has someone now.” Friane V chuckled.

“Y-You mustn’t say such things! I was only worried for Vinny’s safety—he is our guest at the palace, and besides, we are only—”

“Only good friends? Only childhood companions? Hmph. First the Tyrel Gem pendant, now a signal scroll, not to mention endless reminders. Foolish child, do you think your father cannot see?” Friane V smiled wryly. Had he lived these years in vain?

“I... didn’t.” Mirexia’s head drooped, voice barely above a whisper. “Did not.”

“Child, in the Bronze Blood incident, you hid matters concerning Vinny from me, didn’t you?” Friane V asked. “There are things about that boy you haven’t told me.”

“I didn’t intentionally conceal anything.” Mirexia turned her gaze aside. She could lie to outsiders to protect Vinny’s secrets, but deceiving her closest kin left her uneasy.

“You silly child.” Friane V laughed quietly. “With me, that’s one thing. But don’t behave like this with others. You wear your heart on your face—far too suspicious.”

“Mm...” Mirexia lowered her eyes, realizing her father had read her completely. “I’m sorry, Father. I promised Vinny. Please don’t speak of it.”

“All right, all right. Just a reminder. But look at you, shielding your beloved at every turn and still insisting you don’t like him. Who would believe that?” Friane V shook his head.

“But I really...” Even now, Mirexia reflexively denied it, though her face burned crimson.

“Ah... anyone who spends time with you two would see it. Well, except Vinny himself. The boy’s blind, hesitant to think that way.”

“Eh??”

“Mirexia, when you’re with Vinny, have you never once hinted at your feelings? Not even indirectly?” Friane V asked.

“I don’t think... so?”

Seeing her stammer out even that much, Friane V had to resist covering his face.

His daughter was hopeless at romance.

In short—her rank was far too low.

But it wasn’t entirely her fault. She had spent all her energy learning to be a proper queen, uninterested and inexperienced in matters of love.

As her father, he had to help her, lest she regret it for life.

Fortunately, Mirexia seemed to be the only one running this race. Even if she was slow, she would reach the finish eventually.

“Mirexia,” Friane V said at last, “as one who’s lived through it—I’ll give you some advice. You need to take the initiative. If you continue as you are, nothing will progress with Vinny. Remember, you even rejected his confession once.”

“Yes.” At that memory, Mirexia couldn’t help showing a trace of sorrow.

“Do you know the effect that had?” Friane V asked.

“What effect?”

“...” Seeing her look blank, Friane V could only sigh long.

Thankfully, it seemed no other girl liked Vinny yet. Otherwise his daughter would already be several lengths behind.

“That rejection made him afraid to think of you that way again. If he truly values your friendship, he’ll go out of his way to avoid pushing things further—out of fear you’ll dislike him.” Friane V explained patiently to his daughter, utterly clueless in love.

He dared not imagine what would happen if a girl with far higher rank, unaffected by Mirexia’s beauty and status, appeared in Vinny’s life.

But ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) thankfully, that was not the case.

Still—the role of childhood companion, once an advantage, was now becoming a burden...

“So—it’s like that?” Mirexia murmured, startled by her father’s analysis.

Yes... that did seem true.

“Mirexia, think carefully,” Friane V said. “Do you only wish to be his good friend? If not—if the sight of him with another girl would stir jealousy in you—then act decisively. Take the first step.”