Dream Weaver was rather surprised—this dilapidated Western-style mansion, hidden deep in the mountains and forests, actually had another guest.
What's more, judging by her grandmother's tone, she seemed to have anticipated this all along. The Northern family might not be as simple as she had imagined.
Without offering an explanation, the grandmother gave a light cough before speaking toward the door.
"Perfect timing… Come in, then."
The person outside pushed the door open upon hearing this. A stern-looking middle-aged man with sharply upturned eyes entered, carrying a briefcase. He gave a slight nod to the grandmother before turning his gaze to Dream Weaver.
"Miss Dreams," he said, as though he had known her for a long time.
But Dream Weaver, who hadn't inherited the script's memories, had no idea who he was. Instinctively, she glanced toward her grandmother with a questioning look.
Yet the Northern family's grandmother still offered no explanation. Instead, she fixed her eyes intently on the case in the man's hands. Only after a long pause did she speak.
"One last confirmation—is everything in order?"
"I swear on my family's honor, this is the final product."
Hearing this, the grandmother, who had always valued the family's prestige, relaxed slightly and nodded.
"Good… After all, I no longer have time to oversee this matter."
Then she turned her gaze to the bewildered Dream Weaver and said with a gentle smile,
"The curse running through the Northern bloodline has persisted for generations. Of course, our ancestors did not simply resign themselves to fate. To resolve the conflict between blood and flesh, the Northern family began its research long, long ago."
"This endeavor has been passed down through the generations like a torch of hope."
Her voice was slow and profound, as though each word carried the weight of her feelings for the Northern family. As the head who had received the final torch, she was now entrusting this hope, passed down through generations, to Dream Weaver.
"By the time it reached me, the Northern family was running out of time. So I dismissed all our retainers, liquidated all the family's assets, and poured every resource into this final phase of research."
"All… for the sake of reaching this moment."
Only then did Dream Weaver begin to understand. So that was why, aside from her and her grandmother, nothing remained of the Northern family but this old, run-down mansion. Her grandmother had invested everything into some kind of research.
And by now, no matter how slow she was, Dream Weaver realized what her grandmother meant by "this moment"—and what that "hope" truly referred to.
"Like a cure for an illness… Is the case holding a serum that can eliminate the bloodline curse?"
She followed her grandmother's gaze toward the case. Could this unremarkable-looking container really hold the antidote to the curse that had plagued the Northern family for generations?
Hearing Dream Weaver's words, the grandmother thought for a moment before replying with a soft laugh,
"Rather than a cure, I prefer to call it a limiter."
"When you feel your body can no longer bear the gift within your blood, use it. It will calm the boiling power in your veins, and the curse will naturally fade away."
In the grandmother's eyes, the Northern bloodline was never an illness. What others called a curse was merely the price paid when descendants could not uphold the glory of their ancestors. Rather than a treatment, she saw it more as a form of restraint.
"But after it's calmed… won't races stimulate the bloodline's awakening? If the Northern blood is stirred up again, won't the curse return? Wouldn't that make the limiter useless?"
Before the grandmother could answer Dream Weaver's doubts, the middle-aged man, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.
"That was indeed the case with previous versions. But this one has reached its final, perfected form. No matter how much it's stimulated, the bloodline's erosion will remain frozen at the point when the limiter is used."
Hearing the word "erosion," the grandmother frowned and corrected him, "It is not erosion. It is the guidance of our ancestors."
"My mistake."
The man offered no argument, simply bowing his head in acknowledgment.
Just then, a familiar mechanical system chime sounded in Dream Weaver's ears.
--+--
[Stage One Task Completed]
[Reward Distributed]
--+--
Before she could wonder when the reward had been issued, her grandmother spoke again.
"Dreams, go on and take it."
"This is the last gift I can give you."
As soon as she finished speaking, the stern-faced man stepped forward, holding out the case to Dream Weaver.
"Miss Dreams."
Under the gaze of both, Dream Weaver gently took the case and slowly opened it.
Inside was a golden liquid contained in a vial of transparent material. This was the Northern family's masterpiece—the culmination of generations of effort to break the curse.
As it was revealed, a translucent blue screen materialized before Dream Weaver's eyes.
--+--
[Bloodline Limiter]
[Durability: 1/1]
[Description: The powerful bloodline of the ancestors is both a blessing and a curse. It bestows outstanding talent upon descendants, yet also cuts off their path to the future. Perhaps only a descendant with qualities rivaling those of the ancestors could fully bear this power—but alas, the Northern family has run out of time.
Crafted through the dedication of generations and immeasurable resources for the sake of the family's continuity. Once used, it will permanently stabilize the rampaging bloodline, and the curse haunting the Northern family will vanish completely.]
--+--
Staring at the vial before her, Dream Weaver was momentarily stunned.
Since she hadn't inherited the script's memories, she had never truly grasped the so-called glory of the Northern family.
Beyond winning races, she had, at most, imitated the demeanor of those renowned young ladies from her memories while on the track.
But now, faced with this serum—the culmination of generations of effort by Northern family heads—she suddenly felt the weight of history wash over her.
This was no ordinary item. It was an inheritance, left behind by generations of Northern family members who had endured the pain of their bloodline, gritted their teeth, and persevered for the sake of their descendants.
Her grandmother's legs had been broken by the curse in their blood. Her peers, her ancestors—they had likely suffered similar fates.
Yet they had not given in to despair, despite such twisted circumstances. The Northern bloodline had betrayed them, forcing them to leave the racetrack, but they had endured silently, clinging to hope for future generations, passing down the torch of breaking the curse in a relay through time.
In that moment, Dream Weaver felt she understood—why her grandmother so often spoke of the Northern family's honor, why she would often stay in that splendid hall, quietly polishing the portraits of the past.
To her, those were not mere cold frames hanging on the wall. They were vivid, living reminders of loved ones who had fought side by side for the future of the Northern family.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.