The word "mother" held immeasurable weight in Dreams' heart.
She had thrown herself into these scripted worlds, time and again, for the sole purpose of saving her ailing mother. But never in her wildest dreams had she expected to find her mother's image here.
In the previous two scripted worlds, there hadn't been even a whisper about her mother. Dreams had instinctively assumed a solid wall separated these fabricated realities from her own.
Yet, as she stared at the figure captured within the painting's frame, that seemingly impregnable wall crumbled to dust in an instant.
The line between reality and the script grew blurry in her mind. It felt as if taking a single step in the right direction would send her tumbling back into her real life.
If the boundary was this fragile, then did it mean…
"Was Mother, in reality, also the young lady of the Northern family… the Mejiro household?"
"And was the reason for her coma that curse of the Northern bloodline?!"
The thought struck her, and Dreams instinctively turned her head, her gaze flying in the direction of her grandmother's room.
There, lay the bloodline limiter, a device forged with the combined efforts of generations of Northern family heads, now transformed by the system into a mere item.
So, did that mean… if she could take that item back to reality, there was hope to save her mother?
The idea hit her like a physical blow, stunning her mind. If that were true… then after finishing this scripted world, she wouldn't have to keep running anymore, would she? Her goal would already be achieved, right?
A strange, inexplicable sense of panic welled up inside her at the thought. She patted her cheeks sharply, forcing the trivial fear aside. Her mother was what mattered most right now.
She took one last, long look at the mother in the painting, using the back of her hand to scrub at her grimy face, as if trying to present an image of being safe and sound.
Even though she knew it was just a painting.
"Mother, wait for me just a little while longer. I'll be back soon."
She offered a smile to the figure in the frame, then turned around, her steps firm and resolute as she marched toward her grandmother's room.
She needed to know more about her mother's story now, and Grandmother was her best source of information. Any concern about how abrupt her questions might seem without her script memories vanished completely. All she wanted now was to know everything about her mother.
The mother who had raised her all alone, who had given her love and warmth… what kind of past did she have? Why did she run away from home?
Dreams wanted to know.
She strode quickly into her grandmother's room, ignoring the look of surprise on the older woman's face, and came straight to the point.
"Grandmother, I want to know… everything about Mother."
Her grandmother's face darkened at her words, as if recalling unpleasant memories, but in the end, she only sighed and patted the edge of the bed beside her.
"Ask whatever you wish."
Dreams sat down and immediately asked, "Did Mother… also pass away because of the bloodline curse?"
Her grandmother had expected a question like this, but hearing it still dimmed her expression. She was silent for a long moment before finally nodding at Dreams.
"The creation of the perfect limiter was never an overnight success. Many before you used experimental versions, and your mother was among them."
"However, as her time was closer to ours, the limiter she used was a very late-stage model. Barring any major fluctuations, it generally shouldn't have caused any problems."
As she spoke, she tapped her long-numb legs and gave a self-deprecating smile.
"In my time, even if you broke through the limiter's restrictions, the worst outcome was losing the use of your legs, like me."
"By all reasoning, your mother should not have met such an end."
Dreams was taken aback. "Then why?! Did something happen to Mother? Or was there some hidden flaw in the limiter back then?"
She had always assumed her mother had fallen because of the bloodline curse. But if that wasn't the case… then the bloodline limiter in her possession might be useless.
Hearing the urgency in Dreams' questions, her grandmother's expression grew even darker, her brow furrowed as if wrestling with something internally.
Finally, she spoke, weighing her words carefully.
"Dreams, some things… are better left for an old woman to take to her grave."
"I won't allow it! As her daughter, don't I even have the right to know my own mother's past?"
All her usual respect for her elders forgotten, Dreams interrupted her grandmother, her voice loud and demanding.
Hearing this, her grandmother's expression shifted through a tumult of emotions, her own heart tangled in knots.
She had intended to bury the truth along with her life, but Dreams' words were undeniably right. As a daughter, she deserved to know.
After a long, heavy silence, her grandmother finally spoke, her voice grave.
"I understand. This is indeed something I should not hide from you."
"But one thing… do not direct your anger at the entire Mejiro family. I have no future left, so it matters little if I vent my rage, but you, Dreams, you are different."
"You carry the last hope of the Northern family… do not let your emotions cloud your judgment."
In truth, her grandmother knew she had no right to say this. She was the one who had previously raged against the Mejiro house, and now she was the one telling Dreams not to seek vengeance.
She also knew deeply how heavy the burden of being the 'last hope' of the Northern family was. Placing such a weight on the shoulders of a child not yet grown was brutally cruel.
But there was no other way. She had no time left.
After telling Dreams everything, she would let the girl decide her own future. All she could hope was that the protections she had prepared for Dreams would shelter her and allow her to grow up safely.
Meanwhile, Dreams' own mind was a chaotic mess. She carefully analyzed her grandmother's words, and the more she thought, the more peculiar they seemed.
What did she mean, 'do not direct all your anger at the entire Mejiro family'? Was the Mejiro family also involved in her mother's death? But didn't Mother have Mejiro blood herself? Why would a prestigious family drive its own descendant to her death?
She unconsciously furrowed her brow, suppressing the confusion and unease churning inside her, and pressed her lips together.
"I understand. Please, tell me."
Seeing Dreams like this, her grandmother could only nod, helpless.
"You remember what I said before."
"That someone in the Northern family chose to delay using the limiter to explore the limits of their talent."
"That person… was your mother."
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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!
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If you guys wanna check it out.