This time, Rane wasn’t lying.

The condition of his body would not deceive anyone.

This ‘frail and sickly’ state had followed Rane for ten years now. Over those ten years, Claude had not only been searching for a way to awaken Rita’s magic source, but had also been treating Rane’s illness.

However, according to the physicians, Rane’s strange illness seemed to be a hereditary disease passed down through his family. It was extremely troublesome and he was estimated to have only ten or so years left to live.

Claude had also gone to the church several times to seek holy water said to cure all ailments, but even after Rane drank it, there were still no signs of improvement.

In truth, Rane’s condition was far more troublesome than Rita’s.

A dormant magic source merely prevented Rita from using magic and did not cause any harm to her body.

But Rane’s case was different. This ‘frail and sickly’ condition could take his life.

The ten-year deadline had arrived. Even if Rane were not accidentally beaten to death by Rita today, he would still have only a few months left to live.

Earlier, when facing death head-on, Rane’s adrenaline had surged and he hadn’t felt much.

Now that he had calmed down, he only felt as though his body had been hollowed out, completely devoid of strength.

It was very clear that his body was already ‘beyond saving.’

Still, that didn’t stop him from continuing to play the emotional card.

Claude had failed to find a cure for over ten years. At this point, Rane hoped he could decisively let go, allowing his son to fly freely through this final stretch of days, so that Rane could use the game knowledge in his mind to search for a sliver of hope.

“Ten years, Father. I’ve seen all that you’ve done for me. I’ve more or less come to terms with it. Maybe this really is fate.”

“Rane, you—”

“Father, please let me finish.” Rane raised his hand to interrupt Claude, signaling that he should speak first, “Originally, I planned to use this life of mine, which didn’t have much time left anyway, to exchange for Rita awakening her magic source. It’s just that my luck was good and you arrived in time. Since I was fortunate enough to survive, I want to try once more. Father, please allow me to leave home… and go to the Royal Capital!”

Rane’s eyes burned with intensity, “I don’t want to die. I want to gamble one last time.”

The Royal Capital was the game’s main stage.

Rita, who had already awakened her magic source, would head to the Royal Capital together with Miriya to enroll in the Magic Academy.

As the center of the entire game world, the Royal Capital was hailed as a land of miracles, so grand and magnificent that it could not be described with words alone.

In Rane’s memory, the setting materials described the Royal Capital in the game as being almost equivalent in size to an entire country.

Claude’s territory simply couldn’t compare to the Royal Capital’s prosperity and the gap in medical standards between the two was even more staggering. Rather than continuing to stay within the territory, it was better to take one final gamble.

Although Claude had once gone to the Royal Capital to seek medicine for Rane, that had only been the tip of the iceberg and did not represent the Royal Capital’s true medical level.

Of course, Rane’s main purpose in going to the Royal Capital wasn’t to seek treatment, but to find a powerful helper.

A dragon!

A Cloud Dragon that had lived for a thousand years. It was a powerful companion that the protagonist Rita could only encounter in the later stages of the game and also one of the game’s romanceable characters.

As long as Rane could find a way to sign a contract with the Cloud Dragon, he would be able to borrow its power to temporarily suppress his strange illness.

As for the specific method, Rane hadn’t fully thought it through yet. He planned to first meet that Cloud Dragon and test its attitude.

After all, in the game’s original progression, it was Rita who extended the invitation that led to the dragon joining the party.

“The Royal Capital, huh? Your body can’t withstand teleportation magic. Traveling there by carriage from here would take over a month.”

Claude understood Rane’s desire to go to the Royal Capital, the land hailed as a place of miracles and take a chance.

Even though he knew how slim the odds were, he couldn’t bear to pour cold water on Rane at a time like this.

This child has suffered so much.

‘For Rita, for a single sentence I said back then, he silently persevered for ten years.’

Thinking of this, Claude’s Adam’s apple bobbed hard. Thick red veins instantly filled his eyes and the figure that was usually as steady as a mountain actually began to tremble slightly.

He raised his hand, wanting to touch Rane’s cheek. His fingertips hovered in midair before falling back down and in the end, he only pressed firmly on his son’s shoulder. The heat in his palm carried an indescribable weight of guilt.

“It’s Father who’s useless. These past ten years, I’ve searched through every physician in the territory, begged the clergy of the church and paid great sums to meet reclusive spellcasters, yet I couldn’t alleviate your strange illness in the slightest. You should have had a carefree childhood like others, but instead I trapped you in this small place, day after day accompanied by medicinal brews…”

After a pause, Claude’s gaze swept over Rane’s pale face, the guilt in his eyes nearly spilling over.

Soon, he adjusted his emotions, took a deep breath and his gaze gradually grew resolute. The strength in his palm increased slightly, as if conveying silent support, “The Royal Capital is far away and the journey is full of unknown dangers. But since it’s what you want to do, then go. Whatever needs to be prepared, tell the butler. He will fulfill all of your requests.”

Feeling Claude’s unreserved care, Rane instead felt a bit embarrassed.

‘Old Claude is treating me with such sincerity. Was it really okay for me to have deceived him like that earlier?’

The thought flashed by and vanished.

Rane knew that sometimes, the quick blade of truth was sharper than a kind lie.

Some things didn’t need to be agonized over too much. As long as the final outcome was one everyone could accept, it didn’t really matter whether it was truth or a lie.

No matter what, the original owner’s debt had been repaid.

From now on, Rane would only be Rane.

…The father and son discussed the arrangements for traveling to the Royal Capital a bit more. Rane stated that there was no need to travel together with Rita and the others. They could reach the Royal Capital directly via a teleportation array.

At the very end, Rane spoke with a hint of mischievous intent.

“Father, please don’t tell Rita the truth. I didn’t do all this to gain anyone’s gratitude. If I have to put it into words, then it was repayment. I’m very grateful that you brought me here and gave me a new place to belong. This is the only thing and the last thing, I can do for Rita as her older brother. If this journey to the Royal Capital fails, telling Rita the truth will only burden her with more worries. Let her carry her hatred for her brother and welcome a brand-new future.”

Hearing this, Claude’s heart trembled once more. How could he not understand Rane’s painstaking intentions?

“But child… this is far too unfair to you. You don’t need to give so much for Rita…”

“Why does there have to be a reason for kindness? I admit that I never truly regarded you all as my real family, but that doesn’t stop me from doing something for you. In fact, the moment you adopted me, the bond had already been planted, hadn’t it?”

Rane smiled, his face full of easygoing acceptance.

“If I manage to survive, then I’ll personally explain everything to Rita.”

As he said this, Rane felt a bit of anticipation toward the day he would reunite with Rita.

At that time, he would definitely point at his little sister’s forehead and, with earnest sincerity, say that classic line—my foolish little sister!

At this moment, Claude’s affection for Rane reached its peak and he made a decision in his heart.

As long as Rane returned alive this time, he would no longer just be Rita’s brother.

Claude would accept Rane as a true family member.

Family bound even closer by marriage!

‘My dear daughter, good things shouldn’t flow to outsiders. Such a fine young man must not be let slip into another family’s hands!’