In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 64

Charlotte looked carefully at Aria with weary eyes, finally seeing her again after a long time.

The little girl who used to laugh with joy had grown into a beautiful and mature woman, just like her mother.

“My lovely granddaughter has grown up so beautifully…”

At her weak grandmother’s voice, tears welled up in Aria’s big eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

“I heard from Jacob… To think you lost such a beautiful voice… It’s all this foolish grandmother’s fault. For not finding you sooner… Cough!”

Charlotte tried her best to speak but was short of breath.

As her coughs turned rough and metallic, Jacob, who stood nearby, quickly handed her a glass of water and helped her drink it little by little.

Hiding the emotion in his voice, Jacob finally spoke.

“The madam cannot speak easily, so I’ll speak on her behalf, Miss. She told me that on that day, she escaped from the palace knights and came here with the help of the servants. Since then, she has lived with the help of the monastery and villagers.”

“As you can see, she has barely survived under very hard conditions. I am truly ashamed, Miss…”

Aria quickly shook her head. How could this be Jacob’s fault? Her eyes became sad.

After barely swallowing a sip of water, Charlotte stared deeply at Jacob and Aria.

“This is not your fault… Don’t ever think that way. Aria, now that I’ve seen you, I can die with no regrets… But, before my breath runs out, there’s something I must give you…”

Charlotte pointed to the drawer on the table beside her, and Jacob quickly understood and opened it.

Inside were a small flask filled with a sticky liquid and an old document.

Aria took them and looked at them with curiosity. When her eyes fell on the small flask, they suddenly widened.

She knew instantly what it was.

“Yes, you recognized it right away… That’s the holy elixir of our family, left with me before your parents died… That cursed elixir has finally found its rightful owner… Aria, this belongs to you.”

Aria looked at the flask in shock. The divine elixir—something more precious than life itself.

She knew well the power it held. And she also understood the heavy price of giving it to someone else.

Meeting the elixir again only made her heart heavier.

But only for a moment. As instructed by Charlotte, she took out a document from the envelope, a handwritten letter by Count Frederick Reynolds, and a ring with the seal of a noble family.

The document was a petition signed by protesters opposing the Reynolds family’s trade methods.

And Count Reynolds had written in detail the situation he had investigated. Judging by the recipient, he had planned to present his unfair situation directly to the former emperor.

The contents were as follows: Over centuries, the Orphen Empire became the center of trade and finance, and naturally, it engaged in more trade with nearby kingdoms.

But there was one problem. The land route used before had to go around the coast, which made it longer and slower.

As the need for sea trade grew, Count Reynolds made major investments, making maritime routes the core of commerce.

However, the Reynolds family, despite boosting the empire’s prosperity, faced unexpected resistance. From merchants who had profited from the old land routes.

These merchants strongly opposed the Reynolds policy. They spread rumors that the Count accepted bribes, stirring up the people.

Some even claimed he stole taxes meant for the emperor.

The rumors eventually reached the palace, and with massive protests breaking out, the former emperor needed someone to take the blame.

That person was the loyal Count Reynolds.

Shocked, Aria raised her head and looked at Charlotte. Her eyes were more serious and solemn than ever.

“Aria, our family has gone through many hardships… Many died because of false accusations… There’s so much I want to tell you… but… there’s no time… Cough!”

Charlotte coughed continuously, cold sweat on her face. Her illness had already spread throughout her body and threatened her life.

She struggled to stay conscious, trying to hold onto her fading vision. There was still something she had to do.

She looked at her granddaughter with what little strength she had left.

“Aria, that ring… as you can see, it’s not from our family… It was found on your father’s body. Since it was inside his throat, he must’ve tried to swallow it before he died… I believed it was important evidence and kept it safe…”

She swallowed hard and continued.

“Before he left, your father told me he was going to the palace to swear loyalty to the emperor… Before that, he secretly gathered seals from various noble families. That ring must belong to one of them…”

“You must restore our family’s honor with your own hands, even for those who have died…”

Aria silently nodded. Her eyes lowered to the ring with the seal of an unknown family.

At that moment, she saw a familiar symbol. One she had seen many times before.

Charlotte’s eyes filled with desperate hope. She squeezed Aria’s hand tighter, as if using her last strength.

“Aria, I mixed my blood into the elixir when I heard you were coming… Hurry and drink it…!”

Aria stared at her, stunned. Mixing someone’s blood into the elixir—she knew what that meant.

It meant her life would be restored at the cost of her grandmother’s.

Aria’s hand lost strength.

She shook her head in disbelief, but Charlotte spoke with all the force she could gather, hiding her shaking voice.

“Aria, don’t you see? Restoring your voice is the first step to reclaiming our name… This old woman has no time left… Hurry, please… Cough!”

Charlotte’s face grew more anxious. Panic swelled in her chest and made it harder to breathe. Her thin neck rasped with every breath.

Aria’s eyes trembled with fear at her grandmother’s state.

Charlotte’s body slowly stiffened as she neared death. She barely opened her tightening lips.

“Aria… If I die, it’ll be too late… The elixir demands the life of the living… You know that… ugh!”

As Charlotte struggled to breathe, Jacob rushed to her side. In a desperate voice, he pleaded with Aria.

“Miss, please drink the elixir. Don’t let the madam’s sacrifice be in vain!”

“There’s no time. I know it’s painful, but please think about what truly honors the madam!”

With Jacob urging her, Aria looked at Charlotte carefully. Her face went blank with shock.

Her most precious person in the world. A family she had only just found. It was impossible to decide easily.

Tears slowly fell from her large eyes.

“Aria… Hnnng!”

Charlotte’s voice became harsh and broken. Aria knew—it was her grandmother’s final call to her.

She wiped away her tears and, with a hardened resolve, took the flask. Her eyes lost all emotion. Jacob could feel the shift as he watched her shaking body.

With reddened eyes, Aria opened the flask and poured it down her throat in one motion.

Instantly, the blue elixir turned purple and wrapped around her body.

Watching from behind, Eric’s gaze darkened. That strange purple glow—it was the same magic he had seen before.

The heat of the elixir made Aria’s body tremble.

The overwhelming power crushed her throat, and she collapsed on the spot.

Even as she fell, she weakly opened her eyes to look toward the bed. Charlotte was coughing up dark blood.

Crushing guilt weighed on Aria. But she had no time to grieve—pain surged through her as her forehead tightened and her throat burned.

It felt like she was on fire. The same pain as before.

The pain was too much to bear. Aria finally lost strength and collapsed.

Even as her consciousness faded, her eyes stayed on Charlotte.

Until the moment Charlotte, now free from pain, peacefully closed her eyes…

Several days passed before Aria finally opened her eyes.

She reached out instinctively, thirsty, and Jacob rushed to her side.

“Miss! You’re awake?!”

“W-water… please… water…”

“Yes, right away!”

He hurriedly handed her a glass of water. The cool liquid soothed her rough throat.

But suddenly, Aria dropped the glass in shock.

She grabbed her throat with both hands.

“I… I can talk…?”

“Thank goodness… Truly! The madam’s sacrifice was not in vain.”

“Her sacrifice…? What do you mean…?”

Her words trailed off as the memories came flooding back. Her face turned pale. Her widened eyes met Jacob’s.

“Grandmother… What happened to Grandmother?!”

“She went with the Count… I’m sorry, Miss…”

Jacob couldn’t meet her eyes. He bowed his head and sighed deeply.

Only silence remained between them—thick and heavy.

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