Farewell 2

Upon hearing Ryan's explanation, Leah, who had been slightly tipsy, suddenly looked more alert, her eyes now wide with disbelief. "This... this can't be true, can it? I've never heard my parents mention anything like this! And even if what you're saying is true, why do I have the same pendant?"

Ryan thought for a moment before replying, "What if my mother gave you a pendant to thank your family for raising me?"

Leah hesitated. "This..." She was still processing it all.

While she couldn't immediately accept the idea, she could at least tell that Ryan wasn't lying. She already knew that Gu Wen Zhu was crazy, and the events that had unfolded recently made everything seem suspicious.

Just a few days ago, the headmistress of Norton Academy, Annis, had spoken to her. Annis was shrewd enough to connect the dots, and Leah had realized that everything might be linked to House Stark. She remembered how Ryan had narrowly escaped death after falling from Blade's Edge Cliff, and how things around the Stark family seemed so strange and suspicious. When Annis tried to question her, Leah had carefully avoided giving anything away, either denying everything or pretending to know nothing, which had allowed her to avoid suspicion.

But after hearing Ryan's words, her suspicions were confirmed—Gu Wen Zhu's madness was indeed connected to Ryan.

In a burst of frustration, Leah slammed her hand on the table and stood up. Ryan quickly grabbed her arm. "Leah! Where are you going?"

Leah was fuming. "I'm going to ask Father. I want to know why he did this. Whether you're telling the truth or not, I can't understand why he'd go behind our backs with such methods. I'm so disappointed in him."

Ryan felt warmth in his chest hearing those words. It was clear that, in this family, only Leah truly cared for him.

"Leah, don't be too upset. I think Father must have his reasons. We've both had a bit to drink. If you really want answers, we can talk about it when you're sober," Ryan said, trying to calm her down.

Leah looked at him, a mix of sadness and guilt flooding her heart. She couldn't help but feel incredibly sorry for Ryan, who had endured so much. She thought to herself, why did the world have to treat him this way? He was just a kid, after all.

But then, looking at Ryan's calm demeanor and maturity, she couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. This boy, who had seemed so innocent three years ago, had grown up so much, no longer the same person behind that youthful face. She realized just how much hardship he must have gone through to become who he was today.

In that moment, Leah pulled Ryan into a tight hug, her voice choking with emotion. "Ryan, no matter if we're related by blood or not, you'll always be my brother. And I'll always be your sister."

Ryan leaned into her embrace, nodding repeatedly. A warmth spread through him, and tears involuntarily welled up in his eyes. It wasn't because of the pain he had suffered, but because he was deeply grateful that there was someone in this world who cared for him so much. Though he still didn't know who he truly was, he could feel the presence of family.

The room felt heavy with emotion as Ryan pulled away from Leah and raised his glass. "Leah, thank you. This one's for you," he said, before downing the drink in one go.

Leah wiped away the tears that had started to form in her eyes and did the same, lifting her glass and drinking it all.

From that point on, Leah no longer tried to stop Ryan from drinking. If drowning sorrow in alcohol could truly heal the heart, she would accompany him in that sadness forever.

Several hours passed, and most of the two jars of wine had been consumed, but the food on the table remained largely untouched. Eventually, Leah fell unconscious, her head resting on the table.

Ryan, however, wasn't drunk. He had prepared in advance, having taken a remedy to sober up before coming. He knew his own brew all too well, and it wasn't hard for him to avoid intoxication.

As he looked at Leah, passed out on the table, he smiled softly. He carefully picked her up and laid her on the bed.

Taking her small hand in his, he traced the soft skin with his fingers before using a dagger to gently cut the tip of her finger, letting a single drop of blood fall onto the silver ring in his palm.

At that moment, the ring gleamed brightly, as though summoned by the blood. It flew from Ryan's hand and landed on Leah's middle finger. The blue light gradually receded, returning the ring to its original form.

Ryan, having completed the task, placed a letter by her side, looking down at his sleeping sister. He whispered softly, "Take care, Leah," before turning and leaving.

Ryan moved quietly back to his own room, gathering his things before leaving the House Stark estate.

It was midnight when he stepped out, and the streets were empty. Only his small figure walked alone in the cold night. Occasionally, he glanced back at the familiar surroundings, feeling a twinge of nostalgia and reluctance.

But he knew that, in search of the answers he needed, there was no turning back. He could only keep moving forward, step by step.

As the saying goes, "Under the stars, crossing the sky, I walk to seek family. A stranger in a foreign land, mountains high and rivers wide, I'll return again one day."