Chapter 67
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 67
Chapter Title: Flesh and Blood
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It's awkward.
Roselia, silently observing the situation without a word, and the woman pouring out stories with a bright smile on her lips—both feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
"You have no idea how terrified I was when I lost you back then...! Even now, just thinking about it makes my heart feel like it's crumbling."
The woman who gave birth to me recounted her circumstances over the years.
The couple, living in a remote village, had been attacked by black monsters one day, losing their home. All they had left was a mountain of debt.
With no shelter or food, they survived day by day by digging up arrowroot roots in the forest. It was during those times that I was born.
With empty pockets filled only with debt, they believed it was better to leave me at an orphanage where I could have a warm meal rather than let me starve while trying to protect me.
So, they had no choice but to entrust me to the orphanage.
"I never forgot you for a single moment. I waited only for the day we'd meet again, scraping together every penny with all my might!"
Once they finally paid off all their debts, they rushed back to the orphanage, only to hear that I had been adopted into the Rahel Tani family.
"It's truly a blessing, my daughter. The name Bella still feels unfamiliar... but thank you for staying so healthy."
This time, the man spoke with a deeply moved expression, barely squeezing out the words.
If their story was true, it was a tear-jerking reunion. But for me, suspicion came before any emotion.
Was it really because of the light? Is that why they never came looking for me?
My memories of them are faint. No, it's no exaggeration to say there are none at all. Since opening my eyes to the world, I had never seen their faces even once.
But that day—the first and last time I heard their voices—those words were etched clearly in my memory. And what they said then... was nothing like this story.
"What is the reason you've come looking for me?"
Perhaps that's why colder words than I expected slipped from my mouth.
"What reason does a daughter need to visit her parents? I just wanted to see you."
"Your mother's right. It's late, but... I want to get along with you again from now on."
The woman followed the man's words seamlessly, as if rehearsed. Their speech was smooth and without flaw.
But their gazes only felt burdensome. A reunion with family should be joyful, so why did my heart feel so heavy?
Probably because the way they looked at me was no different from the orphanage director's stares.
"Does that mean... you want to take me back?"
"That's not for us to decide anymore. It depends on the will of those high nobles now."
The man glanced at Roselia. But she remained with her eyes closed, saying nothing.
Confirming her silence, he turned to me with an inscrutable smile.
"And you wouldn't want to keep burdening this great count family forever, would you?"
The word "burden" made my body tremble involuntarily. It was exactly the kind of thing I least wanted to hear.
"...I've never been a burden. I..."
The woman with sky-blue hair like mine smiled as if pitying me.
"Hehe, you're still young and don't know the world, so you think that way."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you know how much grace these high nobles bestow upon you every day?"
I couldn't deny her words.
A mansion hard to obtain with a mere glance, lavish meals that made my mouth water, and even these modest clothes I wore. All luxuries I never would have dreamed of without coming to the Rahel Tani family.
"Everything you enjoy is grace bestowed by the Rahel Tani count family."
I knew well that I had coincidentally been born with the Divine Power Roselia desperately needed, and how much benefit I gained from it here.
But I had long decided not to worry about it.
"It's fine. I plan to repay the grace I've received."
"...Huh?"
I met the woman's eyes squarely.
"The grace I've received, I'll repay several times over... So you don't need to worry about that."
It was my way of drawing a line. Whether my sincerity got through, her expression twisted faintly for a moment.
"Hoho, you! It's best not to make promises you can't keep."
"I can keep it."
The response to the woman's question didn't come from me. Roselia, who had opened her crimson eyes before I knew it, looked at me with a pleased smile.
"...Pardon?"
Gazing at the flustered woman, Roselia continued.
"The Rahel Tani people call Bella a bringer of fortune."
Roselia's gaze reached me. Meeting her eyes eased a corner of my heart unknowingly.
"It's we who have received grace through our bond with Bella. So, biological mother, you needn't worry."
"What...? Haha, even so, that little child..."
Roselia tapped the table with her finger, cutting off the woman.
"I've grasped the situation sufficiently. Let's get to the point."
Her voice, neither light nor heavy, filled the air. Instead of the stiff-lipped woman, the man stepped forward.
"Haha, we just... want to spend a little more time with our daughter from now on."
"Our daughter?"
Roselia raised one eyebrow. I was the only one who sensed the murderous intent in her gaze.
"Bella has already been officially recognized as my daughter by the empire. I've overlooked it so far, but refrain from calling her 'daughter' from now on."
"What? But she's the child I gave birth to...!"
The woman leaned forward, raising her voice at Roselia.
"You gave birth to her, and abandoned her."
But her momentum crumbled instantly under Roselia's cold remark.
"That's... I told you, there were unavoidable circumstances. Besides, thanks to that, hasn't she grown up so beautifully...?"
It carried the nuance that her decision had allowed me to thrive.
"Ahem."
The man cleared his throat to hush her, then looked at Roselia with a calm face.
"You're right. We can no longer decide this child's status."
Roselia listened silently.
"However, please consider the feelings of parents reuniting with their blood child."
"You mean you want permission to meet frequently?"
"Yes. That would be enough."
The man smiled softly, as if harboring no greed at all.
Roselia pondered for a moment. Then, with a faint smile, she looked at me.
"Bella, what do you think?"
"...Pardon?"
"Tell me honestly if you want to spend time with them or not."
As Roselia's gaze fixed on me, so did theirs. My heart sank under their expectant, gleaming eyes.
"It's been tough in many ways until now, but let's start getting to know each other from here on."
The man looked at me with envious eyes. The woman nodded quietly in agreement.
My stomach churned.
No matter what, these two brought me into this world. Without them, there would have been no adoption into Rahel Tani, no me as I am now.
The saying "blood is thicker than water" didn't come from nowhere.
But even so, the one I wanted to spend time with wasn't them.
I looked at Roselia. She waited for my answer with clear eyes.
I was anxious. What if Roselia wanted me to accept their proposal? What if she felt disillusioned seeing me unable to feel affection for my birth parents?
Such thoughts clouded my resolve.
On the other hand, I wanted to believe them too. That they had no choice but to leave me at the orphanage, that they scrimped and saved to pay off debts and finally appeared before me.
Admitting abandonment by parents was painful enough once.
But fragments of memory—their first and last voices to me—shattered that wish.
I pressed my chest silently. Looking at them, I opened my mouth.
"...I."
Before my words could finish.
"Oh, by the way—"
Roselia cut in front of me. A familiar smile played on her lips. The kind a villainess might wear.
"No matter what Bella says, I have no intention of letting you meet her."
"Pardon...?"
The man couldn't hide his confusion. His gaze darted between me and Roselia.
"I'm a bit possessive. I can't bear to see my daughter with another couple."
"B-but... our feelings as her birth parents—"
Roselia ignored the man indifferently and smiled at me.
"Bella, come here."
She lowered her legs neatly and patted her knee lightly. Not understanding, I gave her a puzzled look.
...Surely she doesn't mean for me to sit there?
I looked at her in bewilderment. She just kept patting her thigh wordlessly.
I approached cautiously. Roselia leaned in slightly, bringing her lips near my ear.
"Can't you save some face for your mom?"
It was a playful whisper tinged with faint amusement. But that playfulness eased my heart instead.
Fear of women still lingered in me. But if it was Roselia, I could endure it for a moment.
Gathering my resolve, I slowly turned and carefully sat on her thigh. Her soft, warm thigh enveloped me like a spacious chair.
My body began to tremble, but I held it back.
"As you can see..."
Roselia spoke in a pleased tone, gently stroking my hair with her fingertips.
"Bella is already happy in my arms. If you truly care for your daughter, it would be best to withdraw now."
Sky-blue eyes identical to mine poured down on me.
"Ah, we haven't heard the child's answer yet! Child, don't you want to be with us? I wanted to see you...!"
Taking the brief silence as footing, I responded to the woman.
"......Thank you truly for giving birth to me."
It was sincere gratitude.
"But..."
I had decided to think of Roselia as my mom. At least until I repaid all the grace she gave me. And that hadn't changed.
"I like my current mom more. I don't want to be with anyone else."
With that, I bid farewell to my flesh and blood.
The woman's brows furrowed deeply at my firm answer.