Rebellious Phase (2)
“……So, you two trashed the house together like this?”
“…….”
“…….”
“……You seemed to be getting along just fine until now, so what the hell happened……”
I'd only stepped out into the city for a short errand, and the first thing I saw upon returning was the front garden of the mansion reduced to half-ruins. The lawn I'd meticulously tended every day, the flower beds I'd set up for orchids—everything had been neatly maintained just before I left that morning. Yet in half a day, it was all obliterated, turned into a complete mess.
And now, the two daughters who'd voluntarily confessed to causing it stood before me.
Beatrice, covered in bright red nail marks across her body, and Sina, slashed up with what looked like sword wounds, turned into a total wreck.
“What in the world……”
My mind went blank; I couldn't even muster a sigh.
Of course, I knew they didn't always get along. Their first meeting had been rocky from the start.
But after a year together, I'd thought their relationship had progressed to the point where they at least didn't glare daggers at each other every time they crossed paths.
So what the hell had happened while I was briefly out? What could have led to them beating the crap out of each other like this?
Dizziness surged, and I pressed my forehead, but the two culprits who'd wrecked my peace stood there with utterly impassive expressions.
They seemed to glance at me cautiously, perhaps feeling some responsibility for trashing the garden, but that was it.
Aside from the minor guilt over breaking things, they showed no remorse whatsoever. Their faces and eyes were all defiant pride.
Even Sina, whom I'd trusted!
“Hoo……”
I pressed my temples hard and first turned my gaze to Sina.
She was nominally the second daughter, but she was undeniably the older of the two. Beatrice might be excused for her intense teenage rebellion at the fateful age of sixteen, but why had Sina joined in the fight?
Was there some justifiable reason I didn't know about?
“……Tell me, Sina. What happened to make you two resort to a full-on brawl?”
I sharpened my gaze and asked her pointedly.
If it had just been a verbal spat, I wouldn't have questioned it. The fact that things had stayed relatively mild over the past year was a relief—sisters were bound to have minor squabbles.
But skipping straight from words to fists? That was suspicious.
It hadn't even escalated step by step; this was way too abrupt.
I stared at Sina with a piercing look, and she crossed her arms in her usual 'I'm innocent' stance, grumbling curtly as always.
“What, do sisters need a big reason to fight? It always starts over something trivial. This was just that.”
“……What kind of 'trivial' thing turns the garden into this?”
“Hm……”
I swept my gaze over the lawn where every blade of grass had been uprooted, my expression blank, and she fell silent for a moment.
Then, as if her conscience pricked her on that point, she scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“Yeah, no excuse for that. I knew you put effort into maintaining it, so failing to protect the garden was a mistake. I'll be more careful next time.”
“……No……”
But from my perspective, that honest admission only doubled my frustration.
In other words, next time they'd fight but make sure to protect the garden, right?
Couldn't she at least say she'd try not to fight at all? Even if it was a lie.
Couldn't she offer some comfort to her wounded father?
I shot her a plaintive look loaded with that meaning, but Sina either missed it or pretended to, turning away.
With no choice, I shifted my eyes from Sina to Beatrice standing right beside her.
Did they have to sync up even now? She lifted her eyes defiantly, just like Sina.
I instinctively reached for her cheek, marked with deep nail scratches, but hesitated.
Back then, maybe, but now it felt like she wouldn't welcome my touch—a bitter premonition.
I reluctantly withdrew my hand behind my back and asked carefully.
“……Riche. I'll ask anyway, but like Sina, do you have no intention of explaining why you two fought?”
“…….”
Beatrice stared at me with unreadable eyes, then tilted her head slightly for a brief eye contact with Sina.
It was a meaningfully suspicious exchange in an instant.
“Yeah, just. Nothing big. Sisters roughhousing now and then isn't that unusual, right?”
“…….”
“Don't worry. We've talked it out ourselves, so no hard feelings.”
Probably. She mumbled that addition, then turned her head away as if she had nothing more to say.
Her usual cynical, indifferent attitude left me with a nagging unease.
This was uncharted territory for me as a father; I had no idea how to respond properly.
Should I scold them for the physical fight? And to what degree?
Theoretically, yes. But with Beatrice at the peak of puberty, would that even work?
I couldn't tell. Drawing a conclusion right then was impossible.
So, I pressed my forehead and pointed toward the house with my hand.
“For now, both of you go up to your rooms. We'll talk about this…… tomorrow.”
“If that's your will.”
Sina nodded obediently and headed inside with quick steps, as if complying.
Beatrice didn't reply. She just stared at me intently for a moment before turning away.
Only after their figures vanished into the mansion did the heavy atmosphere lift slightly, letting me exhale.
“Whew.”
Yeah. Parenting wasn't easy.
It was incomparable to mercenary life, where you just swung a sword to achieve goals—totally different difficulty.
I had no clue where to even start.
And the garden, shattered by their clash, was the same.
Looking at the upturned earth like it'd been hit by a meteor, a sigh escaped naturally.
[Prurr.]
“……Baekho.”
Just then, the tiger—who knows where it'd been hiding—appeared the moment the two disaster daughters left, hopping 'pounce' onto my shoulder.
I side-eyed the White Tiger licking its front paw like any cat, chuckling softly.
“Shouldn't you have tried to stop them when the fight broke out? What were you doing until now? Too lazy for the hassle?”
[Grrr.]
“Hah? Look at this guy. Now he's swatting at his master's neck. Am I that much of a pushover?”
The insolent Baekho smacked my neck with the paw it'd just been licking, but I just let out a wry laugh, not scolding further.
I could guess what that paw meant.
Like, how was it supposed to stop Beatrice and Sina?
Well, I hadn't really expected Baekho to intervene anyway.
I'd just vented my frustration and helplessness without thinking.
I extended my finger to gently scratch Baekho's forehead, gazing up at the mansion with a bitter expression.
The third room, where Sina had gone, had lights on, soft glow seeping through the curtains.
Beatrice's second room, however, was pitch black, no light at all.
……Riche……
Her presence was felt inside, so she must have just not turned on the lights.
I stared at her window, slowly sorting my emotions inwardly.
And.
“…….”
I steeled myself for a major resolution.
As a father and parent, purely.
*****
The next day.
After a breakfast quieter than any before, with even Sina sensing Kyle's oddly changed vibe and slipping away.
“Riche.”
“……Huh?”
Beatrice flinched at Kyle's call, realizing he'd followed her to her door, and turned with an awkward expression.
Since she'd started her prickly attitude, Kyle had avoided initiating talks with her.
But today, he seemed determined.
His voice was colder than usual as he called her, adding indifferently.
“Want to step out together for a bit? It's been a while since just the two of us went out.”
“…….”
Beatrice hesitated, sensing the subtle discomfort, unable to reply immediately.
If it were before, she'd have snarled 'damn dad' or something insincere and shoved him away harshly.
But now, she couldn't.
His expression was too emotionless to reject without reason.
In other words……
Cold.
Contrasting his usual kindness toward her.
“……What's it about?”
She shrank involuntarily, averting her eyes, mumbling awkwardly.
Not sharply rejecting, nor eagerly accepting like a year ago.
Just passively asking the purpose.
That was the best she could manage now.
“You'll see when we go. I'll wait at the entrance, so change and come down.”
“Uh……?”
Instead of answering directly, Kyle replied in the same curt tone and turned away.
He left without checking her reaction, descending the stairs.
Beatrice reflexively reached out toward him, but before she could grab, he vanished to the first floor.
She stared blankly.
“……?”
Suddenly, something 'thudded' in her chest, leaving her flustered.
Like her heart skipping a beat.
In other words, an unpleasant impatience.
Anxiety.
Instinctive unease from Kyle's inexplicable attitude.
Her eyelashes trembled faintly as she froze stiff in place.
She couldn't guess what errand required going out, but one thing was clear.
Dad……?
A strong ominous premonition began to creep in.