Chapter 106: Cursed Child (6)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 106: Cursed Child (6)[R-18]
“Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Frederica, currently serving as the Acting Head of the Black Dahlia Family.”
Ssh—
Frederica, who had guided Ian to the reception room, bowed her head.
“I apologize, Lord Ian. I have heard of the Young Lady’s mistake. I should have sought you out and apologized first, but things have been so hectic that I am late. If you have come for compensation regarding the injury she caused, then later...”
“No, that’s not why I’m here.”
“...Then, what brings you here today?”
“I came to help Estelle.”
“...Ha.”
The moment she heard Ian’s words, a hollow laugh escaped Frederica’s lips.
“Forgive my rudeness. But Lord Ian, let me be clear. We do not need help.”
She had hoped and been betrayed too many times to count to believe such words now.
“...Isn't that for Estelle to decide?”
“I didn't realize you respected the Young Lady’s wishes so much. In that case, you may leave immediately. The Young Lady ordered me not to receive any guests. Bringing you inside was my own independent decision.”
“...You don’t need to be so guarded. As you can tell by the clothes of the person beside me, we come from the Church.”
“Hello, Lady Frederica.”
“And? Did you think my attitude would change just because you’re from the Church?”
In fact, the reason Frederica was being so hostile toward Ian was largely due to the sister he brought with him.
“Lord Ian, how many scammers do you think have come through here claiming they could help the Young Lady?”
“...I am not a scammer.”
“How strange. Every scammer I’ve met so far said the exact same thing.”
She had met many swindlers, but the one that had left her with the greatest sense of betrayal was the Church.
Until then, the people of the Church had mimicked benevolence, but the moment they heard of the Black Dahlia’s fall, they flipped their attitude in an instant.
Money, money, money.
She had requested a healer from the Church for the Young Lady several times, but they always threatened her, saying they could only send someone if there were more donations.
And back then, as an inexperienced Acting Head, Frederica had squandered a significant portion of the former Family Head’s legacy—the Young Lady’s precious wealth.
-I don’t know.
-This is a phenomenon I’ve never seen before.
-The cause is unknown.
-Still, if there were more donations, we might be able to bring someone of high standing from the ‘Great Church.’
But the only thing that came back from those trash who stole the Black Dahlia’s fortune were those pathetic words.
“To hold treatment hostage and demand donations first... I’m sorry. I didn’t know such a thing happened within the Church. But could you please trust us just once?”
“...Have you been listening to a word I’ve said? I hate the Church. No, I hate the Goddess Ellis.”
There was a time when Frederica, too, believed that if she desperately wished and prayed, she would be saved.
“Why must our Young Lady be the only one so miserable? Until her parents died in that carriage accident, she was faithful to the Church. Even on the day of the accident, she was at the Church.”
“....”
“And when her uncle came to take her in shortly after she was left alone? She went to the Church that day, too. Do you know what it feels like to watch a child pray, begging for her parents to be returned even though she knows it’s impossible?”
Frederica bit her lip so hard it tore, the metallic taste of blood filling her mouth.
“And that night, the ‘Black Dahlia Tragedy’ occurred! What exactly did your great Lady Ellis do for her?! What did she do so wrong that her parents, her relatives... and even her legs! Why did everything have to be taken from her?!”
Since that day, Frederica had prayed alone in the Church countless times.
She prayed that they could take her own legs, if only they would return the Young Lady’s.
She felt the Young Lady had already lost too much to have her legs taken as well.
“....”
However, the Goddess does not answer the prayers of humans.
After realizing that, Frederica stopped going to the Church as well.
“...And the person from the Church who came to treat the Young Lady held a fairly high position. They were quite famous for their healing, too.”
The reason Frederica was suspicious wasn't just because of her distrust of the Church.
The sister before her eyes was far too young to inspire confidence.
“So, can you do better than that person?”
“...Hmm. Probably? I, Yuris, am quite confident in my healing, despite how I look!”
“Yuris...?”
Frederica’s eyes widened.
She had heard the name Yuris before.
One of the Saintess Candidates.
Moreover, she was the person closest to becoming the next Saintess.
‘...This is bad.’
Frederica, who had introduced herself as the Acting Head of the Black Dahlia family, had just denied Lady Ellis in front of a Saintess Candidate, not just a common sister. If things went wrong, the entire family could...
“Lady Frederica.”
“...Yes, Lord Ian.”
“I know what you’re worried about, but that won’t happen.”
“...How can I believe that?”
Frederica’s eyes widened as she saw what Ian pulled from his coat.
“Because I am Estelle’s friend.”
“....”
When Estelle opened her eyes, her vision was blurry and her head was spinning.
Ssh—
She reached out to push herself up from the floor, which smelled strangely metallic.
“...Ugh!!”
In that moment, the excruciating pain radiating from her fingers—where the nails had been torn out—finally woke her up completely.
“Ah...”
She had fallen asleep.
She had ended up falling asleep.
Tremble—
Estelle stroked her legs with trembling fingers, checking for sensation.
I was a cursed child.
A child cursed to seek revenge whenever harmed by someone.
If I didn't, the other person would become miserable while I slept, and my senses would vanish in proportion to that misery.
“Agh...! ...Ugh... Hng..! ...Uuuugh!”
The curse that had been lingering at her hips had risen to her navel.
The curse had never risen this far before.
She was terrified of her fading senses, but there was something she feared even more.
‘Del... Delphicia... Ugh...’
If her senses had vanished to this extent, it was certain that a massive ‘misfortune’ had befallen Delphicia.
Perhaps to the point of taking Delphicia’s life.
“I’m sorry...”
Tears streamed down Estelle’s face.
She had tried to insult and curse Delphicia as she’d read in books, hoping to dilute the misfortune even a little, but it was no use.
“Ugh... I should have died! ...I... should have... died sooner!”
She knew someone like her shouldn't be alive.
Even though she had said she wanted to die so many times...
...She was afraid of dying.
In truth, she had been hoping for someone to help her.
But...
‘...N-Now... I can’t... Ugh... I can’t take it anymore.’
No more.
She could no longer endure a life where she hurt others.
Scrape— scrape— clack—
Crawling across the floor toward the desk, Estelle pulled out a black medicine bottle from a hidden compartment beneath the drawer.
“...Ha... Haa... Ah.”
It was something she had bought long ago but had been too afraid to drink.
But now, she felt like she could.
“...Mom... Dad...”
Just as Estelle was about to open the bottle, calling out to the parents whose faces she could barely remember anymore—
“...Young Lady.”
She heard Sister Frederica’s voice.
“Mmph...!”
Why now, of all times?
If only she had a little more time...
Estelle curled her body, covering her mouth with her hands.
If she didn't, her sobbing would be heard.
‘No...’
Actually, it was for the best.
If she died like this, the kind Sister Frederica would surely be sad.
In that case...
Grip—
“Y-You stupid idiot! I-I!! ...I told you not to come close!!”
“I’m sorry... but a guest has come to see you.”
“Ha! I guess you really are just a stupid girl who rolled around in the slums! I clearly told you not to let anyone into the residence! No matter how much time passes, you’re still so vulgar—!”
“Lord Ian has arrived.”
“...What?”
In an instant, Estelle’s mind went blank.
Ian?
Here?
Why?
“Estelle.”
“Ugh...!”
Hearing Ian’s voice from beyond the door, Estelle forced back the rising vomit and apologized.
“Ugh... I-Ian... Hic... I’m... I’m sorry... I... to you... Ugh... I’m... I’m sorry... I... I was wrong.”
“It’s okay. So, will you open the door?”
“Ah... Hng... N-No...”
The moment she heard Frederica’s voice, her resolve to die had already wavered.
If she saw Ian’s face now, her weak self would want to live again.
So, she couldn't open it.
Click!
“...It’s been a while, Estelle.”
But Ian, just like when he first entered her heart...
He approached her, leaping over the walls she had built as if they were nothing.
“H-How... Ugh...”
“Frederica had the key. More importantly...”
Ian said, his face hardening as he looked at her hands.
“Lady Yuris. Please, treat Estelle first.”
“Yes... Oh dear... How much it must have hurt...”
“Y-Young Lady! Ugh... Young Lady... Your beautiful... hands... what is this... Hng...”
Thud— roll—
As Frederica and Yuris, who had followed him in, grabbed Estelle’s hands, the black bottle rolled to Ian’s feet.
“...Doesn't look like vitamins. I’ll hold onto this.”
“Why... why... did you come... Ugh...”
“Well... it seems I can’t manage the library alone without you. And...”
Ssh—
Reaching into his coat, Ian pulled out a crumpled, battered gift box and spoke.
“I realized I haven't given you my thoughts on the ‘macaron’ yet.”
“Ah... Th-That... That...”
My heart, which I thought had been trampled, shattered, and would never be delivered again...
“Yeah, the macaron was really delicious, Estelle.”
Had already reached Ian.