Chapter 166: Chloe Stole Something Incredible (5)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 166: Chloe Stole Something Incredible (5)[R-18]
A short while after my 15th birthday.
"Ian."
Sitting before the fireplace, Audrey called my name in a gentle voice.
"Yes, Lady Audrey."
"Hmm... I told you to call me 'Mom' or 'Mother,' at least when there’s no one else around."
"How could I possibly..."
"How could you? What’s wrong with you, Ian? I’ve never seen a boy as handsome and kind as our Ian. Well... though you can be a bit of a prankster."
"...I’m sorry."
"Hehe, I wasn't trying to scold you. Children are better off the more energetic they are."
Saying so, Audrey gave a benevolent smile and took Robert’s hand.
"Now, Robert. You take it from here. It’s an important matter, isn't it?"
"...Honey, me?"
"Of course. Is there another Robert here? This is a matter concerning the Marigold family. The Family Head should be the one to speak."
"No, you're the one who forced this position on me... I never really wanted to be the Family Head in the first place..."
"Aha! So... you’re saying you won't do it?"
"Sigh... Fine, I'll do it. It’s just harder to bring up than I thought."
"Hehe... Good luck, dear."
Thump— Thump—
Seeing the two of them hesitate to get to the point made my heart race.
What on earth were they trying to say?
'...Are they going to ask me to leave the mansion?'
Fifteen.
If I were in an orphanage, it was around the age I’d be expected to become independent.
That was why I had been mentally preparing myself ever since they first called me in for an "important talk."
To be honest, it would be a lie to say I wasn't sad...
But even if I were told to leave the mansion, I would never resent them.
Robert and Audrey had cared for me as if they were my real parents.
Thanks to them, even though I grew up an orphan, I never had to worry about food or clothes, and I was able to grow up loved in a warm home.
That grace alone was a debt so immense I could never repay it in a lifetime.
So how could I feel anything but gratitude?
There was just one thing...
It was agonizing to think that if I left like this, I could no longer stay by Evelyn’s side.
"Ian..."
"Yes, Lord Robert."
"It’s been almost ten years since you came to this house. When I first brought you in from the snow, I could hold you in one arm, but you’ve grown so much already. Time really flies."
"...I am always grateful for you saving me that day. I will repay this debt one day."
"Repay a debt? You don't seem to realize what a great joy your coming to this house was for us. You owe us nothing."
"...But."
"Enough. And even if we did provide for you, it’s only natural for a father to provide for his son. It’s not something you should worry about."
"...Huh? Fa...ther?"
"Ahem... Well, you see..."
As I stood there dazed by the word 'father' that Robert had used, Audrey, who had been sitting, stood up with a frustrated sigh.
"Oh, honestly... Honey, you’re as big as a mountain, yet you have so little backbone. What would you do without me?"
"...Then you just have to stay by my side forever."
"My, look at you and your silver tongue. Hehe... That makes me a little happy."
"And what do you mean, no backbone... To save you, I went in all alone—"
"Yes, yes. You were very cool back then. ...It would be even cooler if you hadn't told that story a hundred times already. No, if you had just accepted my feelings honestly like you do now, that dangerous situation wouldn't have happened in the first place, right?"
"...."
Robert avoided her gaze, unable to respond to Audrey’s smiling jab.
"Sigh... I guess I’ll have to be the one to say it. Come here, Ian."
"Yes..."
Step—
As I stepped forward, Audrey spoke with a soft smile.
"Ian, although we aren't related by blood, I... no, we have truly thought of you as a son. But... now, I want to take it one step further."
"...Lady Audrey?"
"Ian. Would you be willing to become our adopted son?"
The unexpected proposal left me choked up, my lips trembling so much I couldn't speak properly.
"...I... I..."
I never imagined they would think so highly of someone like me.
A mixture of gratitude, guilt, and hope swirled within me, making it impossible to answer easily.
As I hesitated, Robert spoke.
"Ian, you don't have to answer right away. We will wait for your answer whenever you're ready."
"Yes, yes. Tell us whenever you’ve made up your mind. Of course... a positive answer would be even better."
"...Thank you."
After bowing deeply to them, I returned to my room and stared blankly at the ceiling, muttering to myself.
"Me... an adopted son?"
I had truly never considered it.
I thought of them as parents, but for an orphan with nothing to show for himself like me to become an adopted son of the Marigold Family was impossible—something I shouldn't even have dared to hope for.
But...
[Ian Marigold]
Just imagining the sound of it brought a small smile to my face.
'...Is it okay for me to be this greedy?'
I knew I had already received more than enough from the Marigold family.
Was it really okay for me to want even more?
I was someone who had lost something precious and couldn't even remember what it was.
If I gained so many precious things now, wouldn't I just end up losing them all over again?
As I thought that, my gaze shifted to a photo of Evelyn.
'Evelyn.'
I love Evelyn.
I love her more than anyone else in the world.
And although we had never expressed our feelings to each other, I felt that Evelyn felt the same way.
"...."
Thump— Thump—
Suddenly, a desire strong enough to suppress my fear began to rise.
Until now, my status had been a wall that prevented me from properly conveying my feelings to Evelyn.
But if I became an adopted son and became 'Ian Marigold,' wouldn't I be able to be with Evelyn officially?
Wouldn't that be reason enough to find some courage?
...But the next day, in front of the reception room, I heard it.
[No! I hate it! I don't want to be family with Ian!!]
The sound of my heart shattering.
Thud—! Thud—!
"You!... You!... You crazy bastard!... Seriously! You left because of that?... Your heart was torn? Fuck!! This is unbelievable!! Hey! Ha! You, you! If you hadn't eavesdropped then... No!! If you were going to listen, you should have listened to the end!!! You coward!!"
"Sh-shut up!! You deserve to be hit more!!! You fucking asshole!! You retard!"
Evelyn sobbed as she rained punches down on Ian’s chest.
Hearing the truth of that day was too much of a shock.
Resentment and bitterness overflowed.
It would have been less shocking if Ian had left because I had actually done something wrong.
"Ugh..!! This isn't right!!! Lady Ellis!! Sob!!! Why!! Lady Ellis, seriously! Why are you doing this only to me!!! What did I do wrong!! If Ian had just listened for ten more seconds... no!! Five more seconds, we would have had a Childhood Pure Love ending!!! But whyyyyy!!!!"
[No! I hate it! I don't want to be family with Ian!!]
Yes, five years ago. I did say those words.
But obviously, it wasn't for the trashy reason Ian was thinking of.
"Evelyn, we're planning to make Ian part of the family."
"Huh? Dad, what are you talking about? Ian is already family."
There was no need to even say it.
Ian had been our family for a long time already.
"Hehe... Yes, Evelyn. Ian has been family until now... but from now on, he’ll be 'real' family."
"...Mom, what does that mean?"
"We’ve decided to adopt Ian. Honestly, it’s something we should have done a long time ago... but it’s been delayed too much."
"Ian... adopted?"
"Yes, you’ll become siblings with Ian."
[Ian Marigold]
Just hearing that bastard called that brought a smirk to my lips.
'That’s good.'
Lately, some bitches had been starting to wag their tails at Ian, and if we became siblings, I could keep them in check not from the ambiguous position of a 'childhood friend,' but from the position of 'family.'
But...
'...Wait?'
Thinking about it again, that shouldn't happen.
"No!!"
"Yes, we thought you’d obviously agree... What? Evelyn, what did you just say?"
"No! I hate it! I don't want to be family with Ian!!"
Wasn't it obvious?
If I became family with Ian in that way, the future I had planned would go up in smoke.
'Siblings with Ian? Absolutely not!!'
Ian was the man who was supposed to be my 'husband,' not my 'brother.'
Even if the word 'siblings' provided a sturdy fence for now, as time passed, it would become an insurmountable wall.
And if one day, because of that barrier, Ian became another woman’s husband and I had to watch from the side?
—Clench!
"Absolutely not!! Ian can never become family!!"
I guarantee I would have gone insane.
My parents asked back in surprise.
"Evelyn, we thought you had feelings for Ian..."
"Yes, didn't you like Ian?"
"That’s right! I like Ian! No! I love him. I love Ian more than anyone in the world!"
"...More than your Dad?"
"Of course! I love him way more than Dad!!"
"...."
"Hehe... Evelyn, you hurt your Dad’s feelings. But why don't you want to be family with Ian?"
"That... that’s..."
I could feel my face heating up and my heart pounding wildly.
But the fear that Ian might become my 'brother' if I didn't speak now drove me to act.
"I-if... I become family with Ian now... we, we, we can't get m-married... I... hate... Ian being my brother... I want him as my husband."
Hearing that, Mom covered her mouth and laughed.
"Pff... Hahahaha! I wondered what you were thinking... Oh, you really are my daughter, but you're so cute. Evelyn, don't worry. Do you think we didn't think of that? Of course, it’s true that siblings can't marry... but we can just temporarily remove Ian from the family register before you get married."
"...Huh?"
"Hehe... In fact, putting Ian on the register now is no different from telling other nobles, 'Ian is our future son-in-law, so don't touch him.' How about it? Is that good enough?"
"...R-r-really?... Then... okay... I'll... be family... with Ian..."
I felt like I was going to die of embarrassment, having screamed at my parents and confessed my love for Ian without knowing any of that.
"Hehe... Then go comfort your Dad a bit. He’s completely sulking."
"Later!! I have to see Ian first!!"
Thump-! Thump-! Thump-!
I wanted to tell Ian this happy news even a second sooner.
The news that we were becoming 'real' family!!
Dash! Dash!
When I finished my conversation with my parents and ran to Ian’s room, what I saw was...
Ian packing his bags.
"I-Ian!!... Huh? What... what are you doing?"
"Oh, Evelyn. I was just organizing my things."
"Organizing? Why? Ah! Are you moving rooms? Th-then the room next to mine—"
"No... I’m leaving this house now."
"...What? Why?... Wh-what are you talking about all of a sudden? Because of what? Why, why so suddenly!! Everything was fine until now!! Is it... is it because I b-bullied you?"
"No. I’m fifteen now. I’ve received so much that I don't think I can ever repay it if I stay any longer."
The heartbroken expression Ian had back then was still vivid before my eyes.
'But fuck!! You're telling me that all happened because of a misunderstanding??'
It was unfair.
How was I supposed to know Ian was listening to that conversation?
No, even if he was listening, how was I supposed to know he’d only hear the absolute worst part?
"Ha... Ha!! Aaaaaah!!! Fuck!! You bastard! Your heart was torn? Don't give me that bullshit!! You don't have the right! You coward!! I didn't break your heart! You broke your own heart!! And while you were breaking yours, you broke mine too!!"
Thud—!
I threw a punch at Ian, filled with five years' worth of rage and resentment.