The Worst
"The worst."
The first words out of her mouth weren't permission or refusal.
Just grumbling, like she was utterly fed up.
"What is?"
"My situation—thinking this crap is some tempting offer."
"You've lived too easy up till now. A little hardship won't hurt."
"You..."
Lucrezia briefly lifted her sleep mask and shot me a murderous glare.
But I didn't dodge her gaze. I met it calmly.
Wasn't that what the parenting books said?
Parenting Book:
"When a child displays aggressive behavior, the parent must not show excitement in response. Firmly but gently wait for the child's emotions to subside."
"...Fine."
A moment later, she let out a deep sigh and readjusted her mask.
"Next meeting, I'll say one word and leave."
"That's it?"
"...Just pass it on to Carsella."
Lucrezia waved her hand dismissively, like even explaining was too much effort.
"And don't come tomorrow. We're cutting back your visits starting now."
"...You'll definitely block the elders, right?"
"Yeah."
"Then we'll do that. I won't come tomorrow, so rest well."
"...Whoa."
Carsella was buried under a mountain of documents.
It was at least twice as high as last time.
"You're here?"
Carsella, who had been utterly slumped a second ago, lit up with a bright smile the moment she saw my face.
Strictly speaking, I was the root cause, but she welcomed me so warmly it made me feel guilty.
"I talked to Lucrezia a bit."
"...Yes, what did you discuss?"
She flinched slightly when I called Lucrezia by name without honorifics. But instead of correcting me, she forced a smile and asked gently.
"She said she'll say one word at the next meeting and leave."
"......Did Mother really say that?"
"In exchange, we're reducing my visits from seven days a week to six."
"...Hee hee, she must have found you extremely bothersome, Flora."
For the first time, Carsella laughed softly, genuinely delighted.
It was worlds apart from the obligatory smiles I'd seen before.
I smiled back. You had to return a smile like that.
"But can that really stop all this mess?"
I shifted topics, glancing back at the pile of papers.
Malicious complainers, every one.
They kept sending letters with slightly altered words, sentences, and orders—just enough to drag it out.
The intent was crystal clear.
Stop unsealing Flora Alberich immediately.
"Yes, Mother can make it happen."
"Oh ho..."
From Carsella's reaction, Lucrezia hadn't been lying.
"Ultimately, the final decision rests with the Family Head. Even if the entire elder council unites against it, a veto ends it. And even if everyone opposes fiercely, approval makes it law."
"So one 'no' from her and it's done?"
"That's right. If Mother just says, 'No malicious letters to Carsella,' it becomes family law on the spot. The elders have no choice but to obey."
I got it.
Even if she was one with her bed and immovable, the Family Head was the Family Head.
A new question popped up.
"Then what's with these people's guts, pulling this crap?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're basically doing the Family Head's job."
In reality, papers rarely went to Lucrezia.
Only a few for her seal when absolutely needed.
Most were handled by Carsella, reported later. And Lucrezia found even those reports annoying.
"With that much power, how do they get away with this?"
"That's why it only goes this far."
"Really? This feels like crossing the line already."
"Hee hee, take a good look at the content. On the surface, they're all politely suggesting, aren't they?"
"The intent's pretty transparent, though. Seems plenty to make an issue of."
"Of course it's enough to call out. But just barely. Not grounds to punish them. They figure a scolding and blocking your unsealing is win enough."
I scratched my head. Noble politics were beyond me.
This didn't seem like something to pull on the real Family Head.
"I couldn't handle this."
"It's fine. Leave this to your big sister."
Carsella smiled lightly.
"So... when's this meeting?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? That's soon."
"The summons went out already. I couldn't keep accepting these protests forever... It was meant for persuasion, but with Mother's help, it's different."
She reached out and gently stroked my head.
Her touch felt natural now.
The next day.
"Don't make that betrayed face."
"You said you wouldn't come."
"How was I supposed to know the meeting was today?"
"You broke your promise."
"Sorry."
I glanced at Lucrezia's mood while sticking stickers one by one on the board.
Pretending not to care, she was peeking to check how many.
After five more, a short breath escaped her—an unconscious "that's enough." I stopped there.
"Satisfied? Then you have to go to the meeting room today."
"Yeah."
I waited for her to get up, but she just lay there.
"...Not getting up? The meeting's starting soon."
"I'll go later."
"Why bother?"
"They just spout nonsense at first. Going early's a waste."
Lucrezia was firm.
No choice—I extracted a promise to arrive on time and left the room.
I entered the meeting room with Carsella.
All the elders were already seated. They rose at the sight of her, sitting only when she gestured.
'One, two, three...'
I slowly counted them.
Thirteen.
'All opposed to unsealing Flora.'
No elder supported it, apparently. Some weren't actively protesting, but that was passive opposition.
They stared at me with varied expressions.
I walked beside Carsella.
The Family Head's seat was empty.
Carsella took the one next to it and promptly pulled me onto her lap.
"...I-is this okay?"
No matter how I looked, this wasn't my spot.
"It's fine."
"No, aside from fine or not..."
Whatever. If Carsella was happy, that was enough.
"Hah, well now..."
A bearded old man spoke first.
"It really talks."
Carsella's face hardened instantly, turning to him.
"I've told you multiple times in letters, Lord Marsail."
"Ha ha, yes. Seeing it in person, I slipped out of amazement."
He laughed good-naturedly, but his eyes held no warmth.
Talking to Carsella, but staring at me.
Like eyeing a landmine.
Carsella narrowed her eyes, glaring fiercely.
"Use proper title and speech. I'll overlook it once as a mistake, but not twice. Do I need to remind you myself that Flora is Alberich blood?"
"...I'll correct it."
As the mood sank, the waiting scribe stepped forward.
"The Alberich family provisional elder council is now in session."
Voice stripped of emotion.
The scribe emphasized the obvious: thirteen elders, Carsella, me. Family Head absent.
All proceedings recorded. Agenda: halting Lady Flora Alberich's unsealing.
"Per convention, statements begin with the eldest."
With that, Lord Marsail stood.
"Then this old man will speak frankly."
He cleared his throat lightly and began. The scribe's pen scratched to life.
"First, we elders do not deny Lady Flora's bloodline. Nor do we take Lady Carsella's will lightly."
His demeanor was polite.
Even clashing over Flora, hierarchy was clear.
But politeness wasn't goodwill.
"However, unsealing Lady Flora is another matter. She's regained reason recently, but it's hard to call her fully stable."
Other elders nodded.
"So we propose delaying the unsealing, observing and verifying thoroughly before revisiting."
"Agreed. Better safe than sorry, right?"
A younger-looking elder chimed in.
"Caution."
Carsella repeated the word.
"A fine word."
"You're too kind, Lady Carsella."
"Even from cowards' mouths, it sounds virtuous."
The young elder, bowing in sincere thanks, froze.
The others stared wide-eyed. Even the scribe paused, then cautiously resumed.
Honestly, I flinched too.
Never heard Carsella so cutting.
"...Your words go too far, Lady Carsella."
Marsail spoke carefully.
Carsella smiled faintly.
"All those recent letters must have kept you from rest. You're on edge."
"That's..."
"Speak."
"...We sincerely apologize for the method. But Lady Carsella, please consider our circumstances—we had no choice."
Carsella closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
In that brief silence, the air grew heavy.
"Not one of you offered a solution."
"What do you..."
"I read every letter you sent. All of them. Thoroughly, hoping against hope someone might say something different. Knowing better, but clinging to expectation."
Her eyes flashed. Elders averted their gazes.
"Yet not one person, not one sentence. About after the unsealing."
"Lady Carsella, Lady Flora isn't proven safe yet! Discussing post-unsealing is..."
"How do we prove it?"
"Just give it more time..."
"Locked in the basement, no contact, no choices. In that state, what proof do you want, and how?"
Marsail bit his lip.
"Am I too dull to grasp your wisdom? If so, wise elders, please explain."
No one answered.
They just hated the variable I represented.
Delay the unsealing, and they'd ignore the rest. When we tried again, they'd repeat this.
'No wonder Carsella's pissed.'
They weren't opposing out of real danger fears.
Just whining to lock me away forever—too annoying to deal with.
"...We understand your point, Lady Carsella. But per convention, the Family Head's approval is needed for unsealing."
A silent elderly woman elder spoke up.
Carsella let out a hollow laugh.
"How curious. When deciding family matters, didn't you come to my office? No one mentioned convention or questioned my authority then."
"Th-this is different from usual!"
"You all."
Carsella stated firmly.
"Don't even consider Flora an Alberich."
The elders fell silent.
They should've refuted instantly. But words failed them.
Too on the nose.
Marsail clasped his trembling hands.
"You should've prepared for post-unsealing. Watched for relapse, reassigned guards and quarters, designed monitoring, planned suppression for emergencies. That's how you treat Alberich blood. Yet none of you thought of it."
Her voice dropped.
"Means you see Flora not as family blood, but trash to discard."
'...Did we drag Lucrezia in for nothing?'
Carsella handled it fine alone.
Then Marsail spoke again.
"...We're not here to oppose you, Lady Carsella. Please withdraw your anger."
"Then why are you here?"
"Exercising the elder council's rights: requesting temporary halt to unsealing until Family Head approval."
He'd given up persuading. No logic on their side.
"So that's your play."
Carsella murmured like a sigh.
That's when it started.
Slow but clear footsteps echoing toward the meeting room.