Chapter 59
Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Birthday Party (2)
"Your Highness, it's about time."
The birthday party had just begun in the Belverk reception room, which had opened for the first time in 300 years.
"...What an idiot."
The youngest Imperial Princess, who had taken over the entire room due to her status—unlike the other three guests—muttered in a cold voice as she rose from her seat.
'I went out of my way to visit, and he ends up unconscious for a whole week.'
She hadn't shown it outwardly or inwardly, but when she had arrived at Belverk about a week ago, her cheeks had been slightly flushed at the thought of seeing Kairen.
But the news she received upon arrival was the shocking fact that Kairen had collapsed from an unknown illness.
Thanks to that, she had been holed up in the reception room with a gloomy expression until yesterday. But ever since hearing that Kairen had woken up, her face had flushed again.
'But isn't he a bit too frail?'
And as soon as a maid announced that the birthday party was starting, the youngest Imperial Princess checked her mirror one last time, straightened her makeup and attire.
'...He hasn't depleted his life force like I did, has he?'
She suddenly wore a worried expression and fell deep into thought.
'Come to think of it, ever since that day, the curse that had been steadily draining my lifespan has weakened dramatically...'
The youngest Imperial Princess tilted her head as she recalled how the curse that had been gnawing away at her life since first meeting Kairen had astonishingly faded.
'I'll have to ask him directly later.'
With that thought settled, she stood up, hugged the gift package she had placed on the bed with slightly reddened cheeks, and left the reception room.
"Hm?"
On her way to the grand hall, she suddenly sensed a presence and widened her eyes.
- Rustle...
Thanks to her ingrained habits, the youngest Imperial Princess quickly hid behind the wall and peeked out.
"...What is that?"
In her view was Uriel, whose complexion looked extremely pale.
"Haa, haa..."
Kairen, who had been retching in the bathroom for a while, finally wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and stepped out into the corridor.
"Ah, Uriel sis?"
Only then did he notice Uriel standing in the corridor and greeted her with a bright smile.
"Hello!"
"......"
"How have you been lately?"
Uriel, who had flinched slightly at the sight of Kairen, forced a smile and replied.
"Forget about me. How's your body?"
"Hehe, as you can see, I'm perfectly fine..."
He puffed out his chest proudly, flexing his nonexistent muscles, and took a step forward.
"...Oof."
But only for a moment—Kairen suddenly staggered and fell flat on his butt.
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine!"
After scratching his head for a bit, he naturally got up, dusted off his butt, and flashed another innocent smile as he declared it.
- Drip...
Uriel watched as dark red nosebleed trickled from Kairen's face, forcing the corners of her mouth up as she muttered.
"...Yeah, you look it."
With that, she quietly pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the nosebleed from Kairen, who was tilting his head in confusion.
"Well then, I'll be going..."
She hid the handkerchief behind her back. Her complexion, now beyond pale and turning ghostly white, avoided Kairen's gaze as she tried to walk away.
"Kairen, are you alright?"
"Kid, hold on a sec..."
That was when the grand hall doors suddenly burst open, and Astridje and Lilien rushed out simultaneously.
"Uriel?"
"Oh, sis."
Spotting Uriel in the corridor, the two women clenched their fists and gritted their teeth before forcing their lips up again in greeting.
"Greetings."
"What are you doing here?"
"...Ah, well."
Astridje glanced between them with suspicious eyes and asked in a low voice.
"I was inviting Uriel sis to the birthday party!"
Before Uriel could speak, Kairen jumped in between them and answered.
"Everyone's gathered, so it'd be a shame if Uriel sis was the only one missing."
"So that's why you suddenly bolted out of the grand hall."
Astridje stared quietly at Kairen before murmuring in a subdued voice.
"...I could've sworn I smelled blood."
Kairen flinched at her words and flexed his nonexistent muscles again.
"No way! Kairen's perfectly fine like this!"
"......"
"I've even bulked up a bit since before, and..."
Mid-sentence, Kairen suddenly covered his mouth with both hands.
"...Ngh."
As he hunched over heaving, Uriel, watching him, quietly turned her head aside.
"...Rest if you're not feeling well."
Astridje eyed them suspiciously before patting Kairen's back and offering kindly.
"No, I'm fine! It's my birthday!"
"Even so, don't push yourself too hard..."
"If I miss today, I might regret it forever!"
But Kairen was so firm that she quietly nodded.
"Alright, then..."
"Cough!"
Right then, Kairen heaved again and spat blood.
"W-Wait a sec...!"
He covered his mouth with his hand as best he could, eyes darting wildly before bolting to the bathroom again.
"His condition can't possibly be normal."
Astridje watched his retreating figure with a dark expression, muttering.
"Those damn Opstein bastards..."
"......"
"Making a kid that young go through all that crap..."
Lilien joined in cursing beside her, making Uriel, standing silently, break into cold sweat.
"...Uriel Nox Belverk."
"Y-Yes."
"You've looked unwell since yesterday."
Astridje finally addressed Uriel, who had been showing odd signs.
"No, I'm..."
"......?"
"...Fine."
Uriel, uncharacteristically hesitating and averting her gaze, made Astridje tilt her head before speaking flatly.
"Good, then."
A brief silence flowed through the corridor.
"Uriel, could I ask one favor?"
"Pardon?"
"I know it's a difficult request, honestly..."
In the silence, Astridje stared straight at Uriel and began speaking seriously.
"...Please take good care of Kairen."
Uriel's expression hardened more with each word.
"You probably already know, but Kairen endured ten years of horrific human experimentation and abuse."
"......"
"Naturally, he lacks proper education and common sense. He's also the type who thinks pandering to others to avoid hatred is normal."
These were facts Uriel had vaguely sensed but ignored through self-justification, now spilling from Astridje's lips.
"And if you handle him right, he's kind enough to give up his own life."
"......"
"He's a child who doesn't fit in Belverk at all, where the strong devour the weak."
A week ago, Uriel would have scoffed.
She might have nodded outwardly but sneered inwardly that no one in Belverk would sacrifice their life for another.
But having faced such a being recently, Uriel couldn't refute Astridje.
"That's why I don't want Kairen to become family head."
"Pardon?"
"Becoming family head in Belverk means trampling siblings to climb up."
Her teeth ground harder as she lifted her head with a grave expression at Astridje's words.
"I can't force such a cruel fate on that child."
"......"
"Selfish as it is, I just... want Kairen to grow up happily."
Right after she finished, Uriel spoke in a cold voice.
"No."
Her tone, utterly unlike her usual languid drawl, drew Astridje and Lilien's gazes.
"Kairen is... um..."
"...I see. Sorry."
Uriel stammered belatedly, but Astridje, lost in thought, gave a wry smile and continued.
"I'm the one who placed Belverk's fate on you two."
"No, that's not..."
"Forget I said anything. I'm too soft-hearted."
Without giving Uriel a chance to speak, Astridje declared and turned away.
"But don't push Kairen too hard."
"Um..."
"He dreams of being family head now, but it's just a forced goal so he won't feel useless in Belverk. He's a pitiful kid."
She quietly turned to stare at Uriel, pleading.
"He rushes in for others but can't harm anyone when it matters, so no need to guard against him now."
In Uriel's mind, the scene from a week ago replayed quietly.
"......"
The child who, despite open killing intent, didn't rebel—instead clinging to her leg, begging innocently if 80 years of lifespan would earn forgiveness.
"And who knows? He might even cure your illness."
"Pardon?"
"...From the moment he heard you were frail, he'd been researching ways to cure it."
Uriel, now biting her lip openly, blankly lifted her head.
"He's too young now to burden, but abilities grow naturally with age and training."
"......"
"So I trust you won't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs."
Astridje's words sank into her ears.
"He's unpredictable if burdened or hated."
In Uriel's blurring vision, Astridje, who had left those words, walked toward the grand hall with Lilien glancing back at her.
"...Ugh."
Moments later, Kairen staggered out of the bathroom, face pallid.
"Huh? Where are Mom and Lilien sis...?"
"They went inside first."
"Oh, okay..."
Kairen, dazed as if anemic, shook his head, smiled, and ran to Uriel.
"......"
His figure—like a foolish puppy wagging its tail and running to its abusive owner—made Uriel unknowingly step back, trembling.
"Um, sis, my birthday party..."
"So, are you satisfied?"
"Huh?"
Before the party invitation, she spoke coldly to him.
"You gave 80 years of lifespan to some idiot somewhere, ending up on death's door."
"......"
"Even to someone unworthy of life, you let them suck it dry. No regrets?"
She glared at Kairen, half-opening eyes that rarely did.
"Th-This has nothing to do with that..."
"......"
"And originally, Kairen has ten thousand years of..."
Intimidated by the chilling aura, Kairen glanced at her nervously, explaining.
"Don't mess around. Answer properly."
Uriel grabbed his shoulders roughly—unlike her usual self—forcing his head down, demanding harshly.
"...No regrets."
Kairen pondered briefly before smiling with crinkled eyes.
"How can you say that so lightly?"
"......"
"Too young to think straight?"
Uriel trembled, pale, glaring down and snapping without realizing.
"Maybe."
"......"
"But it doesn't matter to me."
Instead, Kairen beamed, answering her question again.
"Saving a life doesn't require complicated thoughts!"
Silence fell over the corridor once more.
"...So please come to my birthday party!"
In the quiet, Kairen slipped from her grip on his shoulders and headed to the hall, leaving those words.
"The most..."
Left alone, Uriel stood frozen before murmuring weakly and shuffling forward.
"...idiotic answer I've ever heard."
But she suddenly stopped, head bowed, fists clenched, muttering coldly.
"What a truly stupid, useless little brother..."
Clear, transparent tears—the first in her life—flowed from her eyes.
"......What?"
Meanwhile, the youngest Imperial Princess eavesdropping from behind the wall.
"He gave away 80 years of lifespan...?"
She muttered in disbelief.
"You idiot...!"
Overwhelmed by the sudden news, she clutched her racing heart and took deep breaths.
"Just who is that damned idiot living somewhere..."
Even as she muttered with a chilling expression, she suddenly froze as realization dawned.
"...Ah."
The carefully wrapped gift package slipped powerlessly from her hand, rolling to the floor.
"No way."
Her face turned deathly blue as she clutched her heart, where life force—doubled since that day—vigorously swirled.