131. Plea
131. Plea
[Chapter 131] - Plea
"Please, just don't run away from me anymore."
Clink- clink- As I moved my ankle, which was bound by a shackle, little by little, the iron chain connecting the bedpost to my leg swayed, making a clinking metallic sound.
I let out a dry laugh at the surreal situation, then lifted my head to glare at Titania. What on earth is Titania thinking? What exactly does she want to do with me?
I clearly thought I knew everything about Titania, but it seemed I didn't. At this very moment, I couldn't understand Titania. I couldn't tell what she was thinking.
I know she's angry that I ran away again without a word. But, even so, putting shackles on me? It's absurd enough that I was kidnapped and imprisoned here, but now she's even put shackles on my ankle?
I lowered my head and struggled to undo the shackle tied to my ankle. It was a leather shackle, so it didn't hurt much, but the iron chain connected to the bedpost showed no signs of breaking.
Because the shackle showed no signs of coming off no matter how hard I pulled, I quickly gave up, glared at Titania, and growled in a low voice.
"Take this off, right now."
"That, I cannot do."
I gritted my teeth and glared at her, but Titania didn't yield and answered curtly. That she would never take it off. That this was the 'punishment' I deserved. Even if I was in the wrong...!
"It's all Mother's fault. You keep lying. Even when I begged you not to go, you ran away. To keep a Mother like that by my side, I have no choice but to tie you up like this, right?"
"Even if that's the case, this is...!"
"I have been 'considerate' enough for Mother. I prepared everything so you could live here without lacking anything. But wasn't it none other than Mother who kicked away my consideration?"
I couldn't say anything to Titania's sharp, point-by-point retort. Because not a single word Titania said was wrong. In the end, I lowered my head and had no choice but to tearfully plead with Titania.
"I'm truly reflecting on my actions... so please, take it off. I promise I won't run away again. Okay? Even so, isn't this too much...?"
"If you were me, Mother, could you believe those words? You always lie to me, you don't keep the promises you made to me, and you left my side without a word—and now you want me to believe you?"
Titania answered with a scoff. A hollow laugh burst out of me at Titania's attitude, which suggested she wouldn't listen to anything I said anymore. Just a hollow, absurd, dry laugh.
Why on earth is she doing this to me?
I couldn't get a sense of what Titania wanted from me at all.
Was she angry that I left only a letter behind? Or was she angry because I didn't keep my promise? It was all my fault, but I still thought it was strange to go this far.
Tap, at Titania's touch stroking my face, I lifted my head and looked at Titania. Even though she's the one who shackled me, why does she look at me with such a pitiful expression?
Now, I really wanted to ask.
Why on earth to me—
"Why on earth... are you going this far for me...? Even if I did something wrong..."
"...I thought I had made it quite obvious until now. Do you really not know?"
Titania stroked my cheek, smiling mischievously as she curved her eyes and the corners of her mouth beautifully. When I nodded slightly, Titania chuckled as if she couldn't help it and whispered to me.
"Are you really asking me because you don't know the reason why I'm going this far for Mother? Really?"
"I don't know... How on earth would I know? I know you're obsessed with me. But, this is too..."
Just as I was about to say it was too much, Titania's thumb touched my lips. Because her finger was pressing firmly against my upper lip, blocking my mouth, I couldn't say anything more.
Titania, who had been staring intently at my crushed lips, rolled her eyes to meet mine. My face was reflected clearly beyond her slightly shimmering red eyes that appeared every time she blinked.
At that moment, a silence descended as if time had stopped. I felt every single hair on my body stand on end at Titania's gaze as she stared down at me.
I instinctively tried to step back due to an indescribable sensation, but Titania wrapped her arms around my waist and pulled me tightly toward her, as if telling me not to run away.
With the sensation of my feet lifting off the ground, I had no choice but to be held in Titania's arms. The moment I lifted my head to push Titania away and tell her not to do this.
It really happened in an instant.
Titania, who had been looking down at me as if possessed by something, gently cupped my face with both hands, tilted her head, and pressed her lips against my slightly parted lips.
Chu, it was a very short kiss that didn't even make a sound, but it was enough time to feel the heat spreading from our touching lips. Furthermore, even the fact that this kiss was not just a kiss between 'family'.
It was enough time to feel it fully.
The lips that had been pressed together parted, and Titania, with her ears flushed red and eyes looking like she was about to cry, smiled brightly and looked at me.
Then, she stroked the lips that had touched hers and whispered to me.
"Because I like you."
Not as a mother.
"It's because I like you."
As a woman.
*
Mother looked a bit bewildered after hearing the confession. Was it too rushed after all? But I felt like I had to say it now. The shackle I put on Mother's ankle wasn't enough.
The words "I like you" that I spat out would become a shackle themselves, binding Mother tightly. It's cowardly, but I had no choice. If Mother ran away again, I felt like I would really go crazy.
Mother, held in my arms, answered in a trembling voice.
"I, I really like you too. How could I possibly hate you...? S, so..."
I had expected it, but as expected, Mother didn't try to understand. No, she tried to run away from the answer of "I like you." Titania let out a small sigh and gently stroked Mother's trembling face.
"Mother, you know that's not what I meant."
Vivian shut her mouth as if struck to the core by Titania's words. Watching Mother keep her gaze downward, Titania smiled bitterly and slowly continued.
"...Honestly, I intended to hide it from Mother for the rest of my life. Because I know better than anyone that this 'feeling' I hold for Mother is not normal."
"......"
"So, I tried to be satisfied with just having Mother by my side. That was enough. I tried to endure by Mother's side, hiding my feelings for the rest of my life. But..."
Titania lowered her head and looked at the shackle tied to Vivian's ankle. When she kicked the iron chain connected to the shackle with her foot, the chain hit the floor, making a loud clink-clink sound.
"Because you keep trying to run away from my side..."
Titania glanced at Vivian with just her eyes. Seeing Mother unable to continue speaking, perhaps still confused, Titania felt a bitter emotion and bit her lip.
'Was it too early after all.'
I thought it was too early to confess my feelings, but I couldn't help it. The water was already spilled and couldn't be gathered back up. I didn't want to do this, but the feelings I had been suppressing and holding back had just slightly overflowed.
Titania bit her lip hard, trying to control her emotions. The feelings she had barely managed to suppress were overflowing, and it felt like they would explode at any moment. Titania's parted lips trembled, and soon a choked voice flowed out.
"So... stop... leaving... I think I'm really going to go crazy... Every time Mother disappears, I feel like I'm going to die from the agony..."
I couldn't hold it in anymore. I couldn't control this emotion anymore. I tried to hold it back, but emotions aren't easily controlled. The emotions I had forcibly suppressed and held back finally overflowed and collapsed.
The tears that had been pooling in Titania's eyes flowed down her cheeks.
"...I don't think Mother will accept my feelings. Because this is my selfish emotion."
"......"
"I just need Mother to be by my side. Just, just by my side. If you just stay by my side, I don't need anything else. Just, Mother, just Mother by my side..."
"Titania..."
"Please, just stay by my side. I won't be greedy. I like you. Please, don't hate me. Don't leave my side. Just, just stay by my side..."
In the end, Titania's reason collapsed. She pleaded while shedding tears in front of Vivian. Because of the tears, she couldn't tell what kind of expression Mother was looking at her with.
An expression of disgust? An expression of pity? Whatever the expression, it was clearly not a good one. Because a daughter begging her stepmother that she likes her is not a good look.
Titania gripped Vivian's collar tightly and wouldn't let go. She gripped Vivian's collar with all her might, to the point where her already pale hands turned even paler. Just like a child begging not to be abandoned.
"Please, just... stay by my side..."
Because if I didn't do even this, Mother would leave again. I had to do anything to ensure Mother wouldn't leave again. I could do anything for Mother.
Really, anything.
But, it seemed Mother didn't think so. I said she just needed to stay still. I begged her to just stay by my side. Mother...
"...Titania. Quickly... take it off."
"Mother...."
"I..."
Vivian, who squeezed her eyes shut, shook off the hand Titania was holding and stepped back.
The expression with which Vivian looked at Titania was not one of disgust or loathing. Rather, she answered Titania's heart with an expression that seemed full of conviction.
"I cannot grant your request."
"......"
Without knowing what kind of feelings that answer would cause Titania to have in the future.
Vivian pushed Titania away. That they should rather get further apart. That they should rather put more distance between them. That that was normal.
Vivian pushed away the pleading Titania.