Chapter 124
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 124
“…….”
What on earth was he thinking, explaining all this only now?
Moreover, the absurdly cheerful tone of the explanation left me utterly speechless, but a benefit was a damn benefit, after all.
Tears continued to crawl out of my eyes without end.
“The abandoned child. The abandoned daughter. The abandoned lady.”
It was no use no matter how hard I rubbed my eyes. The tears poured out incessantly, as if a bowl had been overturned.
“I never want to hear those words again. Do you have any idea how horrific it feels to be unable to deny them myself? Do you know, Marquis? Does my father know?”
“…….”
“Dad……”
“…….”
“……Dad, you don’t know anything either.”
“Never again.”
Marquis Aster Frezier pulled me tightly into his arms.
“I will make sure you never hear those words again. I will never let you feel that way. I—yes, your father……”
“…….”
“I promise you, even if it costs me my life. I’m sorry, Tulia.”
I wailed in the Marquis’s arms. I cried until my ears felt muffled, then looked up at the Marquis’s face, which was just as swollen as mine.
This great Marquis, notorious for his bloodthirsty reputation.
One of the most powerful men in the Empire, the most certain successor to the title of Grand Duke Frezier.
Sniffling, I checked his favorability.
[System] Character Importance of ‘Aster Frezier’: ☆☆☆☆☆
The gauge floating above the Marquis’s head was neither bright red nor deep blue.
It was a deep, rich gold.
And there, a lock shining in the same golden hue was firmly fastened.
Like a lock that would never break.
Like a heart that would remain steadfast no matter what happened.
[System] ‘Aster Frezier’ loves you.
[System] You have achieved the highest grade of favorability with ‘Aster Frezier.’ 1,000 Bonus Coins have been awarded.
[System] Date of Coin Acquisition: The day you first received the Main Quest.
I didn’t even need to read the shimmering text flowing down several times to realize the truth.
‘No wonder…….’
This harsh system window, that damn star, had given me an excessive amount of 1,000 coins from the very first day of my possession.
The Marquis had already loved Tulia since then, and that was why the coins had been given as a reward.
‘I thought it was just a newbie benefit. I should’ve known that shitty star wouldn’t just give things away for free…….’
Even as I thought that, my tears didn’t stop.
A father who loved me—the first I’d ever had in my life.
The green diamond, warmed by my dad’s heat, felt as constant and toasty as if it weren’t a mere mineral.
* * *
That night, with my eyes swollen shut.
I couldn’t fall asleep properly until dawn.
It wasn’t because I was lost in sentimentality.
It was because several more guests took turns visiting this remote, secluded warehouse.
The only slight peculiarity was that every single one of them was a titan of the Grand Duchy.
“I’m sorry, Tulia.”
First, it was Grandfather.
“I failed to look after you when you were young. I only thought it was admirable that you were growing up so well and smart on your own.”
I could understand Grandfather’s wretched feelings. Those who were purely enemies to me were still his own children.
And to be honest.
It hurt my heart to see that the corners of Grandfather’s eyes were red, despite his attempts to hide it.
When I thought about it, Grandfather’s relationship with Grandmother—the pinnacle of a love-hate story—had ended like that, and now his children were causing this mess just to exploit his granddaughter…….
‘My damn K-Confucian girl heart.’
In the end, Grandfather and I shared tears and a tight hug.
It was my first time hugging Grandfather, and it felt like being embraced by a sturdy, ancient tree. It made me realize all over again that he was the Family Head who had protected this Grand Duchy for a long time.
“That’s enough, Your Grace. Please return now.”
A voice broke the mood.
It was Marquis Frezier—Dad—standing by the doorway.
‘Calling him “Dad” still feels so awkward.’
Perhaps the thing I needed to adjust to most as Tulia were these cringeworthy titles.
As I scratched my cheek, Dad spoke coldly.
“Tulia is young and needs to sleep early. She’s already small and needs to grow more, but she can’t sleep if Your Grace keeps holding onto her like that.”
“You wicked brat.”
Grandfather glared at him and let me go.
“You’re the one who kept the child awake until this hour, yet you have the nerve to talk. And Aster Frezier.”
“Speak.”
“You might not know because you’ve been out at the border for so long, but these days, children hate meddling parents the most.”
“…….”
Dad said nothing, but I could sense a momentary flash of panic.
“Sleep well, Tulia.”
“Have sweet dreams, my daughter.”
‘I wonder when those two will ever get along?’
I didn’t know.
Just as I was about to lie down on the bed, there was another knock at the door.
‘What is it this time……?’
“Lisian?”
“……Tulia.”
The beautiful, clean-cut boy who was always composed. Lisian, the true male lead of this game, also had red rims around his eyes.
‘……Is everyone having a good cry by themselves before coming to my room?’
I mean, do they realize how far the main castle is from here……?
My bewilderment was short-lived.
Lisian suddenly pulled me into a hug. A tearful voice drifted out.
“I’m…… sorry. As your older brother…… I should have, should have looked after you…….”
It was a childish apology, unlike the usually quiet and mature Lisian.
I comforted him, saying that he was my favorite among the family and that I was able to endure because he had taken my side so often.
After Lisian left.
‘Now I’m really going to sleep.’
I was humming as I walked toward the bed with a lighter heart when—
Knock, knock.
‘No, who is it now!’
“Who is it?”
“……Hey. Tulia. It’s me.”
When I opened the door and saw Leon Frezier, my eyes widened in horror.
“Hey, why did you come here looking like a piece of trash?!”
“I came to apologize.”
“In—in that state?”
Leon Frezier looked catastrophic.
He looked like a gentleman made of ash, having clearly rolled and rolled and rolled in a pile of cinders.
He even—
Thud.
“Hey? What are you doing?”
He knelt right in front of me.
“I’m sorry. Even though I’m your older brother.”
Puffs of ash flew out every time he spoke.
“……I was pathetic, taking my petty spite out on you, my younger sister. You don’t have to forgive me. If you want, I’ll roll in the ashes like this once a day.”
Leon Frezier squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them.
“Please, just let your heart soften a little. I can roll a hundred times, a thousand times.”
“Leon……”
I remembered reading somewhere that Cinderella meant ‘girl of the ashes.’
If so, was Leon Frezier the male version of Cinderella?
“I’m sorry. I was stupid…… and a total idiot.”
Leon, speaking haltingly, also had bright red eyes.
The reason his eyes were redder than the others was likely partly from crying, but mostly because ash had probably gotten into them.
Having now made all the major Frezier men cry, I thought to myself:
‘Wait, isn’t this actually a massive achievement? Isn’t this basically an S-rank mission?’
If that shitty star had any conscience, it should give me some kind of special reward for this.
Anyway.
“Wipe yourself.”
When I held out a handkerchief, Leon snapped his head up.
“Are you…… forgiving me? No, forgiveness is too much. Are you…… giving me a chance?”
“What else am I supposed to say when you roll in here covered in soot?”
“Tulia……!”
Leon jumped up to grab my hand, but realizing how dirty his own hands were, he only took the handkerchief.
I gave it to him to wipe his face, but for some reason, he tucked it carefully into his shirt.
Still.
Seeing Leon Frezier soaked in an indescribable emotion, I felt the lingering bitterness that had been stuck in my throat finally melt away.
It seemed Leon’s idiocy was contagious. He really was a fool who was wasting his handsome face.
“Leon.”
“Yeah! Uh! Just say the word!”
“A hundred or a thousand times is too much. Just roll ten more times.”
“Huh? Oh…… okay!”
I wondered if becoming happy was the same thing as things becoming fun.
“Hey. Let’s go back now. This place is totally dilapidated, why sleep here? You can stay in Lisian’s room, or my room! Your room is fine too!”
“I already said I’m sleeping here tonight.”
Just to settle everything.
Because I would never come back here again.
Because I would never again seek sleep in this place where the young Tulia had almost died several times.
Even though I didn’t say the last part out loud, Leon Frezier seemed to guess my thoughts.
“Well, fine. I get it.”
“But why are you lying down there?”
“Ah, the sofa is free, so let your brother sleep here! Do you know how long it takes to get back to the main castle at this hour?”
“But it’ll be cold there.”
“Ha.”
Leon snorted.
“Are you ignoring the top swordsmanship student of the Academy? This level of cold is nothing.”
—Ten minutes after saying that while curled up on my old sofa, Leon Frezier opened his mouth.
“……Hey. Tulia.”
His teeth were chattering as he spoke.
“Can you lend me a blanket?”