Chapter 59: The First Letter (59)
Chapter 59: The First Letter (59)
After the violent clash, Celine shut herself away in a corner of her room. She did not emerge until well into the night.
She likely had several lectures remaining, but they meant nothing to her now. A few of her friends, having heard the news, knocked on her door to check on her, but they received no response.
For someone as social as her, refusing to see visitors was a rare occurrence.
But Celine couldn't help it. The shock she had received was that deep and profound. Buried under her covers, she incessantly replayed images of the past in her mind.
The scene playing on a loop was the sight of Ian witnessing her argument with Seria.
His face twisted in anger, those chilling golden eyes, and the voice laced with irritation struck her mind like an electric shock. Celine’s body trembled uncontrollably.
I shouldn't have done that. I can't let things go wrong with Ian.
She repeated the thought over and over. It had been this way since they were children. Celine played the part of a spunky girl, but deep down, she was incredibly dependent on Ian. He was the person she had harbored a one-sided love for over ten years.
The feelings of affection in her heart had taken root just as long ago. When all the tragedies had ended and her life needed a new light, he was the boy who had willingly reached out and grasped her hand.
She couldn't help but love him. She knew this even though she was aware that Ian didn't particularly see her as a woman. After all, wasn't Celine exceptionally quick-witted?
On the day the Haster family collapsed due to the power struggles of high-ranking nobles, Celine was forced to shoulder a heavy burden.
She still vividly remembered her father, veins bulging in his neck as he received the bill, and the silver eyes that looked upon him with utter indifference.
Alphenhauser—one of the Empire's Five Great Noble Families. Those silver eyes, which seemed to lack focus like a blind person's, were a unique trait of the Alphenhauser family. They had intervened in the Haster family's business interests.
The tragedy began when a gold mine was discovered in the Haster Territory. The Haster family had owned an iron mine for a long time, and suddenly, gold was found in a vein that had been unremarkable for over a hundred years.
The Haster family rejoiced at the news. Not just the family, but the entire territory was buzzing with excitement. Baron Haster was a lord beloved by his people, and he was never stingy about sharing the nobility's portion with his subjects.
It seemed certain that the territory would develop rapidly on the back of that momentum—until the high-ranking nobles, led by the Alphenhauser family, intervened.
The Alphenhauser family was said to produce generations of Chancellors and hold the keys to the Empire's treasury. Their methods were as meticulous as they were covert.
They saddled the family with enormous debt under the guise of development costs for the gold mine, cut off supplies, and used their connections to encroach upon the Haster Territory's markets.
It was impossible to develop a gold mine without capital. Once the high-ranking nobles stepped in and began to systematically delay the mine's development, the end became clear with hollow speed.
Bankruptcy. Celine’s father collapsed on the spot upon seeing the astronomical debt. It went without saying that not only the Haster family but the entire capital market of the territory had fallen into the hands of the Alphenhauser family.
Forget the gold mine; they couldn't even secure the iron they had originally been mining. The economy of the Haster Territory was shattered that day. The mine had been one of the few lucrative businesses in that small countryside estate.
As Celine bit her lip, glaring with tear-filled eyes at the man who handed over the bill, the representative of the Alphenhauser family made a dry declaration.
"One gold coin."
"…What did you say?"
Her father had just collapsed, gasping for breath. Despite knowing how high-ranking the noble before her was, the young Celine was so on edge that she couldn't help but respond sharply.
The man from the Alphenhauser family didn't seem to care. He adjusted his monocle and spoke in a voice that didn't hold a shred of interest.
"That grudge—I will buy it for one gold coin. Wouldn't it be better to forget it cleanly? I personally enjoy putting a price on things."
"What kind of nonsense is—"
"If you don't forget, what will you do? The world isn't so soft that it would crumble just because a pitiful young lady from a rural Baron's house holds a grudge."
At first, Celine thought his words were a mockery—the usual insults a winner hurls at the loser. However, the man's face remained utterly composed.
That was what made Celine’s skin crawl. She had heard there were immense struggles surrounding the gold mine. In the very end, it was the Alphenhauser family that had claimed it. It would be normal to feel triumph, or perhaps a sense of emptiness—some kind of emotional shift.
But the man was nothing but indifferent. Not a flicker of emotion could be felt from him. He was like a human made of paper.
"This is the way of the world. Even among nobles, superiority and inferiority are decided by power. No matter how hard the Haster family tries, they cannot reach the Alphenhauser family. And it's not just us. Any of the high-ranking noble houses…"
The man's lecture continued for a long time. Celine, not even ten years old yet, had to listen blankly to that chain of cruel reality.
His story was too difficult for her to fully grasp. But one thing was certain. The conclusion of his long-winded speech was as follows:
The Haster family's grudge was meaningless.
He was a member of the Alphenhauser family. He must have had more gold coins than he knew what to do with. The reason he offered a single gold coin was likely because he couldn't be bothered to pull out silver or copper.
It was irrational. Even at that young age, Celine thought so.
Baron Haster was a respected lord. Under his leadership, the people of the territory had lived lives that, while not wealthy, were never hungry. The Haster Territory had been such a happy and cozy place.
To turn all of that into a mess and then tell them not to even hold a grudge? To say that was just the way of the world?
At the end of his speech—which could have been advice or a sneer—the man made one final suggestion.
"…So, in other words, forgetting your grudge for one gold coin is more beneficial for you, young lady. They call it a rational choice. I quite like that word. 'Rational,' haha."
Even his laughter was hollow. The sound of laughing came from his mouth, but his eyes and the corners of his lips didn't move an inch. Only then did Celine snap back to her senses.
One gold coin? Even for a noble child, it was a large sum of money to a girl not yet ten. Nevertheless, she wasn't tempted by the offer in the slightest.
Trembling, Celine let a single tear fall. Her father was merely letting out ragged, frustrated breaths, his eyes bloodshot.
Perhaps because the Alphenhauser knights were guarding the door, the servants didn't dare enter the room despite hearing the commotion.
Only Celine had entered, simply because she was a noble. Her amber eyes filled with resentment. And tears.
"…I will never, ever forget."
"Hmm," the man hummed as if disappointed. Then, as if it didn't matter either way, he rose from his seat. A suit as white as his eyes, and a white fedora.
He was a man draped entirely in white. He prepared to leave the room without even a word of farewell.
"Celine Haster."
Until the voice of the young girl caught his footsteps.
He paused, but he didn't look back. It didn't matter. Celine warned him with seething hatred.
"My name is Celine Haster… Remember it, you lanky stick. I'll get my revenge one day."
Only then did the man's silver eyes flicker toward Celine. Seeing the lovely girl glaring at him while suppressing her tears, a faint smile played on his lips.
It was the first expression to appear on his face.
"Very well. Three gold coins… Ah, and my name is Dalton. If you ever feel like making a deal in the future, look for Dalton of the Alphenhauser family."
From that day on, Celine worked desperately. The Haster family had collapsed, and the territory was in ruins. Unable to provide proper support, Lady Haster decided to send Celine to her sister.
That sister was Lady Einstein, which was how Reto and Celine came to grow up like real siblings from childhood.
However, despite the Einstein family's devoted efforts, Celine never regained her smile. She simply gritted her teeth and swung her sword.
Since she had a natural abundance of mana, her body managed to endure, but it was a time spent living as if she had forgotten all the joys of life.
That was when she met Ian.
Celine still cherished the memory of that blooming flower field.
She had loved him, she loved him now, and she would love him in the future. She wanted to share her life with him. She wanted to date, get married, and start a family.
Maybe three or four children, a mix of sons and daughters? She had even giggled to herself in delusions, thinking a dependable son would be nice for the firstborn.
Yet, the reason Celine couldn't confess to Ian was because of his attitude.
Ian believed that Celine should find a good marriage prospect to revive the Haster family. If it weren't for Ian, Celine might have seriously considered such a future herself.
But not anymore. Even so, Celine had endured for a long time. She had spent years thinking that even Ian would eventually have to look her way as time passed.
Then, suddenly, an annoying woman started clinging to Ian's side. To make matters worse, she was a high-ranking noble. Celine ground her teeth every night until they were worn down.
They took her father and the future of her territory, and now they were taking Ian too?
She couldn't allow it. Perhaps that was why she had become so agitated. Though the result was more miserable than anything.
Tears welled in Celine’s amber eyes. She buried her face deep between her knees. The pain of being hated by the man she loved was indescribably great.
And she felt hurt. Hurt by the way Ian had blindly taken Seria's side without even asking for the details.
It was then that a note arrived for her as she sobbed alone in her room. The note, which had slid under the door like a breeze, told her to come to the forest clearing by a certain time tonight.
Judging by the handwriting, it was clearly from Ian. So, Celine hurriedly washed her body, groomed herself, used plenty of the scented soap Ian had once praised, and rushed outside.
She would beg for forgiveness. That was the priority for now.
If she didn't restore her relationship with Ian, nothing could begin. She was fine with being just friends like before. Celine had no one but Ian.
As she ran to the forest clearing, she saw Ian's back. The dim moonlight was illuminating the man's shoulders.
"I-Ian…?"
She called his name with a trembling voice, but there was no answer. Celine was suddenly seized by fear.
Is he really that angry? He called me here to talk, but he can't even bring himself to speak. What if, after thinking it over, he tells me he wants to cut ties?
Because he's disappointed. Yes. Because I disappointed him.
Celine was ready to get on her knees and plead. If she could just be forgiven, she was confident she could do anything.
A tearful voice escaped her lips.
"A-about today… I-I was wrong, okay? I-I'll take any punishment. I… I think I just lost my mind for a moment! I never intended for that to happen, Ian… please, okay?"
She had so many things she wanted to say—how hurt she was that he took Seria's side, how she had her own grievances—but standing before Ian, the only words that came out were pleas for forgiveness.
Explanations could wait until after she was forgiven. It was while Celine was desperately begging for mercy.
"…Celine."
Only then did Ian turn around, his heavy lips finally parting. Celine’s face brightened.
As long as they were communicating, it was fine. After that, she would do whatever it took—begging and pleading—to get his forgiveness. She was sure that alone would make her heart burst with happiness.
However, the words Ian actually uttered were far beyond anything she could have imagined.
"Let's go a round."
Her amber eyes went blank. Regardless, the scabbard Ian tossed aside as he drew his sword merely rolled across the ground.
Celine found herself muttering inwardly.
Is he a lunatic?