Chapter 132
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: How to Overcome Trauma
In a luxurious office within a grand mansion.
A man sat scribbling with a quill pen at his desk.
*Knock, knock.*
Just then, someone knocked on the office door.
"Come in."
As the man gave his permission, the office door opened, and a butler in a black suit entered.
"My lord. A letter has arrived from Jeomineol Academy."
"Did she run wild?"
"If that were the case, wouldn't the Headmaster have come in person instead of sending a letter?"
"You have a point."
The man accepted the letter from the butler. Given the gravity of the matter, he paused his work and immediately opened the letter, focusing on its contents. The letter itself wasn't very long. A quick scan was enough to grasp everything. But after reading the short message, the man clicked his tongue.
"Tsk."
At that reaction, the butler, who had been waiting by the door with his hands clasped, responded.
"If I may be so bold, might I inquire about its contents?"
"It says the third child has withdrawn."
"…Pardon?"
The man's words were enough to make even the butler, who prided himself on being accustomed to most things, ask again in bewilderment.
"What are your thoughts?"
"…My thoughts, my lord."
"Yes. Do you think the third child will withdraw and return to the estate?"
"Speaking frankly… I do not think so. Considering the time it takes for a letter to arrive, she would have been here already if she intended to return."
"That's a relief."
Despite his daughter having withdrawn from the academy with her whereabouts unknown, the man was, contrary to expectation, relieved. He folded the letter again, pushed it to the side of the desk, and looked back at the butler.
"Well then. Is that all?"
"There is one more thing."
The butler once again produced a letter from his coat. This time, the envelope itself was different. The border was engraved with a golden pattern, and in the center was the seal symbolizing the Imperial Family.
"…The Imperial Family."
What the butler handed him was an invitation to the annual social gathering hosted by the Imperial Family. As the head of a ducal family, a pillar of the Empire, it was only natural that he would receive one.
"Is it that time already?"
The man's previously expressionless brow furrowed slightly. There were far too many families in the Empire who wanted to curry favor with the ducal house. They would come bearing gifts and try to suck up to him, hoping to forge some connection. It was an ordeal for the man to have to deal with each and every one of them, who were nobles in their own right.
"In that case, how about you decline to attend this time?"
There was a reason why His Majesty the Emperor personally hosted a social gathering every year and invited the nobles. The current emperor was a wise ruler, acknowledged by all. He would listen to the nobles' growing complaints, bestow grace within reasonable limits, and strive to understand them.
A few greedy nobles had exploited this to engage in corruption, but the emperor had swiftly investigated and punished them.
Nor did he only look after the nobility. The imperial laws amended by the emperor did not discriminate between commoners and nobles. That was why there had been no disputes among the nobles or uprisings by commoners against the Empire.
Some nobles were still mired in their sense of superiority and looked down on commoners, but the common folk seemed to understand that the emperor couldn't possibly attend to every single such instance.
"No. I will attend this year as well. Summon the first and second children."
"Yes, my lord."
***
After hearing from the old blacksmith that it was impossible, I left the forge in a foul mood. In the end, he said I'd have to go to where the dwarves are to get a weapon made, but the problem is, I don't know where that is.
The dwarves appear much later in the story. They first show up right before the all-out war between the demon race and the human alliance to forge a weapon for Arthur. Even then, they come to the Empire, so while the name of the dwarven nation is mentioned, its location is never revealed.
'It would be great if an elf came to guide me personally like last time.'
And even if I did find them, there's no guarantee the high and mighty dwarves would graciously make anything for me. But I wasn't the only one feeling troubled.
"Sir Luke."
"What is it?"
"Why is Miss Liche acting like that?"
"It's probably because of this."
I took the invitation I'd received from Adela out of my inventory and waved it. The envelope, adorned with glittering gold, screamed, "I'm a letter from the Imperial Family!" Liche seemed to be worried about the upcoming social gathering.
"I've never seen her look so down before."
"Everyone has their own trauma."
Just as Luna's family was annihilated by humans, and Yui's personality was nearly erased by bloodsucking before she was almost split in half, Liche's greatest trauma is also related to her family.
In the original story, Liche naturally avoids all social gatherings. Her family would surely be there. Overcoming that trauma happens much later. She is saved by Arthur, who uses his talk-no-jutsu on her father, Gerald, when he comes for the second semester's observation class event, and that's how Liche overcomes her trauma.
But because I foolishly asked her if she'd be okay with not going, that timeline has been moved up. She must be a mess, not being mentally prepared yet. But is that my problem?
"It seems like you don't have anything like that, Sir Luke."
"What do you take me for? I have trauma too."
"You, Sir Luke...?"
It happened in my past life… I was slurping ramen when the broth splashed into my eye, a trauma that almost awakened my Sharingan. After that, I always ate ramen politely to prevent any splashing.
"Then is there a good way to overcome trauma?"
"It's different for everyone."
In Luna's case, the source of her trauma is something she can't do anything about, so she just has to manage her feelings. In Yui's case, it's all over, so it's not really trauma anymore.
My own naturally faded because I couldn't just stop eating ramen, but in Liche's case, the source of her trauma is still alive, moving, and tormenting her.
"To put it in an analogy, Liche is a victim of school bullying."
"School bullying...?"
"You know, like when commoners get trampled by nobles at the academy."
"Ah..."
Luna seemed to understand. For a victim of bullying, it doesn't end just because the perpetrator has been taken away. The slightest related thing will make them afraid first and foremost. If they happen to run into the perpetrator even once, they'll break out in a cold sweat, their eyes trembling.
And now, Liche is in a position where she has to go and meet her perpetrators of her own volition, which must make it even more distressing.
"How was it resolved in the novel?"
"He comforted her, and that was it."
"That's all...?"
"Don't underestimate the protagonist's mouth."
The Arthur from the original story tries to solve other people's family problems with his words. He lectures his future father-in-law relentlessly, saying things like, "That's wrong," and "Don't blame Liche."
It escalates to a sword fight, where Arthur lands a "rehabilitation punch" on his father-in-law. The result, of course, is Arthur's victory. Did he really think he could beat the protagonist just because he knew how to wield a sword? Of course, the father wasn't rehabilitated by it, and they simply stopped interacting after that.
***
Liche had been distressed ever since they left the Adventurer's Guild. No, to be precise, ever since Luke received the invitation and expressed his intention to attend the social gathering.
If she went to the gathering with Luke, meeting her family was inevitable. The father she knew was a man who, due to his position, had always attended such events, even if he disliked them. It was obvious he would bring her brother and sister this time as well.
If Hex was the target of her revenge, her family was the source of her trauma. She hadn't been abused or bullied.
However, as the saying goes, the scariest thing isn't bullying, but indifference. Her family paid her a shocking amount of no attention. As if she were invisible.
Once, out of defiance, she had run away from the estate and into the forest. But no matter how much time passed, no one from the family came looking for her. It was only after midnight that her brother and the butler came to find her.
Fortunately, she wasn't entirely without allies. Her one brother and the butler who had served her mother, the former lady of the house. Those two, at least, were on her side. That was how she had been able to endure until now. If not for them, she wouldn't have been able to bear it and would have taken her own life long ago.
But the one with the highest authority in the Winchester family was her father, the head of the house.
As long as he, the head, treated Liche with neglect, everyone else had no choice but to be wary of his mood. That included her brother, who held the next highest position after their father. That was why Liche had voluntarily enrolled in the academy—so the servants and her beloved brother wouldn't have to walk on eggshells around their father because of her.
'I thought I'd never have to deal with something like a social gathering for the rest of my life...'
As she walked, lost in her troubled thoughts and separated from the group, Luna approached her side.
"Miss Liche. Are you all right?"
"Yes...?"
"You don't look well."
"Ah... it's nothing."
To say it was nothing, Liche looked to Luna as if she were about to be sick. Luna wouldn't normally press the issue if someone didn't want to talk, but since she'd already heard, both she and Yui knew all about Liche's circumstances.
"I've heard all about your family from Sir Luke."
"Is... that so. Right, Luke would know everything."
"Why don't you try asking Sir Luke?"
"About what?"
"How the Liche in the novel overcame her trauma."
In fact, Liche had considered what Luna suggested. If the novel Luke had read had a happy ending, then her fictional self must have overcome her trauma. She thought that if she asked Luke for that method, she too could easily overcome her trauma. But after a moment's thought, she concluded it would involve Arthur and gave up on the idea.
From the way things were now, she could never overcome her trauma alone. That meant her fictional self had received help from someone, and that someone was most likely Arthur. But now, she had broken up with Arthur and was with Luke, so the method used in the novel wouldn't work.
"Unfortunately, I don't think that would be possible."
"Is that so..."
As the two of them put their heads together without coming up with any viable solutions, Luke casually approached and spoke suggestively.
"Want me to tell you an easy way to overcome trauma?"
"...Is there such a thing?"
"It depends on the situation, but in your case, there's one sure-fire method."
"What is it?"
Just kill them all.
Strangely, that answer was crystal clear.
"...Huh?"