What I Did -2- Choice Comes to Everyone
Choices come to everyone. Even in moments you don't want them. Even in times so grueling you can barely breathe.
Choice shows up without regard for time or place. For Histania Hanna, the most terrifying choice was one where her decision would hurt Ricardo. After all, to him, she was nothing but a debt.
In a story you can't remember.
You were on the brink of death, swept up in an reckless choice driven by emotion—to earn your father's love and your family's recognition.
In that cold cave, your body was a mangled wreck, the sticky moss devouring your bloodstains.
As death loomed before your eyes, a red-haired man gathering herbs appeared.
It was a miracle. His arrival was nothing short of miraculous.
A stranger then, he took you in. Your battered body was no different from that of the fallen evil woman collapsed in ruin.
Unable to eat alone. Limping on crippled legs. Your lifespan as a swordswoman and your pride as a scion of your house hit rock bottom.
No dignity left to lose. You despaired. Sinking into an endless abyss, deeper and deeper.
You thought endlessly of dying instead, entertaining dark thoughts time and again.
But you couldn't die.
"Sleep well? Nice weather today, huh... Haha...!"
Maybe you really couldn't. His care crumbled your heart's walls.
Yet you hated the man. You grumbled, wished for death, told him to leave since you couldn't do anything for him.
No room to trust anyone. Your heart bore wounds beyond endurance.
Still, he cared for you. Somehow knowing just what to say, he whispered every night the words you longed to hear most, cradling your scarred self.
"You can do it."
"No matter what anyone says, I believe in you."
"You're pretty. Not as much as the Young Lady, of course."
As if he knew all your pain.
Time passed. When you finally left the mansion, you made a promise with him.
"Don't get hurt."
A promise that would go unfulfilled.
You made your choice. To become a better person. To sever the toxic bond.
The choice to return as "Histania."
But no one in the family cheered your decision. Contrary to hopes of a fresh start, your father's response was ice-cold.
Far from comforting his injured daughter, he condemned your incompetence.
"You have no talent."
You did what you shouldn't have. With nowhere to go in endless despair, the only place you knew was there.
You feared returning to him. Shame. Fear. Anger.
But if you returned upright, unmockable by anyone, you'd seem better to him.
Even if that path didn't win acclaim from others.
That day, you made the wrong choice.
And he chose for your sake.
This story ends happily... but the light you carry through it won't be light, I think.
(!) Block Histania Rowen's sword once. (0/1)
(!) Hear a sincere 'apology' from Histania Rowen. (0/1)
Reward: Unlock Side Story #72 'In the Depths of Despair'
Hanna stared at the blue window before her with trembling eyes.
'Why...?'
The curse that always spat ominous tales had returned. At first, she'd thought it a compass pointing blame's direction. But after visions of death, Hanna feared the blue window.
God's consideration didn't feel like benevolence toward her.
She lifted her shaking eyes to read the text, feeling her fingertips stiffen, her mind going blank.
'...'
It could really be like that.
'No...'
She didn't want to see it now. Forcing such choices on her, who'd chosen to live in the present, terrified her.
'No...'
Shuen looked at the trembling Hanna with puzzled eyes, furrowing his brow. Wondering if she wanted to switch lunchboxes.
"What's wrong?"
"..."
"Need more lunch?"
Unable to hand over the pork cutlet or inari sushi, Shuen watched her seriously.
"Ah... no."
Hanna's uneasy gaze silenced Shuen. He spoke in a worried tone.
"Something happen? Forgot your wallet in class...? Or your book...?"
"..."
"I-if you're scared to go alone, I can come! I'm braver than I look! I sleep fine alone, and with my favorite doll, I can hide under the covers even hearing ghost stories!"
"..."
Hanna lightly shook her head at Shuen, who seemed utterly unhelpful, and forced out words.
Nothing's wrong.
"Go up first. I remembered something urgent; I'll come later."
"Together! I'll drop the lunch in the room and come right back!"
"Even with academy ghosts?"
"Eek...! Got it!"
-Groan!
Without hesitation, Shuen slung his bundle and headed to the dorm. Ghosts were scary, after all.
"Call if something happens! Room 503's mine!"
Hanna sat where Shuen left, exhaling raggedly.
This time... it felt different.
*
Today's peaceful Desmont Mansion. The Young Lady, fiddling with Gomtang's paw pads, smacked her lips.
"Young Lady."
"Hmnya."
No gummy bear paw candies in this world, yet she licked her lips while eyeing Gomtang's pads hungrily. I chuckled dryly and shook my head at her earnest gaze.
"It's ready."
"Ah... yum!"
"You're late."
I watched her nibble Gomtang's paw and asked why.
"Young Lady."
"What?"
"Why ignore Gomtang?"
"He's biting my hair."
The Young Lady pointed at Gomtang drooling on her head, then spoke again. Her "eye for an eye" conviction clear, I nodded with a dry laugh.
Not wrong, really. Lately, she and Gomtang got along well.
"Tasty?"
"No."
"Then why bite the paw? Other parts available."
"Bear trotters."
"Want trotters?"
"Yeah."
I smiled at her refined dinner suggestion and nodded.
"Trotters for dinner, then."
"Yeah. Spicy."
"Got it."
I stood lightly, prying Gomtang from her head. He seemed to think it a chupa chups. I stroked his reluctant head, scolding gently.
No eating the master's hair like candy, no matter how much she likes it.
-Goooom.
"C'mon. Food time."
-Gomgom.
"Treats too."
-Gom.
Gomtang obeyed me well.
About ten minutes later, the Young Lady, gazing out the window, cautiously spoke.
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"Are you handsome?"
"Pardon?"
Stunned by the sudden question, I stared, then shrugged. Maybe my gaslighting over 13+ years finally worked.
"Yes."
"Oho... Annoying."
"You're more so."
"I'm pretty, so fine."
Irrefutable. I nodded and stretched her cheek.
"Eeeeeek!!! It'll tear!"
"I'm fine."
"Eeeeek!!! Mercy... Mercy!"
I glanced at the Young Lady wiping drool from her cheek, then asked my own awkward question.
"Young Lady."
"Yeah."
"How strong are you?"
"Huh?"
She stared, then grinned.
"Secret."
What a fun person.
"Eeeeek!!! No pinching!"
Another ten minutes passed. We peered out at a man knocking on the mansion door, exchanging glances.
"Ricardo. Guest."
"Not mine."
"Not mine either."
I closed the curtain on the brown-haired man.
Histania Rowen. An uninvited guest at the mansion.