Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Loose Ends
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Baon's voice drifted from the slightly ajar door of the study.
I stopped in my tracks.
What was that?
"Surely you're not thinking of sending the young lady away?"
I stood there blankly, my mind frozen.
Has it already been decided? Am I being sent to the East?
*Crumple.* The corner of the box I was holding creased slightly.
I didn't want to be alone again. It would be so desolate and lonely.
"......Don't wanna."
I threw the door open.
Baon, who was sitting directly in front, looked at me with a surprised expression.
"Lady Aileen?"
"Ailing won't go! I'm gonna stay wight here!"
*Whoosh!*
I hurled the cookie box I was holding with all my might. *Thud.* The box hit the floor limply and tumbled away.
"I hate you, Papa!"
My voice echoed thunderously down the hallway.
*Gasp.* I heard Baon take a sharp breath.
In the frighteningly silent study, no one dared to speak first.
Why wasn't anyone saying anything?
The sudden, heavy atmosphere was a little scary, but I had no intention of taking back what I said.
I even baked cookies to give him as a gift, and all this time, Kaide was planning to send me away.
A wave of emotion surged through me. My eyes grew hot. Overwhelmed, I started breathing in ragged gasps.
I slowly opened my tightly shut eyes.
Chilling red eyes were staring at me, unwavering.
*Flinch.*
As I backed away with tears welling in my eyes, Kaide gave a crooked smile.
"I thought I'd misheard, but it seems that wasn't the case."
"...L-Lord. Please, calm down..."
"What's that on the floor?"
"I'll check, my lord."
Baon shot to his feet and examined the box I had thrown on the floor.
Soon, surprise spread across the blue eyes behind his glasses.
"These are cookies."
"Cookies?"
"Did you make them yourself, my lady?"
Both of their gazes turned to me. I fought back the urge to cry, pursed my lips, and simply nodded.
Kaide showed interest in the box and held out his hand.
"Give it here."
"That's unfair. I'd like to look at them a little longer myself."
"They're mine."
"...How can you say that? She threw them on the floor, so finders keepers."
"This house is mine."
With a look of genuine reluctance, Baon handed the box to Kaide.
After checking the contents of the transparent box, Kaide looked at me, his mood visibly improved.
The atmosphere was completely different from a moment ago.
"Aileen."
"...Yes."
Feeling like I had done something wrong, I answered in a small voice. My throat was tight with emotion, so I couldn't speak loudly.
Throwing things is wrong. I'm going to be scolded.
"Did you make them yourself?"
"I made them wif Baon."
"I can tell at a glance."
Kaide opened the box, held up a small, heart-shaped cookie, and spoke.
Baon looked at me standing there sullenly and shook his head.
"It seems the young lady overheard our conversation."
"I see. So she misunderstood?"
Misunderstood?
I snapped my head up.
Kaide chuckled, rising from his seat and drawing near.
He came closer.
And soon, he slipped his arms under my armpits and lifted me high.
"From where did you start listening?"
"...From when you said you'd allow the visit."
"Then it's Baon's fault."
"Me, my lord?"
Baon looked dumbfounded for a moment, then sighed and shut his mouth.
A sense of injustice was plain on his face, but since his words had caused the misunderstanding, he didn't bother to argue.
"I never had any intention of sending you away."
"Then why?"
Why are those people coming?
"But the situation has become a bit complicated."
"...Because of me?"
Surely things haven't gotten complicated just because he doesn't want to send me away?
When my tearful, sorrowful gaze turned worried, he shook his head.
"No. In fact, this might be for the best."
Complicated, but for the best? What does that mean?
As I furrowed my brow at the incomprehensible turn of events, Kaide raised his thumb and rubbed my forehead.
"The time has come to untangle the knotted threads."
"...Do you think this is related to Lady Estella?"
Baon asked, his expression hardening.
"Yes. So first, we'll need to shake down the Roisar family."
Kaide sat on the sofa, still holding me. Cradled in his arms, I looked up at him.
His red eyes met mine.
"And I'll take this opportunity to make it crystal clear. That Aileen Astrofel is, and always will be, my daughter."
* * *
The mansion's underground prison.
For days, Ella hadn't had a single sip of water.
The silence, which he thought wouldn't last long, had proven to be quite persistent.
"Isn't it about time you started talking?"
"..."
"A delegation from the East will be arriving soon."
At the mention of the East, Ella's hazy golden eyes trembled slightly. Her gaze, which had been fixed on the floor, shifted to Durias.
A flicker of hope and expectation passed through her eyes.
It was the futile hope and expectation that she might be able to get out of here alive.
It was only for an instant, but seeing it, Durias smirked.
"Do you really think you can walk out of here alive?"
"..."
"Impressive. You must be thirsty by now."
Durias's patience was gradually reaching its limit.
Ella's lips were proving harder to pry open than he'd expected.
It felt like a tug-of-war with no end in sight.
With her pheromones completely suppressed, Ella was in a state worse than an ordinary herbivore, yet the light in her eyes hadn't died.
That continued to grate on Durias's nerves.
"When the delegation arrives, your chances of survival will only decrease."
Ella inwardly scoffed at his words.
She already knew the truth.
It was better to keep her mouth shut. The moment she spoke the truth would only hasten her demise.
"I despise wasting time pointlessly. But it seems you have no intention of talking."
"..."
"That's not to say there are no other ways to make you open that mouth."
"...?"
Ella, who had been implicitly thinking that if she held out long enough, they would tire and give up, took a small breath.
The aura around Durias had changed completely.
"I'm done being lenient."
"What..."
"I did a little digging into your associates, Miss Ella. The name was... Meryl, was it?"
The moment the name Meryl was mentioned, Ella's face turned pale.
"Finally, a reaction. I should have done this sooner."
Targeting those around her wasn't his preferred method, but he had no choice.
His orders were to handle her moderately until she talked, so he couldn't push her to the absolute limit.
But now that the delegation's visit was confirmed, he couldn't wait any longer.
He had to report the results to his master, Kaide, before their arrival.
"If you don't talk, this Meryl person is going to have a hard time."
"Mmph! Mmph...!"
"No need to struggle like that. The two of you will be meeting soon enough."
"Ghh, mmph. Mmph!"
Bingo. The corner of Durias's mouth twitched. He hadn't been sure, but it seemed he'd struck a nerve.
Just as he was about to get up from his chair to leave the cellar, he sat back down as if to give her one last chance.
Because Ella, with her battered body, had started to desperately crawl toward the front of her cell, to where he was sitting.
It was a completely different reaction.
"...Hhup. Mmph!"
"It seems even someone like you has a person they hold dear."
*Thump.*
Durias pulled out the gag he had placed in her mouth.
"Cough, cough!"
The sound of harsh coughing filled the cellar.
Her body devoid of strength, Ella collapsed to the floor, exhausted from just a few coughs.
Her chapped, wounded lips trembled and slowly began to part.
"Meryl..., not Meryl."
"That depends on your actions, Miss Ella."
"...N-no. I'll, I'll tell you everything. Every... everything..."
"I'll listen and then decide."
Her face crumpled as if she were about to cry. Durias gestured for her to begin.
Soon, a faint voice emerged from Ella, who kept her head bowed low.
"So much..."
"So much?"
"...I wanted, I wanted so much to go back."
Kneeling on the floor, Ella began to sob uncontrollably, as if giving a confession.
Durias's eyebrows shot up.
"Back where?"
"To my homeland."
Homeland.
At that word, Durias let out a disbelieving laugh.