Chapter 74
Chapter 74
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Unwelcome Truth
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The distinct chill of the dawn air seeped through my thin nightgown.
A shiver ran through me, my body growing stiffer from the cold.
With nothing to hold onto, I placed a hand on one wall and descended one step at a time.
At the bottom of the wall, another black door was shut tight.
I took a sharp breath, grabbed the iron ring, and turned it.
*Creeak.*
The floor, which had been marble up to the stairs, immediately changed to cold stone the moment I stepped through the door.
The atmosphere was starkly different from outside.
With every breath, I thought I could smell the cold scent of iron.
The windowless interior was incredibly dark.
As I took a step forward, something seemed to stir in the corner, followed by a low growl.
"Huh?"
Startled, I quickly looked toward the sound and saw a pair of golden eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness.
I flinched, my body freezing.
Something was watching me silently.
I widened my eyes and studied the figure.
I couldn't see clearly, but a woman was tied up with ropes. The moment I confirmed this, I felt a sense of relief.
I had managed to come inside, but I couldn't think of what to say.
Then I remembered Mesis was waiting upstairs and snapped back to my senses.
"Hello."
Thinking I should at least start with a greeting, I waved my hand, and the woman's golden eyes wavered.
Her slightly widened pupils trembled.
As if she recognized who I was.
"…You."
"I'm Aileen."
"Hah."
"Who are you?"
As I moved closer to get a better look at her, the woman flinched and pulled back.
"Why are you tied up hewe?"
"You... didn't you come here to check on me because you already knew?"
"No, I don't know. I came to athk because I don't know."
I shook my head.
And just as the woman was studying me, I observed her carefully as well.
Blonde hair that fell to her waist, skin that, though slightly soiled, must have once been fair. Golden eyes stained with hostility.
And perhaps…
The corners of the woman's mouth, who had been staring at me, twisted upward.
"You ask who I am?"
"Yeah."
"I was on the same side as you."
"...The same side?"
"If you're so curious, why don't you untie these ropes, little one?"
The woman's voice became soft and coaxing.
I looked at the ropes binding her.
Embedded in the thick ropes were stones that glowed in the dark like luminous gems.
"No way. Thothe are pheromone thones."
I remembered seeing them before.
Besides, their color was close to purple.
Knowing that the closer to purple they were, the higher their purity, I immediately shook my head.
She must be unable to use her pheromones because of those.
"How do I know what'll happen if I untie you?"
"Didn't you say you had questions?"
"Do you think I'm a dummy? You can't ethcape anyway."
The woman's face twisted at once.
"You'll just get caught again."
There had to be at least ten guards from inside the mansion to the outside.
I didn't think she could escape their watch.
She must have known that, too.
If so, there was only one reason.
The woman wanted to get rid of me.
But why?
I had never been hated this much by anyone in my life, so I was confused.
The woman ground her teeth, then let out a laugh.
"Yes, you're right. I can't escape anyway."
"Right? And if I untie you, Daddy will scold me."
He might get very angry if he found out I'd snuck here at dawn.
"Daddy…?"
"Yeah."
"Ha! Ahaha. Ahahahaha!"
Suddenly, the woman began to laugh like a mad person.
She laughed until she was out of breath, only calming down after a long while.
"You really don't know anything, do you, little one?"
Her golden eyes, gleaming with madness, were terrifying.
The moment our eyes met, I flinched and stepped back.
"And to think you've been calling that man 'Daddy' all this time."
"He's my daddy, so I call him Daddy."
"Is that so? If you knew how you were born, you wouldn't have the gall to call him Daddy."
"…What do you mean by that?"
I wouldn't have the gall to call him Daddy?
What on earth was she talking about?
With a newly composed demeanor, the woman looked down on me, her lips twisting into a sneer.
"How pitiful. Not even knowing what your original purpose was."
"Original purpose?"
I frowned at the repulsive word.
Purpose. Isn't that a word you use for things?
Why is she saying that while looking at me?
A bad premonition arose, and a sense of unease crept up from my toes.
"Since you seem to know nothing, I'll explain a little."
She furrowed her brow as if looking at something truly pathetic.
"You were never supposed to be born. It wasn't planned."
"…What?"
"Because you were born, everyone was put in a difficult position. Me, you, and the man you call Daddy."
"What does that mean?"
I didn't want it to, but my voice trembled. The shock was that great.
That I was never supposed to be born.
That my birth caused trouble for everyone?
My breath hitched, and my mind went blank. The woman saw my reaction and snickered.
"It's just as I said. You look shocked, but what can I do? It's the truth."
With a look of immense pleasure, the woman began to speak freely.
She seemed ready to explain everything, even things I hadn't asked.
Her lively eyes were filled with glee.
"…My purpose… what ith it?"
"Should I tell you? You'll be hurt if you hear it."
"..."
"Fine, since you're curious, I'll tell you. It's not like we'll see each other again after today anyway."
My heart began to pound heavily.
The woman crawled toward the iron bars on her tightly bound legs.
It seemed she wanted to see my expression up close.
Fixing her wide eyes on my face, the woman opened her mouth.
"Little one, you asked who I am, didn't you?"
"Yeth."
"My name is Ella."
Ella said quickly.
"By any chance, do you know the name of this family's matriarch?"
I shook my head without a word.
I had heard it once, but I didn't want to let on that I knew to this strange woman before me.
Even so, I couldn't shake the feeling that the names Ella and Estella were strangely similar.
Too similar.
I was a little scared of what words might come out of Ella's mouth.
But now that I was finally about to learn the truth, I couldn't run away just because I was scared.
I dug my slippered feet into the ground.
...Could it be that this captured woman, Ella, was connected not only to me but also to Estella's death?
Estella died, I was born, and now this woman, Ella, has been captured to find out my origin.
The pieces were fitting together in a strange way.
Seeing my expression, Ella let out a sneer.
"You're not a complete fool, are you? Then this will be easy for you to understand."
"..."
"You were an impurity even before you were born."
"That's not true."
"It is."
When I immediately shook my head in denial, Ella cut me off sharply.
"You're the egg I used when I tried to steal the heir of this house. And your daddy already knows."
*Thump.*
It felt like my heart had plummeted.
That's the reason I was able to be born into this family?
And Kaide already knows?
Since when? He never once showed any sign of it.
I stared blankly at Ella.
The more my expression crumpled into tears, the more obvious her delight became.
Even in my confusion, a question arose.
Why was Ella so happy to see me in pain?
Her joy seemed excessive for someone who simply wished I hadn't been born.
It was as if...
"So how troublesome must it be? Estella gave up her life to protect the heir. And yet you, who could be called one of the reasons for her death, are brazenly alive."
...as if she was jealous of me.
There was no proof, but that's how it felt.
Right now, Ella was envious and jealous of me.
Beneath those golden eyes full of joy, I could feel jealousy and envy seething.
Ella didn't stop talking.
"Do you understand now how absurd it is for you to be raised here?"
I clenched my fists.
"And yet you have the nerve to call that man 'Daddy' with that mouth of yours. It's hilarious."
No.
It wasn't my fault.
Even if I was born into this family because of that, it still wasn't my fault.
I was just caught up in it, after all.
But no matter how hard I tried to think that, my heart wouldn't listen.
My head knew it wasn't my fault, but my heart was heading in the complete opposite direction.
Frustrated that I was losing to Ella, I bit my lip and glared at her.
*I've won.* That was the look on Ella's face.
I hated the bright smile drawn on her lips.