Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 83
Chapter Title: A Tense Reunion
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I knew who the woman was without having to ask.
From the moment I stepped inside, her eyes had been fixed on me.
Her pale eyes trembled slightly.
I stopped and watched her quietly.
"Let's go in."
"Okay."
Kaide gently led me by the hand. I turned my head and walked inside.
The two clans sat facing each other across a long, oval table.
The Loisar family was on the left, and the Astrofel family was on the right.
I snuck a glance at the opposing side.
Then, my eyes met with a man with dark brown hair sitting in the center.
*He must be the head of the Loisar family.*
Flanking him were members of the Loisar clan, including a red-haired man and the silver-haired woman, all seated in a row.
As I naturally turned to the right, someone acknowledged me with exaggerated fanfare.
"So you've come with the Gaju, Lady Aileen."
"Mhm, I said I wanted to come."
"Is that so? I see you're still stuck to the Gaju like glue."
...Why is he suddenly acting like this?
I looked at Baon, bewildered. He just smiled brightly.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Is there a problem?"
*Does he really not know what the problem is? Am I the only one sensing this?*
As I stood there, awkwardly frozen, Durias, who was also attending the negotiation, clicked his tongue.
"Just act normal, Baon. You're flustering the young lady."
He had been skillfully twirling a pen between his fingers, but he suddenly set it down and rose from his seat.
"It seems we're short on seats, so I, a mere subordinate, shall yield my spot, my lady."
...What's with Durias now?
I hesitated and took a step back.
At first, I thought he was scolding Baon, but it seemed they had conspired together.
I urgently tugged on Kaide's arm.
"I-I'm gonna sit with Papa."
"Ah. Is that so?"
"Mhm."
"Then it can't be helped."
I quickly climbed onto Kaide's lap. I had no idea what those two were thinking.
From his lap, I could see the members of the Loisar clan looking displeased.
*Were those two aiming for this? To get on the other side's nerves?*
It was entirely possible.
"It seems everyone who was expected has arrived."
The man with dark brown hair, who had been sipping his tea, spoke softly.
The man's deep golden eyes slowly settled on me.
In that instant, I pressed myself closer into Kaide's embrace.
I could feel an inexplicable sense of unease creeping over my skin.
The man's expressionless lips curved into a faint smile.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Aileen. My name is Grey Loisar."
"...Hello. I'm Aileen Astwofel."
"Indeed. Do you recognize this person here?"
The man gestured toward the silver-haired woman.
I glanced at her sideways before nodding.
In truth, the woman had been watching me ever since I entered the room.
Even now, her lips parted as if she wanted to say something every time our eyes met.
And I had been deliberately avoiding her gaze.
Grey, aware of this, had asked me directly if I knew her.
"This is Isabel."
"Yes."
"You seem to be shy around strangers. You're very much like Isabel in that regard."
The woman flinched at his words.
As the atmosphere began to sour, the red-haired man cleared his throat.
"It's likely just awkwardness. They'll warm up to each other once they spend some time together."
"That's also true."
"What do you think, Aileen? You must have missed your mother a great deal, haven't you?"
The man was very insistent.
He was trying to draw a positive reaction from me, one way or another.
*But I don't want to be with Isabel...*
"The child does seem to be aware of Isabel. What do you say to letting the two of them have some time alone, Kaide?"
Grey asked.
My heart pounded anxiously, wondering what Kaide's answer would be.
*He's not going to agree to that, is he?*
I looked up at Kaide nervously.
His expression was unreadable as he looked at Grey, and then his lips parted.
"I believe you've asked the wrong person."
"I'm quite sure I asked the right one."
"Why are you asking me?"
Kaide's displeased voice echoed through the room.
"Shouldn't the decision be left to the parties involved?"
I looked up at Kaide in surprise.
At the same time, I realized why I had felt so uncomfortable the moment I first saw Grey.
Though his appearance and tone were gentle, he exuded an overbearing aura.
He acted kindly toward me, but he hadn't once asked for my opinion.
Grey sighed.
"We did not arrange this meeting to ask for the child's opinion."
"Is that so? Then I refuse."
Kaide replied instantly, as if there was nothing more to discuss.
"Hah."
For the first time, Grey's expression soured.
"I don't understand."
"What part?"
"Isn't this the first time mother and daughter are meeting? There should be some tender affection between them."
"Tender affection."
Kaide let out a dry laugh.
His cold gaze turned to Isabel.
"They say a mother bird never abandons her young."
"......!"
"How very affectionate indeed."
Isabel's face turned deathly pale. The atmosphere in the room instantly grew heavy.
Just then, the red-haired man retorted indignantly.
"Abandoned? What nonsense is that? That is a wild accusation."
"An accusation? Are you saying I'm making baseless claims?"
"That's right. How could Isabel have possibly abandoned the child all the way here?"
"Then are you suggesting we kidnapped Lady Aileen, Sir Aser?"
Baon asked with a scowl. Aser crossed his arms and lifted his chin defiantly.
"Circumstantially, that is the most suspicious possibility, is it not?"
"Can you take responsibility for those words?"
"If not, then bring forth evidence to the contrary."
"Shouldn't you be the one to present evidence of this supposed kidnapping first?"
For a moment, Aser faltered. Unfortunately for him, it seemed he had no proof.
In the end, he said nothing and sharply turned his head away.
Grey, who had been watching them, pressed a hand to his forehead.
"This is quite problematic. We had hoped to maintain an amicable relationship with the Astrofel family."
Grey let out a deep sigh and spoke in a tone that suggested he had no other choice.
"But since it has come to this, I have no choice but to ask. It's best we make things clear."
*What does he want to make clear?*
Tense, I gripped Kaide's arm tightly. I was worried about what Grey would say next.
However, the person Grey directed his question to was not on our side.
He asked Isabel.
"Did you ever sign a consent form to entrust that child to the Astrofel family, Isabel?"
"...I have no memory of doing so."
"I see. Then you must have been very surprised. With the child having disappeared, I mean. Weren't you?"
"...Yes, that's right."
Isabel's voice trembled faintly.
She bit her lip hard, trying to hide the fact that she was shaking.
I stared at Isabel. More precisely, at her finely trembling hands.
Belatedly sensing my gaze, Isabel looked at me too.
Realizing I was looking at her hands, she quickly lowered her arms.
Her face was pale, like someone caught in a lie.
That confirmed it.
*Isabel wasn't robbed of me.*
She had handed me over to the family without any resistance.
And now, for some reason, they were using Isabel to try and take me back.
*Something had felt off.*
For someone who had sought out Kaide this morning requesting to see me, she showed no signs of being happy to meet me or actively trying to speak to me.
If I hadn't known this, I might have been swayed by the sight of Isabel.
Durias spoke, his expression one of utter disbelief.
"There's a limit to how shameless one can be, Lord Loisar."
"How rude! How dare you use such words toward our Gaju!"
The red-haired man shouted, veins bulging in his neck.
"I don't know what words you're talking about."
Durias pretended to clean out his ear. I gasped.
I didn't understand why he was provoking them like that.
What's more, even Kaide wasn't stopping him.
*What's wrong with all of them?*
"Y-Y-You...!"
An elderly Loisar clan elder turned red and clutched the back of his neck.
Durias grinned. He looked just like a villain.
Grey's expression hardened, as if he sensed something was wrong.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I'm saying the games are over."
"...Games? Are you calling this a game? How insolent!"
"From now on, you will answer my questions with nothing but the unvarnished truth."
Durias began to remove his gloves, one by one.
"That is, if you wish to return home in one piece."
I was horrified.