At breakfast.
Darius cleared his throat, glancing nervously between and Deia.
Although it was nice that he spoke passionately about the warmth of family bonds during last night’s drinking session, it seed he rembered how persistent he had been, with his actions bordering on embarrassnt.
“Ugh, my ears hurt.”
“Keugh!”
As Deia teased him, Darius slumped his shoulders imdiately, biting his lip.
Deia must have found his reaction amusing because she was grinning while Darius, shoulders trembling, quickly raised his head.
“Everything I said yesterday was from the bottom of my heart! I’m not ashad at all! My feelings for you two, how much I value you…!”
“Just eat your breakfast, you bastard. I’m going to get indigestion from all this cheesiness.”
“If you keep talking, the feelings will lose their impact.”
With Deia and teasing him, the eldest, Darius, pouted and continued eating in silence.
I assud there would be no more conversation after that.
After all, the dinner from the night before had naturally turned into a drinking session, and the two of them had talked nonstop until they lost their voices.
However, perhaps feeling so sense of responsibility for the quiet breakfast, Darius spoke up again.
“Deia, will you really go ahead with what you said yesterday?”
“…What?”
From her tone, it was Deia knew exactly what Darius was talking about, though she still tried to sound annoyed.
“Ahem, about the matchmaking thing. We agreed to give it a try, didn’t we?”
“Oh, that. Yeah, I’ll do it.”
Deia replied nonchalantly, taking a bite of her food. Even though she sounded annoyed, she didn’t deny it, which made feel a bit relieved.
Thank goodness.
I felt a little proud seeing how calmly Deia had settled her feelings.
Believing the family crisis had been averted, Darius smiled broadly and continued.
“Right, right. I’ve spoken to so guys at a northern noble’s gathering. They seem decent—”
“Deus should be the one who will introduce to them.”
Deia cut him off and stared directly at . Darius, wanting to say more, turned to with a pout.
“I don’t really know any nobles personally.”
The only ones I knew relatively well were Gideon’s Zeronia Household or Erica’s Bright Household.
However, I didn’t feel like introducing any of them to Deia.
“Isn’t His Majesty the one who arranged it? He wouldn’t introduce anyone weird to , would he?”
It was a reasonable point.
However…
“I cannot introduce anyone right away. I still have to take care of so things at the royal palace.”
“Oh, that’s fine. You can take your ti.”
Deia said as she pierced a piece of potato with her fork and ate it. Her indifferent response left both Darius and feeling slightly flustered.
Still, seeing that she agreed to the matchmaker idea was a good thing.
“I made this stew yesterday. I put in so bear at, which turned out surprisingly delicious without the usual gay taste.”
Right after the conversation ended, Illuania set a plate of stew before .
Though I wasn’t hungry anymore, Illuania stood by my side, subtly urging to eat.
“You’ve lost too much weight, you need to eat more.”
“That’s true. You’ve lost a lot more weight than before.”
“Yeah, it’s better you eat as much as possible. Even while taking that picture yesterday, I could’ve sworn you’d break if I touched you.”
Deia and Darius quickly interjected as if they had been waiting for this mont. When I glanced at them, they imdiately turned their attention back to their al as if nothing happened. 𝙧𝙖₦ÒᛒΕș
This body of mine had already been way too thin even before being abandoned in the general store, but now it had beco even more skeletal. Perhaps gaining a little weight wasn’t that bad of an idea.
“Especially considering that you’ve consud a lot of unhealthy things in the past, you should really focus on eating good, healthy food now.”
“That is a heavy statent.”
“I myself have been regretting a lot of things lately.”
Alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc—Deus, who had indulged in a variety of harmful substances, had never been in good health.
In fact, it was a miracle he hadn’t contracted a sexually transmitted disease.
And Illuania, who had partaken in those troubled tis with Deus during her days as a prostitute, was now focused on eating healthily for Sevia’s sake.
I was also aware that she wasn’t breastfeeding Sevia because of this. She was being careful, worried that anything unhealthy might still be lingering in her body.
“By the way, where is Sevia?”
If Illuania was working, then who was looking after Sevia?
While Owen would have been there in the past, but he was not around presently.
“Findenai is looking after her.”
“…”
My heart sank imdiately. No matter how I looked at it, I couldn’t trust Findenai to take good care of the child.
Perhaps sensing my concern, Illuania covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled.
“It’s fine. Findenai is very careful with Sevia, and Sevia is pretty fond of her as well.”
Before adding, ‘It seems that Sevia thinks she’s raising a dog.’
Findenai probably wouldn’t have been all that thrilled if she heard that, but still, since the mother, Illuania, trusted her, I had no choice but to follow along.
I subtly changed the topic.
“What about Xiao Hu?”
She had been locked in her room for the last two days.
Food had been sent to her room, but there was no reaction, and I wasn’t sure if she even had eaten any of it.
“She’s skipped all her als and I haven’t even seen her face.”
“I see.”
I was hoping that she would make a decision before I left Norseweden. But at this rate, it seed like it would take more ti.
“I will pay her a visit today.”
I decided to go see Xiao Hu right after finishing breakfast.
***
After finishing my al, I went to Xiao Hu’s room as planned. Trailing behind , the Dark Spiritualist and Stella seed worried about how things would turn out with the girl.
[What are you going to say?]
The Dark Spiritualist stepped forward and asked. Though she had never been one to worry so much about others, I felt that, just like , she too had changed during our ti together.
[It’s best to think carefully about what you will say. She’s still young, and her sense of self hasn’t fully ford yet.]
Stella, who was once a Saintess, also offered so expert advice.
[Honestly, the connections and environnt surrounding her have changed. However, I don’t believe Xiao Hu has made any positive changes.]
“Right.”
But that was Xiao Hu’s choice to make.
What I could do for her was limited. Ultimately, she was the one who would have to make the decision.
“Xiao Hu.”
Knock, knock.
I knocked on the door and called out her na, but there was no response.
However, the mont my fingertips touched the door, I felt a tingling sensation on the back of my hand.
[Hmm?]
[What’s going on?]
Although both the Dark Spiritualist and Stella inquired at the sa ti, I didn’t reply. Instead, I promptly turned the doorknob and entered the room.
[Huh?]
[…]
Almost imdiately, a foul, disgusting odor filling the room assaulted my nose. It was a clammy scent, like caral mixed with sothing unpleasant, one I had slled several tis before.
It was the sll of a corpse.
Shock filled the faces of the Dark Spiritualist and Stella as they looked up at the hanging girl.
The girl, who had hung herself from the ceiling light using the bedspread, seed to have lost her breath, as her body swayed back and forth with her center of gravity shifting.
“Huff.”
Xiao Hu’s corpse.
Anyone who saw this would have likely felt sorrow, presuming the young girl was unable to bear the cruel truth she had encountered.
And they would have blad , the Soul Whisperer, for contributing to the death of this girl.
A tragedy— a situation that could be explained in one word.
However, there was one thing that needed correction: the difference in perspectives and views between others and .
“Xiao Hu…”
I murmured her na softly, gritting my teeth.
While I had considered that this may be one such option, however, I never imagined she would make such an extre decision in my own mansion, without noticing.
“What do you expect to do by seeing your corpse?”
At that mont, from above the door.
“Kieeeeeeeek!”
Another Xiao Hu, hanging from the ceiling, lunged at .
It was sort of an ambush.
Creating a corpse of herself to distract and then attacking with what could have been a lethal strike.
“You choose the wrong opponent.”
The mont I realized that the corpse didn’t carry a soul, I knew she hadn’t died.
So, I was prepared.
I swung my clenched fist forward. The mana I had been holding latched onto Xiao Hu and followed the trajectory of my punch, sending her crashing to the floor.
“Kieeeng!”
The girl emitted a strange cry, not of a human, but of a beast.
Xiao Hu’s hanging body vanished like smoke, leaving only the struggling Xiao Hu caught by my mana.
Her nails were as sharp as blades.
Two tails sprouted above her backside.
Cat whiskers on her cheeks.
Fox ears, sticking out sharply.
And her eyes had turned into beastly yellowish brown eyes.
“In the end… was this your choice?”
The crossroads between a human and a yokai.
Did she truly believe that path was the right one?
It was sothing to contemplate over.
***
“Goo goo gaa gaa.”
At the entrance of the Verdi mansion, Findenai, playing with Sevia in her arms, had a rare, innocent smile on her face.
Kyaa!
Sevia, also in a good mood, stretched out her little hand towards Findenai, grabbing her nose and pulling it.
“Hey, hey, hey!”
Findenai tried to say sothing to Sevia in a nasal voice, but the baby just giggled, clearly enjoying herself.
The sight was so cute that it was impossible to not forgive her.
“Who do you take after to be this cute? Huh? Huh? You little rascal!”
Kyaa!
“This won’t do. You’re too cute; I’ll just have to eat you up.”
Findenai opened her mouth wide and lightly nibbled on Sevia’s chubby cheek. Sevia, still amused, laughed even more.
Watching Sevia’s reaction, a content smile spread across Findenai’s face.
At the sa ti, she couldn’t help but feel a flutter in her chest, wondering if one day she too might have children of her own and raise them.
“If they were born to and Master Bastard, they’d definitely be good-looking, smart, and excellent at fighting.”
Findenai lowered her head deeply, never imagining that the day when she would have such thoughts would co.
The wolf’s face flushed red with embarrassnt, but the only one who could see her was a baby who could only babble.
“Well, they said it’s patriotic!”
She declared proudly, trying to shake off her embarrassnt. After all, wasn’t it mbers of the Scrapyard Nomads who had told her to form close relations with the kingdom’s Soul Whisperer for the sake of the Clark Republic?
Convincing herself with a random excuse, Findenai continued playing with Sevia, when…
“Um, excuse .”
A man cautiously called out to Findenai from outside the mansion.
His appearance was haggard; his face was gaunt, and his hair was thin and patchy, making him far from appealing at first glance.
Moreover, as he got closer, the overpowering stench of cigarettes wafted towards Findenai, who instinctively distanced herself from the man to keep Sevia safe.
“Who are you?”
Findenai cocked her head, not recognizing the man from the city of Norseweden.
“Uh, I’m Goben. I work as a coachman.”
“Goben? A coachman?”
And even as Findenai responded indifferently, her eyes were locked onto Goben’s gaze.
Goben was staring at Sevia in Findenai’s arms.
A sense of unease crept over Findenai. It felt like the man was about to say sothing he shouldn’t.
And as usual, her instincts were right.
“I heard that Illuania works here. Is the child you’re holding hers?”
“…Yes.”
In response to Findenai’s answer, Goben, with tears welling up in his eyes, stretched his neck forward and spoke.
“Then…”
The truth was unexpectedly sothing she didn’t welco.
“She’s also my child.”
***
sko-fi/genesisforsaken
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