"Under no circumstances will this happen under my command, so don’t even think about it."
"Y-yes..."
Aslan growled, drawing a firm line.
Yuria stood in front of him, and for so reason, her body stiffened.
‘Killing intent…!?’
The people of Vermont exude killing intent when they get angry.
I had experienced Aslan’s killing intent before, so I knew what it felt like.
It wasn’t particularly overwhelming, but for so reason, Yuria seed more terrified by it than she had ever been by any monster or powerful opponent.
"If you ignore my words and try to test your healing abilities by ripping your own skin, our relationship will be over. I will fire you with your severance pay, and you will never see again."
"Yes, yes..."
Yuria hastily nodded in agreent.
She must be scared of being kicked out, since that would an she’d never be able to see Charlotte or Yulia again...
She was following his orders, likely out of fear.
‘Why is he making such a big deal out of this?’
Yuria was still puzzled, unable to understand Aslan’s anger.
She wasn’t planning on injuring him or herself—she was only testing her own powers, after all.
Why was he acting this way?
‘Damn it. How did I save you from that terrible fate?’
Aslan gritted his teeth, trying to calm the heat spreading from his head.
How hard did I try to twist the horrible fate of the original story?
I removed the brutal fate where the protagonist Yuria was tortured rcilessly by Aslan Vermont and repeatedly broken in spirit.
I put in so much effort to make sure she wouldn't go through the painful, blood-soaked experiences of the original.
It always bothered when I played the original work.
Why should such a young girl, simply because she was the protagonist and the hero, have to endure needless suffering and a pitiful storyline?
Yuria could easily complete her first class advancent and beco strong without enduring those trials and tribulations.
As an employer and guardian supporting Yuria, I never wanted to see her recklessly hurting herself while trying her best.
From the start, I had prevented such situations from arising.
I act as a shield until Yuria matures as a proper hero.
That's the role of an adult, and one who might be her future spouse.
"Let’s go. The day’s work is done."
"Hehe..."
Aslan gently pressed Yuria’s head down with his palm before turning away.
This ti, his touch felt rough, almost warning her, unlike the casual pat he had given before.
‘His hands... They’re so big...’
But for so reason, Yuria didn’t dislike this touch.
In fact, it felt warr than when he patted her gently.
‘Am I going crazy!?’
Yuria's cheeks flushed red as she was taken aback by her own thoughts.
Why was she thinking such crazy things!?
She rubbed the top of her head repeatedly, following Aslan in silence.
‘He was right, huh. I’m already free from that terrible fate thanks to soone’s efforts...’
Why did this thought suddenly co to mind?
In the silent carriage,
Yuria glanced up at Aslan before quickly turning her head away.
What if…
What if the one who helped escape that fate wasn’t just that dark figure?
What if Aslan Vermont, just a little bit, also contributed to changing my fate?
If that's the case, then Aslan Vermont isn’t the villain trying to steal Charlotte and Yulia from .
Rather, shouldn't he be seen as the one who saved ?
Suddenly, as this thought ca to mind, Yuria froze.
"Ughhh!"
"...What’s going on now?"
"Oh, it’s nothing. I just got a little choked up..."
She shook her head quickly, denying it to herself.
No way. That’s not it. It can’t be.
Despite repeatedly saying this, Yuria couldn't stop her suspicions from leaning toward that direction.
Once I have a doubt, it doesn’t disappear easily.
Just as my suspicion that Aslan Vermont might be a villain hasn’t completely faded,
the suspicion that he might be my savior will not easily go away either.
Knowing this full well,
Yuria’s mind only grew more chaotic.
‘I want to see Charlotte and Yulia soon...’
She felt like she just wanted to heal her mind by seeing Charlotte and Yulia.
If she stayed with Aslan Vermont any longer, she felt like she would start developing even more strange thoughts.
Yuria clenched her teeth, waiting for the carriage to arrive at the mansion.
"Yuria..."
"I have a research task that needs urgent attention, so please excuse !"
Before the carriage even stopped, she jumped out.
In a hurry, she ran toward the mansion, searching for Charlotte and Yulia.
But the mansion was strangely quiet?
Normally, she would have heard sounds like Charlotte swinging a sword or a scream from Hyeokhyeok, but now there was nothing.
If Charlotte were anywhere near here, this silence would be impossible.
There could only be one place where it was this quiet.
Yuria rushed to the study and flung the door open.
"Oh, Yuria’s here."
"Co over here! We need to hear your opinion!"
"...?"
Inside, there was a serious atmosphere.
Charlotte and Yulia were sitting face to face with serious expressions, almost like they were having a debate.
"What’s going on?"
"Charlotte just keeps not believing !"
"Yulia keeps saying nonsense..."
Both Charlotte and Yulia leaned in toward Yuria, pleading with her as if aggrieved.
Yuria quickly understood the situation.
It was clear that they had been arguing again... What was the issue this ti?
Yuria suppressed a laugh at the repetitive nature of their argunt.
She sat down between Charlotte and Yulia.
"Tell slowly."
"Well, yesterday I overheard Aslan talking to himself, you know?"
"Mm-hmm."
"And when I listened carefully, he was secretly shedding tears, as if he was moved by our growth."
"That’s a lie...!"
Aslan Vermont was crying? Because of the children’s growth?
That sounded like...
"This is sothing a lovesick father would do."
"I thought the sa!"
"And do you know what Aslan said next?"
"What did he say?"
Yuria swallowed hard, straining to listen.
What? What did he say?
"He said he was going to marry us off to another noble family..."
"What, what!?"
What...!?
Yuria’s mind froze for a mont.
"Stop lying, Yulia! Tell exactly what you heard! Aslan didn’t really say that, did he?"
"Well, he sort of said sothing like... the day of the engagent isn’t too far off..."
"How does that sound like he’s marrying us off to another noble family!? It obviously ans he’s marrying us, right!?"
"What? That’s your interpretation, Charlotte!"
"Yulia, you’re the one reading too much into it! You’re scared he’ll reject you, so you’re telling yourself that he sees you as a daughter, not as soone he likes! You’re just a coward afraid of the shock of rejection!"
"What, what!?"
The argunt escalated with voices getting louder,
and soon enough, Charlotte and Yulia were almost head-butting each other, growling like they were ready to tear each other apart.
Yuria sighed deeply between them.
Not this again...
How many tis a day do these two argue over the sa thing?
Once again, they would fight over sothing that wouldn’t have a conclusion, sulk, cry, and reconcile in the end.
Yuria could already see the end of this heated argunt.
But there was one thing Yuria hadn’t expected.
"This is so frustrating!"
"Heh. That’s what I was about to say."
"Should I go and ask him directly?"
"Uh, how...?"
"Just ask Aslan!"
"Uh...?"
Charlotte suddenly stood up, determined.
Yulia froze for a mont in confusion, and Yuria sat still, simply watching Charlotte's retreating figure.
"I... I have to stop her..."
A mont later, Yulia snapped back to reality and jumped to her feet.
Only then did Yuria follow Charlotte.
What was she thinking, asking Aslan directly!?
"Charlotte... No, you can’t. Right? You’re not really going to ask him like that?"
Yuria was covered in cold sweat as she chased after Charlotte.
The mont she caught up to her, she saw Aslan lifting Charlotte and sitting her on his knee.
"Uncle! Uncle!!!"
"What’s going on? Why the rush...?"
"Uncle, are you going to marry us?"
"...!?"
That was much more direct than Yuria had anticipated!
Yuria felt a wave of dizziness sweeping over her, almost on the verge of fainting.
But, at the sa ti, she couldn’t look away, too curious about the answer.
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