She always envied Ethel, who was superior to her. She wanted to enjoy what Ethel had.
Even though she never reached the sa level as her, Ethel was dead now, and she believed she could enjoy her rights in her stead.
It was all a misconception on her part.
This place was Chelsiers, and its Master was Astariol.
A place where the dead Ethel was more important than the living Heather.
Even if she was a mother who never once looked back at her own child, this was a realm ruled by Astariol, who governed with reason and logic.
The indifferent and distant boy declared clearly.
“As you ntioned when you arrived here, you cannot replace my mother. Therefore, you must not go against her will.”
Ashel probably did not realize that this was Heather’s most fatal weakness.
But…
Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have bothered to sugarcoat his words. He wouldn’t have had enough interest to notice anyway.
Heather retorted as if chewing out her words.
“Such a considerate heart. It’s pitiful that your mother died not knowing the devotion it takes to shelter a cuckoo chick.”
Since then, not much had changed remarkably.
That was natural. They were only barely maintaining a facade of decency from the beginning.
However, Heather decided to think that everything was Ashel’s fault.
Because of the insolent, utterly arrogant, and insensitive Astariol.
So, her extravagance, her indulgence, her irresponsibility… it was all because that boy, who didn’t care about people’s feelings, hurt her deeply first.
She had to think that way.
To justify that she was rely taking compensation for the wounds inflicted on her by that mother and son.
If Ashel had said anything, she might have curbed her spending out of caution…
But Ashel, as if he had forgotten her existence, never once pointed out her conduct.
Years passed and she thought it was fine to spend more.
As her sense of crisis, awareness, last vestiges of conscience, and minimal concern lted away with money and ti, Heather was eventually cast out.
Left with nothing but resentnt and venom, becoming a wretched old woman.
And then, suddenly, before her eyes appeared a child who was unmistakably identical to the young Ashel she rembered.
That child must be the daughter of her nephew and that vile witch who ruined Heather.
So, wasn’t it only natural for the child to repay the sins of the parents?
* * *
Louis whispered quietly.
“Miss, I’ll handle this. Please go upstairs first.”
But if Lady Declan had been soone who would let
go so easily, she wouldn’t have caused such a commotion in the bustling street in broad daylight.
As soon as I moved my foot, that strangely grating voice was heard.
“Dear, do you want
to go outside right now and tell everyone that Duke Chelsiers disregards his kin?”
“……”
“If that’s what you want, go ahead and move. But I have sothing to say to you, and I will say it one way or another.”
It was a jarring voice, like forcing tal against sandpaper.
Louis spoke again beside .
“Miss, I’ll handle this.”
But I slowly shook my head.
The gazes that had initially been watching the commotion at the entrance of Galamad were now unmistakably focused on us as soon as Duke Chelsiers was ntioned.
If Louis intervened now, it would only confirm that we knew Duke Chelsiers.
Instead, I called out softly.
“Leah.”
“…… yes, Miss.”
“I need your help.”
I heard a sharp intake of breath as soone barely stifled their gasp. But I asked again.
“Can you help ?”
Leah Fawcett’s answer was slightly delayed but firm.
“Yes.”
“Bring her to a private room without drawing attention.”
It was an almost impossible request.
The custors in Galamad, the people passing through the bustling street, and the employees working in Galamad.
Nurous eyes were on us.
But the chief manager of Galamad Departnt Store nodded resolutely.
“Yes.”
I didn’t ask if she could really do it again.
I gave a brief nod to Louis and started climbing the stairs again.
Without ever looking back.
After whispering briefly to Leah, Louis quickly followed and explained.
“Lady Declan is His Excellency’s aunt. After the untily death of the previous duke and duchess, she ca to Chelsiers to protect and raise His Excellency.”
“And now?”
“Now, she relies on the Declan family. They must be providing her with a reasonable allowance for maintaining her dignity.”
Behind , Lady Declan, who still didn’t understand the situation well, seed to want to shout sothing, but the sound was quickly muffled.
As I pulled the wind like a hook and captured the words trapped within it, I could hear them clearly.
“What on earth is this…?”
“Miss has called you to a private room. If the commotion continues, she’ll just leave. What will you do?”
“… I’ll go on my own. Let go!”
Hearing all this, I asked calmly.
“Why didn’t I know about this?”
It was the first ti I had completely lowered my tone with Louis.
He wasn’t flustered.
His attitude in continuing to answer was as if it should have been this way all along.
“I’m sorry, Miss. His Excellency had already told us to forget about her presence in Chelsiers, so I also forgot. Others must have not told you for the sa reason.”
“Why?”
“… I’m sorry. I can’t tell you.”
I didn’t press further.
– The Pope and the cardinals, your aunt, Duke Sisana… let’s see if they co to apologize on their own. Without you asking or forcing them, but on their own.
Lady Declan was my father’s aunt. When my father was young, she raised him alone.
And my mother wanted an apology from Lady Declan.
Wasn’t that enough?
“Alright. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“… do you intend to speak with her directly?”
“If my guess is correct, she wants to talk to .”
“…”
There was a brief silence.
Now, we entered the floor where the private room was. The opulent chandelier I had seen before sparkled transparently above.
The luxurious lighting illuminated everything in the departnt store.
The shiny floors, the smooth walls, the neatly arranged goods, and the people within.
Everything was bright and glamorous.
But not everyone’s heart glowed, shone, and was beautiful.
So people’s hearts were filled with desires so sticky and dark that no light could reveal them.
The person I was about to et was probably one of those people.
Louis’s voice, suppressed, reached .
“Miss, what she really wants is wealth. Or perhaps rumors. She… desires things she cannot originally have.”
“I know.”
“She believes she is being treated unfairly, so she won’t be like any normal relative you might learn from.”
“I know.”
“… forgive
for my useless and lengthy words.”
It was the day I heard the most apologies from Louis since we t. Hopefully, there would be no such day in the future.
I hoped not.
My voice flowed out calmly.
“I don’t intend to et her alone. Accompany .”
“Yes.”
The staff waiting to attend to us quickly dispersed. Louis and I swam through the crowd like a whale against the current.
When I sat on a sofa set aside, Louis hesitated for a mont before standing beside
and bowing his head.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Since she said she has sothing to say, I’ll listen.”
“…”
He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, just biting his lips.
His head was full of anxious thoughts, wondering if I was thinking too naively and if it was really okay to et her…
I had been curious about when Louis might be lost for words. Now I found out at such an unexpected mont.
With a slightly bitter smile, I spoke to alleviate his concern.
“If Leah Fawcett truly intends to help, she would have sent soone by now. Soone to inform
of how much the purchase amount was delayed, how long she had been frequenting here, and the exact current situation.”
“…”
“And since I already showed myself entering, Lady Declan will show herself leaving, walking around and taking her ti.”
It would look like she was being driven out.
Also, it would give ti for the internal information of Galamad to be gathered and conveyed.
Had Louis not been so flustered, he would have realized this much earlier.
To prove that my reasoning was rational and normal.
Louis’s pale complexion slightly returned.
“… thank you for your consideration, Miss.”
As soon as those words ended, there was a knock on the door.
“Excuse . I am Erson, the manager of Galamad Departnt Store. May I co in?”
“Co in.”
The man entered swiftly.
A good attitude. No matter how much ti Leah could buy outside, there was a limit.
Since we needed to use the short respite more efficiently, I stopped the man from bowing deeply.
“Skip the greetings. Report first.”
“Yes, understood. Lady Declan started visiting about two years ago…”
His report flowed seamlessly. It was roughly what I expected.
Lady Declan’s introduction that she had an unusual spending habit compared to the reasonable allowance she received.
The predictable and common developnt that the family refused to pay the bills for about half a year.
‘And now she would try to reach out to Chelsiers.’
The poor protagonist, the wealthy relative, the ungrateful kin.
A common motive used in nurous novels and plays.
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