Chapter 108 (1) - A Depressed Kendo Player Possesses a Bastard Aristocrat

Dawn broke, signaling the end of a seemingly endless night and the arrival of a new day.The first light of dawn gently painted the quiet world, erasing the darkness of the past hours.

And with a storm of light pouring through the window...

I woke up.

"Ugh..."

An intense hangover pierced through my hazy consciousness.

A groan escaped my lips as a wave of pain washed over me.

I opened my eyes.

My vision swam as a pounding headache took hold. I could barely make out the familiar sight of my bedroom ceiling.

"...Morning already?"

I mumbled to myself, pushing myself up from the bed.

Perhaps it was because of the drinking I had done after so long...

A heavy, lingering fatigue pressed down on me.

'Maybe I should have paced myself...'

I hadn't been able to control myself, downing drink after drink, swept up in the atmosphere.

'I hope Father is alright.'

Father must have had at least twice as much to drink as me.

A flicker of concern crossed my mind as I let out a sigh, my breath heavy with the remnants of the alcohol.

"Ugh... my head feels like it's splitting open."

Knowing that staying put would only worsen my headache, I forced myself to get up.

I splashed some water on my face, attempting to wash away the sleepiness.

Then, I threw off the covers.

Just as I was about to get out of bed, my legs still unsteady...

"Mmm... Young Master..."

A familiar voice reached my ears.

A sudden wave of discomfort washed over me.

I tilted my head, trying to pinpoint the source of the voice.

My gaze landed on the spot right next to me.

The very same spot where I had been hugging what I thought was a pillow.

And there, in a position she definitely shouldn't have been in, lay a girl with beautiful brown hair.

"Rachel...?"

What was she doing here?

As the question formed in my mind, fragments of the previous night came flooding back.

The more pieces of my shattered memories fell into place, the more horrified I became.

'Don't tell me... that sweet scent, the warmth...'

I had snuggled into it, mistaking it for my pillow, and drifted off to sleep.

"Oh."

It wasn't my pillow.

It was Rachel.

The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning, my face burning with shame.

I groaned inwardly, wanting nothing more than to disappear.

.

.

.

"It's the alcohol's fault, all the alcohol's fault..."

I mumbled to myself as I practically fled from my bedroom.

I quickly washed my face, desperate to get rid of any lingering sleepiness, and let out a deep sigh.

Droplets of water dripped from my hair.

I brushed them away impatiently and stumbled down the hallway.

My heart pounded in my chest, a strange mix of anxiety and something else I couldn't quite place.

I clenched my jaw, cursing every single drop of alcohol I had consumed the previous night.

"Okay, so I panicked and ran out..."

Now what?

Rachel was still asleep in my room, which meant I needed to find somewhere else to be.

As everyone knew all too well, I wasn't exactly welcomed with open arms in this mansion.

"Y-Young Master...?!"

"Oh, you're up early today...? W-well, then, we'll just be..."

I caught sight of some servants in the distance.

They froze the moment they saw me, their eyes widening in alarm, before scurrying away as if I were a plague carrier.

I sighed inwardly, forcing a smile onto my lips as I glanced around.

My gaze landed on the grandfather clock that stood at the end of the hallway.

Its black hands pointed to 9:34 a.m.

Breakfast had long since ended.

'......Maybe I should go see Ariel.'

She should be in her room at this hour.

Ariel must have been worried sick about me. The least I could do was to show her that I was alright.

With a destination in mind, I started walking again.

Thump... Thump...

My light footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway.

As I walked, bathed in the warm sunlight streaming through the windows, flashes of the previous night flickered through my mind.

-That is a butler's duty, Little Master. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ ɴøvᴇl_Firᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

-I have always loved you, Raiden.

A small smile touched my lips as I recalled their words, each syllable a source of warmth that slowly melted the ice around my heart.

I placed a hand over my chest, feeling a warmth spread through me.

-Whoosh...

A gentle winter breeze flowed through the open windows, causing the curtains to sway gently.

Like a graceful dance of white silk.

I paused for a moment, gazing out the window at the scenery beyond.

"......"

The world outside seemed to shimmer before my eyes, the bright morning light painting the white curtains with hues of gold.

The wind felt cool against my skin, and the occasional ray of sunshine that touched my face held a surprising warmth.

The scenery seemed to ripple and shift before my eyes.

Simple sensations, weaving together to form something... extraordinary.

Something strange was happening to me.

It was nothing special, really.

Just an ordinary view from a window.

And yet, it filled me with an indescribable sense of wonder, as if I were witnessing something truly magical.

For the first time in as long as I could remember, I was seeing the world... beautifully.

'This is... strange...'

My heart pounded in my chest, a strange tightness constricting my throat.

Tears welled up in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

It was as if a dam had broken inside of me, releasing a torrent of emotions I had kept bottled up for far too long.

A wave of relief washed over me, followed by a bittersweet ache.

My heart ached, and yet, there was a lightness to it, a sense of freedom I had never experienced before.

My vision blurred as tears streamed down my face.

-It's okay to let go of the pain, Raiden.

I heard their voices, echoing in my ears.

Kim Naru, and Raiden.

We had endured so much pain together, finding solace in each other's presence.

-You've suffered enough. Brighter days are coming.

-Life is like a heat flower.

-Happiness awaits you, Raiden. We promise.

The tears wouldn't stop flowing.

It was as if all the pain, all the sorrow I had kept buried deep inside, was melting away like snow under the warmth of the spring sun.

A single word echoed in my mind.

Hope.

The hope that bloomed even in the harshest of winters, a testament to the resilience of life.

-No one is born to suffer.

Everyone deserves happiness.

Some just have to wait a little longer for their spring to arrive.

And when it does, it will be all the more beautiful for having weathered the storms.

You, and I.

We will find our happiness.

Believe it.

-Believe in your future.

For some, simply believing in the possibility of happiness was enough to set them free.

And I realized, with a sudden clarity, that I was one of those people.

All those years I had spent trapped in my own personal hell, haunted by guilt and loneliness...

Perhaps all I had needed was someone to tell me that it was okay to hope, that happiness was within my reach.

"Hicc... Ugh..."

Standing there, bathed in the warm glow of the morning sun, I finally allowed myself to cry.

I had never cried so freely, so openly in my entire life.

And yet, it felt... right.

.

.