CH 21

So I actually thought a lot about it at first. Should I be honest? Your daughter is dead and I’m a completely different person.

Even if I said that, it was unlikely that he would believe me.

On the contrary, I would have had more doctors in charge of me because I had gone crazy.

But in the end, even if it ends with vain words, the thought that I should have tried it for those who care for their daughter bothered me the whole time, and in fact, I was still a little concerned.

Maybe that’s why. I have the people of the Duke of Catlan, my father in front of me and my brother. I really liked them for awkwardly giving out love that I had never received in my life, but I was more sorry than that.

…… Because the thought that I should not covet was stronger.

“……I will.”

Maybe it’s better for them if I hide the fact that their daughter is gone.

……it’s the worst thing to think about. However, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t come to a conclusion.

“Oh right, father. Can I stay in the study room for a while then? There is something I want to find out.”

“It doesn’t matter….. If there’s anything you want to know, I can find out for you separately.”

I smiled at my father’s kind words and shook my head.

“It’s just because I want to find out personally.”

I couldn’t tell my father or the royal family about Hisch’s abilities until I had more information than anyone else.

Information is power. Moreover, if the attack of monsters continues like the previous day, the future of the apocalypse will come.

I had to come up with measures in advance so that he wouldn’t get hurt and that he wouldn’t be taken advantage of.

At my firm answer, my father looked disappointed again and then nodded.

And a few days later.

When I climbed into the carriage with sunken eyes, my brother, Lewis Catlan, looked a little worried.

“You look very tired. Are you alright?”

Sitting across from him, almost collapsed, I tilted my head back. I stayed up all night for a few days, so I was not feeling well, and my clothes were uncomfortable, which made me feel like I was going to die.

However, I can’t attend a party in my daily clothes…….

“I’m dying.”

“Why don’t you skip it today.”

“That’s okay. I’m afraid to think about what the vassals will say later, if I don’t do official duties like this.”

They were already annoyed by the marriage I had made at will.

To be honest, I didn’t care what my position in the Catlan family was.

However, Catlan’s father and son would not like this situation in which their beloved daughter or sister was neglected within the family.

I didn’t want to see them upset over just this. It could be said that it was my duty as a person who played the younger sister or daughter they loved.

Well…… It would have been better if I had really behaved like the original young lady Liddell, and married Miller.

Lewis’s expression darkened at my words.

“You were caring about that. If they were to pose any kind of threat to you, neither I nor our father would stand still.”

I knew that it was not a simple thing to say.

The loyal retainers and blood relatives in noble families are in a complicated position due to the relationship of interests, so even if they are direct blood relatives, they cannot easily silence the vassals consisting of the lineage and the outliers.

Although the power of the direct line was strong, it was said that they could not wield them with absolute power.

“It’s just a social life, so I won’t do it too much. I can just go to the party and say hello, chat, and eat something delicious. I’m a married woman now, so don’t you think it’s okay to be less self-conscious?”

My brother, who I had thought that my words to lighten the situation would ease his mood, hardened his face even more for some reason.

“By the way, why didn’t the husband who had to escort such a wife come?”

Oh my, why are you so displeased with Hisch. I hurriedly opened my mouth.

“Even if the lord is me, the owner of the estate is definitely my husband and I, so does it make sense for all the owners to leave at the same time now?”

“……your husband is so fragile.”

“What? Hisch is so brave.”

I raised an eyebrow and refuted. As for how brave Hisch was, it was enough to stand up against a monster that was almost the height of a two-story building without losing.

But of course I couldn’t tell him this, so I decided to tell him off and keep my mouth shut.

Before I knew it, the carriage set off slowly. When I turned my gaze to the small window, the sunset was tilted diagonally and colored the surroundings red.

I’ve been eating and sleeping in Catlan’s study for the past few days, trying to figure out the origins of Hisch’s powers.

Getting a hint from Miller, I decided to first check the branch of the Riot family, where Hisch was born, with the noble genealogy published every ten years.

Usually this ability runs through blood. Since the five families of Catlan were usually intertwined by marriage, when it comes to those who were capable, there were many cases where the person was from there.

Nevertheless, there were many cases in which their abilities were manifested even in distant branches that had them as their ancestors.

Unsurprisingly, following the line of Riot, it began about 300 years ago when the second daughter of the Marquis of Firenze married the eldest son of a baron.

And while I was picking out the suspicious bloodlines in earnest, the maids pulled me out of the study, dressed me up, and put me in this carriage.

“Phew..….”

I let out a heavy sigh of tiredness for a moment and then suddenly looked at the man in front of me.

His face was so cold that it was hard to think that he was about to go to a party soon.

“Brother, I didn’t know I was going to be your partner even after I got married.”

I laughed out loud with the intention of making fun of him in order to lighten the mood.

“When will spring come to my brother? Are you seeing any women?”

“…..none.”

“Ey, there must be at least one.”

Lewis stared at me with his eyes wide open.

“You have a much older mindset than our father.”

“…….”

What, like the face of a relative who seems to be annoyed by talking about marriage or employment on the holiday.

Are you saying I’m now a Kkondae[1]!

This is how I am judged as a young Kkondae and the conversation ends. I put my hands to my mouth and spoke in an exaggerated tone.

“Come to think of it, Miss Roselia is the only woman near brother, right? No way….?”

The name of Roselia, Sein’s older sister and the eldest daughter of the Borter Family, Lewis Catlan’s assistant, was spoken of purely to make fun of him.

It was because I had heard that they grew up together from a young age and I knew that both Roselia and my brother were keeping good faith with each other.

“…….”

But what is that expression?

“…….”

“…….”

“Brother… No way?”

“…….”

Even inside the carriage, which was darkened by the setting of the sun, it was quite noticeable that his earlobes were red.

No, I was just trying to make fun of you, but why is it suddenly a youth drama?

I became serious and didn’t say anything. And Lewis stubbornly kept his mouth shut and turned his head.

So I’m just wondering how many of Catlan’s family were married to the Borter family.

Whether there would be any opposition from other vassals, in the first place, Miss Roselia was exhausted from overcoming the awkwardness in the carriage and contemplating whether to see my older brother as a romantic partner.

Shortly after Liddell left, Hisch received an offer from Sein. It was to do a simple experiment on his powers.

There was no particular reason for Hisch to accept the offer.

It was because he himself was curious about the results of the experiment, and the gaze of Sein, who seemed to see himself as a simple subject, was new.

On a large table, ashes of different amounts were piled up at regular intervals. Hisch looked down at his hand.

Not just people.

“It seems that you can use that power for everything that has life. Do you feel tired?”

“…… I don’t.”

He was a gardener. Caring for plants, trees, and flowers.

Hisch didn’t want to hurt anyone, but he didn’t want to be frustrated that he was only erasing things.  He wanted to be confirmed as a person who can take care of and nurture life.

So he became a gardener……

In fact, Hisch was a little saddened by the fact that even those things might have been harmed if he had put his mind to it.

At the same time, he was also relieved.

Liddell may be right. Fear comes from the unknown.

Contrary to the fear that he didn’t know how far his power was, the result of his acceptance made Hisch see the situation more calmly.

“On the other hand, there was no response when you touched things that have no life, such as stones, iron, and ore.”

“……”

“That’s interesting.”

Interestingly, Hisch thought that the man in front of him was not easy.

The gray-haired man was only a little surprised at first when he saw Hisch’s abilities, but after that,  he was really focused on discovering the characteristics of his abilities.

“………I didn’t expect you to come up with such an offer to me.”

TL Notes:

[1] 꼰대 or Kkondae is an expression used in South Korea to describe a condescending person. It is an older person who believes they are always right. (And you are always wrong.)