CH 12

This man was evidently looking down on my family. I turned around and glared at the man, but he continued.

“These days, women are being so bold. They so easily say that they could catch monsters, as if it’s just a stroll in the park. That’s why you need to educate females well. Ignorance is a sin! But it’s only natural if you’re her parents!”

“I agree with Viscount Vitters’ stance. It could never be easy to subjugate monsters. Even a full-fledged knight who’s been trained his whole life would come back from the subjugation with a broken mind and nearly beaten to death. Good grief.”

I stared right at Viscount Vitters and the people around him.

The viscount proceeded to down his champagne in one gulp, and his eyes were cloudy.

“The champagne that the Imperial Family provides is definitely of a different class, but oh how different it is. It’s my first time drinking champagne that’s so sweet and so smooth. Haha.”

Every time he laughed as he spoke, the belly sticking out of his pants wobbled.

“Honey, don’t.”

Then, I heard Mom’s whisper from the side.

When I turned my head, I saw that Dad and Brother were practically fuming as they were glaring at the viscount.

Their gazes were completely different from how they looked at me earlier.

Mom whispered again in a very small voice, pinching them with her fingertips to stop them.

“Our Rin’s coming-of-age ceremony isn’t over yet.”

Dad and Brother’s brows had shot up in their anger up until now, but after hearing Mom’s words, their brows sank at the same time.

Seeing them do this for me filled my heart so fully. The filial love that I was receiving only now in this life was so enormous.

How could it be so unconditional?

Was it possible for their love to be so unconditional just because I’m their family?

Was that what blood ties truly meant?

Then, I couldn’t just let this viscount go scot-free.

Perhaps strong-willed, perhaps a mad dog.

That’s what other people called me all the time while I was serving in the special forces in my previous life.

That time, I lived such a life filled with acrimony that I didn’t let those I regarded as enemies go.

In any case, it was my belief to pay back just as much as I had received.

Or, even more.

I thought that my personality had changed since I never experienced the same things ever since I reincarnated.

However, it’s clear that one’s innate personality would not change so easily.

My eyes scanned the enemy. I looked at him from head to toe so as not to miss a single detail.

Then, I found a button at the bottom of his attire that seemed like it would pop out at any given moment.

With how much champagne he’d been guzzling since earlier, it looked like his pants were about to burst.

That man insulted my dear father and my dear older brother, so shouldn’t he be paid back just as much?

I reached up as though I was checking if my hairdo was still alright, then I secretly took out one hairpin.

I turned around to walk away with my family, but in my hand, I bent the pin so that there would be more force behind it, then I flicked it quickly.

Without fail, the pin took out that button—the very button that was keeping the man’s pants up.

Only one button popped out, but it was as if his pants couldn’t bear to hold the man’s abundant stomach any longer.

The other buttons on his pants began to burst out one after another.

“Huuh?”

Compared to his voluminous upper body, his lower body seemed to be less ample. His pants immediately fell to the floor.

“KYAAH!”

A noblewoman nearby let out a shriek and covered her face with a fan.

On the other hand, the noblemen standing around just frowned, as if there was nothing impressive to see here.

I was already heading towards a balcony with my family, so it’s a pity that I couldn’t watch the situation unfold further.

Still, they must have seen what happened from their periphery because I spied Dad and Brother barely keeping their lips from twitching.

As if they were desperately holding it in so as not to guffaw right then and there.

When I saw their reactions, I felt relieved.

I hated it whenever someone dared to harm what’s mine. Back in Korea, ever since I could remember, I was living on the streets, and that world was so polarized by wealth.

In places that couldn’t receive the Espers’ protection, the gap between the rich and the poor was much more pronounced.

No, rather, with the gap that there was, they’re not even comparable.

Generously speaking, the place I grew up in was a jungle. But if you wanted to be more honest about it, it was a garbage dump.

That place was full of all kinds of monster residue, trash, and corpses.

I managed to survive and leave that place to join the special forces. And truly, in my previous life, the only thing I could call completely mine was the bankbook I worked hard to build up, and my ex-husband, Ciel.

My current family was different compared to Ciel. The unconditional love they gave me filled my heart to the brim. But strangely enough, it made me crave for more.

I wanted to receive more love from my family, and I wanted to give them just as much love as well.

“The stars are slowly coming out, Rin.”

With Mom holding my hand gently and Dad and Brother protecting our family on both sides, I felt the corners of my lips turning up naturally. Both Ciel and Seo-yoon were so far away from my mind now.

Right. No longer was I Yoo Seohyun.

I am Irene de Closch.