Chapter 147: Eavesdropping on the Beginning of a Tragedy from the Storehouse

Chapter 147: Eavesdropping on the Beginning of a Tragedy from the Storehouse Eavesdropping on the Beginning of a Tragedy from the Storehouse

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“Ufufu~! This ring is really cute! The lizard carved into it is so stylish~!”

The first thing I heard when resuming my eavesdropping was Keranko’s delighted voice.

She talks and laughs a lot.

Her leisurely, spoiled-sounding voice leaves a sticky, peculiar impression in the ears.

“I’m glad, Keranko!”

“...Fufufu, Miss Keranko... You must take good care of that ring.”

These next voices were “Mother” and Doj.

“Onee-sama is so unfair, you know! To think she was hiding such a cute ring!”

“Really! For Keranko to hide a ring from me, I wonder why she turned out to be such a poorly-behaved child? Could it be the influence of her bloodline?”

“A cute ring like this should be worn by cute me rather than Onee-sama, right? Right, Doj?”

“Yes, you are absolutely right, Miss Keranko.”

“If your Onee-san bullies you, be sure to tell me. Mother will definitely protect you, okay?”

...Hmm...

Hey, Extra-sama.

<Yes, what is it, Emi?>

The thing is, I don’t have any memories of being raised in a proper family, either in my previous life or this one, so I can’t be certain, but...

<Yes?>

After forcibly taking the ring from her sister, the way she’s talking now...

Wouldn’t you say this family is, to put it mildly, quite scummy?

<Your perception is likely correct. For you to instantly get that impression just from listening to their conversation for a bit, they are indeed dyed-in-the-wool scum.>

(I don’t want to remember, but) my father’s face naturally comes to mind.

The father who abused me when I was a helpless infant unable to even move properly.

In the end, he forgot my face and pointed a spear at me, driving me out of the village.

He was quite the scum too.

But the form of scum here was different...

<And Emi, did you catch that one unforgivable remark from that “Mother” just now?>

Eh? Sorry Extra-sama, I wasn’t listening.

I couldn’t help but recall the face of that worthless scum I never want to remember...

<That woman said to the sister Karashia, “Could it be the influence of her bloodline?”>

...!!

That woman is their “Mother”, right?

Normally, a mother wouldn’t say that about her own daughter, would she?

<Yes. The possibility is... this is another common trope in isekai reincarnation settings, but that “Mother” and the sister Karashia may not actually be blood-related.>

Eh? Eh?

What do you mean?

<In other words, that “Mother” is a stepmother! She was likely the father’s mistress originally before somehow coming to this manor as the stepmother for some reason... Keranko is her stepdaughter!>

W-Woah.

So the stepmother and stepdaughter are ganging up to bully the original daughter in the family?

<That is the classic setup passed down since ancient times as an isekai reincarnation trope!>

Someone stop them... What is the father doing?

<There are a few patterns where the father dotes on the younger daughter and joins in bullying the older daughter, or is completely indifferent to his daughters with no interest even as the older one is bullied. I wonder which it is in this family?>

“Fu... ufufufu... ahahahaha...”

She started laughing.

Unlike Keranko’s carefree, bright laughter, this laughter carried a dark, heavy tone laced with sorrow and anger – a dejected laugh.

“That’s it... Never mind. I don’t care anymore. How foolish. I’m the only one enduring...”

The sounds of footsteps could be heard.

Then the clattering of metal rubbing together.

“Eh... Karashia, ah, watch out! What are you going to do with that thing? That is...”

“A magic sword, right? The magic sword ‘Agzeliary.’ A confidential magic tool meant to aid in physical control for the user, allowing even weaklings like you, Father, to fight to some extent by pouring in magic power. Just for show.”

“Wh-Why that...”

“If you examine the appearance, you’ll see. It’s quite a stylish sword.”

“That’s not it! Karashia... Th-That thing, what are you intending to...”

“Intending, to?”

To her stammering, frightened father, Karashia replied in a chillingly cold voice full of scorn:

“You don’t even understand that? Incompetent. I’ll use this to eliminate those in the way. Everyone in this manor lacks any combat ability. Even my frail self can carry out a purge with this magic sword.”

“W-Wait! Stop! Calm down, Karashia! Keranko is your sister!? Your family!? To kill her... That, that...”

“You are mistaken, Father.”

Bushun.

“...Eh?”

“When I said ‘eliminate those in the way’, why did you assume I only meant Keranko?”

“Ah... Ah...”

“You who put on airs as the head despite being incompetent are quite the nuisance yourself. The Luclees family would fare far better if you died.”

“Ah...”

“Die.”

Dosan.

The heavy sound of something falling to the floor resounded.

The father’s stammering voice could no longer be heard.

“Ufu, ahaha... What a fool I am. I should have done this from the start...”

With a clacking of footsteps, Karashia began walking away.

“...Hih!? Lady Karashia!? That blood, what is... Ah!?”

The next voice I heard was an unfamiliar woman’s, but after a zashu sound, it fell silent too.

Clack, clack, clack...

“Ah!?”

Zashu.

“Hieh...!?”

Zashu.

Accompanied by Karashia’s footsteps, short screams and the sounds of something being slashed periodically rang out before falling silent again.

I was stunned, frozen in shock by the sudden turn of events.

But after a slight hesitation... I stood up and punched the stone storehouse wall I had been leaning against with all my might!

Doooooon!!

The wall was blown away, opening a large hole in the storehouse.

Outside was a snowy landscape.

The whiteness of the accumulated snow was blinding.

I leapt out through that hole and started running toward the manor!