CH 60

“I’m not admitting her, I’m just putting up with the sake of my mother.”

At Charelize’s answer, Anessa made an incomprehension expression.

“If Your Highness thinks about the duchess… even more…”

“Anessa, think about it.”

“About what…?”

“Even though Viscountess Shuril left such a will… Did she also say to take revenge?”

“…”

“To hate and reject innocent people just because they are commoners like your youngest sister?”

Anessa recalled what she had forgotten at Charelize’s words.

“Anes…sa”

“Mother…”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be a good mother. I was busy living my life, hating them…”

“Don’t say that… I will call the doctor right away.”

“I hated her more because she was born the year your sister died.”

“…”

“It was so hard that I felt like dying, but I hated that woman being so happy to have a child…”

“…”

“Anessa, can I ask you a favor? I said that once that child becomes a member of Viscount Shuril, I won’t have the face to see your sister. That’s why I don’t want her to be registered on the family register.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“However… If you can’t help it, don’t bother by it. And…”

“…”

“Live your life, just like your mother did. Meet someone who gives something for you, give birth to a child who looks just like you… and live happily.”

She forgot what her mother said, that she didn’t have to be bothered by it and just lived a happy life. Her tears didn’t stop running.

“And I didn’t admit her as my sister. I’m just looking at the right time. Because when you have nothing…”

“…”

“The sense of loss that comes from the opposite situation is greater than from falling into the pit.”

“Your Highness…”

“Anessa, I don’t want you to push away a potential good relationship because of people who aren’t helpful to you.”

* * *

“Lari.”

“Anessa?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yes…?”

At Anessa’s sudden apology, Lari was taken aback and didn’t know what to do.

“It’s not your fault… I’ve been saying mean things in that short time.”

“Where are you going…?”

“I’m going to quit.”

“I will tell Your Highness—”

“Don’t do that. Your Highness wrote a letter of recommendation, so I’m looking for work in another place. And… I’m running out of time for my succession classes.”

“But…”

“I didn’t want to apologize at first.”

“…”

“Because I can’t really say it with all my heart. Rather than a clumsy lie, it was just better. Anyway… I’m sorry.”

“…”

“And… You have a good older sister, Lari.”

“Pardon?”

Anessa finished her words and left with her luggage.

“No, Lady Shuril… all of a sudden…”

When the butler discovered that fact, he couldn’t bear to stop Charelize’s stubborn decision.

“I’m sorry. You can post the interview notice again.”

“…Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“But, Your Highness. If you’re going to send Lady Shuril away like that… Why did you write the letter of recommendation…?”

“Reward for her good work.”

“Yes…?”

“I sent her because of my younger sister. Also, rewards and punishments must be given appropriately.”

At the mention of her younger sister, the butler was confused, thinking her words were referring to Lillian. Charelize didn’t say much but slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

* * *

It had been raining since morning. What was dropped at her mother’s funeral felt the same as her mother was dropping them off.

Charelize originally didn’t like the rain. It made her more sensitive than usual while silently looking at the documents. Then, while Lari was cleaning the room, she noticed drops of sweat on Lari’s forehead.

“Lari, are you sick?”

“I’m fine, Your Highness.”

Charelize immediately called Lari and asked if she was sick.

“Let’s call it a day and take a rest…”

“Your… Highness…”

Lari, slightly staggering her leg, eventually collapsed.

“Lari!” Surprised, Charelize hurriedly ran to her. Lari’s body was so hot. She hurriedly carried Lari to her bed and called for a doctor.

“…Her pulse rate is normal, and her high body temperature may be felt more because her body temperature is naturally that high.”

“She even collapsed… Please examine her again.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“It hurts… Don’t… It hurts…”

At that time, Lari tossed and turned, saying it hurt. When she said it hurt, the doctor took a closer look, just in case there was an unknown wound. And what he found was a knife cut on her back and shoulder. There was blood oozing out from there.

“How can this…”

“Seeing the new flesh, it looks like she has had it since a while, but… if it bleeds, it’s probably from scratching.”

“Didn’t she… keep saying it’s hurt? Take a closer look at them again.”

“Her pain seems to have been aggravated by the rain. First of all, I will prescribe painkillers for now, and then I will wrap them with bandages.”

The doctor opened Lari’s mouth and forced her to swallow the medicine.

“Watch her progress for about two days, and call me again if she doesn’t get any better.”

“…I understand.”

“I will leave for now, Your Highness.”

After wrapping the wounds with a bandage, the doctor said his goodbye to Charelize and left.

“I will take care of Lari, so get some rest, Your Highness. It’s already dawn,” said Hailey, who brought a wet towel and placed it on Lari’s forehead. It was because she was worried about Charelize, who had been watching Lari for several hours already.

“Hailey, since you’re sharing a room with her, I think you know about these wounds,” asked Charelize, pointing to the bandage.

“…Yes.”

“Why… didn’t you tell me?”

“Lardi told me not to tell Your Highness… because Your Highness would get worried… I’m sorry.”

“Do you know what happened?”

“I don’t know… the details too. I just happened to see those wounds…”

“Come to think of it, the first day my mother brough Lari… There was blood all over her body…”

Charelize slowly recalled the day she first met Lari.

“What’s… your name?”

“Li… No, it’s Lari.”

“Lari?”

“…Yes.”

It’s been so long that she can’t remember exactly when. She met Lari when she was young. Since Lari was smaller than Charelize and thinner than most of her peers at that time, Charelize naturally assumed that Lari was younger than her. She had lived without knowing Lari’s exact age or her past.

“I can’t believe I only know this now… What on earth happened to Lari?”

“Your Highness only came back once or twice a year when you were at the academy… Of course, you didn’t know about it.”

“…I’ll be watching Lari, so go and rest.”

“But, Your Highness…”

“Hurry.”

Hailey was forced to leave at Charelize’s tough attitude.

“…ren… Lauren…”

Charelize, who had been reading a book on a chair next to the bed, turned her attention to the sound of the murmur of something.

“Lari?”

“I-I’m… sorry.”

“Lari, why are you doing this all of a sudden!”

“!”

At that moment, Lari raised her body at once, as if having a seizure, and caught her breath.”

“Y-Your Highness…. Your Highness…”

“It’s okay. It’s okay, Lari.”

Charelize patted the back of Lari, who was crying in her arms. What was so sad which made Lari cry? Charelize thought as she looked at Lari, who had fallen asleep after crying.

Just like the last time, she wondered who the hell Lauren was. She must have had a pretty deep relationship with Lari, to the point Lari said her name in unconsciousness. Furthermore, seeing that Lari kept repeating apologies. It seemed that Lari’s wounds had something to do with the person named Lauren.

Lari was an orphan from birth, so Lauren wouldn’t be her family. There was no noble named Lauren among the nobles she knew. Due to Lari’s personality, it was unlikely that Lari would talk about her own wounds.

“Lari, didn’t I say you could rest for a while?”

“This is a rest for me. I’m really all better, so Your Highness doesn’t have to be worried.”

Lari, who recovered a few days later, tried to overwork herself, as Charelize had expected. Without giving Charelize a chance to ask anything, she moved here and there.

“My name is Inella Rosa de Pionia, Your Highness.”

“Baroness Pionia, it must have been quite a distance, but thank you for coming this far.”

So, Charelize sent a letter directly to the doctor, who specializes in treating mental illness. Since it was sent directly by Duke Marsetta, the reply came quickly.

“It’s not like that, Your Highness. By the way, where is the person you wrote in the letter?”

Soon after Baroness Pionia arrived at the duchy and immediately looked for Lari.

“Where is Lari?”

“I held her in her room so she couldn’t work today, Your Highness.”

“Guide Baroness Pionia to there.”

“I understand, Your Highness. Please follow me.”

Charelize wanted to make Lari comfortable by doing this.

“Your Highness, Baroness Pionia has something to tell you.”

“I will go there now.”

On that day, Charelize waited anxiously which made her unable to even check the documents. When she heard the treatment was over, Charelize ran straight away.

” Baroness of Pionia.”

“…Your Highness.”

Baroness Pionia bowed her head as soon as she saw Charelize. It meant that things weren’t going well.

“No matter how long I wait… She didn’t speak at all, and I don’t think it’s the time yet.”

“Have you tried anything else?”

“Yes. There is a way to check your mental state by drawing a picture, but when I talk about my daily life brightly and start talking about my past… She quickly reacted sensitively.”

“…I see.”

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.” Baroness Pionia, who failed to fulfill her duties, bowed her head.

Seeing her like that, Charelize waved her hand lightly and replied, “Don’t worry, it’s because I’m in a hurry. It’s not your fault.”

“Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness.”