episode_0141

‘The current situation is no different from then?’

Isabella opened her eyes wide.

I forgot about it at the time, but…

I remember it clearly now.

The time Heron refers to was just a few months ago.

After the investigation, it was revealed that only the total amount of letters addressed to Karssein was different, meaning that there was more time to talk about it afterwards.

On that day, it was revealed that while Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony day was clearly marked and remembered, Carcein’s birthday was not even clearly marked, let alone remembered.

This was the day Heron expressed his honest feelings while holding up the calendar.

But, there is no difference between then and now? Isabella couldn’t understand.

“I won’t deny that I was wrong back then. But it’s a little bit embarrassing.”

Isabella picks up a calendar in her room and shows it by clearly checking off the two days.

December 31st and January 1st. It was a sign of proof that he remembered that day.

“It doesn’t mean I won’t admit it. I don’t forget that out of all four children, he was the only one with a different level of affection because I built a wall around him. Because it was my fault for being prejudiced. But how can this be the same as then?”

Differences are acknowledged.

But it was different.

There was a clear difference from that day.

“I know what Karssein has been doing. After listening to Her Majesty Princess Arcien’s words, I realized that it was something that deserved praise. So this time, I thought it was definitely worthy of an award and made a proposal. It’s not like I did it on my own just to lighten the mood like I did back then.”

It’s not just about lightening the mood.

I was fully aware of what had happened and wanted to give a reasonable reward rather than blaming the wrongdoing.

Then Heron sighed softly.

“That is the problem. lady. How can you say such contradictory things while ignoring Master Karssein like this?”

“Avoiding?”

“For you, it is not an award. It’s a punishment that brings back nightmares from the past.”

“Heron. What on earth does that mean…?”

Isabella asked again, as if she couldn’t understand.

Then Heron held out a broken picture frame.

Isabella was furious and was breathing heavily.

“This is… someone. Who can make Karssein’s face look like this…! Ha, no. No. There would only be one person who would do something like this. Emma Urnen, you’re a woman whose limbs wouldn’t be enough to tear her apart.”

In the frame, Karsein’s face is crumpled and isolated from the rest of the family.

I never thought there would still be remnants like this left in the dukedom. At the request of the imperial family, a woman who was not enough to complete the six-year civil service examination had to be punished in addition to imprisonment in a dungeon.

“That kind of thing… Yeah. I didn’t know something like this happened to Karssein. So you’re saying I didn’t notice this and was ignoring it?”

“No. Madam.”

“This isn’t even…?”

-Nod.

Heron nodded and pointed toward the outside window.

“Cherry blossoms in the background and a family on an outing. And even painting portraits. Isn’t it really similar?”

“Similar…? What is that…”

Isabella’s eyes, which were about to fall into doubt again, were momentarily colored with empty darkness.

The blue eyes began to tremble and began to alternately look at the cherry blossom petals and the picture frame pointed at by Heron.

-thud!

Did my body collapse, or did my heart crash and fall?

Something unidentifiable made a loud noise.

“Wow, wow…!”

“Madam…”

“Oh my god… I… Did I forget that…?”

Soon Isabella stumbled and leaned against the wall.

Shayden looked at Isabella with sad eyes and gently closed his eyes.

And the Heron.

“If you hadn’t really been ignoring Master Karssein, you would have noticed it a long time ago. It is not strange that you are extremely disgusted by this situation itself.”

The cane was more stinging than before.

***

Sunny spring day.

It was a day when the weather was perfect to go outside and see the cherry blossoms.

The duke’s picnic began with a bout of injustice.

-I guess there’s no need for a family portrait.

-It’s okay if you’re just having fun. I also like some portraits.

-I hate him! I don’t like it! Why would you draw a family portrait with a child who is not even part of your family?!

Everyone drew a line.

He expressed his refusal by saying that there was no need to draw a family portrait or that he was reluctant to do so.

Some people even poured out verbal abuse, openly saying they didn’t like it.

Because no one wanted Karssein to be involved in the family.

Because I didn’t want anyone to see Carcein in the portrait.

Because I didn’t want to accept him as family.

So, in the one portrait drawn under this warm spring sun, no one was smiling.

Even though time was delayed due to this blatant bullying, no new opportunities were created.

After a short break, we were covered in dust instead of cherry blossom petals, so we no longer looked like we could fit into the family picture frame.

And I am willing to accept that.

-mother. Since we can’t help it, let’s draw it ourselves.

I grabbed this opportunity quickly.

-I need to fill the rest of the frame. There’s nothing we can do about Karsein, but isn’t it possible to fill in a personal portrait?

-You’re right. I think it’s right to draw a portrait of the four of us right now.

-me too! i think so too!

He desperately tried to separate Karssein from his family’s place.

Every single person.

And it was a successful success.

There was not a single portrait with Carcein’s face in the ducal family.

Moreover, Karssein’s face was not displayed in the frame.

Right on that day.

This was because the three sisters openly treated Karsein as not a family member and separated her from him.

“And again… only to Karsein…”

Flora, who was reminded of the day’s events by her younger sister Claire, clenched the hem of her skirt.

I don’t need to say more.

Because I ostracized my family, not anyone else.

“You know what she’s trying to say, right?”

“…Yes.”

Flora, who was holding onto the hem of her skirt, cried out in the affirmative.

“Portraits… shouldn’t be drawn. No, we shouldn’t have come here in the first place. Something like that… Sister?”

“Yes. Flora.”

“Araseo. By the way, my sister.”

Sniff, sniff.

Flora tried to wipe her tears with her sleeve, as if trying to stop herself from crying again.

“Mom, I had high expectations for today… What should I do with this?”

“…”

It’s just as Flora said.

If he wanted to return to the Duke’s residence without having his portrait painted, he had to first persuade his mother who suggested this spring outing.

It was true that the family went on an outing with high expectations, but considering that they came here to replace the duke’s portrait and engrave a new picture in the frame, persuasion will not be easy.

Perhaps, it will be stubbornly rejected.

This spring outing itself was prepared for Karssein.

Claire smiled and gently stroked Flora’s head.

“Unni will explain it well to mom. Don’t worry Flora. In no case, my sister will get scolded.”

You will be scolded a lot. I deliberately took advantage of Karsein’s absence to draw the current portrait. Knowing that they weren’t even treated as family, it’s not surprising that they went on a rampage.

However, this is an issue that needs to be addressed directly.

Even if I was prepared to break my heart to my mother, I had to explain everything that happened that day.

Because it was Karssein who was really hurt.

Today must have been an extremely disgusting time for Karssein.

“Shouldn’t we all be scolded together…?”

“No. My sister made the biggest mistake.”

Cherry blossom hairpin.

Considering that he received it from Karssein, the person who should be scolded the most was himself.

“Now, let’s follow your sister’s instructions and go into the room called Flor?”

“…Ara write.”

I was wondering what would happen if I refused here too. Fortunately, Flora has changed a lot since then.

After taking Flora, who was sobbing and crying again, to her room.

Without hesitation, Claire headed straight to the place where her mother Isabella was.

-smart.

“Mom. I have something to tell you, can I come in for a moment?”

After a brief pause, the words “come in.” rang softly in the room.

After taking a deep breath outside, Claire entered the room where Isabella was.

When I had to confess what I had done wrong, my eyes naturally turned downward.

Still, let me get straight to the point.

“Mom. I think we should not draw portraits.”

It is inevitable that you will ask why.

Claire was prepared and waiting for Isabella’s answer.

“…and so on.”

“Huh?”

However, Claire asked back with a puzzled expression at the unexpected answer.

“Mom. What did you just say…?”

“I thought it was my bias to think that Karssein would enjoy drawing portraits.”

“…”

Claire looks at Isabella with her mouth slightly open.

Now I can see my mother’s face in those eyes.

There was deep sorrow in Isabella’s eyes.

It was only a few hours ago that I was smiling brightly before departure.

It hasn’t even been a few minutes since I looked so bright after going on an outing.

Now, I was lamenting that my appearance had changed 180 degrees.

‘Mom knows too.’

Claire also vaguely noticed.

“I… brought that child here without even knowing it had happened. How could this be…”

How did you not know that?

You won’t know unless someone tells you.

It’s not Arina. Flora took me there herself. Claire has just arrived here.

There is no way Karssein would have brought up this story himself.

So that means someone else knows about this.

‘Who on earth…?’

Claire’s thoughtful eyes suddenly turn to the table.

There was a broken picture frame lying there.

‘This is it.’

I wonder who did this, but since the picture frame was ordered from the Duke’s house, I was able to guess the culprit.

But none of that mattered.

The appearance of the dukedom was intact.

To be exact, it was the day when Karcein was not recognized as family.

My lips are bitten by the incontinence that seems to have created a borderline.

Claire was almost out of breath as she looked at her sisters’ appearance contrasting with the crumpled Carcein.

But now I have a chance to be honest.

“That. It’s my fault. Mom.”

Claire did not miss this opportunity and confessed her mistake.

One by one.

Details without being buried.

He admitted his mistakes without exception.

He also added that he came here with the intention of confessing everything.

“…Okay. That’s what I said.”

Isabella, who had been pounding her chest in a long silence, opened her mouth in a quiet voice.

“In the end, this is our mother and daughter’s fault. You know it well, right? Claire.”

“…Yes.”

“So let’s do it like this. I feel like I want to go back to the Duke’s residence right away, but the symposium is opening soon. I’m going to leave Karssein alone as much as possible and just look at our schedule. What do you think?”

“I agree.”

“Then you tell Flora. I will tell Arina.”

Actually, there’s no need to tell Flora about this, but…

What more is there to say?

Claire nodded, thinking this was best.

It was the moment when the portrait schedule was cancelled.

***

I realized it too late, but the sun was up when I came to my senses.

During a day when it wasn’t strange for anyone to come visit me, I was doing various things and the day had passed by.

“Uh… Master?”

“Why.”

“Can I ask if you got some sleep?”

I answered harshly.

“I slept.”

“That means the pillows and blankets are in the same condition as they were yesterday…”

“People can live their daily lives just by taking a nap.”

Camilla asks desperately, looking anxious.

“Master Karssein. I’m worried that my body will break down. It’s better to close your eyes even just a little…”

“I don’t have time for that.”

As a perfect clear reward, I received one day.

But even then, the work is never over.

Management of Ruthmire Estate.

Preparing for the upcoming Chatrene territory.

Keeping other families in check and securing property for sale.

Organizing information collected according to economic conditions.

Since there was a considerable amount of paperwork up to this point, it was better to take a nap like this to shorten the time between calculating and organizing the money spent at the ducal house and going out.

Then Camilla quickly covered the document I was writing.

“…?”

Camilla sighed even as I looked at her, asking her what she was doing.

“I’m sorry, Master. I am your personal maid. It is also my job to manage the health of the host I serve.”

“It’s pointless meddling.”

“…If you keep doing this, will we take special measures?”

“Special measures?”

“Yes. This is a truly special measure that you can never refuse.”

Contrary to the polite way of putting your hands together, you somehow feel pressure from your mouth.

-Tiring!

‘huh?’

▶Camilla’s intimacy increases.◀

[Current figure: 60%]

…What kind of situation is this again?

I really don’t know about this game.

But… they said they would take special measures, but where could such a thing be?

I thought I should just pretend to listen and deal with the rest later.

Right then.

▶A specific character will come to you.◀

▶ Choices may arise. ◀

“Carsein. Can I come in for a moment?”

Isabella came to visit.