Ch.97As if I Could Ever Apologize

# The Day Before the Head Family Selection

“You brew tea quite well.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

“I assure you, this is no empty compliment. There’s something about it… a warmth that truly touches the heart.”

Inside his mansion on the estate, Kitsune Rokyu was enjoying tea with Sophia, who was still working as his maid.

Of course, he normally had no interest in drinking tea, and as someone with a Beast Hunter constitution, he would typically avoid sitting down to eat or drink with others.

‘This is truly happiness…’

Was this the calm before the storm?

Tomorrow he would likely be torn apart by Kurumi and brought to the brink of death.

Yet looking at the woman sitting across from him, drinking tea together just as he had asked, Rokyu honestly felt he could die without regrets.

So giving her a “gift” seemed only natural, considering she had shown him such happiness.

“Tell me what you want.”

“…Pardon?”

“I’ve known from the beginning that you were planted by Kurumi when you said you came from Korea. So there must be something you want to know from me.”

He had known for some time that she was a Hunter from Korea who worked “under” Kurumi.

Yet he hadn’t driven her away and kept her until the end, which was truly foolish behavior.

‘No regrets.’

Rokyu, who had already reached enlightenment(?), was so completely smitten with her that he would gladly give his life if it meant Sophia could receive more affection from Kurumi.

If he could see her happy face, that would be enough.

Since she would soon return to her master anyway, he was showing kindness by helping her complete her mission.

“…What are you talking about?”

“What do you mean?”

“Planted by Kurumi… Did you think I was some kind of spy for Princess Kurumi?”

“Weren’t you? I was completely convinced you were her subordinate.”

Crack.

At that moment.

Though he wasn’t sure what he’d said wrong, when Sophia’s smiling expression began to crack, Rokyu was startled and hurriedly covered his mouth with both hands.

“S-subordinate?! How could you possibly think I’m that woman’s… I mean, that princess’s subordinate?!”

“You weren’t…? You arrived at the estate almost at the same time as Kurumi, so I thought you were obviously her closest subordinate.”

“We’re not close at all!”

Sophia raised both hands in front of Rokyu, making an X sign to indicate absolute denial.

Me, that thieving woman’s subordinate?

And to say we’re close!

‘I already have Jaewon, but just in case! That woman is definitely my enemy!’

With fierce, glaring eyes, Sophia began ranting about Princess Kurumi to the bewildered Rokyu.

“Hmph! I’m not close to her at all! That girl is so boy-crazy! Can you believe she keeps making moves on a boy I care about like a little brother! There’s a limit to shamelessness!”

“Kurumi did that…? I can hardly imagine it.”

“Anyway! I absolutely hate that woman! I’d rather be on your side, Young Master Rokyu, than hers—I completely despise Princess Kurumi!”

The core of what Sophia was saying was simply that she detested anyone who had their eyes on Shinwoo.

But at the sight of her angry expression and her few words about being better than Kurumi(?).

‘She’s unbearably adorable…!’

Even in this situation, Rokyu, blinded by love, couldn’t even look properly at this adorable angry creature and was averting his gaze when—

“Young Master. A guest has arrived.”

“A guest…?”

The voice of a servant called from beyond the tatami room where he was sitting face-to-face with Sophia.

“Today is the day before the Head Family ceremony. Who could be important enough that I need to meet them personally while I’m managing my condition?”

“…Yes, that is correct.”

“?!”

Who could possibly be visiting him at this timing, right before the bloodbath between direct descendants?

There was a slight tremor in the servant’s voice.

Sensing something ominous, Rokyu had no choice but to rise from his seat.

“…Then I shall go first. Miss Sophia.”

“Ah, yes. Take care, Young Master.”

He couldn’t bring himself to say something like “let’s meet again,” so he simply said goodbye and headed toward the guest room where his visitor was waiting.

And as soon as he opened the sliding door.

Thud!

Rokyu collapsed to his knees.

“W-why are you here…?”

Before him, waiting silently in the room, was his first opponent in tomorrow’s Head Family ceremony.

Kitsune Kurumi had been waiting patiently for her second older brother.

“You’ve arrived, Brother Rokyu.”

“Kurumi…!”

Why were they facing each other already?

Directly harming another direct descendant before the Head Family ceremony was clearly against the rules.

Or perhaps she came to inflict indirect harm since direct harm wasn’t allowed?

For example, like when his parents, whom he barely remembered now, had fed Kurumi poisoned sugar water before an important duel against Kurumi’s parents.

“W-what are you doing here…”

“……”

“Y-you illegitimate child…!”

He had to show strength somehow.

He had to belittle Kurumi somehow.

Hadn’t he always bullied this innocent younger sister, laughing at her, just to avoid being last in the family and to protect his household?

But now… or perhaps, facing Kurumi, who had surpassed him in every way since birth, he couldn’t even imagine what indirect harm she might inflict on him. And if it were—

“Young Master Rokyu.”

If it had anything to do with the only sun illuminating his world, which had recently appeared in his life.

Miss Sophia.

“……”

He was afraid.

Terribly afraid.

Who knew there could be a fear greater than death?

If anything were to happen to Sophia, Rokyu felt he would truly go mad—it would be easier to offer his neck right here.

So what could he do?

“Brother.”

“…! …!!”

He hadn’t even considered begging for forgiveness.

If that would have solved the problem, he wouldn’t be so terrified.

Considering what he had done and what his parents had done to her, such a miraculous thing—

“I will forgive you.”

“…What?”

It seemed utterly impossible.

“So apologize.”

“What… did you just say…”

“I will forgive you. So apologize to me sincerely.”

Her voice was neither arrogant nor condescending, but solemn and calm.

Kurumi sat in the tatami room, saying nothing more, simply waiting.

But unable to respond to this—

“Y-you’ll forgive me?”

“……”

“An illegitimate child like you! I am a direct descendant of the Kitsune family! How dare someone like you try to forgive me!”

“……”

“Don’t make me laugh! Do you think I would beg for my life?!”

He had already pledged his support to Brother Katsuo.

With everything already over, what difference would it make now?

So to protect himself and his people until the end, Rokyu shouted at Kurumi, telling her to leave quickly, but—

“Brother Rokyu. Do you know something?”

“W-what are you talking about?”

“When I was young, I wanted to die several times because of you, Sister Sakura, Brother Katsuo, and others in the family who mistreated me.”

“…!”

“That’s why I came to forgive you first.”

Kurumi simply extended her hand to Rokyu with a sincere expression and spoke once more.

“Did you truly enjoy it back then?”

“…!”

“Did you really do all those things to me just because it was fun? If so, you can just leave the room without taking this hand.”

To say that all those things were fun.

Of course, he had done it to survive.

But why would she, the victim, try to justify those terrible acts that hurt her?

‘Would I feel better if I took that hand?’

No, even if he survived tomorrow, he would soon be branded a traitor and live a life worse than death.

Moreover, it was obvious that everyone in his household except himself would be slaughtered as punishment for losing in the Head Family ceremony.

He shouldn’t take that hand extended like a devil’s whisper.

But.

“I will protect you.”

“…What?”

“Take my hand. And ask me for forgiveness.”

…Grab.

This itself could be a trap.

If he lost Kurumi’s protection after this, all that remained was a terrible end.

But even so.

“I will become the head of the family and change this rotten family.”

At these honeyed words that even Brother Katsuo, who had promised they wouldn’t have to live like this anymore, had never spoken, Rokyu found himself already holding her hand.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Brother.”

“I-I just wanted to live! I was so afraid of being treated like you! I kept insulting you because I was afraid everyone around me would die like your parents and servants! I threatened you! And I deliberately played crueler pranks on you in front of the elders!”

“I know. Brother Rokyu, you always bullied me only when someone else was watching.”

“…! Ah, you knew…”

It was all over.

If he made even the slightest miscalculation now, his life would be extinguished like a candle in the wind.

But at the same time, what was this comfortable feeling?

It truly… truly felt like finally putting down a massive, heavy burden he had been carrying on his back for a very long time.

It was simply refreshing.

“Brother. I will forgive you. So surrender at tomorrow’s Head Family ceremony.”

“…Alright.”

And so, with his face now covered in tears and snot, Rokyu quietly sent off his younger sister whom he no longer needed to torment.

The next day, as promised, he immediately knelt in the underground fighting arena, shouted his surrender as another gesture of apology, and promptly returned to his household after coming back to the surface.

“Nanny. Call all the servants.”

“Young Master…?”

“I have something to say right now.”

Rokyu instructed his nanny, who had cared for him since childhood in place of his parents, to gather all the household servants—nearly a hundred people—in the yard.

And to all his people who had come out from doing laundry, cleaning, or preparing the upcoming dinner.

To all these people who had each been doing their assigned tasks, Rokyu said just one thing:

“From this moment, you are all fired!”

“…Pardon?”

“What did the Young Master just say…”

“F-fired?!”

Leaving only those words behind, Rokyu turned toward the mansion first, as if refusing to hear any response.