Chapter 24: Alice (2)

“Mom, just a second. Just a second, I’m feeling a bit dizzy right now, so I need to take a few deep breaths.”

You said you wouldn’t be back until late evening. Elena.

“No, that… I know that Mom is having a really hard time and needs comfort. Right? So…”

You said the transportation from the Academy here is limited and slow, so even if I came early, I wouldn’t arrive until dusk. Elena.

“No, that… Who is that person? Huh? No, Mom. Even if that person is trash, this is a bit… Isn’t it too sudden? Too soon. Huh?”

So you said I could take my time preparing and welcoming the guest. Elena.

“Alice. Please listen to me. Evan isn’t as strange as you think.”

Elena avoided my gaze and pretended not to notice. She, the mastermind behind this whole mess, walked nonchalantly into the kitchen as if intending to completely ignore the mishap caused by her miscalculation. The sound of her gathering a tray and putting water on the stove could be heard.

“Evan? Did you just say Evan? I’ve heard that name before. There’s a man who came in as a slave. Wait a minute, did you just call him Evan? The person who was just making out with Mom is a slave?”

Isabel seemed like she was trying to explain me in a good light. However, Isabel hadn’t even bothered to remove the lipstick from her lips, her front was haphazardly buttoned, making her look sloppy, and her hastily tied hair looked as disheveled as someone who’d just woken up.

Her lips were glossy, and her face still had a flush. It was impossible for her to rationally persuade Alice in that state.

“Yes, y-yes, it’s the Evan you know.”

“Mom!”

Alice was a woman who bore no resemblance to Isabel. Unlike the gentle and frail-looking Isabel, her eyes slanted upwards like a fox’s from the corners, giving her a fierce impression, and her hair was red. Her hair, hastily braided for studying at the Academy, swayed back and forth whenever she moved, and her chest was meager, hinting at an unfortunate past.

And when she yelled like that, Isabel flinched and fidgeted like a student being scolded. I wanted to escape this awkward situation, but I could neither stand up nor sit comfortably.

“A-Alice…”

“Mom! Why are you seeing a slave? Huh? Are you crazy? Mom. More than half of slaves are trash. They’re scammers who are after your fortune, aiming for social climbing, trying to rip off naive people like you!”

In a way, she might have been right, so I subtly averted my gaze. Isabel shook her head and said.

“You shouldn’t talk like that, Alice. Evan is a good person.”

“Mom, you’re being deceived! Huh? Do you know how many people I’ve seen at the Academy get their fortunes ripped off and scammed by slaves? Guys who are even moderately good-looking, they just use their faces like weapons, flaunting them around!”

Shouting was going back and forth in front of me. Elena glanced towards the kitchen, and when her eyes met mine, she turned her head away and started baking cookies again. I let out a hollow laugh out of disbelief, and Isabel, hearing Alice’s excessive verbal abuse, said firmly.

“Alice. Evan is the person who stayed by my side when Elena and I were having a hard time. He’s the one who taught me about love, something I never felt during my marriage with Carlson. It makes me sad when you talk like that, Alice. Huh? Can’t you understand your mother?”

Isabel wasn’t the only one putting on a sad face. Alice, with a tearful expression, shook her head and said.

“No, Mom. What do you lack that you’d fall in love with a slave? Huh? Mom, you deserve to be happier. Once I graduate and get a good job, I’ve already planned a place for us to live. I’ll introduce you to many better men who suit you. Huh? That person isn’t around anymore, right? Huh? Mom, let’s be a little more rational. You’ll regret it if you marry him like this!”

“Alice. Do you hate it so much that Mom is meeting someone she loves? Mom, after all the hardships I went through by his side, can’t you understand this one thing? Alice. Evan isn’t the kind of person you think he is.”

Every time Isabel spoke firmly, Alice jumped up and down or shook her head vigorously, hitting her chest. Acting like she was choking on the bread she’d hastily eaten, she yelled again.

“No, Mom! Ah…! Really! Unnie! Elena Unnie!”

Finally, the blame shifted to Elena. Pretending not to know, she was transferring cookies to a plate when she jumped up in surprise and rushed out of the kitchen. She said with a smile, her face clearly showing her bewilderment.

“Why, what’s wrong, Alice?”

“Unnie! Do you think the same way? Are you really going to let our Mom marry a slave?”

Isabel’s and my gazes turned to Elena simultaneously. Elena smoothed her blonde hair, rolled her eyes, and said.

“Alice. Evan isn’t that bad of a person.”

“No, why are you acting like this too, Unnie? He’s from a slave background! What makes you trust him so much! I can’t accept this! No, after Mom, I, and Unnie went through so much hardship together, how can you even think about letting Mom marry a slave? Huh? Isn’t that too much? I studied my heart out to give Mom and Unnie a life of luxury, and this is what I get?”

I couldn’t say a word. The moment I said anything, this situation would spiral out of control and go completely haywire. Alice’s face was flushed bright red, and tears had welled up in her eyes.

I could understand her anger. I was glad the crazy father had died, but now having to call a slave she didn’t even know ‘Dad’ was bound to make her furious. I just waited for Isabel and Elena to resolve this situation themselves.

Amidst the bewildering and sudden situation, it was Isabel who managed to sort things out. After being swept up in Alice’s anger for a while, unable to act either way, she regained her composure, tidied her clothes, and called out to Alice in a low voice.

“Alice.”

“No, I really don’t understand! So…”

“Alice.”

When her name was called twice, Alice reluctantly shut her mouth. However, her eyes were still full of dissatisfaction, and every time our eyes met, she made me uncomfortable. As Alice sat down quietly, Isabel said.

“I understand how you feel, Alice. But you seem a bit agitated right now. You must have been quite shocked seeing such an unsightly scene, right?”

Alice nodded silently. Isabel said to Alice.

“Why don’t you sleep on it and we can talk again tomorrow? Evan isn’t the wicked person you think he is. He’s been so good to us.”

“That’s right. Alice. Calm down a little.”

Alice’s expression, which had been nodding, changed subtly, and she threw a sharp glance again.

“…..Us?”

Elena avoided her gaze, and Isabel pursed her lips. For a brief moment, the two exchanged glances, and then Isabel spoke.

“…He helped Elena a lot with her work. Even though Carlson beat him, he did the work of three people and always comforted us.”

“That’s right. He was really helpful… Um… Yes. That’s right.”

Alice looked back and forth between the two with a strange gaze, then sighed deeply. As soon as Alice looked away, Elena went to the kitchen, let out a sigh of relief, and wiped her sweat.

Alice covered her head with her hands, shook it back and forth, then looked back at Isabel and said.

“Mom. I really want to understand, I truly do. Huh? But… I think Mom is making a wrong judgment because she’s having a hard time right now.”

“Alice…”

Isabel looked at Alice with a regretful expression. Alice stood up from her chair and said.

“Like Mom said. I’ll take a day to cool my head and think about it. That… You, are you still a slave?”

Isabel answered for me.

“He’s a free citizen. I tore up his slave documents after Carlson died.”

Alice had a complex expression. Her eyes showed a variety of emotions that couldn’t be described in a single word.

“That… I’m truly grateful for you helping Mom and Elena while I was away. However, I still can’t accept you and Mom getting married. If you truly love Mom and want to become ‘our’ family, please wait a little longer.”

I nodded. Alice rubbed her eyes and turned away. Opening an unused door on the first floor, she said.

“I’m going to go in and rest for a bit.”

The door closed.

As soon as the door closed, we simultaneously let out sighs of relief and wiped our sweat. Isabel said in a small voice.

“Even though she looks like that, she’s a good kid. Please understand.”

“…I have to understand. By the way, she’s pretty.”

“Isn’t she?”

Isabel said that with a smile. I said.

“But, tonight, I guess I have to sleep in the attic, right?”

Isabel nodded with a look of regret.

“Can’t be helped. But once she sorts out her thoughts, Alice will accept you as family too. She’s a good kid.”

“Right. She’s a good kid.”

I nodded and closed my eyes.

And that night. I was looking at the stars while stroking my cock. Connecting the stars that adorned the sky, the portrait of the woman I loved emerged. Isabel’s white skin. Elena’s breasts. Lumia’s buttocks.

As I poured my love into each star and clenched my fist, my throbbing cock trembled and spurted out white tears. Today, I added Alice’s face to the portrait of stars I was drawing.

How beautiful would it be when she, whom I despised and hated, finally allowed me her body? Just imagining it made my lower body stiffen and my breathing grow rough. As I pleasured myself several times, pressing my body tightly against the window frame, I heard a knock on the window.

Knock knock knock

“Could you open the window?”

She had purple skin, and her eyes shone like rubies. Her large breasts were shamelessly exposed by a single piece of cheap lingerie, and her flowing hair shimmered in various colors reflecting the light.

I pulled up my pants, and the demon said with a smile.

“I’ve come to say goodbye today.”