episode_0044

In the end, everything was fake.

Even the sense of injustice felt at that time.

And what was said about what would happen if one was cast out.

Even the things mentioned in the carriage.

It was nothing but a trick to sow discord and separate our family.

Just empty lies, Karsein once again tried to deceive our family.

So Flora is determined to hold Karsein accountable.

I don’t know how she managed to win over big sister Arina, but breaking that favoritism was all too easy.

By tearing up the documents that Karsein should have received and placing them in big sister’s room, their relationship easily fell apart.

It was expected that Karsein would soon feel big sister’s anger.

Unable to contain her frustration as she looked at the torn scraps of paper, big sister clenched a fistful from the basket and headed somewhere.

Just to be sure, I followed her.

“Where is Karsein?”

There was no uncertainty.

Big sister was full of thoughts of condemning Karsein.

A scene that pleases the heart.

But at the same time, it also arouses anticipation.

How will she be punished this time?

How will the efforts she made to win favor be trampled?

It’s hard to imagine.

However, watching the commoner who dared to try to belong to the Bagrandt dukedom without even knowing the subject matter made Flora want to see more.

Provoking anger seemed satisfying in its own way.

With a mischievous smile, Flora followed Arina.

However, it took quite some time.

When they reached the room, they puffed up their cheeks wondering where she had gone.

Following the maid’s directions to find mother’s room, it had been a long time since she had left.

Continuing to ask the servants about Karsein’s whereabouts, big sister searched around, and then, secretly following her, I saw him appear nearby.

“Karsein. You were here.”

Arina glared fiercely at Karsein with an angry voice.

Although it’s obvious what happened next, still, hoping to tease Karsein, Flora hid behind the railing and watched the two.

Soon Arina’s hand rose.

Flora was certain that a triumphant feeling akin to flying to the sky would come at that moment.

– Smack!

Arina’s hand struck Karsein’s cheek roughly.

His cheek reddened from the blow.

With a relieved expression as if all the pent-up frustration had dissipated, Flora smiled happily.

“Oh. But I shouldn’t let my guard down! Who knows what kind of sweet talk he’ll use to deceive big sister again!”

Nodding her head twice, Flora leaned against the railing, eavesdropping on their conversation.

“No matter how sad or upset you are, don’t disrespect someone’s sincerity like this. Seeing you ignore people’s feelings like this, you haven’t changed either, Karsein.”

“What’s your problem again.”

“Hah. Still being ignorant. The excuses coming from your vulgar and dull mind are still the same.”

The torn scraps of paper crumpled by Arina’s fist flew through the air.

The pieces she had torn herself were now solidifying into clear evidence of Karsein’s wrongdoing.

“I’ve admitted my mistakes enough. But you deceived my sincerity like this. Why didn’t you want to use the permit revocation document I sent? Are you going to lie that you didn’t even receive the permit for the smoke gun you’re holding?”

Without realizing it, Flora covered her mouth.

At the sight of big sister’s cold voice filled with anger.

Her breath even trembled to the tip of her head. It was difficult to see big sister lose her composure, as she had never done so before.

Feeling a bit intimidated, but still wanting to check Karsein’s reaction, Flora listened in while peeking over the railing.

“She must be furious, right? She’ll shout any moment now, won’t she?”

However, Karsein showed no sign of anger.

Raising her voice, she didn’t even scream in injustice.

“What…? Why? Why isn’t there any reaction?”

Without a hint of wavering.

Staring straight ahead without a change in expression.

No. It was more than that.

As if nothing had happened…

She seemed more indifferent than when dealing with nobles.

“You never change. How many times do I have to go through this before even I start doubting myself.”

“Despite all the evidence pointing to your actions, are you really saying that?”

Flora made an incomprehensible expression and leaned in closer to eavesdrop on their conversation.

And.

“When did you send it?”

“What?”

“When did you send that to me?”

“In the morning. I ordered Heron to deliver it directly to your room.”

“Then why don’t you ask Heron? Whether it arrived in my room or not.”

A moment of eerie chill passed.

…!

It was fleeting, but Carcine glanced over here, and Flora clearly met his eyes.

That look.

The gaze that seemed to see through you as if you were the culprit, as seen in the restaurant.

Just a glance.

Just a slight shift of the eyes in this direction.

She couldn’t bear to look at that expression.

Flora quickly withdrew her face as if fleeing.

“What, what is it? What’s with that look…”

Eerily, Carcine smirked at her in that situation.

As if he knew everything.

Her heart raced madly.

“Flora? What are you doing here?”

“Well, big sister…”

Just as Claire arrived, she bent down to Flora’s eye level.

At that moment, their voices reached her.

“Is that the voices of Sister and Carcine…?”

Perplexed, Claire hurriedly descended the railing.

And then she saw it.

“What’s going on with them…”

Caracine with a freshly marked cheek wound and Arina glaring at him fiercely.

Claire immediately called a nearby maid.

“You, go and bring Shayden and Mom!”

With Claire’s sudden entrance, another family meeting was convened at the Vagrant Marquis’s estate.

***

As Arina slapped Carcine’s cheek, the attention of the Marquis’s household immediately turned to them.

The commotion in the hallway quickly gathered the attention of maids and servants, and the number of onlookers grew.

‘How did this happen…’

Claire rubbed her forehead with a troubled heart.

She knew too.

After quickly removing people and guiding the two to a room to prevent the situation from escalating further, she knew it was only a temporary solution.

They had momentarily reached a truce, but if they caught each other’s eye for even a moment, they might start fighting again.

But Isabella couldn’t be here.

She had left to manage the estate, so she couldn’t come right away.

‘Mom, please. Please come quickly…! This could turn into a big problem!’

She instructed a servant to inform her mother of the situation, but it was uncertain when she would arrive.

Never expecting to mediate between her older sister and younger brother, Claire paced nervously.

And in that moment of waiting.

The door opened.

Claire, who had been anxiously waiting, turned around with joy in her heart.

Unfortunately, instead of Isabella, other guests had arrived at the entrance where she hoped Isabella would appear.

“I heard you calling.”

The attending physician Shayden hurriedly arrived with his medical bag.

Nevertheless, Claire wasn’t entirely disappointed. Blood still stained Carcine’s lips, indicating that he hadn’t finished cleaning up.

Claire immediately asked Shayden to tend to Carcine.

“The injured person is Carcine. When I arrived, he had blood on his lips. I came late, so I’m not sure, but… it seems like he was hit by my sister.”

“Hmm. Since there are no visible wounds on the outside, it seems like the wound is inside the mouth. Understood.”

However, Karsein refused.

“Not necessary.”

“Karsein, stop being stubborn.”

“What’s the big deal about a wound in the mouth?”

What he needed now was someone to prove his innocence, not treatment for the sudden wound in his mouth.

Karsein’s eyes turned towards the door.

Isabella hadn’t arrived yet, but there was one more person in the room.

It was the steward of the Viscount Bagrand.

Ignoring Hayden’s suggestion for treatment, Karsein stepped forward and confronted Arina head-on.

“Heron must have come too. Shall we talk straight now?”

“Karsein, stop it. Huh? What do you gain from fighting with your sister?”

“What should I stop? You came here without any reason and once again suspect me out of the blue, so is it wrong for me to want to prove my innocence properly?”

Once Claire herself had experienced such a situation, she couldn’t retort to Karsein’s argument.

“Don’t worry. I’m not one to raise my hand like anyone else.”

“Don’t act so arrogantly. Mother is waiting to arrive.”

“Why wait? It can be confirmed right now.”

“Hmph.”

Karsein, sneering, stared at Heron.

Arina also sniffed as if she were stunned.

Since things had come to this point, she decided to see it through to the end.

“Heron, I’ll ask you a few things. Just answer here. Okay?”

“…Miss.”

“That brat is pushing it too far for me to bear.”

Clashing arguments that could lead to discord within the family.

Arina insisted on definitively resolving this issue. It was now irreversible.

“Answer honestly.”

Heron’s voice sank.

In a clearly foreseeable future, he answered heavily.

***

“Let me ask first. It would be quicker to explain the circumstances before stating why I came here.”

Ariana, who had no objections, requested the floor first.

Seeing Karsein’s affirmative silence, she began her questioning.

“Heron, this morning I handed you a document. Do you remember?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“What instructions did I give you when handing over that document?”

“You instructed me to deliver it to Lord Karsein.”

That’s it.

This morning, Ariana handed a document to Heron, instructing him to deliver it to Karsein.

Once this fact was confirmed, Ariana immediately asked Karsein.

“Even after this, will you deny it, Karsein? You disregarded my sincerity. Although I may have done something wrong to you, I tried to take care of it. And that document.”

Ariana pointed to the document Karsein held with her finger.

“It’s Mother’s permission to use the ceremonial sword. You must have received the authorization release certificate from Heron, but by going to Mother instead of receiving it, your intention already touched my nerves. Yes, I endured up to this point. However.”

-Pluck, pluck.

Pieces of paper fell from Ariana’s hand.

“You completely trampled on my sincerity and tore this apart as if deceiving me. From here, you’ve clearly crossed the line. Isn’t that so?”

The angry walls trembled.

“If you apologize now, I’ll let it go. Karsein.”

Ariana said this was the last chance.

She warned sternly that if he didn’t ask for forgiveness even in this situation, then punishment would follow.

However, Karsein remained unrepentant and stuck to his attitude.

“I’ve been saying this all along. I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Hah. Even now, you show no sign of remorse.”

Considering what happened the day before, she was willing to overlook it if he asked for forgiveness here, but Karsein’s stubbornness persisted.

There would be no further mercy granted.

“Then prove it. Why did you tear apart what I delivered to you, showing some sincerity? And where is the justification for that.”

I thought he had become much more refined recently.

Not only as a duke but also in external activities, I really thought he had matured.

But nothing had changed.

So Arina made a resolution.

That she would correct Karsein, who was on the wrong path, right here.

Even if the punishment is quite severe, she will strictly discipline him without any compromise.

“Is that all?”

Karsein asked with a sneer, unfolding his arms.

“The statement is over. Now it’s my turn to ask, right?”

It’s an obvious future anyway.

Karsein will send a sympathetic look to Heron and appeal.

“I clearly gave you an opportunity, Karsein. It’s you who didn’t seize that opportunity.”

But contrary to her thoughts, Karsein’s question does not address Heron.

“I will verify your claim, Arina. You sent me those documents, and I used the excuse of the Snowflake Festival to deceive and trample on your sincerity. By obtaining permission to use the ceremonial grounds from Mother and tearing up your documents, there is sufficient evidence of this. Isn’t that right?”

Karsein was asking clearly, staring at himself without a hint of hesitation.

“…Yes.”

She affirms first.

She doesn’t know why he mentioned her claim accurately, but there was nothing wrong with that claim.

Upon this, Karsein said something peculiar.

“Then I’ll ask one more thing. Have you ever seen the letters that come to me from the duke?”

“What?”

The state of the question was strange.

It was difficult to see this question as neatly summarizing claims and evidence and coming out.

“Why does that matter now? It seems like it’s straying from the given topic.”

“No. I have never strayed from the topic. It seems like a situation where something that should have arrived through someone else’s hands has not arrived yet, right?”

“…What are you talking about, Karsein.”

“Heron. I command you from now on.”

Looking straight into Arina’s eyes, Karsein asked Heron.

“Announce the truth that only Mother and you know here.”

The word “truth” drew everyone’s attention.

Heron blinked his eyes repeatedly.

“Lord Karsein has not received all the letters that were supposed to be delivered directly to him so far.”

“That… What do you mean? He hasn’t received the letters.”

Thinking she misunderstood, Arina asked.

“It’s as I told you. The letters that were supposed to be directed to Lord Karsein were disappearing somewhere in the mansion.”

“Ridiculous!”

Arina slammed the table and stood up.

“How dare anyone commit such a despicable act without seeing Duke Vagrand as water…!”

But her shouting was brief.

Recent events involving Karsein began to come to mind one by one.

A cold bath filled with water. Stimulants and irritants. A water jug filled with sand.

And…

Kelvia allergy.

Significant incidents surfaced rapidly.

After swallowing hard, Arina asked.

“Heron. Did I… deliver my documents directly to Karsein?”

A moment of silence passed.

Heron struggled to speak.

“Since you were asleep, you couldn’t deliver those documents directly.”

“So, what about the documents? You wouldn’t have torn them up like that!”

Claire asked about the whereabouts of the documents, but the response revealed unknown details.

“To the maids in the utility room, it was ordered to inform Lord Karsein when he woke up.”

“…What?”

A wave of intense emotions surged in Arina’s chest.