44 – 44. Faded Gift (3)
In the end, everything was fake.
Even the feeling of injustice at that time.
Even what I said would happen if I was thrown away.
Even what I mentioned in the carriage.
It was nothing more than a trick to manipulate and separate our family.
It was nothing but a hollow lie, and Karsein was once again trying to deceive our family.
So, Flora is determined to thoroughly avenge Karsein.
I don’t know how she managed to win over my older sister Arina, but it was so easy to break that favor.
By tearing up the documents that Karsein should have received and putting them in my older sister’s room, their relationship was easily severed.
It was expected that soon Karsein would feel my older sister’s anger.
Unable to control her anger as she looked at the torn pieces of paper, my older sister clenched her fist and headed somewhere.
I followed her, just in case.
“Where is Karsein?”
There was no maybe.
My older sister was filled with the intention to condemn Karsein.
It’s a satisfying scene.
But at the same time, it also gives me hope.
How will I be punished this time?
How will all my efforts to win favor be trampled upon?
I can’t even imagine.
But I couldn’t help but want to observe the words of the commoner who dared to belong to the Bartrand Duke without even knowing the subject.
It would be satisfying to provoke anger as well.
Flora chuckled and followed behind Arina.
However, it took quite some time.
When I arrived at the room, I couldn’t help but puff my cheeks in frustration.
And when I went to my mother’s room as mentioned by the maid, she had already left a long time ago.
Continuing to secretly follow behind my older sister, who kept asking the servants about Karsein’s whereabouts, I finally caught sight of him nearby.
“Karsein. You were here.”
Arina glared at Karsein fiercely with a voice filled with anger.
I don’t need to look behind to know what will happen next, but still, Flora, who was eager to tease Karsein, hid behind the railing and watched the two of them.
Soon, Arina’s hand rose.
In that moment, Flora was certain that a triumphant feeling, as if she were flying through the sky, would come over her.
-Whack!
The sensation of Arina’s hand, rough and frictional.
Karsein’s cheek turned red.
With an expression that seemed to release all the pent-up frustration, Flora wore a blissful smile.
“Oh. But I can’t let my guard down! I don’t know what cunning words he’ll use to deceive my older sister again!”
Flora nodded her head a couple of times and leaned over the railing, eavesdropping on the conversation.
“No matter how upset or frustrated you are, that’s no excuse. Seeing you disregard someone’s sincerity like this, it seems you haven’t changed either, Carseine.”
“What’s with the rant again?”
“Ha. Still playing dumb. The excuses that come out of your base and dull mind are just the same as ever.”
The scraps of paper that had been crumpled in Arina’s fist flew through the air.
The scraps of paper that she had torn apart were now hardened evidence of Carseine’s fault.
“I’ve acknowledged my mistakes enough. But you, you deceived my sincerity like this. Why, did you not even want to use the permit I gave you to lift the ban? Are you going to lie and say that you don’t have the permit for the practice grounds in your hand?”
Unconsciously, Flora covered her mouth.
At the sound of her older sister’s cold voice, filled with anger.
The anger seemed to penetrate to the very ends of her hair, even shaking her breath. It was hard to see her older sister, who had never lost her dignity, in such a state.
Although she was a bit scared, she still wanted to sneak a peek at Carseine’s reaction.
‘She must be furious, right? She’ll start shouting soon, won’t she?’
But Carseine didn’t show any anger.
She didn’t raise her voice in injustice.
‘What…? Why? Why is there no reaction at all?’
Not even a flicker.
She stared straight ahead without a change in expression.
No, it was more than that.
As if nothing had happened…
Her composed older sister seemed even more indifferent than when dealing with nobles.
“You haven’t changed either. Even after going through such things, you’re doubting yourself.”
“Even though all the evidence points to you behaving that way, are you really saying that?”
Flora made an incomprehensible expression and leaned in closer to listen to their conversation.
And then.
“When did you send it?”
“What?”
“When did you send it to me?”
“In the morning. I instructed Heron to deliver it directly to your room.”
“Then why don’t you ask Heron? Whether it arrived in my room or not.”
A momentary chill passed by.
“…!”
It was brief, but Carsein glanced over here, and Flora clearly met his gaze.
That look.
The one that seemed to see through me as the culprit, just like at the restaurant.
It was just a glance.
Just a slight shift of his eyes in my direction.
But I couldn’t stand that expression.
Flora quickly pulled her face away as if fleeing.
“What, what is it? What’s with that gaze…”
Carsein, eerily, was mocking me while looking at me in that situation.
As if they knew everything.
Their heart raced madly.
“Flora? What are you doing here?”
“Well, big sister…”
Claire, who had just arrived, lowered her waist to meet Flora’s eye level.
Then, at that moment, the voices of the two reached her.
“Is that the voice of my sister and Karsain…?”
Perplexed, Claire hurriedly descended the railing.
And then, she saw it.
“What is this? What happened to you two…?”
Ariana, with a fresh wound on her cheek, and Karsain, glaring at her with fiery eyes.
Claire immediately called for a nearby maid.
“Any of you, go and fetch Shayden and Mother!”
With Claire’s intrusion, a family meeting was once again held in the Bagrand Duchy before long.
***
As Ariana slapped Karsain’s cheek, the attention of the duchy was immediately drawn to them.
The commotion that occurred in the corridor quickly gathered the ears of the maids and servants, and the number of onlookers only increased.
‘How did this happen…’
With a bewildered heart, Claire touched her forehead.
She knew too.
They quickly pushed people aside and led the two into a room, taking measures to prevent the situation from escalating further. However, this was only a temporary solution.
They had just reached a temporary truce, but if they caught even a glimpse of each other, they might start fighting again.
However, Isabella couldn’t be present in this situation.
She had left earlier to manage the territory.
“Mom, please. Please come back as soon as possible…! I’m in big trouble if you don’t! “
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She had ordered someone to call her mother immediately and inform her of the situation, but it was uncertain when she would arrive.
Claire had never expected that she would be the one to mediate between her sister and brother, so she was just rolling her feet impatiently.
In the moment she was rolling her feet impatiently, the door opened.
Claire, who had been anxiously waiting, turned around with joy.
But unfortunately, instead of Isabella, there were other guests at the entrance she had hoped Isabella would come through.
“I heard you called.”
Dr. Shaden, holding a medical bag, had hurriedly come to find them.
Still, it wasn’t all disappointment. There were still traces of blood on Carsein’s mouth, so he hadn’t wiped away all the blood.
Claire immediately asked Shaden to take care of Carsein.
“The injured person is Carsein. When I arrived, he had blood on his mouth. I don’t know what happened since I arrived late, but… it seems like he was hit by my sister.”
“Hmm, there doesn’t seem to be any external wounds that would suggest that, so it seems that the injury was internal. Understood.”
However, Carsein refused.
“It’s not necessary.”
“Carsein, don’t be stubborn.”
“What does a wounded mouth matter in the grand scheme of things?”
What he needed now was someone to prove his innocence, not just a treatment for the wounds in his mouth.
Carsein’s eyes turned towards the door.
Isabella had not yet arrived, but there was still one more person in the room.
It was the steward of the Bagrand Duke.
Carsein brushed off Shaden’s suggestion for treatment and stepped forward, facing Arina head-on.
“Carsein, just stop. Huh? What should we do if you keep fighting with my sister?”
“What should I stop? Is it wrong for me to want to prove my innocence when you come without any reason, suspecting me again?”
Clare, who once had a similar experience herself, couldn’t retort against Carsein’s argument.
“Don’t worry. I’m not someone who raises a hand like anyone else.”
“Don’t act so arrogant. Mother is waiting for your arrival.”
“Why should we wait? We can confirm it right now.”
“Ha.”
Carsein responded with a sneer, staring at Heron.
Arina also let out a cold snort.
Since she came this far, she was determined to see it through to the end.
“Heron. I just have a few questions. You just need to answer them. Is that okay?”
“…Miss.”
“That bastard came out like that, so even I have my limits in holding back.”
A situation where conflicting arguments collide and lead to discord within the family.
Arina firmly states that she wants to resolve this issue decisively. Now, there is no turning back.
“Please answer.”
Heron’s voice sank.
In the face of an obvious future, he responded with a heavy heart.
***
“First, let me ask first. It would be faster to explain the background of why I came here.”
Arina, who had no qualms, requested the floor first.
When Karsein showed a positive silence, she immediately began her questioning.
“Heron, this morning, I handed you a document. Do you remember?”
“Yes. I remember.”
“What order did I give you when I handed you that document?”
“You instructed me to deliver it to Lord Karsein.”
That’s it.
This morning, Arina handed the document to Heron and ordered him to deliver it to Karsein.
Once this fact was confirmed, Arina immediately asked Karsein.
“Are you still going to deny it, Karsein? You ignored my sincerity. Even though there may have been something wrong with you, I tried to take care of it. And that document.”
Arina pointed her finger at the document Karsein held.
“That’s the permit for Mother’s administrative office. You must have received the order to lift the ban from Heron and yet you didn’t accept it and went to Mother to request it. Just the intention alone has already disturbed my heart. Yes. I’ve held it in until now. But.”
-Thump, thud.
Pieces of paper fell from Arina’s hand.
“You completely trampled on my sincerity and tore it apart as if deceiving me. From now on, you have completely crossed the line. Isn’t that right?”
The wall, soaked in anger, trembled.
“If you apologize right now and admit your mistake, I’ll let it go. Karsein.”
Arina said this was the last chance.
She gave him an opportunity, and even in this situation, she sternly warned that if he didn’t ask for forgiveness, she would take action.
But Karsein didn’t ask for forgiveness and stuck to his attitude.
“I’ve said it before, but I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“Ha. You still don’t show any signs of remorse.”
There was also what happened the day before, so even if he asked for forgiveness here, she had intended to let it slide, but Karsein’s stubbornness remained.
She would not show any more mercy.
“Then prove it. Show me how and why you tore this up, which I gave to you with sincerity. And where is the justification for doing so?”
She thought he had become more refined recently.
Not only as a duke, but also in external activities, she thought he had truly matured.
But nothing had changed.
So Arina made a promise.
She would correct Karsein, who was walking the wrong path, right here.
Even if the punishment was quite harsh, she would strictly discipline him without any compromise.
“Is that all?”
Karsein sighed and unfolded his arms.
“The remarks are over. Now it’s my turn to ask, right?”
It’s a predictable future anyway.
Carsein will send a sympathetic look to Heron and make an appeal.
“I clearly gave you an opportunity, Carsein. It’s you who didn’t take it.”
But contrary to her thoughts, Carsein’s question doesn’t go to Heron.
“I will confirm your claim, Arina. You sent me those documents, and I deceived and trampled on your trust, using the pretext of the Snowflake Festival. It’s enough evidence that I received permission to use the training ground from Mother and tore up your documents. Isn’t it?”
Carsein was looking directly at herself, clear and unwavering, as she asked.
“…Yes.”
I agree for now.
I don’t know why she’s mentioning my claim so directly, but there was nothing wrong with her claim.
Then Carsein said something strange.
“Then let me ask one more thing. Have you ever seen a letter from the Duke’s House addressed to me?”
“What?”
The state of the question was strange.
It was difficult to see it as a question that neatly summarizes the claim and evidence.
“What does that have to do with anything? It seems like it’s going off-topic.”
“No. I have never gone off-topic. It seems like a situation where something that should be delivered to me through someone else’s hands has arrived.”
“…What are you talking about, Carsein.”
“Heron. From now on, I command you.”
Looking straight into Arina’s eyes, Carsein asked Heron.
“Mother, announce the truth that only you and I know here.”
At the mention of truth, the attention of the entire family was focused.
Heron tightly closed and opened his eyes.
“Lord Karsenein has not received any of the letters he was supposed to receive personally.”
“What… What are you saying? He hasn’t received any letters?”
Ariana asked, confused.
“I’m telling you the truth. The letters that should have been sent to Lord Karsenein were disappearing somewhere in the Duke’s residence.”
“That’s… That’s absurd!”
Ariana slammed the table and stood up.
“Unless you consider the Duke of Bargrand as a fool, how dare anyone commit such a despicable act…!”
However, her outburst was short-lived.
Recent incidents involving Karsenein came to mind one by one.
The bathtub filled with cold water. Stimulants and sedatives. The water kettle filled with sand.
And…
Kelvia Allergy.
Significant incidents quickly resurfaced in her mind.
Ariana swallowed hard and asked.
“Heron, did you… deliver my documents directly to Karsenein?”
A moment of silence passed.
Heron struggled to open his mouth.
“Because the master was asleep, I couldn’t personally deliver the documents.”
“W-Well, what about the documents? What happened to them? There’s no way you tore them up like that!”
Claire asked about the whereabouts of the documents, but the answer she received was completely unexpected.
“I was instructed to deliver them to the maids in the multipurpose room when the master wakes up.”
“…What did you say?”
A wave of unease washed over Ariana’s chest.