chapter 06
“But you see, as you’ve heard, Serena had all her money stolen and even got hurt. I’ll do my best to find the culprit myself, but, hmm… hmm… now I don’t even have enough to pay for the carriage fare.”
“Oh, I see. Understood. That must be really troublesome for you.”
“Phew… More importantly, Serena is a girl. What if she ends up with a scar on her face…”
Ashbel brushed Serena’s hair back down over her shoulders, subtly emphasizing her injuries.
Even though he had claimed earlier that he would handle things on his own, he now used Serena as an excuse to demand money.
Despite his contradictory behavior, Jeremy showed no sign of displeasure.
On the contrary, he nodded gladly, saying he was happy there was something he could help with.
“Yes, of course. There’s nothing to worry about. Let me check the emergency funds I can provide immediately.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It would trouble me as well if my brother suffered from an unexpected misfortune.”
Jeremy held his older brother’s hand reassuringly.
Seeing the sincere concern on his younger brother’s face moved Ashbel deeply.
“Jeremy… I really can only rely on you. I’m sorry for being a hopeless older brother. I’m always grateful to you.”
“No, it’s nothing. I’m just glad I can be of some help to you like this. If you need anything else, please don’t hesitate to ask. Taking care of our family is also my responsibility.”
Before he could finish speaking, Daisy raised her hand.
“Uncle! I’m hungry…!”
Considering how long the conversation had gone on, she had held back longer than usual.
Still, it was a little embarrassing. Caroline frowned as if she didn’t want to deal with the girl.
Rianna blushed and pulled Daisy’s arm.
“Hey, what is she saying right now…?”
“No, it’s understandable. You must be tired from the long journey and waiting outside for so long. Since it’s dinner time, it’s natural to be hungry. I feel the same way myself.”
Fortunately, Jeremy didn’t mind again.
He found Daisy’s childlike whining cute and just let out a light laugh.
“Then, can we go to the dining room now? My legs hurt too…”
“Yes, you must be tired. Go ahead. Tell them to prepare the meal and make sure there’s no inconvenience for you.”
At Jeremy’s words, the servants quickly dispersed to carry out their duties, bowing respectfully.
Afterward, Jeremy looked back at Ashbel.
In his eyes, there was a warm affection for his family, despite Ashbel’s shortcomings.
“I’ll be going to the office for a moment. I hope you have an enjoyable meal.”
“I’ll come with you. That’ll finish faster. Since my daughter caused this, I can’t leave it all to you.”
“Yes, let’s do that.”
Smiling broadly, Ashbel hurried to follow Jeremy.
He looked genuinely pleased to receive money without hearing a single complaint.
As soon as the two disappeared deeper into the mansion, Serena let out the tension that had been built up in her shoulders.
‘…Is it over now?’
She had worried something huge might happen, but it ended surprisingly easily, leaving her oddly uneasy.
Her family, capable of causing massive trouble even alone, had now all been mobilized.
She felt like a mansion pillar might have to collapse for her to feel, “Ah, so that’s how it is,” and finally relax.
‘By the way, my uncle seems like a really good person. Even if he lost all his living expenses gambling, he would probably have given money without a word.’
She had assumed that everyone would be worthless like her father, but far from it—they were full of camaraderie, with not even a hint of a quarrel.
Moreover, living in such a grand mansion with countless servants, he didn’t seem stingy enough to cut even a few coins of living expenses.
‘Did I miss something?’
Had she forgotten some detail?
Serena crossed her arms and pondered.
Yes, maybe it was a problem with someone else. Many people lived here, including the Count and Countess of Roselantis.
‘It wasn’t a fight with grandpa or grandma, was it? …No, no. Even if Dad is worthless, he wouldn’t do something like that.’
If it had been that kind of filth, they wouldn’t just reduce the allowance—they’d have been sent off to some remote, unknown island.
‘Then who could it be…’
Images of the next Countess of Roselantis and her children popped into Serena’s mind.
But she had always argued with them before, and even if they had, it wouldn’t result in reduced allowances.
‘…So, really, the issue was resolved just because I covered up Dad’s mistake?’
One of the incidents that had nearly destroyed the household was resolved this easily? The house had almost fallen apart because they couldn’t handle such a simple thing?
Unable to believe it, she was deep in thought when Rianna pinched Daisy’s cheek.
“Do you have no sense of dignity? Why would you say such embarrassing things?”
“Ah! Mom! It hurts! I told you I’m really hungry and almost starved to death!”
“You won’t die from missing a meal! Who did you take after?”
“Everyone says I take after you, Mom!”
Daisy opened her eyes wide and retorted.
Rianna snorted and laughed.
“Make sense! You take after your dad.”
“No, I don’t! People even said I don’t take after Dad at all!”
“Oh my, who says that? You both look exactly like your father!”
Daisy pouted as Rianna continued to deny it.
The trivial argument went on, childish and petty.
Serena sighed.
‘To me, they both take after him. The face is from Mom, the personality from Dad.’
As the quarrel continued, Caroline got annoyed.
“Ah, it’s so embarrassing to walk with you all…!”
Wanting to get even a few steps away from her family, Caroline quickly walked into the mansion.
“Caroline! Go slower! What if you fall?”
“Sis! Come with me!”
Of course, as Rianna and Daisy chased after her, it didn’t help.
‘See, even that is the same,’ Serena thought, shaking her head. She was still the only normal one in this household.
‘Come to think of it, it’s strange. Why am I the only sane one?’
It would have been easier if she had lived carelessly like the rest of her family.
‘Could it be… I was picked up from somewhere else…?’
She had wondered this before. Maybe that’s why they hate me so much.
But thinking a little, there was no way her parents—who cared for neither outsiders nor their own family’s welfare—had done anything remarkable.
‘No, even I’m not normal for having these pointless thoughts at a crucial moment.’
Feeling a bit more relaxed, random thoughts kept coming.
They had just arrived. The ordeal wasn’t over until they returned home, so she had to stay alert.
Slap!
As usual, Serena lightly slapped her cheek to keep herself alert and followed behind her family.
A strange voice reached her ears.
“Over here. Come this way.”
Serena instinctively stopped. She looked around but saw no one.
‘…Did I hear wrong?’
She tilted her head and was about to continue walking when the voice came again.
“Come here.”
“…?”
It was on the right.
She quickly turned her head, but the corridor to the right was still empty.
“Is someone there?”
