Chapter 114…………………………….
After the meal, Shevert called Ron aside.
The two brothers stood side by side, facing the garden.
Staring up at the clear sky, Shevert recalled something that had happened a few days earlier.
“Shevert! You say you’re going to the Laudne region? How can the future head of the Kereis family even think of going to such a dangerous place?!”
It was something he had heard from his grandmother when he visited his maternal family.
Persuading his grandmother—who doted excessively on her grandchildren—had been no easy task.
Only after his mother argued that true mastery of the sword required real combat did he barely receive permission.
“The future head of the Kereis family….”
From a young age, Shevert had taken it for granted that he would succeed his father.
The second son, Ron, had been missing, and the third, Krimu, was far too young.
That belief had never wavered.
“…Brother? Brother?”
“…Ah, yes.”
Pulled out of his thoughts by Ron’s voice, Shevert refocused.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
Meeting Ron’s gaze, Shevert spoke.
“Ron, do you perhaps want to become the head of the Kereis family?”
“Pardon?”
“If you want it, say so. I wouldn’t mind even if you became the head.”
“……”
Ron’s face crumpled.
Watching the brother who both resembled him and didn’t, Shevert shrugged.
“I mean it. I used to be certain I would become the head, but not anymore. Rather than fighting you tooth and nail over that position, I’d rather just leave.”
“Brother, what are you talking about?”
“…You don’t like it?”
“Yes. I don’t.”
Letting out a long breath, Ron continued.
“I have no plans in my remaining life to become the head of the family.”
“Then what do you have?”
“…Happiness with the person I love.”
Both of Ron’s ears turned red.
Yet his eyes were steady, straight, and clear.
As Shevert met those vividly colored crimson eyes, an unconscious smile tugged at his lips.
To him, his younger brother Ron had always been someone who made him smile.
“I see. I understand how you feel.”
Shevert extended his hand toward Ron.
“An unexpected handshake. What does it mean?”
“It’s a handshake to show I’m rooting for the happiness you want with the person you love.”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yes. At least, at this very moment.”
Ron relaxed his furrowed brow and clasped Shevert’s hand.
Feeling the warmth of the contact, Shevert spoke silently to himself.
Ron, I’ll be leaving soon. So take care of yourself and stay healthy.
That afternoon, an unexpected guest arrived at the mansion.
“My… uncle? You mean my uncle is here?”
I was already busy making magic bombs, so hearing about my uncle was the last thing I wanted.
It had been so long since I’d heard that title that I frowned, struggling to remember.
If we were talking about Marianne’s uncle—
“Anne, my dear little Marianne!”
The man who had warmly welcomed me when I became an orphan, only to eventually say—
“Anne, from now on, you will go not here, but to the Kereis family.”
He was the bastard who sold me off because I had no magical ability.
Of course, looking at it now, thanks to him bringing me here, I was living comfortably and luxuriously.
Still, his intentions back then were rotten.
He took money and sold a child to a shady noble family.
‘So why is he here?’
After changing clothes and heading to the drawing room, the man I hadn’t seen in ages greeted me.
“Oh, my lovely child. Anne!”
“……?”
What was with that nauseating greeting?
When he rushed toward me, trying to hug me, I lightly pushed him away with both hands.
Instead of being offended, my uncle looked oddly pleased.
“You’ve grown so much already. You really look like someone destined to become a duchess.”
“It’s been a while, Uncle. I heard you left far away after abandoning me here.”
“Huh?! What nonsense is that! Me, abandoning you?!”
He twisted his head around exaggeratedly, scanning the surroundings as if worried someone might overhear.
“There’s no one here. It’s just you and me.”
“I-I see. Anyway, I absolutely did not abandon you.”
“But you took money.”
“T-That’s not—no, that’s not it!”
Waving both hands, he repeatedly insisted it wasn’t true.
Then, for quite some time, he lavished praise on the expensive jewels and dress I was wearing.
Picking my ear casually, I asked about the real reason.
“So, why are you here?”
“Well, you see… Anne, give me some money.”
“…….”
Not even lend me—just give me?
And so bluntly, at that.
Stunned, I had to repeat what I’d just heard in my head.
Licking his dry lips, my uncle continued shamelessly.
“I heard rumors that you laid the foundation for the Beljur Trading Company. That’s all thanks to inheriting the Delve family’s brains, isn’t it?”
Anyone listening would think you were my father.
We’re barely distant relatives.
“My intelligence has nothing to do with you, Uncle. Besides, our family collapsed, didn’t it? That’s why you abandoned me.”
Undeterred, my uncle pressed on.
“Anne, everyone says our family is ruined, but if you become a duchess and give me a lot of money, there’s a chance it could rise again. So let’s go right now and pray to the guardian deity of the Delve family. If we pray sincerely—”
“…What?”
A guardian deity of the Delve family?
This was the first I’d ever heard of it—both in the original story and in this world.
“A guardian deity? There really is one?”
“Y-Yes. Of course, it hasn’t appeared before us for a very long time, but if you’re about to become a duchess, isn’t that a great family celebration? Surely the deity will appear before us, now that we’re family.”
“Where is this guardian deity?”
“Well…”
Just as he was about to answer, my uncle suddenly stopped and narrowed his eyes.
Seeing that I seemed clueless, he looked like he was about to take advantage of it.
“Anne. You must have forgotten since you heard about it when you were little. But that’s fine. You have family now—me.”
“But Uncle, why do you keep saying ‘family’?”
“Because we are family.”
“No, we’re not. You gave up my guardianship.”
“…Anne! Even if I gave up guardianship, didn’t I feed and raise you?”
Huh? What nonsense is this?
“You mean the single day I stayed at your house?”
Before selling me, I had spent exactly one day at my uncle’s house.
If he seriously thought that counted as raising me, then he was human trash.
As I shot back, his face grew anxious, then suddenly burst into rage.
“Do you know how much effort I put in for you?! No one wanted to raise an abandoned child like you! So I took you in, fed you, let you sleep, and this is how you repay me, you ungrateful brat?!”
“Ow!”
He suddenly lunged forward and grabbed my shoulder hard.
As my body jolted, the magic stone necklace slipped out from between my clothes.
My uncle’s eyes widened.
“Fine, then hand this over!”
“Ah—It hurts!”
Twice my size, he shook me violently, trying to rip the necklace off.
Bastard.
This was the end.
Deciding I didn’t need to endure anymore, I gathered my mana.
Just as I was about to make sure he either dropped dead or couldn’t walk out on his own—
Bang!
“Anne.”
“Anne!”
“Sister-in-law!”
The door to the drawing room flew open, and the three Kereis brothers appeared.
They looked furious, as if they had heard everything from outside.
Ron, in particular, glared at my uncle with unprecedented rage.
“I’ll get rid of you.”
Shevert, no less intense, cracked his neck and loosened up.
“I was just thinking I wanted to warm up anyway. Perfect timing.”
Krimu, not fully understanding what was going on, still clenched his small fists brightly.
“Hoi-yap! I’ll protect sister-in-law!”
“Anne, are you okay?”
The moment I saw the three brothers, my eyes immediately welled up.
Heat gathered around them.
My nostrils flared.
Plop—just as I intended, delicate tears rolled down my cheeks.
Seeing that, the brothers grew even angrier.
‘As expected, squeezing out some tears doubles the effect.’
I didn’t wipe away the clear drops that kept falling, instead lowering my head pitifully.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, my uncle began to tremble violently.
“Anne, Anne. Why are you suddenly crying, huh?”
“Because of you, Uncle.”
“What? Anne, those people seem to be misunderstanding something. Anne, no! You have to stay with me—where do you think you’re going?!”
Shaking off his hand, I spoke to the brothers.
“How did you all find out… sniff.”
“Anne crying… Should I kill him, or just knock him out?”
At Shevert’s words, Ron snapped.
“Brother, what are you saying? We should kill him immediately.”
“Ugh!”
My uncle stumbled backward, fell, and rolled on the floor.
Glancing at him, I said,
“Ron, killing him immediately seems a bit much.”
Wiping away my tears as I spoke firmly, Ron’s face flushed red.
“S-Sorry. Even so, he’s still your uncle, Anne. I wasn’t thinking. Then what should we do?”
“Well, first of all.”
Rolling up my sleeves, I continued resolutely,
“I’ll beat him ten times myself first. We can’t just kill him right away.”
