Chapter 005
Those Who Listen Well Have No Reason to be Scolded (1)
As soon as I arrived, they subtly pointed out my laziness for being later than Father, while simultaneously implying that if I was going to pretend to be sick, I shouldn’t bother crawling out of my room.
A sudden chill ran down my spine at their shameless faces.
In the past, even though we were only a family bound by paperwork, I had been foolishly manipulated, under the illusion that they truly cared for and cherished me…
‘Looking back, I guess I was the total idiot.’
Such blatant hostility was simply laughable.
‘I hadn’t intended to start a power struggle from the very beginning…’
But since they struck first, I suppose I have no choice but to hit back about three times harder.
I brought up the issue that had been bothering me since the moment I walked in.
“But Bonita. I don’t see a place for me to sit.”
As I spoke, I looked down at Odette.
Odette mumble-asked what I meant, then, realizing my intent, she showed a look of sudden surprise.
Based on Father’s seat at the center of the table, Rianna was sitting at the right diagonal, and Odette was at the left diagonal.
“Would you mind moving aside, Bonita?”
The second daughter, daring to…
She was sitting in the seat of the first daughter—and the direct descendant at that.
Odette’s eyes wavered as she looked toward Rianna.
It was a plea for help.
“…What does seating matter among family, Rosetta? Rather than making a fuss to change seats when she’s already settled, wouldn’t it be better to just go with it for today?”
“Oh, Mother. I know you cherish Bonita and don’t wish to scold her.”
“No, that’s not—”
“First! If you truly care for Bonita, I believe giving her proper guidance when she acts out of ignorance, as she is now, is the way to lead your beloved daughter to grow up correctly.”
“…….”
Ah! Rianna’s ship, which had sailed out for cover fire, has been sunk!
It’s been completely blown to bits!
At the rebuke to stop just shielding her child and give her a stinging lesson when she’s wrong, Rianna’s plump lips clamped shut.
I followed up with a look of genuine pity and clasped the hands of Odette, who was still boasting a heavy backside in my seat.
“Bonita? In our house, no one would blame you even if you occasionally ignore formalities. However, you too will soon step into social circles, and if you make this kind of mistake then…”
“U-unnie?”
“If you, being so soft-hearted, were to even show tears out of embarrassment, I would regret for the rest of my life that I let today pass without teaching you.”
A leaking pot inside will leak outside, too. You’re the type who blubbers the moment things don’t go your way because you have no class. I had to work hard not to sneer at Odette, who could only gape like a fish without answering.
She had probably sat here as if it were natural since I had been shut in my room barely eating, but now that the owner is here, you need to get lost.
As I shot back words laden with all sorts of harsh implications, the end for the stray cat who coveted another’s place was miserable.
In particular, Father was the type who did not tolerate the overstepping of authority within the family.
“Bonita. What are you doing?”
“Yes?”
“The food hasn’t even come out yet. Quickly, return to your seat.”
At Father’s indifferent remark, Odette replied softly that she understood and moved to the side.
The way she bit her lower lip for a moment and wouldn’t let go suggested she was thoroughly offended.
It was fascinating.
Odette had always shown me a kind smile or a piteous cry, begging me not to act like this…
Realizing that was merely the leisure she could afford because things were going exactly as she planned, I proudly took the seat to Father’s left.
Shing gave a thumbs up, saying this house was a prime spot for “watching a fire across the river,” and that the excitement was unparalleled.
‘What is a guy with no eyes even talking about?’
Using his reaction as fuel, I let out a low, mocking laugh.
Once the masters of Bennetra were all seated, the table was quickly filled with various dishes as if it had never been empty.
Sadly, all that was placed before me was a clear soup of finely ground vegetables.
However, seeing as the color was lovely and it was topped with neatly chopped garnish, it seemed to be a dish Father had ordered out of concern for me, as I often skipped meals.
What a sweet father.
When Father picked up his fork and knife, I also took a spoonful of food as if I had been waiting.
‘……It’s delicious.’
I felt as if I had been starving for days.
And for good reason… It wasn’t even that long ago. Just a few hours ago, wasn’t I frantically hacking my way through the backyard of Chesia’s mansion with a body full of poison?
This moment of eating warm food felt precious all over again.
I was busy devouring the soup as these sentimental thoughts drifted through me, when Father, who had been glancing at me the whole time, let out a bashful cough.
“Ahem, k-khm! Coco. Your dress is exceptionally bright and lovely today.”
At Father’s word, Rianna and Odette’s gazes pierced into the dress I was wearing.
The only person in the world who could send me a high-quality dress without a single note was Father.
I quickly adjusted my clothes like a child showing off.
“Isn’t it? I looked around because, no matter how much I searched, there were absolutely no decent clothes, and this dress that fits me perfectly caught my eye, so I came out wearing it.”
Dad, someone snatched all my clothes.
I replied that way while glancing at Odette sitting next to me.
No matter how much I was rumored to be a mad princess, would my father’s gifts be all I had?
Valuable things offered to the direct line of Bennetra by those hoping to catch a few crumbs were always overflowing.
At the time, I was frightened even by the touch of maids trying to dress me in pretty things and refused them, so I hadn’t cared, but Odette seemed to have coveted them greatly.
— “Unnie, I’m truly upset. I was supposed to go to the shopping district with Mother, but since I don’t have a proper dress…”
— “Sigh, the young ladies are supposed to come over to play today… What if they mock my outfit for being rustic?”
Odette really did take every opportunity, using all sorts of stories, to completely ransack my closet.
Whenever she was in a bind, she would sob, saying she was worried she would ruin the reputation of Bennetra. I had felt both pity and pride for such a sister and helped her with all my heart.
Of course, when my temper occasionally flared like fire, I had once stripped her naked by ripping the dress she was wearing to shreds, telling her to just go naked then… but that was really only once in a long while.
“No decent clothes? After all the things that have been sent to you, Rosetta, there isn’t a single fine dress?”
“That is……”
I trailed off, pretending to be wary of Odette.
Since this was one of the things a Bennetra—who should boast a confident stride anywhere—must not do, Father quickly grew indignant.
I eventually turned the arrow toward Odette while maintaining a gloomy expression as if I had no choice.
“It’s just, Bonita said she needed them, so out of pity…”
“U-unnie! What are you talking about? Father, that’s not true. I never asked for them… Unnie just gave them to me as a gift, saying they would look better on me.”
“Oh my, but Bonita… When my cherished sister is upset in front of me saying she has no pretty dresses, how could I, as an older sister, not yield? I just didn’t realize the entire dressing room would end up empty.”
“No, Father. I really……”
“Enough!”
She looks like she’s actually about to cry.
If the usual Odette put on a piteous show, right now she looked as if she was on the verge of a breakdown because she was truly aggrieved.
Whether it was because he couldn’t accept that his daughter had acted like a pushover, or because he was angry at the fact that sisters were causing a disturbance over a few pieces of cloth, Father looked extremely displeased.
“……Whew. Bonita?”
Father let out a deep sigh and looked up at Odette.
Seeing his eyes narrow with that amethyst glow, I realized that’s how I must look to others.
It meant his temper looked foul enough to make one’s knees shake.
“Didn’t you go to the shopping district with Rianna all the time? Are you saying all the receipts I’ve settled until now were for donations?”
“D-dear!”
“I promised to look after you without lack… but it seems I’ve raised you to be a glutton for greed. Refrain from purchasing luxury items for the time being.”
Rianna cried out “Dear!” once more in shock, but Father yelled back that he wasn’t finished speaking.
Giggle, a glutton for greed! Since it was the first time I’d heard such a grubby word directed at Odette, I had to bury my head as if I were depressed to hide my laughter.
Though I almost lost it when Shing started making ridiculous gestures, saying that greed was caked onto Odette’s face under her shame-reddened skin.
“Rosetta. Coco.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You too, as the older sister, should not have done that. Didn’t you say it yourself earlier? As the elder, you should set an example and correct mistakes. In the future, even if Bonita throws a cute tantrum, you may gift her new clothes, but do not hand over your own so easily.”
While answering that I would keep it in mind, I knew Father’s statement wasn’t a scolding.
This was because the things I couldn’t solve by throwing a tantrum at Father were few enough to count on one hand, and I felt he was seriously teaching me that while I should yield, I should never suffer a loss.
Perhaps feeling the awkwardness of the meal which had suddenly grown heavy due to the psychological warfare, Father let out another cough before bringing up the main point.
“Ahem! We finally have a meal together after a long time; we can’t let it end so gloomily. I’ll have several sets of fine clothes made for both Rosetta and Bonita, so don’t be too upset just because this father said a few words.”
He really is subtly soft-hearted. To soothe us like this immediately after a scolding, honestly.
The breakfast was thus able to end without a major fight.
Actually, I had prepared several lines in case Rianna mentioned the commotion from this morning. But perhaps because the shock of being suddenly struck by the “worthless” me hadn’t worn off, she passed it over without saying much in the end.
‘Well, causing too much friction can become poison for her too…’
I also finished my meal by wiping my mouth, cherishing the feeling of triumph.
It was a good start.
