~Chapter 77~
“You repay kindness with enmity, don’t you! Even if you have vulgar blood running through you, how could you fail to recognize the person who raised you for decades?”
The Countess immediately raised her voice.
“You raised me?”
To her, the phrase “raised me” seemed synonymous with locking me in a small room and only using me when needed, like when Charlotte needed a companion.
“You shameless girl. You think you’re too good for us just because you’ve caught a man’s eye?”
The Count said the same.
“You’re acting just like your father—greedy to the core. Your father ate up all the wealth and never shared it with his brothers, even though I begged him when Charlotte was starving!”
He let out a deep breath, trying to calm down.
He seemed to realize that this was a public balcony where anyone could hear, and raising his voice wouldn’t help.
“I won’t speak for long. Come back to the Rohiltern estate. We’ll talk there.”
“…Why should I?”
He was certainly more intelligent than the Countess, judging by the way he realized the situation.
But that didn’t matter much.
“Why, you ask? I’ll tell you. You’re still a Rohiltern! And I’m your adoptive father. As long as the name ‘Rohiltern’ is attached to you, you cannot leave without my permission. So—”
“That’s strange. Wasn’t it you who allowed me to stay at the Grand Duke’s estate? Are you saying your will is above His Majesty’s?”
The Count’s mouth snapped shut.
“You keep mentioning your guardianship as if you have the right, but don’t rights come with obligations? Let me ask, during the three months I’ve stayed at the Grand Duke’s, what have you two done? Did you look for me, or did you forget about me and not care if I lived or died?”
Even without seeing it, I knew exactly how they felt about me while I was gone.
“I—!”
“Let me be more direct. Even if I had appeared on the streets in a terrible state, would you two have tried to take me back to Rohiltern?”
I didn’t think so. They had always treated me like a burden, and they couldn’t hide their disdain. The only reason they suddenly wanted to bring me back was because I was useful.
“And now you show up, claiming to be my parents.”
I shook my head and laughed bitterly.
“Honestly, don’t you think it seems a bit desperate?”
It looked so tacky.
I recalled something Charlotte had once said.
“This is—!”
Slap!
The loud sound of a slap made my face turn.
‘That hurts.’
I had expected it, but after so long, it hurt more than I imagined.
Holding my burning cheek, I glared at them.
“Oh, there you are.”
Duke Durinar entered. He had been grumbling about the crowded Founding Festival but froze when he saw my face and rushed over to me.
“Oh my, Bella’s face!”
He immediately called for a healer, or rather a physician.
The Count seemed just as surprised. His eyes, once distant, returned to reality.
“I don’t know who you are, but we were having a private conversation with family—”
“Duke? You mean the Duke?”
The Count, who had been glaring at me, froze at my words.
The Duke clicked his tongue.
“It seems you don’t recognize me, noble sir. I must not have properly managed my lands. Let me introduce myself. I am Duke Temon Durinar of the Eastern territories.”
No noble could afford to ignore a Duke with four direct territories, especially one who ruled over his own lands.
“A person from the East comes to greet you, sir.”
“A person who has settled in the East comes to see the great one. I am from the Rohiltern family—”
The Count and Countess quickly straightened up to show respect, but the Duke waved his hand.
“There’s no need for that. I already know you are Bella’s legal parents.”
“Th-that’s right. I am—”
“A despicable man who seduced an orphan and got her to sign adoption papers.”
The Count’s smile froze as he tried to hide his embarrassment.
“You took everything Bella should have inherited, and now you show up here to make a scene? What are you thinking?”
“N-no, Your Grace! I didn’t make a scene. Think about it. If you’re happy, you might shout, right?”
“So, did you slap Bella to show how happy you were? I’ve never heard of such a culture in the East.”
The Count and Countess were speechless.
“And you tried to steal a talent recognized by His Majesty, the Emperor? I can’t just stand by and watch!”
The Duke pulled out a paper.
“Here, please sign the document to revoke the adoption. Give up all legal rights over Bella.”
It was, surprisingly, the real revocation document. I couldn’t understand why the Duke had it with him.
“Revocation? What nonsense!”
“It seems there’s some misunderstanding. We raised this child with love. She’s as close to us as our own daughter!”
They were desperately trying to argue that they had raised me well enough to claim rights over me.
“So, you raised me like your own child?”
“Of course!”
“Then you know what I liked and what I hated, right?”
They hesitated.
“You raised me with love, but you can’t answer?”
“That’s something the maids deal with, not us—”
Just then,
“Bella.”
The balcony curtains parted and a figure appeared.
“Bella likes sweets. She doesn’t handle spicy food well, but she enjoys spicy fish stew. Her favorite color is white. She loves soft, warm colors. Although she hides her preferences, when she’s happy, her eyebrows soften.”
It was, of course, Armin.
“This is what I’ve gathered so far. Am I mistaken?”
“No.”
“Good.”
But then, Armin’s expression slowly turned more serious.
“What’s that look? Could it be…?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Did I guess correctly?”
Without even saying a word, his sharp gaze bore down on the Count and Countess.
The two of them shrank back simultaneously.
Originally, Armin wouldn’t have left Bella alone for long. He would have only grabbed some drinks and snacks from the banquet and then gone straight to the balcony.
“Wait, come see me for a moment.”
Then came the unexpected call from the Emperor.
“You sent back the governor this time, right?”
“I told you before, there won’t be anything happening with the territories.”
“I know. But just give people a reason they can accept. Don’t try telling them some nonsense about a honeymoon! You haven’t even gotten married yet.”
“Then shall we have the betrothal ceremony?”
“What?!”
The Emperor was angry.
“Stop with the nonsense and follow me.”
Armin followed the Emperor into his office, and after presenting ten reasons why he couldn’t follow the Emperor’s orders, he was finally allowed to leave.
And now, back to the present.
“What happened?”
Armin returned to the banquet hall, not bothering to hide his displeasure.
Two annoying people were buzzing around Bella.
The Count and Countess froze, unable to breathe. They had always tormented someone they could easily control. Now, they faced the cold gaze of someone far stronger than them, and they couldn’t handle it.
