TSKSML 19

Chapter 19

Just as Helene made up her mind to push through the crowd, it suddenly parted on its own, revealing a navy-blue car ahead of her.

‘W-What is that doing here?!’

This wasn’t her past life. There shouldn’t be cars in this world.

But no matter how she looked at it, front or back, there was no mistaking it—it was a car.

‘Isn’t this exactly how I died in my past life? Hit by a truck? Don’t tell me I’m about to die like that in this world too…’

…

…

…

“Are you all right?!”

Thankfully, the impact hadn’t been as hard as she’d feared.

Both Helene and the car had reacted quickly—the brakes had been slammed in time.

While the car itself was shocking, the man inside it was even more surprising.

It was Blaine—the godfather of the three sisters.

Well, who else besides Blaine could’ve possibly built a car in this world?

Helene wanted to ask why he was even driving a car here, but then she realized—this world had no traffic laws, so she couldn’t really complain.

Blaine helped Helene up and guided her to the car’s back seat.

Ever the rigid gentleman who showed courtesy even to those he disliked, he even walked all the way back to retrieve her shopping bag himself.

“My sincerest apologies. Would you like to go to the hospital first?”

Helene was speechless. Blaine clearly knew who she was, yet he was acting like she was just some random person he’d hit.

Which meant… he was only being polite because she was the victim of the accident.

Even if their relationship had deteriorated, he was still the godfather of the three sisters.

“No need for the hospital. But… I’d appreciate a proper greeting, Godfather.”

“Ah, yes. Of course. Fancy seeing you again like this.”

The forced greeting made it even more uncomfortable.

Helene let out a dry chuckle and checked the shopping bag in the back seat.

‘I spent a fortune on those gifts… Please don’t be broken.’

Just as she was about to open the bag—

“Just as I suspected—you sold that tiara from the inheritance and went on a lavish shopping spree. If anything’s damaged, I’ll reimburse you several times over. Shall we check together?”

As expected, Helene was still a greedy woman. Blaine cursed himself for believing, even for a moment, that she might have changed.

Whether he wanted to or not, he had heard rumors among the nobility that Helene had repented and atoned before the Sun God. It was all thanks to the devout faith of the eldest sister, Liriana—or so they all said. He’d dared to hope… but no, she hadn’t changed at all.

Broad daylight, shopping in a bustling district, getting hit by a huge hunk of metal—her first concern was whether the goods were damaged.

Blaine, unable to hold back his frustration from countless sleepless nights thinking about her, snapped and snatched the shopping bag from her, digging through it.

“Just as I thought—a dress. A violet silk dress…”

It was elegant and modest in design.

‘Maybe her taste has changed?’

“And this—an extremely short pink dress.”

He’d never seen a dress that short before.

‘Is this what’s trendy now?’

Blaine sneered as he pulled it out.

Then, from another shopping bag, came a weapon.

A sharp stiletto dagger.

Why would she buy a weapon? Then again, what other reason could there be?

Blaine, who soon came up with an answer, curled his lips into a cold smile.

“Who are you planning to attack this time? Aren’t you banned from every gambling house by now? But I suppose a dog can’t stop itself from going back to its filth.”

“M-Master… Please stop,” said Fael, trying to rein in Blaine’s uncharacteristic outburst.

Blaine realized he had gone too far.

Even in business, no matter how vile the people he met, he’d always preferred to quietly cut ties without confrontation. That was the mask of iron he wore.

But with this woman, emotions always boiled up beyond control.

“…Even once.”

Helene, who had stayed silent, finally spoke with a trembling voice.

“Did it ever occur to you… that I’m their mother and those things were for my children?”

Blaine was so stunned, he burst out laughing.

‘No way…’

His expression gradually stiffened.

He recalled the items in the shopping bags.

That elegant violet silk dress—could it have been for Liriana?

And the “short pink dress”—he’d thought it was indecent, but now it looked more like children’s clothing.

Probably for the youngest, April.

And now that he thought about it, that stiletto dagger… wasn’t a beginner’s weapon like something Helene would recklessly wield.

It looked more like a blade for a knight or a seasoned swordsman…

“Jeina is going to become an Imperial Knight. Liriana is now the chief lady-in-waiting to Lady Angelina.”

Blaine had never been more ashamed in his entire life.

“…Ahem.”

He coughed awkwardly.

Still, behind the shame, a warmth crept into his chest at the unexpected news.

Jeina, an Imperial Knight. Liriana, chief lady-in-waiting to a noble lady…

Even after the fall of the Emeldia family, he’d never imagined the two girls would earn such respectable positions.

Helene had pulled off this miracle just one month after borrowing money from him.

Helene quietly placed the dresses and dagger back in the shopping bag.

She could understand Blaine’s misunderstanding, considering everything she’d done—but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant.

It was a bit heartbreaking, too.

Not just Blaine, but probably even the three sisters still saw her as a wretched person.

“I made a mistake… I’m truly sorry.”

Blaine sincerely admitted his fault.

And he felt genuinely grateful to Helene for making Liriana and Jeina who they were now.

He wanted to repay her—somehow.

“On a day like this… shouldn’t we at least celebrate?”

Only then did Helene remember the pork belly.

‘I need to buy samgyeopsal and celebrate with the girls…!!’

Butcher shops closed early. If she didn’t hurry, she’d miss it.

“No hospital! Take me to the butcher!”

At her words, Blaine replied,

“Then allow me to prepare the food for the party. I’ll escort you all the way to the Count’s estate as well.”

Quick to take the hint, Fael stepped out of the car, saying he’d go arrange the party meal.

“I’ll have it sent to your residence.”

Somehow, this left only Helene and Blaine alone in the car.

The awkward atmosphere and heavy silence couldn’t be drowned out even by the loud engine noise.

Feeling the weight of his guilt, Blaine tried to break the ice.

“Ah, this… is what we call an automobile. First time seeing one?”

It was the funniest thing Helene had heard since regaining memories of her past life.

“Haha, yes. It’s truly fascinating…”

Silence returned again.

There was no way she was going to have a pleasant chat during a drive with someone who, moments ago, had treated her like scum.

Helene turned her gaze to various parts of the car.

Compared to her past life, this car was incredibly shabby.

The design resembled a classic car from black-and-white films, but the speed was sluggish, and the engine rumbled with an annoying vibration.

In this world, if people wanted to travel far, they usually used carriages or teleportation magic—portals.

Just as technology and science limited the supernatural in her past life, here, the existence of magic had stunted the development of science and engineering.

Blaine wasn’t the type to engage in businesses that didn’t turn a profit. For him to make a car… this wasn’t the Blaine she thought she knew.

Then again, the Blaine before her now seemed completely different from the one she read about in “The Perfect Lady Angelina.”

That Blaine, one of the male leads, was portrayed as a heartless, cold-blooded man, the world’s greatest entrepreneur who abhorred physical contact with women—almost a germophobe.

And yet, he’d fallen deeply in love with Lady Angelina and expressed the most heartfelt, unwavering devotion.

It wasn’t fair.

Why did he pour all that love into the heroine, while he couldn’t stop criticizing and tearing Helene down?

She knew Angelina and herself were vastly different.

Still, the bitterness welled up inside her, and Helene turned her head completely toward the window, away from him.