Chapter 116
Alicia visits her hometown after a long time.
Her village hasn’t changed at all in the year she was away. The stray dog that made its home near the village entrance, the stream that trickles through the village, and her old wooden house all remain just as they were.
It’s as if she saw everything just yesterday.
Alicia is having a conversation with a man in front of her house.
The man, dressed in a neat suit that feels somewhat out of place in this village, has his hair slicked back.
Alicia says to him,
“…Thank you so much.”
Alicia, expressing her gratitude, seems more composed and calm than usual.
“Not at all. I was just following Lord Vargan’s orders.”
The man slightly bows his head in return.
What Alicia didn’t know was that during the year she had been away from the village, a servant of the Schugenhartz Family had been responsible for her foster mother’s safety.
With rumors of a hefty 100 gold coming in, it was a necessary precaution.
He looks into Alicia’s tired eyes and says,
“On the contrary, I must apologize. I was powerless to stop your mother’s health from deteriorating day by day.”
“No, …I believe it’s thanks to you that she’s still awake in this world. It’s not your original duty, yet you cared. How could I accept that apology?”
A few months after Alicia was sold away, her foster mother’s health had rapidly declined.
She had always been prone to minor ailments, but this time, disaster had her in a tight grip.
Because of this, the man, who had initially been assigned a simple escort mission, sought various ways to help her foster mother, but the effects were minimal.
It felt as if his role had come to an end.
She was evidently drawing closer to death.
“Alicia.”
The man called out to Alicia.
At his summons, Alicia, with her weary head, looked up. He hesitated before saying,
“…No. It wouldn’t be good to leave your mother alone for too long, so I should take my leave.”
“Yes. …That would be best.”
The man was about to say something but stopped.
This was a matter concerning her and her mother.
He decided not to interfere.
*
In the following days.
Alicia devoted herself to caring for her foster mother so intensely that the phrase “dedication” seemed to lose its meaning.
There was barely a moment for herself, as she constantly stayed by the bed where her mother lay, taking care of her every need.
Sometimes, the Yaul Family living next door would come by to provide food or firewood, which she gratefully accepted.
She poured all her time and effort into this.
“…….”
The woman lying on the bed opened her eyes.
Lowering her gaze slightly, she saw her frail, branch-like arms and legs.
Even breathing was difficult.
If she forgot to breathe, she felt like she would just die right then and there.
As she continued to focus on her breathing with mechanical sounds, she gradually relaxed and slowly rolled her eyes.
There was a young woman with white hair.
She was busily moving around, but strangely, there was hardly any noise.
She had always been amazing at household chores, but now it seemed like she had gained some kind of enlightenment, doing it even more skillfully.
Doing chores so quietly like that was probably because she was concerned about her dying self.
Well, she hasn’t changed.
Still foolishly kind Alicia, perfect for being taken advantage of by others.
The fact that she came here, sold to the Schugenhartz Family, must mean she got a rare day off, yet here she was, foolishly doing that.
Seriously, completely out of her mind.
From childhood, she hasn’t changed; she’s still a child at heart.
“Oh, you’re awake. Aren’t you thirsty?”
Alicia, noticing that the woman had woken up, offered her some water she had prepared.
The woman shook her head softly, declining.
Instead, she moved her twisted lips and spoke in a dry tone.
“…You airhead.”
Alicia wasn’t surprised by her words. She accepted them calmly and even showed a fragile smile.
The woman didn’t like Alicia’s smile.
“You shouldn’t be here; hurry back. Are you planning to watch me dispose of my corpse?”
“Please don’t say that….”
“‘Please don’t say that’ may as well be frozen to death….”
With a voice that was rough and cracking, the woman irritably addressed Alicia.
She turned her body away, making it so that the white-haired girl was no longer visible.
“…….”
Without saying a word, Alicia remained in her spot.
The sound of dust settling was the only noise in the silence.
Though there were two of them, there wasn’t a single exchange of dialogue.
And so, a long silence seemed to flow endlessly.
“…I’m grateful to my mother.”
Alicia finally started to speak.
“She took in an orphan like me and raised me until now. Without my mother, I…”
“⎯I don’t want to hear it.”
The woman interrupted Alicia’s words.
Still maintaining her turned position.
While staring at the wall, she muttered with a dry mouth.
Her words clearly reached Alicia, but the woman muttered as if talking to herself in irritation.
“Totally insane. …Raise me? What are you thankful for? Thankful that you didn’t beat me with a club?”
Since Alicia came to her house at the age of 10, the concept of a day off never existed for her.
All the household chores were naturally hers, and on top of that, she was made to work in the fields, dividing her already scarce time.
Whenever the mood wasn’t right, she would call Alicia, slap her, or hurl verbal abuse at her without a second thought.
Because of that, there had been many fights with the nosy Yaul Family next door.
Taking in and raising an orphan like Alicia?
Bullshit!
It wasn’t out of kindness or pity; it was merely a need for someone to work in her place. She wanted labor.
Alicia just happened to catch her eye. And she worked well without complaint.
“You’re good at working without complaints.”
‘… Yeah, without complaints. Maybe even to an alarming degree.’
Alicia was definitely strange in some way.
At first, it was because she was too young. There’s a clear power difference between an adult and a child, making it hard to argue back.
I thought her complete lack of dissatisfaction or hints of such was due to that.
But no.
Even as Alicia’s body grew.
She always maintained that childlike innocence, flashing that sickeningly pure smile that made my stomach churn.
Even with the strong pain lingering in my palm from slapping her cheek, Alicia doesn’t get angry. She doesn’t run away.
“She even came crawling back after I sold her…”
There’s no fool like this fool.
I hated that smile, and I never wanted to see her again. If I sold her, couldn’t she just take off… why linger until the very end…?
“You’re really a foolish girl, Alicia.”
“……”
“When you were little, and now. Looking at you now, it seems like you’ll continue living like this.”
“……”
“How long are you going to live like an idiot? Do you think the world is a joke? For crying out loud, wake up already. Just earlier, I was saying… I was….”
She never turns away.
Alicia makes sure I can’t see her expression.
Hiding her feelings, concealing them as best as she can.
“What in the world did I do for you….”
… For crying out loud.
Just when I thought I would have a little respite from life, I end up getting sick.
I never ignored the saying that bad deeds earn you punishment.
If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have been less harsh on Alicia, less of a taskmaster.
“……”
Instead of saying anything, Alicia slowly approached and leaned against her.
As our bodies touched, warmth was shared, and pulsing life was transmitted.
She even heard Alicia’s heartbeat.
That was how quiet the space was.
Then, her weakened throat, which had absorbed some moisture, slowly opened.
“… Alicia.”
“… Yes, Mother.”
It’s a poor excuse for an apology.
It may not be of any big help to Alicia.
But I wanted to convey it.
“If I die, tear up the central floorboards.”
I can’t even call this a gift.
It was never something I could possess in the first place.
“Live your life with that.”
…….
Alicia’s foster mother passed away the very next morning.
Alicia shed tears, mourning her passing with the villagers.
And.
After everything was settled, she followed her foster mother’s last wishes and tore up the floorboards.
What lay beneath was.
The price she received for handing herself over.
100 gold coins and a few silver pieces.
The gold coins were in pristine condition, just as she had received them, showing not a speck of dirt.
*
At the Portlet Family’s mansion.
Three days after having a conversation with Vargan and Erica by the lakeside at night.
Erica walked through the long hallway, lost in thought.
—I want to help you.
That was the phrase spoken by Schugenhartz that wouldn’t leave her mind.
No matter what else she did, it popped up uninvited and tortured her like a nagging ghost.
An absolutely impossible, unwelcome statement.
However, Erica’s mother was suffering from severe anxiety.
Thus, Erica decided to accept his help, just this ‘one time.’
Not that she could say she trusts him…
Given the situation of both families, it would be reckless to act foolishly.
Right… that’s right.
This isn’t about trusting Schugenhartz.
I don’t believe in him.
Rather, I believe in my family and his family.
I remind myself of this. I think of Mother.
‘…I hope she recovers safely.’
When Erica asked for help, Vargan entered the bedroom where Lilian was sleeping and cast Curse Magic on her.
From Erica’s perspective, having been present to watch the process, she didn’t notice anything suspicious.
It didn’t take long to cast the curse magic, and its effects appeared the very next day.
Erica’s mother, Lilian, who heard the fake voice created by Vargan, could easily shake off her anxiety, as if she had never been troubled at all.
The cause was the absence of the voice, and since that was resolved, she returned to normal in an instant.
However, this also proved that she was excessively dependent.
He planned to gradually reduce the frequency and distance the voice from her.
Even if the voice were to disappear someday, Lilian’s mind must remain intact…
Thinking this as she walked, Erica arrived at the door of the room where Vargan was staying.
He decided to stay at the Portlet Family until the upcoming short break ended to keep an eye on her mother’s condition.
So he rented a guest room.
The door was slightly ajar.
Perhaps because he liked the dark, darkness seeped through the crack rather than light.
“……”
She had a million questions for him.
She wanted to grab that unlucky man, who wouldn’t share anything, and make him spill all sorts of things.
If she did that…
If she did that…
Maybe the tightness in her chest would ease a little.
Erica, feeling an inexplicable tension, quietly swallowed. She placed her small white hand on the doorknob and waited for a moment.
She wasn’t waiting for a specific time.
Her body felt like it was malfunctioning, unable to move smoothly.
⎯……da.
As she resolved to open the door and step inside, a delicate voice reached Erica’s ears.
A voice imbued with ethereal beauty. Yet it felt familiar, not strange at all. It was a well-known voice.
That voice was crying.
Trying to hold back the frail sobs, it couldn’t help but spill out thick emotions through the gap.
Erica stood still, holding her breath, concealing her presence as she listened to the following words.
The sound quality wasn’t completely clear, probably because it was an emergency communication rather than a standard transmission, but it was easy enough to understand what was being said.
⎯…Young Master Vargan.
The owner of the sorrowful voice was Alicia, a servant of Schugenharz and a rising star at the Academia.
Upon realizing this, Erica felt her heart start racing a little faster.
Her body stiff, she focused her ears.
Alicia was repeatedly expressing her gratitude to Vargan.
As if she were addressing a lifesaver or a family member she hadn’t met in decades.
There was an overwhelming earnestness.
Then, she heard it. She couldn’t help but hear it.
⎯Young Master Vargan. …I miss you.
Alicia told Vargan that she missed him.
That word, though spoken by a servant, had a different tone, especially right now.
To Erica’s ears, it sounded as if a woman was speaking.
“……”
Erica pulled her hand away from the doorknob.
She gave up on opening the door and took a few steps back.
She breathed out calmly. She turned her head.
And then,
⎯Clack.
With the sound of her footsteps, she left that spot.
