50 – 50. Empathy

“Because you must become the Head.”

At her mother’s single line, Rianna finally couldn’t hold back and opened her eyes.

Her fist clenched hard.

Galenia stepped back, giving her space. Rianna rose from the bed, sighing and glaring as if she was interrogating her.

“Enough with this, Mother.”

“With what, exactly?”

“With inciting me and Lohengrin.”

“……”

Galenia’s expression changed drastically.

The deep smile etched on her stiff lips was oddly threatening.

“That is my role, my dear.”

“Mother.”

“A Hellmunt acts like a Hellmunt. How dare you try to block me from doing what I, as mistress of this house, am bound to do.”

“……”

She’d long known that reasoning with her was futile.

But now, Rianna’s situation had changed.

“You heard, didn’t you, that Isaac is leaving.”

“……”

“You can no longer use Isaac to control me.”

It felt like her heart was tearing apart.

The fact that she had to say such things, it made her stomach churn like she’d swallowed something foul.

Yet, Rianna needed to make her point clear.

“Just stop it already.”

“What a relief, really. A talentless commoner daring to be the head’s son-in-law.”

“Mother!”

Rianna shouted, but Galenia just smiled brightly and continued what she was saying.

“The way you presented yourself today was most impressive. Indeed, you, rather than Loengreen, are more suitable to be head-!”

“Mother, please!”

“Get your head on straight, Rianna!”

Galenia gripped Rianna’s shoulders with both hands and shook her roughly.

Rianna, who looked smaller than usual, was shaken more easily than expected.

“You are a Hellmunt. The eldest daughter of the Hellmunt, no less! Those in a glorious and great position must bear the responsibility that comes with it!”

“What part of this mansion…is great, exactly.”

*Smack!*

Galenia’s hand flew across Rianna’s cheek.

Her obsessive reaction, as if there were words that even a daughter shouldn’t utter.

“As the eldest daughter of the Hellmunt, keep your dignity. Don’t go having strange thoughts.”

“……”

Galenia slowly approached and gently hugged Rianna. She didn’t react to her mother’s touch.

“Rianna, you take after me.”

Galenia’s voice, whispering softly into her ear, was affectionate.

“That clinging to love. Knowing it’s leading to ruin, yet being unable to let go.”

“……”

“Do you think divorcing that vulgar commoner will change anything? Do you think doing so will erase your weaknesses?”

“I—”

“Rianna.”

Her body flinches.

The tension that had gripped her tight begins to loosen.

“With eyes still dripping love, what exactly has changed?”

“……!”

“Become the head of the family. That’s the only way you can protect him.”

Galenia gently kisses her daughter’s cheek. Despite the words she speaks, what radiates from her voice and expression is.

Affection.

A parent’s love.

And so.

After Galenia leaves, Rianna covers her face with both hands, letting out a pained breath.

She wished.

She wished there had been another motive.

That her actions had been laced with malice.

Then at least, she could have mustered the courage to cut it away.

From her early childhood.

A time when she didn’t care about such things as family.

A time when she simply grew without a care—

[Oh my, our Rianna. You’re so lovely?]

A beautiful memory.

[Huh? You brought it for your mother? Oh, you’re so sweet.]

A warm recollection.

[Isn’t this vase beautiful? It reminded me of you, so I bought it.]

An embrace filled with love.

“Why……!”

Is it the same as back then?

A hand strokes my hair, pulls me into a soft embrace, a kiss on the cheek.

All these actions, just now, felt the same as the innocent warmth of Rianna’s childhood.

Mother hasn’t changed at all.

Knowing this, Rianna can’t let go of anything, not even a small thing.

“Hngh.”

In the room, still, sits the vase of flowers Mother had gifted.

Had it not been cared for properly while Rianna was away?

A single rose in the vase was slowly wilting.

* * *

“Cookie, cookie.”

Sharen’s legs swing back and forth freely beneath the chair.

Humming, she drums her hands on the table, her face bright.

“Here they are.”

The chef, Millie, sets down a plate of freshly baked star cookies, making her smile light up.

“Hah! That’s it! I went through so much trouble searching, and they were right here!”

She is fully prepared, with Kelsi’s special orange whiskey(juice) right beside her.

She’s rewarding herself for her hard work, suffered out on the Malidian wall.

“I had no idea you liked my cookies so much, Miss.”

“I looked everywhere for these. I didn’t even know where Isaac was buying them from.”

Crunch, crunch.

Sharen’s cheeks are stuffed with cookies as she beams.

Seeing this, the cook and the maid smile at the same time.

Just a moment ago, there was a commotion so loud the Helmunt’s estate could have collapsed.

Seeing the young girl’s pure smile, their tense hearts finally relaxed.

While Sharen eats her cookies, Kelsi, her personal maid, speaks briefly with Millie.

“It’s a relief that the estate is still relatively intact, considering the commotion.”

“Perhaps they prepared with the sword-wielding festivities in mind? Since guests come to the estate.”

Even with all the uproar, the interior of the estate was comparatively untouched.

Millie, gripping the tray tightly, asks Kelsi cautiously.

“You went to the Malidian Bulwark?”

“Aye, it was truly bitter cold there.”

“…And Master Isaac, how was he?”

Milly meant to ask it casually, but surprisingly, her voice had strength.

Kelsie didn’t find it odd though.

They were close, since she baked cookies just for him, one of Isaac’s few friendly servants.

“He was hurt and endured much, but he’s alright now.”

“Hurt?”

“He was on the front lines. He’s late because a mage is healing him, so no need to worry.”

“Haa.”

Milly finally let out a sigh of relief.

The faint smile on her lips held only relief.

“When he returns, I must prepare him some good, nourishing food.”

“The North, their food is rather limited, you know. He’ll surely be pleased.”

The North, where the menu was always the same.

Milly started to think about the dishes she could make for Isaac when he returned to Helmunth.

Even before he left due to the divorce, she wanted to feed him good meals while he was in Helmunth.

He had said he’d miss it before he left for the North.

“Kelsie! Kelsie, come try this! It’s truly delicious, I tell you!”

Sharen’s call made Kelsie approach with a smile.

In the past, sharing sweets was unthinkable.

“This taste, you’ll understand why I searched so hard for it?”

‘The young lady has changed much.’

Though it was arduous, and there were certainly dangerous moments,

It was clear that her experiences in the North had been good nourishment for Sharen.

*Clunk!*

“SHaaaREEEEN!”

A man burst in, shattering the peaceful air.

Alois, whose leg had been mangled by Rianna’s Ragnabel, strode into the kitchen.

“Umm?! Mmmbubub?!”

“What in the hell! Swallow it all down before you speak!”

*gulp*

“What? You can already walk?!”

Sharen, having swallowed the last of the star-shaped cookie in her mouth, asks in wonder.

That reaction only seemed to further irritate Alois.

“Stop spouting nonsense and answer the question.”

“…Why is his tone like that.”

“Shut up and just listen!”

It was clear as day that Alois was gone mad. A kind of mania, a fixation, rippled in his red eyes.

His dishevelled hair and the drool slipping from his lips signalled something was terribly wrong.

And not only that, the smell of disinfectant on his body suggested he’d rushed over straight after receiving some sort of treatment.

“What…what exactly did the Elder Sister hear at the Malidean Barrier.”

“Huh?”

“What could she have heard?! Damn it! Does she know I was trying to make that commoner b*stard a cripple!”

“Commoner? Isaac?”

Sharen wears a blank expression.

Suddenly, she remembers hearing the story about the chandelier falling on their anniversary.

Not only that, but there was a stomach-ache-inducing drug in the cake.

She remembers it because she’d almost eaten the leftovers, thinking they were for her, and got scolded by Kelsey for it.

“Isaac? There’s no way that brat could know. But the Elder Sister didn’t even hear my excuses and went right for her sword, that means she’s sure of it! Why! Whyyyy-! Whooo! Who told her what!”

Alois, his eyes bloodshot, yelled out with a violent force.

It felt like his heart was going to burst, it was beating so fast.

He was desperate.

The moment Rianna was certain he’d tried to hurt Isaac, who knows what could happen.

But to Alois, that wasn’t what mattered.

Even if his legs were crippled, even if he lost an arm, he didn’t care.

To be hated by Rianna.

That, to Alois, was a pain that ripped through his heart.

“Uh…”

With a dazed look, Sharen takes a bite of her cookie.

Seeing his face, she knew the mood was grave, and chewed on her thoughts.

“Hmm.”

Crunch crunch.

“So,”

Crunch crunch.

“This is really good.”

“YOU CRAZY b*tch! Do you think your brother is a JOKE?! This mutt, hasn’t seen me in what, and he’s already forgetting his place-!”

“Crimson Burst!”

A blast of red light erupted from Sharon’s palm, shoving Alois back.

It wasn’t a sword, so it lacked the power to hurt, only enough to push him away.

Normally, Sharon’s Crimson Burst would be something he’d easily block or endure,

but Sharon had grown stronger in the north, for one,

and not to mention, he was injured in the leg right now.

“Ugh!”

Alois slid backward, his back hitting the kitchen door as he fell.

Even as a tidal wave of rage threatened to overwhelm his reason, Sharon’s clear, ringing voice cut through.

“Helmunt doesn’t listen to the pleas of the weak!”

Sharon, with a star cookie in her mouth, flexed her cute little biceps.

“You dare act up with a hurt leg! Come back and challenge me when you’re healed, kid!”

Sharon crammed the rest of the star cookies into her mouth before heading out of the kitchen with Kelsie.

“Millie, thanks for the meal! Ask you again sometime.”

“Oh, yes… Ma’am.”

“That impudent little brat-!”

Alois shot up to follow her, but in that instant, his leg gave out and he crashed back down.

“Damn it! DAMN IT ALL-!”

Alois pounded the floor in frustration.

A mage had treated him, but not long enough for him to stand properly.

If.

If Isaac were here.

He would laugh, a mocking sneer on his face.

[That heart, I know it well.]