283 – The Deeds I Committed -4-

On the way out of the drawing-room.

“Eek?”

Lowen looked at the young Lady Desmond sitting on the living room floor. Clutching an indistinguishable pet, bear or dog, Lady Desmond glanced at him and then, disinterested, began to fiddle with the pet’s paws.

“Ho-ho-ho…! Bear trotters…!”

-A bear?!

“Hee-hee-hee… Ah… Yum! Eek, tasty.”

-A bear.

“Eek! Don’t hit me!”

“…”

Is this mansion only about neglect?

There was no place that treated her with such disregard, but faced with Lady Desmond’s indifferent reaction, Lowen decided not to think too deeply.

The Desmonds had never been on good terms with his ancestors. Perhaps such neglect was to be expected.

-Click. Clack.

As Lowen passed by, carrying complex thoughts, he heard the young lady’s voice murmuring faintly.

“What brings the Histarian lord who knows nothing but the sword here.”

“…”

“Don’t you have anything to do?”

Rowen halted his steps towards the exit and turned to look at the young lady. Her words, light enough to be tossed aside, grated on his ears when spoken to the head of a household by such a young noblewoman.

Under Rowen’s intense gaze, Olivia pointed at him directly, meeting his eyes squarely.

“You are a count. I am a duke.”

“…And what of it?”

“If you have a problem with the title, take it up with the emperor, then I’ll deign to honor you.”

Like father, like son, he thought.

Rowen’s irritation with Olivia brought back memories of the past, memories of the academy days spent with the head of the Desmont household.

– Why do you live your life so dully? So pedantic and old-fashioned.

– Mind your own business. Better spend your time practicing magic than meddling in others’ lives. Don’t get beaten by me again like last time.

– It wasn’t a defeat, it was a draw. Is your brain so muscular you can’t remember properly?

– …

Anyway, it was a family he disliked. This place, Desmont. The lady who used black magic and that guy they couldn’t expel from the family.

“How presumptuous.”

To Rowen, Desmont, relying solely on their ducal title without dedication to the empire, seemed like a rebel.

“Hmm…”

Yet, that unyielding look in her eyes must be the pride of Desmont.

Rowen sighed deeply, looking into the eyes of the lady who faced him head-on. He didn’t want to waste his time bickering with a young woman.

But Olivia continued her brazen words towards Rowen.

“If I’m presumptuous, does that mean Histania has been annihilated?”

“…What did you say, my lady?”

“No, isn’t that so?”

“…What?”

“The head of Histania comes to my estate unannounced, and yet you stand so boldly. Even as the empire’s sword, isn’t there too much lack of manners?”

“You’re curt. Lady Desmont.”

“I told you. I am a duke. You are a count.”

“I would think you know well enough why Histania does not hold a title.”

“I don’t care to know such pedantic things. Even if I did, I wouldn’t want to speak disadvantageously.”

“…Why do your kind enjoy quibbling so much?”

“You’re the one who’s annoying.”

Unknowingly, Rowen clenched his fist. He felt as though he had lost control of the conversation.

Rowen always thought it natural for the weak to follow the strong. Yet, he found himself unable to counter the words of the lady, who knew her strengths all too well.

And so, he was swayed by the lady.

Determined not to be swayed any longer, Rowen clenched his fist and, passing by the lady, said,

“I shall take my leave.”

“Wait.”

“Why should I listen to you when I have nothing to say to you?”

“Because I have something to say.”

“…”

Olivia spoke calmly to the halted Rowen.

“Listen, Lord of Histania.”

“…”

“How did you educate your children?”

“What…?”

Despite the cold menace rising from Rowen, Olivia continued steadfastly without flinching.

“Histania Hanna came to our mansion in tears.”

“…”

“And Histania Malik came to apologize.”

“My children did…?”

“What if the Lord doesn’t know? Are you even a father?”

“Start from the beginning, lady.”

“What.”

Olivia sighed and let out a wry laugh.

“Seems you weren’t a proper father after all. Histania Hanna and Malik seemed well-raised. Though initially, they were a bit awkward.”

With a realization flashing in her eyes, Olivia clapped her hands as she exclaimed,

“Ah…! Is it that you don’t want to become like your father?”

“…You’d best watch your words.”

“What, am I wrong? How much must you despise your father to seek refuge not in your own house but in the home of a disgraced villainess? And to confide in our butler, no less.”

“…”

“That’s not to say it’s a bad thing. Our butler is indeed a talented individual.”

“So, what is it you want to say?”

“Just, because I was bored.”

Olivia said with a sly smile to Rowen.

“Did you come here because of our butler too?”

“…”

“To seek some kind of help, I mean.”

Rowen couldn’t respond to the lady’s words. Her words were direct, without any roundabout talk. Unlike the rumors that circulated, the lady’s sharp words and wit left Rowen no choice but to silently close his mouth and swallow his anger.

“Raising a child is quite difficult, isn’t it?”

“Don’t speak out of turn, Desmont.”

“If only they would follow along without being stubborn, success would be theirs if they just listened to their father.”

“…Enough.”

“But, you know.”

Olivia said, her eyes crinkling with a smile as she spoke towards the empire’s sword.

“Wouldn’t life be really boring then?”

“…”

“Not knowing why you live, feeling like a puppet, and it doesn’t seem like they give you candy either. They know only how to scold, never to praise, even if it kills them.”

Rowen remained silent.

Because he was entangled in the lady’s words. He could shut her up in a second if he used force, but the lady’s harsh words had already opened Rowen’s ears and pushed in the verbal abuse.

Olivia spoke cruel words into Rowen’s ear as if it was nothing.

“Keep going like that.”

“…”

“One death might change things. Isn’t that an acceptable choice? If you set up one strong pillar, the rest of the weak ones will crumble… It makes for a good foundation, doesn’t it?”

“Shut up.”

“Pffft… Why? Wasn’t this what the head of the family wanted? From what I’ve heard, it seems what I’ve said is nothing compared to what you’ve been through.”

As Rowen’s aura of menace began to turn dangerous.

-Click. Clack.

The sound of footsteps descending from the mansion’s second floor made Olivia close her mouth. She glanced up at the second floor and then, with a brief “I should go now,” she nestled into her pet’s embrace and closed her eyes.

“Everything is best in moderation. Don’t cross the line like I do.”

“Still, you don’t seem to know your place.”

“That’s right. I’ve come to realize something too.”

“How arrogant. You and your father both.”

“Don’t curse my father. He’s a duke, after all.”

“…You never lose a word, do you? Just like your family.”

“What can I do… Born to be bad. Anyway, think it over. Apologies are harder than you think.”

“…”

“You might regret it for life.”

-Miss!

Olivia closed her eyes upon seeing Ricardo descending the stairs, pretending she had been asleep all along.

“Cool…”

She closed her eyes.

*

“What happened?”

“Hmm?”

“It seemed like you were talking with the head of the Histania family.”

“Ah…”

Olivia spoke indifferently, looking at the door through which Lowen had left.

“Just bored, so I played along.”

I pulled the lady’s cheek and said,

“You teased him again, didn’t you.”

“Eeeek!!! No!”

“Your face says otherwise.”

“Eeeek!!! Just a little… teased him.”

“I was teased too.”

“Hehehe!”

I stroked the lady’s head with a smile.

“Shall I write it on the fence? ‘Here lives a villainess who tormented the empire’s sword.'”

“Eeek…”

The lady seemed pleased.

***

In the deserted office.

The head of the Histania family was sighing deeply, facing the dark moonlight.

I regretted visiting that mansion, and at the same time, I realized something I had not known before.

The fact that something was wrong with me.

Since when had it been so hard?

Since when had my existence become a burden? Lost in these recurring thoughts, Rowen found it difficult to clear his mind.

Upon finding the compass, it seemed many things had gone wrong, causing my heart to ache.

Family.

Choices.

Standards.

I couldn’t grasp how heavy the yardstick I had set had become for my children. Rowen felt as if his heart was being kicked, thinking about how his decisions had become a heavy burden.

The advice I gave to my daughter.

– You have no talent.

I realized it was the worst advice to choose.

The burden I had placed on my eldest son.

– You are destined to be the head of Histania. Focus solely on the sword.

I thought it created an environment where a child would hate their sibling.

Where did it all go wrong?

Rowen sat in the dark office, drinking alone to soothe his loneliness, not even getting drunk.

“…Damn.”

The moonlight was cold.

The numerous swords hanging in the office were sharp, and the ones Hanna had asked to touch just once remained untouched, dust-free in their place.

“…The worst.”

Rowen bowed his head.

There was a need to calm the complicated thoughts. But time did not wait for Rowen.

-Creeeak.

The closed door of the office opened, revealing the familiar face in the moonlight.

The familiar figure holding a sword.

“It’s been a long time, Dad.”

It was the worst reunion.