Chapter 17

It was said again; such a story wasn’t in the game.

The title of Episode III clearly shows that the story progresses before and after Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Claire didn’t send her maids to my room or call me for breakfast.

Not even a scene where Flora comes to my room like now existed.

▶Hidden Episode – Kelbia Allergy is ongoing.◀

The status window merely displayed an ongoing window, not giving any other information. This too was one episode, and I had no choice but to deal with it as I knew how.

Information was overwhelmingly lacking.

I might know about the character Flora Bargrand, but I have no idea how to handle this situation.

But I could easily guess why she came to find me.

“Did you come to tell me something? To me?”

“…You glared at me in the restaurant.”

Because of what she did in the restaurant.

First, I pointed out Flora as the one who put Kelbia fruit in the food, and I looked at her to confirm if she was the culprit.

If she came here because of that, then the pressure aimed at one person who focused only on tormenting Carsein among the three actions would be well received.

“What’s wrong with glaring at someone?”

When I pretended not to know and tried to dodge, Flora answered promptly, seeming displeased.

“Are you suspecting me of being the culprit right now! Isn’t it?”

“Is that why you came here?”

“Of course! Because I’m not the culprit!”

Just by twisting her words a little, her true intentions slipped out.

Kids should be handled like this. Since she brought up the main point, I’ll counterattack too.

“Let’s see. Do you have any evidence that you’re not the culprit?”

“What? What?”

“From my perspective, you’re the first one I’d suspect. Of course, it’s suspicious. You’ve been putting things in food more than once.”

“That’s not true! I haven’t…”

“Didn’t my food cause a Rigmaus reaction not long ago? Why, don’t you think that’s evidence too?”

Immediately, she denied it.

“I didn’t do it. I didn’t!”

Kids are all like this. They brag, lie, and throw tantrums, just like the third sibling.

The more they acted like that, the more I held back, holding my breath. It was to push harder later.

“Kelbia Allergy. Only you knew about that.”

“That’s…!”

“Mother, Arina, and Claire didn’t know. Yet, you openly put Kelbia fruit in my food and made me look like a sinner. Are you saying that’s not true either?”

“No! No! This time…! I really didn’t…”

“Kelbia fruit, the way you put it in the food. The most likely culprit is right in front of you. Is this not your problem?”

When I mentioned the obvious facts, Flora jumped.

“It’s not me! Really, really… I didn’t know you were suffering so much from Kelbia fruit…”

I lowered my waist to meet Flora’s eyes.

Flora, denying that she wasn’t the culprit, had tears welling up in her eyes.

“Are you feeling unjust?”

-Nodding.

Seeing her firm nod, she truly seemed unjust.

Because it wasn’t her doing. I knew that much too.

But, should I consider her situation?

“I understand how you feel. I’ve felt that feeling every day.”

“What…?”

“I’ve felt the exact same emotion you’re feeling now, every single day. Every time someone tried to drive me away with all sorts of methods.”

Even when Carsein was tormented like that, he would say it was unfair and plead not to do it, but they wouldn’t listen. But when it became his own problem, does it feel different?

There’s no need to show mercy.

“You probably just didn’t like me and wanted to get rid of me. But, do you know what it means to be kicked out of the Duke’s House?”

For a child sent away with nothing, the world can be unbearably harsh.

“Expensive-looking clothes attract attention. But if there’s no escort around? Those people will grab you and take everything you have. Some big guys you’ve never seen before will force you to give it up.”

If anything is visible, people will swarm like hyenas to tear it apart.

“If you’re left with nothing and taken, you end up rolling around in back alleys. Left alone as a wreck. Then, suddenly, a hand reaches out from a dark, cold, scary place.”

When there’s nowhere to go back to, you naturally want to rely on somewhere. And you mistake that hand for help.

“That person will say, ‘I’ll give you food and a place to sleep. Just follow orders.’ That’s how everyone ends up in the slums.”

Once you fall into that illusion, it’s over. You’re trapped in an endless pit.

“Because the ones who take your stuff and the ones who reach out their hands are all part of the same gang. Without doing the work, they won’t give you a drop of water. When you become useless, they’ll sell you off somewhere.”

In the end, you lose everything and are used until you’re discarded.

The difference is whether you realize this faster or later.

To a young child, the world is that cruel.

“Don’t lie. That doesn’t exist. It’s not in books. I’ve never heard teachers talk about it! You’re just making up stories…”

Yes. It all feels like a lie.

How could a well-bred noble lady know the harshness of the real world?

Of course, I’m no different.

Things might be different in this world from what I know.

But.

Would this girl think the same?

“Forget where I came from?”

“…”

She knows more about the slums than anyone else.

She’s faced the harsh realities head-on and met bad people many times.

So she can speak boldly.

She must have had much more painful days than what I’ve experienced.

“Then you… outside, did you experience…?”

“Kelbia fruit is just a joke compared to the experiences that made me go through it twice. Compared to allergies, kicks hurt more, and a cold shower isn’t painful on a wounded body. Servants? Even without them, I can manage. So, I wash laundry with cold water in winter, right?”

“That’s… not possible. That’s…”

When I revealed the darker side of the world, Flora cried silently, her eyes like chicken droppings.

“I don’t believe it. I absolutely don’t believe it! Such things don’t exist in the world!”

Clang.

Something was thrown and rolled across the room by Flora’s hand.

“Oh…”

“What’s this?”

“It’s from my older sister. She said she’d be mad if I missed the coming-of-age ceremony. I’ve said everything I needed to, so I’m leaving!”

Bang!

Placing her hand on the thrown object, Flora shouted and slammed the door hard.

Her running footsteps gradually faded away.

At the same time, a status window popped up in front of me.

▶Hidden Episode – Kelbia Allergy cleared.◀

■Reward

[Obtained High-Quality Ointment item]

■Items in possession

▶[High-Quality Ointment]

[A high-quality ointment that greatly reduces pain when applied and accelerates recovery speed slightly. It also covers wounds nicely, making them look better.]

Judging by the effect, it seems to mean use this ointment and participate in the coming-of-age ceremony.

It seems Shaiden explained about Kelbia allergy well, and since Arina didn’t come directly, the episode seems to have passed as the status window said.

But I didn’t feel good at all.

Anger turned into disgust. The childish actions of the third sibling overlapped with Flora’s, making me unable to stay angry.

“Participate in the coming-of-age ceremony? What a joke.”

Ding-dong.

“Was there something you needed, Young Master?”

When I rang the bell to call a maid, Camila arrived quickly.

“Summon Heiron at this hour.”

***

Time had already passed noon, and the evening twilight was setting in. There were only a few hours left until Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony began.

The ceremony itself takes place in the evening, and the banquet continues past midnight. This was the moment for a decision.

“Heiron here, Young Master Carsein.”

With a knock, the butler’s respectful voice was heard. I immediately told him to come in.

“I heard you called for me. What is the matter?”

As expected, it’s Heiron.

Unlike other characters I’ve seen countless times in the Duke’s House, there was no bias in his gaze.

He is a man of strict neutrality, never entering early or late. He is one of the hardest characters to deal with in the game.

But because of that.

Because he is a straightforward, bamboo-like man who always maintains neutrality, I called him.

Before the actual coming-of-age episode for Claire begins, at this very moment.

“Why ask ‘what’s the matter’? Shouldn’t you ask that first?”

Heiron fell silent for a moment.

“As for the Kelbia allergy, everyone probably knows by now. Lady and the young ladies—”

“No. That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“What do you mean?”

“You brought Shaiden, didn’t you, Heiron?”

“…”

That’s right.

The remnants of this unfinished episode are still with Heiron.

The maids would listen to Arina’s words, not Carsein’s orders.

This fact will be revealed later when gathering recognition within the Duke’s House and obtaining sub-quests, but there’s no problem in revealing it now.

“The maids won’t listen to me. They know my position in the Duke’s House well. But, who else could have brought Shaiden?”

“Even if the eldest daughter’s orders take precedence, Young Master is still a child of the Bargrand Duke House. One of them would have enough reason to move.”

“Like my personal maid, Camila, for example?”

Heiron flinched at my quick answer.

You hit the nail on the head.

“Camila was cleaning my room. Even if she moved upon hearing the news, it wouldn’t be in order like this.”

“…”

Two impossible things coincided in terms of time and space.

Due to the imbalance of information, Heiron has no proper way to refute this.

Finally, Heiron gave in.

“There’s no refuting that. I can’t deny it. Yes, it’s true. I brought the Duke’s personal doctor.”

Facing Heiron’s prompt admission, I could question him again.

“Why did you do such a thing?”

A simple yet profound question.

How many people in the Duke’s House show kindness towards Carsein?

Only a handful of people show even superficial kindness, so Heiron’s actions were indeed strange.

It’s unusual for a neutral character to lean one way.

But I didn’t ask this question on purpose. There’s a reason for everything.

“Yes. It seems that way.”

“Is that why you called me?”

“Not at all. I called the butler because I wanted to make a request.”

Even though I avoided answering his question, I changed the subject to another topic.

Heiron paused for a moment, surprised by my unexpected response.

“What request is that?”

“Heiron, you remember, don’t you? The accident I caused during Arina’s coming-of-age ceremony.”

“…Yes.”

“And a few hours later, Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony begins. I don’t want to repeat the same accident twice.”

This is the real intention.

To assert that I won’t cause an accident during the coming-of-age ceremony, I called Heiron.

“So, I want all the information including the timeline of the coming-of-age ceremony, the map of the banquet hall, and the arrangement of security guards.”

▶[Do you want to participate in Claire’s coming-of-age ceremony?]

[1. Participate.]

[2. Do not participate.]

[3. Wait a bit longer.]

The options had already appeared long ago.

Whether to go now or later is up to me to choose.

Therefore, I had to prepare as much as possible.