TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 89
“…Sniff.”
The Young Lady’s Room in the Capital Mansion.
The Young Lady and I, who were nearly driven out by Kyle’s persistence, managed to stay in the mansion thanks to Rosanna and Darbav’s help, engaging in Self-Reflection.
The dejected Young Lady was blowing her nose with a tissue, wearing a gloomy expression, while I, with a similarly unpleasant look, handed her a tissue and comforted her as she cried.
-What makes you think you can come here?
-…I’m sorry.
-How dare you show your face after ruining the Household?
-I’m sorry…
-Get out. I don’t even want to see you.
Kyle used to be kind to the Young Lady.
Anyone could see they were a close-knit sibling pair, relying on each other deeply.
To the extent that Kyle’s dream until he was 14 years old was to marry his younger sister, Kyle had a severe Siscon tendency.
-When I grow up, I’m going to marry Olivia.
-Are you a Siscon?
-Siscon? What’s that?
-It’s an insult.
-…?
As he grew older, he let go of his Childhood dream, but until Olivia entered the Academy, I remembered Kyle as a very caring and nurturing Older Brother to her.
He even shared his favorite snack, Chocolate, with her.
-Olivia, here, eat this.
-No, thanks. Dark Chocolate is too bitter for me.
Of course, it didn’t suit the Young Child-like palate of the Young Lady and was rejected every time, but Kyle treasured and cherished Olivia that much.
Even though Kyle often grumbled at me, who was always by the Young Lady’s side, he was kind enough to share Chocolate with me as well.
-Here, eat this.
-Isn’t giving me half a piece instead of a whole one a bit much?
-Consider it an Honor that I’m giving you any at all, Commoner.
-Consider it an Honor that I’m not taking it, Noble.
-Eeeek!!!
But even such a severe Siscon couldn’t bear the weight of Dark Magic.
Two years ago.
When the Young Lady fainted due to Dark Magic, it was the first time Kyle grabbed me by the collar.
-Why… Why didn’t you pay attention? If you had cared just a little more about Olivia, this wouldn’t have happened.
-I’m sorry.
-That Guy’s sorry… Does saying sorry fix everything? This could jeopardize the Household, and you think one word of apology will resolve it?
-I’ll do something about it, somehow. So please…
-What could you possibly do…!
Being grabbed by the collar by Kyle, who cherished the Young Lady dearly, was not a pleasant experience. I was already distressed enough about failing to prevent the Young Lady’s Dark Magic, and his scolding only made me feel worse.
The emotions I felt back then were indescribably complicated. Both physically and mentally.
And today, that same Kyle told Olivia to leave.
It might have been said in a fit of anger, worn down by exhaustion, but I could see the True Feelings in Kyle’s eyes, filled with rage. Not the kind Older Brother who always took care of Olivia, but Kyle with the eyes of someone looking at an Outsider.
To the Young Lady, who had only ever seen the kind Older Brother, this must have been a huge shock.
And so now, the Young Lady was crying, and we came to the conclusion to celebrate the Head of the Household’s Birthday and quickly return to the mansion.
The Young Lady, her eyes red, quietly opened her mouth.
“Ricardo… I know I did a lot wrong. I’m just so upset.”
The Young Lady spoke to me in a choked voice. The Snot-Stained Tissues piled up like a mountain on the Table, and sorrowful tears were streaming down her face.
“I know it too. I know I caused trouble for the Household and Older Brother… I’m just so upset that I can’t stop crying.”
The Young Lady repeated the same words.
Her sorrowful voice pained my heart, but this was a problem she had to overcome herself, so I stayed silent and simply kept her company.
I wanted to help the Young Lady, but things like this weren’t written in the Novel.
All I could help with were external matters—fighting, earning money, and cheering her up. Beyond that, there was nothing I could do.
I couldn’t intervene.
This was a problem the Young Lady had to resolve on her own, so all I could do was silently hold a tissue up to her nose.
“Sniff!”
The Young Lady blew her nose and then buried her face in her Palm with a sorrowful expression.
“Hic… Sob… I’m so upset.”
I glanced at the Young Lady and asked in a Small Voice. I couldn’t just pass by her trembling shoulders.
“Young Lady, do you hate Lord Kyle?”
“Why…?”
The Young Lady, her eyes brimming with tears, looked at me. I answered her as if stating the obvious.
“To go flick his forehead, of course.”
“Ricardo, you’re not even close with Older Brother.”
“What can I do? The Young Lady says she hates him, so he deserves it.”
“You can’t. Ricardo, you’ll get kicked out.”
“I won’t do it.”
The Young Lady looked at me with an incredulous expression. Her gaze, as if saying, “What kind of person is this?” brought me a strange sense of satisfaction.
“So, Young Lady, do you hate Lord Kyle?”
The Young Lady shook her head vehemently.
“No. It’s my fault, so… I don’t hate him.”
“You understand that well.”
“I’m not that shameless of a person.”
“Oh, what a surprise. I thought the Young Lady would storm off to Lord Kyle and cause Havoc right away.”
“I’m not a Crazy Woman.”
“It was a Joke.”
The Young Lady’s sobbing gradually subsided at my blunt Joke. Her trembling shoulders and Runny Nose settled down, erasing her tearful expression.
I expressed a presumptuous thought to the Young Lady. I wasn’t sure if it would help, but it was a problem we had to solve together.
I cautiously opened my mouth.
“Young Lady, if you don’t hate Lord Kyle, how about apologizing?”
“I already said I’m sorry. But Older Brother says he doesn’t want to hear it.”
As the Young Lady’s tears threatened to flow again, I quickly voiced another presumptuous thought without hesitation.
“Not just saying sorry. A Proper Apology. Like going to his room and saying, ‘It must have been hard for you. I’m sorry for everything.’ How about that?”
Feeling embarrassed by the overly sentimental suggestion, I awkwardly scratched my head and spoke shyly.
“We don’t have much, and we haven’t done much right, so we can’t prepare a Gift, but at least we can show sincerity. Of course, kneeling is off the table. Pride won’t allow that.”
“Ricardo, your knees are really heavy.”
“My knees are expensive. If you pay my Unpaid Salary, I’ll kneel once.”
“I don’t have money.”
“Then I guess you’ll never see me kneel.”
“…”
I didn’t resent Kyle’s actions. In fact, his behavior was what I expected, and his words were the Grudge we deserved to hear.
Ruined the Household, he said.
If it were me, I would have acted just like Kyle. Probably even harsher. I thought Kyle was being lenient by simply telling us to leave and retreating to his room.
So I cautiously voiced my presumptuous thought to the Young Lady.
I suggested having an honest conversation.
I proposed to the Young Lady that, just this once, we should do what we could.
The Young Lady, after hesitating for a moment, confided her doubts to me.
“I… I don’t know how to apologize.”
“You seemed to do just fine when you scolded me before.”
“That’s because you were in the wrong, Ricardo. You lied and made me upset…”
“Isn’t this situation similar?”
“It’s different. I’ve never apologized to Older Brother before. And I’ve never apologized to anyone other than you.”
The Young Lady lowered her head gloomily, wearing a dejected expression. Apologies were the furthest thing from her nature. That was just who she was. She couldn’t muster the courage easily.
“It’s only natural for Lord Kyle to be angry, Young Lady.”
“I know that. It’s just… if I apologize poorly… I think Older Brother will hate me even more.”
“Young Lady.”
I placed my hand on the Young Lady’s brittle hair and gave a Small Smile. Her soft, brittle white hair felt so fluffy under my fingertips that I wanted to keep stroking it for a long time.
“Lord Kyle cares about you deeply, Young Lady. He might even be waiting for you in his room right now.”
“No, that’s not true. Older Brother hates me so much. He even told me earlier… to leave.”
“Did he actually kick you out?”
“No…”
The Young Lady, looking dejected, lowered her head and mumbled softly.
“If it were me, I think I would’ve told myself to leave immediately.”
“Oh… You’ve finally learned how to empathize. I’m a little surprised.”
“Of course.”
The Young Lady straightened her shoulders with a melancholic expression and nodded. She seemed proud of her newfound warmth, claiming it as a sign of growth. I, however, admired the growth of her chest in a different sense and let out a small gasp of amazement.
“Impressive.”
“Mm.”
“Still growing…”
“Hm?”
“It’s nothing.”
The Young Lady tilted her head slightly, a Question Mark on her face, but I brushed it off as if it were nothing.
“Young Lady.”
“Yes?”
“When you found out my arm was injured, what did you feel?”
“I…”
The Young Lady fidgeted with her fingers and spoke in a slightly soft Voice that reverberated through the room.
“I was really angry. Because Ricardo got hurt.”
“Exactly. I believe Lord Kyle feels the same way. Just as you were furious when I got hurt, I cautiously think Lord Kyle is also very angry because you got hurt. Though, of course, I could be wrong.”
“…What if you’re wrong?”
I gave a helpless smile and tousled the Young Lady’s Hair. Her now messy Hair made me smile faintly, and I let out a small laugh, “Pfft.”
“If I’m wrong, then there’s nothing we can do about it. If he doesn’t accept your apology, then apologize again. And keep apologizing until one day, he accepts it.”
“But…”
I looked at the Young Lady’s gloomy face and spoke. I hoped that the Young Lady, whose smile suited her far better than tears, would smile again.
“Young Lady, are you planning to never see Lord Kyle again?”
“No… I want to keep seeing him.”
“What about the Head of the Household and Rosanna?”
“I want to keep seeing them too.”
“Then…”
I raised my head and told the Young Lady.
“Go and give a proper apology. If it doesn’t work, I’ll go flick Lord Kyle’s forehead for you.”
“…Older Brother hates you, Ricardo.”
“I hate him too.”
“…”
After a brief silence.
The Young Lady turned the wheels of her Wheelchair toward Kyle’s Room.
“I’ll be back.”
And from Kyle’s Room.
-Waaah…! Older Brother, I’m sorry!
The sound of the Young Lady’s Sorrowful Crying echoed.