-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: A Father's Regret
-----------------------------------------------------------------
However, no matter how uncertain the memories, there was one thing he could be sure of.
'I know exactly why I feel this way about you.'
Leonard had never once thought of his one and only daughter as a disgrace to the family.
That day, in the carriage on the way back.
Even after thoroughly thrashing the high priest, Leonard couldn't quell his rage. He ground his teeth, letting out rough breaths now and then.
Whenever he glanced at Rubette, huddled up beside him and forcing back her tears, the anger he'd barely managed to suppress flared up again.
"Ha, damn it...."
Yes, it was a situation that would shock the person involved most of all. Her mind must have been swirling with all sorts of thoughts tormenting her.
She probably... thought I was angry at her?
"Couldn't you have just said I was okay?"
Regrettably, no matter how hard he searched his memory, there was nothing. No recollection of reassuring his frightened, crying daughter.
"Yes. I should have."
Slowly lowering the arm covering his eyes, Leonard stared into space and let out a wry, self-mocking chuckle.
"...The worst father there ever was."
* * *
The emotions I'd poured out at my father didn't bring the satisfaction I'd hoped for.
And rightly so. The self of Rubette's that I'd fully absorbed wasn't the type to express hurt so openly—she'd swallow it alone.
'But Juliet Karénine is the type who has to speak her mind to live.'
Caught in a muddled mood from the clashing selves, I was heading to my room when—
After climbing about five steps toward the second floor, I froze at the shadow blocking my path.
"...?"
Looking up, I saw a familiar face etched painfully deep in my memories.
My eyes widened in shock.
'Cedric Raizer? What's this guy doing here since this afternoon?'
Cedric Raizer, the trash Rubette had loved her whole life.
Handsome enough, sure—but to my taste? Not even close. With his still-boyish face at just sixteen, he stood before me.
"Rubettria."
"Oh, Cedric. Hi."
His neatly combed brown hair and striking blue eyes made him the picture of a pretty boy.
And with that face, he'd toyed with sweet, pure-hearted Rubette her entire life.
'This trash bastard... Just looking at his face pisses me off.'
Remembering the hopelessly romantic Rubette who'd loved him brought a fresh wave of anger surging up.
* * *
It was Rubette's sixteenth birthday.
Which meant, in the original story, this would happen about half a year from now.
Led by the twins, a lavish party was held at the Diorus Ducal House that day.
"You're not gonna eat? I even brought in a chef from far away just for you."
There was no way those demons would celebrate her birthday with genuine kindness...
"You don't look like you want to."
"What's up, Cedric? Heh heh... Didn't you say you'd eat anything if I asked?"
Unable to suspect him, Rubette was simply thrilled that Cedric had come to celebrate her birthday. Like an idiot.
"I said, are you gonna eat or not?"
"U-um... Cedric. C-can I really... eat this?"
Rubette smiled awkwardly at the food covering the table.
Uncooked, mashed whole fish. Soup that looked half-eaten. Chunks of meat hardened stiff...
From memory, these were leftovers from about three days of meals at the ducal house. The kind usually gathered and sent to the pigsty.
"So what does it look like to you?"
"Th-there's so much other delicious stuff. Let's eat that together..."
Cedric, apparently not expecting her refusal, flushed red and glanced around.
The party that day consisted entirely of the twins, Cedric, and their gang.
All children of prestigious noble houses. The so-called spoiled golden third-generation heirs who'd soon dominate high society.
"Pfft, you bragged her up so much, and this is it? Lame."
"Yeah, total letdown. Thought she'd eat anything without complaint, but guess not even this?"
The Alon Marquis Heir and Pelkan Lady—who were little more than cheerleaders for the thug crew—giggled at pale-faced Rubette.
"...."
Not a single friendly face among those gathered to "celebrate" her birthday.
To keep from crying as she watched the demons laughing and chatting around the table, Rubette had to bite her lip hard.
"If you don't eat, what does that make me, the one who went to all this trouble to set the table?"
"...."
Cedric, sitting beside her, clenched his teeth and whispered quietly.
The fact that he—the one she'd somewhat trusted—was leading this was the most despairing part.
Rubette wasn't just kind and timid; she wasn't stupid. She knew Cedric saw her as a toy.
And yet...
"I-I'm not hungry... I'll eat later."
"Hey!"
"Puhahaha!"
"Cedric, you were so cocky!"
"She said no? I win then—pay up, it's all mine!"
"No fair, that bet's invalid!"
"Giggle giggle...!"
Amid the mocking friends, Cedric trembled with wounded pride.
"Bad girl...."
"S-sorry."
"If you're sorry, then eat! It's not like you can't!"
"B-but...."
"It's not gonna kill you!"
Frightened by Cedric's barking, Rubette instinctively picked up a spoon.
That's when her maid Rebecca bravely intervened.
"M-Miss!"
"Rebecca?"
Rebecca snatched the spoon from Rubette's hand, plunging the table into silence.
Amid the haughty noble brats—who glared at her with wide, white eyes despite their youth—Rebecca trembled but spoke up courageously.
"I-I'll go to the kitchen and bring something tastier. There's plenty of prepared food."
"...."
"...."
"Ha...."
The silence was broken by a sigh from Lilia at the end of the table.
With a bored expression, she flicked her hand once, and waiting maids roughly grabbed Rebecca's arms.
"L-let go!"
"Drag her out. How dare a mere maid act so cheeky...."
"Re-Rebecca!"
"M-Miss!"
Shocked, Rubette tried to stand and follow, but—
"Sit."
Cedric's angry voice grabbed her ankle, making her freeze.
"Can't you see you're ruining the mood? We all came to celebrate your birthday—why pull this?"
"...."
Finally, tears welled up in Rubette's eyes as she stared at Rebecca's retreating back.
Her mind swirled with thoughts.
'Why is Cedric doing this to me? Why does he hate me so much? Because he likes Lilia? To impress her?'
The prince-like Cedric who'd made eight-year-old Rubette fall at first sight was nowhere to be found.
Yet the emotions she'd piled up over time were terrifyingly powerful, leaving Rubette endlessly weak to him.
"This is so boring. I'm going to my room to sleep."
As Lilia rose with a haughty glare, Riki approached, personally seating Rubette and shoving a spoon into her hand.
"Hey, idiot. Our princess is pissed. Eat, quick."
"N-no. Don't do this."
"Nooo?"
She should have bolted from the room right then.
"Rubette, are you going to the Debutante Ball alone this time?"
Cedric's voice, suddenly much softer than before, held her back again.
"H-huh?"
"I figured you'd found another partner since you didn't ask me, but you haven't yet, right?"
"U-um...."
His face now gentle, Cedric propped his chin and smiled faintly.
"I'll go with you."
"...Really?"
"Of course. Who else would you go with but me?"
"...."
"Rubette, this is just a game. Celebrating normally would be no fun. Can't you see everyone's having a good time?"
Cedric gestured to the kids giggling around the table.
In the end, after hesitating a bit more, Rubette picked up the spoon with trembling hands.
"Pfft. You're actually gonna eat?"
"Wait! This girl, I bet a million marks!"
"Shh, quiet!"
"...."
It wasn't that she desperately needed a Debutante Ball partner.
The learned harassment had become routine, and by then, Rubette had half-lost the will to escape that life.
She just wished the nightmare would end quickly.
"Puhahahaha...!"
"Oh my god! She's really eating!"
"Aaah, this is hilarious!"
In the end, the raw fish guts and pork fat scraps in her mouth tasted just as revolting as imagined.
* * *
"Urk."
For a moment, the illusion of food waste in my mouth made me dry-heave.
Cedric standing before me gave me a puzzled look.
'Go to hell!'
I wanted to dash to the kitchen and stuff the leftovers down his throat right then.
'Too bad it hasn't happened yet. Snapping now would just make me look crazy.'
Exercising immense self-control, I barely held back, gritted my teeth, avoided Cedric's gaze, and stepped aside.
As I tried to continue up the stairs—
"...."
Cedric blocked my path again.
'What?'
Avoiding the filthy trash is common sense. As I sidestepped the other way—
Our steps overlapped again.
Absurd. I shot him an irritated glare, but surprisingly, Cedric looked even more annoyed than me.
"You're annoying."
"What?"
"I said annoying. What's your problem now? Spit it out and get lost."
"...?"
Is he insane?
He acted like I'd deliberately blocked his way.