Father will not allow a divorce.
He won't allow it.
He won't.
Won't he?
Once, twice, three times. She exhaled as she bent her back.
Like it or not, the sound of fountain pen squeaks again.
Kanna slowly lifted herself up, Alessandro was writing something, looking away from her again. The light of the back of his hand looked so peaceful that Kanna thought she had heard it wrong. But she know it's not.
"Why?"
What? In that short time, what mistake did she make?
"Why, father?"
"There is no obligation to explain."
"But you suddenly change your words!"
"It's also my right."
A father who declares without even looking.
Yeah, he don't have to.
The invincible Duke of Addis. A descendant of a great paladin who has defended humanity from the Southern Continent for over a thousand years against the Black Fog.
Alessandro Addis, the continent's strongest warrior, said to be powerful enough to be comparable to the Paladins of the Dark Continent.
He was said to give even the King a handful, and was a strong man who had many right in his hands since he was born. He is a person who does not even need anyone's consent.
But,
"Father..."
Kanna was overcome by a feeling of despair that seemed to leave her mouth empty. No mater how much she think about it, she can't figure it out what she said wrong. What was it that bothered him? What?
"I can't get a divorce without father's permission. Are you telling me to live while suffering in Valentino again?"
"There is no need to go back to Valentino."
"Yes?"
"Stay in this house unless otherwise instructed."
No need to go back to Valentino? Laughter come out. Kanna can't keep up with the flow of the conversation.
Unlike Kanna who couldn't find her mind as if she was swept away by a tidal wave. Alessandro spoke leisurely enough to be boring.
"You cannot leave without my permission. Don't even dream of moving to Yalden Kingdom."
'Oh, I see.'
It was then that Kanna seemed to know what her father wanted.
'Hope is trying to torture me.'
He wants to see Kanna frantically seeking permission for a divorce.
'You'd hate to see me, do you want to see me suffer enough to put up with it?'
Her father probably want to send her to the end of the world. He didn't miss an opportunity to harassed her. Thinking this far Kanna finally realize her mistake.
'To say that living in the Kingdom of Yalden is a wish is a mistake.'
Her father doesn't want her to be happy. It is impossible to see the hated daughter happinnes comes true.
'Okay. I keep forgetting how much my father hated me.'
What should she say? Numerous words of resentment and persuasion lingered in her mouth, but her tongue was stiff and did not move.
She know that nothing would make sense. At least for now, or never.
It was a brutally cold truth, but she had to accept it. Even if she lay down here and cried and makes a fuss. Her father will never listen.
"...All right."
The voice that came out the next moment was suprisingly cold. It was a chilling voice.
At that coldness, Alessandro raised his head. No matter what happened, Kanna, who behaved politely, had never shown rebellion like this.
"But please know this, father."
But this time, Kanna decided to do it. She was offended, so she won't hide it.
The moment Kanna caught her father's gaze, she immediately grabbed it. She stared fervently, unable to take her eyes off him. Hoping that she'll devour his a little bit in her own hot wrath.
"I am disappointed in you, father."
Is it an illusion? The fountain pen Alessandro held in her hand seem to shake.
"I hoped you make a different decision in the future."
Kanna immediately opened the door and left the room. But she was angry that she couldn't move for a while.
Tens of minutes to stand still as if she was dead in front of the door. As her legs began to cramps, Kanna let out a sigh of relief.
'It's okay. Let's go back.'
As she took a step to back to her room belatedly, Kanna suddenly realized. The door hadn't been closed tightly, so it was slightly open. In the next moment, the realization comes again. From the moment she left the room until now...
She couldn't hear the sound of the fountain pen. Even the sound of flipping papers.
Silent.
***
On her way back to her room, she feels completely upset.
Kanna's footsteps stopped. She almost bumped into the person walking in front if her.
"Sister..."
It was Isabelle.
Isabelle also hardened her face, probably surprised. Kanna glanced at her with her eyes of contempt.
'I guess she knew her fault.'
From that day on, Isabelle was completely dejected and went into hiding like a rat. When Kalen heard it, she was called in by Kalen and listened to nagging and sermons for hours, and heard whimpering in their bedroom for days.
It must have been that Isabelle was extremely scolded by Kalen.
"Are you in your way to visit father?"
"Did you tell Lucy about the poison?"
Isabelle's face went white. Looking at her trembling lips, Kanna suppressed her sneer.
"Do you know what you did was bad?"
Kanna didn't say anything to father. Anyway, Alessandro wouldn't be interested in talking about it anyway, but that didn't mean he was silent.
Kanna didn't want to have anything to do with them anymore. She just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
"...Wait."
Isabelle grabbed Kanna's wrist as she tried to pass it by.
"Sister, take this."
Isabelle pushed the envelope to Kanna's chest.
"It's an invitation from the Imperial Family. Did you know that there will be a birthday banquet for Her Highness, the 2nd Princess? Of course, sister won't go."
Isabelle's nails dig in harder and harder.
"No, you wont' be able to go. If you go, you will just hide behind the curtain to avoid people's eyes like before."
"What?"
"I don't know why you're suddenly acting like a different person, but listen carefully."
Isabelle shook Kanna's wrist like filth.
"No matter what I've done, I'm still Isabelle, the beloved daughter of House Addis. And what about you, sister? You're still an ugly filth. Understand?'
What is Isabelle saying now? Kanna, who had been listening indifferently, turned her back.
Isabelle, who became even more enthusiastic about that attitude, huffed, but didn't look back.
Kanna have no time to worry about Isabelle.
***
"Damn it!"
It was only after entering the underground laboratory that Kanna burst into anger. She slammed the invitation and tore her hair out.
"Damn it, Alessandro Addis. You damn bastard!"
Kanna, who had been tearing her hair out for a while, collapsed on the floor.
"Damn it, Addis, my plan was ruined."
Tha plan has failed, completely. At least for now, Kanna can't get a divorce, and she can't leave the Addis family.
Alessandro would never allow Kanna to live happily ever after leaving the Addis family.
"You want to see me suffer in Addis, that's is."
Alessandro Addis, you damn father! A perverted sadist and psychopath!
"Do you think I will show you something like that? Wait and see. I will be happy wherever I were!"
He will want the same Kanna as before. Kanna who hides like a rat. Kanna who tries hard not to be noticed by others.
"Okay, father. I am what you want me to be."
Kanna smiled dejectledy and looked around.
A lab full of alchemy tools. Underground, where only the rays pf light coming in from the small windows and dim candles are all there.
This was the space that Alessandro allowed Kanna. Just this much.
'Yes, it was. My father doesn't want me to leave this humble place. So you completely ignored my talent for alchemy.'
The daughter he hated, and therefore the daughter he ignored, he did not try to see the good points of that daughter, even of she put them in his eyes.
Kanna twisted the corner of her mouth bitterly.
Support Novellate!
Kanna showed her hatred for her father! it was super effective! critical damage! debuff 'shellshocked' has been added
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