ICTV - Chapter 39
I Changed The Villain
"..."
“Money is still the best. It's thrilling. Don't worry just because you're a noble, you should save as much as you can while you're young. You should also save a lot.”
Kedis, who regained his senses when talking about money, picked up the towel.
“I’m just going to take a shower.”
"Wash up quickly and come out."
"But keep in mind what I said earlier."
Kedis spoke one last time before entering the bathroom.
“Go on a trip and do whatever you want with your younger sister. Even if you want to go later, you won’t be able to.”
With those words, the door closed.
“...Because he is a non-clumsy person.”
Beryl really hated those words. Because that's what the old guys had a habit of saying to Rose, who was of marriageable age.
Beryl still remembers it vividly. The words poured down on Rose like a torrential rain.
'There is no need to buy nice clothes for Rose. Your daughter is an outcast anyway. If she gets married, she will be from a different family, so why bother spending your precious money on her?'
'That's true a hundred times a thousand times. Why are you being nice to me when I'm useless?'
‘Well, your face is as pretty as a rose. I have to marry her off to a good place and somehow help the family...'
Compared to the family elders, Beryl listened to them as if he was young and pale. But I knew that what they said was wrong. Beryl said as she stood in front of Rose.
'She's so ugly.'
'...What?'
‘She's ugly. No matter how you look at it, she looks like a pumpkin flower, but what is a rose?'
‘Beryl. What kind of speech habits do you have since becoming the successor?'
'Why? Did I say something wrong? Rose It's a pumpkin flower. That's perfect too.'
Even though Beryl knew it was rude, he insisted.
‘Someone this ugly won’t be able to get married later. I say she has to live with me for the rest of her life!'
After that, the word pumpkin flower completely stuck in Beryl's mouth. As Beryl recalled the past, determination appeared in her eyes. I will have to cut back on training for the time being.
***
“Hey, pumpkin flower! Are you ready!”
“Ouch...!”
Rika was startled by Beryl's shout and dropped what she was holding. The moment the transparent glass bowl was about to collide with the floor, Mera quickly jumped up and caught the bowl. Fortunately, nothing was broken.
Mera proudly handed the bowl to Rika, receiving applause from the maids. Rika was relieved and asked me for a favor.
"Miss. Come here now and close your eyes.”
“...It’s annoying.”
Rika had a stern expression. I, who had been peacefully basking in the sun by the window, eventually had to lie down in bed. Preparing for a massage by stretching her body.
Becky, who was playing, asked.
“Isn’t this the natural pack made with the herbs we gave out at the top of Nerva last time?”
"That's right."
Becky cracked her fingers one last time before answering.
“Okay, then let’s start the massage.”
Beryl, who was standing helplessly in the doorway, shouted again.
“Don’t ignore me, listen to me, pumpkin flower! Are you ready!!”
“I’m already ready to kick you out.”
"Hey...!"
I waved my hand up and down without even opening my eyes. Beryl was furious at the obvious order to congratulate the guests.
“How dare you try to chase your brother out like a dog...?!”
“No, why are you like that? Without even spitting or knocking on someone else’s room....”
Shh. Becky put a finger to my mouth.
“No, Miss. You can't say it. Wrinkles appear.”
"Oh sorry."
The room became quiet again. Beryl sighed as the ground fell.
“Okay, I don’t expect you to react. Just listen.”
"What?"
Beryl took out a scroll from his pocket.
“The travel plans were completed last night."
"Uh."
“Ah! You two decided to go on a trip before the engagement ceremony, right?”
“As expected, you two are good siblings, right? It’s great!”
“Don’t say things you don’t mean.”
As she spoke, Beryl untied the red ribbon tied to the scroll with his mouth hanging over his ear. Then the scroll unfolded, so long that it almost touched the floor.
The maids who had cheered up their mood immediately turned their faces on.
"Young Master. Are you really planning on going on a trip with the Lady for a month? We were told it would be 3 nights and 4 days... .”
"What are you talking about. It’s 4 days and 3 nights.”
“Can I look at it for a moment?”
Mera held the scroll in her hand. It is long, but the margins are narrow and the text is small. By all accounts, this was not a plan for 4 days and 3 nights.
“How do you do all this in such a short amount of time?”
“There is no such thing as impossible in my dictionary.”
“It’s in other people’s dictionaries...!”
“Just listen first. The destination is a village called ‘Tara’ where the Lovenica Flower Festival is held.”
“What is Lovenika flower?”
In response to my question, Mera kindly provided some guidance.
“It’s a beautiful purple flower, miss. You really shouldn’t talk now."
“Yes, you just stay silent and listen. Because your brother planned it perfectly.”
Perfectly? I was skeptical but closed my mouth like a clam as Becky's hands pressed against my legs. By the way, it’s purple. This reminds me of the female protagonist.
While I immediately thought of the heroine whose name meant purple flower, Beryl gradually increased his speaking speed.
“They say the entire village turns purple during the festival. Hills and mountains are covered with Lovenica flowers, and villagers decorate the streets with ribbons that match the color of the flowers. We go to that town. We'll arrive at seven in the morning. I have to go to the temple that is especially open during the festival and the wildflower sanctuary. If you arrive late, you can't see anything. Lovenica Flower Festival is a very popular festival. Hey, Taksha!”
“Yes, Master!”
Taksha, who was waiting in front of the door, whined and came in, pushing a large blackboard. There was a map with lines drawn here and there on the blackboard. Beryl pointed at the blackboard to make a sound.
“The red line on this map is the route you need to take on the first day, and the blue line is the route you need to take on the first day. The colored line is the route on the second day, and the yellow line is the route on the third day. Watch it carefully later and learn about it.”
"..."
“I decided which restaurant to eat at. I decided at which street stall we would buy snacks, and I asked the servants and my friends who had been to the festival again and again to select only the most delicious food, so you will never fail.”
The maids were speechless. Beryl's face was as solemn as a knight going into battle. What happened?
It was a far cry from the usual Beryl that I just saw.
Beryl placed the map and scroll under the table, strongly emphasized that they should be read several times, and then left the room.
Taksha quickly approached the maids. Rika put her hand into her apron and took out a small piece of chocolate.
“Master, you haven’t been able to sleep properly for three days because you were planning this trip.”
Taksha sat down on the chair and popped the chocolate into his mouth. The maids applied a natural pack to my face.
He nodded as he washed it cleanly.
“As expected, you’re not like a Master.”
Mera asked me for an agreement.
“Miss, you seem nervous for some reason. Don’t you think so?”
"I know."
I, who was finally free from the massage, sat by the window like before.
“It’s definitely a little different than usual.”
“You’re having a hard time because of the engagement ceremony."
“If you keep doing this, you're starting to feel anxious about the wedding.”
“I just hope that something unfortunate doesn’t happen where my brother challenges Belial to a duel.”
"Miss...! Don’t even say such ominous words!!”
"Don't worry. My brother will eventually admit it.”
I picked up the scroll.
“Even those of you who hated Belial eventually came to accept our relationship.”
Rika and Becky looked at Mera with new, curious eyes.
“Now that I think about it, Mera was the one who was most opposed to it, right?”
“Certainly, if Mera approved it, there would be hope for you, Master.”
"Okay. Your brother is just slower to admit it than you all. Anyone foolish enough to oppose it until the end...."
I, who was speechless, tilted my head.
“Probably not. Maybe?"
"What. In the end, it means that they don’t know much either.”
“How can I know exactly about that person?”
“It’s family.”
My voice suddenly quieted.
"...Family doesn’t know everything.”
"Yes?"
I said it was my first time having an older brother like Beryl. I remember my younger brother from before.
It was the guy who didn't even know how to cook and eat with his own hands and treated his older sister like a servant. It is not for nothing that they say that if the water above is clear, the water below is also clear. The probability that a daughter who is ignored by her parents will be treated well by her siblings is extremely low.
I muttered.
“Sometimes family members are worse than strangers.”
Rika nodded vigorously and sympathized.
"That's right, Miss. I know.”
“Now that I think about it, you said that your parents exploited you as a joke, right?”
"Yeah. It really wasn't a joke..."
Rika’s words trailed off. Taksha's eyes were shining brightly. Mera complained for a long time about having to ask questions, and Rika was devastated that she had said something dark in front of a child. But Taksha didn't care and pulled the hem of Rika's skirt.
“It’s okay, I lived in the darkest place in the world before I came here. You can laugh off almost anything.”
“...So it’s more of a problem.”
Rika became sullen.
“I wanted to be a child here who doesn’t need to know most things. So I was careful.”
Taksha had already become curious. In that situation, no one can stop him. The maids looked at me, pleading for her to be saved. But I was already half asleep. Taksha tugged on the hem of Rika's skirt once more, and Mera shook her head.
“Just do it. In some ways, it’s a very common and natural thing to say.”
"..."
Rika, who had been silent, opened her mouth.
“...Okay. In some ways, it's a very common and obvious story, so I can say it."
Rika bent her knees and looked at Taksha.
“Inheritance of property goes to the eldest son, and to the eldest daughter who takes care of her parents. It's something that happens really commonly around us. I would have suffered the same thing right away, and if it weren’t for the Lady, I would still be being exploited by my parents.”
Taksha raised his hand and asked a question.
"Exploitation? Why do things like that between parents and children?”
“There are people who think of their children as their property.”
"Why? Children are people, right? Do you know that things are not the only things you can own?”
They say a child's innocence puts people in trouble. It was a moment when the maids were just trying to laugh it off.
“Is it because of slavery?
"Could that system be applied between mother and child?”
“...Huh?”
“You said that there is a system of slavery in the world, so you can own people. I heard that it was abolished in the Avalon Empire a few hundred years ago, but I guess that wasn't true? You think of your children as your possessions.”
"..."
“How can parents think of making their children slaves?”
If an innocent child is even smart, this is what happens.
The maids looked at Taksha with tired eyes.
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