Did you want to go back to a Clan that abandoned you?

So, what about Estella, who took care of you? Durias did not hide his scornful look.

Although nothing had been properly revealed yet, it must have been Ella who ran away after messing with Irene’s egg.

The death of Estella would also be very closely related to her.

Knowing how much Estella trusted Ella, Durias felt so much disgust his stomach was sick enough to churn.

Ella trembled inside the cellar at the violent mood. Her golden eyes were restless and moved around. The way she rolled her brain while choosing what to say was clear in Durias’ eyes.

Even in the midst of this, she seems to be thinking about how she can keep her life even a little longer.

Durias managed to take back his hand, which was about to twist her neck.

Ella, who flinched back, gasped.

“As far as I know, you were abandoned in the East. How did you think you’d ever be able to go back?”

Durias, who had barely regained his sanity, asked while maintaining his characteristic smile. Ella crept back into the corner.

“Th-they said they’d give me a chance.”

“Chance?”

“…They said that if I listen carefully… they’ll let me go back to my hometown.”

“So, it means that you betrayed your master.”

“It’s not!”

Ella jumped and shook her head, saying she never did.

Had she been stuck in the dungeon for so long that her head had gone bad?

It was funny to see her crying while denying the fact she said with her own mouth about her act of treachery.

Do I have to keep seeing that face?

Durias, whose stomach was upset, frowned.

Ella murmured as she crouched down while looking at his countenance.

“Well, that’s. I didn’t expect the Madam to die.”

“Ha.”

“M-Madam Estella… I didn’t want her to become like that! Until that point, I…!”

Ella, who continued to talk with vigor, shut her mouth in surprise. Her terrified eyes hurriedly examined Durias’ mood.

“I’m going to die of disgust.”

Durias’ face, which had been smiling, had turned cold.

Seeing her whining and looking around as if the corners of the prison were a lifeline was ridiculous.

He rose from his seat and went inside, he bent over and made eye contact with Ella. She flinched and tried to step back, but he strongly held her chin and pulled her forward.

“So. Madam Estella, who helped you to live safely until you reached adulthood, was betrayed by you, but the man you saw a few times when you were a child was so precious that you are now finally opening your mouth?”

“…Pl, pl, please have mercy.”

“Which one do you mean? On Merrill? Or on you?”

Ella was not willing to open her mouth. She was worried. 

Is she thinking about which one will she choose?

She just begged me not to touch Merrill but now she’s hesitant when herself is added to the options.

Her heart was only that much.

Even though she betrayed Estella because she wanted so much to meet her childhood sweetheart.

Durias looked at Ella as if she was a worm.

Her hot tears flowed down the back of his hand.

An absolutely disgusting person.

Shall I just kill her like this? Durias pondered for a few seconds before letting go of her chin.

It was something Cade didn’t want, yet.

“Knowing a person but at the same time not knowing. It seems like the most difficult is to truly understand people’s hearts.”

Estella gave her a nickname of her own. She believed in Ella and loved her like a member of the same Clan.

But in fact, that same person had been in contact with the Clan that abandoned her while preparing for a triumphal return after betraying the Madam who cared for her.

That alone would make anyone’s head go white, but there were still more stories to be heard.

First of all, he had to hear what the Clan she was in contact with had ordered.

It was time for the missing parts of the puzzle to be collected for a perfect picture to be completed.

“Now, let’s have a more in-depth conversation.”

“……!”

“You’d better not try to hide anything, unless you don’t want to see Merrill, whom Miss Ella loves so much, down here.”

 * * *

A quiet southern rural village.

A man and a woman were sitting in the middle of a cute garden basking in the warm sunlight.

The dark red-haired woman who was enjoying a leisure time while sipping tea, put down her teacup.

“You still can’t eat sweets, Ian.”

“You’re picking too much every day.”

“If you don’t like sweets, you will be punished by the heavens.”

The woman held out a fork made of silver and decorated with sapphire jewels. Then she elegantly pierced a cake filled with chocolate mousse and put it into the man’s mouth.

“Ah-“

“……”

“Honey?”

“……Sigh.”

The desperate man opened his mouth. The man had black hair and red eyes that were quite familiar.

His brow wrinkled as the terrible sweetness spread in his mouth.

“Isn’t it tastier when I give it to you?”

“Helena.”

“Yes?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

But the man who did something wrong could only shut his mouth.

“Then why did you hide the letter from our son?”

“Because you were going to ask me to go to the capital.”

“Oh, seems like you knew it well, didn’t you?”

Helena rolled her eyes.

Her pretty purple eyes gently drew a half-moon shape. Ian, who was weakened by that smile every time, knew that he had lost this time as well.

The black envelope sandwiched between her index and middle fingers boasted a stiff figure. A snake pattern was clearly engraved in the center.

It was the seal of the Astrophel family.

“My only son contacted me to go see my grandchildren.”

Swhip.

The fork that took another scoop of the cake went up. Ian’s anxious red eyes shook. 

Fortunately, the second scoop went into Helena’s mouth.

Reassured, Ian exhaled slowly.

“When shall we go?” (Helena)

Helena smiled happily making Ian chuckle.

“I’ll go the day you want.” (Ian)

The intimate conversation between the Astrophel family predecessors continued.

“No way… Are you mad because Cade called you late?” (Helena)

“What do you think of me?” (Ian)

Ian replied no and shook his head, but Helena could not cast aside her suspecting eyes.

She covered her husband’s cheek.

“Everyone in this house is not honest.”

“I’ve always been honest with you.”

“Hmm. Then it’s fine.”

Helena let go of the face she was holding. 

It’s been over three years now since the two of them stepped down.

Except for Estella’s funeral and the birth of her two grandchildren, no visits were made to the main mansion.

That was the consideration of the ancestors for Cade.

They were waiting for their son to rise to the throne and take full control of the Clan. It wouldn’t be very welcome for Cade if the former Head and Hostess suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

“I’m really curious.”

“Right.”

Helena’s face was full of worry.

After getting married, she thought her son would give birth to successors and solidify his position……

“Suddenly, a daughter from a different Clan. I think something happened to the family.”

“I suppose so.”

“You sound like it’s none of your business” 

“He’ll figure it out.”

Wriggle.

Helena’s eyebrows furrowed.

No matter how much he resigned from his position, she thought that this was too indifferent.

“You, is that all you have to say?”

“Yes.”

Everything in the Astrophel family was now in Cade’s hands.

Until he asked for advice, it was right for the predecessor to remain silent.

However, it was true that Ian was also not happy. He was equally frustrated since he was also not told what was going on.

“Still, having a granddaughter. It’s not that bad. I also wanted to have a daughter.”

“……”

“But someone was against it.”

“That’s absolutely not possible. He absorbed too much of your pheromones when he was born.”

Ian covered his eyes as he remembered a memory he didn’t want to recall. Just thinking about it, his eyes were still dizzy. That time, he really thought that Helena would die.

She already gave birth to a son, but she wants a daughter?

Knowing Ian’s heart, Helena laughed softly.

“What can I do? I guess I’ll have to be content with a granddaughter.”

“It’s good enough that he didn’t throw it away because of his temper.”

“He would have told you to take it away. Would you like to bet?”

Whether he would ask us to take charge of her or not?

Helena’s purple eyes twinkled at the fun that came after a long time. At her confident attitude, Ian decided to step back once.

“Why aren’t you betting?”

“Because I think you’ll win.”

“This boring man.”

After drinking her tea, Helena got up from her seat.

Ian’s teacup still had nearly half of the sweet black tea left.

I don’t know why he always insists on a tea that doesn’t suit his palate, but it wasn’t such a bad feeling to drink the same tea.

“I need to contact the family that we are stopping by. I want to see my granddaughter soon.”

“I haven’t acknowledged her as a granddaughter yet, Helena.”

Ian raised an objection with discontent. Then Helena tilted her head.

“Cade already gave her our surname, right? Don’t you think it’d be so cute to call her Rena?”

“……”

“I think it would be nice to bring her here and stay together for a few days. You’re so quiet.”

Even when we were together, sometimes it feels like I’m alone.

Helena said with a smile. It was full of teasing and this time again, Ian was nicely dragged around.