n

n

n“Oh?”

nShe lightly stepped towards me.

nCold air cut through my throat.

nThe oxygen that allowed me to breathe, the ground that allowed me to stand, all felt threatening.

nEverything rang my alarm bangs telling me that my life was over.

nThe sound of the shoes that were ringing again against the stone floor stopped.

nI couldn’t keep dragging my feet forever.

n“I was wrong, Mother.”

nThud.

nThe sound of my dress rubbing and my knees hitting the floor were exceptionally loud.

n

n

nI knelt in front of her and acknowledged my fault.

nThis is the best I could think of at this moment.

n“Seri, I’m not asking for an apology. I’m asking why the hell are you trying to steal my candles.”

nMy vision was swirling in a haze of candles.

nIf I didn’t concentrate, I wouldn’t be able to know what to do or what to say.

nOnly now did I figure out one more use for these incense candles.

nThis scented candle is also perfect for interrogation.

nI bit the flesh inside my mouth to try and clear my mind.

n“………I was wrong, Mother. I was blinded by greed, so I did something stupid. Recently, I had someone I wanted to brainwash. So, not thinking clearly, I did this thing in the heat of the moment.”

nI couldn’t think of an excuse to get out of this situation.

nIt was even more arduous because my mind was growing blank.

nThere was no way I could get out of this situation. And if that was the case, it was better to be a ravenous person.

nI had always acted like that in front of her.

n“You already have Alastair, don’t you?”

n“Alastair is already mine.”

n“Um… my daughter is insatiable. So who is the person you want to brainwash?”

n“… It’s Hypron Ites.”

nDamn it.

nWhy did you say his name?

n“I wanted to trample that haughty, self-righteous attitude of his. So I did something that I really shouldn’t have done—I was impulsive. I’m sorry, Mother.”

nShe looked down at me quietly.

nI don’t know what she was thinking, but it was clear it wasn’t good.

nMy vision was becoming hazy.

nThe continuing anxiety and tension were breaching my body’s limits.

nMy body was starting to sway. I suspected the power of her scented candle played a large part, so control was swiftly slipping away.

nTwo long shadows stretched over the floor were discerned with my flickering sight.

nA scene where a long shadow bent, on her knees, hitting the ceiling, I looked down, focusing on the shadows.

nIt wasn’t a pleasant scene.

nLooking at the shadows that illustrated Duke Melford and I like a dark mirror, a pretty amusing thought comes to mind.

nWhat kind of facial expression will she have when Alastair is released from her brainwashing?

nIt is a scene and a day I very much look forward to.

n“I’m glad you admitted your fault right away.”

nThe Duke is my ‘biological’ mother.

nAlthough I was hosted in her womb, we’ve coexisted like strangers.

nMy mother, who relentlessly cuts off and sadistically punishes those who cross the line—even her own children. We learn early we cannot afford to offend her.

nIt wasn’t a natural assumption.

nThanks to that, it was clearer to hate her.

nHer cruelty made it easy not to get caught up and obsess over ‘family.’

n“I don’t think I raised you erroneously.”

n“······.”

n“But stealing is bad. Isn’t it?”

nMaybe I’m just a child you’ve picked up? What birth mother has such hellish cold eyes when looking upon their children?

nI chewed the inside of my cheek so hard that the taste of fishy blood stains my mouth.

n“Since you admitted your wrongdoing right away, I’m not going to give you a severe punishment.”

n“······Thank you.”

nShe bends down and gently touches my hair.

nI feel nauseous.

nI can’t tell whether it’s because she touched me or the scent of her candles.

nShe said,

n“I thought about cutting your hands so you could never steal again, but I don’t want my daughter to be shunned in higher society.”

nIt was hard to breathe now.

nI couldn’t even hear what else she was talking about.

nI started to hallucinate. The scent became a pile of boulders pressing against my body.

nThis is what Alastair has been suffering through.

nIt was the moment I realized how utterly stupid my thinking had been.

nBecause she is the villain of this novel, she is a great being who threatens the main characters.

nWhat a stupid idea I had?

nWhat good is it in the face of all this pain?

nIn that regard, I, too, was a villain who survives to the end of this novel

nRegardless of the title, it’s hard to endure the agony.

n“Shall I pluck out your nails?”

nMy fingernails seemed to grow in my drug-addled sight while cold sweat dripped loudly on the floor.

nI saw a blazing flame in my sight that asked to be annihilated.

nIf I turn that off… This pain disappears.

n

n

nIt’s simple… It’s very simple.

nBut I couldn’t.

nThe Duke laughed deeply as if she had noticed my gaze.

n“You look very distressed.”

nThe Duke hugged me and patted my back.

nAt the unfamiliar sensation, I slowly blinked.

nIt was the only means of expressing my feelings because I couldn’t control the rest of my body.

nShe bowed her head and kissed my forehead.

nSomething soft rubbed my forehead and halted before my ear.

n***

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