Chapter 128 - Karlstein (2)

Once, she had thought all her worries would disappear if she could just contract with a Spirit beast.

But reality had been different.

["Scadia, the Glacial Magical Beast."]

Her father's voice remained cold, his gaze treating her like a stranger. He simply no longer made the same blunt remarks he used to.

["Have you told anyone about this?"]

["N-no..."]

["Good. Let us keep this between us for the time being."]

It was a declaration, not a request.

["Y-yes..."]

Misha could do little but nod. After all, she had something on her conscience.

She had not formed her contract through the proper means. She had used a strange ring called the Frost Spirit Ring to cheat her way into it.

If her father knew...

'Then of course he'd treat me this way.'

Naturally, she lacked the courage to ask. To her, her father was more frightening than anything else.

So when he asked her to bring that barbarian to the mansion sometime, she agreed.

Not that she had said a word to Bjorn.

'Right. This is something I have to overcome on my own.'

Hadn't he already done more for her than she could ever repay? She mustn't burden him any further.

She tried hard to justify it that way, but deep down, she was hiding a different truth.

'I don't want him to find out.'

She didn't want him to know her circumstances.

Hikurod, Dwalki, Rotmiller...

Even if all of them found out, she wanted Bjorn, at least, to think she was doing well.

That was why she visited home often.

["I'd better get going. I need to stop by my family home today, nyah."]

She forced herself to be strong.

Her siblings' looks asking why she visited so often, the servants' contemptuous stares, the loneliness at dinner that made her feel stranded on an island all alone—she faced them all head-on.

'I can't keep running away.'

Bjorn had taught her that. Running away would never gain her anything.

And so one month passed, then two, then three.

["Have you still not brought him?"]

Her father grew more insistent that she bring Bjorn. She made excuses, saying he was reluctant, but her father seemed to know she was lying.

Why else would he offer these terms?

["Bring him before the end of this month. Then I will reconsider your treatment as well. Do you understand?"]

In short, he would tell the household about her Spirit beast contract and treat her properly as his child.

She couldn't understand why he was going to such lengths to meet Bjorn.

Still, Misha decided to invite him. It felt a little wrong, as though she were using him, but...

'I just have to do more for him to pay him back.'

If things went well, perhaps she would finally be able to hold her head high around Bjorn. There was also a small calculation behind it: gaining the Karlstein family's support could help him move forward, too.

["All right."]

["... What? Really, nyah? You mean it, nyah? Wow! No taking it back, nyah!"]

["Enough of that. What time should I be there tomorrow?"]

Contrary to her worries, Bjorn readily agreed.

But her happiness was brief, soon giving way to anxiety. Once they went to the mansion, she wouldn't be able to hide it anymore.

What would she do then?

If Bjorn caused a scene there, things would surely spiral out of control.

But...

'... I'm thinking far too much of myself! Far too much!'

Misha gave a little laugh and brushed her unease away.

Bjorn was a passionate warrior, but when he needed to be cold, he was colder than anyone. He wouldn't do something like that in another race's sanctuary, let alone in the very heart of a pureblood family's estate.

It wasn't as though they were family, bound by blood.

He would never choose to make an enemy of the Karlsteins at such great cost.

'Right, right. That would be ridiculous. Who am I to him...?'

That was how Misha settled her thoughts.

For some reason, admitting it left an ache in a corner of her heart, but dreams and reality were two very different things.

She knew that now.

"VEHELLLAAAAAA!!"

Her tail stood bolt upright at the ferocious, ear-splitting roar.

Naturally.

The servant seemed utterly bewildered by what was happening, but she, who had practically lived at Bjorn's side, knew.

"There is definitely something wrong with your head."

That meant he was going to smash the man's head in!

* * *

"H-have you gone mad, nyah?! D-don't! What's gotten into you all of a sudden, nyah?!"

Startled, Misha grabbed my forearm and whipped her head from side to side, scanning our surroundings. Apparently, she was checking whether anyone else had heard the commotion.

Watching her like that made my heart ache.

'It's like looking at myself in elementary school.'

Giving way. Being considerate. Putting other people's feelings first, painstakingly erasing yourself in the process.

I, too, had once thought that was only natural.

But...

"Why? Because I felt like it!"

"Wh-what's that supposed to mean?!"

I pried the frantic Misha's arm off mine and said,

"Misha, sometimes you can do what you want."

"H-huh, nyah...?"

"Why put up with it? All that does is make things better for other people."

"Th-they're not other people. They're my family, nyah..."

Family, my ass.

Now that I'd seen them, I could call them bastards, not just other people.

I asked again.

"So is that family more important than your own life?"

Misha pressed her lips shut.

Of course, intellectually, she must have known what really drove all those efforts to visit her family regularly, yearning for a happy home.

"..."

It was nothing but lingering attachment.

An utterly useless thing to cling to.

An emotion that was practically inefficiency incarnate.

"Answer me. If it is, I'll stop here."

I checked her wishes one last time, and Misha said nothing.

That was answer enough for me.

"Just watch from now on. What you're worried about won't happen."

"B-but if you hurt him—"

Yes, there would be hell to pay.

Never mind a fine. I'd have to face the wrath of the Karlstein family head, who seemed to place great value on honor.

However...

"Misha Karlstein, have I ever made a promise I couldn't keep?"

"... No, nyah."

"Exactly. So trust me."

I hadn't started this without thinking.

Mindless Bar bar ian Mode truly shone when you switched it on and off to suit the situation.

I took a heavy step forward, leaving Misha behind.

The servant was still as full of himself as ever.

And so...

"What on earth were you two discussing? However poorly you were taught your manners—"

I grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up.

"Aren't you the one without manners?"

"G-gah!"

"A mere servant of the Karlstein family, acting so insolently without even recognizing your mistress!"

"Th-that's...!"

He looked to be in pain. There was disbelief in his eyes, too.

Well, he must have wondered whether he was dreaming. This wasn't some dark back alley. Had he ever imagined this happening right outside the mansion gates in broad daylight?

"L-let... gah!"

Was it his lack of imagination?

"I-if you do this..."

I'd be in big trouble if I did this?

I snickered.

Someone who knew that wouldn't do this. And if they did, the sensible conclusion would be that they had thought it through.

Yet he couldn't grasp even that simple principle.

"There really is something wrong with your head."

I clenched my fist, putting a measured amount of strength into it. Killing him would leave even me in a difficult position.

"Don't worry. A good beating fixes most things."

"M-mmph!!"

I tightened my grip on his throat to silence whatever he was trying to say, then gently rubbed a suitable spot to hit.

Then, as though giving him a rap with my knuckles, I struck using only my wrist.

THWACK!

He went limp, knocked unconscious by a single blow.

Still holding him by the throat, I inspected the injury as though examining an object.

Blood streamed from his crushed nose, but...

It would take at least this much to make an example of him.

"... What are you going to do now, nyah? Father will never let this slide if he finds out, nyah."

Misha, who had watched with an almost resigned expression, asked about my plan. She had stayed quiet because I'd told her to trust me, but clearly she hadn't been at ease.

"Watch and you'll see."

I hoisted the unconscious man in one hand and headed toward the mansion entrance. As we crossed the garden, I spotted servants mowing the lawn or carrying things somewhere.

"... Eek! Inform Lord Veros at once!"

All eyes turned toward us, and several people fled into the mansion.

I followed them through the open door.

And...

"Stop, barbarian."

Around fifteen Therianthropes surrounded me.

They were fighters, armed from head to toe and radiating menace. When I stopped, a bald man who looked to be their captain spoke.

His tone was practically an order.

"Lady Misha Karlstein, would you explain what has happened? Who is that barbarian, and why is Brante, who should be guarding the main gate, in that state?"

So this guy's name was Brante.

"Uh, well..."

"Misha, you don't need to explain."

I hurled Brante, who had served his purpose, into their midst. As they scrambled to catch him in alarm, I shouted loudly enough to shake the mansion.

"What the hell do you lot think you're doing?!"

Every Therianthrope stared blankly.

How should I put it? Their brains seemed unable to keep up with the situation.

"I came here at your family head's invitation. But this bastard insulted me, calling me a dim-witted barbarian!"

Misha tilted her head at my next shout. Then she murmured quietly enough for only me to hear.

"Uh, did he say that, nyah?"

She really did have a tendency to worry about trivial details.

I'd hit his head on purpose. All I had to do was insist he couldn't remember.

"Don't lie! Brante would never do such a thing."

The bald man's bewilderment at my outburst lasted only a moment before he objected as though it were absurd.

As far as I could see, he was digging his own grave.

A mindless barbarian was immune to logical attacks.

"A lie? Are you insulting me too?"

I stepped forward as though ready to attack at any moment, and the bald man backed away.

He didn't seem afraid of a fight.

Probably, the fact that I was the family head's guest was giving him pause.

"What is all this commotion?!"

While the Therianthropes stood at a loss, a man jumped down from the second floor beside the central staircase.

It was a face I remembered.

Misha's bastard of an older brother, whom I'd met on the third floor some time ago.

His name was...

I couldn't remember. No, had I even heard it in the first place?

I decided to leave the trivialities aside and focus on the present.

"To think you were the guest Father invited."

"It's been a while."

"Spare me the greetings. What happened here?"

Her brother narrowed his eyes and glared at me.

"Unless you can explain yourself properly, even you won't be leaving here in one piece."

What a murderous look.

And after I'd saved his life last time, too.

'I swear, I can't stand this prick.'

I repeated the same explanation about being insulted by the gatekeeper Brante, then added something else.

"If it had only been me, I would have put up with it. But what is wrong with this lunatic? He lives off your family, yet dares to insult Misha too!"

As I shouted and pointed at the unconscious Brante, deep creases appeared on her brother's forehead.

"I told him to refrain when outsiders were present."

That response left me a little dumbfounded.

I'd made that up on the spot, and he was simply accepting it?

Fuck. This place was even more messed up than I'd thought.

It had to be an everyday occurrence.

I spoke without hiding my rising disgust.

"Then you all knew and were turning a blind eye?"

"This is an internal family matter. I have no reason to explain it to you. The rest of you, return to your posts."

"Yes, Lord Teylon."

After dismissing the guards, her brother turned sharply to face me again.

"Bjorn Jandel, we were clearly at fault in this incident, so I will not make an issue of it."

"And?"

"... If it is true that this man insulted you, I will punish him appropriately as well. Be satisfied with that."

"Satisfied..."

I trailed off with a snicker.

Teach an ill-mannered bastard a lesson. Then, in front of plenty of witnesses, drive home the fact that I wasn't someone to be taken lightly.

That had been the extent of my original plan.

But...

'Plan B it is, then.'

I grinned and approached her brother.

"Is there something wrong with your head too?"

Plans were always subject to change.