The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 39
At Zhao’s congratulations, Hasa’s lips slowly curved upward.
“Thank you, Professor.”
Hasa’s face showed genuine joy at being able to address him as a professor. Zhao’s eyes widened in surprise at her radiant smile. The face that had shown no notable change even at the news of perfect scores was now transforming as if finally finding its proper place.
Her already beautiful features transformed into something as bright as a garden in full bloom, lifting one’s spirits. Zhao smiled along with her.
“Hasa.”
At that moment, Vanwilhelm appeared in the distance, having finished his business. As soon as Hasa spotted him, she ran to him with a completely relaxed expression.
“Dad!”
Vanwilhelm gazed lovingly at Hasa as she brightly welcomed him.
“I, I passed! I’m now an academy student too!”
Vanwilhelm was momentarily taken aback by Hasa’s enthusiasm, unusual for someone who rarely showed strong emotions, but then he smiled.
“Congratulations, Hasa. I’m proud of what you’ve achieved on your own.”
At his praise for her first self-earned achievement, Hasa felt all her fatigue disappear. As her nose started to tingle with emotion, Zhao noticed Vanwilhelm and bowed in greeting.
Vanwilhelm acknowledged him with a cold expression, as if he had never worn that soft look moments ago. Zhao, undeterred, maintained his bow.
“Congratulations on your daughter’s admission.”
“It’s her achievement through her own hard work, I deserve no congratulations.”
Despite his cold attitude, Zhao continued with what he wanted to say.
“Thank you for entrusting us with two excellent talents, both Dayan and Lady Cellie.”
“….”
For Vanwilhelm, who had never received a word of thanks even after eliminating heretics due to his cold nature and attitude, this was truly an awkward moment.
Usually, he would have dismissed such words as unnecessary, but somehow, he couldn’t just ignore praise directed at his daughter and son.
Looking at Hasa, who was staring up at him expectantly, Vanwilhelm responded in a low voice.
“Please take good care of both children.”
Hasa smiled at her father’s change, as if praising him.
As the cleanup of the incident scene concluded, Dayan returned from helping. As it turned out, Dayan had sensed the heretic’s foul aura from Jual Mandro and had reported it to Vanwilhelm.
The two had been moving discreetly to avoid disrupting Hasa’s exam.
The sun was now setting. Vanwilhelm turned to Hasa and asked.
“It’s been a long day, would you like to stay another night at the lodgings you mentioned?”
Hasa shook her head in response.
“There are still matters to resolve, so we should return quickly. To our home.”
***
Inside the drawing room of the Cellie ducal residence, a teacup flew across the beautiful artwork.
“Ahhhhh!”
Helena, not satisfied with throwing the teacup, screamed at the top of her lungs.
“That worthless vermin couldn’t even handle such a simple task…!”
It was exactly as she said. It was just supposed to be ruining that stupid noble lady’s exam. She had created the Jual Mandro piece to ensure not a single variable was missed.
But after receiving all those funds, he ultimately failed the task.
Helena had just received news from her agent assigned to Hartbisa that Jual Mandro had gone berserk and been executed by Vanwilhelm, and to make matters worse, Hartbisa had passed the entrance exam.
Helena’s hands trembled with rage. Because of a bet she had agreed to, thinking Hartbisa would never pass the exam, their grand plan was now disrupted.
If she had to leave this mansion, that person would surely not leave her be.
This was a matter of Helena’s life being at stake.
Helena paced around the drawing room, anxiously biting her lips.
One fortunate thing was that the worthless vermin had died before he could say anything. Since that stupid girl couldn’t know about the contract between her and Mandro, she would have to gloss over the bet while congratulating Hartbisa on her admission.
“Tell the head chef to prepare a cake right away. Ah, and summon the gardener.”
Helena ended with a sneer.
***
The carriage, having departed late at night, arrived in Chelsea territory only as the morning sun rose, thanks to using a portal.
Salam stood perfectly composed as he watched the carriage enter through the main gate. Hasa quickly forgot her fatigue, happy to see both the mansion and Salam after a month. But beside him stood the person she wanted to see most right now.
Hasa descended from the carriage with Vanwilhelm and Dayan’s escort. Helena approached as if she had been waiting.
“You must be tired, Hasa.”
The woman who wouldn’t show her face even when Vanwilhelm returned from long business trips seemed quite anxious.
“All three of you must be exhausted. Shall we go straight in to rest?”
“No, I have something to say to you, Aunt.”
At Hasa’s firmness, Helena’s lips trembled momentarily, but she quickly composed herself and said.
“I thought as much, so I’ve prepared a meal for the three returning people. Shall we go to the dining room? Hasa.”
In the past, she had thought this woman was flawless, but now her anxiety was clearly showing through. After a moment’s consideration, Hasa nodded.
“Alright.”
She headed to the dining room, willing to witness the last feast prepared by the petty Helena.
The long table in the center of the dining room was laden with various dishes like lamb and stew. Most striking among them were a pure white cake and blue roses decorating the table.
Hasa smiled faintly upon seeing them.
Dayan, following behind, clicked his tongue softly at the full table.
“Just looking at it makes me feel stuffed. Are we really going to eat this?”
At his question directed to Hasa, she smiled sweetly.
“Aunt, this seems too rich to eat right after a carriage ride.”
“Ah, haha. Look at me. I got carried away thinking about welcoming the three of you.”
Helena’s lips trembled slightly, seemingly offended at being corrected by Hasa, who had barely set foot in social circles. Hasa watched her with narrowed eyes before speaking.
“Let’s consider the meal done then. We have more important matters to discuss between us.”
Hasa smiled while looking straight at Helena.
“Aunt, I passed the entrance exam.”
Though Helena already knew this from her subordinate, her teeth ground together with rising anger. Swallowing the fury rising in her throat, she replied.
“I knew you would. How could the brilliant bloodline of the Cellies fail? Congratulations.”
As Helena moved closer as if to embrace Hasa, Hasa stepped back to avoid her. Then she said softly.
“Thank you, Aunt. Now you must keep your promise.”
Despite her upturned lips, Hasa spoke with cold eyes.
“Please leave Cellie now.”
Helena lowered her head for a moment and showed no reaction. Hasa waited for her silently.
The dining room was filled with more servants than necessary, including maids and the head chef called under the pretext of celebration.
Hasa was familiar with this setup. It was a tactic Helena often used, not wanting to get her own hands dirty. A painfully familiar method of pressuring Hasa using the eyes of those around them.
When Helena raised her head after a while, she was crying. Covering her mouth with a tightly gripped handkerchief, she spoke through tears.
“Hasa, you must have felt hurt by me all this time.”
“….”
“Yes, I know I was strict in teaching you. But do you think I enjoyed raising you that way? No, I thought of you as my own daughter, having lost your mother so early. How worried I was that you might become an outcast in social circles with your awkward behavior. Even now, wasn’t it I who went around getting letters of introduction from people to find you a marriage match?”
Helena gripped Hasa’s hand tightly. She was trembling so much it was pitiful to watch.
“Yet you hated me so much? Enough to want to drive this aunt out of the family?”
Hasa stared blankly at her aunt’s tearful, pitiful face. It was a cold expression completely devoid of any emotional wavering.
Helena felt uneasy, wondering when Hasa had begun looking at her with such an expression. Fearing her facade might crack, she tightened her grip on Hasa and pressed down harder.
“Won’t you think of me? How do you think I felt, leaving my own daughter behind to come here and raise you instead?”
