The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 40
Hasa shifted her gaze from the cake as she listened to Helena’s nauseating way of speaking, pretending to care while only pointing out Hasa’s faults. Then she opened her dry lips.
“The cake and blue roses.”
“Hm?”
“Did you prepare these, Aunt?”
“Y-yes. I prepared them. To congratulate you, Hasa.”
Though she had expected Helena to be somewhat subdued after losing the bet, she was remarkable in many ways until the end. Hasa smiled without a trace of sympathy.
“How interesting. To congratulate me, you say. In the South, giving cake with blue roses together is meant as mockery disguised as congratulations.”
Helena’s eyes widened. It was clearly a look of ‘how could you know that?’ She had learned about various Imperial customs while preparing for the academy exam.
Hasa firmly gripped Helena’s hand that was holding onto her. When Helena tried to pull away, surprised by the unexpected strength, Hasa didn’t let go.
“N-no, that’s not it, Hasa. You’re misunderstanding…”
Cutting off Helena’s words, Hasa asked.
“Helena, do you still find me amusing?”
Those red eyes asking the question felt chilling. Helena flinched and pushed Hasa away forcefully.
“I-I’ve lived in the North so long, I forgot. Blue roses were the only flowers readily available, I’ll call the gardener right now to clear up this misunderstanding…”
Hasa, as if expecting this, barely listened as she reached into her clothes.
“Then how will you explain this?”
What Hasa pulled out and handed over was a letter. It bore Helena Winblad’s signature and was addressed to Jual Mandro.
“….”
Helena felt her mind freeze for a moment. It was the invitation she had sent to entice him into the bet. After that, she had only communicated through a crystal ball to avoid leaving records.
This invitation had been sent to his residence rather than the academy a month ago, and she had specifically instructed him to burn it after receiving the crystal ball. But that snake-like man apparently hadn’t burned it.
But even so, Helena couldn’t hide her bewilderment at how it had ended up in Hartbisa’s hands. Hasa tilted her head and continued speaking while holding the invitation.
“Jual Mandro. That man was a professor in the Ancient Languages Department where I applied, and he set the entrance exam questions. He tried to fail me despite my passing score. Almost as if someone had paid him to do so.”
“….”
“You won’t pretend not to know about this too, will you?”
“Hasa, I understand you might have some misunderstandings, but this… yes, it’s just a coincidence. You know how I love making new connections at parties.”
Helena bit her tongue, seemingly flustered by the unexpected turn of events. Trying desperately to change the situation, she turned to Vanwilhelm.
“Yes, brother. Please say something. To help Hasa calm down…”
But Vanwilhelm, who had been silently observing the situation with his legs crossed, was looking at Helena as if she were vermin. Just as Helena usually did to others, there wasn’t the slightest trace of affection in Vanwilhelm’s gaze.
It wasn’t just Vanwilhelm. Every single person – the maids, the chef, the knights – whom she had positioned to pressure Hasa, was now looking down at Helena. Their gazes held pity, contempt, and disgust.
These were the looks that were originally meant for Hasa.
Helena swayed as if dizzy. If this continued, everything would truly fall apart.
Frightened by this pressure of gazes she was experiencing for the first time, she spotted Hasa staring at her blankly and stumbled toward her.
“Hasa, if you hate me that much, you can take away all my authority. Just please allow me to stay in the mansion, just here… ugh!”
Helena tripped on the hem of her dress, falling to her knees before Hasa. As she groaned, unable to get up, Hasa stepped closer and bent down.
“Are you alright?”
“Hasa…”
The tears that had been fake before now flowed uncontrollably. Sobbing like a broken thing, Helena looked up at Hasa.
“No matter how harshly I treated you, I’m still your mother’s substitute. You won’t really drive me out, will you?”
To Helena’s stumbling words, Hasa sat down at eye level and asked in return.
“Why are you so desperate to stay here?”
“That’s, of course…”
Helena suddenly remembered that person’s face. Along with the orders to stay attached to the Cellie family, to remain at its center. Because of that, no more words could leave her open mouth.
Hasa, as if seeing right through Helena’s thoughts, watched her quietly before continuing.
“Why do you look like that, Aunt? Did someone order you to cause our family’s destruction?”
“What…?”
Hasa whispered near Helena’s ear.
“What did you agree to receive in exchange for handing over the Cellies? Money? Honor? You’ve clung on for so long for such things that are nothing compared to your life. Even abandoning your own child.”
“How did you…”
Helena’s eyelids trembled as if in panic. Hasa smiled brightly before her.
“But what can we do, Helena? You bet everything on this mansion, but you won’t be able to take anything from this mansion with you.”
“….”
Hasa stood up and looked down at her with an incredibly cold expression as she said.
“So wake up from your dream and get out.”
At those words, Helena’s face turned deathly pale.
Those bright red eyes. The same eyes as Anelia, that woman. Helena despised them terribly.
How she had bewitched Vanwilhelm, the moment she met the red eyes of that woman her murderous brother had brought into the family, it felt as if all her thoughts were being seen through.
It made her blood boil to be looked down upon so proudly by this foreigner of uncertain origins who acted as if she was nobly raised. That’s why when she heard the news of that woman’s death, she couldn’t help but hum with joy.
But she had been here all along. Inside this demon of a girl.
“How dare you!”
Helena raised her hand and lunged at Hasa. As Dayan moved in surprise, Hasa firmly grabbed Helena’s raised wrist. Then she pushed the grabbed wrist away as if shooing away an insect, and Helena fell backward pathetically.
Having fallen quite ungracefully on her bottom, Helena blankly looked up at Hasa. Her palm was bleeding, seemingly scratched by her own nails during the fall. From her tangled hair to her blood-stained dress, nothing about her resembled a noble.
Vanwilhelm, who had been watching the situation unfold, rose from his seat.
“Helena. My leniency towards you as my sister ends here.”
Helena stared at Vanwilhelm with a dazed expression.
“If you lay a hand on my daughter again, it won’t end with just you. I’ll inflict the same pain on you and your family. Though I want to take your head right now, I’ll honor the promise with Hasa. Leave immediately.”
“Just look at your sister once…”
Vanwilhelm cut off her words as he stood up.
“I’m not showing mercy as your brother. This is Hasa’s will.”
In the carriage returning to the mansion, though she should have been tired enough to sleep, Hasa kept staring out the window without closing her eyes once. As Vanwilhelm was about to suggest she at least rest her eyes for a moment, Hasa called to him first.
‘Dad.’
In the dark carriage, Hasa looked at him with eyes showing determination. His daughter, who had come to resemble Anelia so much lately, spoke firmly.
‘When we get to the mansion, even if Aunt breaks her promise and refuses to leave, or shows an even uglier side, please don’t harm her. I want to resolve this with my own strength.’
It was a very resolute voice. Vanwilhelm was sitting here now, respecting Hasa’s wishes.
Hasa looked at her father and gave a faint smile.
Though she had said that to Dad, that romantic reason wasn’t the whole truth. She didn’t want to use her father’s sword to end Helena’s worthless life. She wanted to personally declare the end of this long, twisted connection with her aunt.
It had been such a long, bitter relationship.
Hasa quietly looked down at Helena, who was looking up at her with a tear-stained, desperate face. Then she spoke.
“Farewell, Helena. Let’s never see each other again.”
