The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 53
Berl shrugged his shoulders as if telling Wolfgang to get lost quickly, and Wolfgang, with trembling clenched fists, hurriedly left saying they would talk again later. Berl seemed pleased watching his retreating figure and softly hummed a tune.
As Hasa took a step back, thinking she should naturally leave too, Berl spoke up.
“I didn’t know Hasa had such a sense of humor.”
When Hasa stopped in her tracks, Berl turned his gaze toward her and smiled prettily.
“What should I do? I like you more and more as time passes.”
“……”
Looking at this man whose every moment was beautiful like a painting, Hasa was certain. Berl was crazy. Someone so rotten inside that it couldn’t even be written in the original story.
Helper my foot. Hasa had a feeling she had taken a terribly wrong path while trying to avoid the original story.
Hasa drank warm chamomile tea. On this quiet night, Heize was already in deep sleep, and Hasa sat at her desk with a lit candle. Her mind felt much more at ease in this peaceful moment after a long time.
Her head had been complicated with the storm of events lately.
After checking on Yan, who was curled up asleep on her bed, Hasa took out a letter she had kept in her drawer. On the letter without any seal, her name was written as the recipient, and only the capital letter ‘T’ was written in cursive as the sender.
It was a letter from Tar.
Using a paper knife to cut open the top of the envelope, a palm-sized letter emerged.
[Southern Castle H. No changes.]
Hasa burned the letter in the candlelight as soon as she confirmed its contents.
Southern Castle meant Winblad’s mansion in the south. Therefore, H referred to Helena.
Even after driving Helena away, she had been tracking her movements. It was to find out who was behind her. She had hired a capable mercenary through Azure.
Though she had been receiving reports about all the places Helena visited and people she met, there had been no meaningful information for two months since she left the mansion.
‘I thought there would surely be movements to meet her backer.’
Hasa thought perhaps she had already made contact secretly but then remembered that her daughter Sabrina was still in that castle. Helena, ridiculously, had a strong attachment to her daughter. She wouldn’t have met dangerous people where her daughter was.
Although she had attached a mercenary with Azure’s help, it still wasn’t enough. She wished she had help from someone more reliable. Someone quick with news and swift in action, like Shine.
At that moment, Berl’s face suddenly came to mind.
“…Why am I thinking of that man when I’m thinking of Shine.”
Hasa’s brows furrowed at the thought she couldn’t comprehend herself.
-You seem to have a lot on your mind.
When she turned around, Yan was looking at her with bright yellow eyes glowing in the darkness.
-No, perhaps it’s your heart?
“…Weren’t you sleeping?”
-Just because I look like a cat doesn’t mean I’m actually a cat. I don’t need sleep.
Despite saying that, Hasa remembered how excited Yan had been about the ball of yarn Heize had brought as a cat toy, but she shook her head vigorously and sat facing Yan.
Yan often made statements that pierced through Hasa’s heart. He said it was because Yan and she were connected. That’s why Yan could see all of her feelings.
“Yan.”
-What.
“Being able to read others’ thoughts, at first I thought it was good because it let me skip the preliminary investigation stage.”
-Preliminary investigation?
“That’s a thing. What I mean is, that being able to read others’ thoughts creates more uncomfortable situations than expected. Don’t you feel that way?”
Just looking at Berl this time proved it. Hearing the inner voice that she would rather not have known made her feel like she had stolen someone’s diary, and she became unsure how to deal with it.
-Well, I find it only convenient.
“…Really? You keep learning about people’s hidden sides that you would rather not have known.”
Yan stared at Hasa’s gloomy expression for a while, then got up and came over to climb onto her thigh.
Yan’s warmth spread across her thigh that had grown cool.
-The hidden side is also part of that person. It’s something you would have seen eventually if you maintained the relationship. So if you don’t like it, isn’t it better to know early so you can run away?
It was a simple way of organizing Hasa’s concerns. Though it seemed cold, perhaps because of that, it was strangely comforting. After hesitating at Yan’s advice, Hasa responded.
“How unusual for you to say something that makes sense.”
At that, Yan curled its tail with a smile. -I never say anything wrong. Your head hurts because you like that man.
At this, Hasa’s face burned bright red.
“W-what do you mean like? I just want him to become my helper.”
-Ah, is that so?
“You’re just a cat!”
-Meow.
Yan climbed back onto the bed and spoke as if teasing.
-And instead of spending time thinking about such things, you should train your body. You’re too weak for someone who can’t use magic or special abilities. I don’t acknowledge such a weak person as my master.
This cat sure knows how to talk.
Hasa thought that, as Yan said, it could be dangerous to keep relying on others going forward.
***
Dayan narrowed his eyes and answered firmly. “No.”
“What?”
Hasa’s eyes widened in surprise.
After Yan’s advice, she contemplated what she could do to protect herself, and the answer was swordsmanship. So she had come to the Second Training Ground where Dayan was stationed to ask him to teach her the sword.
But Dayan’s response to Hasa’s request to learn swordsmanship was cold. Since she hadn’t imagined Dayan would refuse, she was shocked, and Dayan scratched the back of his head as he spoke.
“I realized when I was teaching you last time, we don’t have good chemistry. Didn’t you feel it too, sis?”
“……”
Indeed, now that he mentioned it, memories of those four days during the entrance exam when she was stuck studying with Dayan flashed through her mind.
“You’re right about that.”
At Hasa’s admission, Dayan let out a deep sigh.
“But why suddenly swordsmanship? Isn’t studying already overwhelming enough?”
“Well yes… but I should at least be able to protect myself if something dangerous happens.”
“…Is someone bullying you, sis?”
Dayan’s eyes suddenly turned sharp. Hasa waved her hands in denial.
“It’s not that, I just think it’s good to learn in advance. You know, like that time I suddenly encountered a heretic before. If Dad hadn’t been there, it could have been dangerous.”
“…If Dad hadn’t been there, I would have gone.”
“I know, Dayan. That you care about me.”
Dayan looked at Hasa, let out a deep sigh, and answered.
“Alright. I agree you should learn swordsmanship. Even basic skills can help you escape in a critical moment. But I still can’t teach you.”
“Then…”
Dayan crossed his arms, shaking his leg nervously, and asked cautiously.
“Os…?”
The observant gaze that often studied her came to mind. Just thinking about it was burdensome. Hasa smiled awkwardly.
“Um, isn’t there anyone else?”
As Dayan was muttering that there weren’t any club members around in the first place, there was movement outside the tent. Speak of the devil, perhaps a club member had arrived.
“Then you should ask your original teacher to teach you.”
“Original teacher?”
Along with those words, the person who opened the tent and entered was Bertolph. Hasa’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Berl?”
“Oh? Hasa. What brings you here? Did you come to see your brother?”
He asked with a bright smile. That’s what she wanted to ask. He and Dayan usually sparked when they met.
“B-Berl, what brings you here?”
“Ah, I’m a club member.”
“What?”
Hasa looked at Dayan with a face seeking an explanation, and Dayan let out a deep sigh.
“The other day, watching Dayan and Oswald spar made me want to exercise after a long time. Fortunately, they were short on members, so I was able to join.”
Berl made a cheerful V-sign with his fingers. While Dayan muttered something about if only they weren’t short on members, Berl tilted his head and continued.
“Hmm, but I heard from outside that you’re looking for a sword instructor?”
