The Radiant Young Lady of the Dark Family - Chapter 6
After a long business trip, he returned home after half a year. The mansion was quiet as it was still a time when everyone would be asleep. As everyone, led by the middle-aged man, walked without making a single footstep sound, Head Butler Salam appeared at the entrance of the central mansion.
“Master, you’ve returned.”
Vanwilhelm, the current head of the Cellie family, handed over the cloak he was wearing to him.
“Yes.”
Salam accepted it and reported on the mansion’s affairs during the half year of his absence as if accustomed to it.
“Thirty new knights hired last month were assigned to the new dormitory……”
On the surface, Helena was in charge of the overall mansion, but she was merely a scarecrow filling in the gaps for Vanwilhelm, who was often absent.
That’s why Salam was recording all of her usual extravagances and misdeeds.
But that was it.
He would only record, never speaking of it first. Salam finished his brief report and added:
“I’ll leave a detailed report in writing.”
“Good work.”
Vanwilhelm was tired.
The reason why the prestige of the Cellie family could never be broken, no matter how the world cursed him.
It was because he was doing the work of eliminating heretics who had sold their souls to the devil.
The moment God is born, the devil is born alongside in its shadow.
In the past, the Emperor had appointed the Cellie family to the arduous task of dealing with heretics who would cause great chaos.
The Cellies had taken this as their long-standing mission and worked until now, but heretics didn’t look much different from ordinary people on the surface, and in the eyes of the people who didn’t know about this old mission, it was rather the Cellies who were the devils mercilessly tearing apart their families, friends, and children.
Perhaps because of this, the gazes and persecution tired him more than the act of executing heretics.
Vanwilhelm entered the mansion and habitually looked up at the floor where the two children’s bedrooms would be.
Seeing this, Salam quietly spoke up.
“The young master has not yet returned from the academy, and the young lady recently attended a social gathering.”
“I heard she caused trouble.”
The quick-witted Helena had delivered a letter written to her taste through her confidant.
Vanwilhelm didn’t believe everything his cunning sister said. However.
“Father killed Mom, didn’t he?”
The gulf was too deep to bridge the relationship that had already widened between him and his young daughter who had lost her mother early.
Salam spoke with a strange expression.
“Shall I look into it more closely?”
What could he do now with his adult daughter? The more he tried to approach, the more it would only reopen wounds.
Vanwilhelm looked around the deserted interior of the mansion and turned towards the dining room.
“That’s enough.”
Hartbisa, the daughter who looked exactly like his wife, he thought it would be fortunate if he could see her face even once before his next trip.
But then.
“Father, you’re here?”
“……”
“You must be tired from the long trip, please sit down.”
In the dining room sat his daughter Hartbisa, with a face blooming like a spring day.
***
The first step to becoming close with someone is to meet often and converse. Furthermore, finding common interests and such.
It may be classic, but like how classics are eternal, it was a strategy that worked for people of all ages and genders.
When she worked as a broadcast writer, that was the most important task she was in charge of. Persuading cast members who refused to appear to change their minds.
And in the past, she was exceptionally good at that job.
“I asked for the meal to be a warm and soft stew that goes down easily.”
Vanwilhelm, along with Salam and the surrounding employees, all froze in their spots.
They couldn’t help it. Hartbisa was smiling in front of them with a face devoid of any shadow.
She was the most incongruous existence in this mansion. To survive in the harsh land of Chelsea where barely any light properly entered, even the menial workers, if they were people of the Cellie family, were selected through rigorous physical examinations.
The interior of the mansion, built under the pitch-black sky, was decorated in black as well. In such a dark atmosphere, Hartbisa with her fluttering pale pink hair was difficult to say she fit in even as a mere saying.
Her snow-white skin and fairy-like pink hair might resemble the late madam, but her fragile demeanor made her particularly un-Cellie-like.
Salam too had seen her return from parties with Lady Helena, looking utterly dejected.
Hartbisa Cellie herself was more fragile than any of the Cellie bloodline Salam had served. After all, a Cellie would have diligently carved out their own destiny to match that protection.
Salam, being just a butler, thought that the only thing she could do was to leave this ill-fitting mansion when the time came to find her match.
Yes, that’s certainly what he thought until just a few days ago.
“Is there something on my face?”
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
Salam realized he had been staring at her face absent-mindedly and hurriedly lowered his gaze.
“It’s alright. I sometimes stare at the mirror too.”
Salam raised his lowered gaze with a start. His eyes showed disbelief at what he had just heard.
Despite his obvious gaze, Hartbisa far from blushing, nonchalantly threw a joke and shifted her gaze to Vanwilhelm.
“I especially like my big, clear eyes, I guess that’s because I take after you, Father.”
“Hic!”
Orsey, the aide standing next to Vanwilhelm, hiccupped involuntarily.
Even a passing dog could see that the two didn’t resemble each other at all.
How could the dark Duke, called the Emperor’s dog and the flower-like radiant Hartbisa resemble each other in any way?
Yet, Orsey and Salam became curious about Vanwilhelm’s reaction.
For several years after the madam passed away, no one had dared to make even a light joke to him. Wondering how their master, wrapped in coldness, would respond, the two’s gazes turned to him as if by agreement.
Vanwilhelm looked down at his daughter smiling brightly in front of him without blinking. Soon, his brow furrowed.
Orsey worried that he might treat her like he would his subordinates due to the fatigue from his long trip, opened his mouth in panic.
“Duke, but she’s still your daughter……”
“Yes, you certainly did resemble me in that aspect.”
“Right?”
Hartbisa smiled broadly and pulled out Vanwilhelm’s chair herself.
He sat down naturally in that seat. Only Salam and Orsey were left with their mouths agape, clutching their pounding hearts.
Hartbisa smiled, her eyes curving, a naive smile spreading across her entire face.
On the surface, it was an incredibly lovable smile, but the fingers hidden under the table kept tapping her thigh nervously.
Even though she had come prepared mentally, seeing the darkness on her father’s face deeper than expected, cold sweat ran down her spine for a moment.
Even in her memories, she had only faced him this closely when she was very young.
Still, she couldn’t show signs of being flustered. Because the moment she showed signs of discomfort, the other person would become uncomfortable too, so Hartbisa instinctively made jokes.
At first, Vanwilhelm showed surprise at Hartbisa’s unexpected visit, but then he returned to his poker face as if nothing had happened.
Salam had the servants bring in the meal, and Orsey skillfully maintained his position next to him.
Hartbisa observed their behavior closely and tried to blend in as much as possible. The least conspicuous action she could take in this situation was clearly one thing.
Hartbisa, without hesitation, spooned up the stew placed in front of her.
She knew that her father didn’t skip breakfast, but in reality, he only ate enough to satisfy his hunger.
With such delicious food spread across the table, not eating would be disrespectful to the chef.
Hartbisa took the most natural action she could while sitting at the table. Just by doing so, everyone became surprised again and stared at her.
‘The young lady, the young lady isn’t being picky about food!’
She used to be sensitive no matter what was brought to her.
Hartbisa glanced at Salam. What he was thinking was clearly visible on his face.
In her previous life, she had indeed been quite picky about side dishes, but at that time, she had no choice.
The food brought by her aunt’s maids was all as salty as if they had thrown in whole chunks of salt. Having become accustomed to that taste, even when food that wasn’t like that was brought, she couldn’t help but react sensitively with her young mind.
But now it was different. Hartbisa turned her gaze from the now visible bottom of the stew bowl and smiled at Vanwilhelm.
“Please eat comfortably.”
“…Alright, I will.”
Vanwilhelm cleared his throat and unfolded the newspaper Salam had prepared.
Having grown accustomed to eating alone for a long time, he had a habit of reading the newspaper while having breakfast.
