Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 125
The boy said nothing.
He simply gazed quietly at his mother’s body. Richelle could sense the immense anger that had once colored his face gradually shrinking in size.
After a long while, Alan finally opened his heavy lips.
“I knew those things were different from the other roses. I told you before—they’re monsters, but they throw tantrums, crave affection, and pretend to feel emotions.”
He raised his hand and pressed it hard against his chest.
“But I don’t believe that Penny and Nero are still alive. I don’t think we can get them back.”
“Alan…”
“Richelle, I’ve been watching them for much longer than you have.”
Richelle felt as if she’d been struck.
Of course. Unlike her, who had only been at Bertrand for a few months, Alan Otis had spent his entire life here.
One day, his siblings changed. It had happened so suddenly, and at the time, Alan had been very young.
Alan Otis, who was willing to risk everything for others, must have, at some point, held onto the hope that he could save his siblings. He must have despaired as much as he had hoped, watching the twins over all those years.
A deep sense of shame welled up inside her, so intense that she couldn’t meet his eyes. She bowed her head, feeling the heat rise in her cheeks.
“I’m sorry. I spoke too carelessly.”
“It’s fine.”
Alan awkwardly patted Richelle’s shoulder before standing up.
“You’re right. Logically speaking, bringing them along would be the safer option. If we want to ensure Mother’s safety.”
He gestured toward the twins.
“We’ll be going through the kitchen. Can you handle that?”
“The kitchen?”
The twins flinched. Alan continued in an indifferent tone.
“Even if you can keep the roses at bay, going through the main hall would draw too much attention. The side door in the kitchen is closer to the fifth garden anyway.”
“Umm…”
“Yes or no. Answer clearly.”
There was no room for negotiation in Alan’s cold voice.
The twins hung their heads low and fidgeted with their fingers before resolutely clasping each other’s hands.
“We can do it. We’ll go.”
“Good.”
Without further comment, Alan turned back to Richelle. Noticing her expression, he raised an eyebrow.
“What’s wrong?”
“Huh?”
“You’re looking at me like you’ve just seen someone eat a live caterpillar.”
Oh. Was that the expression I had on?
Richelle touched her face, then hesitantly spoke.
“Your decision… surprised me a little. Was that rude of me…?”
“…Don’t worry about it.”
Alan sighed, scratching the back of his head.
“I know you didn’t mean it in a bad way. If you’d said something about pitying them or treating them like my siblings, I’d be really disappointed.”
“…”
“But what you were really suggesting was the possibility that we might be able to get Penny and Nero back, right?”
Richelle fidgeted with the hem of her skirt, unsure how to explain her overly optimistic hopes. Alan let out a small sigh.
“Maybe you’re right, maybe part of Penny and Nero’s souls really are still in those bodies. But their bodies were as good as dead the moment they were taken over.”
He glanced at his siblings’ bodies—bodies that should have grown into twelve-year-olds but were forever trapped at six.
“Even if we get rid of Rogéros and the roses that possessed them, Penny and Nero aren’t coming back.”
His voice was calm and matter-of-fact, devoid of any sadness or anger. How long must it have taken for him to come to terms with his siblings’ deaths?
Alan met Richelle’s gaze and shrugged.
“But despite thinking that way all this time, I’ve never actually given them a proper funeral.”
A slight, bitter smile tugged at his lips.
“So, I was thinking… when we say goodbye to Mother this time, we could also say goodbye to my siblings.”
If, by chance, any part of their souls remains in those bodies.
May they finally leave their broken shells behind and find peace at last.
