Chapter 4.

Carsian Raumdisel, a boy who had just turned 10, was in a warehouse with clear signs of rats. No, to be precise, since it had been a week or two since he lived, it was now his room.

Carcian sat down on a rusty chair and pulled out something hidden under a musty cloth.

It was nothing but stationery.

Karsian muttered as he touched the damp stationery.

 

"Strange. I was sure that I could contact you at any time by using this letter... … .”

 

The letter he was holding was stained with a special liquid. It was a magic potion that could be used as a transfer tool for sirens who used to lure sailors with their beautiful songs. Thanks to that, as long as there was a letter from the Sirens, they could communicate with the inland wherever they were.

However, the price was astronomical, so it was not something anyone could easily use. Count Raum Disel bought this stationery with a fortune to announce his existence and to reassure his only son.

Knowing that, Carcian's treasure No. 1 was this stationery. Carcian glanced over the reply sent by Count Raum Disel.

 

“Three months ago was the last time… … .”

 

His face, which had been shining by relying on a light inferior to that of a lantern, turned gray in an instant. After three months of Count Raum Disel's voyage, no reply came back.

 

“Is this because the letter is not being sent from my side, or is it really from my father’s side… … Did something happen... … .”

 

Karsian wiped his dark expression with his impatient hand.

 

"I'd rather be the former... … .”

 

For the past six months, the Count's close friend and now in charge of him, the Marquis, was blunt but quite kind. But when people's interest faded, he changed his attitude like flipping the palm of his hand.

 

'Even if people's interest has decreased, I can't suddenly dispose of it.'

 

'There's no such thing as a trouble pot!'

 

'Earl Youngsik is frozen to death! Let them do the stable work! Shouldn't I pay for the meal?'

 

At first, I was shocked enough to get sick, but people say that humans are adaptable animals, and now I'm used to it. But no matter how much time passed, there was something I couldn't get used to.

 

'You idiot! You still don't know that your father is dead!'

 

It was a curse that his father would have died.

Karsian wiped his moist eyes.

 

"no. My father did not die. You will definitely come back.”

 

Karsian scratched his teeth as if to soothe his frightened heart. He wanted to meet his father as soon as possible and express his sadness.

Then, suddenly, I heard someone's voice in my head.

 

'To quit.'

 

It was Latia. At the same time, a pretty face with wheat-colored hair and calm purple eyes clearly came to mind. In Karsian's head, Latia spoke with tight lips.

 

'The truth is, you probably won't even notice. That I'm not accepted as a real member of this family.'

 

She was right. Carcian already knew the situation Latia was in.

 

“You bastard… … .”

 

The servants seemed to have no intention of hiding the fact that Latia was the child of a dead maid, and that she was a family idiot.

 

'Because he often looked at Latia's disgrace in front of me.'

 

When was it? I remember it being recent.

Carcian was on his way to cleaning the stables when he heard the Marquis whispering to Ratia.

 

'Did the employee ignore you? I can't stand her as a mother.'

 

'Yeah, and I didn't even pull the tack pin out of my dress.'

 

'Oh my God, are you hurt? I'm worried.'

 

'really? Do you really care about me?'

 

'Then I am your mother.'

 

Carcian overheard a strange conversation somewhere and was suspicious.

 

'It's strange. I heard that the person who told the servant to ignore Ratia even more and the person who ordered her to put on a dress with the pins still on was the Marquis.'

 

Since Carcian's room was next to the food storage warehouse, he could easily hear the trivial conversations of the workers.

Laceyna told Latia that she would give her a partner to vent her anger at the servant. And he was Karsian. Also, whenever Laceyna bullied Carcian, he said he would give him a cookie to congratulate him on becoming an adult.

It was nonsense even for a young Carcian to hear, but Latia, who was younger than him, did not notice anything strange.

 

'I was just delighted with my mother's praise.'

 

Even in the eyes of Carcian, who did not know much about her, Latia was thirsty for parental affection.

 

'That's why Latia couldn't make up her mind and harassed me without hesitation when she said that the Marquis's wife was fond of her. She didn't seem to have the slightest hint of guilt there... … .'

 

Then, she suddenly stopped harassing Karcian.

 

'Susan said it, but it's not love.'

 

And he said that with a guilty laugh.

 

“The look on his face at that time was so dignified that it was impossible to say that they were the same person… … Oh no.”

 

Karsian muttered involuntarily, shook his head quickly, and grabbed his stomach, which had been making a growling sound a while ago.

 

“Look, it ended up like this.”

 

He smiled and recalled what the maid had said.

 

'Miss Latia. They say you're going to starve today.'

 

Since when did he listen to Latia, his illegitimate son, so well? She said that the maid had nothing to do with it, and then left as if to run away.

 

“Look at how I went right back after I didn’t follow my whim.”

 

Even if he knew that he was being bullied because of the marquise's wife, those words were just an excuse from the point of view of being bullied. Karcian slumped over at his desk, clutching his hungry stomach in many ways.

 

“Father, I miss you.”

 

A damp voice came out like a sigh. In the meantime, someone knocked. Surprised, Karsian jumped up without even realizing it.

 

'Who the hell are you at this hour? No one is coming to find me?'

 

As Carcian waited patiently with vigilance, the opponent revealed his identity.

 

“Here, it’s me. Latia.”

 

Even though it was clearly a quiet voice, Karsian was more surprised than before.

 

'Latia? Why at this time... … .'

 

For a moment, I was curious about what he was up to, but he had only one thing to say.

 

"go away."

 

Carcian thought she would either turn around or run amok, or one of the two. However, the answer that came back was unexpected.

 

“Open the door for a moment.”

 

"Why me?"

 

"food… … I brought some.”

 

Carsian turned around to the door at the words that he said while looking at his eyes. The round red eyes wanted to shake for a moment, but soon he turned his head again as if he had settled his heart.

 

“You were the one who told me not to feed me in the first place, so what kind of person are you now?”

 

Karsian said that he knew everything, so he wouldn't let it go, but the opponent jumped up.

 

"no! I didn't! It's all lies. I… … Mother punished you because I didn’t bother you.”

 

"punishment?"

 

"okay. Both for me and for you.”

 

Karsian's face was filled with wonder at what he said while hesitating.

 

"me too… … I've been starving all day. So hey, Susan sneaked me some food for the night. But Susan said you starved too.”

 

That's why I brought it to share, Latia muttered.

Karsian couldn't believe it.

 

'What kind of plan is this?'

 

What was he thinking with that pretty face that made him change like this overnight?

Just a week ago, Latia had been harassing Karcian for her mother's love. But now, despite her mother's punishment, she came to share her food.

 

'Ha, is it characteristic of people in this family that their attitude changes easily like flipping a palm?'

 

Carcian deliberately thought hard, but he got up and headed for the door.

 

'It's definitely not because of Latia's sullen voice.'

 

Karsian thought again that it was because of the bitterness of not being able to growl all the time.

 

'What… … At least it won't contain poison.'

 

No matter how much the public's interest cooled, the marquis family could not abandon Carcian out of concern for people's eyes. Also, the Marquis was acting as a polite and cultured aristocrat outside.

 

'That's why I don't want to have a negative look at my sudden death.'

 

With that thought in mind, Karsian slowly opened the door.

* * *

I was honestly a little surprised on the inside. I didn't know that a Karsian could open the door so easily.

He's already been swearing at me, "I'm sure he didn't poison him?" I finished my resolution to receive even the suspicion of doing it. But Karsian opened the door and looked at the food I was holding with a brusque expression. He sighed as if he was asking if this was all he had brought, but said nothing else.

It was the time when he handed bread and soup to Carcian, relieved by that.

 

“Haam, I’m going to die of sleep. It's so quiet, what kind of patrol... … .”

 

He heard the voice of a patrolling servant from around the corner.

 

"Ugh."

 

I involuntarily sighed and looked back at the hallway where the servant's steps were approaching. I was being punished by starvation for not bothering Carcian. It was clear that if I was caught holding food, I would be punished even more tomorrow.

Besides, I'm giving out food to Carcian right now!

 

“My lady, we have to hide!”

 

Just as Susan whispered in an impatient voice, Karsian opened the door and stepped aside.

 

"Come in."

 

“… … uh?"

 

I opened my eyes wide in surprise.

I was going to give you food and go back, but you want me to come in?

 

“You said you were being punished? Wouldn't it be difficult to get caught?"

 

Or was it a lie? Carcian's face instantly turned ferocious.

 

"no! Really!"

 

I quickly shook my head and hid with Susan in a barn-like room. Carcian quickly shut the door before the servant turned the corner.

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