Chapter 10 (1/2)
After I said everything I wanted to say, I felt a little relieved. But soon, I regretted saying it.
‘Should I have told you like a child…?’
You might think that it’s disgusting that a child says something precociously like a grown-up …
As I’ve been living with people’s opinions, I was concerned about my every action. I clenched the blanket with my little fist and waited for words to come at me. I’m used to the detest for being gross so, I can accept anything.
If I stay here anyway, I won’t be able to hide my true self. Still, I couldn’t help being nervous, so my back became tense and cold sweat spilled out of my hands. At that time, Chloe suddenly began to talk about herself.
“I grew up in the same nursery as you.”
I raised up my head quickly.
Obviously, this part of the novel …
“So, before I even reached adulthood, I was sold to the backworld because of the staff’s work and had to suffer a lot. It was awful.”
There was a bitter smile on Chloe’s mouth.
“Not only me, but my friends were also sold together. Some of the children are already dead, and there might be others living a miserable life that is worse off than dying.”
Maybe that could have been my future.
“And, when I found out, all that happened because of a friend I met at the nursery, and he’s a director there currently. I decided to take revenge.”
I gulped and made eye contact with Chloe. Her eyes were full of anger.
“So, I don’t intend to leave him, and everyone involved alone. They made my life that way, and they dare sleep comfortably?”
There was a deep sneer around her mouth.
“That’s never going to happen.”
I gulped again at Chloe’s resolute answer.
“The documents you brought were proofs of the deal that he sold the children. Did you even know that?”
“No.”
At my voice, Chloe chuckled.
“Yes. If you had known, you wouldn’t have passed it so easily.”
“So, with those documents, can you drag down the nursery director?”
At my question, Chloe shook her head with an irritated expression.
“Well, it’s obvious that if you reveal it now, you’ll be quietly silenced by the backers that are watching them.”
Chloe picked up the pipe as if to smoke, then paused for a moment, then put the pipe back into her sleeve again.
“It’s not just documents. Me too, this merchant’s group too, is going to be a mess. There will be an appropriate time to reveal it, so I’ll bear it in and wait.”
After that remark, I heard the sound of grinding teeth, unable to hold back the anger.
“I’m not living for revenge. I just want to give them the punishment that they deserve.”
“….”
“It’s all right if it takes a long time, to give them a fair punishment. So, to prepare for that time, I’m collecting data and gathering strength.”
Chloe smiled and advised me.
“For you, it’s Duke of Heronis, and for me, it’s the nursery. I think you’re kind of like me…”
Chloe spoke with a bright smile, which did not correspond with her words and this atmosphere.
“If you want to be under me, you’ll have to know the value of the goods and learn how to trade.”
Chloe talked about her past to me and chose me as her successor. Originally, it was a word to be said to the male protagonist of the second part of the original novel, but it came back to me.
In other words, that means!
“Are you permitting me to stay here? Becoming a successor too?”
“If a woman leads the merchant’s group, there are more difficulties than you expect. Ignorance and criticism will never cease.”
Chloe lowered her voice as if to frighten me.
“If you’re good at your work, they’ll curse you because you’re tough, and if you’re bad, you’ll get cursed because you’re a woman. It can be harder than I’ve ever done. Would you do it anyway?”
“Of course.”
She smiled at my answer.
“All right. From now on, you’re the successor to the Benedito merchant’s group, and in the future, you’ll be Daphne Benedito. Baby”
“Ba…by…”
Although she was surprised by an unfamiliar title, Chloe didn’t seem to have any intention of changing the title.
Fortunately, the corners of my mouth were raised, as if I liked it.
“At first, I was just going to sponsor you for your dignified appearance, but I definitely changed my mind a little while ago.”
“…really?”
“I can’t just sponsor you after I have received this amount of paperwork. It is a terrible thing to do.”
Chloe burst out laughing.
“I really liked your spirit, spite, and your will. At this rate, my daughter is well qualified to be the successor.”
The words that followed were even more magnificent than I expected.
“…can I be your daughter? Can I do that?”
Chloe answered with a serious voice to the anxious words.
“It’s enough.”
It worked. The hard work paid off.
When Chloe’s mouth dropped the words of perfect permission, the tension flowing through my body fell, and my body began to slump.
‘I can’t believe you let me in. I never imagined it… but this is for the better.’
I stretched out my relaxed shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief, but as soon as I finished, Lennox asked me as if he had waited for it to be done.
“How do you feel?”
“It’s okay. I don’t think I got hurt as bad as I thought…”
After my position was guaranteed, I didn’t have to be nervous like the last time. I nodded and answered kindly, and Chloe, who listened to it, laughed at the words.
“You don’t know what a serious situation you were in. You’ve been sick for three whole days. I rushed the treatment and even fed you medicines, but the fever didn’t even go down. The most serious of them are your legs.”
Chloe’s gaze briefly turned to the legs and then to my head.
“Yes, legs can be fixed, but…”
And, with a moment’s silence, it seems that something has happened to my head.