Chapter 14 - Volume 2 (2/2)

「Even with his abnormality, I don’t think it’s a reason to overlook the problem that’s happening in this family. For the time being, why don’t you try telling Uncle? But then again, wouldn’t this provoke Aunt…」

「I’ve already told him. And he said, 『bear with it for a while』」

「…eh?」

「『Right now, my wife hasn’t seen what’s around her. But, she’ll realize your merit soon. Until then, bear with it for a while』」

「That’s… what he told you? Bear with it? Is that… a line a father should be giving his child who’s being abused by his wife?」

「At least, in Narcissus Rankgerüste’s case, it is」

I was at my wit’s end.For countless times since reuniting with Uncle yesterday, his favorability graph with me continued to decreasingly swoop, and I don’t know if it would stop at this point.

「Okay, fine then. Let’s quit trying to rely on Uncle. You won’t be troubled if I told Father about it, right? Then, I’ll immediately inform him」

With this action, I’m probably betraying Crinum. When I begin thinking that she had confided in me because of our friendship, it frankly starts feeling painful in my chest. That said, seeing that there was a victim of child abuse, there was no way I could just remain watching in silence.

Shaking off last night’s events with Crinum which floated in my mind, I headed to Father in high spirits.

However, this should have been called a trick of fate, since things didn’t go so smoothly.

「Eh? He departed from the house this morning?」

「Yes. It was before dawn. A messenger from the capital came by, it seemed there was a sudden job that arrived. Although he was worried about you, my lady, he couldn’t bring himself to wake you up, so he departed alone」

When the butler explained the regrettable situation to me, I wound up placing a hand on my forehead.

A messenger from the capital delivering urgent work to Father wasn’t rare. However, for this to happen so early in the morning, it was extremely unlucky.

I ended up returning to Shade’s room dejectedly.

「I’m sorry… it seems like I can only tell him as soon as he comes back here, after his work is over. In the meantime, I’ll do all I can to prevent Aunt from doing anything to you. That’s why, could you wait just a little bit more?」

Although saying『wait just a little bit more』,  was like repeating the hated words Uncle said,  I was saved since Shade energetically nodded his head in my way direction.

That was the only thing I informed Shade about, before fleeing his room. Naturally, if Crinum found out that I carelessly went in and out of Shade’s room, I would never be able to look her in the eyes.

Fortunately, according to the maid, she was still in her room.

Since it was awkward meeting Crinum at the breakfast table, I complained that I was hungry in order to quickly eat breakfast alone.(4)

Doing this selfish thing in someone else’s house, who knows what others might think of it, but I wouldn’t be able to escape that problematic situation without making some sacrifices.

However, once again, fate wasn’t treating me kindly.

Since morning, with a daily lesson on how to take care of flowers, I ended up sharing the breakfast table with Uncle Narcissus.

The freshly-baked bread lined up on the dining table were attractive; even with the soup having a different flavor from what I had at home, it didn’t taste bad.

It would have been awesome if Father or Wolf & Duke Ranunculus sat in front of me, oh – just thinking of it shouldn’t be a sin.

In some respects, Uncle could make pleasant conversations, but my responses became unconsciously unenthusiastic.

I had been trying to get Uncle to give a hand in investigating, but now, I’ve already completely given up on relying on him. Relying on Father would absolutely be better. That was how I felt.

「Lycoris, do you always wake up this early in the morning?」

「No, it’s because I slept a little early yesterday… Aren’t you also up early, Uncle?」

「Watering the flowers is, in the long run, better to do in the morning. I’ll take a nap momentarily after eating a light breakfast」

Really, Uncle’s life does seem to revolve around and focus on flowers.

I inclined an ear to Uncle’s gardening lectures for the moment.

Although my heart wasn’t dancing, a peaceful time passed by as it is – it was at the moment as I was reaching out for desserts. Uncle started dropping an exceptionally large-scale bomb on me.

「By the way, Lycoris. Why don’t you, with our boy– Shade, get married?」

Right here, Uncle somehow started speaking an alien language.—(1) Again, he’s adding a polite term. There’s no English translation to properly deal with this, but this is how I cut it “…Good(ohayou)… morning(gozaimasu)” . “Ohayou gozaimasu” is basically good morning. Leaving out gozaimasu is just “Morning”.(2) He use “Ore”… the little boy used “Ore”. Go back to Family-hen notes, if you didn’t understand why Lycoris was surprised…(3) he continues using “Ore”(4) 朝食の席 is actually breakfast seat, or the location you gather at breakfast. I don’t think anyone uses breakfast place/ breakfast seat in English though