She always envied Ethel, who was superior to her. She wanted to enjoy what Ethel had.
Even though she never reached the same level as her, Ethel was dead now, and she believed she could enjoy her rights in her stead.
It was all a misconception on her part.
This place was Chelsiers, and its Master was Astariol.
A place where the dead Ethel was more important than the living Heather.
Even if she was a mother who never once looked back at her own child, this was a realm ruled by Astariol, who governed with reason and logic.
The indifferent and distant boy declared clearly.
“As you mentioned when you arrived here, you cannot replace my mother. Therefore, you must not go against her will.”
Ashel probably did not realize that this was Heather’s most fatal weakness.
But…
Even if he had known, he wouldn’t have bothered to sugarcoat his words. He wouldn’t have had enough interest to notice anyway.
Heather retorted as if chewing out her words.
“Such a considerate heart. It’s pitiful that your mother died not knowing the devotion it takes to shelter a cuckoo chick.”
Since then, not much had changed remarkably.
That was natural. They were only barely maintaining a facade of decency from the beginning.
However, Heather decided to think that everything was Ashel’s fault.
Because of the insolent, utterly arrogant, and insensitive Astariol.
So, her extravagance, her indulgence, her irresponsibility… it was all because that boy, who didn’t care about people’s feelings, hurt her deeply first.
She had to think that way.
To justify that she was merely taking compensation for the wounds inflicted on her by that mother and son.
If Ashel had said anything, she might have curbed her spending out of caution…
But Ashel, as if he had forgotten her existence, never once pointed out her conduct.
Years passed and she thought it was fine to spend more.
As her sense of crisis, awareness, last vestiges of conscience, and minimal concern melted away with money and time, Heather was eventually cast out.
Left with nothing but resentment and venom, becoming a wretched old woman.
And then, suddenly, before her eyes appeared a child who was unmistakably identical to the young Ashel she remembered.
That child must be the daughter of her nephew and that vile witch who ruined Heather.
So, wasn’t it only natural for the child to repay the sins of the parents?

* * *

Louis whispered quietly.
“Miss, I’ll handle this. Please go upstairs first.”
But if Lady Declamen had been someone who would let me go so easily, she wouldn’t have caused such a commotion in the bustling street in broad daylight.
As soon as I moved my foot, that strangely grating voice was heard.
“Dear, do you want me to go outside right now and tell everyone that Duke Chelsiers disregards his kin?”
“……”
“If that’s what you want, go ahead and move. But I have something to say to you, and I will say it one way or another.”
It was a jarring voice, like forcing metal against sandpaper.
Louis spoke again beside me.
“Miss, I’ll handle this.”
But I slowly shook my head.
The gazes that had initially been watching the commotion at the entrance of Galamad were now unmistakably focused on us as soon as Duke Chelsiers was mentioned.
If Louis intervened now, it would only confirm that we knew Duke Chelsiers.
Instead, I called out softly.
“Leah.”
“…… yes, Miss.”
“I need your help.”
I heard a sharp intake of breath as someone barely stifled their gasp. But I asked again.
“Can you help me?”
Leah Fawcett’s answer was slightly delayed but firm.
“Yes.”
“Bring her to a private room without drawing attention.”
It was an almost impossible request.
The customers in Galamad, the people passing through the bustling street, and the employees working in Galamad.
Numerous eyes were on us.
But the chief manager of Galamad Department Store nodded resolutely.
“Yes.”
I didn’t ask if she could really do it again.
I gave a brief nod to Louis and started climbing the stairs again.
Without ever looking back.
After whispering briefly to Leah, Louis quickly followed and explained.
“Lady Declamen is His Excellency’s aunt. After the untimely death of the previous duke and duchess, she came to Chelsiers to protect and raise His Excellency.”
“And now?”
“Now, she relies on the Declamen family. They must be providing her with a reasonable allowance for maintaining her dignity.”
Behind me, Lady Declamen, who still didn’t understand the situation well, seemed to want to shout something, but the sound was quickly muffled.
As I pulled the wind like a hook and captured the words trapped within it, I could hear them clearly.
“What on earth is this…?”
“Miss has called you to a private room. If the commotion continues, she’ll just leave. What will you do?”
“… I’ll go on my own. Let go!”
Hearing all this, I asked calmly.
“Why didn’t I know about this?”
It was the first time I had completely lowered my tone with Louis.
He wasn’t flustered.
His attitude in continuing to answer was as if it should have been this way all along.
“I’m sorry, Miss. His Excellency had already told us to forget about her presence in Chelsiers, so I also forgot. Others must have not told you for the same reason.”
“Why?”
“… I’m sorry. I can’t tell you.”
I didn’t press further.
– The Pope and the cardinals, your aunt, Duke Sisana… let’s see if they come to apologize on their own. Without you asking or forcing them, but on their own.
Lady Declamen was my father’s aunt. When my father was young, she raised him alone.
And my mother wanted an apology from Lady Declamen.
Wasn’t that enough?
“Alright. Is there anything else I need to know?”
“… do you intend to speak with her directly?”
“If my guess is correct, she wants to talk to me.”
“…”
There was a brief silence.
Now, we entered the floor where the private room was. The opulent chandelier I had seen before sparkled transparently above.
The luxurious lighting illuminated everything in the department store.
The shiny floors, the smooth walls, the neatly arranged goods, and the people within.
Everything was bright and glamorous.
But not everyone’s heart glowed, shone, and was beautiful.
Some people’s hearts were filled with desires so sticky and dark that no light could reveal them.
The person I was about to meet was probably one of those people.
Louis’s voice, suppressed, reached me.
“Miss, what she really wants is wealth. Or perhaps rumors. She… desires things she cannot originally have.”
“I know.”
“She believes she is being treated unfairly, so she won’t be like any normal relative you might learn from.”
“I know.”
“… forgive me for my useless and lengthy words.”
It was the day I heard the most apologies from Louis since we met. Hopefully, there would be no such day in the future.
I hoped not.
My voice flowed out calmly.
“I don’t intend to meet her alone. Accompany me.”
“Yes.”
The staff waiting to attend to us quickly dispersed. Louis and I swam through the crowd like a whale against the current.
When I sat on a sofa set aside, Louis hesitated for a moment before standing beside me and bowing his head.
“What do you plan to do?”
“Since she said she has something to say, I’ll listen.”
“…”
He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, just biting his lips.
His head was full of anxious thoughts, wondering if I was thinking too naively and if it was really okay to meet her…
I had been curious about when Louis might be lost for words. Now I found out at such an unexpected moment.
With a slightly bitter smile, I spoke to alleviate his concern.
“If Leah Fawcett truly intends to help, she would have sent someone by now. Someone to inform me of how much the purchase amount was delayed, how long she had been frequenting here, and the exact current situation.”
“…”
“And since I already showed myself entering, Lady Declamen will show herself leaving, walking around and taking her time.”
It would look like she was being driven out.
Also, it would give time for the internal information of Galamad to be gathered and conveyed.
Had Louis not been so flustered, he would have realized this much earlier.
To prove that my reasoning was rational and normal.
Louis’s pale complexion slightly returned.
“… thank you for your consideration, Miss.”
As soon as those words ended, there was a knock on the door.
“Excuse me. I am Emerson, the manager of Galamad Department Store. May I come in?”
“Come in.”
The man entered swiftly.
A good attitude. No matter how much time Leah could buy outside, there was a limit.
Since we needed to use the short respite more efficiently, I stopped the man from bowing deeply.
“Skip the greetings. Report first.”
“Yes, understood. Lady Declamen started visiting about two years ago…”
His report flowed seamlessly. It was roughly what I expected.
Lady Declamen’s introduction that she had an unusual spending habit compared to the reasonable allowance she received.
The predictable and common development that the family refused to pay the bills for about half a year.
‘And now she would try to reach out to Chelsiers.’
The poor protagonist, the wealthy relative, the ungrateful kin.
A common motive used in numerous novels and plays.