Chapter 2 (1/2)

“Tie, what brings you here?”

The Marquis asked in a soothing tone, his voice entirely different from when he spoke to me.

Clattier, who came into the hall, put both of her hands on her waist and raised her eyebrows.

“Daddy, you shouldn’t be stepping on a child like that yet.”

The man laughed, clearing my shoulders from the heavy burden of his feet.

“You’re too kind to them. You care about all these kids.”

“Tush!”

Clattier rubbed her lips. A shy flush rose on her face.

“It’s my birthday soon.”

“Yes, that’s why we’re cleaning the hall.”

“We don’t have to party in this big hall.”

While saying so, Clattier’s eyes betrayed her words. Her eyes glistened with joy as if she was expecting a big birthday party.

“It’s my daughter’s birthday. I can’t do it half-heartedly, can I?”

“Daddy, you’re too kind.”

Her light-pink shoes slowed to a halt in front of me.

“Are you all right?”

A sweet voice sprinkled down on me like the soft petals of a blossom.

I nodded, raising my upper body.

“Then cheer up.”

Clattier hugged the Marquis’s arm, smiling. The latter stroked her hair with love.

The friendly father and daughter began to move notes towards the door.

“Hey, Dad—my shoes got wet in the dirty rainwater.”

“I’ll buy you new ones, so don’t worry.”

“Wow, Dad’s the best!”

I stayed alone and looked at their retreating figures.

The rainwater was wetting my whole body.

Boom. The doors closed.

I stared at the tightly blocked door and lowered my head.

“. . . Let’s clean up.’

You don’t know what else you’ll get if you don’t finish it.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The hall was struck by thunder.

I rolled up my body as much as I could, but it didn’t work.

My hungry stomach still clamored for food.

I was punished by my uncle for not cleaning up the hall.

Even though done with a thin whip, my calves suffered greatly from the thirty lashes. Pink flesh stood out on my calves as if marred by a blade.

He told me in public, who was already sick and unable to stand properly.

“There will be no dinner for you until after a week from today.”

That meant eating only one meal a day.

Usually, I had only two meals, breakfast, and dinner.

The most proper meal I’ve received so far was soup with hard bread and dry water.

Clattie came in when the Marquis left.

“Oh, you poor thing.”

Clattier kicked her tongue as if she were sorry for my bruises and torn flesh.

“Don’t be too upset. My dad’s a fair-minded man. It’s not fair to others to give you free meals because you’re my cousin.”

You and I are different even if we are cousins.

Her eyes were saying so.

“Next time, do your best. You have to finish your work well. Dad said so. He said those who don’t work should not eat either.”

Clattie smiled brightly and left the room to see if she was proud of herself.

The thought of that time made me angry.

‘So far I’ve been eating. . . ‘

Growlrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

I wanted to say I didn’t need food, but I was so hungry.

‘It hurts.’

My empty stomach hurt, the pain clashing with my searing calves.

My breaths are shortening.

My exhales are hot.

My mind is blank.

‘This is certainly distressing’

I was wearing my cold wet clothes until they dried up, and I was about to catch a fever.

I hid in an old blanket. The chill of the winter night froze my body.

In the daze of a fever and the cold, the Marquis’ voice rang out.

“You should thank me.”

“Your father irresponsibly leaves you here and doesn’t even pay child support.”

“So you’re going to have to pay for your meals, right? Do you know how much you eat? How much money it costs to feed you?!” He cried out.

“In the end, you still didn’t pay for your meal, again! You’re lazy! For something as useless as you, you shouldn’t get to eat and you shouldn’t get to sleep, either. Lord be thankful for my mercy.”

My ears shut out the voice of the Marquis, who continued.

Now I could not feel hunger, nor the pain of my calves.

I gasped with my chest tight.

“It hurts so much. . .”

My heart seemed torn. I don’t want to, but I keep trying.

My heart was broken.

When I stood in front of the master, my whole body trembled and I couldn’t speak properly.

In my child eyes, he seemed too tall.

“Your biological father abandoned you, and I’m taking care of you and raising you, right?”

“Oh, I’ll have to see if he’s really your biological father. You can’t even use magic.”

I clasped the blanket tightly.

‘Did I really get abandoned?’

I couldn’t grasp it at first, but now I did.

No matter how evil your opponent is, a contract is a contract.

But the result is this.

‘I was a fool to believe in the Devil’s contract.’

I don’t know how many times you’ve been disappointed.

I don’t expect to keep promises that won’t be kept.

So you don’t have to be disappointed.

She contemplated her decisions with a whimper.

I had a runny, flushed nose.

Tears trickle down my cheeks.

This is nothing much. Why is there water coming out of my eyes?

‘I’m sure it’s because I’m still young!’

Breathe.

‘Damn that Devil.’

You said it was a gold spoon. A life of competence and privilege.

You said you’d give me my dad and brother.

“. . . Family, having thought it was alive.”

“Ah-chu!”

The sneeze shook through my entire body.

I snorted and clutched the blanket tightly. There’s little to no warmth, but it’s better than nothing.

‘There’s no cold medicine here, and this young body is too weak.’

I’ve almost died once or twice.

Today is the same.

. . .It might be easier. . . to just die.

‘No, no, no! Don’t be weak!’

I can’t die like this even if it’s unfair.

I’ll survive half a life in this zero-star world.

***

“Tie, happy birthday!”

“Oh, my God, you’re still so young, but you’re dazzlingly beautiful.”

“All the men of the Empire will fall for our Tier.”

Clattie, who is surrounded by her family and smiling brightly, looked as cute and lovely as an angel.

It was sad.

She was wearing a light pink dress today, which was so luxurious and colorful that she could not think of as a child’s.

A dainty, ankle-high, voluminous dress was adorned with several layers of lace, embroidered with tiny diamonds.

No matter how rich they are, they don’t look so luxurious in children’s clothes that they can’t wear after a year.

But to show how much the Marquis loves Clattie, by the time of her birthday, this expensive dress arrived at the mansion.

It’s a beautiful outfit with a different dimension than the usual clothes I wear, so I always expected what kind of dress would be for Clattie.

‘The Marquis didn’t tell me what kind of dress it was.’

No matter how many times Clattier dozed off, it was no use asking for a hint.

If the momentary surprise could have made her happier the moment she received it, he would have kept it a secret.

‘You’re really loved. . .’

I turned my eyes and looked at the beautifully decorated party hall.

Of course, the hall was cleaned and decorated with glitter.

Even the Marquis couldn’t have thought I could clean it all up in the first place.

‘He was just trying to mock me by assigning all that work.’

I looked at my toes and clung tightly to the corner of the walls.

A shabby shoe, worn on one small foot did not fit here.

Even the serving servants and maids were wearing better quality shoes and clothes than me.

‘It’s shabby.’

Even though she was still in the corner, she could feel a sneering look.