Chapter 156 – Side Story ６ (Finale)

Side Story 6 (Finale)

“Surely, this can’t be genetic, can it? You and Noona can both see them, so Rubina has no choice either.”

“My mother could see them too, so perhaps that’s the case.”

“That’s why I hated it… this kind of unease was one reason I didn’t want you two to marry.”

Ren, feeling like he couldn’t quite contain his emotions, downed the wine in his glass in one gulp. He knew he’d said something he shouldn’t have, but since it was already out, he decided to blame it on the alcohol.

“Don’t be rude. And I can’t live without Laura. Even if my brother-in-law had opposed it, I’d have found a way to hold on to her.”

“…So it’s a kinship through shared sight?”

“That’s part of it.”

The Duke lifted his wine glass next. He wet his lips with a single sip, then continued speaking.

“The real problem started after Mother died in the accident. The souls in this manor wouldn’t stay under control. They only listened to her. And I didn’t have the ability to drive them out. The place never felt like a peaceful home. So when someone who could see them came to me of their own accord, of course I was glad.”

“Then, besides kinship… is there another reason?”

“…When I first saw Laura, I thought she was very beautiful. Bright and cute too. I took a real liking to her at first sight.”

“Huh?”

At this point, Ren ran out of things to say.

What was that? Beautiful? Who? Noona? Bright and cute?

He’d been beaten black and blue by his sister more times than he could count since childhood. And objectively speaking, Noona was not a beautiful or cute person. She had a tremendous sense of responsibility as the eldest of many siblings, but separate from that, she was always fierce and authoritarian.

“That’s not true. Noona isn’t that much of a beauty.”

“You’ve seen her since you were a child, so you wouldn’t know. Laura is a beauty.”

“Huh? No… that can’t be. I have eyes… that’s not… Ah, forget it.”

Frustrated for no good reason, Ren poured himself another glass of wine and drank it. Arguing with someone thoroughly blinded by love would only end the same way. He pressed his lips shut, turned his gaze, and looked at his nephew in his brother-in-law’s arms. The child, exhausted from crying, had already fallen into a deep sleep.

Watching that, he felt… strange. Probably more so because he’d come back from performing an exorcism today. He couldn’t understand why his nephew, of all people, had the ability to see souls. Even if sight was hereditary, only he and his sister had been anomalies in House Highen. The three younger siblings born after him couldn’t see souls at all. So his nephew should have been the same.

“Anyway… it’s a good thing I became a priest… right? If anything happens to Rubina, I can perform exorcisms. Noona has divine power now too, so there shouldn’t be any major problems.”

The alcohol was rising within him. The words leaving his mouth no longer passed through long thoughts. He even felt his speech gradually slowing down. The Duke quietly observed Ren like that, then asked him one question he’d been curious about.

“Now that we’ve come this far, let me ask. Why did you enter the temple in the first place? My wife said her younger brother would study art at the academy. She also said she hoped you’d learn properly since you love drawing.”

“Noona, you don’t understand. I never had any real talent for drawing. Going to the Academy for that would’ve been a waste of time and money. But becoming a priest was easy. I had divine power, and I could see souls, so the priestly position came down to me pretty quickly.”

“Well, I suppose that was unexpected for Laura. She always thought the second child would listen to her no matter what. So when you said you weren’t going to the Academy, she was a bit disappointed.”

At that, Ren poured himself another glass of wine. The inexplicable sinking feeling in his chest, paired with alcohol that refused to be tamed, coaxed out honest confessions. And of all people, he was spilling them in front of a brother-in-law he barely knew.

“Noona worked hard to take care of me and our siblings after our parents died. So I felt I had to listen to her. But with the Academy, it was different. Lucia, the third child, was smart enough to go, but I wasn’t. My drawing skill is best left as a hobby.”

“People studying art at the Academy learn painting or music as hobbies too. There’s no need for absolute diligence.”

“Hah… That won’t do. Then I’d have no steady income.”

Ren’s eyes narrowed. He thought his wealthy brother-in-law’s perspective was, as expected, rather different. Yet his own situation was inevitably unlike that of the rich nobles. So, to somehow explain the gap, he pressed on.

“I always believed I had to take care of Noona and the younger ones. As soon as I came of age, I thought I should shoulder everything instead of her. As the eldest son of our house.”

“Is that so? “

“Yes. But then the Duke suddenly appeared. He gave Noona a truly enormous monthly salary, and she sent almost all of it to us. Even back then, I knew it was a huge sum. It’s several times more than what I earn as a priest now.”

“…….”

“And there he was, this man who’d barged into our family, doing everything I was supposed to do. Of course, he fixed the roof that collapsed on our house, bought decent food for my siblings… Everything got better. But you know? For me, it was… it was a little hurtful.”

But once the words were out, his face flushed with embarrassment. The hidden feelings he’d never revealed to anyone had spilled out far too easily.

“That’s a petty matter.”

The Duke, on the other hand, responded flatly. Perhaps he finally understood why his brother-in-law had disliked him since their first meeting. Ren rubbed his face with both hands in shame, then hastily blurted out an excuse.

“I suppose so. It really was nothing. It was my problem, definitely. I was young back then.”

“I understand. I can see how that might’ve been.”

“Mm. Yes… Well, I’ve certainly gone on about all sorts of things. Please keep this a secret from Noona. It’s embarrassing.”

“Will do.”

With that perfectly composed answer, the two of them finished their meal. Ren slipped out of his seat. But right then, he found himself face-to-face with Laura at the front gate, just as she was coming home. Laura’s expression brightened instantly.

“Ren! What are you doing here?!”

“I had some business nearby, so I dropped by. But Unnie, I heard you were staying over at your friend’s place?”

“I was worried about Rubina, so I just came back early. More importantly, don’t leave right away. Stay a little longer, Ren. We haven’t seen each other in ages.”

“No. It’s getting late. I think I should go.”

“Then sleep over. You don’t have a position that requires morning prayers at the temple every day anymore, do you? At your rank, you could just commute from home to the temple, right?”

“Still, I’ll head out today.”

Of course, Ren was glad to see his Noona after so long too. But today, he’d said too much to the duke. The liquor must have loosened his tongue more than he’d realized. One way or another, he didn’t want to stay under the same roof as the duke—a man who now knew what was in his heart. That would be… a little embarrassing.

“Hey. I said sleep over.”

But it seemed his Noona had no intention of letting him off that easily.

“Ah. What’s wrong with you? I said I’m going?”

“No way! Just sleep over!”

“…….”

“Got it?”

“…Got it.”

Faced with his Noona’s relentless pressure, Ren reflexively agreed. Only then did Laura break into a wide smile, grab hold of him, and drag him all the way into the manor’s central hall.

After that, Rubina was taken to her room by her father, while Laura and Ren talked in the drawing room. The conversation was mostly about the Highen siblings.

“Why hasn’t Lucia been in touch? Is she that busy?”

“She’s a workaholic. Her business is growing, you know? She must be good at hiring the right people, and she’s got a knack for it too. But she never seems to rest—that worries me.”

“I knew she was smart, but I didn’t know she had that much drive. It’s too much. Really…”

“On the flip side, Roti just loafs around under Lucia’s wing. Lucia went to all the trouble of sending her to the academy, but her grades aren’t anything special, it seems.”

“Ah, Roti… I figured as much.”

Laura furrowed her brow as if troubled. Though she had left House Highen, she still fretted over her younger siblings. It seemed the sense of responsibility as the oldest Noona and Unnie weighed on her. Honestly, Ren understood that feeling well, so he brought up something to ease her worry.

“Noona. I’m still drawing.”

“Huh?”

“I do it as a hobby, so it’s fun. If I’d learned it seriously, I’d have gotten bored fast. This level feels just right.”

“…Is that so?”

“More importantly, Rubina’s been born, but you still don’t have a family portrait, right? I’m not great, but I could paint one for you? I don’t think I can do anything huge… but something small. Just enough to put in a room.”

“Hmm… That sounds nice.”

Laura’s eyes went round. Ren couldn’t help but laugh either. From that day on, Ren took leave from the temple and started coming back and forth to House Cuvershaiden. He carefully painted on a canvas that wasn’t very large. It was hard to keep the mischievous Rubina sitting still, but somehow he managed to finish the portrait.

“I love it!”

Rubina beamed at the completed painting.

“There’s Mommy, Daddy, and me! Hmm. Good.”

The girl, truly delighted, bounced in place and then dashed over to Ren.

“Uncle, next time you have to go inside the painting too.”

“Should I?”

“Yeah. And draw another one next time.”

Having said her piece, she bolted out of the garden. But right away, there was a loud clatter and a crash as she fell. The duke and Laura, who had been standing across from Ren, flinched and scrambled after Rubina in a panic. Ren turned his head and watched the Cuvershaiden family. After confirming Rubina wasn’t seriously hurt, he began to pack up his painting supplies.

“Ren. It’s already dark. Stay the night~”

He heard his Noona’s voice returning from the garden.

“No. I’m sleeping at the temple tonight.”

He knew he’d have to listen to his Noona in the end, but he still threw out a contrary reply, like a petulant complaint. As usual, as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

“I said stay the night!”

Laura shouted again, louder. Ren let out a short sigh and nodded his head a couple of times. Well, no help for it. He still had to listen to his Noona.

Side Story (End)