novelraw Chapter 130
Chapter 130
Episode 130
Flora stubbornly insisted she absolutely would not go to the sudden dinner invitation where everyone was gathering.
But because Benio came to fetch her personally, her resolve ended in failure.
'I know I should go since the Grand Marquis himself invited us, but I don't want to.'
Facing family members who were hostile not just to her but to the entire Lucifer house wasn't a pleasant feeling.
'I have to endure it for the family's sake. Once I get the will, I'll leave without looking back.'
In the end, she changed into a pretty dress and went to the dining hall, where a distinctly different atmosphere from the previous morning greeted the two of them.
The Marquis, who originally sat at the head of the table, had moved his seat to the right, and his original place was now grandly occupied by the Grand Marquis.
"Did you have a good afternoon?"
Benio answered yes to the Marquis's kind voice, and Flora, who was slightly hiding behind Benio, also gave a vague nod.
Perhaps thinking she was being shy, the Marquis laughed softly.
"So you've finally heard from Benio what this place is. Then you must know I'm your maternal uncle? From now on, feel free to call me Uncle."
However, his laughter didn't last long.
"It seems this Marquis fellow is quick to laugh."
The rigid, stern voice was so solemn that the innocent-looking Marquis wiped the smile from his face, looking wary.
Flora found it absurd, as it was obvious from the context that his mood was soured because of her.
'Why is he setting the mood like that? Is he the only one who's angry?'
An ordinary person might regret having acted willfully, feeling uncomfortable in such an atmosphere, but Flora remained proud.
No matter how she thought about it, she had done nothing wrong and was, in fact, the one in an unfair position.
However, the moment she spotted Benio, whose body was stiff and utterly tense, she wondered if she should have endured a little more.
"Sit."
But as soon as the Grand Marquis's cold voice was heard, her slight regret vanished instantly.
The moment the two took their seats on the left, the prepared foods began to fill the table.
Despite the colorful array of foods that made one's mouth water, the atmosphere at the table was as wretched as a ship about to sink.
Even Flora, who usually eats well in such situations, was just picking at her food, which seemed to worry Benio.
"Try to eat a little more of this."
He cut the steak, which Flora liked, into small, easy-to-eat pieces and placed them on her plate.
'...Sigh. I was going to pretend not to know for a day because I was resentful that he kept things from me, but...'
Seeing her brother's unconsciously kind demeanor made Flora swallow a sigh.
Her hardened heart melted instantly at the consideration inherent in his actions, making her feel a bit ridiculous, but what could she do?
He was still her brother.
"Don't just give it to me; you need to eat well too, oppa. That's how you grow tall like Dad."
Although Benio was already a head taller than his peers, Flora was sincere.
She scooped up a generous portion of fruit salad and placed it on his plate.
"Don't just eat meat."
At Flora's earnest request, Benio smiled and nodded.
Amid an atmosphere that was clearly unpleasant to anyone watching, the siblings maintained their own warmth and cheerfulness between themselves.
"Ahem."
The Grand Marquis Eisollen, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke.
"You two get along well, despite having been apart for so long. One would expect you to be awkward with each other."
As if something displeased him, the corner of his mouth twisted.
"Father."
The Marquis tried to interject, opening his mouth to stop the remark that broke the warm mood.
But the Grand Marquis paid him no heed, and Flora lightly grumbled in response.
"What's there to be awkward about between family? Making up after a fight just by seeing each other's faces is what family is."
Unlike her, who seemed unfazed by the brusque reply, the Marquis Eisollen and Benio averted their eyes and cautiously watched the Grand Marquis's reaction.
"Ah, I was just talking to myself!"
"Right, you wouldn't know any better, I suppose."
As Flora smiled faintly and acted as if it were nothing, the Grand Marquis set down his cutlery with a meaningful remark.
"Young Lord Lucifer, have you heard how Nersha passed from this world?"
The term used to address his grandson lacked affection, but Benio answered without minding.
"I heard her health deteriorated rapidly after childbirth, and a subsequent serious illness was the cause."
"Correct. After giving birth to your sister, she overexerted herself, her health declined, she suffered a major collapse, and ultimately, she passed before I did. Knowing that fact, you still seem to find your sister utterly delightful."
Flora, who had been listening carefully at first, clicked her tongue in disbelief.
'So he's sarcastically implying that my brother dotes on me, even though our mother died because of me?'
Seeing an adult who wasn't acting his age made her anger surge. Separately, she was also curious about what Benio would say.
Before her gaze could even reach him, his answer came.
"Yes, she is truly lovely. Not just her appearance, but everything about Flora brings happiness. So how could I not find her lovely?"
Flora felt a laugh bubbling up and quickly covered the corner of her mouth with her hand.
Unfortunately for the Grand Marquis, it seemed Benio hadn't even realized his previous remark was sarcastic.
Seeing him looking concerned, wondering what he had done wrong as the Grand Marquis's eyebrow twitched.
'I can't embarrass my admirable brother.'
Looking at the Marquis, who, like her, was struggling to hold back laughter, she thought of a little mischief.
"Marquis. No, Uncle. Do you also find me adorable?"
Flora stopped eating, placed her hands one on top of the other under her chin, and rested her head on them. Smiling sweetly with her eyes curving, the Marquis, reading the mood, finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
"Well, you state the obvious! I felt it the moment I saw you. That's why I hugged you so tightly right away."
"Really? I'm so happy."
At the Marquis's affirmative words, the Grand Marquis shot him a slight glare. Flora deliberately laughed brightly and changed the subject.
"Then, for the sake of seeing your adorable niece, could you perhaps show me Mother's will?"
The moment her words ended, silence fell over the table.
Perhaps not expecting her to broach the main subject so suddenly, Benio's face turned pale, and the Marquis froze with his mouth agape in surprise.
The atmosphere was such that a roar from the Grand Marquis wouldn't have been surprising, but Flora maintained her brazenness.
"We promised to go home after seeing it. My dad, who loves me so much, is waiting anxiously at home, so I need to return quickly."
She let out a sigh with a face full of worry and concern, showing her sincerity, which made Benio urgently open his mouth to speak.
No, he tried to, but Flora didn't give him the chance.
Answering with the uniquely childlike, guileless rudeness and an innocent expression, the Grand Marquis let out a hollow laugh, seemingly exasperated.
"You are truly outrageous."
"I get that a lot!"
"How such a child could be born from Nersha... You don't resemble Nersha in the slightest."
"That's a first for me."
Seeing her expression, which clearly showed she found this unwelcome and distasteful, the Grand Marquis asked with a greatly angered face.
"Unlike your brother, it seems you are not at all curious about the contents of that will."
"Should I be curious?"
"An ordinary child would be. Like your brother."
"My circumstances are different from my brother's. I don't know about Mother, but he does, right?"
At her indifferent voice, the Grand Marquis fell silent for a moment, as if lost in thought.
'Why does he keep making me say the same things?'
Even though he was her grandfather, she was trying to suppress her temper and endure, but he kept needling her nerves, making it hard to stay calm.
"Your mother, my daughter Nersha, was a determined child. Her appearance was delicate and lovely, as if she should sit quietly and play in a flower garden, but she was a child who said she didn't want to only walk on flowery paths."
Whether he knew she knew or not, the Grand Marquis began his story with a serious face.
It was about the unknown entity Flora had no curiosity about her mother.
"One day, she said she wanted to become a Marquis too and receive heir education alongside my son. She said she would engage in fair competition, clenching her little fists and making a vow. You have no idea how admirable she was. She was flawless in every field, not lacking in anything, and it wasn't impossible, so I granted her permission."
'Is it okay to talk about that in front of the current Marquis?'
Seeing the immense praise, Flora looked at the Marquis, who was also nodding in agreement, though with a sad expression.
"It would have been fine if she hadn't become the Marquis. The whole world wanted that child. With her beautiful appearance, gentle personality, sincere attitude, and the backing of a venerable, solid family, people lined up wanting to bring her into their households. Even if she couldn't become the Marquis, there were many places for her."
Wondering what the point of this story was, Flora refrained from responding and simply listened quietly.