Chapter 109: Finale

Thanks to my report, all the kidnappers were arrested.

Claire is still asleep so I brought her to the Auberge in Gandalcia. It was closer than the mansion in Belluca mansion after all. I’m exhausted too.

Char hadn’t finished molting yet, so we both slept soundly in bed.

“Young Master”

I woke up to Mary gently shaking me.

“Good morning, Mary. Is it morning already?”

“The sun is already high up in the sky. I’m sorry to interrupt your sleep, but Claire-sama has woken up.”

I asked her to call me when Claire woke up. There are many things I want to ask after all.

Char is still asleep, so I slipped out of bed and headed for the auberge.

In the Auberge’s restaurant, Claire was sulking while drinking café au lait. Even when I walked in, she just glanced at me and remained silent.

“Good morning, Claire.”

“Morning.”

She’s trying to act as if nothing happened huh.

“I have a lot of questions I want to ask.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

I decided to ignore Claire’s words.

“How did you get kidnapped?”

“I…… I snuck out of the mansion and hired a carriage. That’s where I was kidnapped.”

“Why did you leave the mansion?”

“I just wanted to go out and play.”

“I heard Claire had a few days’ worth of clothes in her travel bag.”

Claire put down her coffee cup with a clunk.

“Oh, stop it! I just wanted to stay at Cedie’s place! Are you now satisfied with that!?”

“You want to stay here at the Auberge?”

“I just said so! School is starting soon, and I wanted to stay in Gandalcia before then.”

Is that why she snuck out of the mansion?

“But Rochelle betrayed me….…”

“It’s okay to stay at my place, but you need to get permission from Alexei-oniisan you know.”

“He’s not gonna let me stay here! It’s Cedie’s and father’s fault for fighting!”

Whoa, whoa. She even shifted the blame!

First of all, it isn’t even a sibling fight. It’s just that Alexei-oniisan is too stubborn. But persuading that selfish Earl is going to be a very difficult task.

“Alright, I can understand how you feel. But Alexei-oniisan was very worried about you, Claire. I felt sorry for how distressed he was.”

“That’s….…”

“I was worried too.”

“I’m sorry……”

Claire apologized so sincerely!?

This is the first time I’d heard Claire apologize.

—Uh, Gandalcia Island might sink….

Until last year, it’s unthinkable that she would apologize. Maybe Claire has grown up a little since she is already thirteen.

“What about Father?”

“I already asked Dawsill to go to the mansion and inform him.”

He left on Lulu’s boat early in the morning, so he must have already arrived there. I think it’s about time he comes back.

“What about lunch?”

“I’m just about to start.”

“Then I’ll join you here for lunch. Is that okay?”

“Do as you like, this is Cedie’s Island after all.”

As we are eating a late brunch, Alexei-oniisan came in with loud footsteps. He came alone on his horse.

“Claire! You made me worry!”

Alexei-oniisan’s voice was tinged with anger, but he also seemed relieved. Then he turns to me and gives me an embarrassed look.

“I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble. Thank you.”

I can’t believe Alexei-oniisan would say thank you. Apology and thank you is something that normally cannot be associated to this father and daughter after all.

Is this really the last day of Gandalcia!?

Jokes aside, the maid named Rochelle was also caught. Apparently, she was bought by Shylock.

“I really can’t forgive her. How dare a maid like her betray her master!”

Uhm… I think the master who was betrayed is also at fault.

“If Claire had treated her better, she wouldn’t have been betrayed, wouldn’t she?”

“………”

Claire went silent.

“Enough of that. What’s important now is that she’s back safely.”

Sigh. Alexei-oniisan can’t spoil her like this. I think he should be careful as well. In the first place, it’s Alexei-oniisan’s fault for taking a bribe from Shylock. I’ve never heard of a nobleman who doesn’t take bribes, though. I’m probably the only one in this country.

“Cedie has to be rewarded this time.”

Alexei-oniisan made another surprising statement.

For real?  Is he still my Earl brother who only thinks about his own profits?

“I’m grateful for that but……”

“Well, as a reward for your work this time, I will open the magical railway under your terms.”

Doesn’t that mean he’s going to sign the same contract as with Earl Simpson?

It’s not a reward or anything!

But considering my business with Emma, it’s not a bad deal. From now on, my products can be shipped by wagons. Besides, if Polymer – Lebon – Gandalcia – Belucca is connected by rail tracks, it would be much more convenient for the people of Findas.

Since Alexei-oniisan is willing to accept these conditions, I guess it’s okay.

We then signed a formal contract on the spot.

“Alright, let’s go back to the mansion.”

With a satisfied look on his face, he took Claire and walked outside.

I’ve signed the contract so I decided to see them off.

“Let’s go for a walk.”

Claire suggested, so the three of us walked a little.

What a strange feeling…

I never thought I’d be taking a walk with this father and daughter.

“I’d like to have melon soft-serve ice cream for dessert.”

“Hoh, that sounds delicious.”

“They sell it at the beach house over there. Let’s go.”

They seem to be on good terms, which is quite good.

“Hmm, so this is it huh. I’ll have two melon soft serve ice creams.”

As I watched, I saw that Alexei-oniisan was about to hand Kemoncy a gold coin.

“No, Father. You can’t use gold coin in a place like this. You have to use small change here.”

“Oh, Claire knows a lot.”

“Of course! Ohhohoho!”

But why would they have to pay using a large silver coin?

Spending all that 50,000 crown silver coins would be a huge nuisance.

Well, there seems to be a change for it…….

I saw off the troublesome father and daughter to the bridge on the island.

A few days after the kidnapping, Paul-oniisan came to the cottage.

“Welcome. What are you here for today?”

“Big brother asked me to come.”

Did he come at the request of Alexei-oniisan?

What on earth could it be?

Looking at him, he is holding a big box.

“What’s up with Charlotte?”

“It’s her molting time so she can’t move her body. It’s almost over though.”

“I see.….”

I invited my brother inside.

“Big brother asked me to bring something important today.”

“What is it? It’s the first time I’ve ever received a gift from Alexei-oniisan.”

“It’s not a gift. These are items that originally belongs to Cedie.”

“What do you mean?”

“Inside this box are the items of inheritance that Cedie was supposed to get.”

My inheritance something other than Gandalcia Island?

“Isn’t that supposed to have been taken by Alexei-oniisan?”

“Well, apparently, he accidentally forgot to give them to you.”

Paul-oniisan said and smiled wryly.

I guess I could say that he embezzled the money….

But why would he forget to give this box to me?

It’s been almost a year since Father passed away.

“.…But why is Alexei-oniisan only giving it now?”

“It’s probably because of Claire. He seems to be really grateful. And maybe he is starting to think about things as a parent……”

“As a parent?”

“I don’t know the contents of this hidden inheritance at first either. But when I saw it, I was kind of convinced. Take a look inside the box first.”

When I opened the large box, I saw what looked like a board wrapped in a clean cloth.

“This is….…”

“Be careful, it’s an important painting.”

The inheritance is a painting?

I hope it’s not a forgery like the one that Farh Jarg deals in……

I took out the painting and involuntarily gasped.

—It was a portrait of my mother.

“Countess Mersala Dantes, portrait by Lachor Ghosn, year 217 Moura. That’s what Mersala-dono looked like when she was twenty-five.”

Lachor Ghosn was an outstanding painter who later became a court painter. He was particularly good at religious paintings and portraits.

In the painting, Mother is looking at me with a graceful smile. The contours of the memories that had been fading within me suddenly became clearer. This painting really captures Mother’s features very well.

“It’s amazing, right? It’s said to be the greatest of all Ghosn’s portraits. Apparently, my father kept it to himself and only looked at it secretly when he was alive.”

“Why?”

“This is just my speculation, but maybe he wanted to keep Mersala-dono to himself. Well, it’s because he loved her from the bottom of his heart.”

“But Father made a will to keep this painting for me, didn’t he?”

“It’s not just that painting. Look inside the box. There are still items that were worn by Mersala-dono during her lifetime. They also belong to Cedie.”

Upon closer inspection, I found that they were all memorable items. Accessories such as rings, necklaces, a box for storing makeup, an intricately crafted hand mirror —all of which are associated with memories of my mother.

“But isn’t this terrible? Why would Alexei-oniisan try to embezzle these things in the first place? Sure, they may have great monetary value, but they’re only a tiny fraction of the Dantes family’s fortune!”

I was shaking with anger.

If this were cash or bonds, I wouldn’t be so angry. However, it is a different story when it comes to items that has connection with my mother. For Alexei-oniisan, she is a stranger, but for me, she is my only mother.

Paul-oniisan gently placed his hand on my shoulder.

“I understand Cedie’s anger. Big brother is a really selfish person.”

My brother narrowed his eyes at the portrait of my mother.

“Mersala-dono was a very kind person. Although she was a stepmother, she showered us brothers with equal love. Well, my brother and I were in a rebellious phase that time, and in hindsight, we often behaved aloofly. I feel embarrassed when I think about it now.”

“Is that so?”

“To be honest, I was so jealous of  how spoiled you were.”

Jealousy? Is it because of that?

From what I recall, there were almost no contact between me and my brothers in the mansion.

“Big brother’s jealousy may have been more intense than mine.”

“So that’s why he took my inheritance?”

Paul-oniisan shook his head with an indescribable look on his face.

“That’s not all. This is also just my speculation, but Big Brother…… perhaps Mersala-dono is his first love.”

“No way….…”

“I’m sure he felt the same way as Father. He probably didn’t want to hand over Mersala-dono to anyone. But maybe this recent incident has awakened something in him as a parent. I think that’s why he regretted taking her away from her child. He just didn’t say anything.”

“I understand what you’re talking about. …..Phew, I can’t get my thoughts together. I’ll make some black tea. You want some too right?”

“Yes. Add milk and sugar please.”

When I looked to the side, I saw the painting of my mother on the table smiling at us brothers.

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Authors Note:

The book is now on Sale in アース・スターノベル.

The webnovel series has been discontinued so this story will end to this part. Thank you for reading this far!

TL’s Note: Sorry guys, it’s a pit. Uwaaa. I really thought it was complete! 🙇

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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