Chapter 95

■ Chapter 94. Adelia (1) □ ᓚᘏᗢ

If someone asks me what the closest yet most complicated relationship in the world is, I would answer without a moment's hesitation: blood relations.

Blood relations, as the word suggests, are a bond that cannot be severed even if one wants to, but ironically, they can also become a relationship worse than with strangers.

Moreover, there is a term called 'patricide' which implies that there are virtues and responsibilities that must be upheld even among family members. The moment one violates these, they become a patricide and commit a grave sin as a human being.

Unfortunately, there are countless people in this world who forsake their familial responsibilities. This is even more pronounced in a feudal society like the medieval era, where the concept of human rights is scarce.

It's common to abandon illegitimate children and not recognize them as part of the family, and it's not rare for family members to engage in fratricidal conflicts to inherit titles.

People have always tried to avoid conflicts among blood relatives, but once blinded by greed, blood ties mean nothing.

In this way, blood relations can not only become worse than strangers but also turn into a source of hatred. Sadly, in such situations, it's far more common for people to cling to their family out of lingering affection.

‘I had a rough idea...’

I looked at Adelia, who was not just tense but visibly anxious. Her sky-blue eyes and even her lips were trembling uncontrollably.

From the cold sweat streaming down her face, it was clear to anyone that she was suffering from severe anxiety. Her current demeanor was so different from her usual carefree personality that it was hard to believe it was the same person.

The reason she was trembling so much was undoubtedly the three people standing before us. They must be the royal family of Ters Kingdom, who attended the exhibition.

The man, with his sky-blue eyes and hair, exuded a natural regal aura, reminiscent of a clear blue sky.

"Red hair... Are you a child of the Maisal family?"

As the tense standoff continued and no one spoke, the man finally muttered.

He spoke softly, but deliberately so I could hear, giving me a chance to speak. I gently released Adelia's hand, which I had been holding.

Even as I let go, I didn't forget to check on her condition. She seemed to want to say something but couldn't, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth.

From this, it was clear that there was a complicated history between her and the Ters royals.

"Excuse me. I am Isaac Duker Maisal, the second son of the Maisal family, who organized this exhibition. It is an honor to meet the Ters royal family."

"Hmm. I am Laus Duker von Kuthers, the legitimate heir of the Ters Kingdom."

When I greeted them with proper etiquette, the man introduced himself in a flat tone. Throughout the introduction, his gaze remained fixed on Adelia.

Next, the woman standing beside Laus introduced herself in a deep, low voice.

"Hiria Duker von Kuthers. Lara."

As she spoke, Hiria called out the name of the girl she was holding by the shoulder.

The girl, upon hearing her name, widened her eyes and quickly acted.

"Oh! Yes! It's nice to meet you. I am Princess Lara Duker von Kuthers of the Ters Kingdom."

The girl, with a doll-like appearance, politely greeted by slightly lifting the ends of her dress.

The combination of her cheerful voice and cute appearance was almost overwhelming, but what caught my attention more was her etiquette.

Even if she were a noble from another country, Lara, being a royal, didn't need to be so polite. It would have been fine for her to just state her name, like Laus and Hiria.

Hiria seemed to know this, as her eyes twitched, but she eventually closed them in response. It appeared that Lara had made such mistakes before.

"Isaac, right? For an exhibition organized in such a hurry, the structure is quite well thought out."

After all the introductions were done, Laus approached me and spoke in a friendly manner. Even as he approached, his gaze remained on Adelia.

I was slightly startled by his approach but quickly regained my composure and replied.

I didn't mind his informal speech, given that he was a royal. Royalty only use formal speech in official settings.

This exhibition was more of a festival than an official event, so using informal speech wouldn't cause any diplomatic issues.

"Thank you. Actually, the royal palace provided all the support, so our family didn't do much."

"Honesty is good. You're also half a tourist, right?"

"More like a full tourist."

"You have a dry wit despite your stern tone."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Hahaha. Good, good. But..."

Laus laughed heartily at my response, then subtly shifted his gaze to Adelia.

She seemed unable to meet his gaze and was now bowing her head, not saying a word.

Her short hair revealed her expression, which was no different from before.

Hesitation, fear, worry, tension—various complex emotions were mixed, and cold sweat was pouring down her face.

It was clear that her condition was not just bad but serious.

Laus, who had been staring at Adelia, suddenly smiled mischievously, as if a funny thought had crossed his mind.

It was the same smile Adelia had just moments ago, proving their familial bond.

"Sorry for asking, but what's your relationship with this woman? I saw you holding hands just now... Could it be?"

"No, she's just a close older sister."

"Close enough to hold hands?"

"We're not like that."

I could draw a clear line because it was true. I held Adelia's hand only because her condition was concerning.

"Hmm... Is that so?"

Laus, hearing my firm response, stared at me intently before shrugging. Whether he believed me or not, it didn't seem to affect me.

"Got it. You're not related, then?"

"Yes. By the way, what's your relationship with Adelia?"

"Um..."

When I asked, Adelia, who had been looking down, suddenly lifted her head in surprise. She then began to alternately look at me and Laus with trembling eyes.

She seemed to want to say something but was choked up, repeatedly opening and closing her mouth. It was heartbreaking to see. What had happened between them to make Adelia react this way?

"Relationship...?"

It seemed to be a bad question for both Adelia and Laus. As soon as I asked, Laus's friendly smile vanished, and he immediately put on a serious face.

His expression was one of extreme displeasure, as if he found even being associated with her distasteful.

His expression was so bad that I almost thought I had stepped on a landmine.

As I inwardly sensed that I had made a mistake, Laus, still with his displeased expression, turned to look at Adelia. Coincidentally, Adelia was also turning to look at us, and their gazes met.

"..."

Adelia, facing Laus directly, stiffened like a mouse in front of a cat. Her trembling mouth was tightly shut, and cold sweat was streaming down her face.

I was worried she might faint. As I was thinking this, Laus, turning his gaze from Adelia, looked at me and answered.

His displeased expression had vanished, replaced by a mischievous smile.

However, Adelia's expression... the phrase "the world has collapsed" didn't even begin to describe it. Her complexion had turned pale, and her eyes were losing focus.

This alone was enough, but Laus's cruel words didn't end there. He acted nonchalantly, even with Adelia standing right next to him.

"I don't know what you were thinking, but I, and we, don't know such a woman. We're meeting her for the first time today, right?"

"..."

"Looks like you're a commoner. Just play around with her moderately. Although I'm a noble of the empire, you seem to suit me."

"Understood."

Does anyone dare to refuse a royal? Laus, satisfied with my positive response, nodded and looked at Adelia.

Although Adelia's focus was already completely gone, Laus didn't stop his cruel words.

"Know your place, okay?"

"..."

Thanks to this, Adelia's focus seemed to return.

However, something surprising happened right before my eyes.

"Ugh... Ah..."

It seemed that all the emotions she had been suppressing burst out at once. Her sky-blue eyes were brimming with tears.

Even her lips were tightly clenched, as if she was trying to hold back, but it was clear she had already reached her limit and couldn't control her emotions.

There's nothing more shocking than being denied by one's family. She was denied by her family, and in front of me, no less. The shock must have been immeasurable.

I slowly extended my hand towards Adelia, who was on the verge of exploding. I wanted to calm her down, but...

Thud!

"Hey! Adelia!"

Before my hand could reach her, Adelia had already run away. I quickly called out to her retreating figure, but she didn't stop.

Despite the crowd around us, she pushed through everyone and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Civilians... They don't know manners."

"..."

"If I ruined the mood, I apologize. These days, it's not uncommon for commoners to overstep their bounds. Even though the Jeros Revolution happened, there are still things that need to be respected, right?"

I didn't respond. I just stared at the direction Adelia had left, with a complicated expression.

Laus, not particularly concerned about this, patted my shoulder and gave me some advice.

"Try to avoid getting involved with that girl. And let's pretend today never happened. I'll be going now."

Laus passed by me as if nothing had happened. As he did, Hiria and Lara, who had been watching, followed.

Hiria passed by indifferently, while Lara stared at my face intently as she walked by. When they were completely gone, I heard Lara's cheerful voice from behind.

"Big sister, that boy is really handsome. Don't you think? He's even prettier than you."

"Be quiet."

"Can't I play with him later?"

"Lara."

"Meow."

Judging by Lara's unusually childish behavior, it seemed she was the youngest and had been doted on by her family. She was completely different from Adelia, who had just left.

I watched their retreating figures as they began to tour the exhibition, then headed in the direction Adelia had run. I wasn't sure where she had gone, but I could find her if I searched.

"A woman with brown hair and sky-blue eyes? I don't know much about her."

"She was crying and running? Ah, I saw her go that way..."

"She went into the alley between those buildings."

Thanks to Adelia's striking appearance, it wasn't hard to gather information. I reached the alley where she was likely to have gone.

The alley was sparsely populated and felt dark even in the daytime. Our territory didn't have such alleys before, but they had appeared as more buildings were constructed.

And...

-Sob... Sniff...

Someone's sobs reached my ears. Thanks to the quiet nature of the alley, the sound was particularly loud.

I calculated the direction of the sound and walked towards it. The closer I got, the louder the sobs became.

When I reached a secluded part of the alley where no one would come, I found a woman crouched on the ground, crying.

"Sob... Sniff... Ahh..."

"..."

"Too much... It's too much... Even a greeting... Sob... could have been... Sniff..."

Adelia, who was always confident and passionate, was now crying. It was as if the dam holding back her emotions had completely broken, and she was pouring out all her sorrow.

I watched her sobbing, which was almost a full-blown cry, and slowly approached her from behind. She didn't notice my presence and was busy shedding tears.

"Just... Just... Once... Sniff! Sob... Ah..."

"..."

"Sniff..."

I was worried she might collapse from crying so much. She kept wiping her tears, which wouldn't stop.

Deciding to calm her down a bit, I took out a handkerchief from my back pocket. Carrying a handkerchief is a basic etiquette for nobles.

The handkerchief was plain, with no special designs, but it would be enough to help Adelia in her current state.

"Sister."

"Sniff... Sob..."

"Adelia."

"Sniff... Huh?"

She had released some of her pent-up emotions and turned her head when she heard my voice. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her nose was running.

Unable to hide my sympathy, I silently offered her the handkerchief. Adelia, not fully comprehending the situation, called out my name in a hoarse voice.

"...Isaac?"

"I thought you might need this."

"...Did you follow me?"

She didn't take the handkerchief I offered but kept asking questions. I nodded in response.

She then looked at me and the handkerchief alternately with a confused expression before hesitantly reaching out. Her confident demeanor from before was completely gone.

The shock of being denied by her family must have been immense, making it difficult for her to even face me.

"Just take it."

"Uh, okay..."

When I said this, Adelia, startled, took the handkerchief. She then cautiously looked at me and began to clean her tear-streaked face.

"Blow!"

"..."

At least her personality hadn't changed; Adelia blew her nose loudly with the handkerchief. I smiled bitterly at this.

It would be best if she kept the handkerchief and threw it away. After all, I had plenty of handkerchiefs at home.

While I was thinking this, Adelia seemed to have calmed down a bit and sniffled. Her face was clean, but her eyes were still swollen, and her nose was red as if she had been drinking.

"...Thank you. I must have looked terrible."

"No, but Adelia, those people from Ters... they are..."

"Sniff. Yes. They are my family. Half-blooded, though."

Half-blooded. This meant that Adelia was an illegitimate child.

In a world where class distinctions exist, it's not unusual for there to be illegitimate children, but it was surprising that the illegitimate child was the king's.

However, it was also strange that she was treated so harshly, and it was hard to understand why she still had lingering feelings for them.

From the way Laus treated Adelia as if she didn't exist, it was clear she had a difficult past. Most people would have severed ties with their blood relatives, but Adelia was different.

"...My mother was a prostitute. And my father... had a relationship with her during his youthful days. And the result was me."

"If the king of Ters is your father..."

"Yes, the famous romanticist."

I knew a bit about King Friedrich of Ters. He was known for being a romanticist who only had eyes for his queen, despite having the means to keep mistresses.

Despite not having any mistresses, he had four children, and according to rumors, he wanted more, but his queen couldn't bear it.

It was a shocking fact that such a king had an illegitimate child, and that child was Adelia.

"You might not know, but the life of the lower class is very miserable. If I had grown up with my mother, I would have had to sell my body to survive. With my looks, I would have been sold at a high price."

"..."

"My mother knew this, so she brought me to my father to avoid such a life. But as you can see, it didn't work out..."

Adelia didn't need to explain further. The way Laus treated her as if she didn't exist and how Hiria prevented Lara from approaching her were enough to understand the kind of treatment she received.

Although she avoided the life of a prostitute, she must have lived a life of contempt and disdain from her family. She might have even been abused. It was even more heartbreaking to think about.

As she spoke, Adelia lowered her head and continued in a resigned tone.

"So when I came of age, I was practically chased away to attend Helio Academy. They said they would recognize me as family if I graduated with good grades, but..."

"I had a feeling it wouldn't work out."

"Yes. If I showed effort... they would... Sniff... recognize me... Sniff..."

As she spoke, her emotions overwhelmed her, and she bit her lip, tears streaming down her face.

Tears fell from her sky-blue eyes, which resembled a clear sky.

"I just wanted... to be a normal family... Sniff. I just wanted to play... with my sister or big sister..."

"..."

"Is it so hard... to call someone sister or big sister? Those bastards..."

Drip... Drip...

She didn't even try to wipe away the tears that fell from her eyes, landing on the cold ground.

Her clenched fists showed that she was suffering from her miserable life.

I was worried that she might commit suicide in the future. I knelt down to be at her eye level and spoke softly.

"Sister."

"Sniff... Why..."

"Is it because of your mother that you still have lingering feelings for them?"

Adelia nodded at my question and continued, sobbing.

"Yes... Mother said... Sniff! This life is better... than the other one..."

"..."

"Even now, I don't know... Sniff! What happened to Mother... If I became a princess, I wanted to... Sniff. Go to her proudly..."

What a miserable life. My life, born into a noble family and growing up without any lack, was so different from Adelia's.

Perhaps the reason she played pranks on Nicole was because Nicole was her first friend. Before entering the academy, she must have suffered physical and emotional abuse from her family, making Nicole a very important person to her