After I said everything I wanted to say, I felt a little relieved. But soon, I regretted saying it.
‘Should I have told you like a child…?’
You might think that it’s disgusting that a child says something precociously like a grown-up …
As I’ve been living with people’s opinions, I was concerned about my every action. I clenched the blanket with my little fist and waited for words to come at me. I’m used to the detest for being gross so, I can accept anything.
If I stay here anyway, I won’t be able to hide my true self. Still, I couldn’t help being nervous, so my back became tense and cold sweat spilled out of my hands. At that time, Chloe suddenly began to talk about herself.
“I grew up in the same nursery as you.”
I raised up my head quickly.
Obviously, this part of the novel …
“So, before I even reached adulthood, I was sold to the backworld because of the staff’s work and had to suffer a lot. It was awful.”
There was a bitter smile on Chloe’s mouth.
“Not only me, but my friends were also sold together. Some of the children are already dead, and there might be others living a miserable life that is worse off than dying.”
Maybe that could have been my future.
“And, when I found out, all that happened because of a friend I met at the nursery, and he’s a director there currently. I decided to take revenge.”
I gulped and made eye contact with Chloe. Her eyes were full of anger.
“So, I don’t intend to leave him, and everyone involved alone. They made my life that way, and they dare sleep comfortably?”
There was a deep sneer around her mouth.
“That’s never going to happen.”
I gulped again at Chloe’s resolute answer.
“The documents you brought were proofs of the deal that he sold the children. Did you even know that?”
“No.”
At my voice, Chloe chuckled.
“Yes. If you had known, you wouldn’t have passed it so easily.”
“So, with those documents, can you drag down the nursery director?”
At my question, Chloe shook her head with an irritated expression.
“Well, it’s obvious that if you reveal it now, you’ll be quietly silenced by the backers that are watching them.”
Chloe picked up the pipe as if to smoke, then paused for a moment, then put the pipe back into her sleeve again.
“It’s not just documents. Me too, this merchant’s group too, is going to be a mess. There will be an appropriate time to reveal it, so I’ll bear it in and wait.”
After that remark, I heard the sound of grinding teeth, unable to hold back the anger.
“I’m not living for revenge. I just want to give them the punishment that they deserve.”
“….”
“It’s all right if it takes a long time, to give them a fair punishment. So, to prepare for that time, I’m collecting data and gathering strength.”
Chloe smiled and advised me.
“For you, it’s Duke of Heronis, and for me, it’s the nursery. I think you’re kind of like me…”
Chloe spoke with a bright smile, which did not correspond with her words and this atmosphere.
“If you want to be under me, you’ll have to know the value of the goods and learn how to trade.”
Chloe talked about her past to me and chose me as her successor. Originally, it was a word to be said to the male protagonist of the second part of the original novel, but it came back to me.
In other words, that means!
“Are you permitting me to stay here? Becoming a successor too?”
“If a woman leads the merchant’s group, there are more difficulties than you expect. Ignorance and criticism will never cease.”
Chloe lowered her voice as if to frighten me.
“If you’re good at your work, they’ll curse you because you’re tough, and if you’re bad, you’ll get cursed because you’re a woman. It can be harder than I’ve ever done. Would you do it anyway?”
“Of course.”
She smiled at my answer.
“All right. From now on, you’re the successor to the Benedito merchant’s group, and in the future, you’ll be Daphne Benedito. Baby”
“Ba…by…”
Although she was surprised by an unfamiliar title, Chloe didn’t seem to have any intention of changing the title.
Fortunately, the corners of my mouth were raised, as if I liked it.
“At first, I was just going to sponsor you for your dignified appearance, but I definitely changed my mind a little while ago.”
“…really?”
“I can’t just sponsor you after I have received this amount of paperwork. It is a terrible thing to do.”
Chloe burst out laughing.
“I really liked your spirit, spite, and your will. At this rate, my daughter is well qualified to be the successor.”
The words that followed were even more magnificent than I expected.
“…can I be your daughter? Can I do that?”
Chloe answered with a serious voice to the anxious words.
“It’s enough.”
It worked. The hard work paid off.
When Chloe’s mouth dropped the words of perfect permission, the tension flowing through my body fell, and my body began to slump.
‘I can’t believe you let me in. I never imagined it… but this is for the better.’
I stretched out my relaxed shoulders and breathed a sigh of relief, but as soon as I finished, Lennox asked me as if he had waited for it to be done.
“How do you feel?”
“It’s okay. I don’t think I got hurt as bad as I thought…”
After my position was guaranteed, I didn’t have to be nervous like the last time. I nodded and answered kindly, and Chloe, who listened to it, laughed at the words.
“You don’t know what a serious situation you were in. You’ve been sick for three whole days. I rushed the treatment and even fed you medicines, but the fever didn’t even go down. The most serious of them are your legs.”
Chloe’s gaze briefly turned to the legs and then to my head.
“Yes, legs can be fixed, but…”
And, with a moment’s silence, it seems that something has happened to my head.
Come to think of it, maybe Lennox was surprised to see my head in the woods?
I touched my head on Chloe’s complicated gaze. But I couldn’t find anything unusual.
I guess the treatment went well, so it was to the extent that it doesn’t hurt anymore?
‘Then, what’s the problem?’
When I tilted my head, Chloe sighed. Then she snapped her finger and flicked it lightly.
“…Daphne, would you look in the mirror?”
Perhaps it was prepared in advance, Lennox took out a hand mirror about the size of my face and placed it in front of me.
“Ah.”
I could see a familiar face in the mirror. A rounded eye with a slightly raised tip and a golden pupil reflected in it. The band on the cheek was uncomfortable, but it didn’t look shabby. But there was something that changed…
“My hair is white.”
“Usually… there is a saying that your hair turns white when you suffer a big shock or pain…”
At my words, Ricarda spoke in a hesitant voice. I touched my white hair and nodded.
Ricarda was gloomy, saying that he could not do anything about my hair. Even if he was gloomy, nothing would change. The result of all of that journey was my hair dyed white, not purple.
“I think my eyelashes are white, too, as if they were the original color. I’ve lost the color that my mom gave me.”
Purple was the only thing my mom gave me.
I felt a little somber, and suddenly my surroundings became quiet.
‘What is it… are they looking at me?’
Chloe’s face was crumpled, and Lennox showed no sign on the outside, but he seemed to be little angry with his fist clenched and Ricarda looked guilty, saying he was sorry that he couldn’t fix my hair color.
“It’s all right because I’m not dead. My legs, my hair, I got it cheap for my life, right?”
I tried to calculate it in my own way, but it seemed like the atmosphere was sinking further. I felt like the atmosphere was sinking because of me, so I changed my words to light the atmosphere.
“I guess my mom wanted to give me a new life. She took purple and gave white to me as a gift.”
I said, pointing to Chloe’s head.
“It’s the same white color. It suits me well as purple, right?”
Chloe’s hair was the same color as mine, so it was a word I could say.
‘Huh …’
I brought it up because I thought the atmosphere would get better, but it’s just getting worse.
“…yes, baby. I don’t think anyone can doubt you’re my daughter.”
Chloe gently smoothed my hair.
I felt a little… good, because she seemed to have some affection for me, though it may not be the case.
“So what am I supposed to do now? What should I do? I can do anything right away if you let me do it!”
I was still receiving her touch and brought it up because I thought it was not the right time, but the atmosphere that had gradually softened became tense again.
I need to prove my worth as soon as possible and secure my place.
Chloe frowned at my words and sighed. And she said firmly,
“It’s good to have a mature mind and quick eye than your peers, but I don’t think it’s necessary for a child to be mature as an adult already.”
Chloe’s voice was filled with worry.
“What you need to do now is just relax and do nothing until your body recovers.”
“But…”
“I’m still full of potential. That means there are no problems even if you learn slowly.”
Chloe smiled bitterly and slowly lifted her hand from me.
“You might think I’m cruel, and you might think I’m making fun of you by suddenly thinking of you as my daughter after giving you such a harsh test.”
It was a self-deprecating voice.
“So I understand that you’re in a hurry like you have to do something.”
“I don’t think you’re making fun of me.”
It was difficult and it was a cruel condition for a small child, but now it doesn’t matter, since I did it.
Even if, it’s because of guilt that Chloe made me her successor, it’s okay because it has produced more satisfying results.
With my stern eyes, a smile rose around Chloe’s mouth. The look in her eyes conveyed sorry, and the smile conveyed relief. I’ve always read people’s negative emotions, so Chloe’s feelings toward me were rather embarrassing.
“I don’t want to take you only as my formal daughter. The beginning was rather unique than other mothers and daughters, but I’m sure we can make a good relationship.”
The words were hopeful. I just blinked and nodded as if I understood.
“We’re going out now, so don’t worry and get some rest. It’s going to be night soon, so you’ll be tired.”
Chloe pulled up the blanket and covered me warmly.
“It’s never too late to do everything gradually once you’ve recovered.”
“…okay.”
“The baby’s going to be hungry, so get her something to eat. Let her rest for now.”
Chloe said to Lennox with a satisfied smile.
“Yes.”
“Then see you tomorrow, my little sister.”
With Ricarda’s humble greeting, three people left the room together.
I looked at the quiet room and everything around me.
The neat and soft pajamas, the cozy room instead of a warehouse, and the warm and thick blanket that prevent the cold were all better compared to the nursery.
I exhaled and looked down at my hand. And soon, I wrapped my face with those hands.
The opportunity that Chloe gave me, Lennox’s little kindness, the purple butterfly’s guide, and Ricarda’s treatment saved me.
The day I had to die has already passed.
I couldn’t stand the overwhelming feeling, and in the end, I burst into tears with a sound.
I’m alive.
I came back alive.
And I will be able to live in the future.
I couldn’t hold back my tears from the rising emotion.