NOVEL WEB Chapter 31: The Apple Never Falls Too Far From The Tree
༺ The Apple Never Falls Too Far From The Tree ༻
“…Mhmm.”
When I opened my eyes, I saw a rather familiar ceiling.
This used to be my room until I entered the academy.
“Ugh…!”
I was trying to get up, feeling slightly puzzled as to why I could see the ceiling of my room, but suddenly an agonizing pain surged over my body.
As I was trembling and curling up in pain, someone gently grabbed my hand.
“…Young Master.”
“Kania.”
For a long time, we stared at each other in silence without uttering a single word. And then the very next moment, both of us opened our mouths at the same time.“It’s all my fault…”
“I apologize for showing you such a violent display.”
And when we finished speaking, we again began to stare at each other in silence.
“…Why are you blaming yourself?”
Soon I opened my mouth with a bitter smile, thus breaking the silence.
“It’s not that you didn’t want to visit Kadia. So it’s not like it happened because of you, but only if your curse could disappear…”
“No, it’s… it’s not about that…”
“Huh…?”
However, for some odd reason, Kania looked distressed, and soon began to weep bitterly.
“Kania…? What’s wrong…?”
“So-Sorry… I’m sorry, Young Master…”
“……?”
Eventually, as I was lying in bed, Kania bowed and began to apologize in a trembling tone, and as I was comforting her by patting her on the back with a baffled expression—
– Stomp…Stomp…
“”……!””
We heard footsteps in the hallway, getting closer to my room. Surprised, both of us hurriedly separated from each other.
– Creak…
Eventually, the door opened, and my sister Aria entered the room. We quietly exchanged glances and then began to act naturally.
“Young Master… what the hell did you do to my sister…?”
“Well, I didn’t do anything?”
“But… that potion…”
“Ah, get out!!”
As I shouted like that, I threw the pillow next to me at Kania, and the next moment, the pad hit her right in the face.
“…Eh?”
I was perplexed for a moment, then soon fixed my expression and muttered inwardly with a sigh.
‘…Why didn’t she dodge?’
Obviously, when I threw the pillow, I secretly gave her a signal to avoid it. Still, for some reason, Kania didn’t bother dodging.
Did she not see my signal? Or did she get hit on purpose to make our act seem more natural?
Whatever the case, I felt sorry for Kania.
“…As you command.”
While I was immersed in such thoughts, Kania left the room with a rather grim expression on her face.
“… Disgusting bastard.”
And as soon as she left the room, Aria began to rebuke me harshly.
“If anything happens to Kadia… then I’ll blow your head off… You scumbag…”
“…Aria, after hanging around with a lowly bitch, did you also become a lowlife?”
“What did you just say?”
“Don’t you understand the fact that it’s satisfying to fool around with a low-key bitch like that?”
Upon hearing my words, Aria’s face turned livid with rage. Meanwhile, I snorted and continued speaking.
“We are the heirs of the Ducal family of Starlight, who boast unparalleled prestige and influence in the Empire. And both Kania and Kadia are worthless people given to us from the filthy back alley.”
“… Sigh.”
“So, when you keep giving affection to those who have no worth, your familial aristocratic etiquettes—”
“Shut up.”
Aria cut me off in a spiteful tone and began to approach me while concentrating stellar mana in her palms.
“You have no right to say anything to the Provisional Lord of the family…”
“Why do you always spout disgusting words whenever you open your mouth?”
“Huh?”
“I’ll pour this stellar mana you envy so much in that mouth of yours, you bastard.”
Having said that, Aria pointed her hand at my face, and a complex magic circle appeared on her palm.
‘…After all, she’s a prodigious child.’
I pondered while staring at her.
If I’m a ‘Star Swordsman’ who wields stellar mana, then my younger sister Aria is a ‘Star Mage’ who shoots stellar mana.
She inherited my mother’s skills, who was the strongest ‘Star Mage’ in the history of the Starlight family. In the future, she will become a splendid mage and a star that shines upon this Empire.
Besides, my younger sister is kind-hearted.
And unlike the aristocrats of this rotten Empire, she likes to help out the impoverished Imperial citizens.
In the previous timeline, she used the Starlight family’s financial resources to support the Imperial subjects till the day of the Empire’s fall. Of course, when the corrupted nobles paid her a visit, she slammed the door right at their faces.
And finally, my little sister is so cute.
When I was young, she always followed me everywhere, and when I would turn around, she would flinch in surprise just like a rabbit, then hug me with a wide grin.
“Open your mouth, you scum.”
“…Hmm.”
After being immersed in those memories for a while, I woke up to Aria’s icy voice.
When I looked ahead, Aria, who was standing right in front of my face, was resentfully pointing at my face with her magic circle.
‘…After all, it’s my karma.’
There is no more Aria who grabbed me and prevented me from threatening a servant. The Aria, who wept bitterly while kneeling in front of me and begging me to return to her original kind brother as I kept committing evil deeds no longer exists.
As my evil deeds continued for months, years and decades, her heart gradually decayed over time, and in the end there was nothing left but contempt, disgust and hatred for me.
– Snap!
With such thoughts in my mind, I snapped my finger, and the knights flocked to my room.
“…Get her away.”
“”Yes, my Lord.””
The moment I gave them a curt command, the knights flocked to Aria.
Even if I’m mocked as the Empire’s worst scoundrel, the knights have no choice but to obey my command because currently I have the highest authority to make decisions in this house under the Imperial law.
Obviously, Aria can still blow me away with her magic. However, in this situation, where the knights are obligated to carry out my orders, Aria will have no choice but to back down.
“Eh, you’re going to act like this?”
As expected, Aria, who was apprehended by the knights, ceased casting her magic spell.
However, she raised her hand to stop the knights who were trying to drag her out, then began to rebuke me with a cold expression.
“How do you feel about usurping your own father’s position?”
“…Amazing.”
“Crazy bastard. Is that what a son would say?”
It was becoming a pain to deal with her any longer, so I roughly retorted and tried to chase her away. Still, she continued admonishing me while enduring the strength of the knights with her stellar mana.
“After all, you’re the one who made my father like that, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
“My lively father suddenly collapsed on his way back home and fell into a coma. Even the most skilled healers of the Empire don’t know why he collapsed like that.”
“……..”
“It can’t be true that he just simply collapsed because of stress. If that’s the case, then there must be someone behind it… You know very well that no one has a grudge against my father, right?”
“…Aria.”
“Don’t call me by my name, you disgusting bastard. After all, there is only one person in the Empire who wants my father gone.”
Saying so, Aria pointed at me with tears in her eyes.
“Now that you’re the Provisional Lord, your tongue has become rather sharp, huh? What have you done to your own father?”
“…Get her out right now.”
“Will it be my turn next? You took my mother and father away from me… Are you going to take my life as well?”
“…Take her away.”
“Seeing you right now, our mother is surely weeping in heaven…”
“Take her away, you bastards!!!!!!!”
In the end, I exploded and howled in anger. The knights who had been gently grabbing Aria unknowingly until then gave me a frosty glare and soon dragged her out of my room..
[Acquired False Evil Points: 500pts! (Family Being Torn Apart)]
“……”
After lying on the bed, staring blankly at the system window that appeared in front of my eyes for a while, I quietly got up and headed to my desk.
“…Ugh.”
Eventually, I pulled out a family picture from the secret compartment in the drawer. I muttered while gently caressing the figure of my mother, father, Aria and my brightly smiling self.
“…I have held on so far.”
Thus, I spent some time drawing a happy image in my head.
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“…Why are you sitting like that?”
“Oh, nothing…”
“Yes, it must be nice to sit comfortably.”
As time passed by and evening arrived, it was time for Starlight family dinner.
“…This wine has been airlifted from the Western Continent and is aged for 75 years.”
“75 years?”
“Yes, carefully selected wine masters have brewed it themselves…”
– Clank!!
“…Bring one that’s at least aged for 100 years.”
“…Yes, my Lord.”
From the beginning, I was making a mess at dinner. I swiped away the false evil acquisition window that appeared in front of me and after breaking the wineglass; I straightened my posture, then looked at Kadia, who reflexively backed away. Soon I spoke to her.
“…Why did you back away?”
“So-Sorry…”
“It’s fine. I’ll cut you some slack because you’re cute.”
As I said so in a devious smile, Aria, who was sitting across from me, looked disgusted and admonished me harshly.
“To flirt with a kid the same age as me… psychotic bastard.”
Upon Hearing those words, I gently asked Kadia a question while slicing the steak in front of me.
“…Kadia, are there any changes in your body?”
“Huh?”
“Hmmm… How should I describe it? Do you feel like your body suddenly becomes hot… or your stomach aches…”
When I inquired anxiously, Aria’s expression distorted as she listened to our conversation. At the same time, Kadia quietly nodded and opened her mouth.
“Well, come to think of it… lately, my body feels a little hot, and I feel a tingling sensation in my belly…”
“…Ohhh!”
Upon hearing her words, I grinned broadly and fell into deep thought as I handed her a steak sliced into bite-size pieces.
‘…Is her ‘Healing Power’ finally awakening?’
The symptom I asked Kadia about is a precursor that occurs just before the awakening of her ❰Healing Power❱.
Perhaps tomorrow morning, her ❰Healing Power❱ will fully awaken. Then, Kania’s curse will be cured to some extent.
Thus, I won’t have to share my life force with her as frequently as earlier and due to that I will get some much needed breathing room.
“You scum.”
“…..?”
Suddenly, Aria trembled and began to berate me again.
I’m not sure how many times I’ve heard her call me ‘scum.’
“…Kadia, let’s sleep together after a long time.”
“E-Ehh? But…”
“Kadia, you’re going to sleep with me tonight… Don’t even think about coming near our room. I’m warning you.”
“…..?”
As I tilted my head towards her, Aria looked straight into my eyes and declared.
“…If you come near even for a split second, I’ll blow your lower half. You got that?”
“……..”
When she said that, her eyes looked so fierce that I involuntarily closed my legs and vowed not to go near their room even by mistake.
“…Young Master, you won’t eat?”
“…Huh?”
As I was ruminating while being seated at the head of the table, Kania, who was sitting next to me, quietly asked a question to save me from the constant admonishment because of her younger sister Kadia.
“…Now, Kadia is more important than me. She needs to eat well so her healing power can blossom.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“…I guess so.”
“……..”
After briefly examining my face, she quietly stood up.
“…I’ll excuse myself.”
Then Kania disappeared somewhere. Where did she go all of a sudden?
“What the hell sort of disgusting words did you say to big sis Kania to make her look so displeased?”
“…Aria.”
“I have no choice. As expected, I have to remove big sis Kania from your entourage…”
– Clank!
“…Hey.”
I was trying to endure her scornful admonishment in silence. However, the moment I heard she would make Kania quit being my butler, I shattered the wineglass into shards.
“There is a limit to how much I can put up with your rude behavior.. Aria…”
I looked at my blood-stained hands and quietly suppressed the emotions that were on the verge of erupting, then muttered in an icy voice.
“If you keep up this rude behavior, I’ll remove your name from the family register and drive you out to the back alley, along with Kadia. If that’s fine with you, keep talking.”
“……..”
“Great, I guess you finally understand. Well, now shut up and eat.”
When I finished speaking, Aria lowered her head and bit her lips tightly, then continued eating. I momentarily stared at her, then averted my gaze to the system window floating in front of my eyes with a bitter smile.
[Acquired False Evil Points: 1pt! (Frustration)]
‘…After all, I can’t deceive the system.’
It seems, without even realizing, Kania has suddenly become a precious existence in my life.
.
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.
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“…Arghh.”
After dinner, I groaned while I was working as the Provisional Lord.
Of course, it’s not that the work is complicated.
When I was young, I used to play house with Serena, where we would manage the Duchy’s affairs, so I could do these things with my eyes closed.
The issue is that currently my physical condition is rather severe.
[Stats]
Name: Frey Raon Starlight
Strength: ???
Mana: ???
Intelligence: ???
Mental Strength: 9.3
Passive Status: Blessing of the Stars / Critical Condition / Depleted Life Force / Fatal Wound / Infirmity / Writing Instructions
Disposition: Hero
“…Sigh, it’s driving me crazy.”
I’ve been trying to focus on recovering my body for the past few days, but I couldn’t rest properly because I’ve been buried under work, so I’m still in an awful shape.
In particular, the wound on the shoulder still aches.
My brows furrowed when I felt an agonizing pain all over my body, then I opened the skill store after a long time with a sigh.
[Store / Elementary Skills Level 2]
– False Evil’s Deception Lv2 (700pts)
Description: Permanently slightly increases the persuasiveness of lies.
– Inspect Lv3 (1000pts)
Description: The Inspect skill numerically displays the degree of how good or evil a person actually is.
(-100~100)
[Accumulated Points: 2001pts]
“…Damn, give me life force recovery or healing skills.”
After cursing the system for a while, I quickly bought all the remaining skills.
“…Well, I have to buy these anyway.”
I pondered my decision for a while, but then I soon recalled that this was the only place where I could spend the points. Thus, I quietly leaned back in my chair and tried to get some rest.
– Creak…
As I was taking a break for a moment, the door suddenly opened.
Because of this, I hurriedly took a defensive stance because I thought Aria had invaded again. However, it was Kania, not Aria, who entered.
“…Young Master? What’s that ridiculous stance?”
“No… nothing.”
I blushed and averted my gaze, and Kania, who looked at me with a subtle smile, soon approached me and placed something down.
“…What’s this?”
“Sandwiches and coffee. Young Master’s favorite meal.”
“Uh… thanks, but why this all of a sudden?”
When I asked with a slightly puzzled expression, Kania smiled bitterly and pointed to my body.
“If you don’t eat anything, your wounds won’t heal.”
“Ah.”
I was flustered upon hearing those words as Kania turned around and began heading towards the door.
“Thank you for the snack, Kania.”
I smiled at her and sent her off, but suddenly Kania stopped right in front of the door.
– Click!
“…Kania?”
After locking the door, Kania slowly approached me again and spoke in a hushed voice.
“…Young Master, please take off your clothes.”
“…Huh?”
“It’s time to apply ointment on your wounds.”
“Eh…why? I can apply ointment on my own…”
“No, I’ll apply it in every nook and cranny. Because there are wounds where the Young Master’s hand can’t reach.”
Upon hearing that, I scratched my head for a moment, then carefully took off my shirt.
“…Well then, let’s get started.”
So, I ate the snacks that Kania had prepared for me, then left my body in her care. And after some time had passed.
“…Young Master.”
“Hmmm?”
Kania, who had been silently applying ointment all over my body, suddenly gave me a vacant gaze and asked a question.
“What’s wrong?”
“…Everything is fine though?”
When I replied to her calmly, Kania frowned and said.
“Then why are you trembling like that?”
“……..”
When she said that, I realized that my body was indeed trembling.
“It’s nothing. It’s just… because I’m tired…”
In fact, the cause for my body trembling like that was a mixture of complex reasons, such as my father, who was lying comatose in the next room, my sister who resented me, and the anxiety that I often felt whenever Kania wasn’t next to me because over time I came to rely on her a lot.
However, if I told Kania all of this, she would needlessly worry, so I grouped all these reasons in my answer as ‘tired.’ Kania, who was still staring at me, gave me a subtle smile and asked.
“…Can I give you a hug, Young Master?”
“…Sure.”
When I affirmed after a moment of deliberation, Kania hugged me and whispered to me in a hushed voice.
“…Are you still concerned about what Lady Aria said earlier?”
“No, I’m not…”
“Don’t worry, even in death I’ll be with you.”
“……..”
Feeling the warmth in Kania’s soft whisper, I replied in a serious tone.
“…There is no need for you to be with me in death.”
And for a moment, absolute silence lingered in the room.
– Bang Bang!!
“Open the door!!!”
“”…….!””
Soon Aria’s pounding on the door broke the silence. Kania pulled away from me with a bewildered expression, and I, too, began to get dressed in panic.
“…Huh?”
Meanwhile, Aria, who forcibly opened the door using magic, had a bewildered expression when she looked at me and Kania, who were blushing. Soon afterwards, she began heading to the drawer.
“What are you doing…”
Eventually, she took out a file from the drawer, turned around, and walked out of the room.
“……..”
After blankly gazing her way for a while, I noticed Kania had picked up the first aid box placed next to me once more, so I took off my clothes again and muttered inwardly.
‘…Where have I seen the file Aria was carrying?’
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“Well then, good night.”
“Yes… Good night to you as well, Kania.”
There was so much work piled up that I was forced to stay awake until dawn. After sending off Kania, who had been helping me right by my side till then, I began to head towards my room.
‘…I’m so glad I brought the cat doll.’
My accumulated stress was at its peak, but my stress seemed to be relieved to some extent at the thought of stroking the cat doll’s belly, which recently began to meow while lying on its back.
– Hum…Hum…
“…Hmm?”
As I was humming while heading to my room, I suddenly heard a sobbing sound coming from somewhere.
I anxiously headed to the source of the sound, wondering if a ghost had appeared in the mansion. However, to my surprise, the sound was coming from the room Aria and Kadia were sleeping in.
“…Hmmm?”
After momentarily titling my head, I soon erased my presence with the help of stellar mana and then began to peek inside the room through the keyhole.
“Sniff…Sob…”
Then I saw Kadia sleeping soundly in bed while Aria was crying, kneeling down on the floor as she looked down at the file she had earlier taken out of my office.
Curious about what the hell she was looking at, I concentrated stellar mana in my eyes and began examining the file she was staring at…
‘…Ah.’
Soon, I heaved a brief sigh inwardly.
‘…She is doing the same thing as me.’
What she was looking at was a picture of our mother.
Seeing those pictures soothes my loneliness. I smiled bitterly at the thought that we were indeed blood related siblings because of how similar we were. I turned around and was about to stride back to my room—
“Brother… why the hell did you become like this… just why…”
Aria, who turned over the page of the file, or rather an album, wept bitterly when she saw a picture of me as a kid holding her in my arms and riding a wooden horse.
‘…No.’
And when I saw the system window that appeared in front of me, I had no choice but to feel a deep sense of despair.
[Aria Raon Starlight’s Current Emotions: Disappointment / Concern / Longing / Love-Hate / Grief / Guilt]
“Where did your innocence of the past go… Why the hell did you become such a monster…”
It seems a new variable which surpasses even Isolet has appeared.
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