Percival-Rayli has not been happy since that morning. When he woke up, he was told that his parents had returned to the territory, and when he asked why, no one would tell him. Rayli was the only one left out. This is not true.
He was on his way to the courtyard with his follower Cid for sword training.
Suddenly, his smoldering frustration burst.
―――If the people in the mansion won’t tell you, you can ask them outside.
Suddenly, that idea occurred to him.
“I think I left something in my room… I’ll go back and get it. Can you go ahead and get it ready?”
Cid did not doubt Rayli’s words, who is usually obedient and exemplary.
Rayli then ran out of the mansion without returning to his room.
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“…Rayli shut himself in his room?”
Connie tilted her head. Cid apologized with a very pale face and bowed his head.
“He sneaked out of the mansion before doing that. I immediately noticed and chased after him, but he seemed to be talking to someone outside……, so maybe he heard about the territory. It is my fault. Punish me as you wish――――”
“No, because it was Rayli who left without permission, right?”
“I should have followed him when he said he was going back to his room. I should have done that. I should not have let him out of my sight since he is still so young.”
Cid did not back down. He seemed to feel responsible for the situation. Confused Connie told him that she would leave the punishment to her father when he returned, so she would hold off for now―――and went to Rayli’s room
“―――Rayli, I’m coming in.”
No matter how many times she knocked, there was no answer, so she said a few words and opened the door.
Percival-Rayli was on his knees on his bed, with a blanket over his head. He was also not responding to Connie’s voice.
He seemed terribly frightened. Maybe he had heard something.
When she put her hand on his arm to reassure him, his little shoulder trembled. Had she startled him? Connie blinked. But something was wrong. No, he was not surprised. It was…. Without showing her expression, Connie forcefully took Rayli’s wrists. Rayli clearly resisted. But it was only a child’s strength. She rolled up his sleeve and a small scream of pain came out. Connie held her breath.
On his white, thin arm, there was a reddish-black bruise――――as if someone had grabbed him tightly.
Rayli shrunk down, as if frightened.
”…Suddenly, I was called out.”
He said, a man with a scar at the corner of his eye suddenly twisted up Rayli’s arm and began to talk to him.
“―――If you can’t pay back the money, I’ll punish the people of your territory as well. Every night I will skin their fingernails, gouge out their eyeballs, and shave off their noses. ――――It’s all your fault for not, paying, your, debts.”
How terrible. A cold thing suddenly fell into her gut. What have they done to such a young child? It quickly heated up and became a hot mass of anger, sadness, and helplessness, circling around her gut.
“…I’m sure everything will be fine, right? As long as I’m being honest, I’m sure all will be fine, right?”
“―――Of course”
Connie answered with pride.
“It’s going to be alright, Rayli. Of course it’s going to be okay. Besides, you’re not―――― you’re not doing anything wrong at all.”
Rayli sobbed as if relieved by that line. Connie took the young body in her arms and gently stroked the soft curly hair. Again and again. Yes, her brother was not to blame at all.
It was the man, the loan shark who hired the man, and to top it off, Pamela, Neal, and――――Connie who had ruined the prospects of repaying the loan at Grand-Merrill-Anne.
But, if Percival Ethel had not taken on the debt in the first place, none of this would have happened, not to mention the self-proclaimed friend who was the cause of it.
No one publicly blames Ethel because he is a Grail, but to put it bluntly, Ethel is a fool. He is an irredeemable careless person and a great fool.
But, there are plenty of irredeemable people in this world. Scarlett Castiel is one of them. She was a terribly wicked woman who, after ten years, justified a purge at an evening party, cheated the good people of an orphanage, and stole from the marquis’s house. Connie was a victim. She was just caught in the middle. She had no choice. Because Connie always tried to be honest.
――― See, this is how the word “honesty” really does splendidly protect Connie’s heart.
But, was Connie really honest? Wasn’t she just covering up the inconvenient facts and playing the victim to get away with it?
And didn’t that choice lead to the situation today?
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When she returned to her room with no words, Scarlett called out to her.
“Oh, I thought you were going to start crying.”
If it had been before, it would have done so. Lamenting her helplessness, lamenting her inability to get by. But no matter how much Connie cried, Rayli’s arm would still be swollen, the wounds of the abused people would not heal, and the debt that Ethel had would not decrease.
Connie with her carefree attitude had not even noticed such an obvious thing until now.
‘You brought this on yourself’, someone’s voice floated and sank over and over again. Connie bit her lip.
That’s right. Exactly. It wasn’t Scarlett. It was not just Scarlett’s fault. It may have started with her, but it was Connie’s choice to do what she did. No matter how many excuses she made in her mind, Connie herself knew it was not the right thing to have done.
Connie exhaled slowly. She had no idea what kind of expression she had on her face right now. But when Scarlett saw her face, her lips twisted in amusement.
―――Because.
Because she realized. Her father’s honesty is cruel. Even if, as in this case, many people suffer as a result, the measure of integrity in her father will never be shaken. Ethel would do the same thing again if someone asked for help in front of him. Connie had no doubt. It was probably not the right thing to do as a father or a lord, but at least it was the right thing to do for Percival Ethel. Because even in a situation like this―――― he would never use the word “honesty” as an excuse.
Percival-Ethel Grail was perhaps more honest than anyone else… crueler than anyone else, and more selfish than anyone else. Ethel’s honesty does not save Connie and her family. That was frustrating, infuriating, and a little jealous. Connie couldn’t do it. That was not what honesty meant to Connie. It was an easy excuse. So she apologized to the first Percival Grail. I’m sorry, she said
‘But I can no longer swear to you.’
Because Connie has something she wants to protect. There are people she wants to protect. She will do anything for them… and she is going to do it. Even become a wicked woman. She is ready to bear the sin now. Even if that means being punished, I don’t care. That’s why――――
“So what are you going to do?”
Scarlett asks Connie in her usual light tone. The answer had already been decided.
“―――To the Castiels.”
That day, Constance Grail threw away the shield called honesty within her.