Chapter 99

Liribel thought this but did not voice it.

After all, useful words should only be said to those who are willing to listen.

Would she tell her father, who wouldn’t listen, that her son was crazy, and that she was hugging a futile hope as if it were a treasure?

It wouldn’t be efficient.

Liribel slowly turned her head.

“What do you think, Mother?”

“……”

Until now, Haila had been silently and calmly observing the scene. She turned her head.

She squinted, her face smiling, and tilted her head.

“Oh, Liribel. Your father is right; your brother is just temporarily ill. He will come to his senses soon.”

“So, you think the same as I do, Mother. I knew you would believe me……!”

Haila obediently smiled.

She gently approached Rodesen, who was sitting.

“Of course, dear. If I don’t believe you, who will?”

Rodesen, as if he had been waiting, leaned his head on Haila’s stomach and let out a small sigh.

“Haila……”

“Yes, Rodesen. You only have me.”

Her soft and gentle voice fell.

But unlike her voice, Haila was absentmindedly patting Rodesen with one hand while only watching Bayan, who was frantically beating someone, with the other.

At the same time, she tightly gripped the fan in her other hand.

“Bayan……”

Her eyes, which should have been warm and tender when looking at her beloved child, were terribly cold and chilling.

“He will get better.”

* * *

A little while later, Haila and Liribel left the room where Rodesen was.

The moment the door quietly closed.

Only the two of them were left in the empty corridor. They walked a bit.

“Mother.”

Haila turned around.

It had been a long time since the servants dared to come near, out of fear of Bayan.

Thus, Liribel’s frail voice echoed clearly in the quiet corridor.

A clear and dry sound flowed from the mouth of the child, who looked like an ice figurine.

“Bayan, you already know that he is no longer of any use…… right?”

There was no trace of sympathy for her brother in Liribel’s appearance.

Even as she saw Liribel’s face full of ridicule, Haila said nothing.

“He has become too useless. Isn’t that right?”

Under Haila’s nearly squinted eyes, her black pupils swept over Liribel.

Usually, the child was just a presence. Haila stared at the changed appearance of the usually silent child for a long time.

“How can you say such things about your brother?”

Her tone was worried, but there was no trace of worry on her face.

“If we leave it as it is, Father will soon start to act out. Father has lived his whole life trying to surpass Uncle Pierre. As long as Calypso is alive, he is just perfect for going crazy.”

“……Calypso has long been rumored to have no talent.”

“Do you really believe that?”

Liribel smiled elegantly.

At least she had awakened the power of water, but that was the end of it. After that, Liribel learned other things rather than martial arts.

Rodesen and Haila seemed to be content with Liribel being just a pretty doll.

This daughter was now looking at Haila as if asking, “Don’t you think so, Mother?”

“You do have a keen eye, Mother.”

Liribel had always known that her mother was not an ordinary person.

“What value does a brother who has become trash have that you want to invest more in him?”

Moreover, due to Bayan’s failure to recover over the past five years, the trust of the collateral branches was gradually eroding.

Even if it was just a small crack, a big wave would always pound it until it burst at some point.

“If Bayan is like this and Father starts to act out, our position will become precarious. The power you desire will slip away.”

Liribel, who had been speaking calmly, turned her eyes to the door they had just exited.

“I know that you want to make a smart decision, Mother.”

“……”

Liribel, with no expression, whispered and looked at her mother.

“So, I think you should now…… discard that and make a decision.”

Haila looked at the daughter she had given birth to.

“You gave birth to a daughter…… and she has a defect?”