Chapter 74

74

"Huh?"

"You really are... "

A low sigh came from behind.

When I turned my head, I saw Sharent Clown standing there, holding a plate in one hand and me in the other. I was a bit surprised and opened my eyes wide.

"You never look back."

"Why should I?"

There’s no one there anyway.

Looking back is not something I particularly enjoy.

I have my sins, my actions, and a past I don’t want to remember, so there’s no need to look back.

"Why did you come?"

"I was afraid you might trip."

Ugh, what a smooth talker.

Really, I feel like hitting him on the head with how good he is.

I glared at him, and he walked up the stairs with long strides.

"Even if it wasn’t me, a maid or a servant could have helped you and taken you there."

"No thanks."

"Why?"

"Because I don’t want to."

I don’t use convenience facilities to prepare for living alone.

Sharent Clown said nothing.

He remained silent for quite a while, and only spoke when we reached the door.

"Let me tell you this: as long as you are in the Clown’s castle, I won’t let you stay in that state."

"I don’t like the Clown."

"Starting tomorrow, a teacher will come to teach you."

"Stop treating me like this. It hurts, and it’s not right."

"Killing people doesn’t bother me."

"Because I’m in Kai Shan."

Black magic gathers evil, and it eventually leads to the downfall of a house.

The stories of haunted abandoned houses are not just tales.

The reason I could stay in the magic tower of Silphia was that I could control black magic.

But now, I can’t control it at all. If I were to lose my mind to a magical artifact, I wouldn’t be saying this.

Sharent Clown said nothing in response to my words.

"My son is not that weak, and you don’t need to worry about that."

His continuous answers just gave me a headache.

I sighed deeply. I can’t shout, "I am Hella!" because I have to rely on them for a few more years.

Yes, it’s ridiculous that I keep refusing.

I stared at Sharent Clown and nodded.

"Rest."

A soft voice reached my ear.

He placed the plate of strawberry jelly on the table and left.

He always spoke in that soft tone to everyone. At the negotiation table, he would calmly spout harsh words with a gentle voice.

‘At this point, I don’t know what to do.’

I tried to be considerate, but he refused.

I’ve fulfilled my moral obligation, so I could just sit here and use black magic until they kick me out.

‘But I don’t know why I don’t want to do that.’

That’s the problem. Why am I trying to leave desperately to avoid hurting them?

‘I must be crazy.’

Almost reflexively, I put a lollipop in my mouth. The strawberry jelly on the table seemed particularly sweet.

* * *

"The child seems mature for her age."

"Yes."

"She never looks back. She’s independent. But strangely, she looks lonely. We must have been talking only among ourselves."

Martina said in a low voice, acknowledging her mistake.

Sharent Clown glanced at Martina and then looked at Sherina’s small back as she walked alone.

"I sometimes wonder what she’s thinking and wish I could split her head open to see."

"It’s surprising that there are things you don’t know, Sharent."

He slowly turned his head to look at Martina.

With a soft smile, he shrugged.

"Are you going to see her?"

Sharent Clown slightly turned his head.

She was already a step behind. He frowned in annoyance, then sighed and nodded.

"I think I should."

Martina reached out and placed her hand on Sharent Clown’s cheek.

Sharent Clown’s cheek twitched. His eyelids slowly closed and then opened.

"Sharent, I hated your coldness, the way you cut off everything outside the fence. I love you, but there were things I couldn’t accept. But you’ve changed a lot since I last saw you."

Sharent Clown took a deep breath at Martina’s words, which were tinged with a low laugh.

He slowly turned his body. As the warmth moved away, Martina let her hand fall.

"I don’t like being treated like a child."

"If I treated you like a child, I wouldn’t say such things."

Martina’s eyes narrowed.

"It seems like it will be a quiet night. What do you think?"

At Martina’s suggestion, Sharent Clown clenched his fist tightly.

His hand, which he had clenched so hard that the veins were visible, slowly relaxed when Martina’s fingers touched it.

"…When the children are asleep, I’ll come to your room."

"Alright, I’ll take a leisurely walk with Kai Shan."

Martina reached out and playfully tousled Sharent Clown’s bangs before turning around.

Sharent Clown quickly walked to where Sherina had stopped at the stairs.

* * *

"Nice to meet you, Miss Sherina."

"Hello."

Oops, I bit my tongue.

I was pretty confident about my greeting!

A middle-aged woman in a simple light blue dress walked calmly.

Her presence was regal, even in her steps, which was a bit surprising to me.

I bowed slightly, mirroring her elegant smile and slight bow.

Maybe it’s because I always roll around on the floor, but people like her always seem impressive and cool.

‘Oops, I bowed too much.’

I bowed so much that my head tilted forward.

I flailed my arms and stomped my feet to regain my balance, and I heard a small suppressed laugh from in front.

She must have taken a quick breath, but I already heard it, human.

"I’m sorry, Miss Sherina."

"…It’s okay."

I deserve the laughter for my mistake.

‘I won’t make the same mistake next time.’

What was I supposed to do about my head tilting forward because I’m stupid, or because my neck is heavy? I sighed deeply and rolled my eyes.

When I sat in front of the table placed on the floor to match my height, she sat opposite me.

It was surprising that she, a noble, sat on the floor so freely, even with a carpet.

"From today, I will be responsible for your education. My name is Priscilla Continental."

Oh, that’s a difficult name.

Is she testing how bad my pronunciation can be?

I pursed my lips, tense.

Even if I can’t say Continental…

I can do it.

I can do it.

Sherina! Your body can do it.

Because you have the brilliant mind of Hella!

I finished a few simulations in my head and took several deep breaths before opening my lips confidently and speaking.

"Fu…ri…sila…?"

Do I need to practice lengthening my tongue from today?

Is this really a tongue problem? Maybe there’s something wrong with my oral structure?

‘Am I really that stupid?’

I waited with a serious expression for the laughter to come.

But there was no laughter. Instead, I heard a slightly surprised intake of breath.

"To already be able to say this much is impressive. It seems Miss Sherina started speaking early."

"I did…"

"You pronounced it beautifully. I inadvertently made a mistake earlier because you were so cute, but it’s an honor to be able to teach such an excellent student."

How can someone grow up to speak so beautifully? She smiled again, and her pink eyes were particularly captivating.

"First, I assume you don’t know how to read…"

"Ah!"

I know how to read. Don’t start with that.

I want to learn, but I want to learn something a bit more challenging.

History, economics, that kind of thing. The difference in experience and maturity that I couldn’t answer before!

"I haven’t heard that separately… Do you know how to read?"

Priscilla asked me, surprised.

"Yup!"

She pondered for a while, then slowly nodded.

She took out paper and a pen and slowly wrote down some basic letters.

"Can you read this?"

"Butterfly."

"Um, how about this one?"

"Strawberry!"

Even with my poor pronunciation, she seemed to understand.

She was a bit flustered and silent for a while, then wrote a longer sentence on the paper.

It felt like I was skipping a step, but I didn’t have time.

‘How long can I pretend to be a child?’

Right now, my tongue is short and my pronunciation is poor, and my body is small, but in 2 or 3 years, everyone will notice something is off.

And that will be the time for me to leave.

"Even though it’s a bit long, can you read this?"

"Meeting Priscilla… for the first time, Serina is very happy! Priscilla is a wonderful teacher."

I pronounced it, but isn’t this just an alien language?

‘When I speak for a long time, I end up like this.’

I realized this for the first time.

I’ve never spoken this much before. I don’t even know what I’m saying.

I looked at her to see if she understood, and Priscilla’s mouth was open in disbelief.