Episode 49: The Existence Known as Father.
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Within the Dukedom’s vast estate, in the Office that exuded the most oppressive atmosphere of all.
I was facing my father, Duke Everett. His eyes were cold, and above all, remained stern as he looked at me. Within them, irritation towards me was clearly evident.
“Well then, Claris. You will explain yourself to me.”
Sunk deep into his luxurious chair, the words he uttered in an icy voice demanded an explanation from me.
“An explanation?”
“Hmph, what is the meaning of this recent incident? If you had borne Prince Edward’s child, you would have reigned over the Royal Family as the Mother of the Nation, and it was a golden opportunity for the Everett House to change this country from within. Why did you ruin it?”
At those words, I clenched my teeth. To my father, I am nothing more than a tool.
There was no emotion, no trust, nothing. He wasn’t living as a father. He was likely living solely as the Head of the Everett House.
“Prince Edward’s disgraceful behavior was simply too much to bear. That man… does not have the makings of a King.”
When I retorted, the Duke scoffed.
“Hmph, how foolish. If he’s a foolish man, all the better, isn’t it? Such a person is easy to wrap around your finger, use to the fullest, and in the end, simply discard. That’s all there is to it.”
“You want me to bear the descendant of a foolish man? Such a thing cannot be permitted.”
“Not permitted? By whom? Your conscience? The Royal Family? Or perhaps, that brat of a Margrave?”
My father’s eyes glinted mockingly. Each time his words pierced me, a chill spread deep within my chest. I was forced to realize that whatever I said would be futile.
“From the moment you were born as a daughter of this Everett House, Claris, you have no right to freely decide your own worth. You are my pawn. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“…”
I was speechless. These were words I had heard from my father countless times since I was young.
He never loved me. He only saw me as a pawn to secure the future of the Everett House. Even understanding that, I couldn’t help the ache in my heart.
What was demanded of me was to be a woman worthy of the Everett House, to reach the pinnacle as a noble, to possess the pride of a noble, and to always consider the Everett House supreme.
“Well, no matter. This incident too, I will ultimately turn to my advantage.”
Saying so, Father glanced at the documents arranged on his desk.
“This puts the Royal Family in our debt. I intend to make them pay dearly. Even if a royal decree comes down to strip you of your noble rank, immediate Judgment is impossible by law.”
A smile appeared on Father’s lips, and that smile held an eerie conviction. And to Father, I was already nothing more than an object whose next use he was considering.
“This time, the reason is vague—that you’ve sullied the honor of royalty and nobility. Such a thing can be ignored. I have countless schemes to sell you off at a high price as the daughter of the Dukedom.”
“Sell me off, you say?”
“That’s right. I’ve already made arrangements to marry you off to the next Royal Family or a powerful noble house without any further disgrace. By marrying into it, we can seize control of that house’s power. The previous Margrave had died, allowing us to impose heavy taxes and make his domain pay them to ours. But that brat of a Margrave, whom I thought a fool, wised up, causing us a great loss.”
So Serios had been fighting Father for much longer than I’d realized. I didn’t even know that; I just thought the Serios I met at the academy had merely become more serious.
“Understand? You have no choice. Obey silently for the sake of the House.”
Father’s words seemed to have completely seized control of my future. No, in truth, that’s how it had always been for me. That’s precisely why there was no point in arguing.
Even knowing it was pointless, I couldn’t suppress my emotions.
“…I am not a tool!”
I mustered all my resolve and spoke out. But Father, seemingly ignoring my words entirely, looked down on me with cold eyes.
“Not a tool? Then what contributions have you yourself made to this House? You are a noble. Your duty as a noble was to become the Mother of the Nation for the sake of the country. I had you educated for that very purpose. And what you were to do for this House was to become the Mother of the Nation, thereby elevating our House. If you had, the people of our domain would have rejoiced at the birth of a Mother of the Nation from our lands. You might even have been able to enact the kind of politics you aspire to.”
“…!!!”
I couldn’t retort. Father’s words were correct, considering what is expected of a daughter born to nobility.
And, he might not be a good father to me. But each time his cold gaze pierced me, I was confronted with his particular brand of irrefutable logic.
Within that gaze, I couldn’t feel even a shred of affection for me.
“To defy my intentions is to close off the future of this House. And that will further jeopardize your own position. Do you understand? If you do, then do not interfere with me as I search for someone who will buy you at a high price.”
“…Yes.”
“To ensure your value doesn’t drop, do not leave the House from this point forward. I will have you placed in Seclusion. The guard will be tightened as well. Having secrets tends to increase one’s value, after all.”
Father said nothing more, and his gaze returned to his documents.
As I left the room, I carried a deep sense of exhaustion and irritation within my chest.
(What… should I do?)
Should I obey my father’s words? Or should I stand up to him with my own will?
With no answer in sight, as I walked step by step down the corridor, I let out a deep sigh.