TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 42
At the time when Bianca and Kraush were in the middle of their meal.
Discussions were ongoing during the open meeting of Hardenhartz.
“What is the condition of Kraush Balheim?”
In the Hardenhartz meeting room.
Taking the place of their temporarily absent father, the firstborn, Meliocan Hardenhartz, acting as Patriarch Proxy, addressed the gathered vassals.
“He is safe. Although losing an arm is a blemish, I believe it can be resolved one way or another by summoning a priest from the Holy Kingdom to restore it.”
That part, at least, was somewhat fortunate.
This incident had occurred within their territory.
If Balheim decided to hold them accountable, there could be no greater trouble.
“Have you contacted the Holy Kingdom?”
“Yes, we have requested a High Priest.”
“It’s going to cost quite a bit.”
Meliocan let out a sigh.
Though the expense was painful, there was nothing to gain from clashing with Balheim.
“It’s an urgent matter, so ask them to come quickly.”
“Understood.”
“Now, let’s move on to the next topic. What are your thoughts on Kraush Balheim taking down the Butcher Dog this time?”
Kraush’s condition and his arm could be dealt with somehow.
Though restoring his arm through a priest would come with a recovery period and a price, it was still a solvable issue.
The true reason they convened today was none other than to discuss Kraush’s martial prowess in defeating the Butcher Dog.
Investigations revealed that the Butcher Dog Bergmann had originally been a skilled fighter at the upper Expert level.
Additionally, having become one of the World Erosion Beings, his current strength had grown to the very peak of the Expert level.
The one who faced such a Bergmann was Kraush, a mere 14-year-old.
Originally, he had been dismissed even by the gods themselves as a “Half-Penny” of Balheim.
How did someone like him manage to defeat Bergmann?
“There’s been a rumor going around recently, hasn’t there?”
One of the vassals brought up a widely spreading rumor.
It was about Kraush’s martial prowess shown against Aniks in the Holy Land of Stars.
“Considering this incident as well, wouldn’t it be that the power of Balheim’s bloodline has finally manifested, albeit late?”
“Is that what all of you think?”
When Meliocan posed the question, the vassals all responded with agreement.
“This is wonderful news for Hardenhartz.”
“Indeed. Isn’t he of the same bloodline as the renowned Sword Star, Charlotte Balheim? If that bloodline has manifested now, it’s certain he’ll grow into an even greater figure.”
This was tremendous news for Hardenhartz.
Kraush was already engaged to Bianca.
If Kraush were to secure a position of prominence in Balheim, it would be a boon for Hardenhartz, his fiancée’s family.
“But, Lord Meliocan, about Young Lady Bianca…”
There was one concern—Bianca.
Bianca was a child cursed and ostracized.
Originally, Kraush had also been a discarded card in Balheim, which had allowed the engagement to happen.
However, if he was no longer seen as a “Half-Penny,” the engagement might face complications.
“Lord Meliocan, wouldn’t it be better to change the fiancé now?”
“Change the fiancé?”
“Yes, isn’t there Young Lady Jenica?”
Though two years older than Kraush, Jenica was also a remarkably beautiful young lady.
While she had a tendency to lose her composure and act rashly when it came to Bianca, she was otherwise not particularly problematic.
“Wouldn’t it put us in an awkward position to suddenly change the engagement?”
“Isn’t it a bigger problem if the engagement falls apart as it stands? Even Balheim would likely prefer Young Lady Jenica over Young Lady Bianca.”
After all, they would naturally favor someone normal over a cursed child.
“Would Jenica agree to it?”
“We’ll have to convince her.”
It was for the sake of Hardenhartz.
Even if Jenica disliked it, there was no other choice.
“Very well. Call for Jenica. Bianca should also be summoned back, so bring her as well.”
“Understood.”
And so, without the two of them being aware, the meeting of Hardenhartz came to an end.
＊ ＊ ＊
At that time, Kraush was walking down the corridor with Bianca.
“Can you see better now?”
“Yes, I can see clearly.”
When Kraush glanced over, Bianca’s large eyes, which had been swollen, were beginning to look normal again.
Though still puffy, they would likely subside by evening.
“How does it feel to regain your emotions?”
Kraush cautiously inquired, worried Bianca might revert to being like the White Ghost.
“I’m not sure. I felt it yesterday when I cried for the first time, but now it’s just so-so.”
Bianca’s response was ambiguous.
Unlike yesterday when she had cried her heart out, her expression was now blank.
To anyone else, it would be hard to tell whether she had truly regained her emotions.
But this was inevitable.
Having never used her facial muscles her entire life, she didn’t know how to form expressions.
“Then try recalling something that made you angry.”
“What does it mean to be angry?”
“You’d know that better than anyone. It could be when someone takes something from you or when you feel upset at being inferior to others—those are common causes of anger.”
Listening to Kraush, Bianca fell into deep thought.
Then, her lips pursed, and her eyebrows moved slightly.
It was a small change from her blank face, but it was a significant step forward.
“What did you think of?”
Curious about what might make Bianca angry, Kraush asked, and she turned to look at him.
“Mr. Kraush, when you were close to Miss Darling.”
“Why does that make you angry?”
“I don’t know.”
What a peculiar girl.
“Then, what’s something that makes you happy?”
She had experienced sadness to her heart’s content yesterday.
Now it was time to find out what brought her joy.
Unlike when she had struggled to identify anger, Bianca seemed to already know what made her happy.
Suddenly, she grabbed Kraush’s left hand and plopped it on top of her head.
Then, with an awkward expression, she lifted the corners of her lips.
“This makes me happy.”
Watching Bianca for a moment, Kraush naturally stroked her head.
Her small head swayed left and right under Kraush’s hand.
For some reason, a soft chuckle escaped from Kraush.
Removing his hand from her head, Kraush lowered it to cup her cheek.
“If you’re going to smile, do it properly. Just lifting the corners of your lips doesn’t count as smiling.”
“I am smiling.”
“Sure you are. Your lips should curve up more like this, and your eyes should look like this.”
Kraush moved Bianca’s face around with his left hand.
The soft, doughy texture of her skin was more addictive than he’d expected.
“Like this?”
But the result was still awkward.
The corners of her lips lifted, and her eyes narrowed, but it was still far from a genuine smile.
“Starting today, you should practice your expressions a bit.”
Still, if she kept at it, there would come a day when she could smile naturally.
As long as Bianca didn’t meet the same fate as the White Ghost, nothing else mattered.
“Bianca.”
At that moment, someone appeared at the end of the corridor.
Snow-white hair and a face resembling Bianca.
It was none other than Jenica.
And she was the very person who had tormented Bianca relentlessly.
In that instant, Bianca quietly slipped behind Kraush’s back.
It was an action Bianca would not normally have taken.
For someone devoid of emotions, fear was a foreign concept.
However, now that she had regained her emotions, facing Jenica was difficult for Bianca.
Noticing this, Kraush stepped in front of Bianca and looked at Jenica.
“Do you have some business here?”
When Kraush asked, Jenica turned her gaze toward him.
She flinched at the sight of his arm and quickly averted her eyes.
It was due to the trauma left by seeing the knight’s corpse not long ago.
“…Brother told me to bring Bianca along.”
As she spoke, she stole a glance at Bianca, who was hiding behind Kraush.
That day, when Bianca had thrown herself with the Butcher Dog in Jenica’s place, Jenica could do nothing.
She had simply stared blankly as Bianca fell.
She had stood there for a long time before she finally came to her senses and climbed back up the cliff.
Her hands had gotten scraped in the process, but the confusion in her mind outweighed the pain.
Bianca had saved her.
But why?
She was the one who had tormented Bianca daily.
Why would Bianca save someone like her?
Jenica bit her lip.
That small girl had saved her.
Even though she was the older sister.
While she had been unable to do anything in that moment, Bianca had acted more bravely than anyone.
That fact filled Jenica with a deep sense of self-loathing.
The weight of her helplessness pressed down on her, but it was that very self-loathing that compelled her to stand again.
If Bianca were to die like this, Jenica felt she would never be able to forgive herself.
So she had returned to Hardenhartz, reported what had happened, and searched the Roccal Mountains with the knights.
Though Kraush had found and rescued Bianca first, Jenica had searched tirelessly for her, even through the snowstorms, staying up all night.
But that didn’t absolve her of her sins.
And so, Jenica didn’t know how to face the current Bianca.
Now, she hated herself even more.
Even apologizing—she couldn’t tell if it was for Bianca’s sake or just her own means of seeking forgiveness.
“…Brother called for me. And Bianca, you too.”
With that, Jenica turned and left first.
Bianca only emerged from behind Kraush after Jenica disappeared, as if fleeing.
Kraush watched Jenica’s retreating figure.
From Bianca’s stories before the regression, Jenica had apparently sought forgiveness that wasn’t quite forgiveness.
And from how she had just behaved, it seemed even to Kraush that Jenica was beginning to change.
“Bianca.”
Kraush called out, looking at Bianca, who peeked her head out at his voice.
“Even if Jenica’s attitude toward you changes, you don’t have to forgive her.”
While Jenica might seek forgiveness, it was ultimately Bianca’s choice whether to grant it.
Just because someone asks for forgiveness doesn’t mean their past mistakes are erased.
Knowing this well, Kraush spoke to Bianca.
“So if it doesn’t sit well with you, just ignore it all and leave. I’ll take you home.”
If Bianca didn’t want to stay in Hardenhartz, he would take her back to Green Pine Mansion, and that would be that.
Now, Green Pine Mansion was her home too.
Hearing Kraush’s words, Bianca looked at him for a moment.
Then, using both her index fingers, she lifted the corners of her mouth.
“What I’m feeling right now is joy.”
She said this and then began to walk away.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Watching her short legs moving determinedly, Kraush let out a small laugh.
“She smiles better than I expected.”
It seemed she hadn’t realized she was already smiling before she physically lifted the corners of her mouth.
“Ebelasque, you’re nearby, aren’t you?”
After Bianca disappeared, Kraush called out to Ebelasque.
Then, a rat climbed up from the window.
The one-eyed rat was already long dead, merely a corpse.
“I need your ears for a moment.”
When Kraush made his request, the rat immediately scurried across the corridor.
Go ahead and try talking nonsense.
I’ll show you what a rampaging Balheim fool is capable of.