Daphne and Kartun settled in a gazebo draped with wisteria.
Located on a hill, it offered a panoramic view of the wide plains and lake. The wisteria was in full bloom with purple flowers, their fragrance perfecting the atmosphere.
Inside the gazebo stood a round marble table surrounded by a curved, long sofa.
Kartun took out a handkerchief and spread it on Daphne’s seat. He sat down beside her, leaving about one seat’s distance between them.
His escort had shown no consideration whatsoever.
He hadn’t considered his own strides and seemed to walk even faster than usual. For Daphne, who hadn’t yet recovered her physical strength from her previous life, keeping up with him while climbing the hill had been challenging.
As she caught her breath in the cool breeze, Kartun asked:
“Does he still torment you?”
Still?
Daphne tilted her head in confusion.
Zenos had tormented her both in the past and present. But knowing some sense of propriety, he had remained quiet during the time Kartun stayed at the Marquis’s residence.
She tried to recall if Zenos had ever behaved badly in front of Kartun, but nothing came to mind.
‘How does he know about all the bullying until now?’
Even while Daphne was thinking, Kartun continued his criticism.
“This is disgraceful. I can understand the Marquis being away at sea, but what is the Marchioness doing? Such irresponsible parents.”
“Your Highness, I appreciate your concern. But I find it uncomfortable to continue this conversation.”
“Are you more embarrassed about being caught than being hit?”
At his blunt words, Daphne deliberately tensed her jaw. She didn’t want to look foolish by gaping in surprise.
She spoke in the calmest voice possible:
“If you need me to say it explicitly, I will. Yes, that’s correct. And any normal person would feel the same.”
“I don’t think your standard of ‘normal’ is correct. Haven’t you rationalized it because you’ve been bullied for so long?”
Daphne’s heart began to race at this excessive insult.
“Though you may find it hard to believe, I’m fighting back in my own way. I won’t explain exactly to what extent.”
“Once established, power dynamics don’t change easily. Even among family members—or rather, especially among family. It’s easier for the weak to endure than for the strong and cruel to change.”
“I’m well aware of that. And since I partly brought this upon myself, I’m enduring it.”
Hearing this, Kartun silently stared at her. His expression was so serious that Daphne felt extremely uncomfortable.
Her overly defensive response to his small provocation made her claim of being fine ring hollow.
Kartun watched the pulse fluttering in Daphne’s slender neck before speaking seriously.
“Daphne Armin. A seven-year-old child cannot bring anything upon herself.”
Hearing those words, Daphne had to force herself to keep her head from bowing automatically.
⁕⁕⁕
It happened when Daphne was seven years old.
Usually, children her age visited with their parents, but Kartun appeared at the Marquis’s residence alone, as if he had fallen from the sky.
When introducing him to the family, Marquis Werner said only one thing:
“He’ll be staying with us for a while, so treat him well.”
Even to young Daphne, Kartun was extraordinary.
His black hair resembled storm clouds heavy with rain, and his hazelnut-colored eyes seemed endlessly deep. Though only ten years old, his nose and jawline were quite sharp.
He was a beauty who would stand out anywhere, and his actions exuded natural nobility.
Moreover, he never cried or complained. When asked if he missed his family, he would only nod.
To young Daphne, such a Kartun seemed impressive.
“If it were me, I would cry every day. Brother is like an adult.”
But whenever she called Kartun “brother,” Zenos would fly into a rage.
“Do you call anyone older than you ‘brother’? Stop pretending to be close when you barely know him.”
At least he refrained from hitting her in front of Kartun, conscious of being watched. Even that made Daphne happy.
Unlike Daphne, Leonhardt was wary of Kartun and openly showed hostility.
But unlike adults, a three-year age difference is enormous among children. So Leonhardt bullied him in childish ways.
He would drop Kartun’s books into the fountain or offer him snacks only to sprinkle dirt on them. Even now, it seemed like incredibly petty bullying.
But Kartun showed no reaction whatsoever.
This infuriated Leonhardt even more. His pranks grew worse by the day, and Daphne was caught in the middle, not knowing what to do.
Then Leonhardt would cause an even bigger scene.
“Whose side are you on, Daphne? Wake up. You’re my fiancée!”
Daphne had no choice. She stopped trying to intervene, though she didn’t join in Leonhardt’s pranks.
Then a decisive incident occurred.
Leonhardt, pretending to be an innocent child, would play in his father Duke Gustav’s office and eavesdrop on various conversations.
Having apparently heard something, he suddenly called Kartun a “monster.”
“Because you came from the Forest of Sleeping Monsters. Daphne, something unclean has entered your home. If you go near him, you’ll become a monster too. Your hair color is also related to monsters. Then you can never marry me!”
Daphne looked back and forth between Leonhardt and Kartun with frightened eyes. But Kartun, the subject of this accusation, responded calmly:
“You shouldn’t carelessly repeat conversations between adults. It could get your parents killed.”
It was a cold response. Even at their young age, they could understand the frightening implication behind those words.
Leonhardt burst into tears, but Daphne didn’t comfort him. He had not been gentlemanly.
In contrast, Kartun…
She felt so sorry for him, trapped in some unknown tragedy.
After much deliberation, Daphne finally gathered the courage to approach Christine. When she hesitated, Christine urged her:
“There’s an event at Zenos’s academy, and I’m very busy. If you have something to say, say it quickly. Otherwise, we can talk in the evening.”
Later, tomorrow, next time.
She was used to things being postponed like this. But this time, she couldn’t wait.
Daphne grabbed Christine’s sleeve as she turned away and whispered softly:
“I hope Father will protect Kartun.”
“…What do you mean?”
When Daphne explained everything, Christine immediately went to find Werner.
Despite her great courage, it was all for nothing.
As always, the Marquis and his Marchioness didn’t do what Daphne wanted.
The next day, Kartun disappeared as suddenly as he had arrived. There wasn’t even time to say goodbye.
Leonhardt was forbidden from going out for a month as punishment for his loose tongue.
Daphne was beaten by Zenos when she bravely asked about Kartun’s whereabouts.
She was sad for a while and missed him for some time.
And for quite a long period, she prayed for Kartun’s safety. Later, like many prayers, it was forgotten.
⁕⁕⁕
Daphne finished reminiscing and looked at Kartun.
As he said, Daphne hadn’t done anything wrong.
It was her parents’ fault for allowing Zenos to bully her. Keeping her distance from Kartun to please her spiteful fiancé was also unavoidable.
Reflecting on his words, she realized that even after returning to the past, she had been blaming herself.
It was a habit deeply ingrained in her bones.
Perhaps her bewilderment showed on her face, because Kartun added:
“Fighting back alone while being mistreated? That’s arrogance.”
Despite his cruel words, Kartun’s smile was beautiful.
Daphne responded seriously to his question:
“Whether it’s arrogance or not, the results will speak for themselves. You might come to feel ashamed when you look at me later, so please mind your words.”
“I wonder what gives you such confidence. Your bravado is extreme. But I admire your determination, so I’ll give you one piece of advice.”
She wanted to refuse, saying it wasn’t necessary, but he didn’t give her the chance.
“Eat first and drink first. It’s a basic rule you must follow when fighting monsters. It doesn’t matter if the person beside me is my superior or a comrade who saved my life.”
“I’m not fighting monsters.”
“From what I see, your family members are worse than monsters. Before considering who to choose or discard to make allies, take care of yourself first.”
Daphne swallowed a sigh that was about to escape.
She had no idea he possessed such a talent for conveying concern in such an unpleasant way. This unfamiliar side of him made her want to leave immediately.
“But your family members aren’t the only problem.”
Translator
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Ravingcrow1118
Kartun, just say you’re going to marry Daphne and take her far away from her abusive family. So far, only the youngest isn’t awful, but we have not seen him yet.