Eaten By The Tyrant I Raised - Chapter 4

“It is said that the Imperial House of Miltan in the Western Continent has changed.”

Nabel froze at Ryne’s words. Neither saw his reaction as Ryne’s attention was on Ronée and Ronée’s focus was on the teacup she was sipping from.

“Didn’t the House of Miltans just come into power? After the dismantling of the House of Iver?”

It was already a famous story. Ryne nodded her head.

“That’s right. But the emperor died during a rebellion, and his brother took his place and ascended the throne.”

“There must have been another rebellion again….”

Ronée nodded her head. It wasn’t lively enough of a story to tell her young mistress, but Ryne had limited access to the stories she was able to hear inside the mansion. It was because Ryne, who served Ronée, was not well liked by the other maids.

“Yes. They say there’s been a lot of division within the House of Miltan.”

After arranging the tea leaves, Ryne bent down to examine the hemline of Ronée’s clothes. Her skill in cutting and trimming the singed parts was well practiced as she had done it more than once or twice. Ronée handed her the hem of her robe with her apologetic expression.

Nabel was deeply engrossed in his own thoughts.

“But there is no house powerful enough to overthrow the Miltans, so the ruler of the western continent will be decided among the members of the Miltan family.”

Ryne’s movements were fast as she continued on about stories of a legendary forest located at the edge of the western continent and of the rippling sea located at the edge of their own continent.

Ryne and Ronée were people who lived far inland so neither of them had ever seen such places.

“Come along, it’s all dry.”

By the time Ryne finished her storytelling, Ronée’s clothes were all dry.

“You can’t follow us.”

Nabel still had a subdued expression upon his face. Naturally, he had no intention of following Ronée as she went to change her clothes and expressed this by taking several steps back.

Ryne ducked her head as she led Ronee into a small room that they used as a dressing room. Like her mother, Ryne had lived her entire life serving those of nobility. As such, she was very familiar with the tendencies of the aristocrats

“……?”

However, in her eyes, Nabel’s movements and mannerisms were nothing like those of a slave, but akin to those of nobility.

*****

That night was particularly bright. Nabel was quietly gazing up at the clouds through the window where the moonlight came in.

“Do you want to go outside?” Ronée asked abruptly. Nabel shook his head, but then stopped and opened his mouth.

“……If you want to go out.”

Ronée realized he misunderstood her words.

“Not me, but you. You keep looking out the window. I thought you wanted to walk outside.”

“Ah….” Nabel’s heart, which had been beating hard as though he was nervous, quickly subsided at Ronée’s words.

“Shall we go out?”

It was late at night anyway, around this time the manor’s servants should all be sleeping.

“Okay. I have been wanting to breathe in the fresh air from outside.” Ronée replied.

Ryne, who had been listening to the conversation, quickly prepared Ronée to leave her room. She handed her an oil lamp with a little flame burning and draped a cardigan over Ronée ‘s shoulders.

“It’s still cold outside, My Lady.”

Ronée nodded. It was that time of year when the weather transitioned from spring to summer.

Nabel was also given a suitable outer garment. Even though they were shabby and old, clothes for Nabel were also stocked in Ronée ‘s room. It was a small change that had occurred due to him occupying a small corner in her room.

Click. Ryne opened the door.

Crunch. There was a sound of something smashing into the front of the door.

Ryne flinched and Ronée ‘s eyes widened. At that moment, Nabel noticed Ronée’s shadow began to darken again.

By the time a set of pointed ears were visible, the shadow sank again like the light was playing tricks on his eyes. Nabel’s gaze turned to Ronée, she didn’t seem to notice that there was something in her shadow.

“This….”

They directed the light of the lamp to illuminate the space under the door. At that moment, the expressions of all three hardened.

“Thorn vine….”

What blocked the front of the door was a mass of thorny vines. It was spread out in the hallway in front of Ronée ‘s door.

The thorny vine was a symbol of the divine magic of Thuna.

Surprised, Ronée forgot to speak. The hallway packed with the spiky vines sent one message: Do not come out of that room, you cursed thing.

“Ah….”

Nabel stepped in front of the speechless Ronée, grabbed a vine, and removed it. It seemed like it would take quite some time to clear the entire hallway.

The vine that Nabel grabbed was covered in large, sharp thorns. It was too thick and sturdy for him to remove without effort.

But Nabel didn’t care and showed no hesitation as he removed the vines.

“Nabel, don’t touch it.” Ronée placed her hands over his.

His hands were already covered in blood. Ronée made eye contact with Nabel at that moment. The moment she touched him; her thoughts reached Nabel more deeply than ever before.

 ‘We don’t have to go out. It’s okay.’

‘It’s okay to give up.’

That was how she endured her time in the mansion. By giving up on her desires. Nabel’s hand gripped the vine tightly. He didn’t want Ronée to give up on the things she wanted anymore. Determined to do something, his eyes shined with unwavering tenacity.

*****

It had been several months since Nabel removed the thorns from the front of Ronée’s door. The cuts and scratches on his hands had scarred, and even as the skin healed, the people in the mansion continued treating Ronée as less than human.

As the delay in the temple’s response persisted, their behavior grew worse, as if they hoped Ronée would just hang herself.

In the meantime, there have been small changes in Ronée’s room. Nabel, who had bandages wrapped around his wrists, grew taller. Even in an environment where he couldn’t eat properly, his height grew substantially. Its quite certain that he excercises as, sometime when Ronée woke up at night, she would find him gone.

Ronée was happy to give Nabel one side of her bed, but Ryne objected, so he slept on a mat on the floor. Ronée usually saw him as soon as she opened her eyes, but since some time ago, he would often be missing at dawn.

“Nabel?”

At first, Ronée was surprised to find Nabel missing. Although she had told him that he could leave whenever he wanted to, she was really alarmed the first time he first disappeared. At that moment it felt like her heart was suffocating. Even while knowing she couldn’t keep Nabel beside her forever.

In this unhappy mansion, Ronée had no way of protecting Nabel. This mansion may have been better than being dragged around in a shabby wagon, but it was still hostile a place.

Nabel, who had endured his moment of humiliation and willingly followed her, was now free. He could leave her whenever he wanted.

Knowing this, Ronée still jumped up to search for him. At that moment, if Nabel had not come in through the window, she would have really stepped out of the room to look for him.

“…. Sister?”

“Nabel.”

Once she had him in her gaze, relief bloomed in Ronée ‘s heart. She had no choice but to admit that the past several months, Nabel had become her friend and companion. Like Ryne, he was one of the few precious people who supported her in this mansion.

“…You’ve grown a lot,” Ronée suddenly stated as she recalled the past few months.

Nabel, who was standing next to her, had grown noticeably taller. The young boy had been growing up day by day, till the point he was nearly unrecognizable. Although it had only been a few months since they first met, he had grown a hand’s span taller.

Even though they were five years apart in age, it was difficult for Ronée to look down at him now. It was also because Ronée already had a small statue, but also due to Nabel’s fast growth rate.

“…. Are you disappointed?” Nabel asked with a little hesitation. Ronne tilted her head slightly. “Huh?”

‘Are you asking if I’m sad that you are growing up?’  Ronne laughed.

“Rather than that…”

It felt strange to see the child she was always looking down on at was suddenly getting taller than herself.

Finally, Ronée said. “I think you’ll be taller than me someday.”

In the end, it probably sounded like disappointment. Even though it was childish to hear, Nabel did not smile.

“If you’re sad about it, I’ll try my best not to grow anymore.”

Of course, he wouldn’t be able to control his growth at will. Ronée let out a small laugh.

“It just feels weird to see my brother grow taller than me, “ she said, lightly.

“Since you’re growing up so fast, I’m sure you’ll be taller than me someday, right?”

Nabel looked at her and answered in a low voice.

“Still, you will be my sister forever.”

That name he called her as a term of endearment had a heavier feeling to it.

Forever….

Ronée felt the words strike her in the heart. It sounded like he was never going to leave this place. She knew it was selfish, but she couldn’t help how good that made her feel.

Even though she knew it wouldn’t be good for Nabel to continue living in this damned mansion. She knew clearly what would happen to Nabel when she was taken to the temple one day.

“… … “

Still, Ronée couldn’t let him go easily. With just one more person to talk with in this desolate mansion, she felt like she had been able to rest these past few months.

Ronne looked at Nabel. “-I know this is not a happy place for you.”

Looking upon Nabel, who was still smaller than her, made the words harder to get out.

“You know what kind of treatment someone who is close to a cursed person receives. When I depart for the temple, you must leave here as well.”

Those past few months were sweet memories for her. But it couldn’t last forever. Ronée knew it would be better to give up early, before she got use to the happiness.

Ronée used a firm tone. Nabel never disobeyed her.

“…”

Nabel, who always followed her words, was silent that day. As if he didn’t want to listen. like he wasn’t going to listen. And paradoxically, Ronée liked it better that way.

*****

Since that night, Nabel’s outings gradually became more frequent. Ronée wondered how the hell he was able to climb in and out the windows so well. Ronée wondered if it was because his body seemed light and agile, but one day she saw a thick bandage wrapped around Nabel’s wrist and realized that it was the result of a lot of practice.

“Don’t overdo it.”

“……”

When she said things like that, Nabel’s ocean-blue eyes grew darker. As she met his gaze, he briefly bowed his head.

His gaze was on Ronée ‘s wrist, where not too long ago, under the guise of an accident, a maid deliberately left scratch marks.

“Just a little more.”

He hesitated before saying, “I want to make sure you’re safe.”

*****

A few months passed by just like that.

During that time, Nabel was very quiet. There were no more incidents with the people in the mansion either. But to Ronée, it didn’t seem like he was simply bowing his head and obeying.

His gaze never showed obedience. Just like the time he heeded her words and endured a moment of humiliation. His eyes reflected the gaze of a young beast, eagerly waiting for the opportunity to strike.

“I won’t do anything that will bring harm to my sister,” Nabel said calmly on the day the knight teased and kicked him. Ronée felt it that day, the wrath of a wounded young beast.

It was also the day she realized he would one day leave her.

During the short span of her life there had been many people who left Ronée’s side. People who treated her well at first but were quick to turn against her once her identity is revealed.

So, she knew. She recognized the moment someone was going to leave her.

‘It may not be because of me, but eventually, Nabel will leave this mansion.’

The mansion was too constricting and unpleasant for him to stay confined here. Ronée sadly accepted it with a heavy heart, but she also felt content.

She wanted Nabel to find a place where he could be a little happier. It would probably be the last gift she could give before she was taken to the temple.

After some time, the one who teased and kicked Nabel was still alive, however, the maid who left a scar on the back of Ronée’s hand that same day, died.

They said it was a coincidence. A very big coincidence.