Ch#116
Chapter 116"Edgar... Langburn...? No. It's a name I've never heard before."
"I figured as much. He's such a distant relative of Count Canian that he can't even qualify as a low noble. He lives in the back alleys of Maze Ward 7."
Even among the Maze districts mainly inhabited by lower-middle-class commoners, Backstreet Alley had one of the highest population densities—a place Edel would never have occasion to set foot in.
"But why that person?"
"Count Canian sent him large sums of money twice."
"How much?"
"100,000 ringtons 25 years ago, and 80,000 ringtons two years later."
Considering how long ago it was, it was quite a large amount, but relative to House Canian's wealth, it was an expenditure that could be made easily depending on the purpose.
"What does that have to do with me?"
"Edel......"
Barbara looked up at Edel with eyes filled with worry and anxiety.
"What happened 25 years ago and 23 years ago?"
"Well............ It was around the time I was born, so I don't know much about any incidents in the family then. From what I remember studying the family history, it seems like it was a peaceful period with nothing notable........."
Barbara grasped both of Edel's hands tightly.
"Edel. 25 years ago, you were born, and two years later, your younger sister Rin was born."
"Yes... that's right."
"And each time, large sums of money went to a man named Edgar Langburn."
Even hearing that much, Edel's eyes were filled only with questions.
Barbara squeezed her eyes shut and revealed the truth.
.
"Edel....... Edgar Langburn is your biological father."
"What?"
Edel was more stunned than when Laslo had proposed to her. To the point of freezing with her mouth agape.
"According to the midwife who delivered Jeffrey Canian, Rudmila Canian became unable to bear any more children after her second delivery. It wasn't hard to confirm thanks to the detailed records the midwife kept."
Edel remained silent.
"But Dustin Canian decided he needed a daughter to continue the bloodline through marriage alliances. The method he chose was to buy children from a distant relative who was poor and had a string of kids."
At first, Dustin had sought them out and taken the newborn Edel, but for Rin, Edgar had contacted Dustin first.
"Of course, adoption due to childlessness isn't uncommon. But he clearly bought only 'daughters' with a specific purpose and even falsely registered them as Rudmila's biological children. You know why he had to pretend they were his own, Edel."
Of course. To form marriage alliances with high nobles, they had to be direct blood relatives of the count family. Would any of the Four Great Families back then have accepted a 'fake' child with tainted blood as a daughter-in-law?
"Then......"
A voice as if it might crumble leaked from Edel's parched lips.
"Rin and I...... were daughters abandoned by both our biological father and adoptive father?"
Barbara bowed her head as if she had committed a sin herself, while Edel murmured blankly, staring into empty space.
"No wonder it felt strange. No matter that daughters become part of another family after marriage, how could they be so heartless to their own flesh and blood? Father aside, even the mother who birthed them—that was odd."
Tears streamed from Edel's eyes, and her voice grew louder.
"No, I still can't understand it. Isn't it human nature to feel pity even for a stranger? Yet how could they be so cold when a mere 16-year-old girl took her own life?"
"Edel."
"Rin, our poor Rin...... What on earth was she born for? Where can her sadness and pain be compensated?!"
-3-
Overwhelmed by the memory of Rin, who had died so tragically, Edel finally collapsed right there.
"If she had just grown up as a commoner, she would have been free. If they didn't like her, they could have let her go—why push her toward the cliff?!"
Her pent-up emotions exploded, tears overflowing, but the injustice and resentment were so intense that no sobs escaped her throat.
"Rin......! Sister's sorry! Sister should have saved you......"
Only choked gasps emerged as she pounded and clawed at her own chest. Seeing this, Laslo ground his teeth before rushing to her and embracing her tightly.
"Edel! Breathe! Scream! You can rage! Don't hold back—cry!"
As he shouted and patted her back vigorously, sobs finally burst from Edel.
"Aaaah! Euwaaang, euheuk!"
A duchess of grace and dignity wouldn't cry like that.
As far as Edel could remember, this was the first time she had wailed so loudly.
It didn't matter anymore.
The rage of being bought and sold like an object and raised solely as a tool, the injustice of sacrificing her life for the glory of those who weren't even her real parents despite the abuse, the guilt of failing to protect her one true blood relative—all tore down the fortress that was Edel from within.
"It's so unfair! So unfair! What crime did Rin commit! By what right did you kill that child! Bring her back!"
Edel unleashed her fury toward House Canian into the empty air.
She flailed wildly, pummeling Laslo's shoulder and clawing his back, screaming at the top of her lungs.
Her neatly coiffed hair became disheveled as she thrashed her head side to side, her face a mess of tears and snot.
Yet who would tell her to calm down?
"Edel.....!"
Laslo had only learned recently that Edel even had a younger sister named Rin. Well, he had known there was a youngest daughter who died in House Canian, but it was only recently that he learned her name was Rin and that she had just turned sixteen.
.
Rin, a name that happened to match Linia's nickname.
"Rin Canian. Fell to her death from the balcony of her own room at age sixteen. They say it was a sunny day, and she leaned too far out while looking outside."
That was the extent of the investigation on Rin Canian.
But now, he realized that Rin's death had been an immense shock and sorrow for Edel.
"That's why she was so sensitive about Linia."
The puzzle pieces were falling into place one by one.
What made up Edel was vast knowledge and common sense, impeccable etiquette and consideration, and above all that, overwhelming grief.
"Edel. You can't collapse here. You must escape that beastly family no matter what. That's the path for your sister's sake too."
Laslo gripped Edel's shoulders firmly as her strength began to ebb and spoke.
Edel's face was still dazed, but at the words 'the path for your sister,' focus returned to her eyes.
"The path for Rin......?"
"You have to get revenge on that family that killed your one true blood relative, don't you? And if you want to make House Canian eat dirt, first make sure they can't lay a finger on you."
"I......"
"What? Does revenge seem vain and vulgar? You'll think about that after you've properly gotten it."
But Edel slowly shook her head.
"Vain and vulgar? So what? I will get revenge for Rin. I will exact payment for my childhood trampled by those people."
Seeing the clarity returning to Edel's eyes, Laslo finally grinned.
"So don't leisurely worry about others—use me. I'll gladly be used."
At the arrogantly confident proposal, Edel finally nodded.
Then, slowly turning her head to meet Barbara's gaze, she declared with firm resolve.
"Barbara. I... I'm going to become Countess Criserus. All sorts of scandals will follow, and it will be a huge hindrance to Count Criserus's future...... but this time, I need to be shameless. I have to."
"You've thought it through well, Edel. And don't worry. Marrying you is a gain for him, not a loss."
Barbara jabbed Laslo's back—still holding Edel close—with the tip of her cane and sneered.
"Isn't that right, Count? Otherwise, how could a man like you ever get a woman like Edel as your wife?"
"I agree. By the way, that cane tip is quite sharp."
"Why don't you let go of Edel before I put more strength into my hand?"
Laslo then helped Edel to her feet and seated her beside Barbara.
Edel had barely stopped crying, but she was still dabbing at the tears welling up with her handkerchief.
However, her mind was clearer than ever before. After a storm passes, the sky always becomes more brilliant.
"You're not surprised even hearing I'm marrying Count Criserus, so you already knew, Barbara?"
"A few days ago. I'm not entirely satisfied, but among the options we have now, it's the best path."
Edel nodded.
"Then tell me now. As Countess Criserus, how should I conduct myself? How can I make House Canian regret it bitterly?"
At the question laced with subtle anger, Barbara gently swept up Edel's disheveled hair and spoke affectionately.
"Just as you've been doing—become the most splendid countess in the empire. And be visibly happy. There's no more perfect revenge than that."
Happiness.
Edel's eyes blazed violet as she mulled over the word.
"If my misfortune was House Canian's happiness, yes, now I'll drive them to misfortune with my happiness."
The happiness she had turned away from, believing it would never come to her, Edel decided to seize at this very moment when all her misfortunes were laid bare.
.
