SRNVW 08

Chapter 08 …

“Isn’t it more embarrassing to regret it later because you couldn’t even convey your feelings?”

Maybe it was because of his classically handsome face, but even when Erios said something ordinary, it always sounded serious.

But setting that aside, what he had just said genuinely sounded sincere.

‘I thought he’d at least be shaken a little by my sarcastic comment.’

I never expected that kind of answer in return. I had no idea what expression I was supposed to make.

“The nanny from the ducal estate will arrive tomorrow too. It should help Artea feel more at ease.”
“…….”
“I’ll do my best for Artea.”

That much was true. Artea had said she hated her uncle, but whenever Erios appeared, her face visibly brightened even from afar.

I often caught sight of her out on the terrace where the neighboring house was clearly visible.

Maybe because she could constantly feel her uncle’s presence, she seemed calmer than before, which was good… but still.

“By the way, Bellona. What exactly is your standard for switching between formal speech and casual speech?”
“Huh? When did I ever speak casually?”
“Just now too…”
“You must’ve heard wrong.”

Having failed to nitpick, I quickly turned away.

Right now, this was an absurd situation with his runaway niece stuck in the middle.

This was a special case, nothing more.

We were only talking because we had no choice, but I had absolutely no intention of becoming friendly with my ex-boyfriend.

‘Whether then or now, I really can’t tell what this bastard is thinking.’

—“I’m saying we should break up, Bellona.”

Until our last meeting, we’d definitely been smiling and spending time together.

And then, that day he suddenly announced our breakup.

—“I’ll raise Artea as my heir.”

And that day too… when he saw Artea after her parents died, he didn’t hesitate for even a moment.

While I knew Artea needed someone to care for her after my sister and brother-in-law died… I still hesitated, wondering what I should do.

But he immediately declared right there that he would raise her himself and make Artea his heir.

Even though we were the same age.

How could he think like that?

‘Seriously… I want to crack open his head and see what’s inside.’

But now, my days of agonizing over his unreadable thoughts were over.

Erios moving in next door and throwing my life into chaos had brought one unexpected advantage.

‘It means while Artea was so focused on the musical, I could sneak away with the doll and she wouldn’t notice.’

From the beginning, I had wanted to check the cat doll.

Because I had cast protective magic on it for Artea.

I was called a master magical tool artisan, after all—did anyone really think I’d hand her an ordinary doll after saying, “I’ll protect you”?

I had spent a long time carefully enchanting it with protective magic.

‘I set it to activate when she was in danger, so if anything had happened to Artea, I’d know through this.’

All the thorough preparations I’d made in advance to inspect the doll during the musical had paid off.

Hummm—

I placed the doll on the magic circle I had drawn beforehand in my laboratory.

It took exactly one hour and forty-three minutes to inspect the magic cast on the doll.

“Nanya is gone! My doll!”
“Yes, Artea. Nanya is right here.”

The plan I had reviewed over and over went off without a hitch.

I had timed everything perfectly to match the exact moment Artea would start looking for her cat doll.

And I did gain something from it.

‘The protective magic I placed on the doll had activated.’

But that fact was by no means comforting.

The protective magic had protected Artea… and then vanished.

‘Judging by the traces of mana… it seems like some kind of sleeping incense.’

This implied many things.

First, Artea had been in danger.

Second, the ducal estate had failed to prevent that danger.

And on top of that…

Shall we add in what I learned from Artea’s own words?

Third, Artea said someone hated me.

Fourth, Artea had apparently been thinking about running away from home.

Fifth, she disliked living with her uncle.

Though after actually seeing her uncle, her feelings seemed to waver.

But that was only natural—she was a child.

At times like this, shouldn’t I, the adult, be the one to stay cold-headed?

I requested a meeting with Erios Killiet.

“So, even though you said we should never see each other again, you’re the one who came to find me first?”
“I wanted that too, but I didn’t expect things to turn out like this either.”

I bit my lip hard.

The more words I exchanged with him, the easier it was to get swept up in his pace.

This bastard was shameless enough to claim he’d disappear and then move in next door, so I should just get to the point.

“Forget it. I won’t take much of your time. I came to tell you to give up custody.”

Just as expected, things didn’t end easily.

“What kind of uncle abandons his niece?”
“In this case, it’s transferring custody to a guardian who can raise her better.”

I had started with relatively polite words, but Erios didn’t back down.

Eventually, I spat out the sharp words I hadn’t wanted to use.

“Can someone who doesn’t even notice a child disappearing from his own estate really raise her well?”
“Now that something like that happened, I intend to raise her even better.”
“Artea had been thinking about running away.”
“Children exaggerate often. You can’t believe everything they say. Bellona, do you really think you can raise her well when you don’t even know that?”
“Don’t twist the point. She said she doesn’t want to live with you.”
“Did you already forget how much she hated being separated from me?”

Wow. Look at how quickly his attitude changed.

Last time, he’d acted like he understood and accepted everything I said, like he was truly letting go.

But he clearly hadn’t given up at all.

‘Why on earth do people call this guy calm or serene?’

I’m dying of frustration that I seem to be the only one who sees this side of him!

“I know Artea better.”
“That’s just what you think.”

In the end, it became a childish repetition of the same argument.

I’m Artea’s uncle. She’s also my niece.

I’d raise her better based on personality. What nonsense, are you incapable of self-reflection?…

“Ha! We can’t keep bickering like this while raising Artea!”
“Bellona. If you’re that dense, how are you supposed to understand what a child wants?”
“And you’re so perceptive you didn’t even notice she ran away?”
“If you’d raised her, she would’ve tried to run away the moment she could walk. Even before, when you drank tea…”
“Don’t say that!”

This bastard knows way too much about me!

I took a deep breath.

At this rate, we’d just keep repeating pointless words.

I let out a serious sigh and lowered my voice.

“Erios Killiet.”

At my noticeably different tone, Erios’s gaze changed too.

“The protective magic I placed on Artea’s doll was broken.”
“…….”
“I don’t want to say this, but after something like that, I can’t send her back to you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Separate from the fact that he was my ex.

Separate from the fact that he had suddenly broken up with me one day.

He was still Artea’s uncle.

I had wanted to handle this nicely.

But now that things had come this far, I had no choice.

“I can’t trust you. I’m serious. Of course, I may have my shortcomings too, but I’ll do my best.”
“…….”
“I can’t send her back to the Killiet ducal estate.”

My words had an effect.

For once, Erios maintained a long silence in front of me.

I also kept my mouth shut, giving him time to think.

‘It can’t be helped. I have to raise Artea.’

I needed to settle this clearly, right here.

His heart would surely ache right now, but if I wavered here, then for this bastard too—

“Wait a moment.”
“Hm?”
“There’s a way for both of us—no, for all of us, including Artea—to be satisfied.”

But it seemed Erios had no intention of backing down so easily either.

A smile I couldn’t decipher appeared on his pale face.

“Bellona. Last time, even when I told you I would never marry someone who hated Artea, you still couldn’t feel reassured, right? Because people’s hearts can change.”
“Yeah, I did say that.”
“And you were worried that as my ex-lover, it would become difficult for you to visit Artea.”

Why is this bastard acting like he understands every word I say?

A creeping sense of dread rose within me.

When this guy—who was usually expressionless—started acting like this, it was always ominous.

“Bellona. Marry me.”

And my prediction was dead on.

“What?”
“Isn’t that the best way for all of us to raise Artea together?”

I had expected him to surrender custody peacefully.

“If you don’t like that, then you should be the one to disappear and leave Artea behind.”
“Are you insane?”

This crazy ex-boyfriend bastard is using my niece as a hostage to propose marriage!