Chapter 153 153: Concubine (2)
"B-Branch Leader Hoaqin... p-please, spare..."
"No."
Shwaaaa—
Blood sprayed out, and the red staining the floor grew ever darker.
The last one was the person who had been in charge of Harpe's princess education. The one who had made a nine-year-old take the Zahard Princess test—something that shouldn't be administered until around age sixteen—and then caned Harpe for not getting a perfect score.
Splash, splash—with every step I took, it sounded as if I were wading through shallow water. Not shallow water, but shallow blood.
As one could see, the landing pad had already become a sea of blood. The pungent, metallic scent of blood rising steadily, headless corpses strewn about with limbs severed, footprints left behind by those who had fled in sheer terror.
The slander and belittling words aimed at Harpe—no, the noise that had filled this landing pad had by now fallen silent.
It pleased me immensely that every drop of blood staining this place belonged to Harpe's abusers. That every last one of them had died wretchedly.
"...Branch Leader Hoaqin, what on earth is the meaning of this?"
A familiar voice from behind me. I wiped the blood from my face with a casual swipe and turned around. And then, I smiled.
"...Ah, Mother."
Her expression—beautiful, as though she surely harbored a warm heart—showed not a single change. Standing in the very center of this carnage, the fact that she displayed not the slightest shift in expression struck me as somewhat unsettling.
"These are all Hagipherione's teachers. To cause such violent mayhem simply because they didn't suit your taste, because their educational philosophy differed—who will agree to take charge of Hagipherione's education from now on? Above all, to draw a blade within the main house... it seems I overestimated you."
"...Hahaha, you're only realizing that now? Well, I suppose I'm the same. It seems I too greatly underestimated you, Mother."
"...What did you say?"
"How cruel you can become in the face of power, how worthless you consider your own children—I underestimated it far too much. That's why I committed the blunder of leaving Harpe neglected at the main house, and the blunder of refusing to give up on you until the very end."
I chuckled bitterly in my disbelief, then asked her once more with a wry smile. Even then, Mother was staring at me expressionlessly. The emotion her eyes held was not remorse or bewilderment. Just disappointment. The disappointment of realizing that I—whom she had considered her finest creation—was a being so easily swayed by emotion. And that fact gouged my heart once more.
"...Mother, Harpe had bruises on her body. On her calves, which she'd been hiding under her clothes, the marks from the cane were still there. Among Harpe's teachers, not a single one carried Arie blood. They were all Rankers brought in from outside for their outstanding skills. Or relatives of Father's concubines. Mere creatures of that caliber could not possibly have inflicted abuse on a direct lineage member of their own accord."
While gazing at my blood-soaked reflection in the puddle of blood I'd created, I lifted my head and looked at Mother again.
"It was you, wasn't it, Mother? The one who ordered all of it. The one who orchestrated everything behind the scenes, driving Harpe to the brink mentally and physically—that was you, wasn't it?"
"I merely disciplined her. That child is destined to become a Princess of Zahard, to surpass even you and bring great glory to me and this Family. She kept showing me nothing but disappointing results, so it couldn't be helped."
"Because for a young child, the best motivators are pain and fear, after all."
"...Heh, hahaha... hahahahaha!"
Is that really my mother? Is that really Hagipherione's mother?
"You should have at least given it to Harpe. The affection you never gave me—couldn't you have given it at least to my little sister? Was I not enough for you?"
"..."
Mother did not answer. Right, that's who she'd always been. I gazed into her eyes and finally spoke the words I should have said long ago.
"...I will let go of you now, Mother."
No further words were necessary. I turned my back and began walking in the opposite direction from where Mother stood. Amid the eerie silence that continued, I briefly heard Mother's voice from behind me.
"...The bond between parent and child is not so easily severed."
I let out a light, empty laugh and answered her.
"Simply giving birth and simply raising someone does not make one a parent, Lady Raphir."
Hwarang, perhaps this time your words were right.
.....
"I'll keep this short. Take a concubine."
"I refuse."
Yuryeo, who had been sitting in a chair diligently writing something, glanced up and stared at me quietly. Our conversation had been going in circles for ten minutes already.
"First the civil war within the main house, and now this. How many more of the Family's personnel do you intend to kill before you're satisfied? At a time when every single person is precious, have you not considered how much damage such reckless behavior does to the Family?"
"Unlike you perhaps, family comes before the Family for me. And those pieces of trash were no help to the Family anyway. What use could things that couldn't survive a single exchange against me have been?"
"You call that an argument... haah."
Oh, could she possibly just give up and let this go? I secretly hoped, but of course, that wasn't going to happen.
"Fine, I'll acknowledge this incident. The method was truly barbaric, but there was justification. So I'll let it pass. However. This much must be resolved today. Take a concubine."
My answer was, once again, simple.
"I refuse."
Tap—Yuryeo set down the pen she'd been writing with as if tossing it aside. Yuryeo wasn't particularly angry, but she began pressing me in a tone that suggested she simply could not comprehend.
"Why on earth do you refuse to take concubines? Do you even think it makes sense for a branch leader of the 10 Great Families to personally handle operations? That's all because your branch doesn't have enough people. Normally, a branch leader need only exist as a symbol unless there's a major event like a war—honestly, it's a job where you sit around doing nothing. Every task you're currently handling would have been taken care of by the children you'd have sired."
"And above all, strengthening the Family's forces by taking concubines and producing children is one of a branch leader's 'few' responsibilities. No amount of forced arguments will work. Give me a valid reason."
I thought it over briefly, then ultimately decided to answer honestly on this point alone. At this point, the Arie Family couldn't discard me anyway.
"...Honestly, it's because I already have someone I like."
"Fine. Then marry that person. Whom you marry is your freedom as branch leader."
"That... unfortunately, I don't think that will work."
"....."
Ah, there it is—that look from the old days. The look she gave me when I was half-stubbornly refusing to hand over an item. And after Yuryeo made this expression, she always...
"Haah, this issue... we will discuss it again next time. Without fail. Absolutely. Mandatory. If from now on you go around swinging swords at the main house on your own like this again, I won't let it slide. You may go."
"It was nice seeing you after so long, Yuryeo. Well then."
"....."
After bowing to Yuryeo and turning to leave the room, Yuryeo briefly stopped me.
"Hoaqin."
"....?"
"You can't keep brushing things off like this forever."
"...I know."
"Haah... fine. I do hope you'll make a choice. Or... find a new alternative. You've always shown that side of yourself, after all. That aside, you've heard about the negotiation with the Lo Po Bia Family, I trust? I'll leave that matter to you."
"...Yes."
Carrying my newly acquired worry, I left the room, boarded the floating ship, and headed straight back to the 78th Floor.
Yes, I was being unreasonably stubborn. But I didn't want to. There was no one I liked besides her, so why did they keep telling me to take others? I didn't want to.
Setting aside cases like Yuryeo, who looked only toward the Family and Father, those who pressured me like this generally had one main repertoire: droning on about how "taking concubines and producing children to strengthen the branch is a branch leader's duty" and such. These were the same people who, when I actually said "then I'll step down from the branch leader position," would frantically wave their hands and talk me out of it. Then I wished they'd just leave me alone. Instead of constantly trying to bring up their own children, relatives, or daughters of allied families.
The branch leader position wasn't something I'd voluntarily sought—it was bestowed by Father. Since I'd accepted it regardless, I felt responsibility as branch leader, but not a sense of mission. So at the very least, in matters like this, I was free.
78th Floor. Going back and forth, a full month had been consumed in the blink of an eye. When I dragged my exhausted body to my quarters, what greeted me was my adorable little sister, Hagipherione, sleeping cutely.
Normally she should have returned one week after arriving at my 78th Floor, but through a deal with the Administrator—paying a "sufficient price"—I had been able to secure her residential rights.
Softly breathing in her sleep.
"Mmm... oppa... thank you... but... why did you ask me... to write people's... names..."
Watching her talk in her sleep somehow made me laugh. Judging by the dream's content, was she reliving what happened before I departed for the main house?
I gently stroked her hair and answered her sleep-talking.
"The people who bullied you—oppa sent them far away so they can never come near you again. I already took care of it."
"...."
Naturally, no reply came—she simply continued sleeping peacefully.
Arie Hagipherione. If I recalled the faint knowledge I had about this child, she would one day reach ranking 36th and become a Princess of Zahard. To think such a remarkable child was my little sister.
The timeline seemed a bit off from my memories, but nothing had been certain to begin with. What was certain was one thing: right now, she was my little sister. And right now, I was her older brother. That was enough.
"...A Princess of Zahard, huh."
If she wanted it, should I make it happen for her? So she could live happily without knowing the truth? Or... should I tell her everything and try to stop her?
If I had met Mascheny before she became Mascheny 'Zahard,' what would I have done?
...Another worry added to the pile.
I smiled bitterly and pulled the blanket that had fallen to the floor back over Hagipherione. Only then did she, who had been tossing and turning slightly, settle down again, seeming to sink deep into sleep before she could even talk in her sleep anymore.
"Sleep well, Harpe."
Click—I closed the door through which light had been seeping in and stepped out of the room, and the complete darkness that fell upon the quarters became her perfect sleep mask.
.....
And two months later, the day that had been set to discuss the negotiations and reparations proposed by the Lo Po Bia side finally arrived.
...
Tap tap tap tap—while tidying my appearance through the mirror, I heard the sound of someone running hard from far down the corridor. Judging by the short intervals between steps, the legs were short, so it was probably...
The door flung open, and sure enough, Hagipherione appeared. Unlike when she had first come to this 78th Floor, she wore a smile that was 100% pure.
"Oppa! I heard you have some important thing to do today. Butler Heron told me!"
"Yeah. I've got work. I'll be back soon, so be good, okay? And sword practice—"
"Only two hours and then I stop!"
That's my girl. I stroked Harpe's hair and gave her a warm smile.
"Good, you're keeping your promise now. I'll be off then."
"Yeah!"
Since Hagipherione had flung the door wide open when she came into my room, I didn't need to bother opening it. After a quick goodbye with Hagipherione, I stepped through the doorway, and before my eyes, about ten Arie members and Rankers were bowing their heads to me.
""The White Wolf unit greets the Branch Leader!!""
The White Wolf unit. An organization restructured from the enforcement squad that the Elders had originally established to use as their personal sword. The first wave of White Wolf Rankers, dispatched this time by the main house, were paying their respects to me.
I grinned and gave a light nod.
"Good to meet you. The negotiations shouldn't take too long, so I'll be counting on you until then."
""Sir!!""
They would serve as my escort and the sword I would wield throughout these negotiations. Satisfied with their spirit, each one possessing considerable ability, I took my place at the very front and began walking. At my side, Orca and Heron were already standing by to assist me.
"Branch Leader, the Lo Po Bia negotiation representative has apparently not yet arrived at the negotiation site either."
"Hmm, is that so? Then we can take our time getting there."
"How about we get there early and chew them out for being late?"
"That wouldn't be bad, but they've already departed, so in all likelihood they'll arrive before us."
Rummmmmble—
The floating warship carrying me, Orca, Heron, and the White Wolf unit let out a majestic hum of power as it began to rise into the air. Before long, having secured sufficient altitude, the warship expelled blue energy and propelled its massive body forward with vigor.
As we flew toward the negotiation site, the scenery of the sky—the ceiling—visible beyond the windows. Cloud whales that I had deliberately introduced to this floor were parting through the clouds, migrating in groups, and besides them, numerous deep-sea shinsu creatures of various species were forming great herds, undertaking massive migrations across floors.
Like those deep-sea creatures advancing swiftly and ceaselessly toward their destination, our warship too pressed straight ahead, allowing us to arrive at the negotiation site in short order.
"...It seems the other side just arrived as well."
Seeing that the power on the floating ship bearing the Lo Po Bia Family's crest was just shutting down, they apparently hadn't arrived long ago either. And unexpectedly, they were approaching our landing side, preparing to greet us.
Whoooosh—
Whirrrr—
The warship landed, and the door opened. Standing at the very front, I was able to face the Lo Po Bia Rankers lined up to welcome us. Every last one wore an intimidating expression in Lo Po Bia Family military uniforms, but naturally, I wasn't the least bit nervous.
Thud, thud, thud—the White Wolf unit that followed off the warship stood before the Lo Po Bia Rankers as if each was assigned to mark one of them, and along the path the Lo Po Bia Rankers had formed, Heron, Orca, and I walked forward.
And what we finally came face to face with was...
"Meeooooow."
...A cat?
"Oh my, Hoaqin. Look at that—the cat is absolutely huge. And those blue eyes are so cute."
"Ahem, Lady Orca. This is a formal occasion. Please maintain decorum."
"Oops, my apologies, Branch Leader."
While Orca noona was distracted by the large blue-eyed cat and Heron was reprimanding her, my gaze was fixed beyond that gray-furred cat.
At last, the man who had been behind that enormous cat walked toward us and revealed himself. Eyes of green, red, and gray that somehow brought watermelons to mind; long, flowing blue-gray hair; a white silk garment draped half-open; and pointed cat ears poking out.
"A pleasure. It's an honor to meet the protagonist from ten years ago in person."
"...You are—"
"Ah, how rude of me..."
The man smiled warmly and gave a light bow of greeting.
"I am Yasratcha, the Lo Po Bia negotiation representative."
"...Arie Family branch leader, Arie Hoaqin."
What a nostalgic feeling this is. Those watermelon-like eyes gazed at me, and I gazed quietly back at him. Each of us smiling at the other.
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