Vol 1 Ch 4

“…Are you okay?”

 

Seohee, who had come out alone to see him off to the front gate, glanced at him furtively before cautiously speaking.

 

Of course, he wasn’t okay. He hadn’t even finished his meal, but his stomach felt more bloated than usual.

 

Yeonho slapped away the hand that reached for his back and bit his lip.

 

“Traitor.”

 

“Hey…”

 

“How could you side with Do Seojin there? Am I not your brother?”

 

Compared to Seojin, who was ruthless even to her younger brother, Seohee always backed down when Yeonho acted like this.

 

I’m sorry. It’s my fault. But with a stony face, she couldn’t bring herself to apologize this time.

 

Yeah. She’s sticking with her twin until the end, huh? Their womb-mate loyalty is amazing!

 

Annoyed, Yeonho turned towards his beloved car parked below the fence. At that moment, a low voice cut through the air.

 

“…I’m sorry. I was sorry, so I did that.”

 

It was the apology he wanted, but it didn’t seem like it was directed at him. Turning around, Seohee, who was crumpling the hem of her skirt, wore a bitter smile.

 

“I was sorry to Seojin, so I did that.”

 

“……”

 

“You know, I’m only the eldest daughter in name, but I haven’t acted like one so far. The company work, taking care of Grandma… when Mom and Dad passed away… Seojin took on everything.”

 

The voice trembled a little more as she uttered the last words. Only then did Yeonho realize and quickly shorten the distance to Seohee.

 

“What’s this all of a sudden?”

 

“…It’s the truth. When Mom and Dad passed away like that, and even Grandma was out of it, Seojin took care of me and you.”

 

Yeonho’s mouth snapped shut as he was about to retort. His gaze naturally turned to the house lit up beyond the fence.

 

A place where Yeonho, Seohee, Seojin, and Grandma once lived together.

 

But before that, there were two more people. The three siblings’ mom and dad.

 

They passed away when Yeonho was eight years old.

 

The cause of death was a ridiculous accident: a fall. His father was caught up in the accident when he tried to hold onto his mother, who was falling from a broken railing.

 

It was an unfortunate and heartbreaking death. But for someone, that heartbreak didn’t seem to matter.

 

‘To think they were birds, yet they died from a fall.’

 

‘What good would it have been to spread their wings?’

 

It might have been a sympathetic remark… but Yeonho still remembered the whispers at the funeral.

 

Yeonho, who had even thought of unnecessary things, now took his eyes off the house where only the two of them remained. As if she was thinking the same thing, Seohee moved her lips with a bitter tone.

 

“Actually, I was thinking of moving into this house with Jongsu when we got married. But… Seojin told me not to. She said she would be uncomfortable. She said she couldn’t stand seeing newlyweds flaunting their love in front of someone who wasn’t married.”

 

It was definitely something Do Seojin would say, but Seojin’s thoughts seemed different.

 

“She probably did it for me… and she was probably considerate of Jongsu too. It’s the same with company work. She’s always running around by herself. If I were more capable, Seojin wouldn’t have to handle our company alone.”

 

“……”

 

“You know. Sometimes I think. Maybe there’s something else Seojin wants to do besides company work? But she can’t leave Grandma alone, and I’m not good enough, so she’s just holding back… when I think like that, I feel so sorry and shameless…”

 

Finally, Seohee’s head drooped down, and Yeonho roughly ruffled his hair.

 

“Why is that because of you? What about me? I’ve left the company to her too, just like you?”

 

“You’re… the youngest.”

 

“Are you saying I’ve been idly loafing around under that excuse?”

 

“……”

 

“Besides, who is Do Seojin? If she really didn’t want to do it, she wouldn’t have done it no matter what. Look at her earlier. She slipped out of the marriage talk all by herself. Does that look like she’s enduring it because of me?”

 

“That’s a different case.”

 

“Different my foot. Stop feeling guilty for no reason. Didn’t you hear what Grandma said earlier? The kids from other families all get married when the time comes, but the problem is with our family. If it’s about filial piety, you’ve done the most.”

 

At the awkward consolation, Seohee smiled faintly for the first time, but it was short-lived.

 

“What’s the point? It looks like I won’t be able to show her the great-grandchild she wants so much.”

 

Without any reward for her efforts, Yeonho’s face hardened again. He clicked his tongue in his mouth. He had forgotten because the marriage story was so absurd… come to think of it, this was the first bad news.

 

Of course, Yeonho thought that it was okay even if there were no children as long as the couple was happy, but Seohee’s sense of debt seemed different.

 

As expected, Seohee returned to the original story.

 

“How can I tell Seojin to do that on top of everything else in this situation? Getting married and having children… I hope she’s at least free to do these things. Without any burden.”

 

“So, it’s okay for me to have the burden?”

 

“You’re not going to have the burden anyway. You’re going to forget about it as soon as you go back, right?”

 

“……”

 

“But if you still feel wronged, think of it as compensation. What did you say earlier? That you’ve been idly loafing around? There’s no such thing as a free lunch in the world. This much burden is a pretty cheap price to pay.”

 

Huh? Hey, hey. Sometimes Do Seohee is worse than Do Seojin!

 

He had been fooled by her seemingly weak face, but her true nature was still there. In the end, this was what she wanted to say.

 

Those damn hens!

 

“Ah, just go in!”

 

Yeonho shouted and finally turned around and strode away.

 

**

[2]

 

Approximately 30 kilometers from the center of Rome.

 

Within the upscale residential area known as the Beverly Hills of Rome, there stands a particularly striking three-story mansion.

 

With terracotta columns and roughly textured stone walls that seem to transcend time, embodying the aesthetics of ancient Rome, yet also possessing the sleekness unique to modern architecture, the mansion achieved a delicate balance between classic and modern.

 

Passing through the main gate, one enters a space where diligently tended olive and cedar trees cast their shade, and the vibrant flower garden and verdant lawn, which change their fragrance and color with each season, were particularly the pride of this place.

 

However, this place, usually overflowing with leisurely elegance, was bustling today. It was none other than the young master’s earlier-than-usual return that caused the commotion.

 

“Where’s Tony?”

 

He hurried past the servants who had rushed out to greet him at the entrance, and, in his haste, sought out the majordomo, the butler who oversaw the entire mansion.

 

One of the servants, tilting his head at the unusually urgent demeanor, quickly spoke up.

 

“He’s in his office on the third floor. He went up to air it out a little while ago…”

 

There was no need for further explanation. The young master’s office on the third floor was accessible to only a handful of authorized staff.

 

Without a word, he strode through the wide hall, taking the stairs two at a time as if running. To the servants who were unconsciously following, wondering if they should take his coat or prepare something else,

 

“Don’t follow me.”

 

He uttered one more word after reaching the top of the remaining stairs.

 

Leaving those who had stopped in their tracks behind, the man turned back, creating a gust of wind.

 

“He seems… angry, doesn’t he?”

 

“Did Antonio make some kind of mistake?”

 

Those left behind put their heads together belatedly, but the person who could provide an answer was already gone.

 

Bang! The forcefully opened walnut door slammed against the wall, creating a loud noise.

 

The man in his early sixties, who had just been lightly dusting and rechecking the already tidy desk, turned around with a startled look, then took hurried steps forward with an even more surprised expression.

 

“Young Master? Why are you here at this hour…? Has your schedule changed?”

 

Despite the question, his ‘Young Master’ only wore a deeply furrowed expression on his unusually handsome face.

 

Except for his childhood, it had been a long time since he had seen such an annoyed expression. Knowing this wasn’t the time, he was still lost in a faint nostalgia as he looked up at the man as if he were seeing his grown-up grandson anew.

 

At that moment, a low voice flowed from between twisted lips.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

Questioning the master’s words was out of the question, but the nonsensical question was difficult to understand.

 

As Tony narrowed his brow, the man’s face contorted even more fiercely. Then, he finally burst out in a roar.

 

“A marriage proposal! What’s going on? I heard you advertised all over Italy looking for someone to marry me!”

 

“…Ah.”

 

He finally understood why his beloved Young Master, Marteo Abertone, had returned home at this hour. However, the reason for the outburst was still a mystery.

 

“Please, sit down first. Chamomile or lemon balm would be good to calm you down, shall I bring some herbal tea?”

 

“Antonio!”

 

Marteo shook off the arm that was trying to lead him to the sofa, even uttering his full name instead of his nickname. As if to say, ‘Is this the time to be drinking tea?’

 

The butler, his brow furrowed for a moment at the still ominous atmosphere, sighed. Then, he finally voiced the question from earlier.

 

“Isn’t this something you entrusted to me, Young Master? Don’t you remember?”

 

“What?”

 

“Didn’t you say before that we should start taking care of the marriage and succession issues? You clearly said, ‘Do as you see fit.'”

 

To think you would trust me so completely. I was truly touched…

 

His chest, which he proudly displayed, was indeed filled with pride and self-esteem. However, Marteo’s head was now throbbing at the sight of the butler.

 

Of course, he remembered it too. That day’s conversation. What he had said.

 

However, he never imagined that the interpretation of ‘Do as you see fit’ would be so different.

 

The large body, clutching his forehead, collapsed onto the sofa with a thud.

 

“Are you trying to stage a protest because you want to retire or something?”

 

“What is that? Unless God urges me to come quickly, I intend to take care of the Young Master’s child, and that child’s child!”

 

He still couldn’t grasp the situation. He had been by his side, maintaining his loyalty, since his most vulnerable childhood, but right now, he really wanted to hit him. Marteo gritted his teeth.

 

“When I said ‘Do as you see fit,’ I meant I would do it myself. Not that you should step in!”

 

“…Yes?”

 

“How many of those damn proposals did you send out? Don’t tell me you sent them to every bird in this country?”

 

Ah… Only after seeing the whites of his eyes did Tony finally realize his mistake. But the embarrassment didn’t last long. He straightened his posture, which had faltered.

 

“Excuse me, Young Master. Even if you had done it yourself, I don’t think the situation would be much different from now.”

 

“What?”

 

“Isn’t that right? If you were going to get married anyway, you would have to choose a suitable individual, a suitable family, but you forbade the main family from interfering with the marriage issue… and Madam wouldn’t step in either. Wouldn’t you have ended up entrusting the preparation of the Blind date and the subsequent receptions to me anyway?”

 

“So you’re saying you did a good job?”

 

“Of course, I admit there was a small mistake in communication. If you want to cut my salary… I will have to accept it humbly, though sadly.”

 

He was repeatedly taken aback by the sight of him stretching his eyebrows and acting like a martyr. Of course, Tony’s words weren’t entirely wrong.

 

To consider the species that would suit the family, the success of the breeding, the family composition of the other party, all of that would require the help of a skilled butler.

 

Nevertheless, one thing was clearly wrong. From the beginning, he had no intention of ‘considering’ any of that.

 

Just as he was wondering how to explain this, Tony, who had been clearing his throat, cautiously opened his mouth.

 

“And… while we’re on the subject, there’s one more thing I’d like to correct.”

 

“What else!”

 

“You asked if we sent the proposals all over Italy… but aren’t we Morphers? Nationality is nothing compared to that.”

 

“What are you talking about…?”

 

“It’s the Young Master’s marriage proposal, why would we limit it to Italy? While we were sending them out, we also sent them to France, Switzerland, and Spain.”

 

Marteo’s eyes widened.

 

No. Even when he caused trouble, why did it have to be so all-encompassing?

 

But it was too early to be surprised. Ah, he was rubbing his chin again.

 

“And… there’s one more place. It’s also related to the Young Master’s business…”

 

It was when the smoothly connected words ended.

 

“…What? Where did you send it?”

 

Marteo, who had been shouting again, jumped up from the sofa.

 

Pupils that had shrunk to a single point in an instant, two hands stretched out as if to grab his collar, he was truly an eagle just before the hunt.

 

Tony’s heart shrank to the size of a bean. Fearing that the sharp claws would pierce his heart at any moment, he reflexively squeezed his eyes shut.

 

But… fortunately, the ferocious momentum did not lead to action. After a long silence, Tony tentatively opened one eye.

 

“Y-Young Master?”

 

Marteo, who had stopped right in front of him, was gnawing at his lips with glistening eyes. If the first was excitement and the next was anger, this time it was a feeling of anxiety.

 

It was only natural that he felt unfamiliar and bewildered by the rapid and diverse transformations of his master, who was always rational, unlike his age.

 

Whether he knew such feelings or not, Marteo, who was even clenching and unclenching his fists, suddenly uttered a low question in a hoarse voice.

 

“So… the answer.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Did you get an answer from them!”

 

The subject was unclear, but in this situation, the meaning of ‘them’ was only one. Tony quickly gathered his dry lips.

 

“The confirmation is not yet in. …Still, there’s no reason for them to refuse, is there?”

 

It was a conviction worthy of someone who had served the Abertone family for generations. But it wasn’t time to be relieved by the optimistic answer.

 

Two hours ago. He had heard from a business partner he met for business that the damn marriage proposal had been written in a certain way, along with the question of whether he was getting married.

 

Even at first glance, it was more like an arrogant act of charity than a proposal.

 

Marteo, his head throbbing, began to pace back and forth, circling his spot like an eagle searching for prey.

 

After a long time of doing so. At the end of a abruptly stopped step, he spat out a sharp word.

 

“Make a call.”

 

“Where… surely not to that house?”

 

“Tell them I’ll be visiting soon. Tell them we’ll talk about it again then.”

 

“W-wait a minute. That, you don’t mean you’re going there yourself, do you?”

 

Then we’ll look like we’re desperate! Tony’s face openly showed signs of dissuasion, but Marteo did not retract his words.

 

There was no one who could break his stubbornness at times like this.

 

“…I’ll adjust the schedule.”

 

“……”

 

“We’ll say you’re entering the country to establish a branch.”

 

Tony, who had no choice but to swallow a sigh, even decided on a plausible excuse and then bowed deeply. He also thought that this matter would be safely resolved with this, one way or another.

 

But the peaceful belief was shattered the very next day.

 

His precious Young Master’s office on the third floor. On the table in the room, where he had gone to do some light tidying as always, there was a crisp note.

 

The sentence written with Marteo’s beloved quill was only one line.

 

On vacation.

 

Don’t look for me for the time being.