The Strongest Family Has Arrived!

Chapter 6

—–CROW—– 

“I know what I need to know.”

I feigned nonchalance.

“But like that aide grandpa said, there’s a slight possibility that I could be your daughter…”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Eek!”

Ryan roared. I jumped, clutching my chest, and stared at him.

We stood in silence for a moment.

“…”

“…”

Ryan blinked, staring at me for a long time, then, as if confused, furrowed his brow.

“…Really, my daughter?”

Seriously? I suppressed a laugh at his foolish expression.

“No way!”

Ryan fumed, adding,

“Let’s be clear. You’re from Windsor Castle, right?”

“What’s that?”

“Wow! You’re really good at pretending you don’t know, aren’t you?”

“…”

“You think I don’t know anything because I was locked up when I was young? I know about that castle.”

Looking around, Ryan lowered his voice and whispered, holding up five fingers.

“Listen carefully. I’m the fifth child in our family and the youngest legitimate son. And my mother passed away when I was ten.”

“Ah, yes.”

“It was partly because that man, my father, got my mother pregnant five times to have more ability users, which weakened her body.”

“…”

“But the decisive reason why my mother fell ill from shock was because Father built Windsor Castle.  He started raising the children he had with other women there, openly.”

That’s right. All of Father’s illegitimate children were raised at Windsor Castle.

I was one of them.

“You’ve been living in Windsor until now, right?”

Ryan pressed me again, seeing my silence.

“…Yes. Probably?”

“What do you mean ‘probably’? Be certain! Your biological father is the Duke of Vasenberg.  I’m your half-brother, twelve years older than you.”

“…”

“You knew all along, didn’t you!”

“I knew, but…”

Finally admitting it, I subtly tugged on Ryan’s sleeve.

“But what!”

“I’m incompetent… If I go around saying I’m the Duke’s daughter, something bad will happen. I might even die…”

“Oh, really?”

“So, O…ppa? Since you’re also incompetent, I’ll pretend to be your daughter.”

I twisted my toes and spoke as pitifully as possible.

“Can’t I call you Appa?”

“Huh.”

Ryan, looking dumbfounded, pinched my cheek hard.

“You’re shameless.”

“Ow! Ow! Owowow!”

I surrender, I surrender! I slapped his hand, but Ryan just chuckled.

Then…

Suddenly, something caught my eye as he pinched my cheek.

The inside of Ryan’s left forearm.

Twelve knife scars, each at a slightly different stage of healing.

‘I glimpsed them earlier, but…’

Seeing them up close, I was certain. They were self-inflicted wounds.

As if sensing my gaze, Ryan quickly pulled down his sleeve and turned away.

‘Oh no. The mood’s gotten awkward.’

Silence.

Ryan just walked without saying a word.

What were those scars about?

Did he intentionally hurt himself whenever he couldn’t control his resentment?

I couldn’t imagine how frustrated and angry he must have been.

Not only was he abandoned by his father, but he was also falsely accused of massacre and spent half his life imprisoned.

‘I wish he would at least explain to me that he wasn’t really a criminal.’

Then I could tell him I believed him. If those words could offer him even a little comfort.

“Appa, did you really kill all those villagers?”

“Yeah.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“But how?  You’re incompetent.”

“Can’t incompetent people kill? I strangled them all with my bare hands. And then I set the whole village on fire to destroy the evidence.”

“Oh, I see.”

I replied dejectedly, and Ryan suddenly stopped.

“Hey.”

“Yes.”

“I’m a crazy bastard.”

“What?”

“You know what I was convicted of.  If I snap, you could be next. So, run away now.”

Suddenly?

Ryan pulled out a few of his clothes, slung them over his shoulder, and thrust the bag containing the gold bars at me.

“Go while you have the chance.”

I was bewildered. He wanted me to leave after coming all this way together?

“W-Wait!”

Ryan quickly distanced himself.

Did I do something wrong? I couldn’t understand his sudden change of heart, but…

‘I knew he would try to get rid of me eventually.’

I had anticipated this situation.

What if Ryan tried to abandon me, a burden to him?

‘I have to show him my value, prove my usefulness.’

So, I was planning to partially reveal my ability.

‘But here…’

I anxiously looked around the crowded city center. I couldn’t catch up with Ryan, who was purposefully walking away, at my pace.

‘Oh no!’

How could I catch him?

***

Trying to ignore the sound of Vania’s struggling footsteps behind him, Ryan rolled up his sleeve.

Twelve scars.

He had carved them himself, one each year in prison, marking his time.

Enduring the pain of cutting his own flesh, he used them to whip himself whenever his will for revenge wavered.

‘I have something I need to do.’

Revenge.

No, revenge was just a plausible excuse.

He intended to destroy his rotten family with his own hands. Because he knew he was the only one who could.

‘Don’t weaken.’

Today, he met a younger sister he didn’t even know existed.

…Should he just continue living with her?

Yes, on the way here, Ryan had briefly entertained that crazy thought.

He had made the shade for her, but she wouldn’t go in.  Her small hand, patting his back for three hours straight, concerned about her seasick older brother… perhaps it felt strangely comforting to Ryan, who longed for human connection.

But it was absurd.

He had something he needed to do.

He hadn’t thought about what would happen after his revenge, but he realized something after encountering those people earlier.

The stigma of being a vicious criminal.

And after succeeding in his revenge, he would also gain the label of a patricide.

Vania was a child who could live a normal, ordinary life, despite being expelled from the family.

As long as she wasn’t entangled with him as a daughter or a sister.

‘I was planning to leave her anyway.’

Then it was better to let her go before they got attached.

Then…

“Appaaa!!!”

Ryan stopped dead in his tracks.

In the middle of the bustling port city, the noisy surroundings suddenly fell silent at the sound of her voice calling for her father.

“Don’t leave me!”

Ryan gulped and rolled his eyes. People were glancing at him.

He hesitantly turned around.

Vania was crying, carrying a bag almost as big as herself.

“It’s a lie if I say I’m not scared of you, Appa! You really could kill me!”

“No…”

Ryan looked around in a panic. He saw people whispering.

*What? She said he’d kill her.* *Whisper, whisper.*

*Is this child abuse?* *Whisper, whisper.*

Of course, he couldn’t actually hear their whispers, but Ryan imagined that was what they were saying.

“But, but… even though we just met today, I’m still your daughter…”

*Wow, he didn’t even raise her?* *Whisper, whisper.*

*Child neglect too?* *Whisper, whisper.*

Ryan’s face paled. Child abuse charges were serious in this country. Since he was no longer a minor, he figured he’d get about fifty years.

He imagined himself being released at the age of 74, his skinny legs trembling, saying, “Heh heh… I’m a vintage 62 from Abyss…”  The thought was horrifying!

Unaware of Ryan’s inner turmoil, Vania continued to chatter, her face filled with fear.

“Of course, I-I’m terrified of dying…”

*Aaaack!*

Ryan screamed internally and rushed towards her.

Whether it was an act or genuine, he didn’t know what this cute and audacious little girl was thinking, but he had to shut her up first.

“But if Appa… Ah!”

“Oh, oh, my daughter!”

Ryan scooped Vania up into his arms and bounced her gently.

“This cutie~? Why are you doing this over a little prank~? Don’t cry, don’t cry!  Boo~ Peekaboo!”

“…”

Ryan, sweating, looked around.

A young lady with a parasol happened to be looking at him.  When their eyes met, she quickened her pace.

What, that woman. Was she going to call the military police? Ryan hurriedly reached out.

“No!”

“…No what?”

“I don’t know what, but it’s not like that.”

The young lady left in disgust.

—–CROW—–