Chapter 07
She had already heard that her parents had passed away, but she hadn’t known that besides Antonian, there was yet another member of the family.
…I need to reflect on this.
It hadn’t been long since she had awakened in this body, but failing to grasp even the household’s basic composition was clearly her mistake. Perhaps she had been too consumed with the novelty of her new life, living carelessly.
“What do you mean she’s in a sanatorium?”
“Julia has been frail since childhood. She’s currently receiving treatment at a convalescent home.”
“A sanatorium…”
There had been places like that even when she lived as Grace—quiet, scenic establishments where the wealthy paid dearly to have private physicians tend to their every ailment. Back then they were a rarity, but perhaps they’d become commonplace over time.
Strange. With the family’s finances in such a state, they can still afford a sanatorium?
“So here’s the thing.”
Ah, here comes the real point.
Ceres gave a slight nod, signaling her readiness to listen. Why else would Agne draw things out so deliberately?
“The costs are significant again this time.”
“…”
Ceres accepted the papers Agne handed her and began reading. They were this month’s invoices for Julia’s treatments at the sanatorium.
“Hm.”
She read them through carefully, even with a touch of curiosity, until the last page. Then a short, incredulous laugh escaped her.
There was only one feeling left in her chest.
Ridiculous.
What sort of idiotic treatment was this?
Had the names of medicinal herbs changed during her time away from the world?
The list was filled with rare and costly ingredients—ones she knew were difficult to obtain. But the problem was that, to her knowledge, there was no treatment in existence that combined these particular herbs. In fact, some of them were toxic when mixed together.
This wasn’t a treatment plan. It was nothing more than an extravagant list of expensive names strung together.
Thud.
Without a word, Ceres laid the papers back on the table.
“So what will you do this time? You know there’s nowhere left to borrow from. The house, the land—it’s all mortgaged already. You’re well aware of that.”
Does this woman suffer from memory loss?
She insisted on believing her niece had lost her memory, yet she spoke as though Ceres knew every detail.
“And?”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing more I can do. As I told you before, there’s only one solution left.”
If the house and land were already mortgaged, how could there still be another way?
“The shop on Delassi First Street. This time we really have no choice but to sell it.”
Oh? So there was still something left she hadn’t managed to pawn off.
“The truth is, even the income from that shop barely covers the interest anymore. It’s time to give up and settle matters—”
Bang!
The door slammed open with a crash, and someone rushed in.
“Sister! Don’t!”
It was Antonian.
“Aunt! You promised that shop was off-limits!”
The boy was out of breath, as if he had run all the way here. Most likely, when she had gone to meet her aunt, the maid Jay had fetched him at once—her troubled expression back then suddenly made sense.
“Antonian, how dare you barge in like this?”
Agne’s face twisted in displeasure at the interruption.
That wretched boy again!
Even though Ceres usually gave in to her words, there was one matter where things never went smoothly: the shop on Delassi Street.
Every time, Antonian blocked her attempt to have it sold, and because of that, it had remained untouched until now.
“You know exactly what that shop means, Aunt!”
“So what? Do you have another solution?”
“I…”
He faltered, unable to continue. He knew full well that his argument was weak.
But still—
“No matter what, that shop cannot be sold! I’ll find another way somehow!”
“The shop belongs to Ceres. It’s her decision, not yours, Antonian.”
The gentleness drained from Agne’s features, replaced by open fury.
“Aunt!”
“Silence! What way could you possibly find? And while you search, what of Julia’s treatment? Would you let her die?”
“…”
At Julia’s name, Antonian bit his lip and fell silent. His clenched fists turned white, and a thin, cruel smile flickered across Agne’s lips before vanishing again.
“Antonian.”
Her voice softened as she called his name.
“I understand how much you care for that shop. But you must think of Julia. There’s no choice.”
Had she decided coaxing him would be more effective? Agne spoke on gently, as if she had never raised her voice.
“If only Ceres had handled matters more wisely, things wouldn’t have come to this. It pains me as well.”
She sighed and cast a weary glance at Ceres, as though to blame her entirely.
“Don’t resent her too much. She only wanted to save Yulia.”
“…It’s your fault.”
“What?”
“This is all your fault, Aunt!”
The words burst out of Antonian at last, after long restraint and bitten lips.
“My fault?”
“You’re the one who introduced her to those loan sharks!”
“…Ha!”
Agne’s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed with a derisive laugh.
“I only presented an option. The choice was hers.”
“You pressured her into it! You said it was the only way to save Yulia! And now you push all the blame onto her? That’s cowardly!”
“What?”
“That shop is off-limits! Don’t ever bring it up again. Like you said yourself, it belongs to my sister, not you!”
“You… you insolent little—!”
At last Agne raised her hand, ready to strike.
Antonian screwed his eyes shut. Even if he were struck, he had no intention of backing down.
“…?”
But no blow came.
Hesitantly, he opened his eyes—and gasped.
“You really ought to break that habit.”
“You… you!”
Ceres had caught Agne’s wrist mid-swing.
The older woman was so startled she couldn’t even speak at first.
“Let go! Let me go this instant!”
She tried to wrench free, but strangely, her strength failed her.
And that cold, forbidding expression on Ceres’s face—what was it?
“A-ah!”
Suddenly, pain lanced through her wrist, sharp enough to wrench a scream from her throat.
How could it hurt so much from a mere grip? Ceres hadn’t even seemed to hold her that tightly.
“My apologies.”
Ceres released her hand with a pleasant smile.
That must have hurt like hell.
She knew exactly where to press to inflict the most excruciating pain.
“I’ve never liked people meddling with what’s mine.”
“What?”
Agne clutched her aching wrist with her other hand, staring at Ceres in disbelief. Was this all just because she’d tried to strike the boy?
“…”
Meanwhile, Antonian stood frozen, dazed. His cheeks flushed as he stared at Ceres.
“First of all.”
Ceres picked up the treatment invoice again.
“Give me some time.”
“Ceres, you can’t mean to stop Yulia’s treatment. Without continued therapy, her condition will worsen!”
“We’ll see.”
“What?”
Judging by this so-called treatment plan, Yulia wouldn’t improve either way.
“I said, give me time to assess the situation.”
“What nonsense—”
“I’ll give you my decision soon. Whether to sell the shop, or not.”
“Sister! The shop—”
“Quiet, Antonian. I asked for time.”
“…”
The two of them still looked as if they had plenty left to say. But Ceres simply clapped her hands together and announced:
“That’s enough. Meeting adjourned.”
And with that, she walked out, leaving both Antonian and Agne speechless in her wake.
