48. Tears of an Overly Immersed Otaku
“I need to treat this quickly.”
He was already pale and weak. If the bleeding got any worse, it could become dangerous.
I couldn’t use an inhumane device to knock him out myself. I had to persuade him and get him to come with me safely.
After a moment of thought, I opened my item menu.
[God-Given Tongue (Single Use)]
[When used, the words that the target most wants to hear will come to mind.]
[☞ Use Item ☜]
It was an item I had been saving for a decisive moment.
“Ah, whatever.”
A person’s life comes first. What else could be more important?
I didn’t hesitate long.
Snap.
The moment I chose to use the item, the cluttered thoughts in my mind quieted down.
As if receiving a divine revelation, an irresistible voice flowed through my tongue.
A calm, warm voice that seemed to embrace his wounded heart.
“Abandoned by your parents the moment you were born, and those you followed like parents have abandoned you again.”
“…!”
“I promise you this: I will never abandon you.”
It wasn’t a promise of riches or unlimited power.
Yet, those simple words broke the man’s heart entirely.
Plop, plop.
Tears, glassy and pure, streamed down eyes once filled with bitter resolve.
“I can’t even begin to imagine how miserable the years you’ve endured must have been…”
A depth of sorrow, anger, and resentment that I could never gauge poured endlessly down his cheeks.
I silently patted his back. Shaking with sobs, he soon collapsed entirely from exhaustion.
I watched him quietly for a moment, then left the room.
After that, everything moved swiftly.
I asked the Dark Lord to transport the man to the Latre Monastery.
I used a magic scroll to return to the monastery myself, then traveled back to the Duke’s estate in the same carriage I had arrived in.
Upon arrival, Head Butler William greeted me.
“Welcome back, Milady. But… who is this gentleman…?”
The butler looked puzzled at the man being carried by the guards.
“I brought him from the orphanage to make him my servant. But his health is terrible, so it’s best to dress him properly, feed him, and let him recover for now.”
I couldn’t exactly say I’d had the Dark Lord fetch someone for me.
So I explained that I had brought a new servant as part of my charity work. I had coordinated this with the abbot in advance.
“Understood, Milady. I’ll prepare the servant quarters immediately.”
After sending the Dark Lord ahead, I turned to deal with some lingering matters.
“By the way, I heard your brother was looking for me—”
Late afternoon.
Icart, having heard that Roselia had returned home, summoned her to the tea room.
While Roselia changed out of her outing clothes, Icart arrived at the tea room first.
He leisurely held his teacup.
“The weather’s nice today.”
Through the window, the garden stretched out below.
White butterflies fluttered around the glass greenhouse.
The midday garden, soaked in spring sunlight, was nothing short of a paradise on earth.
For a moment, I thought about moving the tea table outside and having a picnic with Roselia.
“What am I thinking?”
Of course, I quickly suppressed the impulse.
“You’ve waited long enough!”
Roselia ran into the tea room.
“You’re here.”
Icart waited patiently until she caught her breath.
Her teacup was filled, and he spoke first.
“From now on, your aunt will be confined to the villa in the provinces.”
He got straight to the point.
Simply put, without embellishment.
“What…?”
Roselia spat out the tea she had been holding.
“Yes… she’s Seleon’s daughter.”
That was the level of shock she felt.
Icart silently handed her a handkerchief.
“The results of the noble trial came today.”
He handed over the letter sent from the royal court.
It detailed the trial of Baron Milo and Pitunia.
Baron Milo had not only used an invitation in another person’s name to intrude on the royal court but had also stolen Roselia’s brooch—a gift from the Empress—which led to an aggravated sentence.
Pitunia denied all charges, but the evidence was undeniable, so her defense was rejected.
Sipping his tea, Icart said:
“Apparently, Baron Milo’s testimony worked against him in court.”
Much of Milo’s testimony was inconsistent. He admitted receiving the invitation from Pitunia but claimed he only wanted to meet the Emperor and the Serteia family, not cause a disturbance.
He also admitted to having the lost brooch but insisted he didn’t know how valuable it was.
When questioned why he had hidden it, Milo had no answer.
Later, it emerged he had intended to use the brooch as gambling money, so further questioning was unnecessary.
“Because of the nature of their crimes and their disrespectful behavior, it seems the Emperor’s wrath was invoked. An unusually strict judgment was issued.”
Baron Milo was stripped of all his property, given fifty lashes, and exiled from the empire.
Pitunia was sentenced to exile as well.
Considering she was identified as the mastermind, it was relatively lenient.
“At least the punishment was more practical than expected.”
Although Pitunia’s crime wasn’t light, historically, high-ranking nobles often received minimal punishment. Roselia had worried it might end with just a fine or imprisonment.
“The exile from the royal court lasts three years, but her family will also impose discipline. Afterward, she will spend her remaining life in the northern Shabel territory.”
Icart spoke calmly.
Before meeting Roselia, he had instructed his servants to move Pitunia’s belongings in advance.
“Shabel territory…”
The Shabel lands, also called the “Land of Death,” endured extreme cold year-round.
A barren wasteland where life could scarcely grow, nearly uninhabited.
Pitunia would have to endure endless cold and isolation there.
“Effectively, this ends my aunt’s social life.”
That was Icart’s true punishment.
Only then did Roselia seem to feel a sense of relief.
This woman had been a constant source of torment throughout Roselia’s life.
Finally shaking off the one who had mercilessly harassed and even tried to kill her.
A mix of relief and overwhelming emotion surged through her, leaving her speechless.
Icart handed her another letter from the royal court.
“The Emperor will soon host a meeting to discuss this matter in detail.”
“A luncheon… an invitation.”
Of course, this wasn’t in the original story.
Seeing her hesitate, Icart explained calmly:
“It’s purely formal. The essential decisions are already finalized in writing, so you have nothing to worry about.”
His steady voice was reassuring enough that Roselia felt no fear.
Ding!
[SYSTEM: ‘Family Bond’ sprouts within Roselia’s mind!]
“Hey, are you kidding me? I told you I hate forced sentimentality.”
Meanwhile, at the Spirit Possession Management Department…
Ian threw his tablet down in frustration, having watched Roselia and Icart’s tea time.
“Your vessel is supposed to be different from other possessed protagonists. What is this? This is pure family drama cliché.”
“No…”
“Don’t ‘no’ me. You said it was fun, so you take responsibility. Give me back my wasted time.”
The manager silently rubbed his eyes.
He had been watching Roselia on the tablet just moments before.
Tear drops…
Clear, glassy tears ran down his honey-colored eyes.
Ian was dumbfounded.
“What, are you crying? Over this third-rate melodrama?”
“I’m not crying. Sniff… it’s pollen. Allergy, that’s all.”
“Pollen? There’s no pollen here. What kind of allergy is that?”
Ian scoffed, but the manager kept rubbing his eyes.
“And it’s not a third-rate melodrama. This is a truly touching human story. The hated villainess overcomes all misunderstandings and finally earns love…”
Tears welled up again as he spoke.
“It’s such a beautiful story. I… I feel so overwhelmed I might cry.”
“You’re already crying. Typical otaku.”
Ian poured cold water on him, but the manager didn’t care.
Even if he was an overly immersed otaku, there was no helping it.
After all, otakus are meant to immerse themselves in their favorite stories and feel intense emotions multiple times a day.
Ian couldn’t understand the manager at all.
“Watching this, I finally get why you like her. She’s good-hearted. Normally, good protagonists are universally accepted.”
The manager bristled.
“Don’t be ridiculous! If it was just because she was good, there’d be plenty to like. You don’t get it!”
Speaking as if you know everything about someone’s favorite character only earns an otaku’s scorn.
