chapter 12
When I opened the door, I saw a familiar face — the mailman. He mumbled in surprise.
“Letter for you… Oh, it’s someone different today.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just that the gentleman who’s usually here always receives the letters. I just thought it was unusual.”
With that, he handed me the letter and left.
I figured it was probably something from Louis, but when I checked, it was just the usual notices. Nothing from him.
‘Strange. He used to send letters almost every day.’
In Godell’s memories, Louis was a stubborn man who always tried to push his way through. Godell, having inherited that same stubbornness, often clashed with him. But Louis was still far more manipulative.
He would definitely try to convince me to hide Gilbert’s death.
Suddenly, a thought hit me.
Normally, when a recipient of a pension dies, all benefits stop.
But there are exceptions.
If the immediate family cannot work for some reason.
If they are elderly or disabled.
Or… if they have a child who is not yet an adult.
…Now that I think about it, how long has it been since Echo left?
I quickly rushed to Echo’s room.
But it was empty.
I searched the storage room, the attic, the closet—every room. Echo was nowhere to be found.
She hated coming home late. She disliked the dark.
That could only mean—
I dashed out of the house.
Echo let out a small sigh.
She had already lost count of how many times she’d sighed today. She stared blankly at the little puff of air floating into the sky.
‘…What if Godell really does get married?’
The thought wouldn’t leave her mind.
To be honest, it was a good thing that Godell received a marriage proposal. After her father, Gilbert, passed away, Godell had become extremely sensitive about the topic of marriage.
Now, that anxiety seemed to have been resolved—and the man even came from a good family. It should’ve been a relief.
‘…And honestly, it’s a good thing for me too.’
It was rare for a groom’s family to accept a niece who wasn’t even related by blood. So, if Godell didn’t take her along after marriage, they would be separated by law.
They’d become complete strangers, and Echo would finally be free from this house. So yes, this should’ve been a good thing.
But still, her chest felt tight for some reason.
She knew Godell had changed recently.
Echo thought it was because Godell had a hidden motive.
She understood this well. The way Godell was being kind to her now felt like what people did before throwing away an old toy — brushing its hair, straightening its clothes out of a sudden burst of sentimentality.
And then they toss it out and forget it ever existed.
To the toy being thrown away, that moment of kindness is unforgettable.
That’s why Echo had tried to prepare her heart.
The delicious meals, the clean new clothes, the lack of chores — all of it was just temporary kindness. So she told herself not to believe it.
But…
“But if this is the price of happiness, then it’s cheap. Don’t you think so?”
Godell’s smiling face from that day flashed in her mind — the day she handed Echo some paint and said those words.
Happiness. A word Echo had never even dared to wish for.
For the first time, she didn’t hate the idea of going back home.
But that feeling, too, was only a fleeting memory.
“…It’s a good thing for both of us. It’s fine.”
Echo murmured to herself. But the more she said it, the hotter her eyes felt.
“‘I’m fine’ is just a habit. If you say it too much, you’ll forget how you really feel.”
Godell’s voice suddenly echoed in her mind.
Maybe she was right. Echo didn’t even understand why she felt this way anymore.
She didn’t know how long she sat there. As she stared at the paint stains on her clothes, she slowly looked up. The sun was setting. She had left home without saying a word—Godell might be worried.
She rubbed her eyes with her sleeves and was just about to stand when—
She smelled alcohol. A foul, sour smell.
Echo slowly lifted her head. A long shadow was cast right up to her shoes.
She raised her head all the way.
A familiar face. Echo’s eyes widened.
“Well, well. Look who it is…”
Louis smirked with cracked lips and slurred speech.
“My lovely granddaughter.”
“G-Grandfather…?”
Echo stood up in alarm. The closer Louis came, the stronger the stench of alcohol.
The smell was sharp, and Echo instinctively scrunched her nose.
“What are you doing here? Wait, don’t tell me… Godell finally kicked you out?”
Louis waved his hand like it was obvious. Echo tried to deny it, but he was quicker.
“Actually, this is perfect. I was looking for you anyway. Come with your old grandpa.”
“W-What? Go? Go where…?”
“Where else would it be? To your grandfather’s house, of course.”
At Louis’s words, Echo’s face stiffened.
To her grandfather’s house?
Was Godell trying to send her away? To live with him?
Because… she was a burden?
Echo had always known, deep down, that she might be kicked out of the house someday. But now that she was hearing something close to it, her heart sank heavily.
When she didn’t say anything, Louis clicked his tongue and muttered,
“That Godell… she actually said she’s going to report your father’s death.”
“What? She’s going to report… my father’s death?”
Echo’s eyes widened, not from shock at her father’s death — she already knew — but at the idea of officially reporting it.
Her father’s pension was basically the pillar holding their household up. Reporting his death would mean giving up that support.
“Why would she do that…?”
“My thoughts exactly!” Louis jumped in, raising his voice.
“She wants to stop the money from coming in when we can barely survive as it is? Do you know how shocked I was when I heard that?”
He ground his teeth. He went on to complain about Godell, but Echo wasn’t really listening.
Godell wants to report Father’s death…
The only reason Echo could stay in that house was because she was Gilbert’s daughter. The government allowed the pension to continue because there was still a dependent child.
If they reported his death, there would be no reason to keep her.
Then… is Godell really trying to get rid of me…?
“……”
Echo had always thought the day would come when she’d no longer be needed. But now that she heard it out loud, it felt like all the strength drained from her body.
Her head dropped slowly. Louis, seeing this, mumbled, “Oh, my poor granddaughter,” and moved closer.
“It must be a lot to take in. I understand how you feel.”
He nodded as if he truly sympathized.
“If that money stops, how are we supposed to live? I always knew your aunt wasn’t the brightest, but this is just foolish… Tsk tsk.”
“……”
“And then she tells me, her own father, not to contact her anymore? Who does she think she is? Ordering her own father around like that — heartless!”
Louis snorted in disbelief. Then, putting on a fake kind face, he grabbed Echo’s arm with his large hand.
“That’s why you should come with your old grandpa. Even if she reports your father’s death, as long as you’re with me, it’ll be fine. No matter how stupid she is—”
“No.”
For the first time, Echo cut him off. She raised her head and looked straight into his eyes.
“Godell isn’t stupid.”
Yes. Maybe the old Godell would’ve thought like Louis.
But not the person she was now. Someone who spent what little money she had to give Echo a taste of happiness. Someone who cared about her feelings. Someone who spoke so carefully when talking about her father.
Godell — her aunt — knew exactly what she was doing.
She knew they shouldn’t take money they no longer deserved.
Louis blinked in disbelief. Echo, who always avoided eye contact, had just interrupted him. She had cut him off.
“…I don’t know the full reason why she made that decision. I’m not her, after all.”
“You…”
“But I know she’s not stupid.”
Echo said it again, this time with firmness. Her green eyes were steady — stronger than ever before.
It was a gaze that saw through wrong, a kind of clarity that Louis had never seen in her. It overwhelmed him, and he couldn’t find any words to say.
“…So I won’t go with you, Grandpa.”
“What?”
Those words jolted him back to his senses.
“You’re saying… Do you agree with Godell?”
“…Yes.”
