I Don’t Need Them Anymore — Abandoning the Family That Never Loved Me, I Find Happiness in a Neighboring Kingdom - Chapter 30

“Ramula, that’s enough. You should go home now.”

“But, Father!”

“If you won’t listen to me, I’ll truly throw you out!”

Though merely one of the guests, Father was trying to drive my sister from the room. Yet it wouldn’t be right for me to give orders either, so just as I was about to ask Lord Edith, he spoke first.

“Princess Ramula, you were only invited because you’re Dahlia’s sister. If you can’t sincerely celebrate our engagement, then leave right now. And look around you?”

Urged by Lord Edith, my sister turned her tearful eyes toward the other guests. Then, noticing the icy stares she’d likely never experienced before, she flinched and shuddered.

These cold stares were what I had been receiving all along. I have no intention of sympathizing with my sister. That my heart aches even though they’re not directed at me is probably because it brings back memories.

Lord Edith opened the door and instructed the soldiers outside to take my sister away. The soldier bowed, entered, and addressed my sister.

“I will escort you to the waiting room.”

Perhaps judging that my sister couldn’t leave yet since Father was still present, the soldier said this and grabbed her arm.

“N-no! I didn’t come here to be humiliated like this!”

My sister desperately tried to shake off his grip, but it was futile.

“Dahlia! Help! You’re not the kind of girl who would do something this awful, are you?”

My sister continued wailing, but I ignored her and turned my attention to Father. He gave a bitter smile as if to say he had nothing to do with it.

“She was such a lovely daughter. That she grew up this unreasonable is my wife’s and my responsibility. No matter how many times I apologize to Dahlia, it will never be enough.”

By this time, my sister had been taken out of the room by the soldier, and Lord Edith, who had stepped out earlier perhaps after giving some instruction had just returned.

Father looked suspiciously at Lord Edith, then turned his gaze to me.

“Do you still think you can earn my forgiveness?”

“I don’t expect immediate forgiveness. I intend to build a relationship of trust from now on.”

As Father answered, His Majesty the King of Rofeus snorted. Noticing this, Father snapped at him.

“W-what? Do you have some problem with that?”

“It’s not a problem. I just snorted.”

“How rude! Besides, you’ve not only regarded me as an enemy since long ago, you’ve always treated me like a fool!”

“Wouldn’t you say you’re also to blame for acting in ways that invite being treated like a fool?”

“I haven’t done anything!”

“You certainly have!”

His Majesty the King of Rofeus stood up with an angry expression and retorted loudly.

I doubt they’ll bring up the matter of the concubine here, but just in case, I should step in.

“If you have no intention of celebrating with us, perhaps you should leave with Lady Ramula.”

“You…!”

Father shouted, a vein bulging on his temple.

“You planned this from the start, didn’t you?! And in front of all these people! I am a king and your father! What pleasure do you get from humiliating your own father?!”

“I have no intention of humiliating you. Besides, it was Lady Ramula who started this. If you had simply celebrated with us sincerely, it wouldn’t have come to this.”

“Everything I’ve done to raise you has been for nothing! I wish you’d never been born!”

Hearing those words, I felt I understood why Father had been so cold to me.

“How could you say something so terrible!”

I grabbed the sleeve of Lord Edith’s arm as he moved to confront Father, and he stopped and stared at me.

“…So, it was to control me.”

I murmured the words, and as if understanding their meaning, Lord Edith’s expression shifted with realization.

“So that’s it. You intended to mold her into an obedient doll by treating Dahlia harshly and instilling fear and guilt toward you.”

“…That’s a rude way to put it.”

Father clicked his tongue and averted his face from Lord Edith.

The fact that he didn’t deny it means I’m not wrong, doesn’t it?

Lord Edith seemed to think so too and pressed Father for confirmation.

“If I’m mistaken, I apologize. But what I said isn’t wrong, is it?”

“Of course, it’s wrong!”

“Father, I share Lord Edith’s opinion. You were trying to use Dahlia as a substitute for our elder sister.”

As my brother joined in, Father seemed about to say something, but noticing the cold stares around him, he closed his mouth.

Hearing Lord Edith and my brother’s words, something occurred to me.

Normally, one would be careful not to get pregnant again so soon, considering the mother’s health. If they said he didn’t care because he didn’t love Mother, that would be one thing, but I felt it was different.

My brother and I were born in the same year. Did he push Mother to have another child so quickly to ensure there wasn’t too large an age gap between my sister and me?

“Could it be that the reason there’s less than a year’s difference between my brother and me is so you could have a replacement daughter for Lady Ramula as soon as possible?”

When I asked, Father only glared at me with intense resentment.