I Don’t Need Them Anymore — Abandoning the Family That Never Loved Me, I Find Happiness in a Neighboring Kingdom - Chapter 39

“I don’t find other people’s daughters cute.”

No sooner had my mother given this clear answer than she continued, her voice trembling.

“That’s what I thought. …But Ramula is my daughter.”

“Well, that’s good then.”

It was a mother’s love that I had never received from her.

Something I had desperately, desperately wanted.

But that was in the past, something I no longer needed now.

I felt relieved that there was still love in my mother’s heart for the daughter she had raised.

After all, I share blood with this woman, don’t I?

I wanted there to be at least one area where I could think she was somewhat decent.

“Are we finished here?”

The tea was still a bit hot, but not so hot that I couldn’t drink it. Not wanting to waste it, I drank it all in one go and stood up, just as my mother spoke to me.

“…I want to apologize to you. I truly believe I did something terrible.”

“I need neither your apology nor your love.”

When I answered coldly, her eyes widened and she screamed.

“I’m reflecting on what I did!”

“Perhaps you are. But if you hadn’t been betrayed by Father, or learned the truth about my sister, you wouldn’t feel that way, would you?”

“Dahlia…”

I could see tears welling up in my mother’s eyes as her expression instantly turned blank.

As far as I could remember, this was the first time in my life I had made eye contact with my mother like this.

And it would likely be the first and last time.

“Even though we share blood, you didn’t find me cute, right? That’s fine now. You will always be my mother, but you’re no longer someone I wish would love me.”

“I know I said terrible things!”

“There’s no need for you to worry about me.”

“That’s not it! I truly want to apologize!”

“Being apologized to in your current situation, I can’t accept it as a genuine apology.”

Soon enough, my mother would be driven out by my brother too. Knowing that, I can only see this as her trying to curry favor with me.

“Goodbye. Please be happy with your one and only beloved daughter. …Do take care not to be abandoned by that daughter too.”

“Dahlia!”

My mother stood up, but immediately collapsed in tears. Feeling no desire to offer any kind words, I turned my back and began to walk away. She didn’t try to chase after me.

I returned inside the shop and rejoined Lady Edith.

“Have you settled things in your mind?”

“Yes. My parents are dead to me now. From now on, they are the former king and former queen. I’ll see what becomes of them, but it shouldn’t pain my heart anymore.”

“That’s good then.”

Lady Edith smiled and held out her hand to me.

“Shall we go home?”

“Yes.”

When I placed my hand in hers, she gently enveloped it with her own. I gently squeezed back.

Even though it was just holding hands, why did it make me feel so secure?

Before we started walking, I glanced back and saw the former queen, still crying, with a maid comforting her.

＊＊＊＊＊＊

Early the next morning, I met Lord Zerath in front of the gate of the Zerath ducal family’s villa near the port.

I had heard the Zerath villa was located in the forest and was a wonderful place for forest bathing, so I had wanted to visit it once.

Of course, back when I thought that, I never imagined my engagement to him would be broken off—.

As I stepped down from the carriage, a slightly chilly wind blew, rustling the leaves of the trees quietly.

“It’s been a while.”

“It has been a long time.”

Lord Zerath, who had spoken to me, was considerably thinner than when I last saw him and looked utterly exhausted.

As expected, he had wanted to meet with me alone. When I refused, he said anyone but Lady Edith would be fine, so I had Nana accompany me.

Lady Edith, who had been refused, was waiting in the carriage.

When I glanced at Nana standing behind me, she was in combat stance, gripping her silver tray tightly and staring coldly at Lord Zerath.

“Why didn’t you drink it?”

Lord Zerath asked in a hushed voice, keeping an eye on Nana.

“Because I would die if I drank it, right? I didn’t want to drink something like that.”

“I had no choice back then, didn’t I? Because you didn’t drink it, things turned out like this.”

“Because I didn’t drink it?”

When I glared back at him and asked, Lord Zerath covered his mouth with a panicked expression. I asked him further.

“Let me confirm something—why did I have to die? There might have been other ways to avoid getting married without resorting to something like that, you know?”

“Listen, Dahlia! There was a trick to it! The amount was adjusted so you wouldn’t have to die!”

“Can you absolutely guarantee I wouldn’t die? And even if your goal was achieved, was it acceptable for me to suffer?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

After giving him a scornful glance, I looked silently at Nana. She then took a small packet from her pouch and handed it to me.

“Thank you.”

When I accepted the packet, Nana gave a gentle smile and nodded. After smiling back at her, I turned to face Lord Zerath again.

“Lord Zerath, I don’t need this.”

“Th-that’s…!”

What I had offered to Lord Zerath was the packet of poison he had prepared for me.