I Only Raised Men for Revenge - Chapter 12

From the start, Sesenia wouldn’t have been surprised if Teddy had run away. Anyone would want to escape if they were let loose without someone watching them. But Teddy was surprisingly diligent.

“What are you thinking about?”

It was then.

Sesenia, who had finished her meal and was savoring her tea, snapped back to reality at the sudden voice.

Only then did she realize it was the family dinner that took place once a week.

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking about something.”

“You must be preoccupied with business.”

The Marquis, looking a little tired, smiled awkwardly at Sesenia.

“I suppose so. Are you alright, Father? The family dinner was originally three days ago. I heard you canceled it because you weren’t feeling well.”

“Ah… yes. I suddenly wasn’t feeling well. I’m fine now.”

“Yes. But isn’t Sister coming to dinner?”

“Heh heh. You’re asking early. She seems to have collapsed after overworking herself for a few days. She was showing ambition to properly take over the Marquisate.”

The Marquis clicked his tongue and shook his head.

“At least she’s doing something.”

In the past, she would have pushed everything onto Sesenia. Saying her head hurt, her body ached. Asking if her younger sister couldn’t help with things like this. Sesenia would have been used and done everything with those words.

‘Come to think of it, she was quite wicked.’

After using her like that, Elzer never uttered a word of thanks to Sesenia. She took all the credit, saying she was doing well because she was so great. Sesenia had no complaints about that.

She thought that eventually, everyone would recognize it.

‘Foolishly. If I don’t say anything, no one will know what Sesenia is doing. I didn’t realize that.’

She wouldn’t live like that anymore. She would talk about everything she had done for others without exception. So that others wouldn’t claim her accomplishments as their own. She reaffirmed that she would tell the world about her greatness.

“Of course, she is.”

“But it’s unexpected.”

“What is?”

“That you don’t seem too worried, Father, even though you heard that Sister collapsed.”

Elzer had suffered from frequent minor illnesses since she was young. The Marquis was very sorry for his daughter, and if Elzer collapsed, he would nurse her in her room for days.

But now, he seemed to be talking about someone else’s business without much emotion.

“Is that so? Heh heh. I have some things to worry about too. More than that, are you alright? You don’t look well.”

“You seem a little different, Father.”

“Me?”

“Yes. Somehow, you’ve become more affectionate, I guess. You’re worrying about me.”

He twitched his cheekbones, looking slightly surprised. The Marquis didn’t worry even when Sesenia collapsed. He didn’t even look in on her, saying she would recover quickly because she was healthy. Sesenia’s mood was as dirty as if she had been thrown into a swamp because he was suddenly worried. She didn’t know if he was trying to act like her father now or what.

“Is that so.”

“You were always affectionate only to Sister.”

“Don’t even mention Elzer.”

“Yes…? Suddenly? Did you fight or something?”

Until a few days ago, he was looking at Elzer with affection. But in a few days, his expression and actions changed like the back of his hand.

“Ah, no. It’s not that we fought, but…”

This is really strange. Why is he doing this? They say that when a person suddenly changes, it’s time for them to die, so is it time for the Marquis to die?

“Well, what kind of business are you doing this time?”

As if trying to change the subject at all costs, he hurriedly waved his hand and leaned forward.

“Ah. It’s still a secret.”

“But tell me. If you need anything, I might be able to support you more.”

Should I tell him? In the past, Sesenia had already notified the Marquis before starting a business. That was the only way to get support. But this time, she moved as she wanted, thanks to the separate investment she received.

‘Even if I tell him now, there’s nothing the Marquis can stop.’

With that thought, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I bought cotton.”

“Cotton?”

“Yes. A cold winter is coming soon. A cold unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. So, the demand for cotton will increase.”

Is he going to curse again? Sesenia stared at him silently. In Sesenia’s memory, the Marquis screamed that she was crazy. Sesenia braced herself, thinking it would be better to be cursed now if he was going to curse later anyway.

“I see. Wouldn’t it be better to buy firewood together?”

But unlike expected, the Marquis’s reaction was a bit strange. In the past, the Marquis had clearly cursed, saying she was doing something crazy.

No, if it had been the Marquis from two weeks ago, he would have definitely cursed. But he was looking at her with a sad expression.

“Firewood?”

“Yes.”

Originally, she had bought cotton and firewood together. Firewood was a more difficult item to manage than cotton. She needed a bigger warehouse, and it was useless unless it was dry firewood, so she had to keep it in a well-ventilated place.

Cotton was very light compared to its size, making it easy to move, but firewood was heavy, making it difficult to move. So, in this life, she was hesitating a bit about firewood.

“If you don’t have enough money, I’ll support you more.”

“You’re strange. Really.”

The way he was talking as if he knew Sesenia would need firewood, and the fact that it was completely different from when Sesenia had said it in the past, felt alien, and Sesenia kept putting up walls.

“Me? Heh heh. No, it’s not that strange.”

“Anyway, I’ll tell you if I need it. I don’t need it now.”

“Okay. Anytime, tell me anytime.”

“Yes.”

That was all. Originally, Sesenia and the Marquis were not a particularly affectionate father-daughter pair. Sesenia, who was good at noticing that the Marquis didn’t love her that much and that he was discriminating against her sister, didn’t particularly try to get close to the Marquis.

She didn’t even try after failing a few times when she was young. So, she felt very awkward at this moment.

“Then, can I go now?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

The Marquis’s gaze also felt strange. Her heart kept tingling. So, Sesenia didn’t want to talk anymore. Since she had already finished her meal, she bowed her head and jumped up from her seat.

“Sesenia.”

It was then.

“Yes?”

“Don’t you want the Marquisate?”

It was the Marquis’s question that stopped Sesenia, who was about to leave.

“It seems like you’ve wanted the Marquisate since you were young. I, I think I was too firm in giving the Marquisate to Elzer last time.”

“Are you regretting it now?”

“A little…”

Sesenia shook her head, looking at the Marquis.

“Father.”

“Yes?”

It was hard for Sesenia to even call him Father. Even at the moment when she found out that Elzer was having an affair with her husband, her father worried about Elzer, not Sesenia. So, she felt nauseous. Even in this moment of pretending to be okay and facing each other while eating.

But it wasn’t time yet for her future. She had thoroughly ignored herself, thoroughly abandoned herself. This time, it was her turn to abandon him.

‘Not now. Be patient.’

“I like things the way they are now. So, don’t change. Favor Sister as you always have. Give the Marquisate to Sister. I’ll live doing my business.”

“Wouldn’t it be even better to attach the Marquisate’s name to that business?”

Ah. That was it. The reason why the Marquis was so conscious of Sesenia today, the reason why she thought the Marquis was being affectionate today, was all because her business looked good, so he was trying to merge it with the Marquisate.

So, that’s why he was talking badly about Elzer in front of her, and why he was getting angry for no reason.

‘For a brief moment, I thought that the Marquis, that my father, might love me, but it wasn’t after all.’

Sesenia smiled and shook her head.

“No. Whether it fails or succeeds, it’s my business. Don’t even think about taking my business for Elzer Sister. This is my business in the name of my mother.”

“Huh…? No, that’s…”

The Marquis seemed quite flustered by Sesenia’s words and tried to say something, but she turned around and headed for the door without the slightest hesitation.

“Then, I’ll be going. Marquis.”

“Se, Sesenia!!”

She heard the Marquis calling her urgently, but Sesenia left the place without the slightest hesitation.

‘You only see Elzer from the past to the present.’

She could only feel sorry for herself. If they were half-siblings, if that were the case, she would understand, but Sesenia and Elzer were full siblings. And yet, such discrimination. Sesenia felt like her insides were burning.

She felt so sorry and pitiful for herself.

‘No. I’m going to make sure that I’m not unhappy anymore.’

With that determination, Sesenia headed to her room.

And.

At that moment when Sesenia was just taking her first step, there was someone in a room in the Marquisate who was talking to himself.

“I can start again.”

In the darkness where no light entered, the voice that came from within was filled with anticipation and joy.

**

“Lady. Lady.”

About three days had passed since the day she had dinner alone with the Marquis.

Lizbeth, who didn’t get excited about ordinary things, came into the room in a fuss. Sesenia, who was organizing documents about her business, greeted Lizbeth blandly.

“Yes. What’s wrong?”

“It’s a big deal!”

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