I Only Raised Men for Revenge - Chapter 30

“It’s because you keep saying weird things!”

“Weird things? Sister, I was just telling you because you were so happy. There was nothing there from the start. I just told you because you were so happy.”

“……”

“Ah. It’s today.”

“What’s today?”

Elzer, who had been so excited when she came into the room, looked at Sesenia with a much calmer expression than before.

“The sales news will be out. About the Hepria cotton and firewood that were all sold off a week ago.”

“You, you did that on purpose.”

“What?”

“You didn’t tell me about the sale, you didn’t tell me on purpose, did you?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Elzer’s face was already flushed red, as if she had no intention of hiding the fact that she had started the fire.

“It’s fun.”

“What?”

“I knew you were going to make a mess. So, I hid it on purpose. To give you despair, sister. How is it? Despairing? All that work you put in with your clever brain, and it all comes to nothing.”

“…You’re really mean.”

“Look who’s talking. I’ll be going now, sister. Don’t you have to clean up the mess?”

“This time it turned out like this, but don’t think you’ll win next time.”

Sesenia nodded, seemingly pleased.

“Please just win.”

“You’re so relaxed. Let’s see how long that composure lasts.”

“That’s right. That’s the look. That confidence that you’re always the winner. I really like it when you’re so confident, sister. So please, keep being like that.”

Elzer, now realizing the situation, walked out of the room. Sesenia watched her go and scanned the documents that Rohan had brought.

“We’ve already found the culprit but, of course, they’re not talking about who’s behind them. What should we do?”

“They should be punished. It’s okay if we don’t find out who’s behind them.”

“Yes?”

“I’d rather the mastermind not be revealed. That way, my sister can keep tormenting me. That’s what I want. For my sister to not give up and keep tormenting me.”

And to taste countless despairs.

That’s the only way she’ll be willing to fight me to the death.

Sesenia gulped down the cold tea in one go and smiled as she looked at the documents.

**

That afternoon.

After checking all the documents that Rohan had brought and deciding how to punish the culprit, Sesenia was enjoying a rare moment of leisure.

But that leisure didn’t last long.

“His Excellency the Marquis has requested that the family have dinner together.”

“A family dinner. Was it already time for dinner?”

“Not exactly, but he said he has something to say today. He said there are several matters to discuss, so he asked that you clear your schedule and attend.”

Since she didn’t have any pressing matters anyway, Sesenia nodded at the butler’s words.

“Tell him I’ll be there on time.”

“Yes, Miss Sesenia.”

It was a truly unwanted dinner. In the past, she had enjoyed those dinners. It was the only place where she felt like she was truly accepted as part of the family. But not anymore.

The words “I don’t want to go” were stuck in her throat, but Sesenia shook her head.

‘It won’t be long now.’

Sesenia planned to leave this house in the spring. Until then, she decided to endure it and steeled her resolve.

That evening.

Elzer was also at the dinner table. Her face looked terrible, as if she had found out about what Sesenia had asked to be investigated. Sitting across from Sesenia, Elzer barely managed to pick up her fork, suppressing her anger.

“It’s a good day today.”

“Is there something going on?”

“Heh heh. It’s nice to see you pretending you don’t know, Sesenia.”

She really didn’t know why he was in such a good mood, but the Marquis praised her anyway. He seemed desperate to win her over, and his behavior was quite strange.

“Yes?”

“You’ve done a great job.”

“A great job…?”

“This business has been a huge success. You don’t have to hide it.”

“Ah. That’s only natural. It’s all thanks to my father’s support.”

Sesenia deliberately gave the credit to the Marquis instead of herself. The Marquis had always taught Sesenia the virtue of humility. More precisely, he taught her to say that everything was thanks to her great father, so that she wouldn’t get too big for her britches.

The Marquis was somewhat aware that Sesenia was far more talented than Elzer. So, one of the ways he kept her from developing further was to do this, but this time the Marquis shook his head.

“No. It’s all thanks to your hard work.”

“…You’re acting strange, Father. Didn’t you always get angry when I said that?”

“Heh heh. I was just out of my mind back then. In reality, you did it all by yourself. I should praise you when praise is due.”

“You really seem like a different person.”

If he had been like this in the past, would she have been less hurt?

If her father had been like this, wouldn’t he have protected her when she told him that her husband, the Emperor, was cheating on her?

Wouldn’t he have comforted her first when she told him that her sister was having an affair with her husband?

But Sesenia had already been hurt to the core.

‘People don’t change.’

People only change a little if they work their butts off. Sesenia also worked her butt off to not live like she did in the past. She scratched and scratched at the wounds she had received in the past to remind herself of the pain, and changed herself.

Even though she struggled and worked her butt off, she still had traces of her past self. But her father was changing? That was impossible.

“I guess I was a little harsh. That’s what you’re saying.”

“You weren’t harsh at all. So, is that why you called me here today?”

“That’s part of it. Anyway, good job. I’m very proud of you.”

“Father. I did it too.”

That’s when Elzer, having thrown away all shame, spoke in a coquettish voice.

“Huh?”

“The Hepria cotton. I did it too, Father.”

“Oh… y-yes…”

The Marquis smiled awkwardly at Elzer, who was speaking as if a spring breeze was blowing.

“I wasn’t lucky enough to see it through, but I did it too, so please praise me. Tell me I did a good job.”

“That’s right. Elzer, you were thinking about it too. Good job.”

“So, don’t take sides so much. I’m starting to feel a little upset.”

“Of course, of course. I was too biased in my pride. I’m sorry.”

It had always been like this. No matter how big a mistake Elzer made, it was just a mistake, and even a small mistake Sesenia made became a big mistake. Just like now.

It wasn’t anything new, so Sesenia picked up a piece of steak that she had finely chopped with her fork.

“Of course, the losses were quite significant.”

“I was just trying hard. It’s just a small loss. Our family isn’t going to collapse over something like that.”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

It was a huge loss that made her stomach churn, but the Marquis nodded as if he were possessed by something.

“Still, Elzer, Sesenia was the one who started this, so I think it’s right to praise Sesenia.”

“I just started buying it late. I was thinking about it enough too. You know that, right?”

“Heh heh. Yes. Well, that’s right.”

Sesenia had already expected this to happen, so she silently watched them.

‘Even so, you can’t pass it off as your own achievement at the founding anniversary banquet like you did in the past.’

In the past, Hepria cotton was distributed under the name of the Marquisate. But this time, it was a completely independent entity. On top of that, rumors had already spread that the cotton Elzer had was all ruined due to improper storage.

The reason was that she had spread the benefits of Hepria cotton everywhere and signed distribution contracts with many places. Elzer, who had tried to sell even the ruined cotton to make up for the losses, had ended up revealing the truth.

“So, Father, please say at the founding anniversary banquet that Sesenia buying Hepria cotton was also my achievement.”

Here it comes.

Sesenia swallowed the chunk of meat she had been chewing on. Her throat was blocked.

“Huh? Wasn’t that Sesenia’s doing?”

“Sesenia realized that I was going to do it and moved first. So, isn’t it thanks to me? So, Father~”

Her coquettish voice shook the Marquis’s heart.

Elzer looked just like the woman the Marquis had loved so much. Was that why he was swayed again this time?

“It’s thanks to me, right? So, you’ll definitely say that at the founding anniversary banquet, right?”

As always, the Marquis couldn’t resist his eldest daughter. It was as if he had to do everything his eldest daughter asked.

He smiled awkwardly and looked at Sesenia.

“Sesenia…”

“Do whatever you want.”

Once again, Sesenia had to give her credit to Elzer.

“See? Why would Sesenia give up? Isn’t it all thanks to me?”

“Ah, that’s right!”

A way to naturally push their guilt onto her. And every time this happened, Sesenia felt that her father was really crazy. How could he respond so easily to that idiot’s words unless he was really possessed?

“Yes. Sesenia. Everything is thanks to your sister.”

“But will people really believe it?”

It would have been Elzer’s achievement in the past. But not now. Sesenia was different now than she was then.

“What?”

“It’s nothing. It’s your achievement, sister, so be sure to say that at the founding anniversary banquet.”

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