Living Up to Your Expectations - Chapter 17

“Help me, Laila.”

The day before the payment deadline, my father bowed his head to me.

It seems he ultimately tried to sell the mansion, but such properties aren’t easily sold. Even if he could dispose of it at a fire-sale price, the payments wouldn’t end with just five million. They would continue indefinitely. How foolish.

The penalties for missing the deadline are appropriately severe. With the trading company in its current state, my father quickly gave up and chose to rely on me.

Why did he think I would help him just because he bowed his head?

Fufu, even that went exactly as I predicted.

“May I ask for a few conditions, Father?”

Father signed with trembling hands.

The scratching of the pen tip and the faint sound of paper rubbing echoed through the room.

── Formally transfer the title and trading company to Laila Nightray ──

A declaration of just one line.

“That concludes the procedures. Now, please depart before sunset.”

I spoke in a deliberately calm voice while keeping my back straight.

Across the desk, beside my father stood my pale-faced stepmother and Lilith, along with Dario who remained silent with his head bowed.

“So, we really have to leave today? As… as a family, could we have one more chance? Time to start over.”

My father’s trembling voice. But it no longer reached me.

“My, Father. We made a promise, didn’t we?”

I smiled sweetly.

── “Start over,” you say? How amusing.

“Th-that’s terrible… Sister!”

Lilith raised her voice.

“Just because Sister is inheriting the title, you’re only giving us two choices; either make our own living or survive on Sister’s ‘support’ in the territory. That’s too much!”

My, were there any other options?

“I paid all the massive compensation Father owed from my personal assets. Shouldn’t you be grateful that you at least avoided prison?”

I didn’t raise my voice. I stated only the cold facts.

“Using money for family is only natural! But to take the title, force Dario-sama and me to voluntarily withdraw from school, and immediately drive us out!”

Lilith pleaded through tears. But I merely blinked quietly.

“Is that so. I don’t recall ever receiving anything ‘family-like’ from you, so I never had that notion of what’s ‘natural.'”

I don’t even have the sense that I lived on Father’s money. He was just pocketing my money. The dresses and accessories I wear are essentially things I bought myself.

A moment of silence.

Then Dario, who had been looking down, raised his face.

“Laila, I was wrong. From now on, I’ll treasure you. So, let me be with you.”

Do you still genuinely believe I didn’t want to be taken from you? I smiled thinly.

“That’s troubling, Dario. I agreed to continue business transactions with your family on the condition of ‘marriage with Lilith.’ Since that’s what you both wanted so badly. Fufu, I’ve already settled matters with your family.”

The youngest son of a noble family without a title, and a young lady without a title – the two of you will live as commoners from now on. How fitting.

“Th-that can’t be…!”

“Dario-sama, how terrible! Are you betraying me?”

“Quiet! I want to remain a noble.”

Ah, how ugly. So, this is the true nature of “love.”

As I silently lowered my gaze, a servant quietly opened the door.

“Um… aren’t you departing soon? Rordaran Village is quite far, you know.”

Indeed, before sunset – this “family” must leave this house.

“”””Rordaran Village?””””

── My?

How comical that everyone except Father repeated the question in unison.

“Y-you. Rordaran Village, what does this mean?”

My stepmother glared at Father, her cheek twitching.

“Father. Aren’t we heading to Valerne, the central city of the territory?”

Father remained with his head bowed, not looking up, like a criminal on the execution platform.

“It’s Rordaran Village. A quiet village surrounded by nature at the edge of the territory. The air is pure, and there are few people. I’m sure it will be healing.”

Father hadn’t told Lilith and the others. Even though they would find out eventually.

“No! Not some countryside like that!”

I thought so.

“It’s the perfect place to cleanse your hearts. Don’t you need that?”

Father was receiving arrow-like accusations from my stepmother and Lilith. Dario already looked like an empty shell, his gaze wandering through emptiness, no longer uttering a single word.

Ah, how noisy. How tiresome.

I’m already fed up, but will this continue?

“Hey, could we wrap this up soon?”

I stood up and clapped my hands deliberately.

“Ah, that’s right. Shall I share one story that might ‘make you fall silent unintentionally’?”

The atmosphere grew tense. Everyone focused on me. With expectant eyes.

── But it’s not that kind of sweet story.

“Actually, after graduation, I planned to leave a note saying I would transfer both the title and fiancé to Lilith, then elope.”

“E-elope…?”

Lilith raised her tear-stained face, showing shock and confusion.

“Yes. Rather than a future bound by family, I thought living freely with the one I love would bring more happiness. Lilith, I was going to give everything to you. I just intended to disappear.”

That’s right, if you had remained silent – “everything” would have been yours. Including the duties and responsibilities you couldn’t possibly bear.

“Th-then, if I had done nothing it would have been mine?”

“Yes. If you had remained silent and waited without any clumsy schemes, that’s what would have happened. After all, I don’t need a husband who whispers love while clinging to Lilith, and I certainly didn’t want to inherit the title and work for you all my life.”

Lilith collapsed. She fell to her knees on the spot, sobbing.

Father was dumbfounded, my stepmother was stunned, and Dario covered his mouth with his hand, unable to say anything.

My victory – or rather, their defeat.

“Fufu… ‘The kind-hearted younger sister lived happily surrounded by family, united with her beloved. Meanwhile, the mean older sister remained lonely and alone. The younger sister, pitying such a sister, arranged a marriage with the second son of a viscount family.’ How about that ending?”

“…Second son of a viscount family? The elopement, could it be…!!”

My father and the others turned their surprised gazes toward Oscar, who was waiting quietly in the corner of the room.

Oscar smiled quietly and bowed.

“Now, let’s all see Father and the others off.”

As I said this, the servants solemnly carried their luggage and opened the door.

Neither Father, my stepmother, Lilith, nor Dario resisted anymore. As if being guided, they simply stood up in silence.