The Female Lead Takes Care of Everything - Chapter 98

*

‘Where is Lady?’

Aref, who had been engrossed in the treasure hunt, soon looked for Nivellia.

Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult to find her. Just in time, Nivellia shouted loudly that she was going to the bathroom.

Aref, who was about to follow, stopped and waited for a moment.

“You have to go to the bathroom alone and secretly!”

So, he waited a bit and headed to the mansion.

He could find where Nivellia went with his eyes closed.

The bathroom closest to the entrance was one Aref often visited when playing in the garden.

‘I found seven, I wonder how many Lady found?’

Aref’s steps were light as he walked down the hallway. His mind was busy thinking about what to play with Nivellia.

Anything would be happy and enjoyable.

Aref hummed a short piece of piano music he had recently learned.

He started learning to accompany Nivellia’s songs, but recently he became interested in the piano itself.

‘I’m always happy when I’m with Lady.’

Happy things always happen.

The eight-year-old boy in love wanted to go to his sweetheart quickly.

‘She’ll definitely be surprised when she sees me, right?’

But soon she would smile brightly and run to him, hugging him tightly.

Nivellia’s smile, which she showed every time, was as transparent and warm as the spring sunshine.

But then he heard a commotion somewhere.

It was a familiar voice.

“…!”

As soon as Aref realized who the voice belonged to, he ran as fast as he could.

As he got closer to the bathroom, the unclear voice became clearer.

Crazy about men.

She’s just doing it because you’re a noble lady.

Aref’s mind went blank.

He was angry.

‘She hasn’t changed!’

Before they left the orphanage together, Rima apologized to him for bullying him.

Of course, Aref didn’t believe it.

After bullying him so relentlessly, she lumped together all the things she had done and apologized, how could he believe that?

But today was Nivellia’s birthday.

The well-behaved appearance he saw at the banquet was hypocritical, but he had a slim hope that maybe she had really changed.

But Rima hadn’t changed.

She was still a mean kid who bullied people who seemed weaker and easier to pick on than herself.

‘Even to Lady this time!’

Aref, who vowed that he would never forgive her and that he would definitely get angry this time, soon arrived at his destination, the bathroom.

But it was Rima who was screaming and lying on the floor.

“Ah! Aah!”

Thwack! Thwack!

Nivellia was sitting on top of Rima, who had fallen, grabbing Rima’s hair with her left hand and punching Rima’s face with her right hand.

“Apologize!”

“It hurts! Let go!”

Thwack!

“Apologize!”

“Why should I apologize!”

Thwack!

Nivellia hit her firmly.

“….”

Aref, who was watching the scene, hesitated for a moment.

Did he need to intervene?

Lady was beating her up so well?

“Lady!”

Still, he separated Nivellia from Rima for the time being.

“Re■!”

Rima, who had finally escaped from Nivellia, shouted happily.

But Aref only looked at Nivellia.

“Lady, are you okay?”

Nivellia’s hands, hair, face, and clothes. Aref carefully checked to see if there was anything wrong.

Then his eyes fell on the back of Nivellia’s hand. A red bruise appeared on the fair and soft skin of the back of her hand.

In addition, Nivellia was quite excited.

“Aref, move. I haven’t beaten her enough yet!”

“No. Your hand is hurt.”

“But she said bad things to me…!”

Nivellia, who was still angry, hissed and glared at Rima.

Aref hugged Nivellia tightly and comforted her.

“…”

Rima’s blank eyes were fixed on Aref.

As if it was unbelievable, she looked at Aref with a wounded expression, as if she had been greatly betrayed.

‘He must have seen me getting hit.’

But Aref only looked after Nivellia.

He was busy fixing Nivellia’s disheveled clothes and tucking the stray hairs behind her ears.

He didn’t look at Rima for even a moment.

“Re■!”

At the resentful cry, Aref finally turned his gaze.

Eyes filled with anger pierced him sharply like a blade. Rima flinched and stepped back without realizing it.

“Aref.”

Nivellia, who was also surprised, grabbed Aref’s hand.

Aref patted the small hand that was holding him and said.

“You’re still mean and a bad kid.”

“….”

“Today is Lady’s birthday. And she’s younger than you. How can you say such cruel and bad things without any guilt?”

“No!”

Rima shouted, feeling wronged.

“I didn’t do anything! Lady suddenly grabbed my hair and punched me!”

“I heard everything.”

Rima’s expression, who was making excuses, turned pale.

Then, like a broken machine, she awkwardly raised the corners of her mouth and gave a bizarre smile.

“W-What did you hear?”

“You insulting Lady. I heard everything.”

With those words, Aref turned his gaze away from Rima.

“I’m going to tell the adults about what just happened. And don’t come near Lady anymore.”

With those words, Aref took Nivellia and left the scene.

Rima, who was left alone, called Aref in a desperate voice.

“Re, Re■….”

“My name is Aref.”

Aref, who stopped walking, looked back at Rima for the last time.

He had to say something he felt he would regret for the rest of his life if he didn’t say it now.

“I really hate you.”

“….”

“I hate you the most in the world for only bullying weak people. From now on, your name will be the most terrible and dirty curse to me.”

*

Aref immediately told Caleo and Seletina everything he had seen and heard.

In fact, Aref couldn’t remember everything Rima had said. He was so angry that he couldn’t hear properly.

But just two things.

Crazy about men.

Because you’re a noble lady.

He remembered these two things clearly. A curse with clear malice was clearly imprinted in the young child’s mind.

“I-Is that really true?”

“Oh my god!”

Caleo and Seletina were also in great shock.

It was a fact that was hard to believe easily.

They couldn’t believe that the young child had said such terrible things.

However, Aref’s rarely agitated expression and Nivellia’s unusually quiet appearance.

“Marquis.”

Aref said to Caleo.

“Marquis. I like Lady because she is Lady.”

“I know.”

“I don’t like Lady because she’s a noble. Please believe me.”

“Do you think I wouldn’t know?”

I see you two getting along so kindly every day?

Caleo smiled and said.

“You cherish each other more than anyone else. I believe in your sincerity. So don’t worry.”

“We believe in you. Because you’re family.”

Seletina held Aref’s hand tightly.

Only then did Aref feel relieved, sniffle, and shed a few tears.

The bad things Rima said to Nivellia were a big wound to Aref.

This was because it trampled even Aref’s pure sincerity.

“Eeeeeh!”

Only then did Nivellia burst into tears that she had been holding back.

“I was scared! I was scared!”

The treasure hunt ended like that because of the unsettling atmosphere.

The first place was Leticia, who found as many as twenty.

This was because Soles subtly helped Leticia discover what he had found.

But Leticia forgot all about the magic stone and was busy hugging and comforting Nivellia, who was crying.

The horseback riding time, which was scheduled to follow, was also canceled.

*

“Rima.”

“Did you really say bad things to Nini?”

Al and Rubens asked Rima, who had been isolated separately by Caleo’s orders.

“Sob, sob.”

Rima could only shed tears.

She was a mess.

She had been beaten up by Nivellia, her cheeks were bruised and swollen, and only the right side of her hair was particularly disheveled.

This was because Nivellia grabbed Rima’s hair and subdued her.

If someone who didn’t know the situation saw it, they would have pitied Rima as a victim, but no one asked Rima if she was okay.

Not even Al and Rubens.

“…”

Caleo, who was watching this, sighed quietly.

It was extremely difficult.

‘What should I do?’

His daughter’s once-in-a-lifetime fifth birthday was ruined.

He wanted to kick her out right away, but she happened to be a child sponsored by his friend.

‘Yes, a child. She’s a child.’

He wanted to get over it nicely if possible. He could end it with just one apology.

Of course, he would have to take measures to prevent her from meeting Nivellia again.

But Rima didn’t open her mouth once.

He persuaded her several times to tell him if she had any grievances, but she only cried, so there was no progress.

“….”

Al, who was watching Rima with an inscrutable expression, turned his body.

“Nini.”

Al headed to Nivellia, who was sitting on the opposite sofa.

Nivellia, who was sitting between Aref, Soles, and Leticia, had a bandage on her right hand.

“I’m really sorry.”

Al bowed his head and apologized.

But Nivellia shook her head.

“Al didn’t do anything wrong to me.”

“But Rima is a child sponsored by our house. I’m also responsible for not watching her properly.”

“What hyung said is right. We’re also at fault for bringing her.”

Rubens also apologized, saying he was really sorry.

“I should have stopped her until the end.”

“I think we spoiled her too much. I’ll be careful from now on.”

At this, Caleo was relieved.

‘I can settle it like this.’

It was unfortunate for Al and Rubens, who were like his own children, but thanks to these children apologizing first, he was able to smooth things over.

At that time.

“I, I….”

Rima finally opened her mouth.

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