HDGD 9

Chapter: 9

Like a teddy bear torn to shreds, Sia’s once peaceful life was shattered beyond repair.

Life at the House of Duke Righlus was nothing short of hell.

Until the day she entered the military academy, Sia had no choice but to hold her breath and endure each passing day there. It went without saying that she never returned to the Harrington household even once.

The only small comfort was the teddy bear that eventually found its way back into her arms.

It had been crudely stitched together, its entire body riddled with seams, but she was grateful for even that much.

Recalling the past left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Who had that assailant been that day? Why had he tried to drag her away?

Gilead had never told her—right up until his death.

And in this life, too, he would likely keep his mouth shut forever.

In the end, if she wanted to uncover the truth, Sia herself would have to move.

“So,” Riana asked, “what are you going to do now?”

Even in the face of the question, Sia couldn’t answer right away.

She wanted to know the truth—but at the same time, she didn’t. Those contradictory emotions coexisted within her.

Until just a few days ago, they had been people more precious to her than anyone else in the world. The fact that she now found herself suspecting them first made her feel unbearably sad.

“Then don’t overthink it. When the weekend comes, go visit their house.”

Noel gathered the documents spread across the table and handed them to Sia.

“What you know might not be the whole truth. Look into everything properly, and then decide. It won’t be too late. Especially when it comes to people—you need to be careful. Don’t you think?”

“What’s with you suddenly talking like an adult? What, are you on your second life or something…?”

“What nonsense. If anything, you’re the one who acts like you’re on your third life with how cool and detached you are.”

“I am not.”

Even as she joked along, Sia repeated Noel’s words over and over in her mind.

They carried a weight that resonated deep in her chest.

What I know isn’t the only truth.

Did that apply to the black-haired instructor as well?

Sia recalled the image of Gilead dying before her eyes.

For decades, he had been nothing but a vile man—so what kind of truth could he possibly have been hiding?

There were countless things she wanted to know, but for now, she decided to focus on the matter right in front of her.

“Thank you for helping me. I’ll do that. This debt—”

“Hey, don’t think of it as a debt. We’re classmates, aren’t we?”

“Right. You said you’d rip my clothes in front of my crush next time. Remember?”

At their synchronized winks, something tickled at the corner of her heart.

It was awkward, but not unpleasant.

A strange feeling—one she had never experienced before her death.

* * *

A few days later, Sia visited the Harrington couple’s home.

“Oh my goodness—look who it is! Sia, you’ve become such a proper young lady!”

“Do you know how many years it’s been…? After we sent you away, do you have any idea how heartbroken we were? Oh dear… seeing your face again feels like a dream!”

At the familiar brick house, Sia received an overwhelming welcome from the Harrington family.

Mrs. Harrington even clasped Sia’s hands, tears welling in her eyes.

“…It took me longer than I expected. I’m sorry—I’ve been so busy with one thing after another.”

“Nonsense! Now that you’ve come, everything’s fine! Come, sit at the table!”

Mr. Harrington pulled her along by the hand.

Sitting at the table with a complicated mix of emotions, Sia found Derek across from her offering her food again and again.

“I heard you got into the academy. How is it? Isn’t it hard?”

“It’s manageable. More importantly—did you take a leave of absence from university? Can you go back?”

“Huh? Ah… well, that’s how it turned out. Father’s injured and can’t work, so as the eldest son, shouldn’t I help out?”

Derek laughed heartily as if it were no big deal.

Beside him, Mrs. Harrington spoke gently to Sia.

“Sia, I’m sure you’re doing well at school, but if things ever get tough, come back here anytime. We’ll always welcome you.”

“Yes, this isn’t because I raised you to turn you into a farmhand and make you work—”

“What nonsense are you talking about, dear!” Mrs. Harrington snapped. “Sia, just having you here is enough for us. So when things get hard, think of us. All right?”

The bickering couple, Derek’s sturdy smile—everything was exactly as she remembered.

Sia, who had planned to ask about the letters, ultimately didn’t.

Even if there had been money exchanges she didn’t know about, she didn’t want to trouble the people who made her feel so at ease.

If I think of it as payment for babysitting… it’s not exactly an illegal transaction.

And the Duke of Righlus was wealthy, after all.

If she thought of it as helping out a poor farming family…

As Sia tried to convince herself, Mrs. Harrington asked,

“You’re staying the night, right?”

“What? Ah—no, I just stopped by briefly…”

“Don’t say that. Stay just one night. It’d be too sad to let you go like this.”

Her earnest plea softened Sia’s resolve.

Truthfully, she had already wanted to spend one night in the room she’d lived in as a child. In the end, she agreed.

“Then… I’ll stay for just one night.”

“Stay? Don’t say that! We’re ‘family,’ remember?”

Derek’s words warmed her heart.

A word she could never expect from her legal guardian, even until death.

Sia whispered to herself,

After all, these people are my real family.

* * *

Tap. Tap-tap-tap.

The sound of rain striking the window woke her.

She had lain down on the bed, overwhelmed by emotion at being back in her childhood room, and must have fallen asleep at some point.

What time is it?

As she searched for the clock, the rain began to fall harder.

Then she heard the sound of the front door opening.

Who could it be at this hour…?

Surely her legal guardian hadn’t come all the way here?

Holding her breath, Sia quietly opened her bedroom door.

As she approached the second-floor railing overlooking the living room, voices drifted up from below.

“This time, it’d better be the real thing. Screw us over again, and you’re dead.”

“There won’t be any problems this time! If you just go straight up to the second floor—”

In the dim lamplight, figures flickered into view.

The Harrington couple, their son—and a large man.

She couldn’t make out everything they were saying, but one thing was clear.

That man was here to harm her, Sia, who was upstairs.

If she didn’t want to be a victim, she had to act first.

Crash!

Using the thunder as cover, Sia leapt down from the railing.

She landed lightly on the floor, spun around, and faced Mr. Harrington head-on.

Her target was his cane.

Before he could even react, Sia struck his left leg with pinpoint accuracy.

A sharp crack rang out, followed by a piercing scream.

“AAAH!”

The man collapsed to the floor, clutching his leg.

Without hesitation, Sia swung the cane again and charged at Derek.

He reached for a chair to defend himself, but he was far too slow.

Struck hard in the shin, her foster brother crumpled forward without a chance to fight back.

“What the hell?! You said she’d be out cold!”

“I—I don’t know…!”

Ignoring Mrs. Harrington’s panicked voice, Sia vaulted onto the dining table.

The middle-aged woman wasn’t a serious threat in this situation.

The real problem was—

Just as Sia adjusted her stance, lightning split the air behind her.

Flash!

In the blinding light, she saw his face.

A thick beard, a face riddled with scars, and a black eyepatch.

That vicious appearance dragged long-buried memories to the surface.

“You…”

At last, all the pieces fell into place.

Who had dragged this eyepatched man into the house the day she left.

Who had tried to kill her.

The man recognized her too and licked his lips.

The rope in his hand made it easy to guess what he planned to do to her.

“Well, damn… you’ve grown a lot since back then, brat. I can get a much higher price for you now.”

His weapon was a heavy axe.

Hers was nothing more than a thin metal cane.

Cursing herself for not bringing a proper weapon, Sia launched herself into the air.

As she spun midair, a chair crashed into the spot where she’d been standing moments earlier.

Seeing her narrowly evade the attack, the eyepatched man clicked his tongue.

“Tch. Where do you think you’re running—!”

Each crude swing of his massive weapon shattered furniture, sending splinters flying.

After circling the living room and ending up back near the dining table, Sia reached behind her and hurled whatever her hand closed around.

It was the lamp that had been quietly doing its job until then.

“Hot—! Aaaagh!”

Just as she’d intended, the oil and flame spilled onto the man’s clothes.

Slapping at the fire in a panic, the man bolted outside.

But just as he kicked open the front door and rushed down the steps, a figure emerged from the darkness and swept out a long leg.

With a dull thud, the man collapsed.

Flash!

Thunder roared as lightning struck again.

Chasing after the assailant, Sia stepped outside and saw a man standing in the rain.

Water dripped from his soaking black hair as he kicked the fallen man’s body once more—

as if delivering a final blow.

“Duke Righlus, you bastard! So it was you after all!”

What…?

Startled, Sia turned around.

Amid the pouring rain, Mrs. Harrington burst out of the house, hurling curses at Gilead.

What she shouted was something Sia had never even imagined.

“It was you…! You were the one who spread the information that gouging out her eyes would fetch a price!”