IHDOE Ch 48

Satina stared at the woman addressing her—the woman she closely resembled, her sole flesh-and-blood relation.

She remembered clearly how her mother had stood by as a mere bystander when Rebecca tried to throw her into a snake pit.

She had always craved her mother's affection, yet the woman had never once looked back at her.

She shrugged.

[Satina] "Well, since Rebecca picked the fight first, shouldn't she be the one apologizing to me?"

[Duchess] "Rebecca is your younger sister. As the older sister, you ought to apologize first."

[Satina] "Mm, but Rebecca doesn't acknowledge me as her older sister."

[Duchess] "Satina."

The Duchess' elegant features contorted slightly at the rebellion of a daughter who would usually obey meekly.

[Satina] "If she acknowledges me as her sister, I can certainly apologize first as the elder."

Naturally, she spoke knowing that would never happen. Rebecca loathed the very thought of her being registered into House Bersabet enough to wake up seething in the middle of the night.

Predictably, Rebecca shrieked.

[Rebecca] "Why should I?! Are you insane?! Why are you, my sister?! Who do you think you are?!"

[Satina] "You heard her, didn't you? Since she doesn't acknowledge me as her sister, I have no reason to apologize."

Satina turned away from the two of them and reached for the doorknob to enter the banquet hall.

[Duchess] "Satina. You really..."

The Duchess was struck speechless. In the past, a single word from her would have made Satina cower and comply instantly.

[Duchess] "Why have you become so wicked?"

Pausing on her way into the hall, Satina glanced back over her shoulder. The eyes that once desperately craved affection had grown as cold as ice, staring at her mother like a complete stranger.

[Satina] "Because your good daughter died the day you turned your back on me."

With that, she slipped inside first.

Rebecca and the Duchess hastily followed her into the banquet hall. Though Rebecca continued to glare at Satina with a sullen expression, she kept her mouth firmly shut, unable to raise her voice in the presence of Duke Bersabet and Sharlan.

Ignoring Rebecca's glare, Satina took her seat.

Duke Bersabet held periodic banquets to receive reports from his family. Publicly, it was a forum to discuss the family's future direction and foster harmony, but in reality, it was a ruthless battlefield to earn the Duke's favor.

Depending on whether he was pleased with their performance over the past month, the Duke would dole out rewards or punishments.

At every past banquet, Satina had been scolded and punished by her father, but this time was different. She had regained her divine power, and her reputation had noticeably improved recently.

Having heard the news, the Duke smiled and praised her.

[Duke] "I heard about what transpired at the party recently. Word has it you and His Highness seemed quite close."

[Satina] "It was nothing, Father. It is all thanks to your care."

She replied with a shy smile. Though he acted like an affectionate father, she never trusted him for a moment.

[Duke] "You have finally come to your senses. Good. Maintain this momentum, marry the Crown Prince, and claim the Empress' throne. If that happens, the next Emperor will come from House Bersabet."

The Duke burst into a hearty laugh, smacking his lips greedily.

[Duke] "If I could, I would spike that fellow's food with drugs. It would be ideal if you happened to fall pregnant with his child, even by accident."

Satina muttered internally. Crazy bastard.

Adopted daughter or not, she wondered if that was something a father should say to his child. No wonder Sharlan, raised in such a household, was unhinged as well.

She harbored no expectations regarding her father to begin with. Duke Bersabet was a man who would gladly sell her out to secure his own safety.

In one Bad Ending, when his own actions brought the house to the brink of ruin, he framed Satina for everything, painting her as the world's vilest villain and sending her to the execution block. The original foolish Satina had been deceived by claims that it was for the sake of this fake family, willingly surrendering her life.

Perhaps the reason her life is such a minefield of Bad Endings is heavily rooted in this family.

After all, the Duke was a man who never hesitated to use any dirty scheme for his own benefit.

[Duke] "Continue your efforts to captivate that Crown Prince. Bed him whenever you get the chance to seal the deal. Judging by your recent performance, you seem to have finally pulled yourself together."

[Satina] "Yes, Father."

[Duke] "Given your recent good reputation, I ought to reward you. What would you like?"

She had nothing particular in mind, but catching sight of Rebecca glaring at her throughout the banquet brought an item to mind.

She smiled gently.

[Satina] "In that case, please give me the diamond necklace you won at the auction recently."

[Duke] "Very well. I shall have a servant bring it to your room."

Before he could even finish his sentence, Rebecca shrieked.

[Rebecca] "Wait! Father! That diamond necklace was won at the auction because I begged you for it!"

Just as she said, it was an item she desperately coveted. For Satina, whether she had it or not made no difference, but seeing Rebecca fume convinced her she had made the right choice.

The Duke spoke sternly.

[Duke] "How dare you say that after looking at your own performance this past month? What exactly have you accomplished?!"

[Rebecca] "B-But...! N-No matter what she does, the Crown Prince favors Coraline anyway! More than a few people saw him kissing her at the party!"

It was glaringly obvious that she brought it up just to get under Satina's skin.

Unlike the wildly agitated Rebecca, she responded in a calm, measured voice.

[Satina] "Does any of that matter?"

[Rebecca] "What?"

[Satina] "Regardless of who he meets, I am still the Crown Prince's fiancée. So I wonder why something so trivial should matter."

Rebecca was the one taken aback by Satina's uncharacteristic composure.

[Satina] "More than that, I am worried about you, Rebecca. You are old enough that you ought to start looking for a marriage prospect soon..."

Satina offered a subtle smile, sweeping her gaze over Rebecca from head to toe. Adorned in an extravagant dress and fine makeup, she was fairly pretty.

However, compared to her older brother Sharlan, whose face caused a stir throughout high society, she fell somewhat short. Coupled with her violent, willful demeanor, any man who approached her was merely a shallow parasite targeting her family name and wealth.

[Satina] "As your older sister, I am concerned about who would ever take you off our hands."

She had pointed out Rebecca's exact predicament.

[Rebecca] "Y-You...!"

As her face flushed crimson and she stammered to speak, the Duke slammed his hand onto the table, cutting her off.

[Duke] "Enough!"

[Rebecca] "Father!"

[Duke] "To cause such a scene over a mere necklace is ridiculous! What have you done recently to warrant such behavior?! Have you excelled in business like your brother, or have you proven useful like Satina?! If you have something to say, earn your keep before speaking!"

Shortly after, the topic shifted as Sharlan brought up the western fortress.

[Sharlan] "The Imperial Family requested that we send the second battalion of our knighthood to the western fortress. It seems the situation is quite dire, with the monster population swelling and a plague spreading."

[Duke] "Tsk. I can never stand the Imperial Family. Do those bastards know how to do anything other than extort our hard-earned wealth?"

[Sharlan] "Though the Imperial Family promises compensation, it will amount to mere pocket change. Considering the knights who will be consumed out there, it is a net loss for our house."

[Duke] "Of course! From what I hear of the western fortress, it wouldn't be surprising if the entire battalion were wiped out. Do they have any idea how much money it costs to train a single knight?! Tell them we can't send them!"

Sharlan replied with a troubled expression.

[Sharlan] "As Father knows, they already cut their original request of four battalions in half. It signifies that the Imperial Family will not tolerate any further..."

Sharlan grunted as the Duke hurled the wine goblet in his hand straight at him. The goblet struck his forehead before clattering down, spilling wine across his face and attire.

Despite the violent outburst, no one present flinched. Anyone who spent time around the Duke was accustomed to such displays.

[Duke] "We can't?! How dare you say that without even trying! Are you going to earn the funds needed to train replacement knights then?!"

Listening quietly, Satina interjected into their argument.

[Satina] "Father, I shall accompany the knights to the western fortress."

Though the western region was currently perilous due to monsters and plague, she had an imperative reason to go.

If I use this issue to boost Sharlan's favorability and unlock the golden room, I can finally bring up breaking off the engagement.

[Duke] "You? What difference would you going make?"

[Satina] "I am, after all, a Saintess candidate and capable of using divine power, albeit limited. Wouldn't that give us leverage to renegotiate with the Imperial Family?"

[Sharlan] "It is far too dangerous. Do you have any idea what the west is like—"

[Duke] "No. I think it is quite a good idea."

He cut Sharlan off. Stroking his chin, he commanded him.

[Duke] "Sharlan, inform the Imperial Family that we will send Satina, and renegotiate to send only a single battalion."

Sharlan knit his brows, glaring at Satina, but his response was predetermined. No one in this house dared disobey the Duke.

[Sharlan] "...Understood."

Only then did a look of thorough satisfaction wash over the Duke's face.

[Duke] "To think you would turn out to be such a useful daughter, Satina. Excellent. Magnificent. Meanwhile, Rebecca, you..."

He glared at Rebecca, who was just reaching for a piece of cake.

[Duke] "From now on, withhold all desserts from her meals! She is too pathetic to look at!"

A nearby servant immediately snatched away the dessert plate just as Rebecca's fork was about to touch it. He looked at her father with a face full of grievance, but lacked the courage to argue back. Instead, her fury redirected toward Satina sitting beside her.

If she hadn't meddled needlessly! I wouldn't have been scolded if not for her!

Rebecca glared at Satina throughout the rest of the meal, and the moment the banquet concluded, she shadowed her as she headed back to her room.

Intercepting Satina in a secluded hallway, Rebecca blocked her path.

[Rebecca] "Apologize to me!"

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