IHDOE Ch 5

Satina despised Sharlan. She wanted to erase him from her life if possible.

At ten years old, hearing that she was getting a younger brother filled her with pure joy. Though not related by blood, she liked that his curly golden hair resembled hers.

[Satina] "Hello, I am Satina, your elder sister starting today."

[Sharlan] "Elder sister?"

Nine-year-old Sharlan stared intently at her outstretched hand and asked back.

[Sharlan] "We share no blood, so how can you be my elder sister?"

When speechless Satina stood frozen, he smiled at her.

[Sharlan] "Well, if you wish, I shall call you that, Sister."

A child possessing a nasty personality despite a face pretty as a doll. That was her thought upon meeting Sharlan for the first time.

He acted affectionately toward his only younger sister and behaved politely toward the mansion servants. Yet he acted differently toward Satina alone.

Not that he wielded direct violence or threw violent tantrums at Satina. He never raised his own hands. He needed only to drop subtle hints.

It started with the maid serving Satina.

[Sharlan] "Taking property for personal use without higher permission shows a thieving hand. It is best to send that maid home."

That maid felt pity for Satina, whom no family member celebrated. Bringing a cake the head chef intended to throw away due to failed decoration to celebrate Satina's birthday cost the maid her job.

Servants who showed kindness to Satina or favored her were all expelled from the mansion.

After two maids were ousted in succession, mansion servants realized the truth: Sharlan hated Satina.

In this house, Duke Bersabet held top authority, followed by the Young Duke. Furthermore, incapable of using holy power at the time, Satina suffered the Duke's contempt.

The servants' attitude toward Satina shifted in no time. Even as her bedroom grew filthy and her meals became meager, Sharlan remained polite to Satina.

Back when she failed to understand why everyone disliked her, she even felt grateful toward Sharlan.

On the day the third maid was expelled, learning of his scheme through her secret hint prompted her to rush directly to him.

[Satina] "Did you expel her?"

[Sharlan] "Indeed I did."

[Satina] "Why? What on earth did she do wrong? She did nothing wrong! Is using a single dose of cold medicine a crime worthy of expulsion from the mansion? That medicine is placed for any servant in the castle to use!"

[Sharlan] "The issue is whom she used that medicine on."

[Satina] "What?"

[Sharlan] "She used it on you, Sister."

[Satina] "Why is that a problem? I had a burning fever back then and could have died!"

[Sharlan] "Had the maid used that medicine on herself, I would have said nothing. That maid maintains cleanliness in the house and fulfills her usefulness by caring for you. But you don't, do you, Sister?"

Dismissing Satina's voice with utter indifference, Sharlan closed the book he was reading, his eyes curving into arches.

[Sharlan] "Everyone in this mansion possesses their own usefulness. But where lies your utility, Sister? Do you possess outstanding ability? Or were you born of noble blood to be used in marriage with another family?"

[Satina] "……"

[Sharlan] "You had good fortune to end up in this mansion, Sister. Thus, you must be treated according to your worth."

[Satina] "……So. Because I am useless, even a single dose of cold medicine spent on me is a waste?"

[Sharlan] "If you have complaints, it is simple, Sister. Prove your utility, or leave this mansion."

Resting a hand on her shoulder, he whispered.

[Sharlan] "Though a woman like you, possessing nothing but a pretty face and no ability whatsoever, would die shortly after leaving this mansion."

Though his eyes curved affectionately, her blue eyes remained cold as ice.

Satina was merely fifteen at the time. No matter how abused by family, being turned out empty-handed was terrifying at that age.

[Sharlan] "Why are you trembling so much? Anyone watching would think I threatened to kill you, Sister."

Stroking her soft hair, he spoke.

[Sharlan] "So remain quiet and well-behaved going forward as well. Do you understand?"

She preferred not to recall life after that.

Though things improved after eighteen-year-old Satina proved her worth by becoming betrothed to the Crown Prince, it was an absolute hellish time.

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Name: Sharlan Bersabet

Occupation: Young Duke of House Bersabet (Next Heir)

Current Status: Experiencing slight interest in the player

Gazing at Sharlan who had come to visit her, Satina let out a hollow laugh.

I had doubts since he was a male lead target in the game too. Now I see why I will survive safely only in the Normal Ending.

The potential endings with Sharlan were obvious. Killed for being an eyesore, freezing to death after being thrown out in cold winter, or forced into marriage with a strange family. He was a landmine field she must never cross.

He is a collection of bad endings.

In fact, discovering he held an Affection level of 10 was surprising. She had suspected the minus sixty belonged to Sharlan.

Wait. If his Affection stands at 10, what on earth is minus sixty? Did I attempt to poison that guy or something?

Satina held no memories of trying to murder anyone yet, but perhaps she had caused trouble without knowing.

Knock, knock.

Facing thought-wrapped Satina, Sharlan tapped the table lightly.

[Sharlan] "Sister, shouldn't you focus when a person speaks?"

[Satina] "……I was caught off guard since I didn't expect you to visit so suddenly."

[Sharlan] "Hearing that my sister was nearly poisoned, I couldn't sit idly by as a brother."

His handsome face smiled charmingly.

[Satina] "Is that so?"

[Sharlan] "However, Sister, a problem exists. I heard that maid performed her duties quite well. Wouldn't it be a waste to expel her merely for poisoning you? If you allow it, Sister, I would like to restore her as your maid."

What is he talking about? Take back a maid who poisoned me?

Does he mean for her to finish me off for good this time?

[Liv] "Heart rate excessively high. Exercise caution."

Listening to Liv's voice, she barely calmed her heart.

Getting worked up here only harms me.

Satina wanted to argue whether reinstating someone who poisoned her made any logical sense, but decided against it. Invoking common sense to persuade Sharlan here was useless. To him, her life was more trivial than fodder for his horse.

I must persuade him calmly. Bringing the maid back is a loss for Sharlan too.

[Satina] "If you wish, do so."

He raised a single eyebrow at her docile response.

[Sharlan] "Very well. Since you say so, Sister, I shall reinstate her starting tomorrow."

[Satina] "However, wouldn't reinstating that maid pose a danger to you as well, Sharlan?"

[Sharlan] "What do you mean by that?"

[Satina] "That maid was caught trying to poison her master. Pardoning such a maid will dismantle household discipline."

[Sharlan] "And so?"

[Satina] "If you reinstate her, someone might target you next under the guise of harming me."

Licking her dry lips, she spoke.

[Satina] "If given the chance to strike, far more people would target you as the Young Duke rather than me, an outcast in this house."

[Sharlan] "Hmm."

He rested his chin on one hand, gazing at Satina.

[Sharlan] "Wouldn't that be a good outcome for you too, Sister? If I die, living in this house might become far easier for you."

So you were aware you act like a total bastard.

In her heart, she wanted to scream that whether he died or not meant nothing to her. Yet doing so would prompt Sharlan to reinstate Marie, potentially triggering an immediate bad ending.

Satina lacked the confidence to survive a maid constantly aiming for her life. So instead of cursing Sharlan, she offered a gentle smile.

[Satina] "But you are my younger brother."

[Sharlan] "Huh?"

[Satina] "It is true you acted mean toward me, but you were still the one who took the best care of me in this house. You know that."

As she lowered her gaze, her long eyelashes fluttered faintly.

[Satina] "Mother paid no attention to me, and our other sibling swung fists whenever seeing me. Yet you never raised a hand against me. Without you, living in this mansion would have been far harder for me."

Woof! Woof woof! Woof woof woof!

Absolute utter nonsense poured from her mouth.

But since the listener is a dog, shouldn't it be fine?

Finding her ridiculous babble fairly entertaining, interest flickered in his eyes.

[Sharlan] "So you are saying I shouldn't reinstate that maid because someone might harm me?"

[Satina] "Yes, because you might get hurt. I am saying this out of worry."

[Sharlan] "Very well. Seeing you resort to such words, Sister, you must hate the idea of restoring that maid."

Would you want to live with someone who tried to kill you?

The words rose to the tip of her throat, but she suppressed them with superhuman patience.

[Sharlan] "And actually, I can't bring the maid back anyway."

He spread both hands playfully.

[Sharlan] "I killed her yesterday. I can't make a corpse work, can I?"

[Satina] "What?"

[Sharlan] "Did you actually think I would reinstate a maid who tried to murder my sister?"

Because you said so!

She screamed silently inside.

[Sharlan] "I only intended to tease you a bit, Sister, but this exceeded my expectations. To think you viewed me that way."

[Satina] "……"

[Sharlan] "Or was that a lie to escape the situation?"

Playful eyes looked down at her.

Fearing what he might do if she admitted to lying, dread seized her.

Perhaps he would say, claiming I killed the maid was a lie, and since you lied, Sister, I shall reinstate her as punishment.

[Satina] "……No. I was sincere."

Fortunately, proving to be the correct answer, a satisfied smile formed on his face. He clearly relished watching Satina suffer.

[Sharlan] "At any rate, we must find a new maid…… Should I select one for you, or would you prefer to choose yourself, Sister?"

[Satina] "Do as you wish. I trust you will choose well."

Regardless of whom she chose, Sharlan was bound to manipulate things behind the scenes anyway. If he disliked her choice, he would invent excuses to expel the maid, or bribe her with money.

Ding!

[Liv] "Sharlan's Affection increased by 2."

Why on earth?

Satina couldn't guess where in that conversation lay any reason for Affection to rise.

Was watching me struggle that funny?

Sharlan wore a peculiar smile.

[Sharlan] "Hearing you say that places a heavy weight on my shoulders, Sister. I shall select a maid and send her to you shortly."

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