After several turns, I still didn't see Lia. Where did she run off to?
Also, this house is really too big. When I usually stick to fixed routes, I don't feel it as strongly, but once I try to find someone, it feels like a maze.
"Have you seen Lia?"
I met a maid cleaning on the way, so I asked her.
"Miss Lia? I haven't seen her."
Damn it, not this way? I have to go back to the previous fork and search again.
This continued for several back and forths...
..."Aren't you annoying!"
"Miss Aisha, please calm down!"
Suddenly, there was a loud commotion ahead, coming from the living room.
I hurriedly opened the door and looked... What's going on? Several maids were pulling Aisha, preventing her from getting close to Lia. There was a tense atmosphere in the room.
And Lia was sitting on the floor, covering her left cheek, tears already welling up on her aggrieved face.
She hit her... Did Aisha hit her?
"Give me back my mother! It's all your fault! It's all because of you! My mother will never come back!"
Everyone knew Aisha was just lashing out. However, only now did I realize that Lia wasn't the only one who fell into misfortune because of yesterday's trial.
Moreover, Aisha witnessed the entire process from beginning to end, so her emotions must have been even more unstable than Lia's current state. The evidence was that the area around her eyes was noticeably red from excessive crying.
"My... fault?"
Oh no, Aisha got emotional and said things she shouldn't have. No, even without yesterday's incident, expecting her to consider other people's feelings is unrealistic in itself.
"Why... why are you still alive? It would be so much better if you died too!"
"Aisha! Stop talking!"
Unable to bear it any longer, I rushed forward and shouted at Aisha.
"What? Even you're going to side with Lia? Trying to show off in front of your cute little sister, huh!"
"This has nothing to do with showing off! Just calm down first!"
What am I even doing? I decided not to argue with this little girl, yet I'm still getting serious with her.
"If you encountered something like this, could you calm down? Don't meddle if you don't understand other people's feelings!"
"Yes! I don't understand! But that doesn't give you a reason to hurt others!"
"Then can others just hurt me however they want? There was no evidence! My mother was inexplicably driven out of this house! What did we do wrong?!"
"Then what did Lia do wrong? Have you considered her feelings? Even if you lash out at her, will your mother come back?"
"Yes! Only I can't consider her feelings! You all can consider her feelings! You all love her! You all protect her! And me? Besides my mother, who else cares about me? Who cares about me? Do you all wish I would just die?!"
Please... please, I'm not some child psychologist, don't make me do this.
"Aisha, have you ever truly cared for someone? Do you know how to care for someone? We, as humans, are not perfect. I can't expect you to always consider others' feelings in your daily actions, but, even as children of nobles, we will fail, we will be sad, and we will fall into life's low points. That's because in some people's eyes, we are merely tools, tools whose value can be exploited.
So we will encounter such unreasonable things. It's very frustrating, isn't it? Very sad, isn't it? When what should rightfully be ours is taken away. We can't resist, and I'm also very frustrated! But! We can't just give up like this, we can't do nothing and wait for death, otherwise, our lives will truly be just like tools!"
"... Robert?"
"So-called family are beings who support each other through life's hardships. Sister Aisha, not just your mother, but Lia and I are also your family. Even if you're rough with me sometimes, even if you hate me and I hate you, I can't change the fact that the same blood flows in our veins. If one day you need my help, I won't refuse.
But you listened to your mother's teachings. You treat us all as enemies. You don't trust anyone but your mother. You're like someone curled up in a prickly blanket, not letting anyone get close. And now, at your most difficult time, you say you crave others' care and comfort?
That's not right, Sister Aisha. You're just creating a tragic heroine to gain others' sympathy. You want others to think you're the most unfortunate one. It's meaningless. What can you gain by doing this? Nothing will change.
Grow up, Sister Aisha. When you're hurting, you don't have to bear it alone. You don't have to figure out things you can't overcome by yourself. At least don't push away the helping hands we extend. Let us become a true family first, okay?"
I really don't know what was wrong with my head to say all that to her.
People don't change easily, especially Aisha, who has been brainwashed by her mother since childhood. How could she be so easily moved by my words?
No, perhaps I was just satisfying myself, expressing my deep unwillingness to have been able to do nothing but grit my teeth and observe this incident from beginning to end through this "lecture" to Aisha.
I've thought countless times, if I had an OP system as in other transmigration novels, would I have been able to prevent these things from happening? Would I have been able to change this family.
Suddenly, I somewhat understood why Robert in the novel pursued greater power. It's quite ironic.
"Don't you think Young Master Robert's words are too mature?"
"Yes, they don't sound like something an 8-year-old child would say."
Amidst the silence, I inadvertently overheard the maids' whispers.
Not good! I overdid it! I need to make a quick escape!
The most important thing now is Lia... Huh? Where did she go?
"Where did Lia go?"
"Lia left a while ago."
You should have told me sooner!
I also quickly left the living room. Although I wasn't indifferent to Aisha's reaction, I could only give her some time to gradually calm down.
"Have you seen Lia?"
I continued asking people using the same method and eventually learned that Lia had returned to her room.
Not good, I'm afraid Lia has just found out that her mother will never "come back."
I stood in front of Lia's room door, hesitating whether to knock. Unlike my conversation with Aisha just now, my mind was completely blank on how to talk to Lia.
"Does Lia know already?"
Whoa! You startled me!
Marquis Bahod suddenly stood behind me and spoke to me without warning.
"Father... Father, I think she probably knows by now. She just encountered Sister Aisha."
"Is that so?"
I still don't know what this man is thinking... No, since he's here, does that mean he's concerned about Lia's condition? Is he trying to create the image of a good father now, after all this time?
What kind of farce is this?
"Worrying here is useless. There's a dedicated maid in the room, so nothing major should happen. Let's go."
"Yes, yes."
Compared to an older brother she's met only a handful of times, the comfort from the maid who has always been by her side might be more effective. The rest... can only be left to time.
"Speaking of which, I wanted to talk to you. Come to my room."
"Eh? Alright, alright."
Marquis Bahod wanted to speak to me alone. To be honest, I really, truly, and especially didn't want to go, but I couldn't refuse and reflexively agreed.
"Don't worry, it has nothing to do with yesterday's incident."
As expected of him, he saw right through my thoughts.
To follow Marquis Bahod's footsteps, I turned to leave...
"Hmm?"
Only now did I notice something by the door of Lia's room.
Upon closer inspection, the pink rabbit doll that Lia always held, seemed to have been abandoned by its owner, lying face down with its ears drooping.
I remember reading a report somewhere in modern times that research showed children liked holding dolls simply because it gave them a sense of security in unfamiliar environments.
Considering this, the sight appeared exceptionally desolate.