Marguerite Cannot Forgive It

“Jonatan…”

“Brother…”

Appearing were the Duke of Langheim and his younger brother, Sieg.

The two who he most did not want to see—the very cause of his flight—were now standing before Jonah.

“Jonah, why are you here? And what were you thinking, running away from home without permission?”

Though he appeared calm, the Duke of Langheim clenched his fist and his voice trembled slightly.

What was inside him was anger at Jonah suddenly disappearing from before him and confusion at the fact that Quylindra’s story had been true.

Yes… the Duke of Langheim could not bring himself to admit it.

The fact that Jonah—who ought to have been that useless failure—was actually such an excellent child that even the former hero would acknowledge him as a hero.

That was precisely why he could do nothing but spew such vile words.

As for Jonah.

“Ah… uh…”

Though he had come determined to sever ties, he could not say a thing, could not meet their gaze, and hung his head.

No wonder. Eleven long years had ingrained in him an inferiority complex and the habit of obediently craving attention and approval—habits that would not be erased easily.

But.

“Ah…”

“Jonah… it’s all right, it’s all right. After all, you have me here.”

Marguerite squeezed Jonah’s hand tightly and smiled sweetly.

Right now Jonah had Marguerite. There was indeed a woman who would truly see him.

So there’s no need for him to suffer anymore. She wanted him not to suffer.

Moreover.

“Oh… you say interesting things. Earlier you told me, did you not, ‘I have no interest in that Jonah. Whoever he might be, it’s none of my concern.’”

Jonah did not have only Marguerite on his side.

When Marquess Hagenberg, who had appeared behind the Duke of Langheim, said that, he stepped forward to shield the two small figures.

“That is…”

“Is that not so? Then are you saying that the Jonah I know is the son of Lord Langheim? If so, does that mean that when Quylindra recently had an audience, she actually plotted against His Majesty the Emperor?”

“Ugh…”

Marquess Hagenberg deliberately chose to put it that way.

If the Duke admitted Jonah was his son, it would mean he had deceived the Emperor—at worst he could be punished for lèse-majesté.

Was it worth admitting Jonah as his son even at that cost? The Duke of Langheim weighed in his mind whether to accept punishment and acknowledge Jonah, or to abandon him to avoid punishment.

“Jonah, there is nothing to worry about. You are Jonah. You are our benefactor and cherished family—our Jonah.”

“Ah… aaaaah…”

He had never imagined anyone would call him family.

Jonah was so happy—overwhelmingly so—that tears threatened to spill from his onyx eyes.

“Hmm… that’s odd. When Lord Langheim previously conducted an inspection, he said his son could not go out because he was convalescing from illness. Then the Jonah here cannot be his son, correct?”

Patricia couldn’t quite grasp the situation, but she clearly understood at least that the Duke of Langheim was not someone who wanted Jonah, and that Marquess Hagenberg was on Jonah’s side.

Also, seeing Jonah’s expression—so sorrowful that he fled—she thought perhaps the man before them was the cause. With that in mind, she, like Marquess Hagenberg, stood before Jonah and Marguerite.

“Your Excellency Langheim.”

“Lord Langheim.”

“U…hm…”

Pressed by the two, the Duke of Langheim groaned.

In that state, he could not, at least here, admit Jonah as his son.

And then.

“…That child is not my son.”

The Duke of Langheim announced that in a voice as if squeezed out.

He had testified that in front of so many nobles. From now on, he had no choice but to sever ties with Jonah.

But… precisely because of that.

“…Enough of this, please.”

“Ma… Marguerite…?”

“Enough already! How can you say such cruel things? How can you so easily abandon him? Why… why?!”

Crimson eyes shedding large tears, Marguerite displayed a look of furious wrath.

Marquess Hagenberg and Patricia cornered him in order to pull this father—who tormented Jonah—away… to protect him.

It was Jonah who abandoned his family and ran away. Therefore, the actions the two took were not wrong.

But why had Jonah run away from the Langheim family? Because they treated him as a failure and useless, refusing to see him at all… refusing even to give him a trace of familial affection.

Jonah had pretended to Crown Prince Carlo of the Kingdom of Benedia that he had ‘completely severed ties,’ but it wouldn’t be strange if a tiny shard of hope remained in the corner of his heart. No—such a shard did remain.

Because she understood that, Marguerite could not forgive him.

Angry, pained, sorrowful, and distraught—she couldn’t forgive the man who had abandoned his role as Jonah’s father and driven him to bite his lip until tears fell.

“…Disappear.”

“………………………”

“Please disappear! Never appear before Jonah again! Don’t… don’t make Jonah suffer anymore…!”

Holding Jonah tightly, Marguerite spat the words out like a curse.

A mere marquess’s daughter speaking such words to the head of one of the Five Great Ducal Families would normally be utterly unforgivable.

However.

“…Sieg, let’s go.”

“F-Father?! …Ugh!”

Turning on his heel, the Duke of Langheim fled the scene as if escaping.

Sieg watched Marguerite holding Jonah, clenched his fist in frustration, and then followed after them.