The Hyde mansion was as neat and luxurious on the inside as it was on the outside.
The interior seemed to reflect the personality of its owner.
Moreover, alongside elaborate paintings and sculptures, there was a portrait of the family.
It depicted a noble lady with young Mary sitting on her lap and a stern-looking nobleman beside them.
‘So those are Mary’s parents.’
The mother appeared to have drowsy eyes, similar to Mary, but her lips curled softly, giving her a gentle and kind demeanor.
As for the father… he indeed looked just as stern as I’d heard.
Dressed like a seasoned warrior, he had likely endured storms and tribulations in his life, fitting for a famed wizard in the kingdom.
At a glance, he seemed to share some resemblance with Mary’s face when she looked like she was protecting someone.
“Albus, how’s my father?”
“The lord is still asleep. I’ll let you know once he awakens.”
“Then I’ll wait in my room.”
“…And the gentleman accompanying you?”
The seasoned butler, known as Albus, watched me with keen interest.
It seemed he was inquiring about where to lead me.
“Ken is my guest. We’ll wait in my room together.”
“……Understood.”
At Mary’s assertive reply, Albus hesitated for a moment before bowing and stepping back.
‘It makes sense for him to be cautious; after all, I’m a guy they’ve never met before…’
Even in regular households, a father would be concerned if an unfamiliar guy was left alone with his daughter.
Let alone in this distinguished Hyde family.
Ordinarily, approval would not come easily in such circumstances.
However, with the head of the family gravely ill, no one would dare oppose Mary’s wishes.
Creeeak.
So, I passed through the bowing servants, following Mary into a room on the second floor.
‘So this is Mary’s room.’
The inside of the room was incredibly neat.
Of course, I had never been in another noble lady’s room before.
It was strangely tidy.
“…You’ve lived in this room since childhood, right?”
“Yes, I’ve been in this room ever since I was born.”
Mary shyly showed me around her room.
Normally, I would feel excited exploring the room of a girl I liked, but instead, my heart felt cold.
Mary’s room gave off the vibe of having no cherished memories.
That was why it was unnaturally clean.
‘It’s like stepping into a hotel room…’
If this were indeed a room belonging to a girl who had lived here since childhood, I’d expect some cute little trinkets strewn about.
Even Raphne’s Tower had dolls and storybooks decorating its corners.
But Mary’s room had none of that.
It contained only thick-looking, uninteresting books, a large bed, and a table and chairs for entertaining guests.
It didn’t feel like a girl’s room at all.
“Ah, please sit down… Would you like me to call for some tea?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Hehe, it feels weird to be with Ken in my childhood room.”
“Haha…”
From her perspective, that might be how she felt, but I felt like I had just walked into a film studio, making it hard to share that sentiment.
“Don’t you have any childhood toys? Like a favorite storybook?”
“No, I don’t have anything like that…”
“Then what did you do in this room, mostly?”
“Um… up until I came to the academy, I mainly studied etiquette and basic subjects.”
“I see…”
I was curious about what fun times she had, but it seemed she wouldn’t easily divulge such memories.
I began to wonder how she grew up, questioning if other noble ladies also received similar education in such environments, though remembering Raphne, who enjoyed reading romance novels, made me think Mary’s situation was indeed special.
Martinez was as esteemed a family as the Hydes.
“Ah, but I used to love drawing when I was little.”
Suddenly recalling, Mary got up and headed somewhere.
She returned with an old box retrieved from the shelf.
Inside were bundles of faded papers, revealing sketches of surprisingly good quality for a child’s drawings.
“Wow… How old were you when you drew these?”
“I think I drew them until I was seven… It’s a bit embarrassing.”
As Mary reminisced, she revealed one sketch after another from her childhood.
‘Thank goodness, at least she had a hobby.’
Seeing that made me sigh in relief, finally managing to relax my tense face.
“This one is a sketch of a rabbit I saw while walking. It was cute because it had just woken from hibernation.”
“Oh! You drew really well from such a young age.”
“If you praise me too much, I’ll get shy…”
I genuinely believed she had drawn remarkably well, for even without knowing that a child had sketched it, the drawings were lively and of high quality.
“Do you have more? Any other pictures?”
“Hmm, let me see…”
As Mary sifted through the papers, a faint smile graced her face.
She was likely reminiscing about the moments when she drew those images.
“…Ah.”
Suddenly, her hand paused mid-motion.
One paper she held had a drawing of a man and woman sitting at a table, having tea.
They had the same faces as those in the portrait hanging in the mansion.
Mary’s parents.
Mary’s gaze remained fixed on the paper, silently staring at the drawing.
The faint smile that lit up her face faded away.
“I-I’m sorry. With Father not well, I shouldn’t have….”
Realizing that now was not the time for Mary to recount her memories, I hurriedly apologized.
I felt a bit shocked by the desolate atmosphere of the room.
I had wanted to find joyful memories of her childhood.
Yet that wish was my own greed.
Considering her situation, I should have been more careful.
“No, it’s actually good, thanks to Ken, I can gather my thoughts.”
“Mary…”
“Really. If I had come alone, I would have felt more confused and anxious. So please don’t apologize.”
Mary looked at me and smiled gently.
Still, seeing her trembling hand as she held the paper made it impossible for me to smile back.
I merely placed my hand on her shoulder, inching closer.
Then, Mary placed her hand over mine on her shoulder.
“My mother passed away when I was young. This was a picture I drew shortly before she left… so I was just looking at it for a moment.”
I couldn’t reply at all to her explanation.
A mother who had passed away in her childhood.
And now her father was on the brink of death.
Though I didn’t know much about who her father was, it was a situation hard to accept.
Thus, I could do nothing but share warmth beside her for a while.
No comforting words would change her feelings.
I could only hold her hand, ensuring she wouldn’t feel lonely.
After some time had passed…
Knock, knock.
“Miss, your father is asking for you.”
Albus, who had welcomed us earlier, came in to announce that Mary’s father had awoken.
“Ken, let’s go together.”
“Really? Me too? But wouldn’t it be better to let Mary go in alone for now…?”
“No, please come with me.”
With a stern face, Mary shook her head.
Even though it was a long-awaited meeting with her father, would it be okay for me to be there too?
I had doubts, but Mary’s resolve was unyielding.
So, with anxious feelings, I followed behind her.
Albus walked ahead of us as if he anticipated this outcome.
Knock, knock.
“Master, Miss Mary and her friend have arrived.”
“……Alright.”
It was a lavish door marked with the family crest, and we hadn’t seen inside yet, but the voice of a fading man came from within.
Upon hearing the reply, Albus opened the door.
When the door swung open, the first thing that caught my eye was a large bed.
Sunlight filtered through the expansive window, brightening the bed, which held a frail man lying there like a candle about to extinguish.
‘That person is…’
Mary’s father.
Raymond Hyde.
The current head of the prestigious Hyde family, acclaimed as one of the finest wizards in the Kingdom of Lilias.
Yet he looked far more fragile than in the portrait that hung at the mansion’s entry.
His cheeks hollowed from weight loss and his skin gaunt.
But astonishingly, his eyes still held a sharpness.
While he looked unable to lift even a spoon, the intensity of his gaze upon Mary was stronger and more steadfast than anyone else’s.
“You’ve come.”
“……Yes.”
“Who is the one accompanying you?”
“It’s a friend from the academy…”
“Ken Feinstein.”
I bowed my head nervously at Mary’s faltering introduction.
“…Ken, …Feinstein?”
At hearing my name, Raymond’s gaze fell on me with an odd intensity.
‘…Does he know my name?’
This was my first visit to the Hyde residence.
And in the original game, there wasn’t any significant connection.
Hence, I couldn’t help but shrink away under his inexplicable gaze.
However, soon enough, he turned back to Mary.
“So, how is the academy?”
“…I’m doing well.”
“I heard you ranked second overall in the recent test.”
“……Yes.”
“Well done.”
“…….”
What felt like a common father-daughter exchange had turned heavy and dark.
The cold air made even me feel tense just listening.
Yet the two seemed accustomed to this atmosphere, conversing as if it were normal.
“How is your health?”
“It’s as you see. The doctor says I don’t have much time left.”
“…….”
“That’s why I called you here urgently.”
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Raymond got straight to the point.
He was probably about to discuss the reason for calling her.
He wasn’t just calling to ask for a final goodbye.
Mary had mentioned during the carriage ride that her father wanted to tell her something significant.
“You’re to receive my will. Concerning this family and all my assets.”
“…….”
Mary remained silent, anticipating what he was about to say.
Raymond, as though that was the natural flow of conversation, continued without faltering.
“Upon my death, the headship of the Hyde family will go to Mary Hyde. All my assets will also be bestowed to Mary Hyde. …Albus.”
“Yes, I’ve noted the same in the will and conveyed it to the royal family.”
The parchment Albus presented bore the royal seal along with the same phrase inscribed.
“All of this has received the consent of the Royal Family, who shall act as witnesses. That is all.”
Ending as if there was nothing more to add, he left the conversation concise.
Upon hearing this, Mary bowed her head, opening her mouth to speak.
“Is that the end of the story?”
At her question, Raymond glanced over, focusing on the bright window outside.
“Yes, that is it.”
Mary’s shoulders trembled slightly at his reply.
Then, cautiously raising her head, she looked at me.
‘…Mary.’
Her quivering gaze.
It was as if the frightened child was stealing a moment of courage from me, desperately seeking assurance.
The reason she brought me here was because she wanted me to be alongside her in this moment.
To draw strength from my presence.
Showing a smile to match her fear, Mary responded, “Father.”
And with renewed determination, she turned her gaze back to her father.
“I will give up my inheritance.”
A brief phrase rang out in the still room.
She had to muster immense courage just to say those words.
“The Hyde family… I will not take it over.”
By the time she arrived at the mansion, she had shared her upbringing vividly with me.
‘Be someone worthy of the family!’
Her father had pushed her through rigorous training, determined to prepare her to take over the family from a young age.
Whenever she struggled, he would drench her with water, pushing her until she developed a trauma toward it, avoiding the rain entirely.
All of that stemmed from the pressure of inheritance.
She had come here with me to reject that future she never wanted.
“I’ve never once opposed my father.”
On the ride here, Mary had tightly gripped my hand, trembling as she spoke.
“But now, I want to say it. What my father desires for me is not what I want. So I refuse.”
Despite her anxiety, her unwavering eyes sought mine, filled with determination.
“Ken, please stay by my side. If you’re with me… I know I can do it.”
That’s how she explained her reason for coming to the mansion with me.
“…”
After a lifetime of wanting to speak those words to her father, Mary was trembling all over.
She was rejecting what her father relentlessly pushed onto her.
Knowing her father’s potential reaction to her defiance.
That’s why she needed me here, to lend her strength when she faced that fear.
Thinking alone would be unbearable.
And upon her resolute declaration, Raymond replied without turning his head.
“Do as you wish.”
A single short phrase.
Yet with it, Mary’s shaking body came to a standstill.
Her anxious expression turned to perplexity as she stared at her father.
“…What?”
“I said to do as you wish.”
Finally, Raymond turned his head and faced Mary again, away from the window.
“Forget about the inheritance of the family and the assets; instead, dispose of everything and convert it into cash. That is all I shall leave for you.”
Even faced with his daughter’s surprising declaration of rejection, Raymond looked at her with a cold expression, not excited at all.
Upon receiving her father’s response, Mary appeared overwhelmed and couldn’t quite comprehend.
“…I don’t want any money either. I won’t inherit anything.”
“……Foolish girl.”
Raymond regarded her with a tone dripping with pity upon hearing Mary’s continual refusal.
“You’re willing to throw away a fortune just because of some petty feelings?”
“…Yes, I don’t want it.”
Mary’s answer bore a firmness that reflected her resolve.
But as she faced her father’s unexpected reply, her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
Seeing her father sigh softly, he finally said.
“Then don’t take anything. …Now leave.”
“B-but Father…!”
“The talks are finished. Leave.”
Mary, wanting to say so much more, found herself unable to voice any other words after being turned away abruptly.
Clenching her fists in frustration, she simply stared at her father’s back, tears brimming in her eyes.
Then she spun around and made her way toward the door.
“…”
Following behind her, I too moved to leave the room.
“Stay here for a moment.”
At his voice, I halted in my tracks.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“Mary, why is Ken…?”
“Don’t make me ask twice.”
At that firm command, Mary fell silent, unable to respond.
With an anxious glance at me, she looked down, and then left the room.
“…Ken Feinstein.”
“Yes, …yes.”
Only after Mary exited did Raymond face me directly.
His gaze remained steadfast, firm, and stubborn.
“Are you the one who conquered the Tower of Tarros?”
“……”
And from that unexpected question, it became clear why he had reacted to my name.
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