The Dutiful Kid Who Saved the Villainous Family - Chapter 201

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Side Story Episode 1

Side Story 1. Berry’s Mother, Isadel Milang

* * *

On a day when the sunlight shone warmly, Airi was eating sherbet as usual.

Yes, exactly as usual.

But if there was something different from usual, it was the expression on Berry’s face sitting in front of her.

“….”

The usual Berry was not like today.

He always had a warm, gentle, and lovely face.

But why was it?

The current Berry was somewhat different.

Along with an anxious expression as if pondering something, he even suddenly said these words.

“Can I come again tomorrow?”

“…Yes, but…. Why? Is something wrong?”

Berry just shook his head with a lonely expression.

Airi quietly watched Berry’s retreating figure.

When looking only at his back, Berry seemed fine.

Since falling in love with Berry, Airi had learned many things about him.

Including the fact that Berry occasionally wore a lonely expression.

Airi kept being bothered by Berry’s seemingly lonely expression.

That was why.

She gradually began writing her 【Berry Observation Journal】.

[Airi’s Berry Observation Journal]

1. Berry sometimes makes a lonely expression when the sunset comes.

2. Berry… makes a very, very occasionally lonely face when looking at Father.

3. Berry looks a little lonely even when hugging me tightly.

With this seemingly fitting yet unfitting combination, Airi continued her contemplation.

And finally realized.

The cause of all these situations was ultimately because fundamental loneliness had settled in Berry’s heart.

And that she, Airi, could never resolve such a thing.

But….

Couldn’t Airi solve that fundamental cause?

‘I just wish Berry wouldn’t be lonely.’

Because Airi herself truly loved Berry.

Because true love means protecting the person you love by their side.

Then….

* * *

“Airi.”

Just as Airi had caught Berry’s loneliness, Violet caught Airi’s loneliness.

She offered Airi a cookie—an edible cookie, not Cookie the summoned beast—and said.

“Go ahead and eat.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Even while eating the cookie, Airi’s expression somehow didn’t look happy.

Stroking such Airi’s cheek, Violet quietly whispered.

“You look lonely lately, my daughter.”

“Gasp.”

Airi rolled her eyes around.

‘Mother caught me.’

Airi was no longer a young child whose every action was transparently revealed. Yet it seemed everything was still visible to her mother’s eyes.

Violet smiled gently and brushed away the cookie crumbs from Airi’s lips.

“Everything shows to someone who loves you.”

Someone who loves you?

Though she loved her mother, Airi’s face briefly reddened like a teenager who was still a bit shy in front of her mother.

But since it was her mother’s words.

Airi had learned that lying was bad and that she should reveal everything honestly to adults.

In that situation, she couldn’t help but confess her innermost feelings.

“So….”

“Why?”

“Berry looks lonely, and I want to help him, but I can’t figure out how. So my heart became lonely too.”

A jumbled sentence that somehow didn’t seem to connect.

But nevertheless, this was Airi’s true feelings.

“Ah, Berry’s loneliness has transferred to Airi.”

At those words, Airi tilted her head.

Were depression and loneliness contagious diseases? Is that why they spread like this?

At that moment, Airi realized.

That a subtle loneliness briefly passed across her mother’s face too.

That she had just infected her mother with loneliness.

But Violet soon smiled broadly.

“Airi, Mother thinks she knows. Why Berry makes that expression.”

How does Mother know such things?

It was when Airi, who had been thinking deeply, looked at her mother.

“From Mother’s perspective. Hmm….”

“Yes.”

“Berry seems to be missing his mother.”

“…Ah.”

“Recently was Marquess Jackvell’s death anniversary. So everyone was quite worried.”

“Ah…!”

Only then did the puzzle pieces fit together.

That day when the sunset came, she had only thought of Berry’s lonely profile.

Airi had thoughtlessly celebrated Berry’s birthday. But Berry at that time didn’t seem very happy about his birthday. Because he would have thought of it as the day he lost his mother.

‘I was foolish.’

Intoxicated by my momentary joy, I failed to remember Berry’s pain.

And, also.

Always, always, always. Every time Berry wore that lonely expression.

The fact that Mother was by Airi’s side.

Then, Violet whispered in a low voice.

“So, you see. Mother can cast a very small magic spell.”

“Small, magic?”

“Yes.”

Airi, who had been staring intently at her mother, blinked. Then she smiled broadly and said.

“Would you like to hear about it?”

* * *

The next morning, Airi went to meet Berry with a determined expression, along with ‘the small magic Violet had cast.’

‘This marble was supposed to be like magic, probably?’

Clutching the marble that Violet had given her, representing ‘Mother’s magic.’

Airi looked up at Berry and said seriously.

“Berry, Berry look at this…!”

Airi stood in front of Berry.

Then, breathing heavily, she held out the marble.

Berry carefully grasped the shoulders of Airi, who had come running urgently, and said.

“You shouldn’t run in a hurry. You’ll get hurt.”

“Ah, right!”

Whether it was because of his rather skillful adult-like remark or because of his physical contact, Airi’s earlobes turned red like apples.

Berry carefully wiped away the beads of sweat on Airi’s forehead as he spoke.

“What’s this, Airi?”

Airi fanned herself a couple of times with her hands to cool the heat from her reddened cheeks, then soon showed Berry a small crystal orb.

“This, my mother gave it to me!”

“Yeah.”

“She said this is an orb that contains memories.”

“Memories…?”

Up until that point, Berry seemed like he didn’t quite understand.

Airi looked at Berry and nodded her head vigorously.

“Yes, memories! So, Berry’s mother…”

“…”

“She said it contains old memories of Marquess Jackvell. Those memories are stored in this orb.”

Berry’s lips moved intermittently. Then he quietly muttered with a tone filled with bewilderment.

“Why on earth would Lady Violet have That Person’s… memories?”

At those words, Airi rolled her eyes around.

‘Come to think of it, Mother told me not to tell anyone!’

…But since it’s Berry, it should be okay to tell him, right?

Airi stared intently at Berry before opening her mouth.

“Actually, this orb was at the Jackvell Duchy.”

“…?”

“What happened was…”

Airi whispered softly into Berry’s ear.

The longer Airi spoke, the wider Berry’s eyes became.

Like someone who couldn’t believe this fact.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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