NMRJKM Chapter 76

 

I reached out my hand to Rodi, who was inside the carriage. Her small hand cautiously emerged and grabbed mine. Then she slowly began to step down from the carriage.

Rodi’s family’s eyes widened in shock at her appearance. They couldn’t say anything and just opened their mouths.

“I heard the situation from Rodi today.”

I said, looking down at them. Rodi stood next to me, gripping my arm tightly, seemingly scared.

I embraced her shoulders gently, like calming a child, and continued.

“You are unfit to be parents.”

At that, Rodi’s father, drunk, furrowed his brow instantly. Yes, it’s unpleasant to hear such words from a stranger, but it was the truth.

“I came to help Rodi today. She will never associate with this family again.”

Rodi’s father jumped to his feet and shouted.

Rodi’s father suddenly stood up and shouted, his face red with anger, and his fear disappeared due to intoxication.

“Are you saying you’ll take away a child who has perfectly good parents?”

“Were you really good parents? And…”

I gestured with my finger.

“Don’t yell at me.”

At my signal, the large servants approached and forced Rodi’s father to kneel again. With their size and presence, he briefly shut his mouth and knelt down once more.

“The child needs care. But you have only exploited her and didn’t provide any care. Am I wrong?”

“If we give birth to a child, it’s only natural for them to fulfill their filial duties.”

“Okay, let’s assume that’s true. Then why is your son not working and just idling?”

“T-this child is not well….”

“Is that so? He looks fine to me. Just to be sure, let me ask. Rodi.”

“Yes, yes.”

Rodi answered with a slight tremble, seemingly scared of her father’s glare. I turned Rodi to face me.

“Is your brother really ill?”

“Uh, um. Honestly, I’m not sure.”

Rodi fidgeted with her fingers.

“He always complains about feeling unwell but spends all his time drinking and having fun.”

“Hey, hey! When did I…!”

Rodi’s brother protested, looking aggrieved. Rodi shouted back, her eyes wide.

“Before I got a job at the duke’s estate, he was always out drinking with his friends!”

“I’m not doing that anymore!”

“Because he doesn’t have money to drink!”

Rodi started to get angry, still upset about being hit by her brother earlier. I gently patted her shoulder to calm her down.

“That’s why we’re here to help Rodi gain independence. Please don’t contact her anymore. And don’t come to the duke’s estate.”

At that moment, Rodi’s brother stood up abruptly.

“Oh, speaking of which, that woman at the duke’s estate is…!”

He started pointing at me.

“That’s her! The villainess! The sinner!”

Rodi’s brother suddenly looked triumphant, straightening his back and addressing his parents.

“Father! Mother! There’s no need to kneel! That woman is a sinner! Worse than a commoner!”

“What?”

Rodi’s father shot up, pointing at me.

“What scam are you trying to pull now? If you’ve sinned, you should live quietly instead of being so arrogant!”

“Oh, really? What do you think a sinful villainess might do when pushed to the edge?”

I smiled sweetly, and the servants approached from behind me, cracking their knuckles.

Rodi’s father’s face turned pale among the large servants.

A typical bully, weak to the strong and strong to the weak.

“Why don’t you say more?”

Oh, doing this really makes me feel like I’m part of some organization.

“What I am doesn’t matter. What’s important here is Rodi.”

I looked at Rodi and smiled warmly.

“Rodi, speak comfortably. We will protect you.”

At my words, Rodi clenched her fists.

“I don’t want to go back to this place anymore!”

Oh, she’s speaking quite strongly.

At that moment, Rodi’s father suddenly jumped forward and grabbed Rodi’s shoulder.

Ah, is it that he’s scared of me but thinks Rodi is easy to handle?

“You’re just being fooled by that villainess! That evil woman who tried to harm the saint using black magic!”

“Miss Ariadeline isn’t like that!”

Then Rodi’s brother chimed in.

“She’s not? You’re going crazy and talking about cutting ties with your family—that’s being bewitched!”

Rodi gritted her teeth and glared at her brother.

“I’m trying to cut ties with the family because of you!”

“You, you just called me ‘you’! Wow. You really have lost it. You must be completely under her spell!”

“I’m not bewitched! Miss Ariadeline is innocent! What have you done for me as parents? Nothing! You only care about my salary!”

Then the two of them started to become even more shameless. I felt like I might explode from hearing their ridiculous comments.

“That’s something you, as a family member, are supposed to do without question!”

“Who else will earn money in this house if not you? It’s only natural for the healthiest one to do it!”

“What kind of nonsense is this!”

“Come here! I need to give you a proper re-education!”

They reached out and roughly pulled Rodi’s arm. I quickly wrapped my arms around her while the servants grabbed the two men’s hands.

“Ah!”

“You’re going to kill someone! You’re not even noble, yet you’re trying to kill someone!”

I tried to speak as calmly as possible. The memories of my childhood began to resurface, and I didn’t like the feeling.

“Today is just a warning, but there won’t be a next time. Do not contact Rodi again.”

Rodi nodded firmly.

“Don’t send me letters or come looking for me. I’ll live well with the money I earn!”

With tearful eyes, she declared. Honestly, seeing the true nature of her father and brother wasn’t pleasant. I smiled wryly.

“Then so be it!”

Rodi quickly turned and got into the carriage alone. I thought I would need to comfort her on the way, but then—

“Wait!”

A strong hand grabbed my sleeve, tearing the lace with a sharp sound. I frowned and turned back.

“Right, if you’re taking the child, then at least you should pay a price!”

“What?”

I thought I misheard. Were they really asking for Rodi’s price?

“Are you planning to sell your daughter?”

“It’s only natural that we should be compensated, since the only breadwinner in the household is leaving!”

They had been acting out of line since they realized I was a sinner. I shouted in disbelief.

“Why can’t you see how strange it is that only your daughter is the one bringing in money when there are three perfectly able-bodied people here?!”

I struck his hand away forcefully. With a sharp sound, Rodi’s father’s face instantly hardened into a scowl.

The tense atmosphere made the servants stir.

But I was so angry that I gestured for them to stay put and glared at him as I began to speak.

“Do you know what you’re called? A parasite. A parasite!”

“What? And you, living off the duke’s household, are any different?”

“At least I know my place. You don’t even understand your position, have no manners, and don’t know how to act like decent humans. What? Asking for a price? Is that something a parent should say!?”

Then Rodi’s brother shouted.

“Yeah, a price! We should receive that so that we can live—three hundred thousand gold. No, we should receive five hundred thousand gold!”

My head spun as rage boiled up from my stomach. They were haggling over their daughter’s price as if she were a commodity to be bought and sold.

I clenched my fist tightly. I was furious.

Ah, my head was spinning.

Suddenly, an immense energy wrapped around me.

“Her eyes are glowing…!”

I was so angry that I wanted to sweep everything before me away.

“Ah, Miss Ariadeline!”

The servants shouted.

“You won’t get anything from me!”

My hair whipped wildly in the air. Fear clouded the eyes of those watching me.

“I don’t want to give anything, nor should I! You’ve exploited your own daughter, and now you want to sell her? You filthy bastard!”

My dress fluttered wildly as I unleashed my divine power in a burst of rage.

The carriage behind me shook violently. The wind sliced through the air, sharp and cold.

“Do not seek Rodi again.”

They shouted, unable to distinguish divine power from magic.

“W-witch!”

Their eyes widened in fear as they saw me, my hair and dress flying wildly, my eyes blazing with fury.

“If you come looking for her again, I will kill you.”

 

 

TL/N: Hi everyone!! Sorry for the late update. I was a little busy with life. Anws, Happy Holidays. I hope everyone is having a good time.