The Sickly Youngest Member of the Villainous Family

It was afternoon, and Recardo was reading papers in his office when a knock at the door made his eyebrows rise.

 

After a moment, the door opened, and Rowen entered with a slightly bewildered expression.

 

“Your Grace, Baron Bashiron is outside…”

 

Recardo issued a somewhat annoyed expression.

 

“Let him in.”

 

After a while, Rowen left, and a man and a young girl entered the room.

 

Baron Bashiron, Recardo’s uncle, was still on crutches.

 

And Permetis, wearing a purple dress, lifted her skirt and greeted him sweetly.

 

“What is the matter?”

 

Recardo asked as he slowly sat down sat down on the main seat of the sofa.

 

Amid an unwelcoming atmosphere, Bashiron had an uncomfortable expression.

 

“The decorations in the study are all flashy. Some nobles are in disarray, trying to repay their debts after all their slaves ran away. The world is truly unfair.”

 

“I’d appreciate it if you could get to the point.”

 

Recardo’s words prompted Bashiron to cough and clear his throat.

 

“Cough. Rather than beating around the bush…”

 

Although his social status and title were lower than Recardo’s, he was still Recardo’s uncle.

 

Though his family followed the motto of “Survival of the Fittest, Recardo didn’t treat Bashiron recklessly unless he crossed the line, as he had the last time when he nearly kidnapped Sasha.

 

“I’ll save you the trouble. I can’t take on more with Zestia dead.”

 

Recardo’s eyebrows twitched.

 

“…….”

 

“I want to entrust Permetis to your care temporarily.”

 

Assigning the education of children from the branch families who had no place to go back to the main house wasn’t uncommon.

 

Moreover, entrusting Permetis to Recardo would have a positive impact on expanding Recardo’s influence among the branch families.

 

Furthermore, at a time when Permetis was gaining attention as a possible bride to the next heir.

 

Recardo looked at Permetis intently.

 

Permetis returned his gaze with red eyes and a playful smile.

 

‘Someday, when I become the mistress of this house, I’ll surely repay yesterday’s humiliation, Sasha Winchester.’

 

Though still trembling, it was a moment when she regained her composure and managed to hold back.

 

Regarding the engagement’s public opinion, Recardo had responded that he had no intention of arranging engagements for his sons. However, with this opportunity of entrusted education, she could gradually take the next steps.

 

“I regret to inform you that the former head of the family has left.”

 

Bashiron replied, furrowing his eyebrows.

 

“I know. That part is quite disappointing.”

 

During the time Hector taught Shasha, he had been quite pleased.

 

Bashiron spoke soothingly to Permetis.

 

“If he had known you were coming, he might have stayed longer due to the worth of teaching. But there’s nothing we can do about it.”

 

Although the reason Hector, who had initially planned to stay for a few months, ended up staying for several years, was obvious, Bashiron had no intention of mentioning Shasha.

 

There was no point in comparing their talents.

 

“Still, there are quite capable teachers in the main house. With a structured curriculum, you can learn a lot.”

 

Permetis hesitated for a moment but then nodded her head.

 

“Yes, Peri will study hard… and…”

 

Permetis looked at Recardo and continued.

 

“I want to teach Sasha what Peri knows, too, so she’s not so lonely now that her brother Othello is gone.”

 

Bashiron spoke with a wry smile to Recardo.

 

“Both Permetis and Shasha will eventually be pillars for the next generation.”

 

“…….”

 

“Well, even though their positions are a bit different, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to bring them closer.”

 

By ” position,” he meant that he envisioned Permetis as the wife of Jin.

 

Once Jin succeeded as the heir, his younger sister Shasha would become a subordinate to Permetis.

 

“…Come to think of it, it’s quite amusing.”

 

Listening to the conversation, Recardo gave a cold smile and pursed his lips.

 

Bashiron felt a shiver down his spine.

 

“The man who tried to use the Shadow of the Abyss on my child…….”

 

Permetis’s smiling expression gradually hardened.

 

“He leaves his kid in my care.”

 

“Isn’t it all in the past? Now I know that Shasha Winchester is a child who shouldn’t be threatened. You put a Lysonia on Evan Taylor.”

 

Bashiron tried to salvage the tense atmosphere as it grew more hostile.

 

“Though we’ve been cautious of them, we don’t desire a war with Taylors.”

 

Permetis looked at Recardo with a tense expression.

 

Damn it, Sasha. Damn Sasha.

 

She couldn’t understand how that weak girl, who was the daughter of an unofficial wife, was treated as such an important presence by Recardo, Jin, and even Othello.

 

Even if they were direct descendants in the Winchester history, weak children born out of wedlock were bound to fade away.

 

‘If the relationship with my immediate family doesn’t get better, why don’t I coax Evan Taylor to make a contribution?’

 

“Rowen.”

 

Recardo called out to Rowen from outside the door.

 

And Rowen responded.

 

“Yes, Your Grace.”

 

“Do we have any rooms left in the mansion?”

 

At his words, Bashiron raised an eyebrow.

 

Asking if there were any vacant rooms in the Winchester Manor was a complete jest.

 

“There are many rooms under repair on the 2nd and 3rd floors, making them unavailable. However, there are several rooms left in the east annex.”

 

And with his next words, Bashiron gave Rowen an annoyed look.

 

The east annex was a place used as quarters for maids and servants.

 

“You…”

 

“I heard that you became quite friendly with the maids last night, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

 

Recardo looked at Permetis with a cool gaze as he spoke.

 

His words made her flinch.

 

“Seems like you’ve become quite close to the extent of causing a scene.”

 

Permetis felt a shiver, as if her innermost thoughts were being penetrated.

 

‘He knows about yesterday’s incident?! ‘

 

And the memories of yesterday that she had wanted to forget resurfaced.

 

“What is he talking about, Peri?”

 

In response to Bashiron’s question, Permetis couldn’t muster any answer.

 

Her heart felt like it was about to burst.

 

To be insulted like this by the head of the household just because she had been quietly educating a few maids?

 

“There are familiar faces, so it might not be comfortable, but if you don’t like it, you can refuse.”

 

There was nothing she could argue against.

 

“Peri, I asked you what this is about.”

 

“…….”

 

Looking at Recardo’s cold gaze, Permetis thought to herself.

 

A gaze of intense refusal.

 

“Will you stay in the annex?”

 

She felt like there was a monster in his dark green eyes that would grab her and kill her at a moment’s notice.

 

Finally, she broke her resolve and shrunk her body momentarily.

 

Bashiron stood up, unable to stand it any longer.

 

Recardo’s expression was impassive, though his eyes glowed with unbridled anger.

 

“I see the child has had a change of heart.”

 

“You’ll regret it.”

 

With anger, Bashiron opened the door to the office and left.

 

Pale-faced Permetis followed behind him.

 

And not long after, they stopped in their tracks.

 

A few meters ahead from the office, Shasha Winchester, holding a document file in her hands, stood looking at them with a startled expression.

 

The suppressed anger that Permetis had been containing welled up again.