chapter 23
23. Tyrant of the North (2)
23. Tyrant of the North (2)
Yuri limped down toward the restaurant.
Everyone I met on the way didn’t help Yuri.
They didn’t even look pitiful, as if it was natural.
‘This is the same thing as usual… ?’
It was a part that showed how isolated Yuri is within the family.
I was behind glass so I refused my help.
She reached her restaurant, watching her closely.
‘Ibasten and his wife… Also, Yuri’s brother and sister.’
Yuri’s family was eating at the table first.
Even as Yuri limped to her restaurant, she didn’t give her a glance.
But this time, is it because I am there?
Archduke Ibasten looked in our direction and said.
“Damian Youngsik. Come and sit down.”
“… Yes, it is.”
Ibasten talking without glass.
As if she was used to it, she naturally moved to her farthest seat.
I followed her and sat down in front of her.
It was a different seat from the one Ibasten guided me to.
“M, what are you doing…” Damian Youngsik… !”
“I will decide my seat. Are you okay though?”
“… I’m young, so I’m not afraid. Do whatever you want.”
Hugh-
Is this level acceptable?
Although Yuri opened her eyes wide in surprise at her actions.
I didn’t pay much attention and put my fork on the prepared food.
“It’s delicious, maybe because it’s venison, which is famous in the North. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you again, Archduke Ibasten.”
“… So, how long did you say you were staying here?”
“I’m thinking about a month or two. There are so many things to see in the North.”
“Ha, there are so many things to see in a territory that only has eyes.”
Ibasten smiled as if he was full of spirits.
Then he sent me a fierce red eye.
“I don’t know what the plan is. I hope you don’t create work on my estate. No matter how much I belong to the Sinclair family… “
I have no intention of leaving the fearless rampaging people in the territory alone.
As Iva Sten said, she instantly lowered the atmosphere of the restaurant to the floor.
At that moment, Yuri raised her voice and said.
“Oh, Father… ! I-I will diligently teach you the family rules… ! So, this disrespect-“
“Tsk.”
Ivar Sten clicked her tongue and said something she didn’t like.
“Wait, Yuri. Come and tell me.”
“… Yes.”
Did you raise your voice like that because you thought I was threatened?
Yuri’s feelings were well communicated to me.
However, Yuri, who suddenly intervened, seemed to be out of harm’s way.
“That stupid b*tch. How dare you raise her mouth.”
“Noisy on useless topics. Let’s eat in the corner quietly.”
“My daughter… Because it’s so pathetic.”
Yuri walked towards Ibasten, being verbally abused by her family.
And the moment I stood in front of him.
Said Ivar Sten, holding her wine glass in her hand.
“Are you going to educate me?”
“Yes, yes.”
“Before that. What did I say last time?”
“Uh, straighten her shoulders and don’t tremble at her words-“
“I remember.”
Clang-!
After Yuri finished speaking, Ivasten broke the wine glass in her hand.
Then, in a tone containing her anger, she pressed Yuri.
“While remembering. Why are you shaking your voice today? Even in front of other families. Where is the honor of the Ibasten family?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
“I should have told you not to say sorry?”
Pair-!
“… “
“Keep your back straight. Don’t let her look insecure. Is what I want so difficult?”
“Oh, no.”
Pair-
“Again.”
“No… is.”
“Yes, please answer like that from next time. Go back to your seat I hope Damien Youngsik understands too. Because my daughter is stupid.”
“… Yes.”
Yuri returned to her seat with her head down and her melancholy face.
Even though she was eating, she didn’t like her expression.
‘The family is really crazy. Beating her daughter in front of guests.’
Still, I don’t even pay attention.
Because she is Justia in the north, she doesn’t need attention from people around her.
Because the rules of the north are always set by the Justia family.
‘… Poor Yuri.’
Although she was born into such a family.
Yuri is not even treated properly due to the late blooming of her talent.
Even though she was eating, she had her hand on her sore cheek.
Her family just laughs at her appearance.
No matter how you look at it…
‘Everyone except Yuri is not normal.’
A glass that is distinctly normal among abnormalities.
There seemed to be no place for such glass in the Justia family.
She needed a warm place where she could put her mind at ease.
***
‘I failed again today.’
Justia Yuri was depressed.
She remembers what happened at the restaurant. Even though she was lying on the bed, she couldn’t sleep.
Because she was shy.
“Damian Youngsik… How would you like to see me… “
Beaten by her father, she is treated as a failure in the family.
No one pays attention to me.
Look at me and think the same as everyone else.
“A failure that should not be in the mansion… “
Pulsuk-
Yuri, who was sitting on her bed, buried her face in her lap.
Because I was afraid of the attitude that would change tomorrow.
“At first, I also had someone like Damian Youngsik who helped me… After a few days, everyone ignored me… “
Damian Youngsik will ignore me like everyone else.
It’s all my fault.
Yuri buried her face further into her lap.
I didn’t want to raise my head like this.
Because she felt like crying.
She got a cold cheek from being hit in a restaurant for no reason.
‘A member of the Justia family must never cry… ‘
The moment I buried my knees in her face for such a long time.
Tang-tang-
“What… ?”
A sound started coming from somewhere.
It sounded like a knock on the door, so Yuri shouted at her door.
“Who are you?”
“… “
“What… ?”
Who knocked on the door?
Why is there no answer?
Yuri swallowed a gulp at this questionable situation and calmly opened the door.
Kiki-
“Who are you! … What?”
Why are there no people?
“I definitely heard a knock… Did I hear wrong… ? Well, I must have heard wrong… “
My ears are wrong.
Yuri thought so, turned her head, closed the door, and turned around.
However, when she turned her head.
“Kyaaa!”
There was something big stuck to the window.
I knocked a little while ago.
It was Damien.
-Please open that window, young lady.
“Ah, ah… ! Yes yep… !”
Wada da da-
Yuri quickly ran and opened her window.
“Yes, wow. She almost died. The floor was snow, so you wouldn’t die if you fell?”
“Oh, no. It must hurt. More than that, what happened here in the middle of the night… “
Yuri was wary of Damian for a moment and stepped back.
Although she is said to be a kind person who first treated her.
She entered the room of the young lady alone in the middle of the night, so it was natural for her to be wary.
However, contrary to Yuri’s expectations.
Damian’s attitude was clear.
“I came to play for a while. It’s good to talk.”
“Yes, yes? Do you talk to me Through the window, this midnight… ?”
“I feel like I haven’t been able to tell you everything before.”
“I see… “
Actually, I didn’t understand Yuri at all.
Let me break through the window to meet her, and let’s talk this midnight.
‘Me… Aren’t you ignoring me?’
I wanted to talk too…
Because if you refuse, Damian Youngsik will be in a bad mood…
“Well, let’s talk then. I’m not having fun… Mmm, what should we talk about?”
Damian showed a soft smile at Yuri’s questioning appearance.
“Um, I will. I haven’t really decided Will Lady Yuri decide?”
“Me, me? What topic should I… Damian Youngsik having fun… “
“No, I’m not talking about fun. Please tell the young lady something interesting.”
“Something I might find interesting… ?”
“Yes.”
She tells herself to be funny.
At those words, Yuri’s thoughts hardened like stone.
She’s because she’s never said anything funny about herself.
Because she grew up in an environment where she was always forced to adapt to others.
“Uh, uh uh… Umm… That’s it… “
“If you don’t know, shall I tell you first?”
“Yes! Please tell me first!”
She lived.
Yuri let out a sigh of relief, free from her hellish hour.
She had such a moment of relief.
Yuri felt a cold touch on her cheek.
She was startled and the moment she was about to scream.
“Kya-“
“Shh, put the ice on your face. The swelling in your cheeks will go down.”
Damian put her ice on her face, covering her glass mouth.
Yuri felt her cold cheeks calm down.
“Sorry to bother you… A, thank you… “
“What? You don’t have to thank me at all. Healing is a must.”
“The obvious thing to do… “
For some reason, Yuri felt that her heart was touched at those words.
On the contrary, it means that the family doesn’t do what they should.
“… Instead of taking things for granted from her family, she keeps getting them from Damien Youngsik.”
“Maybe.”
“Did I say something dark again? Sorry, sorry-“
Damian interrupted Yuri, who was about to apologize again.
“I don’t have to be sorry.”
“… Yes?”
“You can just talk comfortably. Without apologizing at the end of every word. Shall we have a casual conversation? We’re the same age.”
“That, that means… friend… Are you going to… ?”
Friends.
I only saw Yuri in books, and he had never been in that relationship.
Because the family wall was high, and people wouldn’t come near him.
That’s why he usually sees the existence of a friend as an illusion.
‘By the way… Damien Youngsik’s friend… I’ll do it… ?’
So, are you making friends for the first time?
Will Damian Youngsik, who first healed me, be my friend?
A friend who shares conversations, exchanges emotions, listens to each other, and becomes happy together?
“This might be a dream… “
“Yes?”
“Oh, no… sorry. Be our friend! Good friend!”
Dumb-
Yuri suddenly grabbed Damian’s hand with both hands.
“I like that friend! Let’s be friends!”
“Yes. Make friends however… Is that arm okay? The last time I broke a bone-“
“Ah, ah, it’s okay… !”
hehehe-
Yuri said with a happy smile.
“It’s okay even if it hurts… ! Being happy is bigger than being sick… !”
“… Okay.”
I heard that.
Damian forgot one thing.
A normal person among abnormal people.
The fact that it is impossible unless something is broken.
‘Should I be blind? ? Should I say I like this?’
It is true that he is a kind and innocent child.
Glass with a broken part somewhere.
“Me, we… ! Once a friend is a friend for life… ! Oh no sorry… ! Am I too excited? Lol… “
“… “
Damian saw that and felt the sticky feeling he felt for Nadia again.
However, for Yuri’s salvation.
Damian became her Yuri’s friend, and shared her conversation with her until her warm morning came, so that she could feel her happiness.
“Me, our tomorrow too… Talk to me if you can… !”
Being a friend was harder than I thought.