C 96
That...!
Akrea jumped out of her seat.
"Dragonling Eirin Doll, which was a limited edition of 5 pieces released by 'Heart'! I couldn't buy it, so how did mother get it?"
"If you have enough experience, what can't you buy?"
"...What?"
What is this?
My dragonling version? I hadn't seen it either.
I hadn't looked in the mirror.
But how does Akrea Safile know that?
When I turned my head, she went pale and sat in silence.
Still, her eyes were fixed on Devane. More precisely, on the doll Devane was holding.
"...I want that too."
Even from a distance, the quality was amazing. Erno Etham smiled as if he had seen my eyes light up.
"Would you like to have it?"
"Yes? Can I have it?"
"Then, I'll get it right away."
Then Dad drew his sword and tried to get up. I jumped and grabbed onto his arm.
He can't do that!
"Do you want to take Grandma's...?"
"Why?"
"Is it Grandma's...?"
"Child. Could your father kill his mother? That's immoral."
She let out a hard laugh as if reading a Korean book.
By the way, I like my dad, but in reality, your life is immoral, bad dad. It's too much!
"It has two limbs, so it won't need one."
"Oh wow, look at that gangster. Granddaughter."
"Yes?"
"If you want to see childhood photos, come anytime. I've grouped them by type and year."
As soon as she finished speaking, Dad drew his sword and laughed heartily.
Contrary to the smile on his face, his spirit was fierce. Devane drew her staff and laughed.
"Where would you like to hit your mother?"
"Don't do it, Dad."
I didn't want to see the collapse of a harmonious family. Of course, Devane said something unpleasant, but since I also received an apology, I had already let it go.
"I'll be back soon."
It was when my already moody father patted my head and walked away.
"If they fight... I won't see Dad or Grandma for two weeks."
It was at the moment I spoke with puffed-up cheeks.
His sword, which had already been drawn, returned to its sheath in a light circle, and Devane's staff was no longer in her hand.
"I don't think that's appropriate."
"Tsk, I raised my son the wrong way."
She clicked her tongue and turned around.
"Girl, I'll prepare delicious snacks for you next time, so make sure to come. I have pictures of all these guys."
Her fingers traced the round table.
Even after seeing those astonished expressions, she quietly left the conference room.
"I didn't think she'd take photographs..."
"Let's find a countermeasure for that later, but first... Can we finish the Hatar matter?"
When Charniel saw me, I nodded. First of all, it was important to create a fake product similar to Hatar.
So...
"They said that a place where the culprit is often seen is in a game room...."
Even when I thought about the contents of <Adopted>, there weren't many contents related to the game room.
"So let's move on to the next point."
Eh, was there anything else on the agenda?
"I think it's time to decide when to reveal the identity of our matriarch."
Dad squinted at Charniel's words.
"Do we have to reveal it?"
"That way, there won't be bastards attacking unnecessarily. Because this matriarch is a special case."
Charniel smiled and said. Nelia Zardan opened her mouth.
"This side has its own experts, Rea. What do you think?"
"...Oh? What?"
"What...? Didn't you hear the conversation? Are you still thinking about the doll our mother had?"
"What?! It was so hard to get! I waited in line for two days and couldn't get a single one!"
No, is my doll that popular? But why are my dolls being sold out?
Can someone explain this embarrassing situation to me?
"Are we in the middle of a meeting...?"
Nelia Zardan's iron fan snapped and landed on the round table.
Akrea Safile finally shut up.
"It's okay, it's okay!"
Akrea looked at me and responded bluntly.
"I think it would be better to make a couple of appearances at a banquet before revealing it."
"At a banquet?"
"Yes, there are many people questioning whether my niece really exists or not..., much more important now that she's the family matriarch."
Akrea Safile said.
It seemed that the consensus was to make a few appearances.
"It would be better to attend the next imperial banquet together."
"Yes, that would be fine."
Charniel Etham looked at me. I nodded once again.
"Before that, you need to settle the matter of that bastard. If the topic of the matriarch comes up, the issue of lineage will definitely come up."
".... Let's talk about that later."
"Yes, it's not a pleasant thing to hear."
The long meeting came to an end with the final conversation between Akrea Safile and Dad.
* * *
"This shiny one is much better than that!"
"What are you talking about? Don't think all girls will like it just because it's flashy."
"I'm much more sociable than Nelia! Isn't this a hundred times better?"
"Oh, Rea. Are you ignoring the eyes of a merchant? This one will definitely hit the jackpot."
"Don't be ridiculous, that's the fabric your sister's business sells!"
"Then isn't that a dress designed by your boutique?"
Nelia and Akrea were arguing. Each held a dress in their hands.
When I looked at Charniel, who was stiff and speechless, she looked back at her younger sisters again with a puzzled expression as if she felt my gaze.
"Umm, how about this color? Wouldn't it be better for our youngest niece?"
I looked at the dress Charniel pointed to and turned my head.
"Brother, close your mouth."
"I agree. If you don't have eyes to see then..., how did you propose to my sister-in-law?"
Charniel Etham shrank from the attacks of Akrea Safile and Nelia Zardan.
I opened my mouth when I saw him purse his lips and pull his knees up in a corner.
"......"
"He's always been like that."
Dad answered my questions as if he had eyes on the back of his head even while looking at each of the fallen dresses.
"Wasn't he completely brimming with charisma during the meeting?"
It seemed like I was the only one who wasn't happy in this friendly atmosphere.
"...Why is the banquet hall filled with dresses when I need to buy only one?"
I knew from watching dramas and news that the money of a Chaebol family was beyond imagination, but this was more than I could have imagined.
"My lady... What do you think of this...?"
"Oh... It looks scary..."
As I looked at the black and red dress that Hayel Etham had brought, I shrunk back.
"...Oh, is that so?"
He turned disappointedly, returned the dress, and began choosing again.
"Why is everyone shopping?"
It was just when I stifled a laugh.
"No matter how stupid my brothers are, I can't look at these foolish people."
After all, the only normal person here is Chronos Etham, right?
When I turned my head towards the voice I felt beside me, Chronos Etham handed me a dress and sat down next to me on the couch as if nothing had happened.
"Just settle for this and be done with it."
"......"
When did Uncle go shopping?
Why is he being so presumptuous again?
"...Oh, it's pretty."
What an appropriate dress. How seriously did he shop?
I looked ahead.
Everyone was choosing clothes for me.
Even though they were arguing, the Etham family was a family that didn't have bad relationships with each other.
It was different from other family members.
Most families would fight to the death for titles, money, and honor, but this family I was in was different.
All of this is really happening, but it's unrealistic, so I was forced to ask a question that I had postponed for a long time.
"Why has this happened to me?"
Plash-
The moment I thought it, sparks flashed in my eyes.
When I involuntarily shuddered, Chronos Etham looked at me.
I chuckled awkwardly, and he turned his gaze back to his brothers, frowning.
"I just woke up after sleeping."
Hugging my knees, I slowly shook my head.
I don't want to think about anything. However, I couldn't hide that something was strange.
This was because this dreamlike world, where everything was done as I thought, where I had a family I had always dreamed of, was fun and happy, but at first, I felt a sense of incongruity.
"In the end, did I sleep and...sleep...?"
As I questioned it, a headache took hold of me.
Plash-
I raised my hand towards the spark bouncing white in my eyes and squeezed my eyes shut.
"I didn't fall asleep, did I...?"
As if it were the correct answer, the sparks that had been bouncing as if I were mistaken disappeared, and the headache that had been looming in my head disappeared.
"It wasn't like that...?"
So why the hell am I here?
I shouldn't have died if I was okay. Then I shouldn't have come to this world.
"Eirin? Are you feeling okay?"
"D-Dad..."
"Yes, I've been calling you. If you're not feeling well, would you like to go back and rest?"
"No, no."
A loving and caring father.
"Wow, they've moved a real boutique! Give us the right to participate too!"
"That's right, it's not fair."
"I heard you were choosing Eirin's clothes! Hyuk, hyuk, me too, hyuk... I want to choose too!"
Brothers and my dream cousin.
"You little ones, you should stay out of this."
"Yes, go and study more."
"It would be good if you learned theology too."
Even nice uncles and aunts.
How can everything be so perfect?
The moment I asked myself that question,
Kiiiiiik-
Crack.
I heard something strange.
Crack, crack, crack.
As if one of the gears was misaligned, it made a continuous series of broken sounds and left me with a mysterious fragment.
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