Aster Veren
Episode 114

- Ansel

"Tired," I muttered intending to get into my car, but my steps stopped when I saw the figure of Ian standing leaning on the side of my car. Staring at me with his lazy gaze while folding both of his hands in the chest.

"So you're all having fun with Ansel, right?" His words began to show his annoying smile, making me glance at the people behind me. I saw they had bowed their heads, probably feeling guilty for having made their master overtake them.

"Ma–forgive us sir!" They said in unison while bowing their bodies begging for mercy.

"Hah~ why do you have to catch up with me too?" I asked while scratching my back head that did not feel itchy as well.

"It's funny that I sent you a letter. But you ran away from your house." He still puts on a smile that sucks him.

"Currently, I have no intention of agreeing to my daughter's match with your son! Besides, I came here on vacation not to run away." Decihku while walking near my car, intending to get into my car. But my steps were again stopped by Ian with his right hand grabbing my shoulder, making me look at his red bead.

"You want to dispute my wishes?" The question is full of emphasis.

"Heh~ do you want to threaten me?" I asked back, unable to hold back my sarcastic smile.

"I finally found you Ansel!" Albert's voice made me look at him at the same time as Ian.

"You?" I said it with Ian.

"... why did this person have to catch up with me as well?" I muttered that I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but I never thought he would look for me like Ian. Turns out he's also the troublesome type huh?

"Are you looking for Ansel?" Ian's question made me glance at him, it seemed like he didn't know that Albert was also intending to match his son to my daughter. How would he react if he knew Albert had the same intentions?

"Why should I tell you?" Albert answered back to ask to make Ian sharpen his red bead.

"You guys just talk about your problems, when you're done just look for me!" I opened the car door in front of me.

"And you guys, I don't feed you for free so come with me. And you drive my car!" I continued pointing at one of Ian's men before throwing my car keys at him.

They quickly got into my car without asking any more questions, very understanding.

"Wait Ansel! I came because I have business with you, why should I serve Ian?" Albert asked, I don't care.

"Really! Why do I have to–" Ian continued immediately I cut with my lazy gaze.

"No, you have to solve your problems first. Because you both want to match your son to my daughter, so get that done." Obviously, "but, let me tell you one thing. And if you insist, then beg rightly!" I couldn't stop staring intently at the two of them who looked surprised by what I just said.

"You also intend to match your son with Ansel's son?" Ian asked immediately turned his head annoyed at Albert, rarely seeing him show his regret so blatantly. Usually she always hid her feelings behind her annoying sweet smile.

"Let's go!" I told the driver to immediately drive my car, leaving Ian and Albert in front of the restaurant.

***

-Teo

He actually told me things I didn't know and things I didn't find the answer to from Carel's mouth.

That afternoon Carel just confirmed my question about "does he really beat up all the kids who gang-raped me until they got hurt? Did your relationship with your grandfather go bad because of the tragedy?" and he did.

But I didn't hear a story about Carel being taken to the police station for being accused of being a criminal from last year's incident. Even Kalea also said that the news of the tragedy had spread and made Carel shunned friends at school. But Alterio's family managed to stop the bad news.

... Why was he accused of being the criminal? He only helped me, and did I not become his victim? Why didn't anyone ask me? Why does my Inner– seem to stop when I remember Kalea's words when I asked her the same thing.

"Wasn't that day you were unconscious? If you are asked, what can you answer? Can you help Carel?" Kalea's voice again flashed in my head along with her serious expression.

"True, there was nothing I could help her with .. Why did I have to lose consciousness that day?" I muttered to myself when I realized how useless I was.

With my irritated feelings, I stopped my steps and reflexively punched the wall beside me until my hand was injured.

"Are you stupid?" A familiar little voice began to ring with the memory of my first encounter with Carel.

"If you want to hit, hit them don't hit the wall! You can reply–no huh? You don't dare to retaliate against them, do you? He continued with his sarcastic expression that made me even more annoyed.

"Would I get it for you? It just so happens that today I really want to beat up someone." He continued to turn his expression into a serious, sharp look with a thin smile that felt so piercing watching the backs of the people who had just hit me. Makes me shudder when I see it.

"He ... This kid is not normal!" That was my first impression when I met Carel.

Yes, that day I did the same thing as what I am doing right now. Hit the wall because I was upset and frustrated with myself. Frustrated at not being able to retaliate against the actions of the children who beat me up because I was jealous of my cleverness. But the boy showed up and offered to repay their deeds for me.

I was different from myself in the past. Last year I was able to avenge the blows of the people who had already ganged on me, protecting myself from their chastisement even though I was still losing. But at least I can fight them, protect myself and not be as willing to be beaten as I used to be. But why was the feeling the same as back then?

Though I completely changed after meeting Carel, the first time I saw her, I really did not like her annoying fellow. But when I saw his knitting skills, I somehow started to admire him and was determined to change.

Secretly taking martial arts classes without the knowledge of both my parents were very forbidding me to learn them. Because they thought I'd start fighting a lot if I knew how to hit. They're afraid I'll get involved with dangerous things. Though my intention was to learn it just to protect myself, not to beat up just anyone.

I was that bad once, right? My inner self at the sight of a depressing image of me at a glance, myself who had never met Carel. Only able to endure the pain after receiving blows all over my body, then silently swearing and beating the wall to channel my annoyance.

"When I had taken a third-grade martial arts class, but .. my abilities were useless when my body was sick," I murmured as I recalled how I had met the delinquents.

As I recall, I met them after coming home from the pharmacy to buy medicine, the condition of my body was hot at that time. There's no one I can ask for help with because my parents are out of town on a job, my housemaid is on leave.

And I don't know what triggered my fight that day, all of a sudden it happened. My memory was cut off after receiving a phone call from Carel and before long my eyes saw the figure of the infuriating child running towards me with an expression that was difficult for me to describe when my body was already lying on the ground with my consciousness almost gone.

"Who would have thought it would be like that?" I could not forget Kalea's words about Carel being taken to the police station and receiving ill treatment from her schoolmates, and her relationship with her grandfather deteriorated.

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Thanks for reading...