Because of his curse, Caim had always been treated coldly by his father, and his sister hated him too. The majority of the servants felt the same. And yet, despite all of that, his mother had always cheered him on.
“Don’t hate yourself, Caim.”
“You did nothing wrong. Don’t think it’s a sin for you to have been born.”
“Your father doesn’t hate you. It’s just that...he doesn’t know how to deal with you. You haven’t done anything wrong, and it’s not your fault that you are cursed. So...love yourself.”
“It’s so hard for me to do that, Mother...” Caim muttered, recalling what she had said to him.
No matter how Caim thought of himself, other people would still treat him as a cursed child. The moment his mother had died he had been expelled from his house, and he was now living a life where villagers would throw stones at him—those were simply the facts. How could he even begin to love himself in such a situation?
It might be different if I had a caring family, but now that Mother is dead, I’m all alone...
“Grrraow! You have me, Master Caim!” Tea declared.
“I know... Wait, did you just read my thoughts?”
“How long do you think I’ve been serving you? I can tell what you’re thinking just by looking at your face!”
“Ha ha, that’s impressive,” Caim replied to his perceptive maid with a strained laugh before bringing his reunion with his mother to an end.
Just when Caim was finished, the door opened and a butler with severe looks entered. “Dinner is ready. Please come to the dining room,” he said dispassionately.
“No, I’m done with my business, so I’ll leave.”
“Master and milady are waiting. Do not make them wait,” the butler said before exiting the room without even waiting for an answer. While Caim was part of the Halsberg family, the butler hadn’t shown him a single ounce of respect.
“Grrr...how rude. Who does he think he is?!”
“It’s fine, Tea.” Caim paused. “I can manage a dinner, even if I’m not going to enjoy it. And I would feel bad for Mother if I left too soon.” He sighed and headed toward the dining room.
When Caim and Tea arrived, they found the father-daughter pair clean and already eating—they hadn’t even waited for Caim before starting. Caim’s own meal sat at the other end of the table, far away from them.
“It is a pleasure to see you again, Father. I am grateful that you allowed me to pray for Mother.”
“I don’t need your greetings. Just sit and eat.”
“Yes... Thank you for the meal.” Caim grimaced at the fact that his father didn’t even look at him as he sat and began to eat.
“This steak is delicious! Eating after training is so much better!”
“Don’t eat so fast, Arnette. It’s indecent.”
“Yes, Father!”
In contrast to Arnette, who was eating heartily, Caim was gloomy. It was the twins’ first meal together—or rather, their only meeting at all—in an entire year, and yet the way their father treated them was completely different.
“The food isn’t going to run away, so slow down a little.”
“Milady, you have crumbs around your mouth.”
“There is also dessert after this. I made your favorite pear pie, milady.”
“Eh heh heh heh... I’m so glad! I can’t wait for dessert!”
Arnette ate happily, surrounded by her father and the servants gazing at her with smiles on their faces. It was as if she were boasting to Caim as he watched her silently.
Are they showing off...? Is that why they sent for me? he thought as he scooped up soup with his spoon and ate it. It was tasteless, and he couldn’t tell if it had been made that way on purpose to harass him or if he was simply so depressed he couldn’t register the flavor.
“Master Caim...”
“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
Cheered up a little by Tea’s presence behind him, Caim mechanically continued to put food in his mouth to finish his meal as soon as possible.
“Well, I will be going then, Father.”
“Wait, Caim.” Kevin stopped his son as he was trying to leave. “I received a petition recently. Apparently you’re throwing stones at the kids of the village?”
“I am not. They are the ones throwing rocks at me.”
“Shut up! How dare you hurt innocent kids who are kind enough to accept a cursed child like you?! This isn’t how I raised you!”
Caim was on the verge of saying, “You didn’t even raise me,” but immediately realized it would be pointless. Instead, he just shook his head with a sigh before replying in resignation, “If you say so, then it must be true. After all, you are always right.”
“What did you just say?! That’s not how you should talk to your father!” Kevin stood up in rage and lunged straight for Caim, swinging his fist at him without a second thought.
Caim, however, quickly inclined his head to the side and avoided the blow.
“You little—!” Kevin widened his eyes in surprise for a moment, but he immediately followed up with a kick at Caim’s torso. This time, Caim couldn’t dodge and was knocked back to the door of the dining room.
“Gah!”
“Master Caim!” Tea rushed to Caim’s side and helped him to sit up as he tried to endure the pain.
“Why was a cursed child like you even born? If not for you, Sasha would have lived longer! Damn it!” Kevin shouted spitefully, then slumped into a nearby chair, looking exhausted.
Arnette and the servants ran to Kevin’s aid.
“Father!”
“Master...”
Caim groaned in pain as the servants and even his twin sister glared at him like it was his fault. How unfair—he was the one who had been kicked.
“Are you all right, Master Caim?!”
“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt that much,” he replied as Tea helped him stand up. They then slowly made their escape from the dining room.
“Are you really all right?” Tea asked worryingly. “They’re so cruel! Why do you have to suffer like this?!”
“I promise I’m fine. Let’s hurry up and head back,” he answered with a smile as he examined his body. While he had been sent flying, he was surprisingly not wounded. Kevin had likely controlled his strength perfectly so as not to seriously injure Caim.
I guess he is the Master Pugilist. Kind of a waste of his abilities though.
“Wait, Master Caim,” the butler called out just before they could exit the mansion. “Tea still has work to do, so please return on your own. I am truly sorry that no one will be able to send you off.”
“Grrraw! Are you saying we should let Master Caim go home by himself in such a condition?!” Tea snapped at the butler in protest. “I’m Master Caim’s maid! What’s wrong with me accompanying him?!”
“Remember your place. You are a maid of the count’s household. Have you already forgotten the debt you owe to the mistress for hiring you?”
“The mistress is the one who asked me to take care of Master Caim in the first place! Why are you treating him so coldly?! He’s part of the count’s family too!”
The butler clicked his tongue. “This is why beastfolk are just... Ugh, what a nuisance.”
Beastfolk were discriminated against and treated poorly in this country, so Tea was actually extremely lucky to be working for a count’s household.
If this continues, I’ll cause trouble for Tea too.
“I’m fine, so it’s all right if you take care of your work, Tea.”
“Master Caim?!”
“I can return home alone.” He turned toward the butler. “Do you have any more complaints?”
“No, this will do. Please be careful on your way back,” he scoffed with a sneer before he returned to the mansion.
“You heard us, Tea. Get back to your work.”
“It’s too dangerous! I can’t let you go back alone when you’re hurt!”
“It’s really not a problem. That blow might’ve looked impressive, but it doesn’t actually hurt that much. I can walk back home on my own.”
“But...!”
“Tea,” Caim said firmly to the older maid, who looked on the verge of bursting into tears. “I promise I’m all right, so please...take care of the mansion Mother loved.”
“Grrraooow... Master Caim!” Tea chewed her lower lip bitterly, but she ended up agreeing and sent him off with tears in her eyes.
“You’re just like a faithful dog...even though you’re a tiger,” Caim muttered with a wry smile as he left the mansion.
It was night, but the moon brightly illuminated Caim’s path as he slowly but surely headed back to his hut in the forest.