Chapter 85: The Viiness''s Father (2)
Three days ago.
Thedy, now an unlicensed driver, was practicing her driving in the yard.
"Vroom vroom."
Making engine noises with her mouth, thedy fiddled with the levers, moving a meter before turning her head and asking, "How''s that?" eager for praise of her excellent driving skills.
I gave her a thumbs up and said,
"You might be a bit slower than my grandmother."
"You don''t have a grandmother, Ricardo."
"That''s a low blow."
"…Sorry."
Thedy''s timid driving skills gradually improved over time.
"It''s rolling. Rumble rumble."
Boosted by continuous praise, thedy confidently maneuvered the stick shift.
"Drift!"
She began to exhibit strange behavior.
"Lady, reckless driving is a shortcut to a coffin."
"It looked cool. That''s all that matters."
"Who taught you that strange mindset?"
Thedy didn''t say anything and just looked at me as if that was her answer. Apparently, she was inspired by the inertial drift I demonstrated during the trial run.
As thedy''s driving instructor, I couldn''t lift my head in pride.
"Well, everyone should try drifting at least once in their life."
"Right. It''s no fun if it’s too nd."
Thedy nodded and refocused on driving.
-Screech.
She turned right.
-Screeeeeech!
And came to a sudden stop on the left, showing off a noisy stunt before hesitating and ncing at a red button on the armrest, checking my reaction.
Excited eyes on the button.
Thedy, like a gambler consumed by pleasure, twitched her fingers and muttered,
"Ricardo, I''m ready for takeoff."
"It’s too early for you to return to the earth."
"No, I won''t die."
The red button.
Known as the ‘I can''t stop'' button, it allowed the wheelchair, which had its speed limited to 40 km/h, to break its limit. It enabled rapid eleration, exceeding 100 km/h, a button epassing the fantasies of men.
The ill-fated button that had once caused her to smash through the mansion''s wall, thedy now looked at it with excited eyes.
"I''m good at driving now. Best driver."
"The speed at which you''re heading to your coffin will also increase."
"It''s fine. I was unharmed even when I hit the wallst time."
Thedy recalled the experience of exchanging pleasantries with the wall and responded, trusting the protective barrier magic installed in ‘Ferrari'' Mark 1.
An awkward silence followed. I looked at thedy with wild eyes fixed on the button and spoke firmly.
"That''s not going to happen."
"…"
"Ahem…!"
"…"
Thedy nced at me and then, like F1 racing drivers tapping their helmets before a race, she knocked on her own helmet and nodded.
"Alright."
[Vroom vroom vroom vroom!!]
The moment ‘Ferrari'' Mark 1''s engine roared violently.
"Whoa."
‘Ferrari'' Mark 1 began to elerate towards the mansion''s wall with thedy''s final scream.
As ‘Ferrari'' Mark 1 flew like a siege weapon, I held my head and shook it.
"We''re doomed."
-Screeeeeech!!
"Yikes!!"
The unlicensed driver''s inept handling couldn''t control the wild ‘Ferrari'' Mark 1, and thedy ended up crashing it into the mansion''s front gate.
-Boom…
"Cough cough.."
Thedy coughed amidst the cloud of dust.
Believing in the theoretical perfection of the wheelchair and muttering that it was at fault, thedy looked at the gaping hole in the mansion''s front gate with a stunned expression.
"Eh?"
Thedy, whose world seemed to crumble, was unharmed thanks to the sturdy barrier magic. Still, the mansion now had a gaping hole due to the unfortunate oue of the siege.
"Hic…"
Thedy, looking at the remnants of the copsed mansion, said,
"Ricardo… I''ve conquered the mansion."
"A splendid siege. Lady."
"Thanks. But… what do we do now?"
Tears welled up in thedy''s eyes.
Thedy, who had wrecked her entire fortune. I looked at the tearfuldy and gave her aforting smile, saying,
"For a while, we won''t have to worry about thieves. It''s like an automatic door now."
"…"
"And it was already like a ruin, so this could be a fine opportunity for it to fall apartpletely. Haha…"
"Yikes… don''t tease me."
Thedy''s shoulders drooped at my sarcastic words.
I dusted off thedy''s helmet as she sat dejectedly in the wheelchair and let out a deep sigh.
‘What do we do now?''
Even a rough estimate would take about two weeks.
Money wasn''t much of an issue. There was plenty left from donating Pascal to an insect exhibition. Thedy''s bracelet was also bought at a discount from a friend.
The concern was the open front gate letting in the cold wind. We could be frozen humans in the chilling winter breeze.
After much contemtion, I nodded and turned to thedy.
"How about we go on a trip now that it''se to this?"
"A trip?"
"Yes. We''re nning to remodel the mansion."
"Do you have a lot of money, Ricardo?"
"The mansion can just be fixed with a loan. No need to worry. Let''s take a trip to the capital for a change. Us."
"The capital?"
Thedy tilted her head at the mention of the capital.
‘The capital.''
Where the Royal Academy is located.
A ce where many dislike thedy.
Where some dislike me, the capital.
A ce we hadn''t visited since thedy was expelled, but it seemed time to drop by once more.
The lord''s birthday was approaching.
Even though we were ousted from the family, we weren''t so spoiled as to ignore the lord''s birthday. Back in the main house, he had allowed a street urchin from the slums to be thedy''s butler and had treated me rather warmly.
I thought of using this opportunity as an excuse to visit and show our faces.
‘Well, he probably won''t see us.''
There was also Malik''s invitation to try out the newly opened tteokbokki restaurant in the capital.
For various reasons, I asked thedy if she would like to travel to the capital.
Thedy, lost in thought, pondered deeply, then seeing the crumbling wall, hupped once more.
"Uh…"
"Let''s just have fun until the repairs are done. How about we visit your favorite chocte shop?"
"But… the capital."
Thedy hesitated.
I knew what the capital meant to her.
A ce of grand past.
At the same time, a ce where people dislike the ruineddy. As long as we avoid people, it should be fine, but we must be cautious.
"We can buy chocte."
"…"
"And go shopping after such a long time."
"I can''t shop. I don''t have the money."
"…I''ll borrow generously this time."
Thedy smiled faintly and took my hand.
"Then I''ll help you pay it back."
"Are you nning to stick eyes on teddy bears again?"
"Yes."
"You''ll get scolded."
Thedy grinned and nodded.
"Then Ricardo. There''s something I want to do."
"Something you want to do?"
Thedy spoke with a bright smile.
"Let''s go see a y."
And that''s how we ended uping to the capital.
***
On the streets of the capital.
After sending off Yuria.
Thedy and I were humming to ourselves, unable to contain our excitement as we headed to the chocte shop.
Excited about the luxury of spending after so long, thedy was eager to eat the chocte from the dessert shop she had frequented two years ago.
Our steps, though childish, couldn''t help but be lively because it was an exciting journey after such a long time.
Thedy spoke with a chirpy voice,
"Ricardo."
"Yes."
"What shall we buy first? Scones? Ice cream? Or should we start with chocte?"
Thedy was firing up her hopes.
Although her face was hidden by the red helmet, I could imagine her expression, more excited than ever.
With a wallet fattened by loans, I said with a smug smile,
"Buy anything that catches your eye."
"Yikes…! Ricardo, did you decide to live just for today?"
"No."
I wore a confident smile despite thedy''s wallet-conscious question.
"I have too much to live for just today."
"Wow…! Can you also buy the shop?"
"…No."
I shook my head as a response to thedy''s request, which was always more than one could expect.
"First, for today…"
I took a small notebook out of the inside pocket of my jacket. It was filled with the detailed schedule for our trip to the capital.
I had written it, hoping to make unforgettable memories for thedy on this rare journey.
"Go shopping at the chocte shop at 10:30 AM."
"Oh…"
"Then we''ll visit Malik''s newly opened tteokbokki restaurant for a taste test."
"You seem busy, Ricardo."
"I am busy."
"Liar. There''s nothing else on the schedule after that."
"…"
[Day 1 Travel Schedule]
1. Unpack at the amodation.
2. Go to the chocte shop at 10:30 AM.
3. Visit Malik''s newly opened shop in the capital after that.
-End-
How thedy had discerned the nk space, I don''t know, but I was startled by her insight and chose to remain silent.
Thedy with the helmet nodded and said to me,
"Right?"
"…Yes."
Thedy let out a small ‘hehe'' ofughter.
Had we walked for about ten minutes?
When we arrived at the chocte shop, we looked up with dazed eyes.
"Uh… are we doomed?"
[Closed.]
The sign, written inrge red letters, seemed to have faded over a long time.
The shop, once full of sweet scents, was now eerily empty, and I could indirectly feel the aura of sadness from thedy.
Complete despair.
I looked at thedy with trembling eyes, but she was frozen and speechless.
"Ricardo, I think I''ve developed presbyopia."
Rubbing her eyes as if in denial of reality, thedy removed her helmet and looked closer, but the emptiness overwhelmed her.
"Oh no… this can''t be happening."
"My condolences, Lady."
"Yikes!!! This damn thing!"
Thedy eximed loudly, venting herints and dissatisfaction with the world.
As she silently cursed the world with empty eyes,
A deep, mature voice came from behind.
"Closed down two years ago."
It was a strong voice.
Steadfast and unyielding, a voice that wouldn''t fall.
The middle-aged man was telling us.
"Sixty percent of the sales were thanks to a customer who suddenly disappeared one day, which caused a big shakeup. At the same time, manypetitor shops opened, and it''s been a long time since it''s been closed."
"Our daughter liked it a lot, you know."
The middle-aged man spoke in a distant voice.
Mumbling with a voice tinged with sorrow, I could feel a wry smile forming.
It was a familiar voice.
I turned with a stiff body.
I saw a middle-aged man dressed in dark navy formal wear and felt as if time had stopped.
ck hair.
A man with upright eyes.
At the same time, a man who chooses death for his family towards the end of the novel.
"It''s been a long time."
Desmond, the head of the Desmond family.
Desmond Darbav was looking at us.