To Become Family with the Male Lead - Chapter 62

Mother dropped me from her embrace.

“Lize, you stay in the carriage with Bitty.”

“…No, I don’t want to.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring Roger back safely.”

“…But.”

Mother tied my feet with her gaze instead of words, then disappeared from sight.

My hands trembled. My constricted heart made my whole body contract. As I leaned forward in urgency, Bitty embraced me.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, young lady… If only I hadn’t made that request…”

“…Roger? What about Roger?”

“Young lady…”

I could feel Bitty’s body trembling as she held me. My heart pounded, fearing something had happened to Roger who was alone. I was tormented by the fact that I had forgotten about him to soothe my own pain.

As I looked outside the carriage searching for traces of Roger, I spotted a carriage in front of the Bakus mansion.

In front was father’s carriage, and behind it was the carriage Roger and I had ridden. Roger’s precious things would still be in that carriage.

“Young lady…!”

I pushed away from Bitty’s chest and escaped outside the carriage.

In an instant, I reached the carriage Roger and I had ridden and found the two violin cases inside. One was mine, one was Roger’s.

Originally, we were supposed to deliver the letter to Mrs. Bakus and then return to Marsen village in this carriage right away.

‘Why, why did it turn out like this?’

Holding the two violin cases in my arms, I saw Bitty who had chased after me. She gripped my wrist tightly, apparently frightened by my sudden dash. It was an action she would never have taken normally.

“Young lady… Please, please return to the carriage. Madam and young master will be here soon…”

At Bitty’s broken voice, I could only nod. I had unintentionally scared her. Bitty, who held onto me until the end, only caught her breath when we reached the Marsen family carriage some distance away.

“…”

“…”

Now it was time to wait. Perhaps due to my impatient heart, time seemed to pass slowly.

All sorts of thoughts came to mind. I imagined all kinds of futures. They were all unhappy narratives.

“…”

Tears came again. Was I always this tearful? Is it okay for a grown adult to cry this much?

In the end, I reproached myself for leaving young Roger alone. They said Roger had collapsed. Would he be alright? Was he badly hurt?

“…Where is Roger?”

“Young lady.”

“Mother is taking too long too. Could something have happened?”

“…”

“If I can’t go alone, let’s go together. Let’s go together. I have something to give to Roger too. Okay?”

At my request, Bitty straightened up.

It seemed she was also worried about mother who was taking longer than expected. Carefully hugging the two violins, I silently followed behind Bitty as she moved.

Bitty would walk a few steps, then check behind her, fearing I might run off somewhere, then walk a few more steps and check again.

The place where Roger was was a small forest behind the Bakus mansion. As we entered, I heard mother’s voice.

“…Roger.”

Mother and Roger were together as expected. Contrary to Bitty’s words that he had collapsed, Roger was sitting under a tree with his face buried in his knees. Thankfully, there seemed to be nothing wrong with Roger’s body.

“Lize? Why are you here…”

As mother spoke, Roger also raised his head and reacted. His gaunt face met mine.

“…”

“…”

Neither of us said anything.

“…Anyway Roger. Now that Lize is here too, come with us. At least stay with us until your father arrives.”

“…”

“Roger…”

Roger didn’t budge at mother’s words. A shadow fell over us.

“It looks like it’s going to rain.”

Mother said, looking up at the sky.

“…Just leave me alone.”

Roger’s voice was heard. I could understand why mother and Roger hadn’t appeared in front of the carriage until now. Roger had refused to come with us.

“Roger.”

“Please… Just leave me alone.”

“But it’s going to rain soon. Or… will you return to the mansion?”

Roger raised his head at mother’s question. His eyes trembled uneasily as he stared blankly at mother.

“No.”

He said firmly.

“I’m not going. I don’t want to see mother’s face.”

“I’ll contact your father, so for now come with us…”

“I don’t want to see father’s face either right now.”

Thunder struck.

Along with the darkening weather, raindrops began to fall sparsely. Roger’s stubbornness showed no signs of bending.

Mother, looking troubled, didn’t take any action or say anything as she looked at Roger’s nearly lifeless face. Mother wasn’t the type to forcibly take someone who said no.

“…Is that so?”

Thinking she had done her part, mother’s body turned sideways.

“Roger…!”

Afraid that mother would turn her back on Roger, I stepped forward. I put the violin cases next to Roger and bent my knees. As our eyes met, I could clearly see Roger’s face steeped in sadness.

Neither of us had a single part that was unscathed.

“Let’s go together.”

As I placed my hand on the back of his hand, Roger flinched.

“…Let’s go together. Okay?”

“…”

“I brought the violins too, so…”

“You go alone.”

Roger rejected my words too. He twisted his head to the side as if he didn’t want to see my face either.

“Roger.”

“Take the violin with you. I don’t need it anymore.”

“…But it’s yours.”

“I don’t need it anymore. I don’t want to be betrayed anymore. I’m sick of it now!”

Roger pushed away the violin case beside him with his hand.

Rain spots appeared one by one on the violin case that fell to the ground. Truly afraid of what might happen to him, I tried to persuade Roger until the end, but mother grabbed my shoulder.

It meant to stop.

“But…!”

“Roger, there’s a blue roof next to the church at the end of Hosha village. That’s where Lize and I are staying.”

Mother cut off my words and spoke to Roger.

“You can come anytime. Lize will always be there.”

“…”

“It’s a blue roof. You understand?”

Mother said only that and grabbed my arm. Before returning to the carriage, I opened my mouth while looking at Roger’s face.

“Roger!”

“…”

“It’s okay if you don’t come to find me. But… but I don’t want things to end like this between us.”

“…”

“Let’s meet in a week. I’ll, I’ll be waiting for you in front of the fountain in Roscoff village. At midnight a week from now. And during that time, I’ll take good care of your violin. I’ll return it to you then, so please, please meet me.”

You understand, right? I’ll be waiting for you there.

Roger.

[This is the timeline separator]

I didn’t return to Hosha village. I waited all day in front of the forest for Roger to come out. I endured the cold, getting rained on and shivering.

I waited until it got dark, but there was no sign of Roger. Worried about catching a cold, I carefully entered the forest with a blanket from the carriage.

The dark forest was like a maze. I looked at the place where Roger had been, but he wasn’t there.

“Roger?”

No matter how much I searched, Roger was nowhere to be seen. Flustered, I looked all around the small forest, but the result was the same. Roger had left through the opposite path.

“Mother! Roger, I can’t see Roger!”

“…It would be best to have someone look for him. For now, let’s go back, Lize.”

“But…”

I looked at the forest where Roger had been until the very end.

Now I really had to wait for Roger to come.

[This is the timeline separator]

The rainy season came.

The divorce proceedings progressed faster than before. With things in Hosha village mostly settled, mother and my siblings prepared to go to the Folong family.

I checked outside the window day by day.

I looked for any shapes among the pouring rain, but there was nothing. Even when I occasionally saw something, it was just Yurik’s snow-white silver hair.

“…It seems father, who briefly stopped by the capital, ran into Roger’s father. He said his face looked a bit gaunt, but he was still working, saying he had to finish the tasks he was assigned. He said he would finish his work in the capital soon and then exchange with the royal orchestra in the neighboring continent as scheduled. After that, he plans to return to the mansion.”

Yurik, who heard about the affair through me, was also worried about Roger. If Roger’s father was in the capital, was Roger now with Mrs. Bakus at the mansion? I wanted to go to Roscoff village, but every time I thought of it, I remembered Roger’s lifeless eyes.

I didn’t want to face Mrs. Bakus either.

“…”

I too lived as if dead.

I only carefully handled the violin Roger had entrusted to me. I wiped it daily to prevent dust and even tried tuning it, though clumsily.

Three days passed. The rainy season intensified. There was no news from Roger.

‘Tomorrow… will Roger come to meet me?’

I had agreed to meet Roger in front of the Roscoff fountain. I worried whether I had set the date too hastily. What if the rainy season gets worse… It would be worst if a storm comes and the carriage can’t move.

‘I hope the sun shines tomorrow, please.’

The one who responded to my words was not the sky, but Rodney, who had replied to my letter. His wet letter passed through mother’s hands before being placed in mine.

The contents of the letter were quite shocking.

「Hello, mother. And my beloved siblings.

I read the letter you sent well. I hope Lize hasn’t been too hurt.

I am still at the dormitory. I am writing this reply right after receiving the letter, but due to the rainy season, I’m not sure when this handwriting will reach mother.

Mother. Something seems to have happened to grandfather.

To briefly explain the situation, I had been exchanging letters with grandfather regarding Lize’s custody.

Grandfather was very shocked by the serious matter of divorce. Later, he understood mother and worried about Lize.

Grandfather said he would take Lize’s side. He also promised to actively participate in the trial.

But I haven’t been in contact with grandfather for a week. I’m more worried because he’s not the type to unilaterally cut off contact no matter how angry he is.

There had been talk that he wasn’t well before, so I wanted to visit, but due to the sudden rainy season, it’s not easy for me to go out.

So I hope mother, who is closer to grandfather’s mansion, will go to see grandfather directly. Please check directly if something has happened to grandfather.

From Rodney.

P.S. The trial is in a few days. I know it’s hard for mother and my siblings, but please hold on a little longer. I will return to Hosha village as soon as the rainy season ends.」

“Quickly put on your coats, children.”

As soon as we read the letter, mother and my siblings headed to grandfather’s mansion.

Although the carriage shook due to strong winds, we somehow arrived at the mansion. The quiet and secluded exterior of the mansion was starkly different from the interior. The maids who were busy moving about discovered us and guided us to where grandfather was.

Grandfather was lying in bed, suffering from illness.

Grandfather’s condition was so serious that even breathing seemed difficult.

They say it was an illness he occasionally suffered from, so they thought it would pass this time too. They said they had postponed sending a letter for a while, fearing we would worry.

The next morning at dawn, grandfather’s eyes opened.

It was momentary.

“…He has passed away.”

The doctor’s head dropped to the floor.

I’m sorry.

Those were grandfather’s last words.

[This is the timeline separator]

The rainy season continued.