# Chapter 16
The ominous black liquid leaked from the vial onto the grass. Carl retreated with faltering steps, muttering in shock:
“Mom?”
Before Karl could fully comprehend what was happening, Isabella rushed out from somewhere and slapped Sarah hard.
“You...you!”
The sound of the slap was as sharp as tearing cloth, and the force of Isabella was no less intense. Sarah fell to the grass, but Isabella, unable to contain her anger, grabbed her hair and pulled her up.
“You, you...! How dare you...!”
(Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee)
In the distance, knights rushed. Isabella threw Sarah towards them and shouted, “Lock her up!”
Sarah was in shock and pain from the slap, her body was trembling and she was unable to speak. The knights pulled it out without hesitation.
Karl, who was on the swing, stood in confusion, his face expressionless.
“Mom, why did you do that to Sarah?”
“Are you seriously asking me that, Carl?”
Isabella grabbed his shoulder tightly, causing him to sway, the swing squeaking as it moved.
“What? You listened to Sarah, fired your teacher, and stopped your equestrian training? And you almost vomited everything you ate?”
“But...but mommy...”
“You really believed her and followed her instructions? Huh?”
Karl trembled when he saw the anger in his mother's eyes. Although she was known to be cold and controlled, he had never seen her this angry before. She had always been reserved in front of her children, but seeing this scene made her completely lose her temper.
For the first time, Karl saw his mother's eyes wide open with anger, and he stammered,
“But… If I do that, my brother will come back, and no one will blame me...”
“You don't understand anything! Do you think Ekian would be happy if he saw you like this? Huh?”
Isabella began to shake Karl by the shoulders nervously.
At that moment—
“Ma’am, please stop.”
A woman approached and pulled Isabella away from Karl.
Only then did Karl take a deep breath and blink. The woman who had caught Isabella had red hair and green eyes, something he had never seen before.
She was wearing a simple dress and worn-out shoes, but she spoke confidently and calmly, "If you're going to scold someone, scold Sarah. Young Master is still just a child…"
“Judith, he's not just a kid! He's a genius who remembers things since he was two or three years old, and his intelligence is already at adult level!”
Isabella shouted irritably, but the woman called “Judith” held Karl’s hand and responded calmly,
“Even if his intelligence is at an adult level, he is still only eight.”
"…What?"
“Even if he is able to solve difficult problems… he is still just a child who has only lived eight years.”
Karl's eyes filled with tears. He was always told that he was smart and a genius, and that he was already an adult. But this was the first time anyone had called him just a kid.
{Oh my dear Carl, I want to hug him}
Even Sarah was repeating, “Everyone knows what a genius you are, Young Master, so you can’t act like other kids.” She was warning him that studying and eating normally as if he knew nothing was unacceptable.
“Therefore, it is our responsibility as adults to teach him what he does not know.”
Isabella froze, as if her feet were stuck to the ground. Judith, who was gently patting Isabella's arm, leaned down to Karl's eye level.
“Young Master, it is nice to meet you. My name is Judith Ailan, Baroness Ailan.”
Although her clothes were even simpler than those of the maids, they were still noble.
Karl regained his calm and bowed politely, “…Nice to meet you. I’m Karl Mayus.”
Judith gave him a warm look. She was not very beautiful, but her face was bright and clear.
Judith took Karl's hand and said, "Not everything Sarah said is true. Young Master, I'm sure the Duchess is sadder than ever now."
“But…brother…”
“The young Duke would be sad to see you like this.”
Judith continued gently, “When the young Duke left the palace of Maius, it was as if he had entrusted you to the care of your parents. How could you grieve them so?”
Carl's breath quickened as he heard these words for the first time. Then he asked hesitantly, “But who are you to know my brother’s feelings?”
There was some wariness in his eyes, which was understandable.
“What do you know about my brother? Sarah was very close to him when they were little!”
Upon hearing Sarah's name, Isabella exploded in anger. “Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!”
Her anger was irresistible, so she shouted, “If Ekian really cared for her, do you think he would have left without saying goodbye?”
"How could Baroness Aylan be any different? Why should I take her word for it?"
Judith's eyes sparkled for a moment, but before she could respond, Isabella exclaimed loudly, “She's carrying your brother's child!”
"…What?"
Judith's eyes widened in shock. She didn't expect Isabella to reveal the pregnancy so openly, especially in front of a young child. But Isabella, her anger boiling, could not stop.
“She was your brother's girlfriend! Do you understand now?”
Even as a child, Karl was a genius, and he quickly grasped the situation.
"Oh, my God."
He looked at Judith’s flat stomach and furrowed his eyebrows, “So… you and my brother… did that and had a baby?”
For the first time, Judith felt embarrassed. She looked at Karl, then at her stomach, and muttered, “Um, well, something like that…”
Karl suddenly jumped out of the swing, ran to Judith with wide eyes, and asked sharply, “Where is my brother now? Huh?”
Judith had only one answer, “Um, he…gone again.”
There was silence. Karl looked at Isabella in disbelief. Isabella felt confused and said nothing.
After a moment, Karl fully comprehended the situation, clenched his hands tightly, and shouted,
“That damned one!”
“…Huh?”
“He left a young woman pregnant with his child, abandoned her and the child, and ran away?”
“…Huh?”
“Even if he is my brother, this is unacceptable! How can I defend someone like him?”
The ideal image Carl had of his brother was shaken and slowly began to shatter.
Behind them, out of sight, the large tree that had moved earlier shook again.
In fact, Ekian had been hiding in the tree the whole time, observing the scene.
'Is...is this what was supposed to happen?'
His perfect image in his brother's eyes was completely shattered.
Translated by ooo