The Eldest Daughter Walks Down The Flower Path - Chapter 281
Chapter 281
Translator: Yonnee
—
As Radis was about to ride away, her eyes caught sight of two children standing behind the fence.
They were Flora’s children. Radis’s half-siblings.
The sharpness in her gaze, which had been devoid of any warmth, began to soften slightly.
She slowly urged her horse toward the children, then leaned down and spoke softly, just loud enough for them to hear.
“If you ever want to leave this place, come to Loire and find me.”
The older of the two, a boy, responded with a voice full of distrust.
“The villagers said that we’re dirty little children, sinners just for being born. They said Madam Tilrod would crush us like mice if she saw us. You won’t do that, will you?”
Radis straightened up and answered.
“If anyone told you that being born is a sin, they were wrong. That’s the sin of those two people fighting over there. You’ve done nothing wrong. If anyone hates you, it’s unjust.”
The younger one, a red-haired girl clinging tightly to her brother, looked up at Radis and asked,
“Do you hate us?”
Radis smiled gently.
“I think I might grow to like you.”
The girl returned a shy smile at her words.
* * *
When Radis was young, Daniel would often take her out of the Tilrod mansion, claiming it was for training.
They would sing as they walked down a secluded path, sit by a small stream, and eat simple food they had brought from the estate.
And in front of an old ruin, they would conduct their ‘secret training’.
These training sessions were nothing more than Daniel demonstrating his swordsmanship. He never showed his true skill within the mansion, but in those moments, Radis saw the real him.
While Radis practiced her swordsmanship, completely absorbed, Daniel would sit on a broad rock, pulling out old papers from the ruin and copying them into his notebook.
Now, though he wasn’t writing in a notebook, seeing him sitting on that same rock filled Radis with a wave of nostalgia.
Daniel seemed to feel something similar.
He jumped down from the rock and walked toward Radis.
“I’ve stayed the same, but you’ve really grown.”
Radis, instead of offering her hand like a formal greeting, pulled Daniel into a tight hug.
“Maybe I’ve grown taller, but I’m still the same inside.”
Daniel patted her on the shoulder, looking pleased.
“Well, most people your age don’t realize that. You’ve grown taller, but it seems your heart has matured a lot too.”
“I’ve grown more than you think, Master.”
Radis released her hug and grinned. Daniel gave her a meaningful look.
“It seems like you’ve had a special adventure while I wasn’t paying attention.”
“Maybe.”
As Radis replied, her smile faded.
“Master, I need your help.”
Daniel nodded.
“Follow me.”
He led her inside the nearly collapsed ruin. As they ducked under the fallen entrance, Radis asked,
“Didn’t you tell me never to come in here?”
“It’s dangerous for a child to wander here. Don’t touch the walls—they could really collapse.”
Daniel stopped in front of a small room where the door had fallen off and spoke.
“Do you know where this is?”
“No…”
“This is where Alexis lived.”
“……!”
Radis’s eyes widened. She cautiously entered the room and looked around.
It was less of a room and more like a small storage shed. The mud walls were almost entirely crumbled, and parts of the wooden floor were rotting.
All that remained was an old, worn-out chest.
She slowly approached the chest and opened it. Inside were old notebooks and bundles of paper, so fragile they seemed like they would crumble at a touch.
Daniel spoke.
“Those are the things Alexis wrote.”
Radis carefully gathered the notebooks and papers and carried them outside. Daniel spread them out on the rock and handed her a few sheets.
“This is the earliest one.”
Radis cautiously unfolded one of the pages.
It seemed Alexis had been an excellent chronicler.
The old notebooks and papers contained the entire story of her life.
* * *
Once, people called her a witch.
“Alexis set the fire!”
“That witch again!”
She laughed gleefully as she watched the flames roar.
“Hahaha! Burn it all!”
When she caused such trouble, no one was angrier than her own family.
“Alexis!”
“Ugh!”
“How many times do you need to be punished before you get it together?”
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