ORPDRL Chapter 28

 Episode 28

At that moment, a powerful emotion stirred within Grisys, one just as strong as his helplessness—fear.

‘Get up.’

Are you going to watch someone else die in front of your eyes?

Grisys screamed within himself.

Get up, get up, get up.

Since Isilla’s death, Grisys had never truly desired anything. For the first time, he desperately wished for his unresponsive body to move according to his will.

‘Get up, Grisys Grizzly.’

Hissss—!

The snake coiled tightly around Grisys struggled against his will but began to loosen its grip.

“Father-in-law?”

Letty’s eyes widened in astonishment as she saw Grisys putting all his strength into shaking off the snake without her help. He was on the verge of overcoming his helplessness.

— Are you going to forget me, Grisys?

The snake began mimicking Isilla’s voice.

— Are you no longer mourning my death?

“…..…”

—Surely that child isn’t more precious to you than I am.

“No, that’s not true.”

The snake, its voice eerily resembling Isilla’s, grew monstrously larger, its black jaws opening wide.

Thud!

Just as Grisys had nearly stood up, he collapsed again. Seeing his eyes dim once more, Letty squeezed hers shut.

‘The pain will only last a moment.’

Where was the fairy who usually followed her everywhere? Tears welled up in Letty’s eyes, spilling down her cheeks.

Screech!

Neigh!

The sound of the carriage wheels skidding to a halt and the panicked cries of the horses pierced Letty’s ears. But that was it.

Realizing she felt no pain, Letty opened her eyes.

“Miss, are you alright?!”

The person standing before her, stopping the carriage with one hand, was Lilia. The coachman’s perch, which she had grabbed, was shattered into pieces, floating in the air.

“Nini…”

Flinging herself into Lilia’s arms, Letty finally let out the sobs she had been holding back.

“Waaaah! Niniiii!”

“Oh dear, you must have been so scared.”

Lilia wrapped her arms around the crying Letty and gently stroked the child’s small back.

The commotion from the garden had drawn people, and they gathered around Letty and Lilia.

“What? His Grace was lying right over there, and he didn’t even get up to save the young miss?”

One of the servants pointed out Grisys, still lying across the path, with a puzzled tone.

“I know he’s lazy, but this is too much.”

The crowd’s attention quickly turned to Grisys. Assuming he couldn’t hear them from across the road, the onlookers began to shake their heads and murmur.

“Even if she’s not officially a part of the family yet—or even if she were a complete stranger—how could he remain so indifferent?”

“A child nearly died right in front of him, and yet he just lay there, too lazy to care. Is this really the family head I’m supposed to serve? It makes me not want to work anymore.”

“We endure because he’s our head, but honestly, if it weren’t for his looks…”

Grisys heard all the criticisms directed at him but chose not to react. He believed he deserved every word.

‘Yes, I am trash.’

He had failed to protect his wife, bringing her into a family that opposed their union and ultimately led to her death. 

He was a terrible father who couldn’t care for the son she had sacrificed her life for. And just now, he had stood by while a child—someone who came to him as a future daughter-in-law—was put in danger. 

It would be hard to find someone more despicable than him, not just in the Grizzly family but in the entire empire.

As Grisys sank deeper into self-loathing, the weight on his body grew heavier. The snake coiled around him had become so large it appeared like a shadow enveloping him.

‘…Father-in-law is going to let himself be crushed to death by that snake.’

Letty, watching him from Lilia’s arms, squirmed free. Though her small body still trembled with fear, she bravely walked toward Grisys.

“Father-in-law.”

“…...…”

Grisys didn’t look at her—or rather, he couldn’t. He didn’t have the courage to raise his head.

“Father-in-law, you were really scared, weren’t you…?”

Letty gently placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, speaking softly as if to console him.

“Are you okay?”

Grisys glanced at Letty, who appeared more concerned for him than herself. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again, not out of laziness but because he didn’t know what to say.

“I… I’m fine.”

As Letty touched his shoulder, the shadow of the snake began to fade. Grisys felt the suffocating weight of his despair lighten, filling him with guilt. He covered his face with one hand.

“…I’m sorry.”

Grisys wanted to apologize for being such a wretched father-in-law to her.

“Huh?”

But Letty tilted her head in confusion at his apology.

“What for?”

“…For not saving you. You saw it, didn’t you?”

Letty, remembering how their eyes had met just before the carriage hit her, answered his question clearly.

“But Father-in-law, I saw you trying to run to me. I saw everything.”

Though the snake still clung to him, it was noticeably weaker than before. Feeling a sense of pride, Letty’s lips curled into a small smile.

“…What?"

“Look! See for yourself.”

Letty tugged at his dirt-streaked robe, revealing the marks in the ground where he had struggled to stand. 

“Father-in-law, you came this far for me.”

For her, that was enough.

Knowing that Grisys had fought against the snake to save her filled Letty with gratitude. She didn’t resent him for not reaching her in time.

“I’m fine. Even if I had gotten hurt, I wouldn’t have felt lonely.”

Because I saw you trying to help me, Father-in-law.

“Thank you, Father-in-law.”

Hearing Letty’s quiet words of thanks, Grisys’s expression became unreadable, a mix of a smile and a sob. Letty leaned forward and kissed his cheek lightly.

Smooch.

“I’ll come again tomorrow. Tomorrow, I’ll make sure that nasty snake is completely gone.”

With a bright grin, Letty clenched her fists firmly, making sure Grisys could see her resolve.

At that moment, something stronger than the snake coiled itself around Grisys’s heart—a ray of sunlight.

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