[TIDK] 24 – Cuckoo

“Okay?”

“Originally, the men of the Crimson family are tall, but my brother is exceptionally tall.”

Isaac raised his hand and touched the ceiling. Scarlett’s eyes widened at the sight.

“Isaac, didn’t you know that you were tall?” she asked.

“...I had no idea.”

“Nonsense.”

“Everyone takes care of me, so I feel small mentally….”

He muttered to himself, then wrapped his arms around Scarlett’s shoulder.

When he touched her shoulder with his hand, she was speechless. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. 

Scarlett was always the first to hold him, so today, she pulled Isaac’s forearm and said,

“Come on, sit down...”

While Scarlett was speaking, the door suddenly opened, and Arnold walked in.

He came in at will and yelled at Scarlett.

“You vixen. Said the store was everything! Are you hiding the money you got from that marriage?”

He seemed to have found out because Dumfelt people had come by and made a fuss.

Scarlett quickly approached him in a hurry and said, “Let’s go out and talk.”.

However, Arnold grabbed Scarlett’s slender neck and pressed her against the wall.

“Even if we raised you, you don’t know how to be grateful. I’m being punished for taking care of you.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

As usual, she was too afraid for Isaac to let out even a moan of surprise, and her apologetic tone was even a little sweet as if the situation was unusual.

Because she thought it was the only way to relieve Arnold’s mood and reassure Isaac.

Then Isaac approached with his cane and, waving his hand in the air, grabbed Arnold’s arm.

“Arnold, what do you mean?” he asked.

“This girl has broken some promise, so Dumfelt wants his money back. But how much money is that? She said she didn’t have any money. She could only pay for her own store. She bloody deceived you and me! Yes, that’s right. But Isaac, you didn’t know? How can you trick your brother that you don’t have any money?”

Arnold threatened Scarlett again, but Isaac grabbed his arm and pulled him away from her.

It was a strong force. Arnold made a bewildered expression, noticing that he could comfortably subdue his arm with his strength.

“Ah, Isaac, you...”

Isaac grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room, and then he said with a smile,

“I will ask.”

Arnold noticed for the first time that Isaac, who had always been gentle, had been doing physical training in the attic.

Arnold, who was stunned, spoke in a friendlier tone.

“Isaac, don’t fall for that vixen either. You know we’re on your side.”

Isaac raised his head at his words and smiled slowly.

“Well then, you know. I am on your side.” Isaac said and closed the door. 

Then, with his back against the door, he asked Scarlett, “How much did the medicine for my eyes cost?”

“Just a little.”

“A little bit.”

“Do what you want. Let’s eat bread and cake quickly.”

Time and time again, Isaac thought it would be better if he disappeared for Scarlett’s sake, but on the other hand, he thought it would be better for his pitiful sister to have him just like this.

On days like today, he wished the wind would blow him away. Even when he was held hostage and enslaved, she always tried to make him feel a little better, as if all the violence had no side effects.

‘This would not have happened without me.’

Isaac thought that his desire to live had made the situation like this.

He grabbed Scarlett’s arm as she cut the cake. Her slender forearms were still in his hands. He didn’t realise that he had grown so big or that Scarlett had become so frail.

He thought he had become a cuckoo*. He was utter rubbish, and he could not stand it.

*parasitic bird

Scarlett looked at his distorted expression and spoke in a relatively bright voice.

“I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t a big deal, but you’re worried about me. There was a misunderstanding. Do not worry,” she said after she cut the cake neatly. She placed a serving on a plate and handed him a cup of milk.

“Don’t worry, we will fix it quickly,” Scarlett spoke in a confident voice as she comforted Isaac.

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