TSIMG 03

Chapter 03

Rodia didn’t know exactly what Damian had been thinking when he left his family.

At the very least, she believed he hadn’t run away.

But when it mattered most—when she needed him more than ever—he wasn’t there.

That hurt more than anything.

It felt as though she had been left all alone in the world.

“Hey, Miss Prokheit. Calm down. Damian isn’t dead. Not yet.”

“…But it’s practically the same.”

Rodia sniffled.

Come to think of it, the man sitting before her had spoken to her informally from the very beginning.

We’ve only just met…

Her expression immediately became sullen.

Part of her wanted to ask him, How can you speak to me so casually when we’ve only just met?

But then again…

He really was her brother’s friend.

Maybe he simply felt close to her because of that.

Still… this is our first meeting.

I shouldn’t make assumptions.

Besides… he’s helping me…

Countless thoughts swirled through her already overwhelmed mind.

Rodia shook her head, trying to scatter them.

Now wasn’t the time to dwell on something like that.

Her eyes steadied with resolve.

“Mr. Roat…”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“…I’ve never arranged a funeral before.”

“Could you recommend a funeral home?”

A funeral.

Histein had only gone through the process once himself.

Without a word, he gestured toward Ricard.

Ricard stepped forward.

“What religion?”

“My father and I… neither of us follows one.”

“In that case, it’s best to use the state funeral rites.”

He thought for a moment.

“Three days? Five?”

“…Three.”

“Very well.”

Histein nodded.

“Ricard, you heard her.”

“Send three wreaths.”

“Two under my name.”

“One under the hotel’s.”

Ricard quickly wrote everything down.

“As for the funeral home…”

“We’ll use Boni Fest.”

“They handled things very professionally.”

“Um…”

Rodia hesitated.

“But… the payment…”

“Wasn’t it written in Damian’s letter?”

Histein asked.

“That an account had been transferred into your name?”

“…Ah.”

She had completely forgotten.

Her cheeks turned red once again.

By this point, Histein had begun to recognize exactly what caused her face to flush.

“Use that account to pay for the funeral.”

Instead of answering, Rodia quietly nodded.

Fortunately, with Histein handling everything, the preparations moved forward without delay.

That very day he dispatched representatives to both the nearby church and the funeral company.

Naturally, rumors spread throughout Panyu that Histein Roat himself was arranging someone’s funeral.

Neither Rodia…

Nor Histein…

Had any idea the gossip was already spreading across the capital as the day came to an end.

* * *

Exhausted, Rodia finally returned to the university.

Her friends had been waiting near the school gates.

The moment they spotted her, they ran over.

“Rodia!”

“Ridi, are you okay?”

“Were you really at the Security Corps?”

“What happened?”

“Was it really your father?”

Questions came pouring out one after another.

Looking into their worried eyes, Rodia felt deeply grateful.

“I’m okay now.”

“I went.”

“…It really was my father.”

“So…”

“I reserved the funeral service at the church.”

“And signed the contract with the funeral home.”

“I honestly didn’t know where to begin…”

“But everything’s surprisingly well organized these days.”

“…Is that really something you should be smiling about?”

Granger frowned.

“What else am I supposed to do?”

Rodia answered with a fragile smile.

Seeing that powerless expression, Granger flinched.

Meanwhile, Isolesia smacked Rodia’s shoulder hard enough to make a loud slap.

“The professor said your assignment missed the deadline.”

“So no matter what happened, you won’t get full credit.”

“Honestly…”

“He’s so stingy.”

“Not an ounce of humanity.”

“Professors are like that.”

Rodia shrugged.

“I heard someone say becoming a professor requires giving up your humanity first.”

Despite the overwhelming pain she’d endured all day…

Being surrounded by friends who genuinely tried to comfort her finally allowed her to smile, if only a little.

* * *

Several days later…

Piagen Prokheit’s three-day funeral came to an end.

It had been a very modest ceremony.

Dressed entirely in black, Rodia greeted the handful of visitors who came to pay their respects.

Truthfully…

She’d assumed no one besides debt collectors would appear.

Instead…

People who remembered the Piagen Prokheit of years past came to bid him farewell.

Seeing them made Rodia unexpectedly emotional.

Maybe…

Her father hadn’t been an entirely worthless man after all.

“So…”

“That settles everything?”

“Yes.”

The funeral director smiled politely.

“You’ve worked very hard.”

Leaving behind a quiet farewell, Rodia walked out of the church without looking back.

She didn’t want to remain there even one minute longer.

Throughout the three-day funeral…

She had mostly been alone.

Histein was an incredibly busy man.

Her university friends were fourth-year students preparing for graduation.

Whenever they found time, they stopped by.

That was all they could manage.

Holding the small ceramic urn containing her father’s ashes together with its leather carrying pouch…

She descended the church steps.

Then she noticed several familiar faces waiting for her.

A bright smile bloomed across her face.

“Oh my goodness, Ridi!”

Melia grabbed both of Rodia’s cheeks.

“Your face has gotten so thin!”

“Have you even been eating?”

Granger turned Rodia’s face from side to side as if inspecting her.

Watching the girls fuss over her, the only male member of their group finally spoke.

“Keep spinning her around like that and she’s going to collapse.”

“Would you cut it out?”

“It wasn’t that bad!”

Isolesia immediately protested.

Smiling faintly, Rodia stepped between them.

“She’s right.”

“It wasn’t that bad.”

“I’m okay.”

“It’s been a while, Isaac.”

Isaac belonged to a different department at the university.

The moment he heard her greeting, he frowned deeply.

“‘It’s been a while?'”

“‘It’s been a while?'”

“That’s really the first thing you’re going to say?”

“Something this huge happens…”

“And you don’t even tell me?”

“I had to hear from these guys that your father passed away!”

“Does that make any sense?!”

“Hey!”

Granger glared at him.

“Why are you yelling at Ridi?”

The entire scene quickly descended into chaos.

Rodia understood why Isaac was upset.

He felt hurt.

She knew that.

But after everything she’d endured…

She simply didn’t have the energy to explain herself.

Fortunately…

There were plenty of friends willing to argue with Isaac in her place.

Leaving them behind, Rodia turned toward someone approaching slowly from the distance.

“H-Hello, Mr. Roat.”

Removing his hat in greeting, Histein acknowledged her.

Even so, his eyes never left her group of friends.

For some reason…

A faint shadow crossed his face.

“Your friends?”

Apparently he hadn’t even registered Rodia’s greeting.

She smiled awkwardly.

“Yes.”

“Everyone…”

“This is Mr. Histein Roat.”

“He helped arrange my father’s funeral.”

“He’s also my brother’s friend.”

“Mr. Roat…”

“These are my friends.”

The moment they heard his name…

Everyone froze.

Honey-blond hair.

Turquoise-green eyes.

Isolesia looked at Rodia with trembling eyes.

Don’t tell me…

She silently mouthed.

Rodia nodded with a smile.

Yes.

It’s really him.

“Oh my goodness!”

Granger practically squealed.

“W-Wow!”

“It’s an honor to meet you!”

“I’m Granger Lindberg!”

She enthusiastically shook Histein’s hand.

Meanwhile…

Isolesia stood there with one hand covering her open mouth, too shocked to speak.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lindberg.”

Histein smiled politely.

“The honor isn’t really mine.”

“My father was the hero of the revolution.”

“I wasn’t.”

The humility in his voice only made Granger react even more passionately.

“Please don’t say that!”

“Everyone knows how hard you’ve worked for Heint!”

“Exactly!”

Melia eagerly agreed.

“Just serving as the Chief Executive’s aide is already incredible.”

“And on top of that, you run your own business!”

“Mr. Roat…”

“You’re my role model.”

Both Granger and Melia looked at him with open admiration.

At least they could still talk.

Isolesia looked as though she might faint at any second.

Rodia found herself genuinely worried she would.

“And this gentleman is…?”

Histein turned toward the last member of the group.

Isaac stepped forward.

“I apologize for the late introduction.”

“My name is Isaac Wallace.”

“It’s an honor to meet you, Mr. Roat.”

The two men shook hands.

Neither said another word.

Instead…

They simply stared directly into each other’s eyes.

Watching them, Rodia tilted her head in confusion.

Isaac had dark chestnut hair.

Matching brown eyes.

Gentle, slightly drooping eyes that made him appear kind.

Yet…

Something about the way he and Histein shook hands felt strangely tense.

“So…”

“You’re the eldest son of House Wallace.”

“What an esteemed family.”

Histein smiled faintly.

“It seems Miss Prokheit is surrounded by good people.”

“Not at all.”

Isaac smiled back.

“We’re the ones who should thank you.”

“Thank you for helping her through all of this.”

“Thanks to you…”

“Rodia managed to endure it.”

Hearing that, Rodia unconsciously tilted her head.

It felt…

Odd.

Isaac was only her friend.

Yet the way he thanked Histein sounded almost as though this funeral had been his own family’s responsibility.

Almost as if he wanted Histein to understand how important Rodia was to him.

Without realizing it…

She glanced toward Histein.

“She is the family of my friend.”

Histein answered calmly.

“This much was only natural.”

“Otherwise…”

“When Damian comes back…”

“I wouldn’t be able to proudly tell him…”

“‘I chased away the flies and pests buzzing around your sister.'”

“…”

No one could mistake who he meant.

Isaac.

Watching the strange battle of wills between the two men, Rodia could only shake her head.

“We’ve got afternoon classes.”

Granger interrupted awkwardly.

“We should get going.”

“You’ll be back at school tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah.”

Rodia nodded.

“I have to.”

“I’m already so far behind in class that my head hurts just thinking about it.”

One by one…

She saw each of her friends off.

Then she noticed Isaac hadn’t moved.

He was still standing there watching her.

“What?”

She smiled.

“Aren’t you leaving?”

“…I am.”

Isaac placed the black hat he’d removed during the funeral back onto his head.

Then he climbed into his family’s waiting carriage.

Just before the door closed…

He looked at Rodia one last time.

“Ridi.”

“Hm?”

“If things ever get too hard…”

“Promise you’ll tell me.”

“I’ll always be by your side.”

“So don’t carry everything by yourself.”

She laughed softly.

“Are you lecturing me?”

“I’m only lecturing you because I’m worried.”

“If I didn’t care…”

“I wouldn’t bother.”

At those words…

Rodia burst into genuine laughter.

Her family was gone now.

But…

She still had friends who stood beside her.

Smiling brightly…

She continued waving until Isaac’s carriage disappeared completely from sight.