Free Web NovelChapter 462: Chapter 462: Adina 15
The Priest sighed, stepped back to stand behind Hubert, and gave a subtle nod. The hearts of Hubert and the others sank. If the little girl had just died, things would have been much simpler.
After some bickering, who could say for sure who was responsible?
But now that she was alive, the families involved couldn’t just wash their hands of it. No matter what, they had to cover this up. If their own daughters gained a reputation for being vicious and cruel at such a young age, how could their families ever show their faces again?
Tan You simply watched as Dumont negotiated with these families. Of course, she knew that most of the compensation they were forced to cough up wouldn’t end up in her hands, but she didn’t care.
She wasn’t after material benefits. What she wanted was a legitimate reason to leave the Edmonds family.
Just as Dumont and the representatives from the other families were reaching a consensus, Tan You suddenly spoke in a soft voice. "Father, I want to see my sister, and my sister’s... COUGH, COUGH... friends..."
Now, she couldn’t help but cough every time she opened her mouth. After she said this, the expressions of everyone in the front hall soured. Hubert and the others couldn’t bring themselves to refuse her request to see them, since their own daughters were the main culprits.
Soon, Lilith, Karina, Anita, and the others appeared before Tan You. They all stood with their heads hanging low, none of their usual arrogance to be seen.
Tan You looked at them, then back at Dumont, and began her real push. She pointed to the spot over her heart. "Father, it hurts here."
Dumont clenched his fists. "The Priest said your constitution has been damaged. From now on, you can only rest and recuperate."
"So I just have to stay in one place and can’t do anything?"
Tan You was essentially spelling out the meaning of Dumont’s words. Seeing the adults’ expressions shift again and again, she couldn’t help but let out another low cough.
Dumont nodded with difficulty. "Yes."
Tan You took a sharp breath and shifted her position slightly. "Father, I miss Grandfather. I want to go back to Kandapes."
Dumont’s expression changed repeatedly. "Your grandfather... passed away a long time ago. There’s no one else in Kandapes. What would you do back there?"
Tan You was stubborn. "Father, I want to go back to Kandapes. I don’t want to see them. I just want to live in peace."
She emphasized those last few words, and the young ladies, who had kept their heads bowed since entering, all looked up at her, their eyes filled with complex emotions.
But Tan You didn’t even spare them a glance. "I just want to live in peace. Is that so wrong?"
"If I had just stayed home, I wouldn’t be like this now." Tan You clutched her chest. "It was my sister who insisted on taking me to Karina’s house. It was Karina who suggested going to the valley. I didn’t want to go, but they dragged me along."
"My sister said she would stay with me the whole time in the valley, but she didn’t. They left me... COUGH, COUGH... all alone in the valley." Tan You struggled to speak clearly. "Yesterday, I could still fight a Violent Tooth Rat. Now, I can’t even stand steady..."
Listening to a young girl describe the stark contrast in her condition, the adults couldn’t help but sigh. It had just been a childish game, but now it had come to this. What a mess.
Catherine couldn’t hold back any longer. "Adina, you were already in poor health. You can’t put all the blame on your sister... Besides, it wasn’t just your sister’s fault..."
The moment she said this, the way the others looked at her changed. ’Even if our own daughters are also at fault, what are you trying to accomplish by saying it so bluntly?’
Tan You completely ignored her. "Father, I want to go back to Kandapes."
Dumont heaved a long sigh. "Fine. I’ll send you back to Kandapes. We’ll go when your health improves."
Tan You scoffed self-deprecatingly. "Like this? Is there any chance of me getting better?"
Dumont’s words caught in his throat. "You will get better. I’ll find a way to cure you."
Tan You lowered her gaze. "Father, I want to return to Kandapes as soon as possible."
Dumont now understood just how stubborn she could be. With so many people watching, he had no choice but to agree. "Fine. The day after tomorrow... The day after tomorrow, I’ll arrange for someone to escort you back to Kandapes."
’Perhaps if she’s sent away, out of sight, the families can become cordial with one another again.’
Perhaps because they pitied her, or perhaps because she would no longer be in the Imperial City, Tan You received a great many gifts this time. All the Magic potions and other items from the noblewomen were given to her. The family heads, in particular, were especially generous.
When Tan You returned to her room, Adina’s small chamber was piled high with rare items. In addition to the Magic potions she had seen earlier, there were Magic scrolls, magical plants, ores, and more everywhere she looked.
Tan You was in no hurry to put these things into her Space Ring. ’They’ll all be sent with me to Kandapes eventually anyway,’ she thought. ’If I put them away now, wouldn’t I expose the Space Ring I have?’
Tan You wasn’t that reckless. After all, a Space Ring was far too precious; in the entire Edmonds family, only Dumont wore one.
Seeing Tan You toying with an ore in her hand, the maid, Laura, sat down by the bed. "Miss, are you really going back to Kandapes?"
"Mhm." Tan You nodded slightly. "Your family is all here, so you don’t need to come with me. I’ll be fine on my own."
’She was actually planning to go to the Mist Forest, so wouldn’t bringing so many people just be a burden? Besides, Tan You didn’t trust anyone now. After what happened yesterday, her wariness toward this world was at an all-time high.’
Thinking of this, Tan You couldn’t help but give a self-deprecating smile. She had thought she was handling the beginner missions quite well, but the intermediate mission had immediately knocked her down a peg.
Laura, indeed, did not want to go to Kandapes. Just as Tan You had said, her parents and relatives were all here. How could she follow Tan You to a small city thousands of miles away?
Thus, after getting a clear answer from Tan You, Laura thanked her profusely and left. Tan You paid her departure no mind. Instead, she tapped the Beauty System. "If I die here, in real life..."
The Beauty System immediately grew solemn. "Host, if you meet with an accident or misfortune here, you will not perish in the real world. However, your spiritual power will be severely damaged."
"Based on your current spiritual power, you only have one chance. Once your spiritual power drops to zero, Host, the only outcome for you is brain death."
Tan You understood. "I see."
’Brain death... how terrifying.’ Tan You rubbed her arms, resolving to be even more cautious from now on.
"Will damaged spiritual power affect my real life?" Tan You thought for a moment before asking another question.
The Beauty System replied mechanically, "Yes, it will. If the Host’s spiritual power falls below twenty, you will be unable to concentrate for long periods, will become easily fatigued, and will suffer from headaches. Eventually, these will all take a toll on your physical body."
