Karina’s Last Days

Chapter 6

* * *

After returning to the mansion, Karina ran into her younger brother as she was going upstairs. With shiny blond hair and bright blue eyes, Feldon would be indistinguishable from his twin sister Abelia if he had long hair.

“Karina! Where have you been?” the young boy exclaimed.

“Feldon.”

The boy, who was about to go up the stairs, quickly jumped down instead. “Wow, something smells delicious.” Sniffing the air like an animal, Feldon snatched away the food Karina was holding in her hands. “Isn’t this heavy, Karina? I’ll take it from here.”

“You’re always such a gentleman when I have something for you. Go share it with Abelia. She asked me to get those on my way back.”

“Hurray! Thank you, Karina!” Feldon planted a kiss on his sister’s cheek and took the bag of food upstairs.

Without a word, Karina noted the scent of the skewers on her clothes and slowly headed to her room. I should change into different clothes. It has been a while since she had moved so much and it had worn her out. She felt dead tired as she headed to her room, trying to keep her eyes open. As soon as the door had closed, she collapsed.

* * *

“...rina!”

The room was too bright. And loud.

“Karina Leopold!”

Karina opened her eyes, slowly waking from her deep slumber when she heard her name being called. Clearing her mind, she raised her head and saw the familiar silhouette of her parents.

“Father?” Karina sat up, still feeling drowsy and wearing an expression of curiosity and confusion about what was happening. She looked outside the window and noticed that it was not yet morning.

Is it just past dinner? Guessing the time by what she saw outside the window, Karina sighed inwardly and raised her head. “What is it, Father?”

He looked too angry to be here solely to ask Karina to come and eat—she didn’t have a good feeling about this. She could see Feldon standing behind their father, anxiously looking around the room. She pressed her lips together tightly.

“Karina, did you buy Abelia street food?” Count Leopold asked.

“Yes, I picked it up on my way back from the market.”

“Karina!” yelled the count, letting out a deep sigh. His shout made Karina’s body jerk in response, and she tried to keep her shoulders from trembling. “Don’t you know that Abelia is ill? Don’t tell me you didn't know to be cautious of what food you give her!”

Count Leopold had spoken sternly, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. Hearing him, Karina's face stiffened. She had wondered why he had come to her room, but the reason couldn't have been more disappointing.

I only bought it for her because she asked for it. Karina tried to think, but her head was throbbing. It seemed like, once again, there was something wrong with Abelia. Karina knew she should apologize or ask if Abelia was okay, but her anger made her unable to.

“Did something happen to Abelia?” she asked coldly,

“The food must have upset her stomach. She threw up everything she ate and is now dehydrated. How could you, her big sister, be so thoughtless?!” His angry voice rang through Karina’s aching head.

She still felt dizzy and was not fully awake yet. It wasn’t just Abelia who felt nauseous. Karina’s stomach was churning.

“Your father is right. You are an adult now. How could you be so careless?” her mother interjected.

“But that’s because Lia—”

The voices of her parents blaming her made her even more nauseous. Her head was ringing—she did not need to be woken up like this. Grabbing her forehead, she tried to explain what had happened.

“Don’t you try to make excuses!”

Everything was the same as always. Karina gave up trying to explain and kept her silence.

“Father, Mother! Karina was just trying to—” Feldon tried to say.

“So what?” Karina said, interrupting Feldon as she looked up with strength in her eyes. She knew that she should be patient and that she could end this like she always does, by apologizing. She knew that her parents were angry because they were worried about Abelia’s health and that they only had her to blame.

But why was that? Why was it that she was the only one to blame?

“What?” Count Leopold was startled by Karina's question. He looked at her wide-eyed.

In her mind, Karina had told herself a million times to understand and accepting of her parents’ feelings.

But how long do I need to withstand this? Until I die? For the rest of my final year?

She questioned herself. Who was going to try to understand her feelings when she dies? Nobody would. Karina Leopold would forever be remembered as a foolishly kind and frustratingly careless person. Just thinking about it made her stomach boil with anger and her head cold with fury.

“What did you just say?” her father demanded.

“I said, so what.”

“How could—!”

“I bought the skewers and juice for Abelia because she’d asked me to.” Karina’s tone was dry and her expression cold—there wasn’t a hit of a smile on her face. “You should have warned Abelia about things like that or told her not to eat such food because it may be bad for her.”

“How uncaring do you have to be to not know what foods your sister can and cannot eat?!” her father yelled.

“I thought it was okay because Abelia asked me to buy it for her.”

The more she tried to talk, the more she felt that they were being unfair to her. It wasn’t like she was regularly told how Abelia was doing. How would she have any idea about what her little sister should eat or not?

How powerful was death to give her such courage? Karina scoffed to herself before allowing all words she had always held back to slowly come out of her mouth. Surprise crept onto the faces of Count Leopold, Feldon, and the countess. In their eyes, this sort of behavior was unlike the Karina Leopold they knew—she was a considerate girl who always smiled, and if any wrongdoing was pointed out, she accepted it readily and apologized. This was the first time that the family had seen this cold and emotionless side of Karina.

My head hurts. In fact, she felt sick. Her head was sore and she was nauseous, and she felt like throwing up.

“Karina, why are you being so impetuous?” her father asked in a harsh tone.

“What do you mean? I don’t think there was anything impolite about my speech aside from telling you my opinion.”

“You should have gotten the doctor’s permission when giving Abelia such food.”

What does he mean by “such food?” wondered Karina. “Such food” was perfectly fine food that everybody ate—even Karina had eaten a bite when the vendor asked if she wanted to try it.

“I thought it would be okay because I tried it myself. I will be more careful next time, Father.”

“Do you mean it?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Fine. Please be more careful.” Count Leopold had questioned Karina’s actions but nodded at her docile answer. Before he turned his back, he took a moment to look at his eldest daughter. He hesitated before speaking. “Your little sister has been sick since birth. You know that, right?”

“Yes.”

“But you are healthy, so please understand.”

Again with the health. Karina was not the only one born healthy—Enphric and Feldon were perfectly healthy as well, but their parents always acted like Karina’s health was a sin that she had to repent for.

She gripped the blanket so tightly that the back of her hands turned white, then shook her head and released her grip.

“Yes. I understand,” she said indifferently as she avoided her father’s gaze. She was accustomed to smothering her inner feeling.

The countess came forward to support her husband. “Your father was just distraught because Lia collapsed.”

“Okay.”

“What a blessing it is to be born healthy. Karina, don’t tell me your feelings are hurt?”

Karina tightened her lips to hold back a smirk. What feelings are there to be hurt when she expects nothing from them anymore? Karina locked eyes with Feldon, who was looking anxiously at her from behind their parents, but she ignored him.

Instead, Karina spoke as Count Leopold and the countess were turning to leave the room. “Is that all you have to say?”

“What?”

“I was wondering if that’s all you had to say?” Karina asked again.

“Yes, it is.” Count Leopold seemed taken aback.

Karina’s smirk flashed on her lips before disappearing. “So both of you have known where my room is.”

“Of course, we know where it is.” The count narrowed his eyebrows as if he did not understand the question.

“I thought you forgot because it’s been several years since you last came here.”

Count Leopold’s face stiffened at Karina’s words.