CJRD CH 18

Chapter 18

I looked at him with suspicious eyes.

“By any chance… where is Estelle?”

“Estelle?”

“You’re looking for Estelle first too, aren’t you?”

When Basago asked about Estelle, the children’s tone immediately turned sharp.

Ever since Estelle arrived, the children had been jealous of her to some extent.

As Julie once said, they thought I was paying less attention to them.

Of course, I told them it wasn’t true and tried to make them understand.

I thought their feelings had settled a bit.

‘Guess not.’

Judging from their curt reactions, their feelings hadn’t gone away yet.

Well, just because you understand something in your head doesn’t mean your emotions change right away.

“Partly that, yes. But I also have something to give her. Last time I promised I’d lend it but forgot to deliver it.”

Basago pulled out a book he had been holding under his arm.

Mathematical Interpretation of Magic Circles and the Principles of Geometry

“Ah…”

“Mm…”

The moment they read the book’s title, Den and Marco stepped back from Basago with uneasy expressions.

Their faces looked fed up, as if they had never felt jealous in the first place.

…Of course, my face also turned just as awkward as theirs.

“It just puts my mind at ease to hand it to her directly. So, when will Estelle be back?”

When Marco pointed toward the table, Basago simply smiled and shook his head.

Then he looked straight at me and asked again where Estelle was, clearly expecting an answer.

“Estelle went out to run an errand. To buy sugar. She’ll be back soon.”

“I see. Then I’ll just wait here and give it to her.”

Basago rubbed his chin as he murmured.

Hearing that, I was startled and quickly asked back:

“Here?”

“Yes.”

When did I ever give him permission?!

Coming in and staying around—he was doing everything his way!

I wanted to shout that at him.

But the words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.

Maybe because I had already once felt his intimidation, I couldn’t speak so easily.

And also because his confident answer left me momentarily speechless.

“Wow! Then you can play with us while you wait.”

“Tell us that story you told last time, brother!”

“Shall I? It’ll be fun if we all listen together.”

“N-no… don’t…”

The kids jumped up excitedly, clapping their hands. I reached out to stop them.

But it was already too late.

They grabbed Basago by each arm and dragged him inside.

I could only stand there blankly, staring as the children pulled him in.

“Ah, by the way.”

Just then, Basago, on his way inside with the kids, stopped in his tracks. He turned back to me and said:

“I’ve seen a lot of military police around the streets lately. Because of that, the local thugs seem to have gotten quite on edge.”

After saying that, he fixed his gaze on me without blinking.

“…And the reason you’re telling me this is?”

“Heh. Who knows. Let’s just say it’s my way of showing some concern. Was it unnecessary?”

Basago gave a low, meaningful laugh, then turned away again and walked with the children into their room.

“Either way, it’d be best to be cautious for a while. Especially Den and Marco. They’re small, you know.”

“Ugh, are you making fun of my height right now?!”

“That’s not the point, you idiot!”

Den, who was always sensitive about his short height, shouted at Basago. Marco tried to calm Den down, and soon the two of them were arguing noisily in front of him.

Basago just shrugged and, leaving them bickering, kept walking.

“Argh, because of you, he’s going on ahead. Hey, wait for us!”

“How’s it my fault? It’s yours!”

The two of them bickered as they trotted after Basago, following him into the room where the other kids were waiting.

“……”

I just stood there.

Even as the sound of their voices and laughter faded into the distance, I remained frozen in place.

“Estelle went out to buy sugar.”

“The thugs have gotten really on edge.”

Estelle not coming back… and Basago’s words…

They floated in my mind over and over, chaining me down so I couldn’t move.

“…I forgot.”

A sigh-like voice escaped my lips.

At the same time, countless memories flashed through my head.

Thugs, tense and on edge.

Estelle, who had gone out to buy sugar and never returned.

And that horribly unpleasant game event.

My body began trembling violently.

“Estelle…!”

With a pale face, I called her name.

Then I leapt to my feet and rushed out the front door.

“My dear, please. Don’t drink tonight—just come home early.”

“Shut up! What do you care if I drink or not, if I come home or not?!”

“But…”

“Damn it. The kids are watching; you’re embarrassing me. Let go already!”

Cesare shoved Estelle roughly as she tried to hold him back.

Thud—

Estelle collapsed to the floor without even crying out.

But no one reached out to help her.

“Tch. Sister-in-law, why argue with him like that?”

“Ha, exactly. You know how he is.”

Instead, they laughed at her as they walked by.

“You ruined the mood when we’re heading out for drinks. Tch!”

Even her own husband, Cesare, was no different.

Left alone in the empty house, Estelle lay on the floor, sobbing.

Her tears rolled past her nose, pooled at her lips, and dripped down to form a puddle on the floor.

Looking up at the full moon hanging outside the window, Estelle whispered:

“Ahh… dear God…”

But she said no more.

She simply shut her eyes tightly against the shining moonlight, pressing her lips together.

And so, the night deepened.

.

.

.

Your daughter has become “the gangster’s wife.”

Estelle, now the wife of Cesare—the thug boss who ruled over Ashikle Village—was not happy.

Her neglectful husband always left her alone, drowning himself in drink and pleasure.

Every night, she shed tears as she waited for him to return.

If one had to pick the most ridiculous and frustrating ending in Raise Your Daughter, there’s one that comes to mind immediately.

The ending where Estelle is killed by Basago.

Annoying, yes. But honestly, that’s not even the worst one.

The real worst ending was another one.

The “Gangster’s Wife” ending.

The route where she marries Cesare, the thug with the “bad boy” setting.

[Title: Isn’t Cesare just the coolest?]
Author: (username)

His looks, his way of speaking—so cool! But I can’t figure out how to capture himㅜㅜ Please share the攻略!

Maybe it was because the “bad boy” archetype was trendy back then.

Among the female players, Cesare was insanely popular.

So popular that every day, the user boards were flooded with posts asking for攻略 guides for him.

But I couldn’t understand those people.

A bad boy? No, he was just a bad man.

As a thug, his behavior was violent and cruel.

And it wasn’t just that.

“Why are you mad? You made me act this way.”

“I was just joking. Why are you so sensitive?”

“You trust him more than me? Are you insane?”

Every one of his lines was nothing but gaslighting.

And then…

“This damn ending!”

The ending itself was the worst.

He marries her but neglects his family? Beats his wife? Makes her cry?

And leaves my daughter alone while he spends his nights laughing it up in taverns?!

When I first saw that ending, I nearly fainted from shock.

There was nothing about it I could stand.

“No one should ever have to see this ending. It’s too disgusting. Right—no one has seen it. Not even me.”

I hated it so much, I pretended it didn’t exist. I never posted a攻略 about it, never even acknowledged I had seen it—wiped it from my memory completely.

But now—

“Damn it. I should’ve kept the memory!”

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have erased it.

Because Cesare… was actually one of the captureable characters.