woke up chapter 7

“Hey! Get Lady Nwallin!”

“Lady Nwallin! That Ariel brat hit Victor!”
While several of Victor’s cronies ran off to tattle to Lady Nwallin, Ariel clutched her head. It felt like someone had whacked the back of her skull with a frying pan. She’d clobbered plenty of men with frying pans when they’d dared to intrude in her home, but she’d never been on the receiving end. It felt strangely unfair. Victor Nwallin was the one who got hit, so why was she…?

‘I’m your mother? You ungrateful little…’

‘You’re not even her real sister!’

A torrent of memories flooded her mind, so sudden and forceful it made her nauseous. The onslaught was overwhelming, and Ariel yelled, “Shut up!” Her outburst startled Victor, who’d been crying, into a bout of hiccups. The chaotic memories and unfamiliar emotions swirling within her were utterly disorienting. Yet, even amidst the confusion, a curse slipped out automatically. Damn it, I bet I’m the only person who’s ever gotten hit with a past life while doing a flying kick. She hadn’t wanted to remember any past lives. Ariel wanted to smack Victor upside the head again. You made me remember all this crap! She glared at him, seething.

Taking a deep breath, Ariel tried to calm down and think. So, I’ve gone back to when I was eight, and I’ve remembered my past life? Does that even make sense? She furrowed her brow. As she muttered in frustration, Carlin, who was standing beside her, spoke up bravely, “Don’t worry. When Baroness Nwallin gets here, I’ll tell her it wasn’t your fault.”

Honey, that’s not what I’m worried about. Despite her thoughts, Ariel felt a flicker of warmth. Carlin, usually so timid she was practically terrified of Ariel, was trying to defend her! Though, considering Carlin had been sobbing just moments ago, Ariel wasn’t entirely convinced of her resolve.

“Lady Nwallin! It’s Ariel!” Lady Nwallin, hair flying, stormed toward them. The sheer size of the woman was intimidating, and a nervous Ariel reached for Carlin. “Carlin?” But Carlin was gone. Looking back, Ariel saw her retreating figure, running like a colt with its tail on fire. Ariel’s fleeting warmth vanished. She was reminded of a fundamental truth: Yep, you’re on your own in this life.

“Oh, Victor! My goodness, what…!” Lady Nwallin examined Victor’s face, pale with shock. “Mommy, it hurts,” Victor whined. Lady Nwallin shrieked, her agitation escalating.

“What happened? Where does it hurt?!” Watching the scene unfold, Ariel was dumbfounded. When Victor had cracked his own head open with a rock, Lady Nwallin had simply smiled calmly and said, “A little blood is bound to be spilled in a good tussle. Don’t make such a fuss.”

And yet, here she was, making a colossal fuss. Of course, that incident was still quite a ways off in the future. After wiping Victor’s tears and snot, and fussing over his head, Lady Nwallin finally turned her attention to Ariel.

“You little hellion! You were tormenting Victor again, weren’t you?! Why can’t you leave him alone?!” Lady Nwallin’s shrill voice made the surrounding children flinch. They quickly drifted away from Ariel, wary of incurring the wrath of the wealthy Baroness. Behind his mother, Victor smirked at Ariel.

Seriously? Acting like a baby at your age? Ariel, looking at him with disdain, instinctively took a step back. Lady Nwallin’s finger shot out, nearly grazing Ariel’s face with her sharp nails. “You disrespectful child! Don’t you dare look away when an adult is speaking to you! So rude and ignorant!”

Inwardly, Ariel was impressed. Wow, Lady Nwallin, you truly are a consistent nutjob. It was the same spiel she’d heard yesterday—or rather, twelve years in the future, considering she was now in the past. Lady Nwallin, displeased by Ariel’s impassive expression, sneered, “Like father, like daughter, I suppose. No father to teach you manners?”

One of Ariel’s eyebrows arched at the comment. Lady Nwallin, seemingly enjoying Ariel’s reaction, smiled. Her eyes gleamed with a malicious pleasure at Ariel’s supposed discomfort. Lady Nwallin had always been like this. And in her past life, Ariel had encountered many people just like her.

‘Where are your parents? Oh, right. You’re adopted.’

‘I comforted you because I felt sorry for you, and you reported me? You ungrateful wretch. Stop acting like an orphan.’

In her past life, Ariel had always lowered her head in shame. It wasn’t her fault she didn’t have parents. Clenching her fists, Ariel straightened her back. She should have just given those jerks a taste of their own medicine. Feeling a twinge of regret, Ariel finally spoke. “Like father, like son.”

“Excuse me?”

“I was wondering why Victor was so clueless, but now I see. He takes after you.”

“What?!”

“Stop spoiling him so much. You need to discipline your son. If you keep raising him like this, he’ll end up a criminal.”