I Smile: Life of a Side Character

Chapter 2: Cheating Wife?

Author: Lololol, such a click-baity chapter title

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There was rumor going on that the Sullet family had a doll-like child. Rumor had it that her skin was like porcelain, eyes like glass. Truly like a doll come to life. Yet, she did was eat and sleep. 

"Heh, if I had a daughter like that I would cry," a village woman said, snorting while scrubbing the laundry. 

"Mm, what's the point of a useless beauty eh? Life is already hard enough without a parasite sticking around."

"Might as well get a dog at that point, at least they return your affection and guard your garden."

"Good thing she was born rich."

"Isn't that right."

And like that, the village women happily gossiped while they washed the laundry. 

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The couple looked at the renown doctor, who was elegantly drinking tea, a contrast to the nervous Mrs. Sullet. Yet nobility was already imprinted into her bones as only she knew how scared and nervous she was, to the world she was as composed as ever. 

"Is there something wrong with our daughter?" Mrs. Sullet asked, as hint of worry escaping into her voice. 

"Hmm, well I have three theories," Xeldrin said. 

He was a little disappointed when the Duke and Duchess calmly waited for him to continue. He was hoping for a little more...loss of composure.  Why else would he serve these nobility if not for the fun of watching their noble disguises shatter. Xeldrin could confidently say that he never got tired of seeing how even the richest couple are just like any other living being. 

Yet the worry in the mother's voice would be good enough, he supposed. Experience had told him that the higher up the hierarchy the people get, the better they are at staying composed.

"Either your daughter has experienced some life changing event that has left her in a state of permanent shock, she's seen a basilisk or she is a basilisk."

"Then what can we do?" Mr. Sullet asked, as if he didn't even consider the third option. 

Xeldrin had to commend the man for being such a good husband. Often when he brought up the topic that one's partner may have cheated on them, their emotions would at least ignite, even if it's just a little. Unless...there were no feelings left between the two. But judging by how their hands were clasped so tightly, it probably wasn't so. 

"For the first one, probably an event. Everyone has their own triggers, who knows what hers is. As for the second one...is there something  you're not telling me? You are aware that for me to best diagnose a child, the more details the better."

"We haven't-" Mr. Sullet started. 

"Our child was born dead," Mrs. Sullet interupted. 

"hidden-wait What?" Mr. Sullet swerved his head in the direction of his wife, "what do you mean our daughter was born dead?"

"A dead person coming back to life? Sounds like Favorite Character Syndrome," Xeldrich said, grinning. 

"A what?" Mrs. Sullet asked. 

"Favorite Character Syndrome. It's when the writer kills off a person then brings them back to life. The story community has had quite a bit of that happening these recent years, it's a bit of a problem if you know what I'm saying."

Mr. Sullet continued to look with confusion at his wife, still wondering what she meant by their daughter being born dead. If she was born dead, then how was she still breathing like this?

"Please be more serious," Mrs. Sullet said, frowning. 

"It's possible that her body is alive but her soul is gone," Xeldrich said, "as for your daughter being born dead, as in without a heartbeat...I wouldn't be surprised if she's a reincarnated individual. It does happen from time to time. But I haven't heard one in a thousand years, then again they usually hide the fact that they're reincarnated, so who knows."

Hearing that, Mr. Sullet suddenly stood up and fled to the nursery where Myrica (Daphne) was. It was possible...

"Alder?" Mrs. Sullet called out, confused before turning her attention back to the guest.

"Ah, sorry for that. If she had seen a basilisk, what would be the cure?"

"Hmm, an extreme jolt of emotion usually does it. Fear is quite easy, but it may have  side effect of trauma, which may not be much different from her current state other than the constant nightmares and nervous breakdowns."

"Ah..is that so?" Mrs. Sullet said, her smiling stiffly. 

"Extreme bliss is also an option, but there is a side effect of becoming addicted to the source," Xeldrich said, smiling cheerfully. 

"...I believe I have to check on my husband. Do you mind me seeing you out?" Mrs. Sullet asked, standing from her chair. 

"No not at all. Thank you for your great hospitality!" Xeldrich said, satisfied with the final outcome of his visit. 

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It was an odd standoff. The sight of a grown man squatting down to seriously looking at a 3-year-old child with cold eyes and that 3-year-old child staring back at the father lifelessly. Rather than say staring at the father, it was more of the father standing in the direction of her dead stare. 

"So you've died?" Alder Sullet asked his daughter, trying to get a reaction out of her. And it worked as a whisp  of life was injected into Myrica's eyes, eyes that looked a bit more focused than before. 

Mr. Sullet jolted in surprise. Never had he seen life in his daughter's eyes, not even a whisper of it. He didn't think he'd get a response out of her with just a single sentence. He smiled, this was surely an improvement. Then he saw sadness fill up his daughter's eyes until it overflowed into a single teardrop.

Ah...so it was reincarnation...it didn't seem like a willing one either.

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"Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Those mages are thinking of making some sort of machine that can wash the clothes for us."

"Finally thinking about the poor ladies now are they?"

"Apparently the mage fell in love with a village lady."

"Ha, I think I finally found my hero."