CHAPTER 42……………………………………………
“…….”
‘Come to think of it, I’ve been using the same excuse way too often.’
I didn’t invest in Ponz’s title because it was “not pretty,” and of course, that person turned out to be a fraud.
I grew the tulip because it was “pretty,” and somehow, it seems like a trend is starting in the neighboring empire.
I chose the Red Diamond because it was “pretty,” and it just so happened that my view aligned with Cerdicas, who considers the Fifth Prince a strong contender for the throne.
‘…When coincidences pile up, it becomes inevitable. No wonder Cerdicas might suspect me. From now on, I need excuses that aren’t just based on taste or preference.’
First, she wanted to move away from this topic.
Ariana avoided Cerdicas’s gaze and looked at Alexandro instead.
Their pink eyes, inherited together from their mother Moltke.
“Alexandro oppa…”
“Jiyeon.”
“Do you think I’m stupid?”
Even though she tried her hardest not to overlap thoughts, she faintly felt as if her second older half-brother’s voice was echoing inside her ears.
“No.”
Alexandro answered immediately, seemingly flustered.
Ariana met his eyes calmly and spoke clearly.
“I heard that Alexandro oppa said unpleasant things about me behind my back.”
“…….”
“That there’s no such thing as a foolish kid who calls maintenance costs zero.”
Cerdicas looked at Alexandro as if to ask, “Really?”
Alexandro’s face turned bright red, and he shook his head repeatedly.
Then he turned to Ariana and answered directly.
“I didn’t expect you to hear that.”
Ariana’s pink gemstone-like eyes blinked silently.
They sparkled even more beautifully than the gems Schwaben had given her to choose from.
‘Pink eyes, but different from mine…’
Alexandro felt unfamiliar facing a younger sister properly for the first time.
He did have a female cousin, Christina, but she was older than him.
“At the time, I had high expectations for you, but when you suddenly called the maintenance cost zero, I snapped a few times in anger… I shouldn’t have. I’m sorry for hurting you.”
“You don’t have to apologize. I wasn’t hurt.”
“…….”
Alexandro swallowed hard at Ariana’s indifferent expression.
“But you… You really look so cute, so why don’t you ever smile?”
“Huh?”
“No, never mind. Sorry.”
“…I should apologize. I misunderstood that you guys hated me, so I didn’t show up until now.”
In truth, Alexandro wasn’t the one who had badmouthed her the most.
Among the Berkshire family, excluding their grandfather, Duke Adrian, and Prince Cerdicas, most were uncooperative toward Ariana.
Especially Dandolo, who had gossiped the worst behind her back.
Compared to Dandolo’s slander, Alexandro’s teasing was mild.
‘Still, Alexandro is my real older brother. No matter what, he should’ve been on my side.’
Compared to the hopeless older brothers often seen in family regret stories, at least Alexandro seemed capable of reflection, so there was hope for redemption.
Ariana also realized she was defensive.
Her inability to open up to her brothers and constant caution likely stemmed from her memories of Earth.
At that moment, Cerdicas cleared his throat to draw Ariana’s attention.
“Right. When you said zero for maintenance costs, you must’ve had some hidden motive too.”
‘Don’t draw too much attention. Especially Cerdicas oppa seems sharp…’
“I didn’t have any particular motive. I just didn’t know much back then, so I answered zero.”
“…….”
A tense silence followed Ariana’s calm response.
Cerdicas awkwardly swallowed it, lifted his teacup, and hurriedly sipped.
‘To even restrain one’s skill… It seems my little sister truly is a genius.’
Although Cerdicas’s high opinion of her was completely different from Ariana’s intentions…
The boy put down his teacup and adjusted his watch.
“I see. …Ariana. You came to see me for some reason, right?”
It seemed like he really wanted her to get to the point, so Ariana did.
“It’s about my first older brother’s friend.”
“You mean Perez?”
“Yes.”
Ariana hesitated for a moment.
“Is Perez very busy?”
‘Did I come because of Perez?’
Cerdicas slowly nodded.
“He always seems busy. He has never responded to a single message from my communication device.”
It wasn’t simply that he was too busy to respond.
Ariana could hardly imagine Perez ever answering the device at all.
She hesitated.
‘It’s probably impossible for me to meet Perez by coincidence, even with the older brother chance…’
Cerdicas quietly observed Ariana, who seemed slightly disappointed.
In fact, Cerdicas himself had only recently learned that Perez was a young master of the Marquis Dominic.
‘Their families never asked, and they became close purely through swordsmanship.’
As a Berkshire princess, Ariana had no reason to use honorifics with Perez.
Cerdicas considered pointing this out to his little sister but held back.
‘Ariana seems to want to respect Perez because he’s my friend… But she doesn’t have to.’
Ariana slowly spoke what she had prepared.
“If by chance you meet Perez oppa… Could you tell him that I’ll repay him with flowers?”
Before the ball, a fencing tournament would take place.
The boy champion’s win naturally went to the main male lead, Perez.
‘It means I want to give him a congratulatory bouquet. I wonder if Perez will understand my true intentions.’
Ariana planned to pick the tulips she had grown herself and make a bouquet to present to the victorious Perez.
By then, tulip prices would have likely skyrocketed in the neighboring Terran Empire.
Her earlier boast about borrowing money from him and showing him a fun sight would, in a way, be partially fulfilled.
‘And I have to repay the money anyway. If Perez suspects I predicted his victory, I’d be even happier.’
“Money? You mean 1 gold? He casually mentioned giving you 1 gold before.”
‘I’m glad Perez even mentioned me.’
Technically, it wasn’t 1 gold—it was a debt of 5,000 gold.
With a 10% monthly interest rate, it far exceeded the legal maximum annual rate of 39%.
But she couldn’t tell her brothers honestly, so Ariana nodded obediently.
Alexandro, who hadn’t been following the conversation well, frowned and interjected.
“Perez? What are you two talking about?”
“Just something like that.”
Ariana’s cold, boundary-setting tone made Alexandro feel awkward.
“Still mad? I said sorry.”
“…….”
Actually, Ariana wasn’t angry—she was nervous.
“Ariana. Is it enough to just tell Perez that?”
Ariana nodded at Cerdicas’s question.
“I’ll convey it.”
“Thank you.”
“Anything else… Want to have a meal before you go?”
“No, I have to study.”
“Alright then….”
Though she refused, had he invited her a few more times, she might have yielded.
But due to her trauma from older half-brothers on Earth, she kept speaking stiffly.
Even though the atmosphere suggested both brothers were showing her affection.
“I’ll leave first then.”
Ariana stood from the sofa politely.
Cerdicas didn’t stop her.
Or rather, he somehow found it difficult to approach his little sister.
Meanwhile, Alexandro’s face looked as if he’d just been hit.
Ariana’s back as she left the room was impressively neat and tidy.
“Alexandro.”
“…Yes, sir.”
“Do you still think Ariana looks stupid?”
“…No.”
“It’s all your fault.”
Cerdicas, unlike usual, blamed Alexandro and lifted his teacup again.
But since he had awkwardly drunk so much tea earlier, the cup was already empty.
