Chapter 2
The Reason I Chose Him
The reason I chose the duke as my second brother-in-law was simple.
In my past life, he was the only one who attended my sister’s funeral.
I still vividly remembered the first conversation we had there.
I had been sitting alone, quietly keeping vigil in the empty funeral hall where no one came to visit my sister, when someone opened the door and walked in.
Because of the backlight, I could only see the faint silhouette of a man.
He limped as he walked over, then knelt in front of my sister’s coffin.
As the light shifted and his face came into view, I recognized him.
A deep scar across his eye, and a slightly bent right leg.
He was Alfonso Raypier—the duke who had served as a commander in the monster war on the northern border, returning with injuries and scars.
“Ah… Lacey…”
Still kneeling, he called my sister’s name and wept in grief.
As far as I knew, the two had no connection whatsoever, so I was so startled by the sight that I approached him while he cried.
“Your Grace.”
At my quiet call, he slowly lifted his head. Our tear-streaked faces met.
“You… are Lacey’s younger sister.”
“Yes. How did you find your way to my sister’s funeral?”
His face twisted in pain as he answered.
“I wanted to at least witness the end of the woman I loved.”
My eyes flew wide open.
The unmarried duke—who had strange rumors surrounding him because he never even glanced at women—
…had loved my sister?
“You… loved my sister?”
My voice trembled as I asked, and he gave a small nod.
“…Yes.”
“Then why… didn’t you propose to her?”
Among the many men who had proposed to my sister, the Duke of Raypier had not been one of them.
I had thought that a proud man like him simply had no interest in her, even though she was called the jewel of high society.
But if he loved her—why didn’t he propose?
He would have been far better than someone like Glen Baluga.
His already lined face sank into sorrow.
“Lacey wanted a man who could be like a father to you. But I…”
His deep-set eyes fell on me.
“I lacked confidence. I wasn’t sure I could become that kind of presence for you. And while I hesitated… I lost her.”
His eyes were filled with genuine regret.
Watching him gently touch the coffin with a sorrowful expression, a thought crossed my mind.
…If my sister had married him instead, wouldn’t things have turned out differently?
Maybe they would have.
Unlike Glen Baluga, he wouldn’t have cooperated with Viscount Pedro for money, nor would he have hurt her over it.
Rather, with his powerful family and wealth, he might have become a strong shield to protect her.
But back then, it was too late. I thought it was all over…
Now, after turning back time—it wasn’t.
Before Viscount Pedro’s family returns, all I have to do is replace my sister’s future husband with the duke.
‘Of course, he might not be perfect either—but he’ll at least be better than Glen Baluga. And to protect my sister, we need the power of the Raypier family.’
I clenched my small fists tightly.
‘I’ll make my sister and the duke marry!’
Once I made up my mind, what I needed was reckless determination.
To somehow connect the two of them, I threw a tantrum, insisting I wanted to go to a party with my sister.
“Katarina toooo! Me toooo! I wanna go to the party toooo!”
“F-fine! Fine, Kati! Please calm down!”
After I flopped onto the floor and thrashed around, my sister finally surrendered.
And so, trailing behind her, I attended the party—
The moment I found the duke, I shouted:
“Daddy!”
Since he once said he lacked confidence in becoming a father figure to me, I simply made him one myself.
It was a gamble—
But it worked.
He proposed.
‘Passing out was a failure, though.’
Why did I have to throw up and faint at such a dramatic, public proposal?!
This ridiculously weak body of mine—it feels even worse than before.
‘If I get any weaker than this, I’m doomed.’
Muttering to myself while feeling a slight fever, I looked around.
The unfamiliar ceiling told me I wasn’t back at the count’s estate, but in a guest lounge prepared at the party venue.
As I lay there blankly on the sofa, the door suddenly burst open.
“Katarina!”
My sister rushed in, eyes wide like a startled rabbit.
“Thank goodness, you’re awake. How do you feel? Does anything hurt? Your head?”
She gently touched my forehead and cheeks, worry filling her voice.
“I’m fine now.”
I smiled brightly to reassure her.
She sighed in relief—
Then immediately hardened her expression and pinched my cheek.
“Ow!”
“Do you know how worried I was?! What were you thinking doing something so dangerous?!”
Dangerous…?
I wanted to argue, but her stern glare shut me up instantly.
…Okay, maybe I was a bit reckless.
If the duke hadn’t understood and proposed on the spot, everything could’ve gone terribly wrong.
I fidgeted with my hands and drooped my brows.
“Sowwy…”
“You think acting cute will let you off?”
“Sis…”
“…I’m only letting this slide once.”
A lie.
Even if I suddenly did a handstand in the street, she’d still find me cute and forgive me again.
Pretending not to know that, I smiled sweetly and hugged her.
Though we were only twelve years apart, her embrace felt like the mother I had never known.
Warm.
Comforting.
“But why are we still here? Why aren’t we going home?”
“Well… someone said since you threw up, you should lie down here for now.”
“Hm? Who?”
I looked up at her.
She rolled her jewel-like blue eyes before answering.
“The duke…”
I blinked in surprise at his unexpected thoughtfulness.
Then she added something even more shocking.
“He’s the one who carried you here.”
My mouth fell open.
The Duke of Raypier was known as a cold, heartless man.
And yet—
Right after proposing, he personally carried me here?
Thinking of the man from my past life who hesitated because he lacked confidence, I felt something strange.
‘Did calling him “Daddy” once boost his confidence that much?’
Just as I was lost in thought, the door opened again.
“Oh, you’re awake.”
This time, it was Alfonso Raypier himself.
As if he had perfect timing, he entered just as we were talking about him.
I spotted him before my sister did, and as our eyes met, I opened my mouth—
“—Daddy.”
…Oops.
That slipped out.
My sister shot me a look like she was about to scold me, so I quickly covered my mouth with both hands.
Please forgive me—I’m just an innocent six-year-old.
“She really—! I’m so sorry, Your Grace. My sister misspoke again…”
“It’s fine.”
Stopping her apology, the duke walked toward me.
With those long strides, it felt like watching a masterpiece sculpted over decades come to life.
Standing before me, he asked with the faintest hint of a smile:
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay.”
“And your stomach? Still nauseous?”
“Nope! I’m totally fine!”
Though his tone was blunt, I could tell he was trying his best to be gentle.
For a man known to have no interest in others, the fact that he was asking at all said enough.
I answered brightly with a smile.
He blinked slightly, then cleared his throat and turned to my sister.
His crimson eyes landed on her, making her flinch.
“I’m glad the young Lady Lils is well.”
“Thank you for your concern, Your Grace.”
An awkward silence settled between them.
He kept clearing his throat, while she fiddled with her fingers, head slightly lowered.
It was shy.
Embarrassed.
And unmistakably mutual.
Watching them, I suddenly remembered that I had fainted right after his proposal.
‘Come to think of it… did my sister even answer?’
Judging by the atmosphere, probably not.
She must’ve been too worried about me to respond.
Seeing the two of them at a loss, I decided to step in.
I hopped off the sofa and stood in front of them.
Red eyes and blue eyes turned toward me.
Putting on my most innocent, childlike voice, I asked:
“By the way… does that mean you two are going to be my mom and dad now?”
“—Cough!”
My sister, who wasn’t even drinking anything, choked violently.
Her face turned bright red as she covered her mouth.
“K-Kati! What are you saying—?!”
“But the duke asked you to marry him! Just like a prince in a fairytale!”
I blinked innocently.
“And when you get married, you become mom and dad, right?”
“Well, that’s…”
“You said so, sis.”
She faltered, unable to respond.
The duke, on the other hand, looked calm—
But his ears were burning red.
He glanced at my flustered sister, then spoke with a gentlemanly restraint unlike the men I remembered from my past life.
“I understand it’s not an easy question to answer. You don’t have to decide now.”
“Your Grace…”
“Especially since your younger sister just collapsed and woke up. You must still be shaken.”
The duke, once rumored to be cursed to die if he smiled ten times, gave a faint smile.
For a brief moment, his cold demeanor softened.
“Return home and rest with your sister. I will wait patiently for your answer.”
“…Thank you.”
My sister lowered her long lashes in gratitude.
She looked like a lily of the valley.
A very radiant one, bathed in moonlight.
Since the two of them had decided to take a step back, I decided to stop here for today as well.
Holding my sister’s hand, I bowed politely.
As we turned to leave, the duke suddenly spoke.
“By the way… may I ask why you called me ‘Daddy’?”
I looked at his impossibly handsome face—as if all the beauty in the world had been poured into it—and smiled.
“Because you’re handsome!”
That was the only truth I could tell him right now.
That he was ridiculously handsome.
And for a six-year-old, I thought it was a perfectly acceptable answer.
I waved my hands energetically at the slightly bewildered duke.
He simply stood there, watching us leave with a dazed expression.
