Chapter 17
Shackles, Malice
Ever since returning home, Sara let out deep sighs whenever she had the chance.
“…Haa.”
Everything that had happened at the marquis’s estate felt like a dream to her.
Like floating atop soft clouds while endless happy fantasies unfolded one after another.
Everyone had treated her kindly.
So kindly that she hadn’t wanted to leave.
In contrast, the count’s estate was hell itself—a road covered in thorns.
“Lady Sara, I brought your tea. Please drink it before it gets cold.”
After knocking, Meiri entered the room and set the tea down on the table.
“Meiri, you know…”
“Yes, my lady?”
Sara rose from her seat, pulled Meiri gently beside her, and made her sit down next to her.
Then she turned toward her with a small smile.
“I became friends with Lord Dayburn.”
The moment she said the word friend, Meiri’s face lit up brightly and she clapped her hands excitedly.
“Really? Wow! That’s wonderful news.”
Meiri was sincerely happy.
At last, Sara had found someone besides herself that she could open her heart to.
To others, Sara always appeared mature and composed, never showing signs of being hurt—but Meiri still worried for her constantly.
And now someone she could rely on—someone powerful, above all else—had become her friend.
Meiri felt as happy as if it were her own achievement.
“If you’re happy, then I’m happy too. Ah, right. About the upcoming Social Night…”
Sara smiled proudly as she stood and took a sip of tea.
But her voice carried concern.
“…Do you think I’ll be able to go?”
“There’s nothing to worry about. Of course Lady Sara will be invited—”
Meiri stopped mid-sentence the moment her eyes met Sara’s.
Everyone who had seen Sara’s true eyes had already been silenced, so there was little danger of rumors spreading within the estate.
But attending a grand ball in the capital was another matter entirely.
Sara remembered the day she had chatted warmly with Cassian not long ago.
Just thinking about him made a smile bloom across her lips.
Her troubled expression disappeared as she spoke shyly, cheeks slightly flushed.
“If I do end up going… I hope my partner would be Cassian. But apparently, he rarely attends social events like that.”
Since he hadn’t officially invited her yet, Sara’s expression dimmed slightly.
“…Really? Even so, wouldn’t he want to go with you?”
Meiri comforted her gently, patting her shoulder.
“I hope so.”
If possible, Sara wanted to dance with him.
She wanted to make more memories together.
The closer they became, the more the future would change.
Sara believed that firmly.
“But… with my eyes like this right now, even if he asked me to be his partner, I probably couldn’t go. Right?”
“My lady…”
Before the ball, she somehow had to remove the necklace and recover the abilities sealed away inside her.
But saying it was easy.
How could she forcibly remove an ability-suppressing necklace when she didn’t even know how it had been created?
“My lady. We’ll find a way somehow. I’ll help you with everything I can, so please don’t worry too much.”
Despite Meiri’s reassurance, Sara bit her lip hard, her expression full of exhaustion.
At this rate, she wouldn’t just fail to become Cassian’s partner—
She wouldn’t even be able to attend the ball at all.
“Maybe there’s a good method after all.”
Lost in thought, Sara suddenly seemed to realize something.
She abruptly jumped to her feet and hurried out of the room.
Several days later, Diana heard an outrageous rumor and flew into a rage.
The rumor claimed that Cassian had asked Sara to be his partner.
At the unbelievable story, Diana shot up from her seat.
“What? Is that truly true?”
Rumors spread quickly.
It began with whispers that Lord Dayburn of the Dayburn Marquis family had asked Sara Tresha, the second daughter of Count Tresha’s family, to be his partner for Social Night.
Eventually, those rumors made their way into Diana’s ears.
“That’s impossible! There’s no way. Go confirm it again immediately! Again!”
Diana shouted furiously.
“Yes! Y-Yes, understood.”
The moment the servant left, Diana violently threw open the door and stormed out.
The maids waiting outside hurried after her.
Her footsteps were harsher than usual.
Diana normally considered running or taking large strides vulgar behavior.
But now, she had no time to care.
[Among all the women I’ve met, she was the most beautiful, gentle, and… truly, beautiful is the only word I can use. …Well then, I should take my leave.]
“……”
Diana recalled the words Cassian had once spoken to her during his previous visit to the estate.
A gentle and beautiful woman?
At the time, she hadn’t known who he meant.
She had only been furious that he clearly wasn’t referring to her daughter, Beria.
But now, everything fit together perfectly.
Diana burned with rage.
Not only had he called Sara beautiful—
Now he intended to attend Social Night with her as well?
Ordinarily, this should have been a joyous matter.
If things went well, marriage talks might even follow.
It would bring glory to the family.
If only the person standing beside Cassian had been her real daughter, Beria.
But she could never tolerate Sara—who wasn’t even her real child—becoming connected to the marquis family.
“……”
Just then, Diana spotted Sara walking toward her.
“Mother, good morning.”
Sara greeted her with a bright smile.
Watching her cheerful expression with crossed arms, Diana’s brows twitched.
‘…Impudent thing.’
Diana smiled as she replied.
“Yes, Sara. I heard the news. It seems you’ve become Lord Dayburn’s partner for Social Night?”
As she spoke, Sara tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled softly.
“…Ah, you already heard? Actually, I haven’t even given him my answer yet.”
Seeing Sara behave so calmly only made Diana’s insides boil.
You dare lie to me now?
That girl must have seduced the marquis family first.
Diana responded coldly.
“…Is that so? How unfortunate. Beria wanted to become Lord Dayburn’s partner.”
Sara immediately fired back.
“Oh my. Then what should I do? If I had known that, I would’ve rejected him much sooner.”
Unable to endure the constant provocation, Diana raised her hand.
“You—!”
“……”
The maids watching the confrontation felt like they were standing in the middle of a thorn field.
Sara stared directly at Diana without even blinking.
Diana shouted furiously.
“You insolent girl! How dare you mock your mother? Sara, come with me immediately!”
“Mother—!”
Diana grabbed Sara by the collar and dragged her away roughly.
“My lady!”
The maids knew Diana was furious beyond reason and could only watch anxiously from where they stood.
“Let go of me… please!”
“Hah.”
The moment they reached a place far from the servants’ sight, Sara forcefully shook Diana’s hand off her.
The corners of her reddened eyes filled with contempt as she glared at Diana.
“Why are you acting like this?”
When Sara let out a mocking laugh, Diana stammered in shock.
“W-What?”
“You’re this angry just because Beria couldn’t become his partner? That’s unlike you, Mother.”
“You— right now!”
Diana was the one who always preached about maintaining noble dignity no matter the situation.
Yet seeing her lose her temper so violently made Sara almost laugh.
Mockingly, Sara spoke again.
“Didn’t you always say that a noble must never lose composure and should preserve their dignity at all times?”
Diana’s face slowly stiffened.
Her eyes filled only with killing intent.
“You’ve protected that dignity your entire life. It’d be terrible if it collapsed over something like this.”
“You… you really…!”
Judging by Diana’s reaction, she truly seemed shaken.
Diana herself was unsettled.
Even if Sara had always possessed a rebellious side, she had obediently endured everything for years.
But after putting on the necklace, Sara had changed.
The moment she wore that shackle—that cursed necklace—
Only one desire remained inside her.
The desire to survive.
Carefully watching Diana’s reaction, Sara maintained a calm expression.
After all, the rumor about becoming Cassian’s partner was completely false.
Sara herself had spread it purely to provoke Diana.
“So now you finally show your true colors?”
“……”
“You disgusting thing.”
Diana was bewildered and furious.
Watching Sara laugh mockingly, she genuinely wondered if the girl had gone mad.
“You know very well how my eyes are viewed in this society.”
“Of course I do. And you intend to attend the ball looking like that? So everyone can run away in fear?”
Just as expected.
Sara curled the corner of her lips upward.
“…That’s exactly what I want.”
“What?”
No one valued dignity and family honor more than Countess Diana.
She constantly worried that Sara’s adoption—or worse, her odd eyes—might become known.
“That’s why, if I go to the ball looking like this… everyone will start saying the second daughter of the Tresha family actually has odd eyes.”
Knowing that fear, Sara realized she could use Diana against herself.
Diana’s face twisted horribly as she listened.
Biting her lip hard, she barely restrained her anger.
“No matter what, I’m going to the ball. Ah—and while I’m at it, I plan to dance too.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“Why? No, I’m perfectly sane. Thankfully, you never smashed my head enough to damage it.”
“……”
Sara’s sarcasm made Diana’s body tremble with rage.
Satisfied that she had pushed far enough, Sara delivered the final blow.
“So remove this necklace. Immediately. Before the Tresha family becomes the laughingstock of society for harboring a daughter with odd eyes.”
Sara no longer intended to endure silently.
Even without her abilities, she refused to lose to Diana ever again.
Grinding her teeth, Sara issued her warning.
Diana said nothing.
“……”
With a mocking smile, Sara calmly walked away.
After all, she had never once truly been treated like family.
So now, she would stop treating them as family too.
Surviving came first.
Diana remained standing there for a long time, staring blankly into empty space.
Both her clenched fists trembled violently.
Biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, Diana muttered to herself.
“…I will never allow that. Never.”
Then, unable to contain her fury any longer, Diana screamed.
“Aaaahhh!”
Her eyes burned with vicious malice—
The kind of malice that wanted to crush someone beneath her feet and destroy them completely.
