Chapter 93
Freya tried to keep her mouth shut and endure it, but Elber and the Duke’s gazes were far too sharp. Even I, just watching, felt like calling 112.
And unexpectedly, Seraphina delivered the finishing blow. She whispered kindly,
“If it’s something embarrassing to say in front of men, then I’ll listen. I can help you.”
“Hmph! What could a woman pretending to be a saint possibly solve?”
“Oh, I thought it was some sort of interpersonal conflict problem and wanted to help… but if it’s a matter I can’t help with, then it must be criminal instigation. You ordered Sol Yang’s kidnapping, didn’t you? I’ll call the guards.”
Who knew slander and fabrication could sound so gentle?
Lady Fine was stunned for a moment, but soon regained her wits and denied it.
“No! Why would I ever kidnap her! As annoying as that girl is to me!”
In the end, Lady Fine couldn’t hold out and confessed to her petty misdeeds.
Honestly, I thought Lady Fine’s plan was to ruin my reputation.
Make it so that the man I met at my first ball would seduce me into public displays of affection, and afterward, rumors would spread that “Schleiger’s adopted daughter is a reckless girl easily swayed by love.”
…But Lady Fine’s answer was something I hadn’t expected.
“Because Lord Elber… kept paying attention to you.”
Lady Fine’s eyes turned to me. Wait—hold up. Why are you spouting slander now?
“Lady Fine, I’m Lord Elber’s little sister.”
But her view of things was a little different from mine.
“That’s the problem! Because you’re such a hopeless little sister, Lord Elber can’t relax in peace!”
“…Excuse me? Hopeless?”
“Don’t you remember clinging to Lord Elber in the Duke’s residence, whining all the time?”
“That was because of you—”
“How childish must you be if Lord Elber is constantly worrying ‘What if Sol went somewhere dangerous, what if she isn’t eating properly’?”
“…”
Even as I was left speechless, Lady Fine’s nonsense continued.
“I thought if you became lovestruck and silly over a man, Lord Elber would give up the fantasy he has about you as a little sister…”
“Come on, do you think I’d be more lovesick than you?”
“What? Wh-what did you just say? My feelings are something far more noble… yes, reverence!”
Well, aren’t you self-important.
But if she keeps acting childish, it makes me want to be childish too.
I sighed and said,
“Fine, let’s say your feelings for my brother are reverence. But honestly, the way you act all lovesick—it seems more like you actually like me, doesn’t it?”
“W-what nonsense are you saying?!”
“Our first impression wasn’t good, right? Usually, love starts like that. But don’t worry, I don’t plan to accept someone like you.”
“You…!”
“Lovesick?”
“Nooo!”
Lady Fine was so flustered she lost her words. Finally, silence.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the Duke and General Fine were wrapping up their own conversation.
The general bowed again and again. Even as the Duke walked over to us, I heard him say, “I’ll properly discipline my child from now on.”
Well, obvious enough.
“So, this has been settled as just a childish incident between kids?”
“Yes. Legally, nothing more.”
“Sigh…”
It wasn’t a pleasant experience, but in the end, nothing truly serious had happened. I could only agree with that.
I puffed my cheeks.
“I wish that girl would get a good scolding at home.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. I talked with the general about child discipline. The conclusion was… a matter of faith.”
“What?”
“She’ll be assigned to temple cleaning under Miss Seraphina’s supervision. …Even if you cover the prayer room floor with candle wax, Lady Fine will happily scrub it clean.”
Wow…
“Father, you’re surprisingly good at petty villainy.”
“I only helped an old comrade with his daughter’s education. But still…”
“But still?”
“It bothers me that he gave up on his daughter so quickly. It felt like he was cutting off a tail.”
“Well, there was no excuse left. That man himself admitted it was Lady Fine’s doing.”
“But would he really act only at the whim of a foolish girl?”
“…”
“And if it were me, excuse or not, I would’ve protected you.”
So in the end, it comes down to that. My reply was the same as always.
“Don’t worry. No matter what I do, I’ll make sure never to get caught.”
The Duke smiled faintly, then turned to Elber.
“By the way, Elber, how did you get to the garden faster than me earlier?”
Oh, right?
Back when that bastard was approaching me and confessing his motive, Elber had already arrived first and subdued him. The Duke, who could sense my mana pulse, came much later.
Elber doesn’t have that ability—so how?
“Elber, you were with Seraphina, right? How did you know I was caught?”
“…On the other side of the hall, you were gone, and only Father was left. So I asked Miss Seraphina’s permission and ran.”
“And how did you know to come to the garden? Don’t tell me…”
Could Elber also have the Duke’s ability? But he shook his head.
“I don’t know what you’re about to suggest, but no.”
“…”
“I just noticed you were missing first… and searched the longest, that’s all.”
“Ah…”
“I’m glad I found you. Really…”
Elber pulled me into a tight hug. As if I’d truly been kidnapped and returned.
At first, it felt burdensome and I tried to push him away. But seeing Lady Fine beyond his shoulder, clutching her chest in rising fury, I suddenly had no reason to resist.
So I accepted Elber quietly.
“Mm. Thanks for finding me, big brother.”
This entirely petty incident was officially summed up as: “In the garden, Lady Fine misspoke to Lady Schleiger.”
Though, rumors spread like: “The Duke and his son stormed through the ballroom looking like they were about to kill someone, but did no one really die?”
Either way, there was no real crime.
The man who tried to seduce me also shut his mouth, embarrassed that he’d been scared off by nothing more than a butter knife.
The host and bank president wrapped up the event as if nothing had happened.
Thus, my first capital-city ball ended.
I was exhausted.
But among the four people sitting in the carriage, I was the only one who looked worn out. Seraphina smiled brightly.
“Are you okay, Sol? You look really tired.”
“Yeah, I’m fine! How about you?”
That was pure Korean instinct: the automatic “I’m fine, and you?” response. It wasn’t really me.
Of course, Seraphina took my words at face value.
“Of course I’m fine! I hope I helped you enjoy your first ball.”
Ah, right. That was my excuse for bringing Seraphina along.
I forced a smile.
“Thanks to you, I wasn’t nervous at all. Thank you.”
Seraphina smiled like an angel.
After dropping her off at Count Tillen’s estate, I slumped into the now-roomier seat.
“I’m tired…”
“Sol.”
“Father, if you want to lecture me about lady-like behavior, I don’t think I can listen right now…”
“That’s not it. I just wanted to ask—do you feel like today’s objective was accomplished?”
“Oh.”
What was the objective again? Ah, what I told the Schleigers: “Get Freya away from Elber.”
“Hmm… She won’t come back for a while, right? After that humiliation.”
“Is that so.”
“I’ll make sure to push her—no, to help her regain sincere faith—during temple volunteer work.”
“I see. A rather positive ending, then.”
“Haha…”
I laughed emptily.
But my real goal was to get Elber and Seraphina together!
Ugh, maybe they’ve grown a bit closer since the lake trip… but I still don’t feel successful.
And Freya’s words bothered me too. Something like: “Elber seems most concerned about his sister.” Damn it. What does she know?
I changed the subject.
“Then what about you two? Do you think today’s objective went well?”
The Duke and Elber exchanged glances. Why the ominous look? Were they plotting something?
The Duke spoke first.
“I don’t really understand romantic feelings, so I can’t tell what Lady Fine was feeling.”
“I see.”
“And also—you’re pretty.”
“…Why would you suddenly say that! Besides, the men who tried to flirt with me were either hired or angling for a marriage alliance with Schleiger!”
The Duke frowned.
“I see. Then perhaps today’s goal wasn’t achieved.”
“….”
Why do I feel so uneasy?
“Then what about you, Elber?”
“…I feel bad that I couldn’t properly escort Seraphina. But I realized she’s truly a good person.”
“See? I told you she was good!”
“That’s why it was even more awkward. It felt like talking to an angel who uses the scriptures as a rulebook.”
“Well, since you’ve only lived with a villain like Father, of course an angel feels awkward. If you talk to her more, it’ll be fine.”
A blunt truth slipped out.
The Duke just chuckled without arguing.
“And about Lady Fine—I agree with you. She’s someone who values appearances. She won’t approach you or me rashly again.”
“Wow, what a relief!”
“And one more thing.”
Elber looked at me.
“While Father was speaking with the chamberlain, quite a few men were sneaking glances at you. It wasn’t just curiosity. Why do you think that was?”
“They must’ve been bored.”
“…Then I also failed to achieve today’s objective.”
“Argh, these Schleigers!”
I finally jumped up and grabbed both their cheeks.
“You two had your own secret goals for the ball, didn’t you? Huh? What were they?”
“Ow, Sol! Don’t twist!”
“…Sol, did you say ‘you too’? Meaning you also had your own separate goal.”
“Eh? …W-wait, didn’t you just say ‘you too,’ Father? Then you go first!”
“No.”
“Then let go of my cheek—”
“You’re both being childish!”
Anyone watching would say all three of us were childish. But so what? Families can be childish sometimes.
Laughter echoed in the carriage.
Soon, the carriage arrived at the Duke’s townhouse. The coachman looked like he’d just seen a ghost.
…Yeah, he probably overheard all that ridiculous conversation. My face burned red.
The Duke went up the stairs first.
“Good work today. You’ll have to return to school early tomorrow morning, so get some rest.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Elber, see her off like you did last week.”
“…Yes, Father.”
Once the Duke disappeared upstairs, I turned to Elber with a grin.
“Brother, you liar. You didn’t actually see me off last time.”
“And whose fault was that?”
“Mine!”
I answered proudly, and Elber chuckled.
“Right. Will you refuse again this time?”
“I’ll think about it.”
“…So, that time when you said, ‘I don’t like making you walk around,’ was just an excuse, wasn’t it?”
Ack. It was!
I scrambled for an excuse, but Elber pouted.
“You really don’t think it’s gross?”
“How many times do I have to say it? I’ve never once thought you were gross. You’re the big brother I raised well.”
“…I agree with that.”
Huh, I expected him to argue about the ‘raised’ part.
But he didn’t even ask about my real reason for refusing his escort before. Instead, Elber bent down slightly and said,
“Sol, your shoelace is untied.”
“Huh?”
But I tied it earlier?
As I lowered my head to look, Elber suddenly stepped up one stair and swept me into his arms.
