Chapter 20:
Anyone from Tennant would know how much Marquis Alphonse Roland agonizes over the matter of his successor.
Because the Roland family has always had few heirs, they traditionally marry early—but his grandson, Paradi Roland, has refused not only marriage but even the idea of engagement.
But now, the marquis’s worries are about to ease.
Because Paradi Roland, his lawful heir and successor to Count Gestaf’s title, has found himself a lover.
And the shocking subject of this scandal is none other than Yvonne Moore, the infamous greedy villainess of Tennant.
She was so vicious that at the age of fourteen she sued her own blood relative—who had tried to care for her with love—and took the case all the way to the High Court.
As if that weren’t enough, beneath her beautiful face lies a heart full of greed and spite…
When Yvonne saw her name printed in the newspaper, she folded it up and threw it under the table. She had only skimmed the article, but the slander aimed at her was so obvious her hands trembled.
“Nini…”
“Let go!”
She pushed away Paradi, who tried to hold her. Clear tears welled in her blue eyes.
“You know it’s all nonsense.”
“Only you know that. Only you…”
“Nini, don’t mind it.”
“How can I not! I—I don’t want my name being dragged around like this anymore!”
Even after the first lawsuit, it was like that.
Whenever she was invited to gatherings, people whispered behind her back, and her walls were smeared with ink or rotten milk.
After experiencing things like that over and over, her heart would plummet at the slightest meeting of eyes with others.
They’ll all be judging me inside. They don’t even know me, yet they’ll chatter away…
Her scandal with Paradi didn’t matter. She didn’t care about that. She fully intended to spend her life with him.
But she hated being consumed as gossip.
“I don’t want this… We didn’t even acknowledge each other in public precisely because… because we were afraid of people talking again like this.”
She had no one she could rely on. No parents to shield her from the world’s storms, and no warm friends to hold her—aside from Paradi.
Yvonne was utterly isolated.
Because living as Yvonne Moore was so painful when she was young, she had lived as Franz Bernicke—and that made it even less likely for people to know the real Yvonne.
“Nini.”
Paradi took a step toward her.
Yvonne stepped back the exact distance he advanced. His face twisted with distress. She was completely terrified.
“Yvonne. You need to be strong.”
Paradi reached her in one swift movement and wrapped her tightly in his arms. She was trembling violently.
His embrace was familiar, but someone’s warmth felt strange enough to bring overwhelming comfort.
A world that mocked the relatives trying to exploit an innocent heiress—and mocked the heiress resisting that exploitation—was cruel beyond imagination.
“It’s okay. It’s okay, Nini. Everything’s going to be okay.”
Frightened of the world, Yvonne had run away and taken on the new identity of Franz.
At least Franz wasn’t an heiress who drew public attention.
Paradi soothed her like a bird with a broken wing, brushing a gentle kiss near her ear.
In his warm arms, she slowly found her calm again. Once her sobbing quieted, he spoke.
“You look really ugly right now, Yvonne.”
“Shut up.”
Smiling faintly despite herself, Yvonne wiped her tear-streaked face and asked:
“So what do we do now?”
“What do you want to do?”
“…”
She wanted to sue the newspaper for writing nonsense. But that would only fuel her reputation as “Villainess Yvonne.”
“I don’t want my image ruined any more than this.”
She cared about what others thought, and she also knew that one day she had to step back into the world as Yvonne Moore.
She couldn’t hide forever as Franz Bernicke.
She anxiously bit her lip. Paradi waited for her patiently.
At last, Yvonne spoke.
“Let’s get engaged.”
“…Nini. This isn’t something you decide impulsively.”
“Why? You’re the one who proposed first.”
“That’s true, but—”
“No buts. As long as things have turned out this way, I want to show people that Yvonne Moore can love someone! More importantly, they’re talking because I’m doing nothing. I—I’m going to rejoin society. I want to correct the rumors about me.”
As she said this, her shoulders shook with fear.
Paradi held her by the shoulders and swallowed a sigh. He was proud of her. Her willingness to show courage despite being wounded was something worthy of praise.
“It’s a good idea. You’re brave, Nini.”
Yvonne smiled faintly and nestled into him. His arms always made her feel safe.
Breathing in his scent, she thought:
Just like he said—I need to grow stronger.
—
After reading the newspaper, Kiryan felt a stabbing headache coming on.
The news that shook the capital of Tennant that morning was none other than the engagement of Yvonne Moore and Paradi Roland.
If Roland’s influence extended to Yvonne Moore’s diamond mine, things could get much more complicated.
Even Marquis Roland was a sly fox, and his grandson Paradi Roland was nothing to underestimate.
But what caused an even bigger headache was the fact that Franz had feelings for Yvonne.
“I should go see Franz.”
Putting aside the report on the new casino being built in Furtra, he headed straight for the Aliosa Theater.
Thinking Franz might be heartbroken and depressed made him uncomfortable.
They had been apart for a long time, and had only reunited recently—they didn’t really know each other well yet, but Franz was Franz.
*Maybe I should buy him a drink.*
If it were for Franz, he would even offer the 100-year-old liquor he had practically stolen from the temple.
But to his surprise, Franz was doing just fine.
“Heeeeey! Let go of me!”
“No, *you* let go! Pwahahahaha!”
“You… Paradi Roland!”
The two were rolling around on the dusty rehearsal-room floor, play-fighting.
Paradi sat on top of Franz and drew lines on her face with black ink, while Franz kicked and struggled beneath him with all her might.
“Argh!”
When Franz pinched Paradi’s side, he toppled over.
Franz laughed like a mischievous ten-year-old and smeared theatrical lipstick on Paradi’s cheeks.
They looked less like romantic rivals and more like kids playing in the dirt.
Kiryan watched them in silence, stunned by their childish behavior. Then his eyes narrowed at the natural ease between them.
Their familiarity was obvious in the way they casually pinched cheeks and poked each other.
They only noticed his presence when Franz began braiding Paradi’s curly hair.
“Ehem. Ahem.”
Paradi coughed awkwardly, and Franz tried—and failed—to hide her grin as she glanced at Kiryan.
Clinging close to Paradi, she still looked uncomfortable around Kiryan.
“Uh… Hey, Yan. What brings you here?”
“Do I need a reason to visit my younger sibling?”
It was a relief that Franz didn’t seem troubled. He wondered if Franz was simply pretending to be cheerful, but there was no sign of worry or sadness.
“R-Right. Then, uh…”
Franz and Paradi exchanged looks. With his eyes, Paradi urged her: *Just tell him everything. Face it head-on.*
Franz took a deep breath.
Whether Yvonne or Franz, her essence was the same—a timid, fragile young lady.
With a soft smile, she offered:
“Duke—no, Yan. Want to have lunch with me?”
“Sure.”
“My treat. Paradi, clean the floor or something.”
“Clean your own hair first.”
Paradi brushed the dust from her hair. Kiryan’s eyes narrowed at the gentle gesture.
During lunch, she planned to tell Kiryan the truth—that she was Yvonne, a woman cross-dressing as a man.
Lying to him weighed on her conscience.
“This place is known for its beef soup and seafood pasta. Uh… since it’s lunch, pasta is better, right?”
“Yes. That sounds good.”
Franz placed the order with the worker wiping cups in the corner. Unlike when speaking to Kiryan, she was sociable and relaxed.
“Aww, Grandma’s cooking is the best. But you can’t live on meat alone. Sometimes you need eggplants and carrots to make the meat taste better, right? It’s *definitely* not because Grandma’s food is bad.”
It stung that Franz treated everyone warmly—except him.
The age gap was part of it, but it also meant Franz saw him as someone… hard to approach.
The emperor’s only nephew. A gifted ability-user. An illegitimate child… His mouth felt bitter.
“Yan?”
“I’m glad you’re doing well.”
“Well… there’s no reason not to be.”
What was that supposed to mean? Was he going to ruin her mood just because she looked fine? She worried anxiously.
But she knew Kiryan cared deeply for her.
Despite the rumors, his gentle manner and warm gaze made that clear.
Surely he would forgive her for a small lie.
“Um… Actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”
“Something to tell me? My only sibling wants to share something? Now I’m curious.”
His golden eyes folded sweetly. Franz felt chills run down her back.
In the original story, this was the same Kiryan who killed *her* and even killed the heroine, Selena, simply because she didn’t return his feelings.
His affection was always twisted—manifesting as obsession and coercion.
That was why every time he showed her special treatment because they were sworn siblings, she felt suffocated with fear.
“Well, the truth is… I… actually, I’m really Yvonne—”
“My lord. I have urgent news.”
Eric, Kiryan’s right hand, cut her off. Kiryan frowned, displeased at being interrupted.
“What is it?”
Eric glanced at Franz, whose eyes had gone wide, then whispered into Kiryan’s ear. When he finished, Kiryan’s face stiffened slightly.
“How dare he deceive *me*. That rat should be thrown into the sea off Tennant.”
*Hic!*
Of course Franz hiccupped at Kiryan’s response. She didn’t know who had deceived him, but Kiryan was furious.
*I’m going to die. No way. Instead of telling the truth, I’ll just live as a man forever.*
She felt tears threatening to spill and forced her emotions down.
Noticing her frightened reaction, Kiryan offered her a water cup. Franz accepted it with trembling hands.
*Honestly. I shouldn’t even drink cold water in front of Franz anymore.*
To Kiryan, Franz still seemed like a ten-year-old child, no matter her age.
“I got as far as ‘I’m actually Yvonne.’”
“Ah.”
She felt her teeth chatter. An awkward, forced smile stretched across her face.
“The truth is… I like Yvonne.”
She truly wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.
