~Chapter 6~
Entering the reception room, Kayla looked around and picked up a picture frame. It was clearly the frame Adeline had received as a gift on Central Academy graduation day.
“You actually keep this here just because you graduated from Central Academy?”
“Kayla, if you want to go, take the entrance exam.”
“Pass. I don’t need to go to a place like that to meet a good man, eat well, and live comfortably.”
“Wouldn’t that be impossible?”
“Are you jealous because I’m pretty now?”
As if. Adeline shook her head.
“Kayla, there’s a mirror right there. Take a look and then talk.”
Not all nobles in the Empire attended the Academy. One had to pass a basic entrance exam. It was also common for some, depending on circumstances, to only receive home education.
Kayla remembered the day Adeline, who was always mistreated at home, first received her acceptance letter.
“I’m going. I’m definitely going to Central Academy.”
“What about money? You don’t have any money, why do you want to do such a pointless thing again?”
“It’s not pointless.”
“You’re not as brilliant as Easton, are you? Do you keep being greedy? Did you cheat, by any chance?”
“Think whatever you want. Easton would never become a scholarship student like me.”
“What?!”
“Spend your whole life in hope-torture.”
Adeline, the loser who used to lock herself in her room all day. At least, that’s how her sister looked to Kayla.
Adeline, the country mouse who couldn’t even have a debutante ball. She entered school a year earlier than others and finished a curriculum said to take over five years with early graduation.
The sky should have split in two. It was something impossible for stupid Adeline. Suppressing her rage, Kayla pretended to be at ease and lifted the corner of her mouth.
“Honestly, I don’t see why people go to places like the Academy. Does anyone even acknowledge you just because you graduated from there?”
“Kayla. Stop the nonsense and just give me the letter.”
“Am I wrong?”
“I’m not listening, so give me the letter first.”
Kayla made a displeased face, pursing her lips. Sitting on the sofa, she carelessly handed the letter she had been waving at the entrance to Adeline.
“Ah, I’ll congratulate you in advance before you even finish reading the letter.”
*’What kind of bad news could it be that she’s in such a good mood?’*
“It’s best to offer congratulations for a family celebration by looking at one’s face, isn’t it?”
Judging by Kayla’s extremely good mood, it was clearly the worst possible news.
“Surprised? I was pretty shocked too.”
By the time Adeline finished reading the letter, Kayla smiled mockingly. Her tinkling laughter was brighter than ever.
“But it seems Count Hamel really took a liking to you, sister. That’s why he tracked down where you live and came to find our family. It’s a great love, isn’t it?”
Adeline didn’t want to die meaninglessly in this life either. She planned to live quietly until she could finish more stable preparations.
If rumors spread that the eldest daughter of a ruined family suddenly had some money, flies would inevitably swarm. Wanting to avoid getting tangled in messy affairs, she’d even used a fake surname since her Academy days. Even though she had money, she was deliberately pretending not to, carefully following the steps of a self-made entrepreneur.
She hadn’t expected someone to investigate her background.
*’Why on earth did they investigate me?’*
“Sister Adeline, even I was surprised. Who would have thought the Hamel Count family in the capital would want to marry you?”
The Hamel Count family was somewhat rumored to be well-off in the capital. For the Primrose family, a noble family relegated to the provinces, it was a perfect marriage connection.
“What did Father say?”
“Of course Father is pleased too. He said it’s finally time to get a return for feeding and housing you.”
“The Primrose family is a Marquis family in name. Has he no pride?”
“My, sister! Of course the title is important.”
“Do you really understand its importance properly?”
“It’s important, but you’re never going to inherit the Marquis title, are you? So, your husband just needs to be a noble.”
By imperial law, a title could also be passed to the eldest daughter. But that was only a last resort of absolute necessity. When sons were desired to the end, they would adopt a relative’s child or take a son-in-law as heir instead of a daughter.
“As you well know, sister, our family has Easton brother and Luca.”
*’There’s no place for you, so don’t even dream of it.’*
It was as if she were saying exactly that. But it didn’t matter. Rather than inheriting the title of a ruined provincial noble, it would be better to buy a new one or earn recognition from the imperial family.
“It’s such a relief that Count Hamel wants to marry you.”
Kayla’s annoying words continued like an endless waterfall.
“Honestly, I was worried you’d never marry because you ran away and live so willfully. You even almost got married once before. Who would want to live with a woman who has a past?”
“Kayla.”
“Oh my. Was I a bit harsh? But it’s the truth. You need to face reality now, too.”
“Do you like the Hamel Count family that much?”
“Of course.”
Kayla’s eyes sparkled. Her look said she should be grateful for getting that much at her level.
“Because the Hamel Count family lives in the capital and is a fairly wealthy family?”
“Right. If you just get married, our family might be able to return to the capital too. Imagine how happy Father would be?”
The Primrose family was originally a Marquis family that lived in the capital with considerable prestige. Of course, that was a story from hundreds of years ago.
“Kayla.”
“What is it, sister? Are you so surprised your heart is pounding?”
“A ruined noble in the provinces, even if a Marquis, is worse than a Baron in the capital, right?”
“That’s right. It’s bitter, but what can we do? We’re just lucky a good man like Count Hamel wants to form a connection with us.”
“Yeah, really lucky. I just had a good idea, want to hear it? I think I should write a reply like this to Father.”
“What good idea? Ah, do you have a dress you want to wear or something? Well, your current dress is too old-fashioned. If you just lose some weight, you could find clothes that suit you somewhat.”
Adeline and Kayla smiled simultaneously.
“I’ll yield this marriage to you.”
The expression on Kayla’s face, who had been chattering away just moments before, instantly hardened. The face that had praised the Hamel Count family until her mouth was dry turned ashen.
“If my one and only younger sister likes him so much, shouldn’t I, the eldest daughter, yield?”
“B-but how can I get married first when the eldest daughter of the family isn’t even married yet?”
“What era do you think this is? That was a hundred years ago.”
“What are you talking about? Even now, people would definitely mock if the second daughter married first.”
“That’s a misconception. You’re saying that because you live in the countryside and don’t know anything.”
“……”
“So, this marriage, instead of me, you’ll do it?”
Kayla couldn’t outright say, “No way!” Even if Count Hamel was a man with skinny limbs but a protruding belly, with four grown daughters, he was a lifeline.
But Adeline was sufficient as the sacrificial lamb for the family’s advancement. Kayla herself didn’t need to be.
“If you don’t want to get married, since you’re here, do you want to take the Central Academy entrance exam before you go?”
“W-why would I?”
“You have nothing, right? Having a degree would mean getting less disdain from Count Hamel’s daughters. All the daughters in that family failed the Academy entrance exam. Ah, I’ll specially write you a letter of recommendation.”
“I said pass! I don’t need to study like that to meet a good man!”
“So get married this time. You sang about wanting to marry a capital noble.”
Kayla glared at Adeline, biting her lower lip tightly.
*’She really is the same as ever.’*
Kayla’s thoughts were obvious. There were no men in the countryside to satisfy her vanity. Her plan was to sell Adeline to the Hamel Count family and meet a precious young master from a capital family herself.
“I’m really hurt. Even though we have different mothers… I didn’t know you’d discriminate against me like this.”
“You think it’s discrimination?”
“You’ve always been like this since we were little. You never understand a person’s sincerity at all, interpreting things however you want and hurting them first.”
Adeline stretched at the start of yet another round of absurd logic and sniffling.
*’What nonsense is she going to spout this time.’*
“Sister, you…”
