~Chapter 5~
Aveline thought Ares must have really rushed over, since he even brought Beauty, the horse he rarely rides unless he wants to show off.
Aveline followed Ares to where Beauty was tied and was faced with another ridiculous situation.
“You want us to go home like this?”
“We should just be happy we won’t get lost! You don’t even know the way home because you never go outside. Besides, if we both ride, Beauty will get tired.”
Ares climbed up on Beauty alone and handed the reins to Aveline.
‘What a jerk.’
She felt stupid for being thankful to him earlier. He was always wrapped up in himself.
“How long will it take to walk home like this?”
“Hmm. Maybe before midnight?”
Aveline glared at her twin brother, who was seriously thinking about it, and gave up on arguing.
Just then, a scary voice came from behind.
“My lady?”
It was Duke Ribes, who had gone into the restaurant earlier.
“Were you by any chance in my carriage…?”
Oh no.
‘Did he notice the jelly is gone?’
Aveline’s heart began to race as the duke’s voice got closer.
“Who is that? Isn’t that Duke Ribes? He’s coming toward you!”
Even Ares looked worried as he looked down at Aveline.
‘Whatever!’
Aveline quickly put her foot in Ares’s stirrup and used it to climb up onto the horse behind him, just like a skilled knight.
“Ahh!”
Ares screamed as she stepped on his foot, but Aveline ignored him and handed the reins back to him.
“Go! Hurry up!”
Ares, still shocked, started riding Beauty.
‘Thank you, knight heroine stories!’
All those times she practiced physical training because of her love for knight novels were finally paying off.
She was sure Sir Liden, the family knight who helped her practice, would be proud if he saw her now.
Aveline could hear Duke Ribes yelling something behind her, but she didn’t listen.
‘Good. After today, I won’t get involved with them again!’
She decided not to leave the house for a long time.
But the journey home wasn’t smooth.
“Don’t touch me!”
“I don’t want to touch you either! Just steer the horse properly!”
The twins acted as if touching each other would kill them. Ares leaned forward, and Aveline sat straight behind him, stretching her arms out for balance.
It was hard to stay balanced without holding onto anything, but she’d rather do that than touch her brother. It looked funny to others, but they were both dead serious.
“Sir! My lady! What in the world…?”
The butler’s eyes widened when he saw the twins riding through the front gate in that strange pose.
“Where’s Father?”
Aveline got off the horse first and asked. The butler, still shocked, pointed toward the window of the count’s office.
“He’s inside? Thanks!”
“Hey! Wait for me!”
The butler watched the twins run inside and then snapped out of it and led Beauty to the stables.
Aveline, who had confidently run up, was now hesitating in front of the office door. She felt nervous about facing her father.
“What are you waiting for? Go in.”
“Huh? Oh, right.”
Ares, leaning against the wall, walked up and knocked. Soon, a voice called them in.
“Let’s go.”
Ares pulled the nervous Aveline inside.
“So, Ares, did you bring Duke Ribes’s documents like you boasted?”
“Well…”
As Ares started to speak, Aveline suddenly dropped to her knees.
“…!”
Both the count and Ares looked at her in shock, but she just knelt with her head down.
Ares thought she was doing this to protect him.
‘Is she kneeling for me…?’
He almost teared up.
“Hey, get up.”
He reached out to help, but Aveline had her own problem.
‘Ah, I have a cramp.’
She’d gotten a cramp in her leg from all the tension.
Ares tried to help her up, but she refused his hand, not wanting to move.
Ares misunderstood her stubbornness.
‘She’s doing this for me…!’
Seeing her clench her skirt and squeeze her eyes shut, Ares felt guilty.
‘I only helped her for my reputation, but she’s kneeling to protect me. I’m trash.’
Ares suddenly knelt beside her, full of determination.
Aveline, meanwhile, was just dealing with her painful leg.
The count, not knowing any of this, stuttered in confusion.
“W-What are you doing?”
Aveline opened her eyes in surprise to see Ares kneeling next to her. He winked at her, then turned to their father with a serious face.
“Both of us disobeyed you. It’s not fair if only my sister gets punished. Until you forgive us, neither of us will move from here.”
Ares finished bravely and looked at Aveline with the proudest smile.
‘What is he saying now?’
Aveline was just about to get up as her cramp went away. But Ares’s words shocked her.
‘Why is he dragging me into this?!’
She grabbed Ares’s hand.
“No, there’s no need. Just one of us is enough.”
She meant Ares should do it alone now.
“Sis…”
Ares’s eyes filled with tears. He gently wrapped both hands around hers.
“I didn’t know you cared so much about me.”
“Huh?”
“Even if you’re five minutes older, you really are my big sister.”
“What are you talking about?”
Aveline tried to pull her hand away, feeling uncomfortable, but Ares wouldn’t let go.
“But I won’t let you kneel alone.”
He turned to their father.
“Even though we didn’t bring the duke’s documents, I promise I’ll get them soon. So, please stop using your children for your own plans. If this happens again, I’ll bring my sister back myself.”
Ares finished with a serious look. Even Aveline was surprised—she never thought he’d talk back to their father.
He even used the word “sister” respectfully every time.
“Well, well.”
The count, too, seemed caught off guard. Still, Ares looked him right in the eye.
“Such touching sibling love.”
The count quickly recovered his expression.
“Actually, Baron Bertha sent a letter before you got here.”
A letter from Baron Bertha?
Aveline and Ares looked at each other nervously. Aveline had punched him, so there was no way it was a good letter.
‘It’s over.’
She was sure she’d have to beg for forgiveness.
She wished Duke Ribes had really scared the baron, just as he promised.
But since Baron Bertha sent a letter so quickly, maybe the duke lied, or maybe their father found out about everything.
“Father, that man—”
Ares tried to explain, but the count stopped him.
“Baron Bertha sent the same letter to Marquis Nor.”
So now Marquis Nor knew about it, too. Whether the duke was involved or not, this was a big deal now.
‘My life is just like that.’
She never succeeded at anything. She finally got a job from her father, and she couldn’t even do that.
‘I should have just endured it a little longer.’
Maybe she should’ve just held back, no matter how awful and scary it was.
But what’s done is done.
“Father, I was wrong—”
“Baron Bertha wrote that he’s too old, dirty, and ugly to ever marry you.”
“What?”
