Chapter 24
“What do you mean by that?”
“Father, what I’m saying is—if Duke Sephardi were to treat the Moro people leniently, like Nafaro’s current policy, how do you think the world would see him?”
A father who’d not only been unfaithful but even brought home a child from another woman—yet still wished to protect his household. For Mateo, there was only one choice.
“My mother’s honor would be the only thing ridiculed.”
So, to please his wife—Laura, the Duchess of Puerto and my stepmother—he chose to hunt down the Moro people like vermin.
The original story never went into such detail.
It’s something I came to understand only thanks to the memories I’ve accumulated in this life.
In my previous life, and even now, my stepmothers all wanted the same thing—
A life where they could avoid seeing anything, or anyone, that displeased them.
“If I disappear, all of this will quietly go away.”
At my words, Arius’s brow furrowed.
“I don’t mean anything strange,” I added quickly. “Since I’m Gabriella’s older sister, I’ll have to leave this place before His Highness the Crown Prince’s wedding anyway.”
Thanks to this wretched Nafaro custom of marrying in order of birth, of course.
“Marriage, then? Or a convent?”
If Arius’s voice hadn’t been so low—and if he hadn’t looked so startled—it might’ve passed as a light remark.
But why was he looking at me with eyes so deep, so intent?
I flinched and quickly averted my gaze. Then, disliking the awkward air, I forced a small laugh.
“…How could I possibly know that?”
Even though, in truth, I’d already laid out a fairly detailed plan in my head.
“You really don’t know?”
“I’m not sure yet. But since it was Father who said I should remove my veil, something will probably be decided before summer ends.”
Even if that decision turns out to be absurd—
For now, I plan to go along with the idea of being engaged to you.
I’ll use the bait of helping you with your revenge to keep Pedro from ruining this world.
And after that… well, I’m not sure yet.
I never intended to stay engaged to Arius until the end.
The Duchy of Romero, which he governs, is far from Bernau—the place where Gabriella will live as the Crown Princess.
All I wanted was to spend as much time as possible with my little sister, like a real family.
Then I’d find a way to return to the world I came from.
Since I entered this one in such a ridiculous way, there must also be a way out.
That’s all I wanted.
So I planned to end the engagement in a way that would harm neither me, nor Arius, nor anyone else.
I said lightly,
“The world is unpredictable anyway. There’s no need to worry ahead of time.”
It was something my real mother used to tell me often when I was little—
When my narcolepsy symptoms worsened and I was afraid,
When I couldn’t sleep through the night,
When everything felt suffocating—
It was always the same line I repeated to myself.
Arius frowned and looked at me intently.
Those olive-colored eyes were so deep they made me uneasy.
“Those words…” he murmured.
Thinking I’d said something wrong again, I quickly added,
“Oh, of course, the Almighty Rocio knows both the end and the future, doesn’t He?”
That should cover it, right?
I glanced at him again.
Arius looked at me for a long moment, as if he had something to say, then composed his expression as though nothing had happened.
“You’re right. I understand your position, and the situation here as well. I won’t bring this matter up again.”
“Thank you. I can go out of the mansion more freely now, so people can’t treat me too harshly anymore. When they see a Moro woman, they’ll have to wonder if she’s the Duke’s daughter.”
Arius let out a soft sigh at that.
I was about to ask what he could possibly be sighing about when a voice called out from afar.
“Lady Sephardi!”
“Oh… Lord Esquia.”
“Hah… hah… You’ve returned!”
“Yes. I went out to buy fans with Duke Romero.”
Judging by how breathless he was, he must have run all the way here—typical of someone so full of self-importance.
Pedro brushed his hair back and let his gaze fall on my bare arm.
“It must be quite hot today. You seem to favor more revealing clothes. They suit you, of course.”
What nonsense.
It wasn’t even a particularly revealing dress—just sleeveless because of the blazing sun.
I looked at him with a blank expression, and Pedro gave an awkward laugh.
“Lady, I wonder if the gift I sent was delivered properly. I hope you liked it.”
“Oh, you mean those enormous opal earrings?”
“Yes, those very ones.”
The stones themselves were fine—but size alone doesn’t make jewelry beautiful.
There was no sense of aesthetic or refinement in their design.
I’d actually planned to have the stones recut and set into a fan instead.
With that thought, I managed to smooth away the irritation from my face.
“I received them well. Thank you.”
“I thought they’d be a fitting gift for such a lovely lady.”
He could at least try to lie convincingly.
And that smug, expectant look—like he actually thought I might fall for him.
I couldn’t help wondering how he’d gotten hold of the rumor that I was soon to inherit enormous wealth.
Still, that was the extent of my interest.
“Lord Esquia, I’ve always worn a veil when I go out. Have you perhaps seen my face somewhere before?”
“Well, not exactly. But the beauty of the Duke’s eldest daughter is already famous throughout Nafaro.”
“Wouldn’t that rumor refer to Gabriella?”
“Hahaha, humility is such a noble virtue, perfectly befitting a lady of high birth.”
How much longer did I have to endure this idiot’s face?
I wanted to end this pointless conversation, so I looked toward Arius.
But he seemed utterly uninterested in our exchange, his gaze turned toward the orange trees in the garden.
Fine. I was the one in need here.
I was just about to call out to him when Pedro spoke again.
“To my eyes, Lady, you’re far more beautiful than your sister. So mature, so elegant, and so alluring—”
As he said this, he reached out to grab my wrist.
His palm was hot and damp with sweat.
“Ah—”
I quickly shook him off.
At that exact moment, Arius—who I thought had been looking elsewhere—stepped forward to block my view.
“Pedro.”
“Duke Arius. What do you think you’re doing?”
Pedro’s angry voice came from behind Arius’s broad back, unseen.
“The lady seemed uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable? I merely took her hand. You’re overreacting. She was startled, that’s all.”
“Making a lady startle without her consent isn’t exactly something to boast about.”
“That’s—”
“I’m Lady Sephardi’s escort, and I’m simply doing my duty, Pedro.”
Yes, that’s it—well said!
Behind his wide back, I nodded in satisfaction.
Pedro, however, puffed up his chest and raised his voice further, as if to reclaim some dignity.
“Then let’s ask the lady directly. Lady Sephardi, were you uncomfortable?”
Arius turned his head toward me first, one eyebrow slightly raised—as if asking, Are you sure?
I nodded and faced Pedro.
“Lord Esquia, I’m sure you only meant to be friendly.”
“Exactly! Outside of the duchy, no one makes such a fuss over something so trivial. That uptight Duke from Romero just doesn’t understand—”
“But, Lord Esquia, are we close?”
“What?”
“I only met you for the first time yesterday. I only recently removed my veil. Having someone touch me so casually—no matter how common it may be outside the duchy—makes me quite uncomfortable. I suppose I’m rather uptight that way.”
“You’re not uptight, my lady—you’re pure and—”
“I think I should thank Duke Romero.”
I cut him off mercilessly.
Pedro’s brow creased in frustration—he must have assumed I’d side with him.
After all, he’d given me jewels, and he was my only supposed suitor.
“Thank you, Duke.”
I bowed slightly toward Arius, making sure Pedro could see.
Then, when I said, “Let’s go,” Arius followed me without a word.
As we passed Pedro, his voice, tight with anger, rang out behind us.
“…It seems the lady hasn’t heard what Duke Sephardi has been saying lately.”
“I wouldn’t know. Whatever he has to say, I’m sure he’ll tell me when the time comes.”
I replied without even glancing back—and deliberately stepped closer to Arius.
Perhaps understanding the situation, Arius held steady just long enough for me to lean against him.
