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Color Gallery

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Copyrights and Credits

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Prologue: I Could Never Replace My Sister

Prologue:
I Could Never Replace My Sister

 

I WAS MERE MOMENTS FROM DEPARTING MY home to marry the man who’d proposed to my sister. Besides the fact that he was twenty-four—six years older than me—I knew nothing at all about Count Kyros Granado. Of course, I imagined he knew just as little about me. After all, I was nothing but my sister’s replacement.

My older sister, Anastasia, had been blessed with beauty. Despite hailing from a poor baronial house, prominent nobles and wealthy men had lined up for a chance to marry her, and the man who’d eventually been chosen as her future husband was none other than Count Granado. Just like any other noble lady, my sister hadn’t had any say in the matter, and she’d accepted our parents’ orders without any fuss. But fate had other plans, and while riding in the carriage our father had tasked with whisking her away, she’d met her untimely demise.

Once word of Anastasia’s passing reached my parents, they wasted not a moment before stuffing me into a dress and sticking one of the wedding veils they’d ordered for Anastasia on my head.

“I can’t! I could never replace her!” I screamed. But they paid me no mind.

“Don’t worry, Marie. We know full wellyou aren’t pretty.”

“Your father is right. Anastasia was special. We’re aware the count could never love you.”

Exactly the kind of comments I’d come to expect from my parents.

“Th-then…why?” I asked.

“We received a hundred thousand eiros as betrothal money, Marie. If the marriage falls through, we’ll have to reimburse the count,” my father explained.

“W-well, can’t we just do that?”

“We’ve already used it all to pay back part of our debt.”

I was at a loss for words. All I could do was stare at him, my mouth agape.

“We sold all the dresses and jewels he sent Anastasia too,” my father continued, tapping the floor with his foot in irritation. “We’d need tremendous funds to buy everything back, but House Chandelan has no such money.”

“I-in that case, we could take on more debt! We’ll all work hard to pay it back together,” I suggested desperately.

“We have nothing to borrow against,” my father said, shooting down my idea. “Even with the one hundred thousand eiros, we still owe tons of money.”

Once again, I was speechless.

My father seemed to be losing patience with me. He wiped away the cold sweat running down the sides of his face and let out a deep sigh. “That’s enough arguing,” he declared. “You will head to the count’s castle. There’s no doubt he’s devastated by Anastasia’s passing—it’s your perfect chance to strike. If you can worm your way into his bed just once, that connection will be enough to get us all through this.”

“You want me to…get in bed with him?” He hadn’t been asking me to marry the count—he wanted me to act like a prostitute…

“Get that look off your face, Marie,” my father scolded. “I’m sure he’ll treat you well, even if you likely won’t be there for long. Just think of this as a nice getaway, all right?”

“It’s not like you could ever find a husband anyway,” my mother added. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for you. Enjoy it while it lasts.”

“B-but… I…”

“But nothing, Marie!” my father roared. “The survival of our house depends on this!”

“Your father is right, Marie! If our house falls to ruin, it’ll all be your fault!”

Their shouting froze me in place. I wasn’t okay with this one bit, and I wanted nothing more than to object…but I was trembling so much the words caught in my throat. All I could do was clench my fists and stare at the floor in silence.

And so, today was the day I would leave to marry Count Granado—or rather, the day I would be sold to him like cattle.

I sat in the iron carriage as it rattled through the wilderness. The trip would likely take around four days, and my father was seated right next to me. I felt as though he was standing guard to make sure I didn’t escape, not that I had anywhere to run.

How did things end up this way? I couldn’t help but wonder.

Anastasia’s old dress didn’t fit me one bit. My chest was so compressed that every breath hurt. Even though I was just sitting, I already felt lightheaded.

The journey to the royal capital, where the Granado estate was located, would be a long one. I looked up at the ceiling of the carriage and started reminiscing.

Two months ago, at my eighteenth birthday party, the count had met my sister for the first time. The events of that day played in my mind…

Chapter 1: I’m Not the Star of the Show, Not Even on My Birthday

Chapter 1:
I’m Not the Star of the Show, Not Even on My Birthday

 

TODAY WAS MY EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY, AND A lavish party was being held at our residence. Sumptuous dishes and bottles of wine lined the tables, and gentlemen in fine clothes filled the main hall. A surprising number of people had gathered for a party held by a penniless baron house—except, despite the date, the star of this party wasn’t me, Marie Chandelan, but rather my older sister, Anastasia.

“My! What a beautiful dress! Thank you so much, Mother and Father!” Anastasia gushed as she twirled in her rose-pink dress.

Without a doubt, it was a beautiful party dress—and with the addition of countless accessories adorning her blonde hair, Anastasia looked like a princess. She was dazzlingly pretty, and her mannerisms were ever so charming. She was truly a belle above reproach.

I, on the other hand, was wearing a gray dress with unsightly embroidery. I wasn’t sure it really counted as a proper party dress. The fabric certainly wasn’t of the quality one would expect a young noble lady to wear in public, especially not at her own birthday party. At least my red hair wasn’t dirty, as I’d been allowed to wash it, but years of neglect had nonetheless left it horribly knotted all throughout. Frankly, the matted mess upon my head looked no better than a stray dog’s fur.

I looked at my parents, silently pleading with my eyes, and they sighed.

“Bear with it, Marie,” my father said. “You know we don’t have money. This was the best we could find for you.”

“We’re sorry, Marie, but there wasn’t any point in dressing you up, was there? Beautiful dresses wouldn’t suit you,” my mother added.

Well, she wasn’t wrong.

“Would you like to wear one of mine, Marie?” my sister offered kindly. “I have plenty.” I was sure she’d only offered with good intentions, but I shook my head.

“I’m too tall to wear your clothes, Sister…”

“I’m sure with just a bit of tailoring we can make anything fit!”

“Anastasia, Marie hates cute clothes,” my mother interjected.

That wasn’t true, but…I couldn’t deny Anastasia’s dresses wouldn’t suit me at all, so I was unwilling to try.

Anastasia knitted her brows as I sank into silence, but after a few moments, she bounced with excitement like a young girl and smiled brightly at me. “Your clothes are lovely too! You look like a cool, mature woman! It’s a style that suits you very well, Marie.”

“Thank you, Anastasia. What an adorable thing to say.” I wasn’t flattering her; I genuinely thought that Anastasia was beautiful and adorable, and I admired her for it.

We’d been born from the same parents, yet the two of us couldn’t be more different. Anastasia had soft blonde locks, while I had dry, red hair full of knots. She had a girly, petite frame, while I was as tall as a man. She was bright and sociable, while my favorite hobby was reading books alone. Our parents granted every one of her cute requests, while I never dared to talk back to them.

In a nutshell, Anastasia always shone brightly, and I knew I could never be like her. There was no point in even trying, which was why no one ever spent any money on me and I was always wearing the same tattered rags.

Well, almost always.

While the gray dress I’d been given was terribly unremarkable, it was new. I’d also been allowed to wash my hair with soap for today. All in all, I looked a little better than usual, I suppose. Even so, no one seemed to realize I was supposed to be the star of the party. For example, in the hall where the buffet was being served, Anastasia was the one guests approached with birthday wishes, while they ignored me as though I were a maid. When Anastasia tried to correct them, my parents stopped her and told her to smile and thank people for coming to the party instead.

Suddenly, a young nobleman kneeled in front of Anastasia.

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady Anastasia. I see rumors of your beauty hardly do you justice.”

“Th-thank you very much.”

“May I have the honor of one dance with you? I’ve crossed mountains and rivers for this very chance.”

It was then that I was hit with a sudden realization: This was never meant to be my birthday party. The whole event was for Anastasia. Now that she was twenty, she was of marriageable age, and this party was a stage our parents had prepared to find her a match.

Our parents had three children: Anastasia, myself, and our younger brother who’d only just turned six. While House Chandelan had preserved its peerage, we were a penniless baronial family on the brink of collapse, so I imagined my parents were eager to match Anastasia with either a rich man or a prominent nobleman who could lift us from the ashes before my younger brother inherited control. Ultimately, then, my birthday was nothing but a pretext to invite guests over to meet my sister.

So that’s how things are… Of course it is. I should have known.

With that realization, I snuck out of the hall. Needless to say, no one tried to stop me.

I sighed as I wandered aimlessly into the garden. When I approached the pond, I saw my reflection in the water under the moonlight and let out another deep sigh. Between my lanky frame, my pointy chin, and my cold, slanted eyes, I had not even a hint of charm. Anastasia had been blessed with all our parents’ best traits, while I’d ended up with nothing but their flaws.

I looked at the freckles that stood out against my dry, suntanned skin, and then at my unkempt red hair. Even my nails were dirty with soot, I noticed as I grasped my gray dress tightly.

Why was I born so ugly?

“Excuse me, miss.”

I turned around with a start.

It was a man. I couldn’t see his face well in the dark, but I noticed he was wearing unusual clothes. “Are you a servant of House Chandelan?” he asked as he walked up to me. “I’m here because I received an invitation for Lady Marie Chandelan’s birthday party, but…”

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That was enough for me to understand his problem. He’d entered through the back gate by mistake and couldn’t find his way to the party hall. Our estate was quite large, after all. “Can you see the arch over there? If you go straight toward it, you’ll reach the residence. Then, walk along the wall toward the left and you’ll find the entrance to the party hall.” He would inevitably find our guests, my parents, and Anastasia there.

“Thank you very much. I’m glad I ran into a maid.” He sounded relieved now that he knew where to go.

“You’re welcome…” I replied.

“My lord, she’s no maid,” came a woman’s voice from behind him. I hadn’t noticed her at first, but behind the man stood a woman clad in black. She seemed to be his servant. “The Chandelans only have one servant, an old woman over sixty. The members of the family take care of everything else themselves, including the management of their territory and estate.”

“Is that so? Then who could she—”

“The Chandelans have three children, two daughters and one son. I imagine she must be one of the daughters.”

“I see. I’m afraid I’ve been terribly rude, then. Please forgive me, my lady,” the man said to me with a polite bow. He then bent forward slightly to look into my eyes.

His eyes were mysterious, and shone brighter than any star I’d ever seen in the sky. Even in the dark of night, they gleamed a brilliant jade. They were so striking it was almost eerie, and I couldn’t help but stare into them. Meanwhile, his black hair and tan skin almost melted into the darkness of the night, and the gold threads of his outfit glittered under the moonlight.

When I considered all his features together, I let out a surprised yelp. “Are you from the Republic of Ypsandros?” I managed to ask.

The man’s expression clouded over, and he looked down at me with a frown. “My mother was an itinerant entertainer. What of it? If my foreign blood irks you, I’ll leave right this inst—”

“I knew it! You’re wearing traditional Ypsandrian clothes, aren’t you?” I replied excitedly, much louder than I’d intended to.

The hostility melted right off the man’s face, replaced by a dumbfounded look. “Are you well-versed in Ypsandrian culture?”

“N-no, I… I just…” After shaking my head, I hesitated for a moment, then nodded and added in Ypsandrian, “I only know a little… I’ve studied the country as a hobby, but I’m not sure I’m knowledgeable enough to call myself ‘well-versed.’”

“Oh! Now there’s a surprise,” the man answered in Ypsandrian. “You can even speak the language!”

I’m glad he understood me, I thought before saying, “As you’ve surely noticed, I can only speak the commoner dialect, although I’m aware nobles and merchants normally use different dialects.”

“That’s more than enough. Merchants understand the commoner dialect, and the noble dialect has no practical use. Besides, your way of speaking Ypsandrian is beautiful,” he complimented me with a smile.

“Truly? Thank you. This is the first time I’ve had the chance to speak it with someone, so I’m delighted.”

“This is also my first time conversing in Ypsandrian with someone other than my mother or merchants. Where did you learn it?”

“I chose Ypsandrian culture as the topic of my research project at school. No one else did, so I only ever studied alone…”

“Most people in the Dilts Kingdom despise foreigners, especially those from the countries of the East—‘backward barbarians,’ they’re often called. While people here do engage in trade with the East out of necessity, it’s not often you meet someone with any actual interest in foreign cultures,” the man muttered. He seemed truly astonished by my fascination with Ypsandros.

I shook my head. “Well, we barely ever see Ypsandrian goods so far in the countryside, but if you take a few moments to learn about Ypsandros, it’s obvious that their technology is highly developed.”

“Oh, but it’s the same in the capital. Just the other day, I saw a viscountess bragging about the high-quality mantle she’d purchased from Fralia, yet it was plain as day that mantle of hers had actually been made in Ypsandros. I had a hard time holding back my laughter.”

I let out a little laugh. “My! Still, I must assume that this viscountess does have a good eye when it comes to mantles. After all, I’m sure it was of the finest quality.”

The man nodded before extending his arms to show me the hem of his sleeves. “That it was. There are no artisans capable of such detailed gold thread embroidery in the Dilts Kingdom. That’s why I order most of my clothes from Ypsandros. I’m especially particular about undergarments. I won’t wear anything other than Ypsandrian silk.”

I couldn’t hold back my laughter. “You sure have a flair for fashion, my lord.”

The man smiled at me. He seemed to be in a good mood, so I wound up getting carried away. “I love Ypsandrian tales,” I continued. “Do you know TheTattered Red Cat? It tells the story of Tatters, a stray cat, who gets picked up by a kind traveler and embarks on a journey all around Ypsandros. Tatters eats all sorts of foods, wears interesting clothing, and sometimes also gets into a bit of trouble, but the traveler loves him dearly and watches over him the entire time. Thanks to the traveler’s care, Tatters grows healthy beyond his namesake. I also have red hair, so I—” I suddenly paused, took a few steps back, and bowed before blurting out in my native language, “Oh, I’m so sorry, my lord. My conduct has been most improper…”

“Improper? What do you mean by that?” he asked, still in Ypsandrian, but I didn’t dare utter a word. “Why aren’t you answering? I liked listening to your story. Tell me more.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t. My parents forbade it.

The school I’d attended wasn’t for noble children. Noble girls normally studied at home under the guidance of a female teacher, but needless to say, our family did not have the funds for such an education. Since I was so unsightly and would never be allowed in high society anyway, my parents deemed that it’d be more useful to the family to have me focus on learning how to read, write, and count at a school instead of studying etiquette or the intricacies of noble culture.

Still, my attending the town’s school along with commoners was incredibly embarrassing for my parents. I’d been strictly forbidden from mentioning anything about it for any reason—especially the research topic I’d picked, which they’d deemed ridiculous.

And yet, I’d dared to disobey them on the day of Anastasia’s formal debut into high society. If people realized that Anastasia had such a shameful sister, her reputation would no doubt be tarnished!

“What happened? Please continue your story,” the man urged.

“F-forget everything I said, my lord. Goodbye!”

“Wait!” The man grabbed my arm. I noticed how huge his hand was as my eyes slowly trailed up to meet his gaze. I hadn’t realized until just now, but he was surprisingly tall: Even though I was as tall as the average man, I had to raise my head to look him in the eye.

For the first time, I was seeing his face up close. He had remarkably well-defined features, deep-set and so strikingly dignified that they were almost intimidating, yet his eyes drooped slightly with a gentle curve—and those green eyes were peering straight into mine.

My first thought was that he was beautiful. He too must have come here to court Anastasia. To think she could attract even a man like him… She was amazing. Truly amazing. Compared to her, I…

There was no point in wallowing in self-pity, and I knew it. Yet, for some reason, I couldn’t help but feel a pang in my heart I’d never experienced before. I gasped at the sudden tightness in my chest, tears welling up in my eyes.

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I heard the man gasp as well before he said, “What’s wrong, my lady? Why are you crying?”

“Don’t mind me… I’m sorry…”

“Did I offend you in any way? If my mistaking you for a maid hurt your feelings, I’m happy to apologize again. Feel free to slap me if that will appease your anger. But please, don’t cry.”

“You did nothing wrong, my lord,” his servant interjected. “No one would imagine a baron’s daughter could look so unkempt, especially not on the day of a party.”

The man paused before asking, “Why are you dressed like this? Is Chandelan so poor he cannot afford to buy his daughter a proper dress?”

“It’s because…I’m ugly. That’s all.” After saying it out loud, I felt silly. I wiped away my tears and put on a forced smile. “Please don’t mind me. I enjoyed our conversation.”

I bowed and tried to leave once more, only for the man to grab my arm again. His grip was strong enough to frighten me a little as he pulled me toward him. Our faces were so close our breaths mingled, and he looked into my eyes.

“You are beautiful,” he said in Ypsandrian.

I pushed him away and blurted, “The star of the evening is in the salon! I hope you have a wonderful time in her company!” before running away.

I heard the sound of his shoes hitting the ground as he chased after me, so I ran as fast as I could without turning back. I took refuge inside the residence and snuck through a door before heading to my bedroom, a small room with gardening tools, cleaning supplies, and old pieces of furniture taking up most of the space. I hid behind a set of brooms and cried as silently as I could. I was devastated.

 

***

 

A month after my horrible birthday, I stepped into the living room after finishing my morning chores and found my family celebrating.

“You’ve done it! You’re incredible, Anastasia!” my father exclaimed.

My mother was lavishing my sister with praises too, but Anastasia herself looked confused. Her eyes were fixed on the letter she held.

“But I don’t remember this man at all… He must have left without so much as greeting me,” she said.

“Love cares not for such things! He must have fallen for you at first sight,” my father replied. “And it’s no wonder when you’re so charming!”

“But…”

My father finally noticed me. He raised his arms happily and beckoned me closer.

“Marie! Your sister’s engagement has been decided! Here! Read this!”

The text on the parchment he pushed into my hand was brief:

To the beautiful Lady Anastasia, eldest daughter of House Chandelan,

House Granado would be honored to welcome you into the family as Kyros Granado’s bride at your earliest convenience.

“He’s a big catch! As rich and powerful as they come! I’d sent him an invitation convinced nothing would come out of it, but to think he’d actually bite! We must hurry Anastasia’s bridal training along and send her to the capital as early as next month! Marie! Write a reply to the count immediately! And take care to write as neatly as possible. You mustn’t hurt Anastasia’s image!”

My father started laughing heartily as my mother handed me paper.

“I’m counting on you to send notice to our relatives and the neighboring nobles as well, Marie,” she instructed. “Make sure to emphasize the fact that our Anastasia is about to marry Count Granado, of all people!”

I nodded and took the stationery from her. “Yes, Mother.”

I wasn’t surprised they’d found Anastasia a husband. My parents had been on the lookout for the perfect groom for her ever since we were children. Every time she made an appearance in high society, mountains of love letters arrived for her. However, my parents had always refused these men because they’d believed someone richer and of higher status would eventually come along.

That said, I wasn’t sure I understood what they were so excited about. Anastasia could do better than a count. Surely a marquess or even a foreign prince could have been better matches for her.

My father seemed to sense my confusion without me voicing it, so he happily clarified, “Sooner or later, Kyros Granado will inherit his father’s duchy. Not to mention, he’s tremendously wealthy. He has more money and influence than the king of a small nation!”

My mother was just as ecstatic. “Look at this dress he sent Anastasia, Marie! It’s a little big for her, but the fabric feels so nice! And the gold embroidery is so delicate! I’ve never seen anything like it!”

With that, I finally understood why he’d won the competition for Anastasia’s hand.

 

From that day onward, Anastasia was confined at home. My parents were terrified of any accident befalling her, so she was forbidden from going outside. They also did not want her to tan, so she was only allowed a few moments on the balcony a day. Even playing with our six-year-old brother was out of the question. “If you have time to waste, tend to your nails or something!” our father would tell her.

I was starting to worry that she would become restless when, one evening, she called me to her room. I hadn’t been there in a very long time. It was over three times bigger than mine and decorated with lavish furniture. Anastasia was seated on her bed, and she looked thinner than I’d ever seen her before.

“I’m finally getting married…to someone whose face I don’t even know. It still doesn’t feel real to me, but everything is moving so fast. I’m scared, Marie…” she said, looking to me for comfort.

“Don’t worry, Sister. That man will likely—no, I’m sure any man, no matter who they are, will treasure you dearly.” I’d been about to say that her future husband was surely a good person, but I had no idea what Kyros Granado was like.

“I’ve heard rumors about him,” Anastasia said with a shiver. “They say Count Granado has a difficult personality, that he’s an eccentric who hates women.”

“He hates women?”

“He almost never goes to gatherings and refuses every invitation to dance when he does—even from great beauties. They say he’s so hard to please that he only keeps a few servants.”

A residence with few servants sounded peaceful and comfortable to me, actually. After all, House Chandelan was so poor that we didn’t have servants to take care of day-to-day tasks, so that was all I knew. And since I had no other redeeming qualities, I did most of the housework, including mending socks. That had been normal for me ever since I was a child, so it didn’t make me sad—I was simply used to it.

Actually, given I was so shy, the prospect of a quiet home seemed even more enticing than the alternative…

I shook my head to get out of my reverie. Anastasia was getting married, not me.

Speaking of the bride-to-be, she let out a deep sigh. “I’m sure he’ll be just as severe with his wife. Ah… I’m not confident I can handle it.”

“You’ll be fine, sister. Even if you don’t always live up to his expectations, your beautiful smile will make him forget it in a heartbeat, and he’ll forgive you. Besides, you’ll have all the time in the world to study the proper conduct of a high-ranking lady after you ma—”

“I hate studying! I don’t want to do that! I’d much rather—oh! I know! Come look at this, Marie!”

Anastasia jumped to her feet and took my hand, pulling me toward her closet. It was as big as my entire room and filled with a myriad of colorful dresses. She brought out a wooden box from the back and opened it to reveal uniforms resembling those that knights wore.

“Wh-what are those?! Men’s clothes?!”

“No. They’re masculine clothes for women. I made them all myself,” she explained proudly as she took one set out and held it against my body. “A touch of femininity amid dignified, manly elegance. How wonderful is that?” She looked overjoyed having me try out her designs. “Ah! It truly is wonderful! These clothes suit you so well since you’re so tall, Marie! You’re superb!”

“Wh-what?”

Anastasia giggled. “I suppose we all want what we don’t have. I’ve always loved women who were as tall and cool as men, especially beauties in men’s clothes. I just adore them so much!”

She hugged the clothes tightly and looked at the ceiling.

“T-to think you had such an interest…” I whispered, astonished.

“You mustn’t tell Father and Mother, all right? They threw my entire collection away when they found it last time. They told me to ‘stop with that disgusting hobby’ of mine and do embroidery instead, like a proper lady. They’re so boring!” Anastasia laughed. She seemed to be having so much fun at this moment that it made me happy too.

“You’re in luck, Sister. Once you’re married, Father and Mother won’t be able to stop you from sewing what you like anymore.”

Anastasia gave a small cheer before nodding and closing her eyes with a defeated look. “Nothing will change,” she sighed. “The count will surely scold me for it too. A countess can’t have such a strange pastime.”

“Anastasia…”

“You know, I’ve always thought that, if our house ­finally crumbled and a time came when I’d have to work to support myself, I’d like to open up a shop in the capital,” Anastasia mused dreamily. She then put the outfit back into the wooden box and hid it at the back of her closet once more before closing the door. “I hope you can have something like that, Marie. I want you to find a job you love—one that lets you use your talents.”

 

***

 

My beautiful, bright, and lovable sister died before she could meet her fiancé. The carriage our parents had rented for her got into an accident and fell off a cliff.

The news of her passing broke my heart. I loved Anastasia. But before I could even mourn her, her role fell upon me. I was certain that she was just as shocked as I was, watching us from the heavens.

 

“You’d better behave, Marie,” my father warned again and again as we sat in the carriage. “Keep your head low and try to appear smaller. And make sure the veil hides your face so you aren’t found out.”

“Yes, Father.”

“And forget your stupid studies. A woman knowing mathematics is impertinent.”

“Yes, Father.”

“No matter what he tells you, pretend you’re confused, and then praise his knowledge. That’s enough to put most men in a good mood. Oh, and never mention those…um…barbarians you were studying. No one can know you have an interest in those savages.”

“Yes, Father.”

“If the count divorces you, come back home at once. Do not even think of looking for work in the capital. No one would hire a pretentious, hideous girl like you.”

“I know, Father.”

“I’m saying this for your sake, Marie. I’m trying to make sure even a good-for-nothing like you leads a decent life—”

“Yes, I understand. Thank you, Father.”

I nodded and smiled at him, but my father frowned before sighing.

“Even your smile is horrendous. Ah… How I wish you had died instead of your sister…”

My smile didn’t waver one bit.

Chapter 2: The Tattered Lady and the Glass Slippers

Chapter 2:
The Tattered Lady and the Glass Slippers

 

I WILL BRING YOU MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER IN THE stead of her late sister.

That was the message my father had sent the count on the morning of the day we departed. He’d had someone on a fast horse deliver it, but the journey by carriage only took four days. In other words, there had barely been any time between the message reaching the count and our own arrival.

Predictably, this led to a quarrel erupting at the gate of the Granado estate when we arrived.

“My messenger arrived two days ago, didn’t he?! Our arrival may be somewhat sudden, but we’ve given you proper notice!” my father screamed.

“Our lord was away and was only able to read your message this morning. He has yet to make up his mind on the matter.” The gatekeeper’s tone was gentle as he tried to calm my father down. “If you could please remain at an inn tonight while he—”

“Does that mean you’ll let us into the castle tomorrow? Can you make me that promise?” my father pressed.

“N-no, I’m just a gatekeeper. I just ask that you give us time to—”

“And what if we can’t come in tomorrow either because of you? What will you do about it? Between the carriage, the coachman, and our lodging expenses on the way here, this trip will have cost me five thousand eiros! Add to that the worth of my time, and we’re well over a hundred thousand! You’d better be ready to pay me back!”

“M-m-me?! Why?!”

I was watching this ridiculous argument unfold from the window of the carriage and lamenting how indecent my father was acting. I’d been instructed to stay put, but even if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have been able to bear the embarrassment of showing my face.

Still, I understood why my father was being so insistent. The more time he gave the count to think things through, the higher the likelihood of us getting turned away at the gate grew. He had to force his way in and leave me here before the count could say no. I imagined my father hoped the count would feel bad about tossing me out and might spend a night with me out of pity without having a good look at my face.

Regardless, I felt bad for the young gatekeeper. He seemed to be about the same age as me, and I could see on his face that he was torn between his duties and the outlandish claims my father was making. I wanted to do something to help him. After all, this was all my fault—were I not so ugly, there’d have been no need for any of this. Perhaps I could calm my father down and convince him to stay at an inn for the day.

I was looking for a chance to intervene when a woman spoke up. “What in the world is going on, Thomas?”

“M-Miss Mio! Welcome back!” the gatekeeper exclaimed.

I took a look at the newcomer from the window. I thought a member of the count’s family was coming home from the gatekeeper’s polite tone, but the woman was wearing typical maid attire: a long black dress with a white apron on top. She appeared to be about twenty, and her chestnut-colored hair was done up in braids.

The gatekeeper was about to explain the situation to her when my father interrupted him to introduce himself. When she heard the name “Chandelan,” the maid—Mio, I heard the gatekeeper say—frowned.

“Ah… Lord Chandelan. Allow me to offer my condolences. I’d intended to visit you shortly. May I inquire about the reason behind your visit?”

“I’ve brought my youngest daughter so she could meet the count,” he explained.

“As a substitute for your late elder daughter, you mean,” Mio replied after a pause, her eyes full of disdain.

Shame washed over me. I wanted nothing more than to run away, but I couldn’t. All I could do was curl up inside the carriage.

Unlike me, the count’s maid carried herself with pride. My father did not seem to intimidate her in the slightest. “Our lord indeed saw your message this morning. He swiftly penned his refusal and ordered me to send it at once. In fact, I was just on my way back from the dispatch house. It’s a shame that you arrived before the reply reached you, but that does not change his answer.”

“But we’ve made a long journey to come here. I would at least ask that the count allows us to rest in the castle before we depart,” my father insisted.

But the maid did not budge. “In that case, we shall cover the charge for an inn in the city. Please be on your way, Lord Chandelan.”

“Th-that won’t do! At least one night! We’ll get nowhere like this! Let me see the count!”

“I’m asking you to leave.”

“Shut up! A mere servant has no right to talk to me like this!” my father screamed, trying to grab the maid’s shoulder.

Oh, no!

I jumped out of the carriage and rushed over in a hurry. I have to stop him!

However, the maid dodged and slapped my father’s hand away. Before I could understand what was happening, he was on the ground, groaning as the maid pushed his face against the stone pavement.

“Please leave, Lord Chandelan,” she said, her expression as neutral as before. “Or else I’ll have to call the guards.”

“Urgh… You damned woman… You won’t get away with this… I swear I’ll—”

“Feel free to curse me as much as you like, but I will not allow you to set foot in the castle. I’d also appreciate it if you’d lower your voice. Our lord is grieving.”

“I-I’m so sorry!” I pleaded, getting down on my hands and knees next to my father and looking up at the maid. “I apologize. My father’s behavior was terribly out of line. Please forgive him.”

All I could do was apologize on his behalf and press my forehead to the ground, but it seemed to have been sufficient, as she finally let go of my father. However, he seemed eager to complain some more, so I stood back up and got in front of him. Thankfully, I was taller than he was when I straightened my posture, so I could act as a wall between the two of them. “I’m truly sorry,” I said once more with a bow.

When I lifted my head, I noticed the maid was staring at me. Her blue eyes were wide open as she studied me from head to toe.

Huh?

“Y-you… You are Lady Marie?”

“Yes, that is correct. I’m the second daughter of House Chandelan.”

“The second… So, you are the younger sister of the late Lady Anastasia?”

“Indeed. I’m sorry. I’m aware I look nothing like my sister…”

The maid let out a strangled scream before ordering the gatekeeper to call the lord at once. She too ran back toward the castle, then returned and bowed to me while lifting the hem of her skirt off the ground. “It’s a pleasure to welcome you, Lady Marie. Please come in. Our lord is anticipating your arrival.”

I had no idea what was happening, but we’d finally been granted entry.

My father’s mood improved instantly, and he triumphantly stepped into the garden. “Good grief! We had a little hiccup, but I’m relieved you finally understood us. Don’t worry, I’m not mad,” he told the maid, his tone just as overbearing as it always was. “My best clothes are dirty, but that’s nothing a good wash can’t—”

“Lady Marie, is your dress dirty?” the maid asked me, interrupting my father. “I’ll have another one brought out for you to wear.”

I shook my head, flustered. “P-please, don’t concern yourself with me. It’s just a little dust; I can pat it away. Besides, I’ve brought changes of clothes.”

“I’m a baron, and no true nobleman makes a fuss just because a servant makes a few blunders,” my father carried on. “In the past, I’ve had to deal with a maid throwing the contents of a vase at me, you know? I was kind enough to let her get away with a two-year salary cut. Although I suppose it’s the first time I’ve been pinned to the ground, and—”

The maid once again interrupted my father, “Lady Marie, I apologize for the late introduction. My name is Mio.”

“O-oh. N-nice to meet you.”

“While I’m merely a maid, I’ve served the duke all my life, and I’ve been allowed to serve as grand chamberlain for the count’s estate. I assist Lord Kyros and ensure his safety.”

“His safety? That’s impressive. You’re so strong despite your small frame, Miss Mio.”

“Please address me simply as Mio, my lady.”

My father guffawed. “Mio, huh? You’ve got a surprisingly cute name!”

Mio continued to ignore him as she looked at me and added, “Furthermore, please feel free to speak to me however you’re comfortable.”

“Um… Will you get scolded by your master if I don’t?”

Mio’s face relaxed at my question, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

So she does smile sometimes!

“No. I just thought such an offer would help you feel more at ease, Lady Marie.”

“I-I see… I’ve become rather accustomed to formality, so I tend to default to it…unless it would be a problem for you, of course.”

“Not at all.” Mio paused. “You’re a kind person. And very sensible, at that.”

“Anastasia was way prettier, though!” my father practically shouted. But as usual, Mio paid him no mind.

Mio was a mysterious person. Her expression almost never shifted, and her tone was a little harsh, but an air of kindness surrounded her. Was it her round, soft-looking cheeks that made me think so? Or perhaps it had to do with her adorable eyes.

After staring at her face intently for a few moments, I got an impression of déjà vu.

“Hmm… I don’t know why, but I have the feeling I’ve seen you somewhere before, Mio.”

“You have. Although it’s no wonder you don’t remember, as it was rather dark that night,” she replied with a smile.

Suddenly, it came back to me. She was with that man!

Just as I realized that, we’d finally reached the end of the long, long corridor that led to the main hall of the count’s estate.

As Mio opened the door, we heard a man shouting, “I’ve no need for this nonsense! Just send them away!”

I froze as I saw the man screaming at the gatekeeper. His face was flushed red from anger, and his long black hair was a mess.

“B-but Miss Mio said you’d definitely want to see her, my lord…”

“Why would I?! I keep telling you I don’t!”

“B-but…while it’s true that she looked a little plain and unkept, she seems really nice and—”

“The one I want is Anastasia! I don’t care if she’s her sister, I refuse to be with anyone else! Send Marie Chandelan away. That’s an order!”

“M-my lord…”

The poor gatekeeper had only just been released from my dad’s screaming, and now he had to bear the brunt of a misunderstanding between the grand chamberlain and the count. I felt awful for him. This was all my fault…

The count brought his hands to his face as his head drooped.

“Oh, Anastasia… Why did you die?” he lamented. “Had I known this would happen, I would have stolen you away that night…” He sounded very distressed.

“It’s all right, Lady Marie. Come, follow me inside.”

Despite Mio’s encouragement, my legs were frozen so stiff that I couldn’t move. Not even my father was brave enough to intrude on the count in this state.

Left with no other choices, Mio entered the hall alone and walked up to him. She whispered something in his ear, and the count frowned before suddenly blurting out, “What?!” and turning around to look at us for the first time. His jaw dropped—quite literally—as he stared at me.

He’ll start catching flies if he doesn’t close his mouth soon…

I didn’t know how to read the face he was making, but he at least didn’t seem angry anymore. I lifted the hem of my skirt slightly and performed a formal curtsy. “Um… Hello… I’m sorry for intruding, Count Granado… I’m Marie, and…um…it’s a great honor to…um…” I’d prepared a speech in advance about how honored I was to make his acquaintance, but I couldn’t use it because of what I’d realized upon recognizing Mio: Kyros Granado was the gentleman I’d met in the garden on the night of my eighteenth birthday!

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Count Granado!” my father cut in, bowing once to the count. He grabbed my arm and pulled me into the hall before pressing on my head to make me bow with him. “We’ve both suffered a great loss after my eldest daughter’s passing, and I’m sure you must be heartbroken, my lord. That is why I’ve taken the liberty of bringing you Marie, Anastasia’s sister by blood, to alleviate your pain.”

The count was still staring at me with an astonished expression. He didn’t seem to have heard a single word my father had said.

“Marie… You’re…Marie? Anastasia’s sister?” he finally asked.

I nodded. “Yes, that is my name.”

His breath caught in his throat, and he sank into silence once more until, suddenly, he glared at my father. I was taken aback by the sheer intensity of his gaze. The gentle downward curve of his eyes had given way to a harsh slant. My father and I—and even the gatekeeper—shivered in fear at his anger.

Come to think of it, Anastasia told me that the count is known to have a difficult personality and that even his servants were terrified of him…

Despite what I’d heard, Mio, at least, was completely unfazed. She pulled on the hem of his mantle and said, “My lord, you’re making a scary face.”

“Huh? Ah… I-is that so?” the count answered.

“You’re frightening Lady Marie, so please control yourself.”

“You’re right…”

“With those striking features, your anger always comes across as far more intense than intended. We’ll have to figure out how to tone that down,” she said in a bemused tone.

“Don’t ask for the impossible. I was born with this face,” he retorted.

“Also, if I may, please keep in mind that Lord Chandelan is a grieving father desperate to protect his house,” Mio added. “I hope you’ll show him some grace considering his circumstances.”

“Yes…”

“And Thomas did nothing wrong. He didn’t deserve you shouting at him so much.”

The count nodded obediently. Mio’s lecture had rendered him completely silent, and he looked down, brooding for a while. When he lifted his head, he looked all of us over before turning to the gatekeeper.

“I’m sorry, Thomas. I took my anger out on you,” he said. Then he looked at us and added, “I apologize for showing you such a disgraceful display. Please stay here for the night and rest.” And with that, he walked away.

Mio told us she’d prepare a room for us at once, and my father simply nodded. Despite his agenda, not even he had the temerity to tell her a room wasn’t necessary and that I should spend the night with the count.

 

The room Mio brought us to was incredibly lavish. I sat down on the sofa and looked up at her.

“Where was my father taken?” I asked hesitantly. A few moments ago, she’d kicked my father out of the room and had told him to follow another servant.

“To meet with our lord,” she replied with a neutral tone. “They have much to discuss.”

“I see. Um, I…I’m very sorry,” I said. “About us coming uninvited.”

“You were simply dragged here against your will, were you not?”

“No, I’m just as guilty as my father. I don’t know how to apologize to the count…”

I didn’t think an apology would be enough to get him to forgive me, but there was nothing else I could give him as the daughter of a penniless family. In fact, I was hoping he could punish me so I would have the opportunity to atone.

“Why would you need to apologize?” Mio asked, blinking at me with a surprised look on her face.

“Why? Well, for being so rude. We barged in and put the gatekeeper in a difficult situation by insisting we be let in. This all happened because of our ridiculous plan to get me into the castle, even though all this could possibly achieve was hurting the count’s feelings even more… It’s also an insult to my sister’s memory. I knew that from the start, but I couldn’t stop my father, so this is all my fault. I’m sorry… I’m truly sorry.”

Mio didn’t reply, so I looked up…only to discover she wasn’t there anymore!

I looked around, searching for her with my eyes, and saw her by the door, bringing in a tea cart.

“Lady Marie, I’ve brought you tea and cookies,” she said.

“Huh?”

“I believe your father and the count’s conversation will take some time. Please unwind until they’re finished.”

I really wasn’t sure how to react. The matter of my apology hadn’t been settled at all, but I couldn’t ignore her hospitality either. It wouldn’t be proper as a guest. Should I accept the tea or show restraint?

While I was struggling with what to do, Mio skillfully arranged the pot, cup, and cookies on the tea table. As I watched her work, I couldn’t help but let out, “They look delicious…”

My hand flew up to my mouth, and my face flushed red at my blunder. However, Mio simply smiled. “They are. Please, my lady, eat as much as you like.”

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I was so embarrassed. Ah… I’m so stupid… The cookies truly did look delicious, though. They seemed to have been freshly baked, and the pleasant smell of butter wafted through the air. I stood up and walked up to the tea table.

“There are three types of cookies, and two of each type,” Mio explained. “Please try them and see which ones you like best.”

“A-all right. Thank you,” I said.

I picked up the first cookie and took a bite. I couldn’t help but let out an appreciative hum. Whoa! It’s so good!

It was soft and moist and had a lingering taste of milk. As I chewed, the aromas of butter and grain filled my mouth. The recipe was very simple, but it was clear the person who’d made it was both very skilled and also quite particular about the quality of the ingredients.

The second cookie I picked up had green nuts, and it was just as good as the first one! It was sweet, but the hint of saltiness from the smoked nuts made me feel like I could eat mountains of them.

The last variety was a lot crunchier than the others and sweeter. It was also delicious.

That’s a count’s kitchen for you! Even the cookies are in a league of their own here!

I couldn’t stop myself from picking up another cookie. I didn’t know myself to be such a glutton, but I felt like I could clear the plate in a matter of minutes.

“I’m glad to see you like them,” Mio said while brewing tea for me.

While I waited for the tea to be ready, my eyes wandered around the room. This place is truly quite something… The walls were all pristine white, the floor was decorated with a red carpet, and there was a wooden cabinet so well-polished that I could see my reflection in it. I noticed the room was also far larger than the one reserved for guests of honor at our residence. The sofa I’d been sitting in was incredibly comfortable too, and the writing desk and vanity were both white and gold—clearly made to order. Everything in the room was lavish and luxurious yet tasteful.

If this is the room given to an unwelcome baron, the main guest room must be beyond impressive. And I can’t even begin to imagine what the count’s room is like. We truly lived in different worlds.

Mio pulled me out of my thoughts by serving me tea. I took a sip while doing my best to observe the rules of etiquette.

“Oh,” I blurted out with surprise. “Is this Ypsandrian tea?”

“I’m surprised you recognized it. You can’t find this tea in the market.”

“It’s my first time having it, but I read about it in a book. It said that the people of the Republic of Ypsandros prize the medicinal virtues of spices and add them to their tea blends to stay healthy. This scent is very unique—I ­wonder what the ingredients are.”

“Ginger and cinnamon,” Mio replied. “The leaves themselves are from the kingdom, but they blend well with those spices.”

“It’s very good,” I said after taking another sip. “The Ypsandrians truly are amazing. I can’t believe they make such good tea.”

I heard a strange, strangled noise behind me and turned around to see what it was. I was surprised to see Mio’s shoulders shaking. Did I say something weird?

“You’re such a studious person, Lady Marie,” she said with a giggle. “And you’re so cute.”

“Me…? Cute?”

Surely she doesn’t mean my appearance. But what about me could she possibly be calling cute? I haven’t even apologized properly, yet here I am enjoying tea and cookies. I should be ashamed of myself, really.

As soon as I came to that conclusion, I felt the color drain from my face, and I rose to my feet. I went to stand by the door. I had to be ready to apologize if the count visited me. I waited there silently, my anxiety rising with every moment.

Mio patted me on the shoulder. “Lady Marie, I don’t believe your father and the count will be done anytime soon.”

“It’s all right. I’ll stand here for as long as it takes,” I replied.

“But why?” Mio asked.

I was struggling to come up with a proper answer, so Mio continued, “You must have been bored, staying put with a cup of tea. I’ll show you an interesting pla—”

A knock on the door interrupted her. She promptly moved forward to open it, revealing a tall man—the lord of the estate, Kyros Granado.

I bowed as soon as I saw him. “I’m so sorry!”

“About what?” he replied. I couldn’t help but notice how deep his voice was.

“I’ve been nothing but terribly rude to you. I-I should have gone to you to apologize, yet I made you go through the trouble of coming here!” I blurted out, keeping my head as low as I could. My voice was shaking.

“I don’t mind. Mio must have told you to stay here, didn’t she?”

“W-well, yes, but… Um… Where is my father?”

“He went home as soon as I told him he could simply offer the gifts I sent Lady Anastasia to her grave and that there was no need to return them.”

I didn’t know how to reply. Should I say, “Thank you very much. I’m sure this will bring relief to my sister’s soul?” That would be a lie. I know full well Father has already sold everything. In fact, I’m convinced our family ought to apologize to the count for doing such a thing. It’s the right thing to do, even just for Anastasia’s sake. But wouldn’t that be akin to rubbing salt in the wound? Besides, I—wait, what? Father went home?! When I finally registered that crucial detail, I rushed toward the door, but the count blocked my way.

“You don’t need to go after him. I have something to ask you.”

“Wh-what is it?”

“Marie, does your family abuse you?”

“Huh?!”

I felt so jolted by the sudden question my heart almost stopped. Did my family abuse me? I felt as though I’d just been punched in the stomach. That word was so strong. Abuse, he said? What even counted as abuse?

My head began to spin. I hadn’t been doted upon, that much was certain. But that wasn’t their fault—I wasn’t lovable in the slightest, after all. Also, it was for my own sake that my parents often reminded me of my unsightliness. They’d always told me to stay humble and had disapproved of my hobby for the same reason. They’d merely been educating me to the best of their ability so that, one day, I might be loved.

“No, that’s not the case,” I said confidently. “My father is a smart man. I’m still too young to understand all of his decisions, and he is strict with me at times, but I believe that’s his duty as the head of our family. I don’t know how our relationship may appear in your eyes, Count Granado, but—”

“Kyros.”

“Sorry?” I asked confusedly.

“Call me Kyros,” he said, his expression unchanging. “I don’t like being referred to by my title or family name. I’m calling you Marie, so I’d appreciate it if you could also call me by my first name.”

“A-as you command, Lord Kyros.”

I’d just done as I was told, yet Lord Kyros’s brow furrowed. Why…? I once again failed to understand what had soured his mood. Like Anastasia said, he truly is a difficult person…

“U-um, Lord Kyros, why did you ask me that?”

I’d asked him a question, but he replied with one of his own. “Why were you dressed that way on the night we met?”

It wasn’t easy to answer, and I found myself at a loss for words. Lord Kyros didn’t seem interested in waiting for me to think it through, though.

“That couldn’t have been your party dress, could it? I don’t know the state of House Chandelan’s finances, but that sort of dress is usually reserved for widows and nuns in the kingdom. It’s a color worn to reject men. Are you to become a nun?”

“N-no…”

“Do you hate men, then?”

“No…” I didn’t think so, at least. Although, to be perfectly honest, I didn’t have a real opinion on the matter. It wasn’t like I’d never spoken to a man besides my father before, but all of the men I’d met had been madly in love with Anastasia, so I’d always stood in the shadow of her bright light. And I did like romance novels, but I had no expectations for myself. Since I’d never considered love a possibility for myself, I couldn’t honestly say I either liked or hated men.

“Were you intentionally trying to make your sister stand out by bringing yourself down?”

I didn’t know how to answer that question either.

“Are you not dissatisfied with your life at the Chandelan estate?”

I remained silent.

“I can’t understand your feelings if you don’t talk to me,” Lord Kyros said.

I’d never wished for such a life, but I’d never given the possibility of breaking free of it much thought, so, once again, I wasn’t sure what to say.

I can’t do this… I want to run away… I knew I had to answer his unending questions, but my voice wouldn’t come out. I’m going to cry…

“Because…I’m not cute…” I finally managed to say.

Lord Kyros simply whispered, “I see,” as though my answer had convinced him. Then, after a long pause, he called for Mio.

“Yes, my lord?”

“Take Marie away.”

I flinched at the words, and my body stiffened, but I relaxed almost immediately. There was nothing surprising about his decision. I knew from the start I’d be kicked out. Was my father already far away? Walking a distance that took four days by carriage would be tough. I really hoped I could join him at a midway point.

Mio smiled before bowing to her master. “Of course, my lord. I’ve already told Tunica to get ready.”

“Good,” Lord Kyros replied.

“However, the dresses we prepared were made for Lady Anastasia,” Mio added.

“Throw them away. Start by taking her measurements and have new ones made from scratch.”

“I’m afraid that will take too long, my lord. Allow me to pick out the finest garments and have them adjusted. We should be able to do that much at this point.”

“That will have to do—for now.”

What in the world are they talking about?

“I’ll go call Liu Liu,” Lord Kyros added, “but there is no need for you to hurry. I don’t mind waiting, so do everything you can. Money and time are no object. Polish her to perfection.”

I stared at the two of them, utterly confused. Mio bowed to me and said, “Let us go, then, Lady Marie.”

“O-okay… But…where?”

But instead of answering my question, she said, “We’ve prepared everything you’ll need.”

“Everything I’ll need?” I asked, confused even more. “If you’re talking about travel necessities, I’ve brought my own.”

Mio pulled me out of the room without another word. When I looked over my shoulder, Lord Kyros was waving at me with a sour look on his face.

 

His castle was enormous, but after walking through seemingly endless corridors, Mio and I finally arrived outside. Everything looked completely different from when I’d arrived, and it took me a few moments to understand that I wasn’t at the gate but in the courtyard.

Across the flower garden was a circular building with white walls, about as large as a commoner’s house. Mio guided me there and pushed the door open. Immediately, a cloud of smoke—no, steam—enveloped us.

It was hard to see with all the vapor, but there seemed to be a pond of some kind within the building. Once I got a better look, I saw it was an oval hole entirely coated with marble. The surrounding floor was tiled in white ceramic, and elegant statues had been arranged around the perimeter.

“Is this a bath?!” I asked in astonishment. If so, it’s incredible! I couldn’t even imagine how much water and firewood this place required. Heating this bath for even one day might very well require more firewood than our residence uses in an entire winter!

That was when the answer hit me. I see. Mio brought me here so I could cut firewood for them! Maybe she also wants me to clean the bath!

Considering the size of it, I’d likely have to stay up the entire night. It felt like a fitting punishment for my crimes. Did that mean Lord Kyros would forgive me once I was done? I couldn’t help but be deeply moved. What a merciful man!

I rolled up my sleeves, ready to get to work, and stepped into the room, only to realize someone was there already.

“Ah, there you are. I was waiting for you. Welcome.” The woman, who seemed to be in her twenties, greeted me with a smile on her face. She had blond hair and blue eyes, and she was wearing a thin tunic that hugged the voluptuous curves of her body. She raised both of her arms in a welcoming gesture and continued, “You’re Lady Marie, right? I’m Tunica. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She bowed her head with an abrupt motion that clashed with the leisurely rhythm of her speech. I immediately imitated her, making sure to bow lower.

“Likewise,” I replied. “Please let me know what you need me to do. I’m used to housework, so I believe I can carry out any task you give me to a satisfactory degree.”

The woman didn’t answer, but Mio spoke up instead, “Tunica, proceed as we discussed earlier. Don’t just wash off the grime of her journey—make sure her skin and hair look flawless.”

“It’ll be my pleasure,” the woman said slowly before giggling and adding, “I’ve heated up the perfect beauty lotion for the job.”

Huh? I was once again clueless as to what was going on. I’m not sure I’m following…

Noticing my confusion, Mio introduced the woman to me. “Lady Marie, this is Tunica. She might speak slowly, but her hands move fast. She’s the bath attendant.”

“There’s a servant exclusively in charge of the bath?!”

“Her duties aren’t limited to heating up water and scrubbing away dirt. She’s well-versed in beauty treatments and knows the medicinal properties of cleansers and bath salts like the back of her hand. She also knows the best methods to wash hair and give massages. Oh, and while she may not look the part, she’s also an accomplished doctor.”

I wasn’t sure I really got it, but it sounded impressive. Actually, it was impressive!

I gazed at the large bath in a daze when I suddenly felt the light pressure around my chest disappear. Huh? I felt a little cold too. I looked down, realized I was half-naked, and screamed.

“Wh-why are you undressing me?!”

“Well, you can’t get into the bath with your clothes on.”

“I-I’m bathing?!”

Tunica was standing behind me, and she’d expertly untied the ribbon that kept my dress closed, leaving me entirely naked before I knew it. “Oh my! You’re surprisingly well-endowed, my lady!”

I shrieked and hid my bosom with my hands as Mio waved me goodbye, her face as expressionless as ever. “Have a good time, Lady Marie. If Tunica’s comments irk you, feel free to give her a slap or two.”

“B-b-but, aren’t I supposed to cut wood and make the bath sparkling clean?! Wh-why am—”

“Ha ha ha! What are you talking about, Lady Marie? What we’re here to scrub sparkling clean is you, not the bath,” Tunica said. I blinked at her in utter confusion, and she continued to howl with laughter as she took my arm and pulled me toward the back of the room.

Tunica sure does smile and laugh a lot.

“Now then, let’s get you all nice and clean, my lady.” She had me sit on a low wooden stool and brought over a bucket full of warm water. She slowly poured some of it on my shoulders.

“Is it too hot, my lady? Or too cold, maybe?”

“N-no, the temperature is perfect…”

“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll start scrubbing then,” she said.

“A-all right…”

Now that I was sitting there naked, all I could do was surrender to the situation. Tunica picked up a soft piece of fabric, rubbed it against a block of soap until foam formed, and started rubbing my back with it gently.

It feels so nice…

The foam got rid of the dirt little by little, and it felt very refreshing. Meanwhile, the water she was pouring on me from time to time warmed me up and relaxed my muscles so much that I felt like I was about to melt. She was using the perfect amount of strength as she thoroughly cleansed my skin.

“My, I’m getting quite a lot out,” she said. “Wasn’t there anyone in charge of washing your back at the baron’s house?”

“N-no. We’re poor, so… Besides, the bathroom is so cold, I can never bear to stay inside more than a few minutes. I suppose I might have neglected my back because of it…”

“Don’t you have hot water?”

“We do, but we use the bathtub in turns and, when it gets to my time, there’s usually no hot water left. Most of the time, I clean myself with water from the well.”

Tunica hummed pensively. She seemed to have thoughts about what I’d just told her, but she kept her mouth shut.

I was feeling a bit embarrassed. I’d thought I was doing a decent job at staying clean despite being aware it was the bare minimum. I imagined Lord Kyros had never been as dirty as I was.

I looked down and started making excuses despite myself. “But I washed myself properly last night. My father said the count would definitely send us away if I smelled, so I washed up in the river before we entered the royal capital.”

“In…the river?”

“With soap, of course,” I added quickly. “I even did the laundry while I was at it.”

“You washed your body and hair with soap meant for laundry?”

I nodded, confused by her question. What was so strange about that?

“So that’s why your hair looks like this… I’m starting to understand. Please soak in the water and warm yourself up for now, Lady Marie. Your skin isn’t used to anything too harsh, and I don’t want to hurt you by scrubbing too hard, so we’re going to take it easy. We can leave the more vigorous treatments for another time.” Tunica then poured the rest of the water over me before pulling me up by the arm and leading me toward a large marble bath. The basin was so deep that I had water all the way up to my neck when I sat.

“The water smells so nice,” I said. “Is there something in it?”

“Salt, honey, and citrus fruit.”

“That all sounds very tasty.”

Tunica giggled. “They’re so watered down, I doubt it’d taste very good. The combination does wonders for beauty, though.”

“You can become prettier just by sitting inside a bath?”

“Why, yes! Although the main effect of this specific combination is deep cleansing. The formulation is quite strong, so I’ll apply a cream on your skin afterward to soothe it. Now, Lady Marie, could you turn your back toward me? You can lean against the edge. Yes, perfect. Now lift your head.”

I did as I was told, and she started washing my hair. The soap she was using was quite different from the one I was used to: In particular, it was a thick liquid that spread through my hair easily, almost like an oil.

After washing and rinsing my hair twice, Tunica started applying another liquid to my hair. “Hmm… Some of these knots are pretty complicated.”

“I’m so sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to touch these. Feel free to simply cut them off with scissors.”

“Heavens no! I’ve no intent to shear you like a sheep, Lady Marie. Don’t worry, you can leave these knots to me. Now that I’ve gotten the grease off, I’ll untangle them slowly. I wouldn’t dream of using the scissors unless any of the knots are truly impossible to salvage.”

I could feel her tugging on my hair a little, but it didn’t hurt. In fact, it felt so nice, I started getting drowsy. Then she wrapped a warm piece of fabric around my hair. Wow… I wonder what she’s doing. It feels like the tension is melting away. The steam seemed to seep deep into my scalp, warming even the inside of my skull. So relaxing…

“I’ll wash your face next. Please close your eyes, my lady.”

“O-okay.”

“After that, I’ll let you soak for a while longer, and then I’ll wash you again.”

“Again? I don’t think there’s any dirt left on me.”

“Don’t worry. Just leave it to me, my lady. I’ll take care of everything—from the tip of your head to your toenails—and turn you into a brand-new woman.”

“A brand-new woman…?”

“You’ll be reborn—all clean, sparkly, smooth, and soft. Even you won’t recognize yourself!” She winked at me, a charming smile on her face.

“I-I’ll leave it to you, then.”

This pleasant time continued, with Tunica busying herself with grooming me in all manner of ways I didn’t understand.

“Reborn,” she says. Can I truly be reborn? What will become of me then? Who would I even be in that case?

Ah… I’m starting to doze off…

I could barely hear her anymore. It felt as though her voice was coming from far, far away.

“Hee hee. An unpolished gemstone of the finest quality… I couldn’t have asked for a more interesting challenge. What a blessing I get to play the jeweler,” she whispered, her voice lower than before.

Even the low hum of her voice felt nice, and I fell asleep, completely at ease.

 

***

 

I woke up at dawn and, like every morning, the first thing I did was don my tattered dress. Although it’d originally been white, dirt, soot, and grease had long since turned it black. Of course, it’d have been a waste to wear any other outfit; given my daily tasks, a new dress would simply meet the same fate as my usual one, and wearing something already ruined spared me having to worry about dirtying myself.

After getting up, I went to the well in the courtyard to draw water and fill the large earthen pot in the kitchen. Filling it entirely always took me about twenty round trips. Then I put wood into the stove, turned on the fire, and started baking the bread dough I’d prepared the previous evening. Upon closing the lid over the dough to let it bake, I began preparing a stew with vegetables and sausages.

Once all the food was ready, I went to knock on the doors of my parents and our servant to wake them up. While they ate breakfast, I took care of the laundry.

The merchant came by right as I was finishing, so I bought ingredients and sold him bread, vegetables, and woven fabric. He ended up paying me more money than I’d initially given him.

Then I went back to the dining room. Everyone had already finished eating, so it was empty. I gathered the leftovers on each of their plates and put them all on my plate, and after getting myself a bowl of cold soup as well, I sat down to have my breakfast. My father hated vegetables and always left most of his behind, so I had a nice meal with plenty of vegetables.

Now that my stomach had stopped grumbling, I went back to my room and sat at my desk.

Yesterday, my sister died.

Or perhaps she’d passed earlier than that? A week ago, she’d left on her way to her fiancé’s estate. Her carriage had fallen off a cliff and into a river. It’d happened near the capital and, from what I’d heard, a large search party had been sent to look for her. Finding her—or rather, her body—had taken them five days.

Instead of the merry wedding ceremony we’d been expecting, we’d held a silent funeral.

My sister was gone.

We’d received countless congratulations letters for Anastasia, and I had to write replies to all of them—to thank them, then to inform them of what had happened. I also had to send back the money they’d sent us as engagement gifts. To do so, I used all of the money I’d gotten from the merchant this morning.

I signed the letters in my father’s name, as I always did. I’d been taking care of all the communications on his behalf for years now.

I wasn’t entirely done with the letters yet, but I had to take a break to go prepare lunch. Today I’d be preparing a salad with an onion-and-zucchini-infused olive oil dressing and ham piccata…for the others, that is. For my portion, I quickly stir-fried the leftover vegetable scraps and put them over rice. I ate standing up while watching the ham piccata cook to make sure nothing would burn.

After serving the food, I returned to my room while my family ate, and I kept working until the sun began to set. Then I made and served dinner before putting away the laundry that had finished drying and headed to the dining room. Sadly, there was nothing left for me to eat tonight. I had some warm water to settle my stomach, then I cleaned up the tableware and the floors. I also scraped out the ashes from the stove and added manure to the vegetable beds in the garden.

Once I was done, I heated up water for my parents to bathe, cleaned the toilets, harvested vegetables, chopped some wood, and finally got to bathing myself. There wasn’t any hot water left, so I undressed in the courtyard, poured some of the well’s water over myself, and used the clothes I always wore to wipe my body. They were in tatters already, so this wouldn’t change much. If anything, that bird’s nest I called my hair was messier than my stained dress.

Once I finished, I dragged my shivering self back to my room. I couldn’t sleep yet. I still had to fill the account book for today, arrange for sending out tenant farmers, and…

Ah, right, the dairy farmer who lives west of our property contacted us to let us know the water wheel isn’t turning anymore. I should go fix it tomorrow first thing in the morning, so I probably need to get the breakfast bread ready tonight… I wanted to read a bit before bed, though…

Reading was my only solace. One page, one line—no, even one word was enough for me. I just wanted to experience the pleasure of reading before I fell asleep. I’d even decided on the book I wanted to read today, a tale from a distant foreign land called The Tattered Red Cat. When we were younger, my sister used to read it aloud to me. She’d even enthusiastically act out the characters. I wanted to read the words and remember her voice.

I was walking while thinking about it, and as I’d just stepped into the main hall, someone slapped my cheek violently, pulling me out of my reverie.

“You should have died, not her!” It was my mother. “Ah! My poor darling Anastasia! Why did she have to die? Why?!” she wailed, tears flowing down her cheeks as she continued to pelt my face with her open palm.

My cheeks were so cold that every slap felt like a slash of a knife cutting me open. My father was there too, watching. I stood there in silence and took it, clenching my jaw as my mother kept hitting me again and again.

Even though my parents never doted on me, they didn’t mistreat or abuse me either. This was the very first time either of them had hit me for no reason, but I wasn’t surprised. Neither the irrational violence nor her telling me I should have died in Anastasia’s stead had shocked me. It all made perfect sense.

“You killed Anastasia, didn’t you?” my mother shrieked. “You must have tampered with the carriage! Or maybe you pushed it into the river yourself! You did it! You killed my darling daughter!”

I opened my mouth to say it wasn’t true, but another violent slap landed on my cheek first, bringing me to my knees.

My mother looked down at me and continued screaming. “It’s all your fault! You murderer! You should die! Die!”

My poor mother…

Anastasia had been my mother’s treasure, the apple of her eye, her little angel. The pain she must have been feeling broke my heart, and I understood it very well. I myself was also miserable at having lost my dear sister.

Being hit hurt, so I hated it, but it was nothing compared to the pain Anastasia must have felt, or compared to the pain my mother felt at this very moment.

“You and your accursed red hair!” my mother raged. She grabbed my hair and yanked my head backward to force my face up. She tried to slap me again, but my father caught her hand in the air, stopping her. She started scratching his hand in an attempt to get him to release it.

“Let go! It’s all her fault! How can that red-haired wench live on while Anastasia is dead?!”

“Stop. You’ll leave scars if you continue.”

“I hope I do! Let me scar that face of hers until she doesn’t dare show it to anyone! Anastasia is dead, you hear me?! Dead!”

“I can’t let you do that. Marie will go to the Granado estate.”

“I-I will?” I blurted out.

I thought I’d misunderstood, but my father did not waver. “You will become Anastasia’s replacement, Marie. That is how you will atone for surviving in her stead.”

“Atone”? Why must I atone, father? What have I done wrong?

I hadn’t killed Anastasia. I hadn’t even been riding in the carriage that’d killed her. So how was my surviving a sin? Why weren’t my parents or my brother equally guilty?

I turned these questions over in my head and finally understood. My birth was my sin. Being me was what I’d done wrong.

I’m sorry I was born, mother. If I’m ever reborn, I’ll be like Anastasia—beautiful, bright, and adorable, someone worthy of love and kindness. I promise I’ll be someone you want, so please, forgive me…

 

“…give me…”

“Lady Marie?”

I opened my eyes to a kindly, soft voice. I’d been wrapped in a towel and laid down on a bench. Tunica was in middle of massaging the soles of my feet while Mio was drying my hair.

My eyes wandered around in confusion, and Mio looked at me fondly. “Were you just talking in your sleep?” she asked.

“I…fell asleep?”

“Yes, my lady. Did it hurt?”

“No, not all… It all felt very nice.”

“You can sleep some more, Lady Marie,” Tunica said. “Your skin is absorbing the cream, so you won’t need to move anytime soon.” I closed my eyes once more. “Good. Relax your body and leave it all to us.”

“You’re beautiful, Lady Marie,” I thought I heard Mio say. Their voices were once again growing distant.

This time, I didn’t dream. However, when I next opened my eyes, I felt as though I was inside a living dream.

 

My skin smelled like roses.

“Please follow me, Lady Marie,” Mio said, taking my hand and leading me through a long, long corridor.

It had taken me a moment to notice, but I was wearing beautiful shoes. A multitude of clear, shining gems adorned them, making them look like glass slippers. I wasn’t used to high heels, so I almost tripped several times, but Mio supported me.

Eventually, we reached the end of the corridor. There, at the heart of the white-walled castle, was a jet-black door. Mio opened it and said, “Please, after you, my lady.”

It was a magnificent banquet hall, likely the largest room in the entire castle. It was so vast that a hundred people could probably dance here at the same time. A single strip of crimson carpet stretched straight from the door across the polished stone floor, and on each side, rows of people who I assumed were the servants of this castle were standing in perfectly straight lines. They were all bowing, incredibly still, as though they’d been awaiting my entrance.

“Please go ahead, my lady,” Mio said.

I took small steps, one after the other. My eyes wandered around until they stopped on a wall at my side. It was entirely covered with mirrors, and I stared at one absent-mindedly. Who is this?

Inside the mirror was a tall woman I didn’t recognize. Soft-looking vermilion locks cascaded down her back, nearly reaching her hips; her hair was so voluminous that it made her look like a flower in bloom. Those beautiful tresses framed her elegant features and slender jawline. Her suntanned skin was covered by a thick yet perfectly smooth layer of foundation, while her plump lips were painted the color of sweet cherries. And her almond-shaped eyes were accentuated by sharp makeup that positively exuded intelligence. Furthermore, instead of concealing her height, the woman dared to wear high heels and a deep-red mermaid dress that showcased the length of her legs. The dress’s golden threads traced vine patterns around her waist, accentuating the curves of her body.

I simply couldn’t peel my eyes off this woman—she was beautiful. Who is she?

“Lady Marie, please join his lordship,” Mio said, urging me forward.

I resumed walking in a daze. In the center of the hall, standing on the red carpet, was the count. He truly wasn’t doing anything other than simply standing there, but his aura overwhelmed me. Still, I did as Mio had said and kept walking toward him.

Once I was close enough to see the captivating color of his eyes, I bowed once before lifting my head slowly. He was expressionless and silent.

Kyros Granado was a tall man. Even though I was as tall as the average man—and in heels on top of that—I still had to look up at him. His green eyes pierced right through me. Was he glaring at me? No, there didn’t seem to be any animosity in his gaze. If anything, it was so warm I could feel myself melting in it.

“…Marie.”

He said something, but I’d been so focused on his eyes I missed most of it.

“Lord Kyros?” I replied.

His eyes were still on me, but he didn’t say anything further. Instead, he brought his hand to his jaw. It was shaking slightly.

I had no idea what was going on. Had I angered him? Was he fed up with me? Perhaps he was annoyed that I still looked like a mess with my horrendous red hair despite him having been so kind as to allow me to bathe. Was he thinking that the beautiful dress he’d lent me was wasted on an ugly girl like me?

He most definitely was. I looked down apologetically and bit my lower lip. I felt so sorry for wasting his time. I’m truly not worth—

I was about to start crying when Lord Kyros’s voice suddenly echoed throughout the hall, stopping my train of thought. “Liu Liu! Liu Liu, come!”

He may have been practically shouting, but all he received in reply was a very carefree “Yes, yes, coming!” before a woman appeared from behind a nearby column. She was astonishingly beautiful. Her tan skin and her striking, finely chiseled features were perfectly accentuated by her bold choice of makeup, which was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, and she had full lashes that cast a shadow over her green eyes. I couldn’t figure out her age at all.

“You didn’t need to shout, Kyros,” she added. “I can hear you just fine.” She smiled at us, and her eyes stopped on me. After taking a good look, she whistled. “I see, I see. I didn’t take you for the type, but you’re all about looks in the end.”

I blinked in confusion. I had no idea what she meant. Lord Kyros and the woman seemed to understand one another, though, and she smirked at his frown.

“Liu Liu, stop poking fun at me and take a proper look,” the count groaned.

“What does it matter? You’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?”

After a pause, Lord Kyros replied, “This is an official custom, and I want to do things right, mother.”

Mother? Come to think of it, he did mention having mixed parentage. He told me his mother was from Ypsandros. I see, so Liu Liu is his mother!

The green-eyed beauty started scanning me from head to toe. Her gaze was so powerful, I couldn’t help but avert my eyes.

“I can’t approve. She’s lacking,” Liu Liu declared.

“Mother…”

“She desperately lacks confidence. A future duchess should hold her head up high and exude nobility and strength. If nothing else, she’ll need to be able to do that much before your formal betrothal.”

Lord Kyros let out a breath of relief, his eyes sparkling as he looked at his mother. “Then…”

“Yes. Although I must say that, while I can see you spent the day getting her ready, the dress and makeup are overpowering her. She’ll need to work on that. Your engagement ceremony will not only be attended by the royalty and nobility of the Dilts Kingdom, but those from all over the world. I’m sure you realize the gravity of the situation. Let’s do what we can to polish the gem you found before then. I’ll do what I can to help too.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

“Oh, stop acting so prim and proper. It’s annoying me already.”

What should I do? I can’t follow at all…

I felt utterly lost, but I didn’t have the confidence to speak up and ask for clarification, so I just stood there confused. Suddenly, someone tugged on my sleeve softly. I turned around to find Mio.

“Congratulations, Lady Marie,” she said.

“H-huh? Thank you, but…what for?”

“The duchess has approved of your betrothal to Lord Kyros. You are now officially his fiancée.”

“…Huh?”

What…? WHAT?!

The servants that had been gathered in the hall started clapping and celebrating.

“Congratulations!”

“Congratulations on your engagement, Lord Kyros and Lady Marie!”

“Congratulations!”

I didn’t understand why any of this was happening. My voice was stuck in my throat. I looked at Liu Liu, and she smiled warmly at me before pulling me into a tight hug.

“Welcome to the Comital Castle of Granado, Marie!” she said.

I let out an unintelligible noise, unable to voice my thoughts.

“We’re happy to have you! The duke’s health has been declining, so I’ve been hoping Kyros would take over soon, but this idiotic son of mine has been taking his sweet time to marry! I was about to dump a foreign princess on his lap and call it a day when he finally made up his mind! At last, I can rest easy.”

“I… Uh…”

“Liu Liu, don’t get ahead of yourself,” Lord Kyros said. “We’re only at the betrothal stage. Besides, we won’t be truly engaged until after the ceremony.” His voice was stern, but his expression betrayed how delighted he was. “Mio, send a messenger to House Chandelan. Let’s fix a date for the ceremony.”

“It’d be my pleasure, but I’m afraid that if I send someone on a fast horse now, they’ll reach the Chandelan estate before the baron makes it home.”

“Ah, right. Let’s take our time, then. There is much to prepare anyway.”

“I…” I was struggling to say anything at all.

“House Chandelan is also an ancient house, so they too may have traditions they wish to observe. An engagement ceremony is a ritual that involves two houses—you must prepare thoroughly so that the customs and beliefs of both sides are respected,” Mio said.

“Send a letter first to inquire about these matters, then,” Lord Kyros concluded.

“Um—” I attempted once more before being cut off by Liu Liu.

“I can’t believe my son is finally getting married! I’m so moved! Ah! Who knows—at this time next year, I might already be a grandmother!”

“I—”

“Stop it, Liu Liu. Many brides dislike those sorts of comments nowadays,” Lord Kyros said.

“I-I can’t do this!” I yelled as the words finally burst out.

My voiced echoed around the great hall. Lord Kyros, Liu Liu, and Mio stopped talking at once as the clapping of the servants faded. They all turned to me in eerie silence, and each and every one of them blinked in confusion.

Interlude: I Want to Marry Marie

Interlude:
I Want to Marry Marie

 

I’D BEEN LOOKING AT THE NIGHT SKY AND counting the stars for hours now. I was sitting at the table on the balcony with a glass of wine made from grapes harvested early in hand. Unlike wine made from mature grapes, the color was a vivid, translucent red. It was almost the same color as Marie Chandelan’s—my fiancée’s—hair.

I let out a sigh. “How beautiful…”

“Stop with the ‘How beautifuls,’ my lord,” Mio said. She poured me a glass of water. “You shouldn’t use alcohol to escape reality.”

She practically slammed the pitcher back on the table, and I glared at her before accepting the water anyway.

“I’m not drinking to run away. I’m in a good mood.”

“I’d argue that very fact is proof you’re not looking reality in the eye,” she replied.

I asked why she was saying that, and she frowned while bringing her hands to her waist. She seemed exasperated, and I knew for a fact that she never minced her words when she wore that expression. “Lady Marie said no,” she said at last.

“Urgh. That’s… Well… Actually, I sent a marriage proposal to her house. And she came. Wouldn’t you say that counts as agreeing to the match?”

“Obviously not. Besides, you’re conveniently skipping over a lot of important details, aren’t you?”

Ugh…

She had a point, so I kept my mouth shut and drank a sip of water instead. Mio truly was merciless.

“Your proposal was addressed to Anastasia Chandelan. Lord Chandelan’s deceased firstborn daughter.”

“That’s…true. But it was because I—”

“And the one you wish to marry is Marie Chandelan. Anastasia’s younger sister.”

“Yes…”

“In other words, that first proposal and its acceptance by Lord Chandelan are completely void. You’ve never actually proposed to Lady Marie herself.”

“But I couldn’t have known, could I?!” I exclaimed. “How could I have assumed the star of the party would be the one crouching down all alone in the dark?!”

“Yet that doesn’t change the fact that she was,” Mio sighed. She looked sullen, a rare occurrence for her.

That night, I hadn’t been the only one to misunderstand. Just like me, Mio had assumed that the blonde young woman was Marie while the red-haired beauty I’d fallen for at first sight was Anastasia.

Everyone in high society had heard rumors of the Chandelans’ financial troubles. Word was that they rarely showed up to events because they couldn’t afford travelling expenses. I still remembered my close friend Luifon’s comments when the invitations to Marie’s birthday party reached us…

 

“Did you get one too, Kyros?” Luifon asked. “They’ve really gone all out and invited every wealthy bachelor they could think of with no consideration for their age, appearance, or even personality.”

“What vulgarity,” I replied with a sigh.

A young lady walked up to us and gave me a box of chocolates. I took it with a curt “thank you” and immediately turned back to Luifon.

He laughed before adding, “But you know, I heard their daughter is a real beauty. I’m already spoken for, so there’s no point in me going, but you should definitely go see what she’s like, Kyros.”

“I have no interest in noble women.”

Luifon laughed. “Yes, yes, I know. Most highborn ladies think Ypsandros is a nation of barbarians, after all.”

“None of them dare say it to my face, but I can see they loathe the color of my skin and eyes.”

“And yet you always seem to be in high demand.”

“They’re after my rank and money, obviously,” I said with a slight sigh. “And I suppose my face isn’t bad either. If you forget about my skin color, I’m perfectly handsome.”

“I like the confidence.”

“I’d prefer it if they just insulted me to my face. I hate the way they’re all smiles in front of me, only to scowl at my mother and I behind our backs. I could never have a child with disgusting women like them. I wouldn’t even welcome them into my yard!”

“You know, it’s because you always assume the worst of people that you have practically no friends.”

“And yet here you are.”

“Whew, what a smooth answer.” Luifon shrugged and smiled. “I can’t wait to meet the woman who’ll finally win your heart.”

I bit into a piece of chocolate. I didn’t say it out loud, but I was convinced the day would never come. Even so, I couldn’t remain single for life. I was a count, and the only male heir of a duke. I couldn’t inherit the duchy until I married, and I had a duty to produce heirs myself. I also had no choice but to marry a noble woman because of my status. Essentially, that meant my future wife would be with me for money and standing, while I’d be with her out of duty and obligation—two liars stuck in a loveless marriage.

I wasn’t particularly opposed to a political marriage over a love match, but I refused to take concubines. Even if I had to live without love my entire life, I only wanted to have one lawful wife, and no one else. After the feud that’d happened between my mother, Liu Liu, and my father’s first wife, I was certain of that.

My father, Alfred Granado, had married a noble woman, Laura, for political reasons. She’d known from the start that he did not love her. Nevertheless, the two of them had three children and lived peacefully at the Ducal Castle of Granado.

However, Laura changed after my father got a concubine. She despised Liu Liu for being a foreign traveling entertainer, and she insulted her at every turn. Despite all this, things were peaceful for a time. However, after Liu Liu gave birth to me—a boy with characteristic Ypsandrian features—things truly began to get sour. Laura’s children had all been girls, unable to be heirs. The morning after my father declared I would eventually inherit the duchy, Laura committed suicide.

After what’d happened, my father made Liu Liu his legal wife, but she left his estate in the end and settled in an old castle that belonged to my father. She’d brought along a small retinue and started trading with Ypsandros with the help of her former entertainer friends. She only ever returned to the Ducal Castle of Granado for important events the duchess couldn’t afford to miss, as if to show she was nothing but a concubine.

That was the history of my family in a nutshell.

To be honest, I too found the ducal castle stifling. I’d never had a proper relationship with my father, so it simply felt like a stranger’s house. I also detested high society gatherings. I usually found excuses not to attend them, and, so far, I’d done everything in my power to dodge marriage talks as well.

I hated it all—and worse yet, it scared me. The more I thought about loving someone, being loved, marrying, and fathering children, the more it terrified me. I didn’t want to think about it. I didn’t need love. And yet, I couldn’t afford not to take a wife.

I opened the invitation in my hand and read its contents. The family’s second daughter, Marie Chandelan, was turning eighteen. As far as I knew, the Chandelans were close to bankruptcy, and their rank was low.

I guess she’ll do. If I had to marry a useless, prideful noble girl, I figured I might as well pick one that would be easy to keep in line.

And so, I went to Marie Chandelan’s birthday party with that logic in mind. However, before I got to see the star of the party, I met her in the garden.

I couldn’t have praised the gloss of her unkempt red hair or the smoothness of her skin even as flattery. She was clad in an ashen, old-fashioned dress made of cotton, and she was curled up on herself like an old woman. What is wrong with her? was my first thought. What kind of person crouched in the courtyard dressed like that on the night of a party? Even for a servant, her behavior was suspicious to say the least. Still, I asked her for directions.

The second she looked up at me, however, her expression shifted.

“Are you from the Republic of Ypsandros?” she asked.

I was taken completely by surprise. The Republic of Ypsandros was located on the Eastern Continent. It was a large country encompassing multiple smaller nations and numerous ethnic groups, all centered around the eponymous city of Ypsandros. Black hair and tan skin were distinctive features of the people of the Eastern Continent as a whole, so I was surprised she’d managed to pinpoint Ypsandros solely based on the traditional embroidery on my clothes.

How had the daughter of a poor rural baron managed such a feat? And why was she able to speak Ypsandrian? For some reason, she even knew things about Ypsandros no one in the kingdom usually cared to learn about. I was already captivated by her sophisticated knowledge, but more than anything, I was mesmerized by the way she lit up when she was able to share her passion. Her eyes were no longer downcast but practically gleaming as she energetically spoke Ypsandrian and made sure to properly enunciate each and every syllable.

I straightened up my back and took a step forward. Somehow, I was desperate to get closer.

“You sure have a flair for fashion, my lord,” she said with a laugh.

She’s beautiful…

Now that I was seeing her up close, I could see she was an unpolished gem. Her chin was slender, and she had a small, refined nose with slightly almond-shaped eyes nestled above the bed of freckles on her cheeks. Her eyelashes were so full they quivered with every breath she took. She lacked the carefully orchestrated “charm” that most ladies displayed, but her features were refined and symmetrical—and it was my privilege to watch how, in this very moment, those lovely features could bloom into a radiant, innocent smile like that of a little girl. Right now, those amber-colored eyes of hers were shining brightly as they focused entirely on me.

“I love Ypsandrian tales,” she continued.

My plan of picking a woman of adequate status to bear the heirs I ought to produce flew right out of my mind. I no longer cared who she was, for I’d fallen in love.

I want to see her smile more.

But the moment this thought crossed my mind, all the happiness on her face seemed to shatter. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she pushed me away before fleeing. I went after her, naturally, but the Chandelan estate was large and poorly lit, so I soon lost sight of her.

Out of options, I went to the hall where the party was held, only to be completely taken by surprise once again. The baron and baroness were laughing, glasses in hand. It appeared they’d already had quite a few drinks. What truly surprised me, however, was their attire. The value of their luxurious partywear was leagues beyond the cheap ashen cotton dress their daughter had been wearing.

I approached the baron and asked him, “I’m looking for the young lady of the house. Where might she be?”

He hiccuped before slurring, “The young lady? Ah, you mean my daughter?”

“Indeed. I’d like to speak with her. Could you lead me to her?”

“You hardly need my help. Just go look for her! The star of the party is right over there! If you like her, ask me for her hand in marriage, good sir!” the baron offered before downing his glass.

He’d only just emptied it when a swarm of what I expected were hopeful son-in-law candidates scrambled to fill it up for him. The baron seemed to enjoy being waited upon like that, and he noisily drank another gulp.

“Darling! You’re drinking too much!” the baroness exclaimed with a strident laugh as she gorged herself on cake.

I did as the baron had suggested and went to look for her. Sure enough, I quickly found a noble lady. She wore a frilly pink dress, and her blonde hair was adorned with countless ornaments. She was surrounded by men and kept smiling at them. Every one of her smiles was empty and fake, only meant to please—the same ones I’d seen on the faces of many, many women in high society.

She was much smaller and thinner than the red-haired girl I’d met earlier, and she seemed a couple of years younger. The star of the party—or in other words, Marie Chandelan—was as uninteresting as the others.

I left the hall and searched the garden once more. I even asked Mio to check the ladies’ changing rooms and privies for me. She was nowhere to be found.

What in the world is going on?

Her father had almost drunk himself under the table, and her mother was a glutton. As for her younger sister… Well, I supposed it was only natural that she dressed up for her birthday. Even if the older sister had underdressed on purpose to help her sister stand out, that dress was too much. I also didn’t get why she’d seemed so scared of everything.

Where is she? Why wouldn’t she be at the party?

While it was polite not to attempt to overshadow her younger sister, she should still have dressed up to some extent and enjoyed food and drinks with the rest of the family and the guests. So why?

Her parting words echoed in my head.

“It’s because…I’m ugly. That’s all.”

“What a joke!” I shouted. I tore apart the marriage proposal I’d written for Marie Chandelan and threw it to the ground. I despised her. How could she smile and happily look for a husband while her sister was crying alone in the dark?

“This wretched house deserves to collapse!”

Mio scolded me for letting slip things I never should have said out loud. I stopped and stomped to my carriage.

As soon as I returned home, I picked up my writing tools. I wanted to marry that girl I’d met on the sideline. I wanted to marry Anastasia.

I chose a dress that I thought would suit her well considering her height and had it sent along with a heap of treasures I’d quickly gathered for the occasion.

I didn’t need to wait long for the reply. “With pleasure,” it’d said.

I was ecstatic. So ecstatic that the anger I’d felt toward the baron, baroness, and their younger daughter disappeared on the spot. They were to become my relatives, so I resolved to treat them right.

“I’m so happy! Anastasia is coming. She’ll be here soon!”

According to her father’s letter, she’d depart for my castle as soon as she was ready.

From that point onward, I became incredibly busy. Nobles needed their father’s approval to marry. While I thought it was ridiculous, there was nothing I could do about that rule, so I visited my father at the Ducal Castle of Granado. He told me he’d approve of anyone Liu Liu approved of because she knew me far better than he, who’d never lived under the same roof as me.

As soon as I told Liu Liu about Anastasia, she shed tears of joy. She’d apparently started to worry I hated women and might secretly be into men. How ridiculous.

To host my fiancée as she deserved, I had a guest room entirely remodeled. I ordered my carefree and somewhat rough servants to be on their best behavior around her. Then, I invited a dressmaker.

Considering what I’d seen at her sister’s birthday, Anastasia likely never got to dress up. In fact, I couldn’t help but wonder what they made her wear the rest of the time if that was the dress she’d been given to wear for such a party.

I’ll amaze her, I swore. I’d shower her with luxury and make her happy. I’d gift her dresses far more beautiful than the one Marie had been wearing that night. I’d even have her name embroidered on them!

I wanted her parents and her sister to be astonished by her beauty on the day of our engagement party. I wanted them to grind their teeth in jealousy as they watched her. And then, I wanted to tell them, “Serves you right!”

Everything was ready.

I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t sleep. It got so bad that I ended up buying a body pillow. And yet, only a flooded carriage and its driver arrived at my gates. He told me the carriage had fallen down a cliff on the way and that Anastasia had been swallowed by the muddy stream. He hadn’t been able to find her.

Liu Liu started crying while Mio cast her eyes down in silence. I fell to my knees and spent the following week in a daze.

 

***

 

Mio let out a deep sigh.

“The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced the way you reunited ruined everything. You screamed ‘Send Marie Chandelan away!’ and you looked like you were about to bite Thomas’s head off. Truly, you looked like a crazed demon.”

“W-was it that bad? All this because I’d gotten her name wrong…”

“That’s another big issue. Good grief, you really are a fool, my lord.”

“You got her name wrong too!” I shouted.

Mio was completely unbothered, and to be fair, I didn’t believe any of this was her fault. Neither of us could have guessed the girl crying alone in the courtyard had been the actual star of the party. That said, it was true that I hadn’t exactly spent enough time looking her up, and also that I’d been a little too eager and impulsive about this whole affair.

“Anyway, the first step is to face reality, my lord. She rejected you.”

“Th-that’s true… You’re right…” I had to force the words out. Admitting it out loud made my stomach sink.

“However, this entire misunderstanding is likely the main reason why. Lady Marie must have assumed you hated her. She’s so kind and modest that she might have refused out of consideration for what she thought were your true feelings.”

“You think so? Then if I explain myself, she’ll gladly marry me, won’t she?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hey!”

“All you can do is try your hardest, my lord. You’re the one with unrequited feelings, so you have to put in the work. While you may have been effortlessly popular up to this point in your life, you can’t keep on putting on airs, or you’ll spend the rest of your life crying over what could have been.”

“Aren’t you being a little harsh on me, Mio?”

“I can’t help it,” she said with a shrug. “What were you doing earlier? Lady Marie walked into the hall all dolled up, and you turned your back to her without giving her a single compliment.”

I groaned.

“Groaning won’t save you. Even a simple ‘You’re beautiful’ would have been enough. She wouldn’t have looked so crestfallen then.” Mio sounded mad. She was as stone-faced as usual, but her glare spoke volumes.

I looked down. I didn’t even need to close my eyes to picture Marie. Her vermilion hair had bloomed like a magnificent flower, the polar opposite of her reserved demeanor. Her smooth skin, which had been washed free of grime, had glowed like a pearl, and her light freckles had disappeared under the makeup, allowing her defined features to stand out instead. There truly had been nothing to criticize. She’d embodied perfection, from head to toe. Simply put, she’d looked perfect.

Of course, I’d loved her before I realized she was beautiful. I’d simply wanted her to look her best for the moment Liu Liu cast her judgment upon her. I hadn’t been aware whatsoever that she would look so exceedingly gorgeous. It had been entirely unexpected. An unforeseen incident. Big trouble, one may even say.

I’d been so caught off guard that I’d felt as though a giant was crushing my heart within its large palm. My heart had begun beating so fast and so loud from looking at Marie that it’d been the only thing I could hear, and it’d rendered me speechless.

I shouldn’t make excuses for myself…

Mio was absolutely right. I wanted her, so I had to do something about it.

I loved Marie and I genuinely wanted her to marry me, so, first of all, I had to convey those feelings to her. Regardless of what she might answer, this was the first step.

“Where is Marie?” I asked.

“Resting in her room.”

“All right. Here I go.”

I stood up and started walking toward her room.

Chapter 3: The Life I’d Dreamed of, and the Dream Life I Got

Chapter 3:
The Life I’d Dreamed of, and the Dream Life I Got

 

MIRRORS LARGE ENOUGH TO REFLECT SOMEONE entirely were very expensive, and there was only one at the Chandelan estate. Naturally, it had been set up in my sister’s room.

I’d often gone inside her room to clean; however, I’d always averted my eyes. I’d also do the same with smaller mirrors. My hair was always tangled, my skin was sunburned and covered in freckles, my face was a horrible sight, and I only ever wore that tattered work dress of mine—I couldn’t bear to look at myself. Hence, I hated mirrors…

Yet now, here there was one right in front of me.

One of the walls of the guest room I’d been assigned to was practically one large mirror, far bigger than the one that’d been in Anastasia’s room. Inside it was the reflection of a woman.

Who is that? She was beautiful. I’d never seen her before, but somehow, she looked like me. Who is she?

I was watching the woman in the mirror when someone knocked on the door. I welcomed them to enter, and Mio came in, followed by Lord Kyros. He looked like he was about to say something, but before he could speak, I lowered my head and blurted out, “Lord Kyros! I’m terribly sorry for my rudeness earlier!”

Lord Kyros stumbled forward, as if caught off guard. “Huh? For your rudeness?” he asked.

I kept my head low and continued, “I was so surprised by these abrupt talks that I lost my composure and… Ah, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s all right. You don’t need to apologize. Please, lift your head, Marie.”

I did as he ordered, and my eyes met his. Immediately, he turned away.

I knew it… He despises me so much he can’t bear to look at me.

Mio stomped on his foot. He didn’t complain and turned his head back at me. His face was bright red. “I apologize,” he said. “I rushed into things without asking you for your opinion first.”

“My…opinion?”

“I assumed you’d come here out of your own volition and that it’d meant you’d agreed to marry me. I’m sorry for making assumptions like that. I shouldn’t have.” He lowered his head contritely.

Of course, I had no idea what he was apologizing for.

“We had a terrible misunderstanding,” he continued, “and I want to correct it. I truly want you to become my wife.”

I finally understood what was going on and I nodded. “Understood. I place myself in your care, my lord,” I said.

“Huh?” he let out, flabbergasted. Behind him, Mio seemed just as surprised.

I quickly realized that, this time, it was my conduct that had been misunderstood, so I tried to explain myself. “I only said that I couldn’t do it because I was so surprised! I’d never be so unreasonable as to refuse.”

“So… Um… Huh?” Lord Kyros still seemed confused.

“Thanks to you allowing me to rest in this room, I’ve had the time to compose myself. I’m honored by your proposal, and would like to thank you for the favor you’ve shown me.”

Lord Kyros sank into silence and Mio spoke up in his stead. “L-Lady Marie… Does that mean you’ll accept marrying his lordship?” Her tone was weak, as though what I’d said wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting.

I nodded three times and assured her, “Of course. I truly was just surprised because it was very much unexpected.”

“Why do you say it was unexpected?” Lord Kyros ­finally asked. “Your father brought you here so you would become my fiancée, didn’t he?”

“Well, I was fully convinced we’d be turned away at the gates,” I replied.

That was why I’d been so shocked. Now that I’d calmed down, I understood why this was happening. Lord Kyros had been wanting to marry a daughter of House Chandelan from the start.

“When I learned that my sister would marry you, I took the liberty of doing some research, my lord,” I continued. “To take over your father’s duchy, you must first marry, and your partner must be a noble woman. I also heard that your hatred for women had made your search for a prospective wife rather difficult.”

“Well, that’s…true.”

“Isn’t that why a man as important as you found himself at the birthday party of a destitute baron’s daughter? You only came because you had made up your mind to marry for convenience. As it’d happened, you got lucky because Anastasia was far more beautiful than you’d imagined.”

Mio and Lord Kyros froze.

I apologized for wording my thoughts in such a crude way, then continued. “Dramatic circumstances brought me here instead of my sister, but I thank you for accepting me nonetheless. Please rest assured that I know my place. You may use me as you see fit, my lord.”

“W-wait! Hang on!” Lord Kyros exclaimed.

He seemed flustered. I’d probably gone too far. I understood the situation, though, so I confidently asked, “Am I mistaken, my lord?”

I could see that the count was greatly troubled. Even Mio had a grave expression.

“You’re not mistaken… You’re right, I did go to that party with a proposal already written. But it’d been addressed to ‘Marie,’ not ‘Anastasia.’”

“Huh?”

“And I tore it away there and then. After returning home, I wrote another proposal for ‘Anastasia.’ That night, after seeing ‘Marie’ and ‘Anastasia’ in person, my feelings changed, and I poured my heart into that second proposal.”

“Well, yes. That’s what I assumed. After meeting me in the courtyard, you went to the party hall and saw Anastasia, right? That’s when you fell in love with her at first sight and—”

“No! That’s not it! I got it wrong!”

I was starting to get lost again.

“Aah, this is all so confusing. Give me a minute to gather my thoughts…” he pleaded.

“O-of course, my lord,” I reassured him. “Please take your time.”

Lord Kyros brought his hand to his chin and then stopped moving entirely. I was looking at him in silence when someone knocked on the door. It was a servant pushing a tea wagon with food on it. It seemed to be time for dinner.

Mio started setting the table while whispering to me, “You’d normally take your meals in the dining room, but please eat here tonight so you can finish this conversation.”

I didn’t have any objections, and Lord Kyros and I sat, facing one another.

In the Dilts Kingdom, it was common even among nobles to have just a simple dinner. People usually enjoyed a large meal at midday, but they didn’t eat much in the evening to allow their body to rest. This custom seemed to be observed at the count’s castle too, as there were only three dishes on the table: rye bread, bouillon, and pork cutlets in white sauce. The number of dishes was the same as what I served at the Chandelan estate, but even at a glance, I could tell the quality of the ingredients was worlds apart.

Lord Kyros didn’t say a word while the plates were being arranged on the table, so I too waited in silence. However, after taking my first bite, I whispered in spite of myself, “It’s delicious…”

At almost the same time exactly, Lord Kyros said, “This isn’t a marriage of convenience.”

My fork stopped in midair. “What do you mean…?”

“The proposal I sent for ‘Anastasia’ had always been meant for you, the red-haired girl I’d met in the garden… Good grief, this doesn’t make any sense, does it? What I’m trying to say is, I mixed up your names.”

“What an honor…”

“You don’t believe me, do you?” His green eyes were fixed on me, and I smiled awkwardly.

“You don’t need to show me such concern. You truly are a nice person, Lord Kyros.”

He sighed. “I knew it. You don’t believe me.”

He didn’t need to worry about my feelings. While I’d never indulged in the luxury of noble life, I was still a noble lady. I was ready to marry for the sake of my family, and I expected Lord Kyros was the same. No, he likely had to shoulder far heavier duties than I could have ever imagined, considering his position.

He’d surely take a concubine after our marriage, and I imagined I’d never have children. I figured I might even have to work harder than I had at the Chandelan estate, once again clad in my usual tattered clothes, but I didn’t mind. In the end, my life wouldn’t change much.

I kept eating in silence, and the count didn’t say another word either. Even after Mio took away the dinner plates and served us tea, he kept staring at me without so much as touching his cup.

“Um… Do you have an order for me, my lord?” I asked.

“I like you, Marie.”

This was the most incomprehensible statement I’d heard the entire day. Somehow the words didn’t register, and I stared at him in a daze.

The count waited for me to answer for a few moments before standing up and saying, “I get it. Regardless, we are engaged now. You will live in this castle from now on.”

“U-understood, my lord.”

“We’ll hold our engagement ceremony in three months. Unlike our wedding, which will be a more serious affair, this will be a merry banquet to which we’ll invite both of our families. I’ll prepare an outfit for you, so you won’t need to worry about anything, Marie.”

“All right. I will do my utmost not to embarrass you in front of your guests, my lord.”

He was silent for a few moments before continuing, “In the meantime, enjoy your life here. I hope you’ll come to like this cast—”

He was walking away as he spoke, and I stopped him, “Ah! Please wait, my lord!”

The count’s shoulders trembled and he turned around. “Wh-what is it?”

“Please allow me to go back once.”

“To the Chandelan estate? I don’t mind, but what for?”

“Before we arrived, my father told me that I was to come home immediately once you were finished with me.”

Lord Kyros knit his brow in confusion. “Once I was…finished with you?”

“My father didn’t believe you’d want to marry me. He’d hoped you might allow me into your bed for a night so that our houses may be linked, one way or another.”

“WHAT?!” Mio screamed so loud I feared the windows would shatter.

“Neither of us expected things to develop this way, so I’m not sure what my father will think of it all. That’s why I’d like to go home, so I can receive further instructions…”

Lord Kyros’s lips trembled for a second, and I thought he might respond, but he left the room without another word. Mio ran after him before quickly coming back in and announcing, “I’m terribly sorry, Lady Marie, but I’m afraid you’re forbidden from returning home.”

“Huh? B-but why?!”

“That is an order from our lord. If the baron or baroness come to visit, they’re to seek his permission before talking to you, and they will only be allowed to do so in his or my presence,” Mio said strictly.

I dropped my gaze, unsure what to say. For the first time I’d ever seen, Mio grimaced. “My lady, why do you think you’re ugly?”

She seemed truly perplexed.

“Why? Well, that’s because…my father and my mother…and because my sister was… A-and the mirror showed it all! That mess on my head, the dirt under my nails, the tattered clothes I wore…”

“The only thing you mentioned that we have here is a mirror. Please look at yourself in the mirror and rethink your answer.”

Look at myself? What would that change?

Mio left the room and me alone in it. It was a luxurious room, but an empty one—nothing was here but me, that huge mirror, and that woman I didn’t recognize staring back at me.

 

I spent the rest of the evening waiting absentmindedly until, late at night, I was given warm water to remove my makeup.

The bed was incredibly comfortable, but I couldn’t sleep, even though I was exhausted by everything that’d happened today. Even though the mattress was plush and the covers were warm and soft as a dream…

A dream… Yes, today had been just like a dream. In fact, perhaps it had been a dream—all of it, from the moment I’d been told to board the carriage.

Tomorrow, when I woke up, the white-walled castle, the beautiful dress, the glass slippers, the tea, the sweets, and even the strong-willed grand chamberlain and green-eyed count would be nowhere to be found. I’d be in my usual small, dark storage room. All alone with my rags.

Somehow, the thought brought me relief, and I let out a quiet laugh.

I’ve finally figured it out. I’m dreaming.

Everything made perfect sense. Since this was a dream, that beautiful woman in the mirror was me. Since this was a dream, it was no wonder that Mio’s blank face and indomitable disposition hadn’t struck me as all that strange. Since this was a dream, it was no wonder the count wanted to marry me—no wonder he liked me. Since this was a dream, I could simply rejoice without overthinking any of it.

As soon as I realized I was dreaming, my cheeks flushed red. What am I even thinking! How embarrassing! Just because the gentleman I’d met that night was dashing was no excuse to fantasize about him in this manner! This all felt so unbecoming and incredibly embarrassing of me. Something must be wrong with me!

“I like you, Marie. I want to marry you. You’re beautiful,” his voice rang in my ears.

“Aaaaaah!!!” I squealed out loud, burying my head into my pillow.

This has to be a magic pillow! It was the softest thing I’d ever touched. It also smelled nice…

Suddenly, I was hit by a wave of drowsiness, and I closed my eyes.

Somewhere, far, far away, I felt as though I could hear the bell of a church. I opened my eyes. Morning had come, yet the magic hadn’t faded.

 

***

 

As soon as my eyes blinked open, the first thing I did was check my pillow.

Soft and fluffy.

Then, I touched my hair.

Smooth and silky.

I brought my hands to my face in shock.

“What should I do? It wasn’t a dream…”

I sat up in bed at a complete loss. After staying motionless for a while, I heard a knock on the door.

“Lady Marie, are you awake?”

It was Mio’s voice.

“Yes, I am,” I replied.

“Excuse us,” Mio said, opening the door and walking in. There were two other women with her. They both seemed roughly five years older than me. They were dressed like maids, and their hair was styled elegantly. The three women stood side by side and all bowed to me at the same time.

“Good morning, Lady Marie,” they said in unison.

“G-good morning!” I yelped, falling to my knees and swiftly prostrating myself on the ground.

Mio pulled me up immediately. “What are you doing, Lady Marie?”

“Y-you bowed so politely I had to prostrate myself lower!”

“What even gave you this idea? Please, put yourself at ease. We came to greet you.”

“To greet…me?”

“Yes. You officially became our lord’s fiancée yesterday and are thus an important resident of this castle.”

H-his fiancée! I’d heard this word again and again recently, but for some reason, it made my heart race. I pressed my palm against my chest in an attempt to calm myself. I couldn’t tell if Mio had noticed my inner turmoil. Regardless, she was just as expressionless as always.

“Allow me to introduce myself again. I’m Mio, the grand chamberlain of this castle. And these two are Hanna and Ilsa.”

“N-nice to meet you. I’m Marie Chandelan.”

“From now on, the three of us will be in charge of caring for you, Lady Marie.”

I would have a waiting maid? And three of them at that?!

Waiting maids weren’t like housemaids. They weren’t in charge of taking care of the estate, but rather of specific individuals. House Chandelan also had a waiting maid—only one for a family of five people, though. She’d been too busy taking care of the clothes and hair of my parents and sister, along with looking after my younger brother, so she’d never done anything for me personally. If anything, I was the one who cooked for her.

To be perfectly honest, I didn’t need waiting maids. But if this was their job, I couldn’t refuse. If they didn’t work, they wouldn’t be paid. Besides, it was perfectly natural for a noble lady to have a waiting maid or two. I simply wasn’t used to it at all…

I tried to calm my nerves and showed them my best ladylike smile.

“I see. Mio, Hanna, Ilsa, I’ll be in your care,” I said.

“We may fall short at times, but we will do our utmost to serve you to the best of our ability,” Mio replied. She bowed low once more, but the other two only nodded lightly.

“I will be by your side most of the time, but these two will replace me during my time off or when other duties require my attention,” Mio explained. “They were born and raised in a knight’s house and have experience working in the royal palace. They are quite capable, so don’t hesitate to go to them with any trouble you may have.”

Whenever they weren’t in Mio’s field of vision, I got the feeling the other two were glaring at me…

Is that my imagination? Yes, I’m sure it is. This is our very first meeting, after all.

“A-all right. I will…”

“I shall get you ready,” Mio said. “In the meantime, the two of you can go fetch Lady Marie’s breakfast.”

Hanna and Ilsa turned on their heels immediately at Mio’s command.

“Please wash your face and rinse your mouth first, my lady. I brought you warm water.”

After I did as I was told, Mio combed my hair meticulously. Soon, the other two returned with a tea wagon covered with plates.

I stared at it, my eyes widening, and asked, “How many people is that for?”

“Why, it’s all for you, of course,” Mio replied immediately. “I didn’t know what you liked, so I had the kitchens prepare a bit of everything. First, for the appetizers. Here is an assortment of seven types of artisanal charcuterie, made by the castle’s head chef. We have ham and pork sausages. These are seasoned with a blend of spices, these with herbs…the terrine is pheasant, and there is duck pâté de campagne and venison.”

“That’s a lot of different animals…”

“Since this is your breakfast, I focused on refreshing dishes. This is Schweinebraten.”

“Sch… Schwei…Schwhat?”

“It’s roast pork, my lady.”

“Ah, roast pork! I understand now.”

“It has been slowly simmered with vegetables in northern beer and bouillon, so it should be sweet and tender. Please enjoy it with these Knödels and this sauce.”

Mio had only showed me one fifth of the dishes—all appetizers.

I knew that the people of the Dilts Kingdom were known to eat more than others for breakfast, but this seemed a little excessive. I stopped Mio before we even go to the main dishes.

“It embarrasses me to admit it, but neither my taste buds nor my stomach are used to such luxury. I’ve never eaten this much, and I don’t think I can.”

“Please feel free to only choose the dishes that appeal to you, my lady. You may also sample a bite of each of them if you’d like.”

“But what of the leftovers?”

“Well, they’ll be disposed of, of course.”

“What a waste!” I shouted, way louder than I’d planned to.

Mio lowered her head. “These are our lord’s commands, so there isn’t anything I can do about it. I hope you can understand.”

“Where is Lord Kyros?” I asked after hesitating for a few seconds.

“He had his breakfast earlier and went out for work. I’m afraid there are only servants at the castle at this moment.”

“Then, Mio, won’t you share the food with me?”

“A servant couldn’t possibly eat with their master,” she replied sternly.

Ah… What should I do…? If I keep being so selfish, Mio will surely scold me… “I see… I’m sorry for asking for the impossible. I’ll do my best, then.”

I started eating alone. It was delicious…but there truly was a lot of food. Still, someone had gone through the trouble of making it, and the meat and vegetables in these plates used to be living beings. They’d been killed so we humans could eat—I couldn’t waste anything.

I kept eating, and my stomach began to hurt. But I—

“Lady Marie, please don’t push yourself.”

“I’m okay. I can still fit more into my stomach…probably.”

“Please, don’t attempt to eat more than you can handle.”

“But someone took the trouble of cooking this, so I—”

“You look pale, my lady. It’s time to stop.” Mio’s tone left no room for argument as she grabbed the plates, taking them away from me. “I’ll show you around the castle after you take the time to rest a little. I’ll introduce you to the head chef and the other servants.”

“A-all right… I’ll do that.”

“You’ll find clothes to change into here,” Mio said, opening the door of the gigantic walk-in closet. There had to have been at least fifty dresses inside. I stared at them, my eyes widening in surprise.

“How many people are they for?”

“Why, they’re all for you, of course.”

“I only have one body.”

“I’m aware. These were made for your daily use, and they are made of the most comfortable fabrics. We’ll have you properly fitted and have new dresses made from scratch for when you need to go out. We’ll also rotate them based on the season, so I expect we’ll need at least a hundred dresses to start with.”

I buried my head in my arms and slumped back into my chair.

“My head is spinning,” I moaned.

“You must have eaten too much.”

I had a feeling that wasn’t the reason…

 

Mio first led me to the castle gate. Then, we walked along the same path as the previous day while she gave me a brief overview of the Granado family and history. According to her, Granado Castle was the general name used for an estate made up of two separate buildings. The first one was a sturdy stone castle.

“Two hundred years ago, these grounds marked the edge of the kingdom’s territory and served as a fortress to guard the border,” Mio said, her voice mixing with the sound of our steps against the stone flooring. “The founding father of House Granado was the margrave who ruled over this fortress. At the time, military men stood at the top of the hierarchy, and at the very top of the army was the royal family. Being a margrave tasked with the defense of the frontline was a crucial position that involved shouldering the advance or retreat of the kingdom’s army. As you may imagine, this position couldn’t simply be given to anyone, and the man who held it was the youngest brother of the king. In those days, his words carried the same weight as a royal edict.”

“So…House Granado is a branch of the royal family?”

“Exactly. Still, this was a very long time ago, and a branch family could never compare to the main branch. After this era of warring ended, the margrave was given the rank of duke and control of a territory. From those days henceforth, House Granado has had nothing to do with the royal government.”

It was still amazing. It was hard to believe that the illustrious House Granado belonged to the same social category as House Chandelan, which had nothing to their name but dairy farms. The more I thought about its history, the more dignified this white castle appeared in my eyes.

“But Lord Kyros is a count, isn’t he?” I asked.

“He is, but he is also the duke’s heir. He earned his title of count for himself through the success of the Granado Trading Company. However, when the duke passes, he will inherit the duchy—although he must first marry. Until then, he remains Count Granado, the lord of this castle.”

“Does he live here?” I asked. “It doesn’t really feel…lived-in.”

“Our lord uses the castle for business negotiations, ceremonies, and parties. Its main function is to impress a sense of gravity upon guests. Think of it as a display of sorts. Feudal lords used to inhabit the castle, so one can lodge in it, but the facilities are old and quite uncomfortable. Instead, our lord lives in the mansion.”

That makes sense.

We exited the castle from the back gate, and beautiful scenery unfolded in front of me. Colorful flowers bloomed in the vast garden, and beyond the garden lay a stylish mansion. It was made with bricks and wood and looked warm and inviting. Next to it was the bathhouse I’d visited the previous day.

Yesterday, I kept my head hung low the entire way, so I didn’t notice the estate was structured like this.

Apparently, the mansion had been built after Liu Liu had left the ducal castle to move here. There were waterways, wells, a water supply system, fireplaces, and even ventilation windows. The building was bright, clean, safe, convenient, and comfortable.

Mio opened the door of the mansion and continued her explanation of the facilities. “On the first floor are the kitchens, bathrooms, and servants’ quarters. Most of the servants are live-in, and some also live here with their families. We take turns with a shift system so that the castle is protected and that the needs of our lord are met at all times.”

“Wow…”

“On the second floor are the private rooms of the count and his family. Breakfast and tea are served in the respective bedrooms, while lunch and dinner are served in the dining room.”

Come to think of it, yesterday Mio did specify we’d be eating in the room “tonight” as though it wasn’t a regular occurrence. I wonder what the dining room looks like…

“Next, we have the main guest room—that is the one you’re currently using, my lady. Guests are usually given rooms in the castle, but close relatives and friends stay in the mansion.”

“Is that so? But then, why was I given that room?”

“Your father slept in the castle,” Mio replied. It didn’t quite answer my question…

We kept walking through the mansion as Mio continued her lengthy explanation. It was a wonderful place, bright and beautiful with flowers everywhere.

The old castle was impressive. It had obviously been mended carefully over the years and was very neat and clean. Even the thick walls, which had overwhelmed me at first, appeared dependable and reassuring from the inside.

How marvelous… It’s all so different from the Chandelan estate.

Our family was also rather ancient and our estate vast, but I’d been managing it all on my own. There was no money to hire help or to pay for repairs, so the state of the estate naturally degraded over time.

Along the way, Mio introduced me to every waiting maid, chef, and even gardener we crossed paths with. Some were very friendly, while others stiffened and regarded us with awkward expressions, though they all introduced themselves politely.

Our tour had started at the main gate, and now we arrived back at it, concluding our tour.

Suddenly, the gatekeeper caught my eye, and a soft “Ah!” escaped my lips before I rushed toward him.

He was tall and slender, looked about my age, and he had wheat-colored hair and reddish-brown eyes.

It’s him! He must have been on break when we came by earlier.

“Mr. Thomas!” I called out to him. “I’m so sorry for the trouble my father caused you yesterday.”

He turned to me and jumped back, surprised. “Madam! H-how do you know my name?”

M-madam…?

I supposed I was indeed the count’s fiancée. I chose not to argue about that and simply lowered my head before clarifying, “I think I heard Lord Kyros call you that. Did I get it wrong?”

He shook his head. “Not at all! I just never would have expected you to remember my name.” He let out an embarrassed laugh as his cheeks reddened. “I’m a little happy about it, actually.”

When he smiled, you could see one of his teeth protruded a little. It was charming, and I laughed too.

“I’m glad I got it right. Nice to meet you! I’m Marie Chandelan. Might I ask you for your full name, if you don’t mind? I’ll be in your care from now on, so I’d like to remember everyone’s names.”

“My full name is Dibomov Thomas Tender.” He laughed awkwardly. “You don’t often hear names like mine in the kingdom, so it’s okay if you can’t pronounce it. Please feel free to call me by my middle name, Thomas.”

“Dibomov… Were you perhaps named after the hero who discovered Lehav Island?”

Thomas’s reddish-brown eyes widened in surprise. “You know about him?! I’m from Lehav!” he revealed excitedly. His mood had soared, and he smiled brightly while grabbing my shoulders enthusiastically. He was about to hug me when, suddenly, he found himself on the ground.

“Lady Marie is our lord’s fiancée,” Mio told him firmly. “Please refrain from touching her.”

Mio had been the one to throw him to the ground. I hadn’t even seen her move, but she was somehow behind Thomas, with her knees bent. Thomas prostrated himself in apology. I wanted to pull him back to his feet, but I had a feeling Mio would scold him even more if I touched him, so I forced myself to stay put.

Thomas seemed to still be unable to stand, and he remained on the ground. But as we made our way back, I could hear him softly say, “I’m so glad I got to speak of my birthplace here, in the capital…”

 

After visiting the estate with Mio, I discovered that it was far more multicultural than I would have expected. Many of the servants were immigrants or of mixed parentage. While everyone could speak the tongue of the kingdom, some had strong accents or physical traits that made their foreign origins obvious. This perhaps explained why there were traces of foreign influences all around the mansion. I saw a statue that seemed to represent a foreign god, a large tapestry with phrases in foreign languages, paintings of landscapes that didn’t exist in the kingdom, and so much more. Many of the items seemed to be from Ypsandros, but there were quite a few objects from other countries as well.

That said, the room I was staying in only had things from the kingdom, which was a little disappointing.

“Does Lord Kyros import goods from all over the world?” I asked.

Mio shook her head while pouring me a cup of tea with a peculiar scent. “The Granado Trading Company only imports goods from the Republic of Ypsandros. We source them directly from a port city in Ypsandros and transport them by ship to the kingdom, where we sell them to both people from Dilts and merchants from other nations.”

“In that case, was the tapestry I saw in the dining room from Ypsandros?”

“Oh, that. It belongs to the head chef. He comes from Fralia, so I assume he must have brought it from there.”

“What about the doll in the entrance?”

“That one belongs to Johan, the gardener. He crafts a new one each year in accordance with the traditions of the Banderi states.”

“There are a lot of foreigners among the staff,” I commented.

“That’s because our lord is narrow-minded,” Mio remarked. She hadn’t hesitated one bit while saying so, but I couldn’t believe she’d call her own master narrow-minded! Still, despite how rude it sounded, I hadn’t felt any ill-intent in her tone. If anything, she sounded almost like she was boasting.

“While our lord takes after his mother as far as appearances go, he is still Diltsian. However, he despises this kingdom’s elitism and has decided to proactively hire foreigners instead. Naturally, we only hire skilled people, but those who found doors closed elsewhere for the wrong reasons are welcome here.”

“Are you from the kingdom, Mio?”

Mio didn’t nod or shake her head. Instead, she replied, “I was thrown away on the side of a highway right after my birth, so I have no idea. Considering my hair and eye color, I assume I might be.”

“I-is that so…? I’m sorry.”

“You don’t need to apologize, my lady,” Mio said. Her tone was just as flat, and she seemed not to care one bit. “I was found by a troupe of travelling entertainers. While we were traveling through the kingdom, the duke fell in love at first sight with Madam Liu Liu, and she became his concubine. She took me with her to his castle when she left the troupe.”

“Then, you’re her adopted child?!”

“No, I’m just her ward. With his position, the duke couldn’t have married a foreign woman with a child. I was not brought up as Madam Liu Liu’s daughter, but as a chamberlain-in-training.”

Mio had mentioned having served the duke “all her life.” I now realized how true that statement was—she’d been a servant of House Granado for as long as she could remember.

Mio chuckled. “I’ve led a very pleasant life. I even used to rock our lord to sleep when he was a baby, you see.”

Huh? How old is Mio?! Is she older than Lord Kyros?!

“At any rate, many of the servants are of unknown backgrounds, with plenty of them having had a rough upbringing. However, they’re all loyal to our lord. I can promise you they would never harm you.”

“H-huh? Um… All right. I believe you.”

“Hanna and Ilsa are from an ancient and honorable knight family. Unlike me, they’re dignified and noble, so I’m sure they’ll be perfect as your waiting maids.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant at first, but as I watched Mio set the table with tea and sweets, I finally got it.

Most people in the Dilts Kingdom hate foreigners. The Dilts Kingdom had done exceedingly well for itself, both on the battlefield and through commercial exchanges, so a great majority of its inhabitants were convinced they were the best people in the world—particularly the nobles. My family was the same. While he could have hired foreigners for cheap, my father was adamantly against it. He always said he’d rather cook and clean himself than allow a foreigner into his house. Needless to say, he never did any of that himself. I did.

I’d practically lived as a slave my entire life. How could I ever look down on others? If anything, I longed to speak with foreigners. Getting the chance to hear about the culture and customs of foreign lands in person was so rare! I wanted to know more about the heroes whose names I’d only read once or twice in books. I wanted to know what the traditional songs I’d read the lyrics of sounded like. I wanted someone to tell me what the singing voice of the gigantic bird with rainbow-colored feathers I’d read about was like. Just the thought that people who might have the answers to some of the countless questions that swirled in my mind lived under the same roof as me filled me with excitement. This was the life I’d always dreamed of living!

However, the two companions I’d been assigned were Hanna and Ilsa, the daughters of a knight family. The title of knight was technically lower than that of baron, but unlike me, the daughter of a ruined family, these two behaved like true ladies. I’d never socialized with nobles, so I had no idea how to approach them. I didn’t know how to act like a lady.

Still, I had no doubt Lord Kyros had put a lot of thought into choosing them. I didn’t want to disregard his kindness. Besides, I had to get used to being a countess.

“Thank you for being so considerate,” I replied with a smile. “I will do my best to learn so that my inexperience doesn’t reflect badly on any of you.”

Mio looked at me with an awkward smile.

After the snack, a hairdresser came to see me. It was an older woman. She didn’t work exclusively for Lord Kyros, but rather she had a shop in the capital and was apparently well-known for her skills. She stared at my hair for a few moments before taking out her scissors and starting to cut strands off at peculiar angles. Tunica had come with her, and the two exchanged opinions as she worked.

After that, Tunica brought me to the bathhouse. She put product on my hair, left it for a while, washed it, then let the older woman cut more hair. Tunica then dried my hair and put scented oils on it before arranging it into an updo. Mio watched her weave the strands while fervently taking notes.

Next was lunch, which was even more extravagant than breakfast had been. There was so much food that we could have catered an entire village festival. I was so focused on trying to eat as much of it as possible to avoid waste that I couldn’t even remember what I’d eaten by the end of it.

After stuffing myself to my limits, I took a break before going to the courtyard. I was surprised to discover that one of the flowerbeds had turned into a vacant plot overnight. Apparently, a statue in my image would be erected there.

I returned to my room, still utterly confused by what I’d been told in the garden—a statue?!—but I was soon called to the salon. There, I met a painter. I was dressed in an extravagant gown complete with a set of luxurious jewelry and lathered in heavy makeup before being asked to sit on a sumptuous chair. From there on, I sat still for four hours while the artist sketched.

I asked about it later and was told that having your picture painted was a very common thing. Apparently, the man who was in charge of doing mine was an up-and-coming painter who was very popular in the capital. My surprise must have shown on my face, because I was told, “I can’t believe you don’t know who he is!”

After that, I took another bath while Tunica gave me a massage. I was then immediately shown to the dining room, where another lavish meal awaited me.

The head chef was present with a humongous block of cheese in hand. He offered to cut some off for me on the spot, but I still hadn’t digested my lunch and was struggling to eat. In the end, there were tons of leftovers.

When I returned to my room, Mio brewed some tea for me. After the second cup, I started nodding off.

“Are you tired, my lady? I’ll bring you some warm water.”

After I rinsed my mouth with it, I lay down in bed. Mio immediately put the blanket over me.

“You don’t need to go that far,” I said with an awkward smile. “I’m not a child.”

“This much is common in noble houses,” Mio replied. “Do not forget you are to become a countess, my lady.”

I couldn’t argue when she put it that way.

“Tomorrow, the band in charge of composing the song for your engagement ceremony will visit us. Please have a good rest tonight,” she said, giving the blanket one final adjustment.

“Good night, Mio…”

I was incredibly sleepy, and my bed was so warm and soft that it felt like it had come out of a dream, yet, somehow, I struggled to fall asleep. Was it because I was too tired?

 

For the next four days, I didn’t see Lord Kyros even once. He was busy with his duties as a count and his work as a company owner, and it was apparently a common occurrence for him to be unable to return to the castle for several days at a time.

“Lady Marie, which dress would you like to wear today?” Mio asked, but I wasn’t sure how to answer. She knit her brow. “Do you not like any of them?”

“N-no, I think they’re all beautiful—so beautiful I don’t know which one I should choose.”

Mio gave it some thought before picking out a magnificent lemon-yellow dress. “This one,” she said.

After she dressed me, breakfast was brought to my room. This morning, I was served several types of freshly baked bread, ham steak, omelet, and a nuts salad. The bread of the Granado Castle was completely different from the stuff I baked at home. The flavor of the wheat was rich, and it was so soft that I was sure I could use it as a pillow. The butter that was served alongside it was also amazing! Neither too salty nor too rich, it was so delicious, it must have been made with magic.

There were also lots of ingredients I had never seen before. The vegetables I couldn’t identify in the salad were very refreshing. They tasted as though they’d just been harvested, but I was pretty sure there were barely any fields in the capital. Where had they even come from?

I asked Mio about it, and she pointed at the window. “They were harvested this morning,” she said. “Right there in the courtyard.”

“T-truly?! I never noticed there was a vegetable garden!”

“The vegetables have been planted in such a way that they can’t be seen by visitors. Our gardener, Johan, always works hard to meet the expectations of our head chef.”

“That’s amazing! I’d love to see the vegetable garden, Mio! Could you show me to it later?”

Mio shook her head. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible. I will not be by your side anymore for the time being.”

“Huh?! Why?!”

“Our lord is returning, and I must welcome him. But feel free to go wherever you like with Hanna and Ilsa today.”

“O-okay…”

I nodded, but deep down, I felt incredibly worried. It was a little ridiculous, but I couldn’t help it. I understood, though. The grand chamberlain served the lord, not me. That was only natural. A noble lady couldn’t throw tantrums because she felt shy or preferred one servant over others.

I should take this chance to get to know Hanna and Ilsa better so we can get along. Perhaps I could ask them what their favorite foods are and cook for them? I wasn’t as good as a real chef, of course, but I’d been cooking for so long that I’d gotten the hang of the basics. We’d surely have a pleasant time if we cooked together too! We could even use the freshly harvested vegetables!

After lunch, Mio left. Hanna and Ilsa came to me in her stead, and the three of us went to the courtyard.

It is incredible! I’d seen the flowers of the garden in bloom several times already, but they still impressed me all the same. Water gushed out of the pristine white fountain and sparkled under the sunlight. There were butterflies flitting about and small birds twittering all around us. I felt as though I’d wandered into fairy-tale world.

Whenever I went to the bathhouse, I glanced at this beauty and felt more serene.

Today too, everything is perfect. How beautiful…

Despite my admiration, I couldn’t stop the next thought that came to me: Flower seeds and seedlings are so expensive, though…

I too used to do my best with the gardening at my parents’ home, but there was only barely enough money to have flowers in the front yard. I could never have grown roses that wrapped around beautiful arches. In fact, I didn’t think I could have done that even if I had had the funds. Such artistry required skills and time.

I was fondly admiring the flowers when I noticed someone moving out of the corner of my eye. It was an older man, not all that tall, but he was well-built and had an impressive mustache. It was Johan, the gardener of Granado Castle.

“Madam… Um, good day…to you,” he greeted me awkwardly.

It had been the same the first time I’d met him with Mio. He didn’t seem to like me very much. He wasn’t rude, but he almost immediately turned his back to me.

When I saw what he had in hand, however, I couldn’t resist calling out to him, “Wait! That’s a tomato plant, right? Were you in the middle of transplanting?”

Johan paused, and he looked a little surprised. He looked at the tomato plant, looked at my face, then at the tomato plant again. “No, I was just…training branches. I cut off the excess branches so that the main plant will grow stronger and bear tastier tomatoes…”

“Oh, I see! Doing that really is better for the plants, isn’t it? I was always looking to increase the number of tomatoes rather than their quality, so I’d never dared to do so, but perhaps I should have…”

“Madam… You’ve tended to tomatoes before?” Beyond his white mustache, I could see that Johan’s mouth was agape.

I could feel my cheeks flush as I nodded. “Yes, and to many other vegetables, in fact. It takes time, but growing them is so much cheaper than buying them. You can even sell the excess.”

“You’re our lord’s fiancée, so you must be a noble lady, right?”

“I-I am. But my house is poor, so… Besides, don’t you think freshly harvested vegetables are much tastier than the ones you can buy?” I asked, frantically trying to explain myself. “I’m self-taught, though, so I never managed to grow pretty ones. I especially struggled to get enough decent tomatoes to sell them.”

“Tomatoes are tricky,” Johan replied with a nod. “They’re an easy target for insects, and they’re rather susceptible to illnesses. They may seem like an easy vegetable to grow, but they require a lot of know-how.”

I nodded along enthusiastically. “They do! I don’t know how many I found ruined because of mold! Say, what should I do to prevent that?”

“You can have that issue with pretty much every type of vegetable if you’re not careful. It happens when you water them too much. Tomatoes in particular need less water than others—it makes them sweeter too!” he explained, clearly enjoying the chance to share his knowledge.

“What if there’s too much rain?”

“Then you just scatter lime over the plants. You also need to shelter them from the rain with covers. Oh, and it’s important to make sure there’s enough space in between each plant so air circulates.”

“You need to leave space? How much?”

Johan looked up at the sky and hummed. He seemed to be thinking about it. After a few moments, he beckoned me closer. “Come, I’ll show you. I don’t just grow tomatoes here; I grow every single vegetable the chef puts in his salad.”

“Really?!”

Yay! He offered to show me before I even had to ask!

I was about to step off the stone paving and onto the soil when…

“Nooo!”

“Gross!”

Hanna and Ilsa screamed.

They hid their mouths with their folding fans and brought their faces close together before they started whispering things to one another so loudly I could hear every word clearly.

“I can’t believe this! She was about to step on the soil, wasn’t she? Doesn’t she know gardens are made to be admired from a distance? You don’t just walk through them.”

“Can’t she see her shoes will get dirty? Seriously… Besides, there are bugs over there, and…that gardener!”

“Maybe that’s what she’s fond of? Her preferences may be peculiar, but we’re just waiting maids. It is not our place to comment on our lady’s tastes.”

“You mean she likes the bugs? Or the gardener?”

“Ha ha ha ha! Why, I meant the bugs, silly!”

“Hee hee hee! The bugs, of course! It couldn’t be that old man…or could it?”

Their shrill voices and cackling carried so far, I had no doubt Johan had heard it all as well. Why are they being so rude?! I wanted to scream at them to shut them up. I didn’t care if they mocked me, but Johan hadn’t done anything wrong. However, my voice was stuck in my throat. I couldn’t even get my body to move.

Johan frowned and turned his back to us, walking away from their mockery.

As for me, I was still stuck in place. I’m sorry…

I wanted to go after Johan and apologize. I wanted him to forgive me. I wanted to get along with him. I wanted to walk around the garden—over the soil—and cultivate vegetables with him while we chatted together.

But on my feet were the beautiful shoes that the count had bought for me—the ones that looked like glass slippers. Even I understood I wasn’t supposed to dirty them. No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t bring myself to take another step.

 

I got another bath, with Tunica washing my hair and body, then changed into another dress and returned to my room. Next, I went to have dinner and then it was right back to my room. My waiting maids brought me tea and sweets, and I sat down, waiting for the time to pass. When the time finally came, I changed into a nightgown, rinsed my mouth and my face, and crawled into bed.

“I’ll put out the light now. Good night, my lady.”

“All right. Good night,” I replied, but Hanna and Ilsa had left the room before I could even finish speaking.

I sighed. I’m tired.

I didn’t even know why I was so tired. I hadn’t done anything. I used to draw water, chop wood, do the housework, keep the books, and more. Now, I didn’t even wash my own hair.

After the first day, my hair and skin had kept improving further. My hair was now soft and fluffy, while my skin was clear and smooth even without makeup. I wasn’t wearing any perfume, but I still smelled sweet. My hands were clean to the tip of my nails, and there was no dirt stuck under them.

This was like a dream.

No, I couldn’t even have dreamed about a life like this.

Lord Kyros was doing so much for me. And I knew I shouldn’t think that—I really, really, really knew I shouldn’t—but I was ill at ease. There was a dull ache in my stomach that just wouldn’t go away. Every day, I felt as though it was growing larger, and I was starting to fear that, one day, it would tear a hole inside of me and engulf me entirely.

“I can’t sleep…” A long sigh escaped my lips.

I’m thirsty. I got out of bed and put a shawl around my shoulders before leaving my room quietly. My waiting maids were likely in bed already. The corridor was dark, with small gas lamps dimly illuminating the corners.

I’d walked around the mansion many times already, and I remembered its structure. I made my way toward the first floor. I’d get some water, stop thinking about negative things, and go back to bed. I had to fall asleep quickly. Tomorrow, my waiting maids would come to wake me up in the morning, and they’d surely think that I hadn’t been raised properly if I couldn’t wake up on time.

Relying on the faint light, I finally reached the dining room on the ground floor.

What if it’s locked?! I worried, as I walked up to the door. Thankfully, my worries were unfounded. The door was cracked open, and there was light inside.

A man suddenly spoke up. “Marie?”

It was Lord Kyros.

Chapter 4: I’ve Found What I Like

Chapter 4:
I’ve Found What I Like

 

MY FIANCÉ, WHOM I WAS SEEING FOR THE first time in four days, was sitting on a chair. He rested his chin on his hand and looked at me. He was wearing simple clothes—loungewear, I assumed. He usually gave the impression he was very thin because he was so tall, but I was surprised by the thickness of his wrists peeking out of his sleeves.

Under the light of the candlesticks, his sharp, masculine features and his green eyes stood out even more than usual. His thick black eyelashes quivered as he blinked slowly, and his gaze seemed rather fond.

“It’s been four days since we last saw one another, hasn’t it?” he said with a hint of wonder in his voice. “I almost couldn’t recognize you. You’ve become even prettier.”

“I’m most thankful for your words. Allow me to extend my gratitude for the kind treatment you’ve given me, Count Granado,” I said, bowing low.

The count remained silent for a few seconds before mumbling, “I told you not to refer to me by my family name and title.”

“S-sorry! You did mention that.”

“You can just call me Kyros. We’re engaged, after all.”

“Y-yes. Um… Lord Kyros, what are you doing here so late at night?”

He picked up the small glass in front of him and shook it in reply. Was that alcohol? No, it was likely tea. I could smell the fragrant aroma of the tea leaves wafting through the air. He must have finished his work not too long ago and decided to have some tea before heading to bed.

“Work kept me busy, and I ended up missing dinner,” he said. “I wanted to eat a little something before going to bed. What about you, Marie?”

“I…couldn’t fall asleep.”

“I see. Come sit with me, then.”

I let out a weird gasp despite myself. A look of confusion flashed across his face as I hurried around the table and sat diagonally across from him. I couldn’t bring myself to do otherwise! The table was meant to sit twenty people or so. Sitting right across him felt wrong, but sitting next to him would be even worse!

Lord Kyros stood up and walked around the table too. Then he sat back down, right next to me. He reached for his glass and started drinking the rest of his tea nonchalantly.

Huh?!

“Mio will be back soon. Wait until she gets back. The tea she brews is a lot better than mine.” His low, tender voice went straight into my right ear, and it started feeling ticklish.

Whoa… His voice is so masculine…and so close! I wasn’t usually so overly aware of the opposite gender, but this was the middle of the night, I was wearing nothing but my nightgown, and we were so close… I didn’t know how to interact with him.

I glanced at Kyros, but as soon as his green eyes ­entered my field of vision, I looked away.

“Wh-where did Mio go, anyway?” I asked with my face still turned away from him.

“To the kitchen,” he replied. “She went looking for a late-night snack for me and—oh, speak of the devil.”

Mio appeared at the other end of the dining room, a candlestick in hand. The sight of the ever-expressionless chamberlain brought me endless relief.

Perhaps she’d heard me speak, because she didn’t seem surprised to see me here in the slightest. In fact, Lord Kyros and I were the surprised ones, because behind Mio was Toppo, the head chef. He was walking right behind her, and I wondered if he thought he was hidden. The man was three times as wide as the slender Mio, so we could see most of him.

“You’re still awake, Toppo?” Lord Kyros asked.

“Yes, young master. Welcome back. Toppo has brought you a meal.” And sure enough, Toppo set down a plate on the table. He lifted the cloche covering it, and a peculiar aroma wafted through the air.

“Oh! Chicken and mochi potatoes soup! It looks delicious!” Lord Kyros observed enthusiastically before turning to me. “Have you ever had coriander, Marie?”

“No… Is that a foreign ingredient?”

“It’s an aromatic herb with a rather strong taste. If you like it, you’ll get hooked, though. You should try it! Toppo, bring Marie a plate.”

“Of course.”

Toppo shrugged and went back to the kitchen before coming back with another plate. I lifted my head and looked up at him. I was about to thank him when he said, “Toppo isn’t sure it’ll suit your palate, but here, madam.”

Somehow, his tone wasn’t as pleasant as when he spoke to Lord Kyros, and I found myself unable to reply. I just nodded.

The fragrant vapor that rose from the hot broth aroused my appetite. I picked up my spoon and had a taste. “Whoa! It’s so good!”

There was no other seasoning beyond salt, and the broth was almost completely transparent, but the flavor was so rich. The herb Lord Kyros had mentioned made for a wonderful accent, and as for that light flavor I could taste… Oh, it had to be olive oil. The springy texture of the potatoes was also nice.

I wasn’t particularly hungry, but I couldn’t stop taking in spoonfuls. Warmth spread through my belly as my ­appetite was stimulated with every successive bite. I’d been given a pretty large serving, yet I devoured half of it in the blink of an eye.

“Do you… Do you like it?” Toppo asked.

I nodded enthusiastically. “It’s delicious!”

“Really? Well, that’s great.”

“I’m glad you like it. I love this soup too,” Lord Kyros said, digging in. “Toppo is the only one who can make it this way, though. I don’t know much about cooking, but whenever I order chicken and mochi potatoes soup outside, it just doesn’t taste right.”

“The chef’s sensibilities might come out more because it’s such a simple dish,” I suggested.

“Well, it’s also true for most dishes. Toppo’s cooking is generally the best. I’ve eaten at the royal palace several times, but their chefs don’t come close,” Lord Kyros declared resolutely.

Needless to say, I’d never sampled the cuisine of the royal palace and couldn’t compare the two, but I knew for a fact I couldn’t cook like Toppo, no matter how much I tried, so I nodded. “I agree. The dishes served in this castle are always delicious—every one of them.”

I’d just finished my plate and put down my spoon when Toppo cleared his throat and declared, “You don’t need to bother with flattery just because the young master is here.”

“H-huh?!” I blurted out, astonished.

Toppo turned his back to me. He didn’t walk away, but his head hung low, and I could see his shoulders shaking. He shot several glances at me, while mumbling, “You always leave so much on your plate. And you never tell Toppo what’s wrong with the food. Toppo has changed the way he does things, the ingredients he uses, but that hasn’t changed a thing!”

“I-I—”

“It’s all right. Toppo’s stupid pride doesn’t matter,” he continued. “The young master told Toppo he was the best cook in the country many times, but Toppo knows not to believe that. So what if the chef of a baron’s house is better than Toppo? Toppo may be frustrated, but he won’t hold a grudge.”

“What—”

“But would you please think of the ingredients?!” Toppo interrupted me once more. “The animals and the vegetables…they’re all living beings! We take their lives to eat, yet you throw them away! Ah… How sad…”

“Excuse me, hello?! May I just say something? I haven’t been leaving leftovers because I didn’t like the food!” I finally managed to scream.

Toppo turned around with a shocked expression. The poor man had tears in his eyes. How in the world did I get misunderstood so badly?! “In fact, I’ve been thinking the same thing as you this entire time! I feel terrible about wasting so much food!”

“B-but…”

Toppo looked at me, then at Lord Kyros, and then at Mio. When Mio stared pointedly at the count, all of our gazes turned to him.

“I didn’t know what you liked, so I ordered you be served a bit of everything,” he said, looking at me. “I wanted you to pick the dishes you liked best so that you wouldn’t be served what you didn’t like again. Marie, did you not tell Mio what your preferences were?”

“Well, I…”

“Lady Marie said she thought they were all delicious,” Mio answered. “I actually hoped to discuss this with you today. Lady Marie isn’t the type of person to assert her likes and dislikes so easily, so your plan of presenting her with a ton of options and waiting to see what sticks has been a failure. It hasn’t worked with food, and it certainly won’t work with dresses either.”

“Is that true, Marie?” Lord Kyros asked with a dejected tone.

I shook my head. Mio was correct that I wasn’t good at asserting myself, but that wasn’t what had happened. “The dishes Mr. Toppo makes are all delicious. There was not a single one I disliked. In fact, I loved every single one of them!”

“Madam…” Toppo looked at me in shock. “Do you mean that?”

“Of course, I do. I just could not physically eat that much, that’s all.”

Toppo started at me in a daze for a few moments. His charming eyes were open wide and, before long, tears started pouring down from them.

“M-Mr. Toppo?!”

“Toppo is so glad… Toppo had no idea… Toppo is beyond moved! You truly like Toppo’s food, don’t you? Ah! How glad Toppo is!” He burst into tears.

Oh no! This was my first time seeing anyone other than my younger brother crying, and I didn’t know what to do. Is this my fault? Should I say something?!

At a loss, I turned to Mio. Unsurprisingly enough, she was still as expressionless as ever. “I’ll go prepare tea,” she declared before walking off to the kitchen.

I turned back to Toppo and saw that Lord Kyros was patting his head gently. He didn’t seem the slightest bit surprised by his chef’s effusive sobbing.

“Don’t worry, Marie. Toppo is always quick to cry,” he said.

I-is that so…?

Toppo’s tears continued to flow unabated, and the two of us took turns trying to calm him down. When his tears finally ran dry, he stood up and smiled brightly.

“Toppo is truly glad! Now that this is settled, allow Toppo to bring you your dessert! Your devoted Toppo has baked an apple pie for you! Five apples, lots of butter, and a little whipped cream for the topping. It’s the perfect amount of sweetness for a before-bed snack!”

Huh? I watched with astonishment as Toppo happily skipped to the kitchen.

A wry smile crept over Lord Kyros’s face. “You see, he eats so much he probably couldn’t fathom someone struggling to finish their food.”

“I-I’m actually full at the moment too. I don’t think I can handle dessert…”

“It’s all right, Marie. I’m sure he understands you have a small appetite now.”

I had a feeling I didn’t eat little enough to warrant that comment, but I couldn’t focus on that because I was confused. F-five apples? And what in the world is a before-bed snack?

I was still pondering over that when Toppo returned. He put the freshly baked apple pie on the table with a thud.

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I-it’s big!

Lord Kyros didn’t seem to mind the size, and he happily watched Toppo cut it. He accepted the piece he was given and immediately sunk his fork into it.

He had a big bite and said, “It’s good. You should definitely try it, Marie—ah, tomorrow is fine, of course.” Then he continued eating his slice.

I watched him blankly. Unlike me, Lord Kyros had missed dinner, so it was only natural he was hungry. But the spectacle unfolding in front of my eyes was so odd.

“You…like sweets?” I asked.

He replied with a question of his own. “Is there anyone alive who hates them?”

“Well, my father always drinks alcohol and never touches anything sweet. I don’t know if it’s true, but he says all men are like him.”

“I see. Truth be told, I’ve never really asked other men for their thoughts on the matter,” Lord Kyros replied. “The people of this castle and my friends all like sweets, so I’ve always assumed everyone did.”

“Toppo loves the sweets Toppo makes,” Toppo said, cutting the rest of the pie into pieces.

I started panicking and was about to insist I really couldn’t eat anything more when Toppo picked up the large plate with all the slices and left.

“…Where did he go?” I asked.

“He probably went back to his room,” Lord Kyros said. “He was just sharing a bit of his own ‘before-bed snack’ with me.”

Oh.

“He’ll probably leave a slice for you—or bake you another pie tomorrow. Either way, you don’t need to worry. You’ll get to try it too.”

I wasn’t particularly worried…

In any case, the door that led to the kitchen opened once again, and Mio returned. She carried two large trays, one in each hand.

Didn’t she say she’d go make tea?

“You took your sweet time,” Lord Kyros said. “I’m already done with dessert.”

“I’m sorry. I was making myself dinner,” she said, setting down the tray she’d been holding in her right hand. It was so heavy the table shook a little.

On it was a large plate with a gigantic omelet rice. It was even bigger than the apple pie.

“You should have just eaten with me earlier,” Lord Kyros said.

“There wasn’t enough to settle my stomach. Look, I’ve brought you some nice tea to make it up to you.”

“Oh? Ah, I see, you picked that one,” Lord Kyros said with a smirk.

I stared at the peculiar object on Mio’s other tray. It was most likely a teapot, but it looked very strange, like two teapots stacked upon one another.

“This is a caydanlik, a type of teapot from the Republic of Ypsandros. Even the poorest families have one of these at home,” Lord Kyros explained.

I titled my head in confusion and asked, “In Ypsandros, tea is more or less considered to be medicine, right? Don’t people drink coffee for pleasure?”

“Your information is a little outdated,” he replied. “After the war, the areas where coffee beans are produced passed under Diltsian dominion. With the taxes the kingdom implemented, the price of coffee rose so much that tea took over. The Ypsandrian make it in a unique way, though.”

While Lord Kyros was talking, Mio picked up her omelet rice and left, whispering a quiet “Take your time” on her way out.

W-wait… It’s just the two of us now!

I started to panic, but Lord Kyros didn’t seem to notice one bit as he continued his explanation about the double kettle. “The bottom kettle comes in contact with the heat—that’s where the water boils. Then, that heat indirectly warms up the upper teapot that holds the tea leaves. Since they get steamed slowly, their taste is more distinct.”

I hummed as I listened with interest.

“After a while, you add hot water to the upper teapot as well and wait some more. That process results in very strong tea, so you usually dilute it with hot water before drinking it. The method is quite different from the way people brew tea in the kingdom, but I assure you, it’s delicious.”

“You can use a method like this to adjust the strength of the flavor to suit people’s tastes individually,” I noted.

“Exactly. That fact makes it a technique very well suited for hosting guests. The Ypsandrians love socializing, you see. It can lead to interesting encounters. You can be out shopping and the shopkeeper will invite you to tea, or locals might say ‘I’ve never seen you around, come by my house.’ One thing is for certain: You never get to walk around quietly.”

This was my first time hearing about any of this. The books I’d read were sounding outdated. Besides, most of them were history and geography books; they didn’t talk much about the daily lives of the Ypsandrians. These were the sorts of things you’d never learn unless you actually went there.

So this tea is from Ypsandros, huh? I’m curious now.

I excitedly watched Lord Kyros pick up the upper pot and pour water from the bottom pot into it. Then, he stacked them once more and sat back down. I was confused for a second, but quickly remembered what he’d just said: We had to wait some more for it to steep.

I wonder how long it takes.

I hadn’t voiced my question, but the count read right through me. “It takes about as long as the time one would spend eating a light meal.”

In other words, quite a bit of time.

“I take it people usually start steeping the tea before they eat?”

“No. They usually sit around the pot and wait.”

“Huh?”

“I told you: The people of Ypsandros love to socialize. I imagine that’s how this way of making tea came to be. You can chat with the people you’re planning on drinking tea with while waiting. You can ask them how strong they like their tea, for instance. It’s a chance to grow closer.”

So the point was to chat…

Lord Kyros and I, chatting? Just the two of us? What should I talk about…?

I was panicking once again, yet Lord Kyros simply gazed at me fondly. He rested his chin in his hand and looked into my eyes.

“Let’s get closer, Marie. I want to listen to what you have to say.” His green eyes gleamed with mischief.

“O-o-okay…” I finally managed to say after needing some time to squeeze the words out. And though I’d finally managed to speak, my voice was weak. It felt as though I was being pulled into the depths of his eyes. I could hardly keep my head straight.

There were twenty chairs around this table, but only the two of us were sitting here. Then there was this strange teapot, and then there was him, my new fiancé.

I had no idea what to talk about, and our surroundings weren’t supplying me any ideas. He’d told me to speak, so I had to speak, but about what? I didn’t even know where to begin. I’d almost never left my parents’ territory. I didn’t know anything about any topics that might interest a count.

The same thoughts sent my mind into a whirlwind until, at long last, Lord Kyros’s deep voice brought me out of it. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I wanted you to be comfortable, but I just put you in an awkward situation instead, didn’t I?” His tone was even, but I could feel a hint of sadness. Was he talking about what’d happened with Toppo?

I shook my head. “It’s hardly your fault. As per your instructions, Mio did tell me not to worry and to only eat what I wanted. It’s just that everything was so good I couldn’t pick! I’m simply too much of a glutton.”

“Mio said my plan hadn’t worked with the dresses either. Isn’t there another reason why you were dissatisfied?”

“N-no! Not at all. Every dress you’ve given me is so beautiful, so lavish—they’re wasted on me, truly.”

Lord Kyros remained silent for a few moments before saying, “Is there something else you’re missing, then? You can ask me for anything. I’m often away because of my work, and I don’t really know what women might need or want…”

“No, I’m fine. You’ve given me more than enough already.”

“What about Hanna and Ilsa?” he asked.

My shoulders stiffened at the mention of their names. Their cold laughter resounded in my mind, but I shook my head.

“They’ve been…taking good care of me,” I said. “They’re the daughters of a family of knights and have worked in the royal palace, right?”

“Yes. I asked a friend of mine in the palace for help. I told him I was looking for humble waiting maids with good upbringings—and most importantly, ones who were loyal. You’re about to become a count’s wife and, even without me, you’re already a noble woman. I instructed them to treat you as befits your stature.”

“As befits my stature…” I repeated.

It all made sense now. They’d simply acted as he’d ordered them to. They were humble and loyal when serving royalty, and when serving me, they…treated me as I deserved.

As the daughter of a poor baron, I was only a noble woman in name. Worse, I was the defective, unwanted daughter of such a family. I’d been bought for a marriage of convenience and dressed up with trinkets that did not belong to me. I was a fake, and Hanna and Ilsa had seen right through that. A girl in tatters pretending to be a countess—I’d forgotten my place, and the two of them had reminded me of it.

They’re right.

As my head drooped, Lord Kyros smiled awkwardly and said, “Your habit to bear with things instead of sharing your problems runs deeper than I expected.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve just arrived in an unfamiliar home. There’s no way you’re not dissatisfied with anything at all. Everyone has likes and dislikes, Marie.”

“B-but, everyone has been treating me very well, and—”

“Just because people are trying to treat you well doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be delighted by everything,” he countered.

I was so shocked by the statement that I lifted my head, only to find his green eyes looking directly into mine. They were practically sparkling.

“Sometimes, people have good intentions, but their kindness is misplaced,” he explained slowly. Kindly. “That can happen even with close family members. There’s only so much you can do if you try to guess what the other person might want. In these cases, the best anyone can do is be honest about what makes them happy or not.”

“But…if you tried to make someone happy and they weren’t, wouldn’t it make you sad?”

“Of course. But I’d regret making the person I was trying to treat well sad a lot more, Marie.”

He hadn’t said it outright, but he was sad at this very moment. His eyes told me so, and that fact made my heart ache.

“I’m sorry…” I said, looking down once more.

I thought I heard a sigh.

“I’ve gone and made you apologize again,” Lord Kyros said. “Is my face that scary?”

“Huh?!”

Once again, I was so shocked that my head darted upward to look at him. The face he was making wasn’t the one I’d been expecting. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed to be at a complete loss.

Scary? I didn’t think he was scary at all. To me, he looked like a sulking child who’d just been scolded. Seeing a man with such a handsome face looking like this was downright comical to me, so I smiled despite myself, then quickly covered my mouth with my hand.

“Y-you’re not scary,” I said. “I just say sorry all the time. I’m sorry I have such a hab—oh, no! I said it again! Please, don’t mind me…”

Lord Kyros still looked helpless, and I started feeling terrible. This wasn’t what I wanted. I was trying to be considerate, but all I’d achieved was making him sad. It was exactly like he’d said: I regretted my decisions and felt incredibly sad. I didn’t want Lord Kyros to feel this way, nor did I want the people of the castle to either.

What do I do? I should have said something else… But what? “I’m okay”? “I can bear it”? “I’ll be fine”?

I knew that wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but I didn’t know what was.

I’d meant it when I said that Toppo’s cooking was delicious and that the dresses were beautiful. I wasn’t picky, and I didn’t have likes and dislikes. There hadn’t been anything I’d hated. Or rather, I’d had no idea how to pick what I’d liked.

As far as I could remember, I’d never been given choices. All I’d ever known was things I had to do and things I couldn’t do. I did the work I was ordered to, ate what scraps I could find, and wore what clothes I was given. And, well, I’d been convinced it was enough. I was convinced I’d always had everything I’d needed.

Have I been wrong all this time?

Lord Kyros stared at me intently for a while before asking once again, in that soft, deep voice of his, “Is there anything you’re missing? I’ll give you anything you wish for, Marie.”

Given the way I’d been feeling lately, I was all but certain I must be missing something, but I didn’t know what exactly it was. It had to be something I didn’t know—something I’d never experienced.

Ever since I was born… I’ve never…

Lord Kyros watched me for a few moments, at a loss for words. Then, he opened the upper teapot and looked inside while humming.

“Still needs some time,” he said. “You have to let it steep long enough for it to turn bitter and then dilute it. If we don’t find some way to pass the time for a little longer, we won’t get to enjoy good tea. So, Marie, what should we do?”

He changed the topic for my sake. I felt the tension leave my body. I was very thankful.

“I’d like to talk about something fun,” I replied.

Lord Kyros smiled. He sat back, crossed his arms, and looked at me. “That sounds good,” he said. “Let’s do that. Do you have any questions?”

“Hmm… So… Hmm…” Yet again, I was drawing blanks.

“All right, I’ll ask the questions,” he offered. “What did you do when you had free time at home?”

“Well, I climbed on the roof and scratched the soot off the chimney. I usually mixed it with poultry manure to make fertilizer.”

“Okay… And what did you like to do with your friends? There are beautiful rivers in the Chandelan territory, aren’t there? Did you play in the rivers? What kinds of games did you prefer?”

“The water of the rivers is for farming, and our house was responsible for managing them. Whenever the villagers called for me, I’d go fix the water wheels or clear the trash. I also arranged for workers to mill the flour and other such tasks.”

Lord Kyros furrowed his brow again.

Aaaaah! I screamed inwardly. I did it again! These weren’t the sorts of things we were supposed to be talking about! This had been meant to be a fun conversation! I started searching frantically for another topic.

All right… Something fun, think of something fun… But try as I might, I couldn’t recall a single fun thing from my life at the Chandelan estate.

“Don’t force yourself, Marie. These things take time. We’ll go at your pace.”

I had a feeling I heard the count’s voice, but I was so panicked that none of it registered. Something fun… I just have to find one thing… I started reviewing all of my memories, year by year. I can’t believe this! Why can’t I find a single thing to bring up?

Seventeen, fifteen, twelve, ten, six…

The young Anastasia of my memories had a bubbly laugh, and when she smiled, you could see she was missing a few baby teeth. Back then, she was still taller than me. She pulled me by the hand and ran around, giggling.

“Marie, Marie, what game should we play?”

At long last, I gasped and shouted, “Lord Kyros! Word chain! Let’s play word chain!”

Though I’d only just finished speaking, I already regretted saying it. Word chain? Seriously?

I was talking to a twenty-four-year-old man—a count, the son of a duke at that, who frequently visited the royal palace and had built a fortune through international trade! What was I thinking, trying to make such an important man play word chain?

Sure enough, his eyes widened in surprise. “Word chain? As in the children’s game?”

Yes, exactly, the children’s game! I’m so sorry! My life had been so uninteresting that the only fun thing I could think to do was playing word chain.

As I fell into the depths of despair, Lord Kyros rested his chin on his hand. “Isn’t this game only fun for children because they have limited vocabulary? We know too many words for it to make much sense, don’t we?”

You’re completely correct, my lord. I’m so, so, so sorry.

“To make it interesting at our age, we need some adjustments,” he continued. “How about forbidding some letters? Or only allowing words longer than ten letters?”

Huh? I lifted my head.

Lord Kyros looked very serious as he muttered to himself. He seemed to be in deep thought. “I suppose the easiest way to challenge ourselves would be to set a theme. We’re likely to lean on the topics we know best, so we should pick a theme we both don’t know much about. But what…? Do you have any ideas, Marie?”

His lordship, the count…is really going to play word chain with me? I couldn’t think of anything, so I absentmindedly replied, “The things you like, Lord Kyros…”

“The things we like? Sure, that’s a nice theme,” he replied with a smile. He clapped once. “All right. So long as you like the thing you choose, anything’s allowed. It can be food, an animal—anything at all. The only thing that matters is that we speak the truth, but I’m sure the honor system will be good enough. Well, then, I’ll start, if it’s all right with you.”

“O-okay, please do.”

“Marie.”

“You’re supposed to start with an A, aren’t you?!” I protested.

Lord Kyros nodded. “That’s a fair point. Apple pie, then.”

Apple pie, huh? I thought back to him happily munching on his slice of apple pie and chuckled. I found my own answer very quickly. “Enthralling Ypsandrian stories.”

Lord Kyros let out an enthusiastic “Oh!” before adding, “Come to think of it, you did mention that the night we met.”

“Yes, I did.” I nodded. It turns out I did have things I liked and fun memories—and very recent ones at that! Why hadn’t I thought of that night sooner? It was my first meeting with him too!

A wave of joy came over me and I felt my cheeks flush red. Lord Kyros also seemed to be in good spirits. He still had his chin resting on his hand as he looked at me. “You should go to the castle’s library,” he said. “There are lots of foreign books there, including books from Ypsandros. I’m sure you’ll find many you like.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“I should focus on the game, shouldn’t I? ‘Stories,’ was it? Well, I love a good scone.”

“Nectar.”

“Erhu, the instrument.”

“It’s Shainese, right? Not that I’ve ever heard its melody,” I said.

“It sounds lovely. It looks delicate at first glance, but it gives a cheerful sound, like an old man humming.”

“An old man humming? What kind of comparison is that?” I laughed. “‘Hu,’ then? Hu…ckleberry.”

“Yule log.”

“Garlic chive.”

“Eclair.”

“Romaine.”

“Another ‘e’? E…ton mess.”

“Sage.”

“Again?! You’re out for blood, Marie!”

“The point is to aim for victory, isn’t it?”

Lord Kyros’s pout was adorable. I was trying my hardest not to laugh, but I lost it with his next reply.

“Egg tart…”

“Ha ha ha! You only go for desserts!”

He didn’t seem to have noticed until I told him, and he scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed look on his face before arguing, “And you only go for crops!”

“What?! No way! Did I really?”

“You did! I was hoping you’d at least pick flowers or fruits after the berries. I was trying my hardest not to burst out laughing!”

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Apparently, saying it out loud was the last push Lord Kyros needed, and he started cracking up as well. He held his side as he rode out his unstoppable laughter.

I was still giggling too, but I pretended to be angry. “It’s not my fault if flower seeds are expensive! And fruits take a long time to grow! You can use herbs and vegetables for a wide variety of dishes! They’re practical and tasty!”

“Ha ha ha ha! That’s not the issue! Ha ha ha!”

“Stop laughing! We’re not done playing, are we? Wait, where were we again?”

“Tart, so ‘t.’”

“T… T… Tree sparrows!”

“Snack. I like snacks.”

I can’t. I’m going to laugh again! This man just can’t get his mind off food! I couldn’t help but think it was funny to hear a dignified count confidently throw out such simple words. On top of that, we weren’t just playing word chain, we were listing the things we liked—who wouldn’t laugh seeing such a handsome man profess a love of snacking?

Ah, but if I can’t pull myself together, it’ll be the end of the game… I had to find a word that started with “k.” Something I love…

“Kyro—um… K…”

“Hmm?”

I stopped speaking, and Lord Kyros glanced at me. He seemed to be in an excellent mood. “What were you about to say?” he asked. “I have a feeling it might end with an ‘s.’”

“K… Kiss! I was about to say ‘kiss’!”

I thought I’d cleverly gotten myself out of this one, but Lord Kyros grinned. “I see, I see. So, you like kissing.”

Aaaaaah!

“This is getting hard, though,” he continued. “I’m running out of ideas related to food. Let’s say…the sky, then.”

“Y-yam!”

“Marie.”

Aaaaah!!!

I was on the verge of fainting from embarrassment while Lord Kyros laughed. We continued on like this for quite a while, with plenty of embarrassment from me, copious incredulity at my vast assortment of “e” words from Lord Kyros, and oodles of roaring laughter from us both to keep the game going.

The two of us kept the chain going for so long that I completely lost track of time. It was getting late, and we were taking longer and longer to think of the next word, so Lord Kyros eventually concluded the game by calling me by my full name.

“Marie Chandelan.”

The last word I’d used didn’t end with an “m,” so he lost, but he’d clearly done it intentionally.

Just at that moment, Mio walked in. “You’re still at it? I’ve had the time to finish my meal and have seconds. Isn’t your tea cold by now?”

Lord Kyros and I both gasped. He quickly grabbed the upper teapot and poured the tea in a small glass. Apparently, you’d normally fill half of the glass with that, and the other half with hot water. However, the tea had turned so dark—and cold—that half a glass of hot water wasn’t enough to dilute it or warm it up properly. Lord Kyros tried it and frowned immediately.

“It steeped too long… It’s so bitter…” he said.

I was curious, so I asked to try it. He was right, it was horribly bitter.

“I suppose we have no choice but to cheat a little by adding milk and sugar,” he conceded.

He sent Mio to the kitchen, but she only came back with milk. I looked at her, puzzled, and she said with a tone as even as usual, “I’m afraid you’ll overdose on sweetness if I give you any more sugar tonight.”

Lord Kyros and I looked at one another. I had no idea what Mio meant, but he seemed to have understood, and he covered his face with his hands while groaning.

Interlude: I’ll Do Everything in My Power

Interlude:
I’ll Do Everything in My Power

 

I WASHED MY FACE, BRUSHED MY TEETH, AND changed into my nightwear before getting into bed. Next to the pillow on which I rested my head was a long, slim pillow. I grabbed it and hugged it tightly.

“Marie… You’re so cute…” I whispered.

“My lord.”

I yelped and sat up so quickly that I hit my head against one of the pillars of the canopy. “M-Mio! I didn’t know you were here!”

“Well, I was.”

“Couldn’t you have said something?!”

“I just did,” she said, her tone and expression as devoid of emotion as ever.

But this was just how Mio was, and I didn’t feel like arguing anymore. If she’d come to my room, she probably had something to say, so I simply waited for her to speak. Sure enough, after a few moments, she abruptly said, “What did you think? After seeing Lady Marie again for the first time in four days.”

“I love her,” I replied in a heartbeat.

“That’s not exactly what I was asking.”

“She’s so cute… Well, I suppose she’s more the beautiful type than the cute type. She’s so simple and natural, but she has this seductive charm to her, and—”

“That’s not it either. Five days ago, right before you left for work, you told me: ‘Make sure Marie has the finest luxuries. Treat her as she deserves, like the noble lady she is.’”

“I did. It’s clear the baron treated her horribly. I won’t have that happen again.”

I didn’t let it show, but the thought of what she’d endured infuriated me. It was clear as day that the baron had treated his two daughters very differently.

Treating siblings differently was typical in both noble and commoner families alike. The order of their birth, their genders, whether they were legitimate or not—plenty of factors were at play. I was my father’s fourth child, and an illegitimate one at that, but I’d become his heir despite all that simply because I was a man. I personally had a lot to say about that, but I didn’t want to create pointless feuds, so I kept my mouth shut and accepted it as the wisdom of elders even if I didn’t agree with it.

Marie’s situation was different, though. Putting her through all that because she wasn’t good-looking—in her parents’ opinion, that is—was plain bullying.

I wanted to deny it again and again. I wanted Marie to understand that she was beautiful.

Half of my anger sparked from the fact that her parents’ treatment of her was irrational. The other was purely personal.

“Marie didn’t seem to even register my declaration of love. I felt like I was speaking gibberish. She’s so convinced she’s unsightly and undeserving of love that she won’t listen to reason. It’s like adults losing the ability to see fairies.”

“You’re comparing hearing your voice to seeing fairies, now?” Mio regarded me with a raised eyebrow. “I guess I shouldn’t expect any less from you.”

“It was just a metaphor! Anyway, the main issue isn’t that I have unrequited feelings for her. We can focus on that later, but the first order of business is to nurture Marie’s self-confidence.”

Mio sighed. “I agree that would be good, but I don’t think drowning her in luxury is making her happy. In fact, she seems to be doing worse and worse.”

I’d noticed that too, but I couldn’t figure out why.

“It doesn’t seem like she hates pretty dresses and gourmet food, though…”

“She doesn’t. Actually, I’d say her admiration for these things is why she’s struggling so much. She’s convinced it’s all borrowed riches she doesn’t deserve, so all of it just ends up making her feel like she’s acting out of line.”

“Borrowed riches? Marie is the lady of this castle now. My wealth, my servants, and even me myself—everything belongs to her. Why should she hold back?”

Mio looked contrite. She straightened her posture and lowered her head.

“My lord… Ah, my lord… While I was abandoned as a baby, I was lucky enough to be found by a beautiful traveler and raised in a castle. At the moment, I’m allowed to serve as your grand chamberlain, a function that doesn’t befit me. I’m ever grateful to you and your mother for everything you’ve done for me, and I’m greatly indebted you.”

“Huh? What’s up with you all of a sudden? You never say things like that.”

I laughed in advance. I was eager to see what sarcastic punchline would follow this sudden monologue about her life. What I didn’t expect, however, was for her to keep bowing her head and continue this unprecedented train of thought with complete sincerity.

“If I may, the life I’ve led is what allows me to understand Lady Marie’s feelings. After being abused for so long, she must be blinded by the beauty of the sparkling white walls of this castle, yet she’s surely also terrified. Terrified that the magic that was cast on her out of the blue will come undone just as quickly, terrified that the beautiful dress and shoes she’s been given by someone else will disappear before she knows what hit her, terrified that the prince who’s come for her hand by no effort of her own is merely an illusion. Instead of letting that anxiety eat at her, she might find it easier to reject that this is her new reality.”

What?

Mio was confusing me. What magic was she talking about? How could I or my castle disappear overnight? None of that made any sense.

I tilted my head in confusion and stated candidly, “Marie is the daughter of a baron. She’s noble, she’s beautiful, and she has an adorable personality. Liu Liu thinks of you as her own daughter, and I chose you as my grand chamberlain because I’ve never met anyone as competent as you. That’s all there is to this. Your position in this estate is very much real, and there are no miracles or magic at play.”

Mio laughed, which was very unusual for her, and she brought her hand to her mouth to muffle the sound. “You’re right. You’re fine this way, my lord. Keep taking things at face value and accepting them for what they are as you always have.”

“Was that sarcasm?”

“No, I’m praising you. From the bottom of my heart.”

Apparently, she meant it.

I still wasn’t sure what her point was, but that wasn’t anything new. I never understood women. The same went for Marie: I didn’t get her, and the worst part was that I didn’t even understand what it was I didn’t understand.

But what to do, then? I didn’t mind remaining clueless, but I still had to find a way to make her feel better.

Leaving my ulterior motives aside, I wanted Marie to stop worrying. Now that she was a resident of this castle, I wanted her to feel comfortable here.

Mio watched me in silence as I dwelled on the matter. I’d fallen in love with Marie, but she and I hadn’t spent much time together yet. Mio had been by her side longer, and she seemed to understand her better.

I’d hired Hanna and Ilsa purely for Marie’s sake. Marie seemed to have led a difficult life so far, so I wanted her to be able to enjoy the life of a proper noble lady, and I’d figured bringing in two noble ladies as her waiting maids would be a good way to facilitate that.

Besides these two, I’d only chosen people I personally liked to work in the castle. I thought acting like a prim and proper noble was tiring, and my servants were…friendly, to put it nicely. If you wanted to put it more bluntly, you could say they were overly familiar and had no respect for social norms and status.

“Mio, I’ll be away for work starting tomorrow,” I said. “I’ll be as quick as I can, but it’ll still take several days.”

“I understand,” she said. “I know you’re trying your hardest to secure a long break for your engagement ceremony and to enjoy some uninterrupted time with Lady Marie.”

“Yes.” I nodded. “While I’m away, I want you to observe Marie.”

“I will.”

“Oh, and she’s your master while I’m not here. Whatever she asks of you takes priority over my orders.”

“I know. What if she’s not very clear with her wishes, though?”

“I’ll trust your judgment. Try to make her as comfortable as possible—truly comfortable. And pass that directive on to the others.”

“May I review the performance of the rest of the staff myself?”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

“All right. Thank you, my lord.”

I wasn’t sure why, but by the way she thanked me, I could tell she’d really been hoping to get that approval.

“Now that that’s been settled, let’s talk about Marie,” I said, changing the topic.

“Sorry?”

“Today is a day worth commemorating! Marie and I had our first real chat! Don’t you think we should talk about that? What better person to share my excitement with than you, a fellow member of the Marie Appreciation Society?”

“This is the first time I’m hearing of this club of yours,” Mio said, not sounding particularly impressed.

“First, let me tell you about how cute she is. Obviously, every part of her is cute, so that goes without saying, but—”

“Are you sure this talk can’t wait until tomorrow?”

“I’m too excited to sleep.”

“Isn’t that what that body pillow is for?”

“I don’t know what you’re imagining, but no. I got it to sleep better, that’s all.”

“That’s exactly what I meant. What did you imagine?”

I was struck speechless for a moment, but I managed to get a hold of myself. “Stop making fun of me and listen. I promise it won’t take long. So, first, you have to take into consideration that her very existence is adorable.”

“Okay…”

“And, you know, objectively, she’s beautiful.”

“She is. She’s not exactly the type of sweet, cute girl men usually fawn over, but she has nice features. Tunica was also saying she takes well to makeup. She had a lot of fun, trust me.”

“Oh, speaking of makeup, she didn’t have any on earlier, did she?”

“She didn’t. Her hair was down, and she had no dress or accessories either.”

“And yet she sparkled. Her skin is so clear… I thought I was looking at a fairy.”

“She’d make for a very tall fairy.”

“That’s the thing, Mio! At first, I thought she’d be cuter if she was smaller, but I realized I was completely and utterly mistaken.”

“She does have a nice figure. When she wore frumpy clothes, she looked a little bulky, but corsets tighten so easily on her. I’m still in the process of correcting her posture, though.”

“I thought I was looking at a goddess.”

“Oh, that’s a new one.”

“She looked so dignified and cool when she was all dressed up, but…with just her nightgown on, she looked…nice… That was…so nice.”

“And now your vocabulary is degrading. Are you all right, my lord?”

“I could see the lines of her body… And…unexpectedly…she does have…you know…”

“Seriously, are you okay?”

“Of course, her personality is adorable too. She’s smart, but she’s also naive and unfamiliar with the ways of the world. That unbalance makes her so endearing, and it makes me want to protect her. She’s reserved, but she’s brimming with curiosity…and she’s also a good listener! Talking to her is so fun, and I love the way her eyes sparkle when she’s interested in a topic. The way she talks isn’t sophisticated or fake like most nobles, and that only makes it better, right?”

“You sure do have a lot of observations tonight, my lord.”

“And her smile and laughter are as destructive as a ballista.”

“Wow. Quite impressive.”

“How can anyone have these looks and that personality? That has to be a miracle. The synergy amplifies her charm a hundredfold!”

“You’re one to talk.”

“Huh?”

“Nothing, never mind. Are you about done? It is very late, and neither of us will be able to wake up if this keeps up much longer.”

“I only have plans in the evening. I can sleep until midday.”

“Well, I can’t. I have work to do in the morning, so I’ll excuse myself now.”

“I wanted to talk a bit more. This is fun.”

“I’m sure your body pillow would love to listen.”

I sighed. “I’ll never be able to sleep…”

Chapter 5: Wishing for Happiness in the Count’s Castle

Chapter 5:
Wishing for Happiness in the Count’s Castle

 

THIS MORNING, BREAKFAST WAS MADE UP OF freshly baked bread, yogurt, vegetable quiche, and corn soup. As always, the food smelled and tasted wonderful. However, the number of dishes and the portion sizes had been reduced and were now just the right amount for one person.

I looked up at Mio, and she smiled. “Does that seem like a good amount for you?” she asked.

“Yes! I can eat it all!” I beamed. Being happy to have less food seemed almost criminal to me, but I couldn’t help it. I was genuinely happy. “Ah! How delicious!” I said as I dug in.

When I finished everything, I was about 80 percent full—the perfect amount to enjoy the tea Mio served me after the meal. The food here was ever so delectable, and so was the tea. I couldn’t believe tea could taste so good, and I was glad I was in the right condition to enjoy it fully today.

“I hope you don’t mind me sitting next to you,” Mio said, sitting down on the chair next to mine. I gazed at her in confusion, but she simply smiled softly. “I must serve you during your meal, but I can at least keep you company this way for tea.”

I let out a cry of joy. I’d been hoping for this since the day I’d arrived in this castle. I knew that, for nobles, having servants wait upon them while they ate was perfectly normal, but it was very strange for me. I felt bad for being the only one eating, and I was a little lonely sitting alone when someone else was right there, but now I could rejoice. After all this time, I could at last enjoy teatime with Mio!

Since she’d been the one to wake me up this morning instead of Hanna or Ilsa, I asked her if Lord Kyros had already left, and she shook her head.

“No, I’m simply making some changes around here. Those two will serve his lordship now, and I’ll serve you. I felt like this would be a better arrangement for everyone involved.”

I was so relieved. It was only when I felt that weight lift off my shoulders that I realized how badly I’d been feeling about this entire situation with Hanna and Ilsa. Unlike me, Lord Kyros was a true nobleman, so they’d surely love serving him. As Mio had said, all of us would be happier this way.

I’d just had my first sip of tea when Toppo, the head chef, poked his head inside.

“Hello, excuse me! It’s Toppo. Toppo did a very good job with his trial baking, so he brought you some, madam. If you still have a little space in your stomach, would you like to have a taste?”

“I’d love to,” I replied.

Toppo’s sky blue eyes sparkled at my answer, and he came in with his silver tray. I thought it’d be an apple pie, but there were several small plates on it. On each of them was a round, wobbly white pudding-like dessert, roughly the size of a hand.

“What are these?” I asked. “Puddings?”

“They’re blancmange,” Toppo replied enthusiastically. “It’s a type of almond-infused milk pudding. After infusing milk with almond extract over a long time, you add gelatin and fresh cream to give it that jiggly texture.”

“Whoa! It really is very jiggly,” I commented with delight.

“Have some too, Miss Mio!” Toppo said, setting one plate in front of each of us.

Then he put down an additional plate in front of an empty seat and sat down with us. Mio poured him a cup of tea, and the three of us reached for our spoons. The taste of almonds and the sweetness of the milk spread through my mouth with the first bite. It was very flavorful, and it practically melted on my tongue.

How soft…

Next to me, Mio also seemed surprised. “Oh!” she let out.

“It’s deliciou—” I started, but Toppo interrupted me before I could finish my sentence.

“It’s yummyyy! Toppo knew it! Toppo is the best cook in the world!” he cheered. “And the tea is so yummy too!”

“It is,” I agreed. “The tea Mio makes is so delicious, I wish everyone could try it! She’s so good at it!”

“You truly think so?” Mio asked. “I’m not doing anything special; it’s all just what I learned from Madam Liu Liu.”

“It is special!” I insisted.

“You’re an expert, Miss Mio,” Toppo chimed in.

Mio took our praise with an unchanging expression and simply mumbled, “Is that so?”

The small white desserts were gone in the blink of an eye, and Toppo’s eyebrows drooped sadly. “I should have made more… In fact, I’ll go make more! Right now!”

That did sound like the right thing to do. Toppo stood up and was about to dash out of the room when I stopped him.

“Say, Toppo, are you planning on serving this to everyone in the castle once you’re fully satisfied with your recipe?”

“Yes, that was Toppo’s intention,” he replied.

“I think Hanna and Ilsa dislike milk,” I said. “When I added milk to my tea yesterday, they told me I was ruining it.”

“Huh?” Mio grunted, her voice deep and quiet.

“Do you think you could make a version without milk for them?” I asked. “I know that might end up being a very different dessert, but the flavor of the almond is so rich that I thought you might be able to come up with an alternative…”

“Hmm… Okay! Toppo will see what he can do. Toppo never backs down from a challenge! Maybe Toppo could substitute the milk for almond milk and add butter and coconut…” He sat back down, deep in thought.

“Thank you, Toppo!” I’d made an unreasonable request, but he was mulling over it with such seriousness. It was very kind of him, and I hoped everything would work out. I’d feel bad for Hanna and Ilsa if they had to watch everyone else enjoy this dessert without having any for themselves.

“Lady Marie… You’re so—” Mio mumbled quietly, but before she could finish, someone knocked on the door.

Who could it be? I wondered. I sure was having a lot of visitors this morning.

Mio stood up and opened the door. The newcomer was holding a big wooden crate. I could only see him from the eyes up because the box was so big, but I recognized the reddish-brown eyes—it was Thomas, the young gatekeeper.

“Did something happen, Thomas?” Mio asked. “You don’t usually come all the way here.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Mio. And I apologize for coming to your room uninvited so early in the morning, madam. I’ll return to my duties as soon as I’ve given you this.”

“That’s a very big box,” I said. “What is it?”

“A package for you, madam. From House Chandelan.”

Huh?

I extended my arms to accept the package from Thomas when Mio roared, “Thomas! Why did you bring that here?!”

It was my first time hearing her raise her voice, and Thomas and Toppo seemed to be just as stunned. The latter was trembling in fear, while the former dropped the box. It hit his feet, causing him to cry out in agony. The crate toppled sideways, and its contents spilled onto the floor. It had been opened already.

Thomas clutched at his toes with tears in his eyes and whined, “B-b-but, you said I had to get approval from his lordship or a waiting maid to deliver packages from House Chandelan to the madam.”

“If you know that, why did you bring it here?! His lordship is still resting, and I haven’t inspected it either!”

“Huh? B-but the waiting maids said… At first, I just brought the crate to the residence. And then, they opened it and they said I could bring it to the madam, so…”

“What?! Who said that?!”

While Mio and Thomas argued, the contents of the box continued to sprawl across the floor. I crouched and started picking things up. Toppo crouched next to me to help me, but he squealed.

“H-how dirty! It’s all trash! Don’t touch that, madam!”

I shook my head. If I didn’t clean up, Thomas might step on something and fall. Besides, these were my things: my dirty work gloves, the quill pen I’d used for so long it was crooked, my half-empty ink bottle, my moldy dust cloth, the old diary in which I wrote down my to-do lists, and my book so old its binding had rotted. I’d retied the pages of The Tattered Red Cat together myself, and I’d always kept it preciously safe in the drawer of my desk, but it had been shoved into this box with the rest of my things which such little care that the hundred pages had come apart. Some had ripped, while others were all crumpled.

At the bottom of the pile of things was the tattered work dress I used to wear every day. It had once been pristine white, but it had turned pitch-black from years of staining it with soot, grease, and mud. I’d patched it countless times, yet it was still riddled with holes.

“Lady Marie!” Mio shouted, grabbing the dress right before I could touch it.

A small card fell to the floor; it seemed to have been wrapped in the dress. I didn’t even need to pick it up to read it because it’d fallen with the right side facing up.

Congratulations on your engagement. You forgot the things you’ll need to work at the count’s castle.

This was my mother’s handwriting.

Suddenly, I heard feminine voices snickering; I could make out two of them. Mio threw my dress to the floor and rushed to the corridor. Before I could count to three, the snickering stopped, and I heard screams instead.

In between the door and me was Thomas, who was still crouching down fearfully. He looked at me, then outside the room, in utter confusion.

“I-I-I’m so sorry! I messed up, didn’t I?” he asked, panic in his voice. “And what’s with that crate? Why was it filled with trash?”

“Madam, please don’t worry about the mess,” Toppo said. “Toppo will clean it all up. We’ll put it all in Toppo’s furnace and let it burn until only the ashes are left.”

“Good idea. Throw these two in the fire while you’re at it,” Mio said, dragging Hanna and Ilsa into the room with her.

Her hold on them seemed to be very strong, and they whined in pain. Mio unceremoniously threw them to the floor. While her eyes were usually a clear blue resembling a placid lake, they were presently burning with rage so fierce I could’ve sworn her irises had been dyed crimson.

“What are you doing? It hurts!” Hanna complained.

“Don’t you know who we are?” Ilsa added. “You’re just some waiting maid! Know your place!”

Except for the storm in her eyes, Mio’s expression was perfectly blank—no trace of anger, and no smile either.

“The two of you are waiting maids. I’m the grand chamberlain of this castle,” she replied indifferently.

“That doesn’t matter! We used to serve the third-eldest prince, in the royal palace! Now we serve the richest man of the kingdom—a future duke!”

“And I’m that future duke’s grand chamberlain,” Mio said.

“You just got the job because you’ve been here for ages. We, on the other hand, have been personally handpicked by the count. He even decided to have us serve him personally from now on while you have to pick up after the stupid daughter of some poor baron!”

“I made that call.”

Neither Hanna nor Ilsa seemed to have any interest in listening to Mio, and they started laughing without drawing the logical conclusions that should have followed her statement.

“What a pitiful woman, don’t you think, Hanna? I’ve heard rumors, you know. They she’s a bastard that barbarian duchess had with a customer back when she was just a whore! The only reason she’s here now is that she was along for the ride when the duke married his concubine!”

“Oh my! That’s even worse than I thought. And here I thought the duchess had just plucked some pitiful orphan girl off the side of the road!”

“Who knows? Either way, she’s just some dirty commoner with no family name. She never should have been allowed to become a waiting maid.”

“You’re completely right, Ilsa! Her life simply doesn’t carry the same worth as ours.”

Hanna and Ilsa were still sitting on the floor, their mouths wide open as they laughed incredibly loudly. Mio glared down at them, her posture perfectly straight. She didn’t move, but I noticed the corners of her mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.

“I see… The two of you are a lot stupider than I thought.”

“Wh-what?!” Ilsa screamed, raising her hand to strike Mio.

Wait! You’re going to get hurt! I thought, but I didn’t have the time to stop her.

Ilsa’s body spun in the air, and she hit the ground with a loud thud. She let out a pained croak like a frog being crushed before falling completely silent. Hanna goggled and her mouth went agape as she watched the scene unfold.

“I’ll take care of you too while I’m at it,” Mio said, picking Hanna up and hurling her into the corridor.

My room, which had been very lively moments prior, was now oddly quiet.

Mio bowed to me lower than she ever had before and apologized. She told me this was her fault for failing to supervise the servants under her care. Then she assured me she’d have everything cleaned up as soon as possible and provide me with new things if I needed them. Last, but the not least, she informed me she was going to “knock the lord awake.”

Thomas and Toppo, who seemed to finally understand what was going on, tried their best to comfort me. Toppo told me he’d bake me more sweets, while Thomas started singing a song from his birthplace. Apparently, people sang it to uplift others when they felt sad.

They didn’t need to worry, though. “Don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine,” I said with a smile. This time, I wasn’t forcing myself at all. “And Mio, you don’t need to apologize. Actually, I have a request.”

“Of course, my lady. Anything you want.”

“Could you lend me scissors, a needle, and some thread? I’ve come up with a good idea.”

Everyone stared at me with confusion. They all looked so funny that I laughed despite myself.

 

In the mornings, Johan watered the flowers, and in the evenings, he went around weeding. During the afternoon, he took care of the vegetable garden. Such was Johan’s daily life in a nutshell.

Naturally, he didn’t do everything alone, but I still thought that he was remarkably hardworking for coordinating everyone else and making sure the vast garden of the estate remained in good condition.

I spotted him, his rounded back curled over as he observed the new sprouts, and I called out to him.

He turned around and seemed very surprised to see me.

“M-madam?! What brings you here?”

“You told me you’d show me around the vegetable garden, did you not? I really, really want to see it.”

After playing that game with Lord Kyros last night, I’d realized there were things I like—namely, I loved growing vegetables, and I loved eating them. I’d always thought I was only eating vegetables for every meal because vegetable scraps were all that remained of everyone else’s meals and because our house had been too poor for me to afford anything else, but actually, that wasn’t quite it. At the end of the day, I just genuinely liked vegetables. I liked eating them, and I liked getting them to grow with my own two hands. I even liked getting my hands dirty in the process of tending to the plants.

I was starting to realize that all that time, I’d actually only been using selling vegetables as an excuse to spend more time gardening. But since I was completely self-taught, I’d never been very good at it, and always produced terrible yields. All things considered, it seemed reasonable enough to think I’d persisted in spite of my failures due to all the fun I was having!

Since I’d always felt forced to keep myself busy, I’d never noticed that aspect of my personality. However, being made to refrain from my duties had finally brought me some clarity.

There really are things I love!

As I approached the field, Johan started panicking. “Madam! Please be careful! I just watered, so your hands and your shoes will get dirty!”

I laughed softly and pointed at my feet. “It’s fine.”

I wasn’t wearing a fancy dress, but rather comfortable loungewear with a short hem. I had rolled up my sleeves and was wearing used work gloves. From the knees down, I also had the perfect barricade against dirt: bands of old fabric rolled around in the shape of long socks. They covered my shoes too.

“I’ve dressed for the occasion, so it’s perfectly all right if I get dirty. Besides, these things belong to me, not to the castle, so there won’t be an issue even if I damage them.”

Johan squinted, but after seeing me take a few steps out onto the soil, he gave up. He let out a long breath and said, “If you were just worried about dirtying your fine clothes, you could have said so. I could have given you as many pairs of shoes we servants use as you like.”

“Ah! That’s a good point. I could have simply asked for some!”

“Please let us know what you need, madam,” he said, then shrugged. “Oh well, it all worked out either way. Come, follow me. I was about to get started on the eggplants. There are blossoms to trim.”

“I’m fairly good at growing eggplants! May I help you?”

“Oh? Let’s see what you can do, then,” Johan said, turning to me. His suntanned face wrinkled and his abundant gray beard and mustache shook as he laughed.

“I’m sorry if I sounded rude,” Johan told me.

As a refugee from the Banderi states, his Diltsian was sometimes a little clumsy. He had also never learned how to speak in the mild, pleasant way nobles liked so much. He’d worked under several houses before coming here, but no matter how well he’d done his job, people always ridiculed him. Sometimes, they’d even subjected him to harsh criticism for no reason at all. Apparently, he’d once been fired because his employer was convinced that he was liable to steal from them or attack their daughter. Needless to say, Johan himself had no idea why he’d even been accused of such things.

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“I know I give off that impression,” he continued, “so I don’t blame that girl and her parents for being scared of me. What I’m trying to say is: I don’t want to bring you trouble.”

Now that he wasn’t trying so hard to be polite, he was very nice. His voice was deep, and a little hoarse, but it was warm and gentle—just as gentle as his hands whenever he touched flowers.

“What do you mean by trouble?” I asked while I worked to harvest some nearby green beets.

“You’re gonna become the countess, aren’t you? You shouldn’t be talking to servants like me. Nobles hate that. That young girl who got me fired made a lot more sense than you if you ask me.”

“Why should I hate speaking with you? This beautiful garden only exists because of you, and you’re also the reason why we get to eat such fresh, delicious vegetables.”

“I’m still just a servant.”

“Your presence is indispensable here,” I said with a smile. “Besides, we live under the same roof. We’re pretty much family, aren’t we?”

At my words, Johan opened his eyes so wide, the deep-set wrinkles between his eyebrows almost disappeared. When I saw his reaction, I realized I was being very presumptuous.

I have only been here a few days, and I haven’t even become Lord Kyros’s fiancée in a truly official capacity… I don’t have the right to call myself his family, do I?

Johan laughed. “You sound just like our lord.”

Just then, I heard someone calling my name in the distance. I poked my head over the hedge and saw Mio, Thomas, and Lord Kyros. It didn’t make sense to wait for them to step onto the soil, so I walked to them instead.

“Sorry! I was so engrossed in gardening that I forgot how late it was,” I said. “Is it already time for you to leave, Lord Kyros?”

“Huh? Oh… Hmm… Yes,” Lord Kyros replied absent-mindedly.

“His lordship, the lord of this great castle, stayed up all night, so he’s still half asleep,” Mio supplied.

“Oh my, you had to stay up all night? You must be so busy.”

“Yeah…”

I felt bad for him. Being in his shoes had to be very difficult. He was in full formal dress, but his green eyes were struggling to stay open.

His work must be hard… I wish I could help him somehow.

For some reason, Mio looked exasperated.

“I’ll go load your luggage in the carriage, my lord!” Thomas declared with a smile before running off. He waved at me with his right hand. With his left, he was holding the backs of Hanna and Ilsa’s collars.

Lord Kyros, still half-asleep, blinked in confusion. “My luggage?”

“You’re headed to the royal palace for a banquet, aren’t you?” Mio said. “Please give these two back to their original master.”

“Ah… All right,” he replied drowsily.

“Luggage?! Did you just call us luggage?! We came here at the behest of the count!” Hanna shrieked.

“She’s right! He’ll make us his concubines one day and—aaah! What do you think you’re doing?! Unhand me this instant!”

Thomas picked up the squawking waiting maids and threw each of them over his respective shoulders.

Whoa! He’s not the gatekeeper for nothing! Thomas is always so mild-mannered, but he’s so strong! How cool!

I got so excited that I ended up clapping. Hanna and Ilsa, on the other hand, were flabbergasted, and they glared at me. I could see the contempt and animosity in their eyes.

“Don’t get carried away, you broke country bumpkin! You’re just merchandise the count bought!” Ilsa yelled.

“You’ll never be a true countess!” Hanna added. “He only brought you here for duty—and to replace your dead sister at that! Everyone knows the younger daughter of House Chandelan is a total loser!”

“And everyone will laugh at the count for getting the short end of the stick! Aren’t you ashamed to cast such ridicule upon his name? Have some decency and go back to where you came from, you ugly wench!”

Ah…

Their abusive taunts didn’t shock me. I knew it all already. I was well aware I was ugly, that I was only here to replace Anastasia, and that this was a marriage of convenience. Hearing the truth didn’t hurt me, as I’d lived with it since I was born. One part did feel like a stab to the heart, though.

Lord Kyros will be mocked…because of me?

“Enough! How can you two say such things?!” Thomas shouted. He started walking away, but Lord Kyros grabbed his arm, stopping him. His green eyes honed in on the two waiting maids.

“How?” he asked them.

“Huh…?” Ilsa gawked at him.

“Make it clear to me. How is Marie ugly?”

“A-ah… W-well… Um…” Hanna stammered.

“You mentioned her house and how she’s ‘broke,’ but your house’s fame and fortune don’t belong to you either. Is there any way—any way at all—in which the two of you are personally better than Marie? Do you think you’re more beautiful? Smarter? Nobler? Kinder? Don’t make me laugh. Actually, do the two of you even have a single positive quality between you? Please, enlighten me, because from where I’m standing, there doesn’t seem to be a single thing I could ever come to love about either of you.”

Hanna and Ilsa gasped. They were so shocked that they didn’t manage even a word in reply. They just went limp and let Thomas carry them away without another word.

I heard someone chuckle. It was Johan. As for Mio, her face was as blank as always, as though what had just happened was nothing out of the ordinary.

Lord Kyros grinned before letting out a weak, “Ah, I’m so sleepy…” and yawning. Then, he snapped off a vine and walked up to me. His eyes practically glittered as he looked at me.

“Lord Kyros?”

“Marie,” he whispered. His voice was so sweet it startled me.

“Y-yes? What is it?”

His hands caressed my cheeks, and he let his fingers run up the sides of my face and behind my ears.

Huh?! What?! I let out a surprised yelp. However, his hands were gone as quickly as they’d come.

He took a good look at my face and smiled. “It suits you.”

“H-huh?”

“Red and green—those two colors are opposite, and that’s why they complement one another so well. It looks great.”

That was when I noticed that he’d put the vine in my hair.

“You’re beautiful, Marie.”

As he whispered my name, his finger brushed against my lips for a fleeting moment. Then he lifted my head upward and leaned in.

W-wait! I-is he…

Mio cleared her throat, making me jump. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but you’ve gone way over the time limit,” she said, then turned to Lord Kyros. “You shouldn’t have woken up so late.”

“Ah… Wait—”

“Of course, I could have given you a couple more seconds, but I had a feeling that wouldn’t have been enough. Besides, considering the situation, don’t you think you should leave that for another day?”

“Well…” Lord Kyros said.

Now that Mio had given me a chance to think of my current state of dress—lounge wear, rolled-up sleeves, dirty gloves, and makeshift socks—I was inclined to agree with her. Not to mention the light makeup I’d put on to prevent sunburns had most likely turned into a mess because of the sweat.

Johan seemed to have been trying to give us some privacy, and he was crouching, facing a shrub, but there was one more person around us now: Tunica. Our eyes met and she raised her hand to greet me.

“I only came to get some chamomile to use for my treatment preparations, but it seems I arrived at just the right moment. Far be it from me to pass up on free entertainment!”

I wish you’d at least pretend to have not seen anything…

“Now, if I may, my lord, that vine you just ripped off… Johan had spent a very long time raising it with care,” Mio added, her tone as unhurried as always.

“Oh. It that so? I’m sorry Johan. I’d just thought it was such a nice color…”

“It’s all right. It did shock me at first, but I got to see something nice, so…” he said with a smile and a shrug.

I want to run away…

And so, Mio dragged a still-yawning Lord Kyros away.

Apparently, high-ranking nobles would be gathering tonight at the royal palace. I wasn’t sure what they’d be doing exactly, but it seemed it would be an important ceremony that would last around ten days.

I went to the gate to see Lord Kyros off along with the rest of the servants.

“Please take care, Lord Kyros,” I said, waving my hand at him. He saw me and waved back.

“Tell me the truth, Lady Marie. You wanted him to kiss you earlier, didn’t you?” Tunica teased me.

I just forced a smile. “I know he was just half-asleep.” And with that matter settled, I went back to the vegetable garden.

 

Mio came to get me when the sun started setting. She took me to the bathhouse, and Tunica helped me wash off all the mud I’d gotten on myself after gardening for half the day. She also massaged me to rid me of the fatigue. After that, I enjoyed the delicious dinner Toppo had made, went back to my room, and had a cup of tea. After taking it easy for a while, I slipped into bed.

It’d been such a fun day. I’d been worried that Johan disliked me, but the two of us had finally had a good chat, and he’d allowed me to help him. Satisfied as I was, I was content to close my eyes and let the weariness of the day’s labor wash over me and lull me into a deep sleep…

But first, I considered the time. I assumed the party Lord Kyros was attending was most likely ending about now. I’d heard he planned on personally handing out invitations to our engagement ceremony during the event. I wondered how many people he’d given them to. How many would come to congratulate us? How many would frown after seeing me?

The answer was most likely all of the guests. They’d feel bad for Lord Kyros the moment they laid eyes on me. “Why is Kyros Granado’s fiancée such an unsightly girl?” they’d all wonder. “I thought the daughter of House Chandelan was a great beauty.”

I wasn’t the great beauty. I was the short end of the stick—the loser.

Hanna and Ilsa’s shrill voices echoed in my head. People will mock him. They’ll mock him because of me.

My chest throbbed in pain. The more I thought about it, and the more it hurt. Before long, the pain spread to my entire body. I felt it crawling under my skin. It was hard to bear—so hard to bear that I couldn’t sleep anymore.

 

After several such sleepless nights, a letter from the palace arrived. It had been seven days since Lord Kyros’s departure.

Chapter 6: The Prince and the Jet-Black Warrior

Chapter 6:
The Prince and the Jet-Black Warrior

 

INVITATION FOR LADY MARIE CHANDELAN READ the gold letters on the envelope I’d received. For a few moments, I couldn’t so much as blink, entranced by the beauty of it.

About half a month had passed since I’d arrived at the Granado castle. Leaving aside that package I’d gotten from my parents a week ago, this was my first time receiving a letter addressed to me here.

I looked up at Mio, whose expression was as impassive as ever, and asked, “Do you think it’s an intimidation letter? It couldn’t be, right?”

“It’s an invitation, my lady. It says as much on the envelope.”

I looked back down at the correspondence and began reading it out loud. “Lady Marie Chandelan. Congratulations on your engagement to my old friend, Kyros Granado. Please accept my warmest wishes for your future together.”

“Until here, it’s just nice,” Mio said.

“I have taken the liberty of planning a little event to celebrate this joyous occasion. Having poured in my own money, time, and effort, I can promise with the utmost confidence that this will be an unmistakably sublime experience. Word of this affair has already spread throughout the royal capital, and the people are awaiting the day with bated breath and feverish anticipation. Should you be unable to grace us with your presence, however, all my efforts will be rendered futile. I fear the populace will be stricken with sorrow, and in their despair, they will likely curse your good name for generations to come. Therefore, I implore you with the deepest sincerity: Please do not fail to attend. May both your noble houses be ever blessed with enduring happiness and flourishing prosperity.”

“All right, I’ll admit, it does sound like a threat,” Mio said. However, despite conceding as much, she looked unbothered, and she poured me a cup of tea.

How can you expect me to drink tea under these circumstances?! “What should I do?” I sobbed. “What manner of event could even possibly be so earthshattering? Do you think he means to execute me publicly?! Aren’t I doomed whether I go or not?!”

“Why would you jump to that conclusion?” Mio asked. “Please calm down, Lady Marie. The letter isn’t that mean.”

I shook my head. I might have been able to laugh it off if the sender had been anyone else. But the one who’d written it was…

“His Highness, Prince Luifon…”

Even the sound of his name was awe-inspiring. I’d never mingled in high society, but I was still the daughter of a nobleman. I knew the names of the members of the royal family, and Luifon Sandalkia Dilts was undoubtedly a royal—the third-born prince, in fact.

He hadn’t given any details regarding this “little event” of his, and it would be held tomorrow.

It only took a few hours to go from Granado Castle to the royal palace, but sending the invitation the evening prior was cruel. It seemed to have been calculated intentionally so I wouldn’t have time to think of a way out of this.

“You don’t need to worry so much,” Mio said. “His older brothers are in good health, which means it is very unlikely His Highness Luifon will ever ascend to the throne.”

“Regardless, the fact that he has a right to the throne at all makes him a very special person,” I countered.

“Perhaps, but he doesn’t have the right to sentence the fiancée of a count to death without a trial, so rest easy. I’m sure this peculiarly worded invitation was simply meant as a harmless joke. He often sends our lord the same kinds of letters.”

If Mio said so, she was likely right, but…adults didn’t usually make such jokes, did they?

“What is their relationship?” I asked. “He called Lord Kyros an old friend, but considering what you just said…”

“It’s true. They’re childhood friends. A prince and a count would normally be too far apart in status to ever become close, but House Granado has ties to the royal family. They’re extended family, in a way. Also, since our lord is the son of a duke, he attended the same academy as His Highness.”

“Were they classmates?”

“Not only that. They shared a room at the dormitory as well.”

So the two of them had been close friends since their school days… In that case, perhaps it truly was only a joke. I’d never been able to figure out if the boys of the school I attended got along or hated one another. I remembered them laughing while fighting. Truly, it made no sense.

“His Highness Luifon is the one who introduced Hanna and Ilsa to our lord,” Mio said. “His lordship must have explained what’d happened when he returned them to him, and this must be the prince’s way of apologizing.”

“So you think he wants me to have fun?”

“I didn’t say that. For all we know, his grand plan is putting together a haunted house full of zombies. Or maybe he organized a quiz and won’t let you go home until you get the answer to his questions right.”

“What?!”

“Who knows? Maybe he’ll drop onion slices on you from the ceiling or push you into a pool of tapioca. What I am sure of is that, whatever it is, His Highness Luifon will have fun—but I’m skeptical as to whether or not you will.”

What kind of person is he?!

I was beyond worried, but I couldn’t not go. Regardless of the way he’d worded it, this was an official invitation from a prince—I had to abide by it. Besides, the location was the royal palace. He probably couldn’t do anything too crazy there.

I suddenly realized something and lifted my head. “Lord Kyros is at the royal palace for work too, isn’t he? Will he be with me when I meet the prince?”

“He will, so don’t worry,” Mio assured me.

I see… Yes, I’m sure he’ll be there.

This would be His Highness Luifon’s first time meeting me. He too would certainly rather have Lord Kyros there with us.

They’ll meet up and welcome me together!

I smiled. “I feel much more at ease now that I know that. Will you come with me too, Mio?”

“Of course, my lady.”

Mio bowed to me before leaving my room to prepare for our departure.

The next morning, Mio and I went to the gate to board a carriage of House Granado. However, we found another one waiting there already.

“Good morning, Lady Marie Chandelan. I’ve come to pick you up,” the coachman, a man in a military uniform, said before bowing to me. His vehicle was an intimidating armored carriage. Its black steel frame was covered in spiky rivets, and it looked heavy and robust. For some reason, even its horses were clad in armor. On the side of the carriage was the crest of the Dilts Kingdom’s knight order.

“Th-this is a military carriage, isn’t it?” I asked in astonishment.

The coachman confirmed I was right with a smile on his face. I turned to Mio in a panic and saw she had a grim expression on her face.

“His Highness Luifon is the master of the royal knights,” she said. “Since the commander of the knights summoned you, it’s not that strange for a military vehicle to come, but…”

“But he summoned me as a prince, not as the commander of the knights, right?!”

“That’s what I also assumed. Sire coachman,” Mio called out, “where have you been instructed to take us? I doubt we’re headed to the royal palace in this carriage.”

The coachman kept smiling and answered, “I’ve been tasked with taking you to the royal knights’ fortress. It is located next to the palace.”

I knew it…

All the strength left my body, but Mio didn’t back down. “That means our lord, Count Kyros Granado, won’t be in attendance, correct? Has he even been informed that Lady Marie was summoned? And what is this event His Highness has prepared?”

The coachman shrugged and replied that he hadn’t been told the details, but that he was informed it’d be a delightful time, “like a festival.”

I couldn’t say I’d changed my mind and didn’t want to go, so, despite Mio being on edge and my trembling like a leaf, we climbed aboard the black steel carriage.

Despite its stern exterior, the carriage was comfortable, and our bodies sank into its soft cushions as it rattled along the road.

Not long after midday, the black carriage arrived at a gigantic stronghold.

“Whoa… It’s so big,” I whispered. I felt like a child with unrestrained wonder.

This was the fortress of the royal knights. I looked up at the stone wall that was several times taller than me, and I felt the blood drain from my face. Military installations were as impressive as they were frightening. Even so, our surroundings were unexpectedly peaceful. The gate was open, and civilians seemed to be coming and going as they pleased. I saw foreign travelers who ­appeared to be in the middle of a journey, women with children, elderly people, and more. All of them were walking past the fortress’s wall while chatting leisurely.

They…seem to be having fun. And I can smell something delicious in the air… What’s happening inside?

After stopping the carriage in front of the gate, the coachman told us he’d wait for us here. I was a little surprised, as I’d assumed he’d be going in with us.

“Where is His Highness?” Mio asked.

The man didn’t answer her question and simply said, “Please enjoy yourselves.”

Mio and I passed through the gate. The general layout of the fortress resembled that of Granado Castle—a former fortress itself—and beyond the sturdy wall was a large garden. The difference was that there were neither flowers nor vegetable fields here, only a vast stretch of lawn. Alongside the inner side of the wall were stalls lined up neatly next to one another.

There was a crowd next to the fountain, and I wondered why so many people had gathered there until I caught a glimpse of the beautiful dancer in a very revealing costume at the center. Next to her, another entertainer was showing off magic tricks, and I could hear musicians playing somewhere.

“It really does seem to be a festival,” Mio said.

“It’s amazing!” I said excitedly. “There are even more people here than at the harvest festival in the Chandelan territory! And everyone seems to be having such fun!”

“In the fifty years since the war ended, the kingdom has been at peace. These sorts of extraordinary events bring some spice to the lives of the people of the capital, so they’re very fond of them. A couple of notices in the street is all it takes to attract a crowd,” Mio explained.

I let out a deep, relieved sigh. “I’m so glad this doesn’t seem to be my public execution.”

“You still believed you might die?” Mio asked, munching on a chicken skewer. She held more of them in her other hand.

When in the world did she buy all that?!

She caught me looking at her food and gave me a skewer. That wasn’t why I’d been staring, though…

I looked around with my skewer in hand. “I should first greet His Highness and thank him for the invitation, shouldn’t I? Where do you think he might be?” I asked.

“Forget about him,” she replied flatly.

“I can’t do that!”

“He summoned you here, but he didn’t tell you where he was. That can only mean he doesn’t want to be greeted. He might not even be here at all, for all we know.”

“Does he mean for us to enjoy the festival and go home? Just like that?”

“Probably. I don’t know.”

Was that truly all right? Somehow, I got the impression Mio was less than enthused whenever she talked about Prince Luifon. Well, she was always less than enthused, but I thought she might at least behave differently when mentioning a prince. Was he so friendly that he allowed her disrespect? Or did Mio hate him?

I still had no idea what to do. I turned to Mio, but she was munching on a steamed bun, stone-faced as ever.

Huh? Wasn’t she eating chicken skewers a second ago? When did this bun appear?

Mio divided it in two and gave one half to me—and once again, that wasn’t why I was staring…

I now had a chicken skewer in my right hand and half a steamed bun in my left.

“A-are you sure we should be eating here? We’re outside! And there are so many people around.”

“Eating outside is the whole appeal of coming to a festival. Come on, Lady Marie, have a bite.”

Are you sure? All right, then! I’ll eat too! I thought while biting into the chicken. Mmm! It’s delicious! There was a little too much salt, but for some reason, I felt like that only made it better. Maybe it was because we were outside.

The second I felt thirsty, Mio held out an orange to me. I wondered what was up and if she wanted me to eat it with the skin still on when I noticed a little hole. It seemed like the insides had been emptied out and filled with juice instead.

Mio stabbed a straw into my orange and into the coconut she’d somehow procured for herself. “This festival really does seem to just be a fun event. That’s one worry out of the way,” Mio said.

“What else should we worry about?”

“Getting a crowd to gather can be done in a matter of hours, but these stalls couldn’t have been prepared so quickly. Considering how many of them there are and what they sell…this must have taken at least five to six days to set up. That means His Highness set his plan in motion almost a week ago, right after he saw our lord at the banquet. And yet, no rumors of a festival reached my ears at the castle. This leads me to believe he used martial law as a cudgel to get these vendors to prepare in secret.”

This festival was indeed no “little” event, despite what His Highness had called it. If he’d just wanted to congratulate us on our engagement and apologize for Hanna and Ilsa’s behavior, a tea party would have been more than enough. This must have cost so much in both money and labor… Are the standards of a prince just that different from my own?

“I have a bad feeling about this…” Mio said, squeezing her coconut so hard that she crushed it in her hand.

There wasn’t anything else we could do for the time being, so I decided to forget about my worries and enjoy the festival. Mio and I walked around and took a look at each stall. They weren’t all selling food—some had miscellaneous goods commoners often bought, while others sold handmade accessories, stationery, antiques, and even small animals. Even without buying anything, looking around was fun.

There were also stalls where you could join lotteries, play games such as darts or ring toss, challenge muscular shopkeepers to arm wrestling, and even try to grab as many pretty stones as you could with one try. They have so many interesting ideas!

One stall in particular caught my attention. Unlike most of the stalls we’d encountered, each of which had had sizeable lines, this particular vendor wasn’t attracting any attention whatsoever. The sign in front of the stand read Apple Peeling Contest: Seeking Challengers.

“Mio, look! That seems so fun! I’d love to try!” I pleaded, grabbing Mio’s arm to catch her attention. She looked like she was hoping I’d tell her I was joking.

“But it seems like so much fun,” I said, trying to convince her. “It says that they’ll give you tons of apples if you can peel an entire one in one go without the breaking the strip! And it’s only one eiro a try! Even I have that much.”

“No one is doing it, my lady.”

“I certainly wonder why. We should take advantage of this chance while we can!”

“Oh well. If you really want to try it, I won’t stop you,” Mio said while shrugging for some reason.

I beamed, and she forced a smile—only to immediately frown.

“What’s wrong, Mio?”

“Lady Marie… That man behind you might be the prince.”

I turned around in a hurry, but there were so many people around that I couldn’t tell who she was referring to. I’d never seen Luifon Sandalkia Dilts, so I didn’t know what he looked like.

“Where? What is he like?”

“See that stone wall at the back? Next to the door. He has silver hair and a mantle with the crest of the royal knights.”

I tried to focus and, while I did find the wall Mio was talking about, there were so many people that I couldn’t see the door. It was so far away too! I could more or less make out hair colors, but how was I supposed to see a crest on a mantle at this distance?! How could she?!

Apparently, while I was straining my eyes, the prince went through the door—according to Mio, at least. I suggested going after him, but Mio shook her head.

“I only saw his back, so I’m not entirely certain it was him,” Mio said. “It might just be a stranger with the same hair color. Besides, this is a military fortress, so there are plenty of knights bearing the crest of their order.”

“Are you sure? Out of curiosity, though, what’s on the other side of that wall?”

“A coliseum. It was used as an arena long ago, but it’s mostly used for ceremonies nowadays—including the weddings of knights.”

It didn’t necessarily seem like a fun place to visit, but I was a little curious. There seemed to be civilians going through that door, not only knights, so maybe there was something going on there too.

Mio seemed to be thinking the same thing, and she asked a passerby about it.

“They’re holding swordsmanship shows,” the young man answered. “You can even challenge the knights to duels!”

“Mock battles at a festival?” Mio said.

“I think you can win prizes! And it’s a chance to knock those ever-pompous knights down a peg. Those with confidence in their skills are all gathering over there,” the man explained.

“Would you like to take a look, Lady Marie?”

I shook my head. Unlike shops and artistic performances, I had no interest in watching people fight. Violence scared me, and I didn’t see how it could be entertaining. I wouldn’t want to go even if I had to.

I suddenly had a realization. “His Highness is the commander of the knights, isn’t he? Do you think he might be taking part in the fighting?”

“That couldn’t be,” Mio said. “After fifty years of peace, the royal knights are a symbol more than a military power. But still, they would be terribly humiliated if their commander lost a competition to a civilian. Besides, he hates losing.”

Well, he was a prince, anyway. It would’ve been a serious matter if he got hurt.

I thought I might have to go and cheer for him if he was taking part, but if he wasn’t, enjoying the stalls sounded much more preferable than watching a fight. I told Mio as much, and the corners of her mouth lifted.

“Let’s do just that, then. The quality of the items and food here is rather nice, so let’s have ourselves a tour and eat our fill.”

“That sounds nice,” I replied. “In that case, I’ll go try the apple challenge!” Once again, Mio stared at me as though she hoped I was joking.

I walked up to the stall and gave the shopkeeper one copper coin. I noticed Mio looking into the distance and followed her gaze—she was looking at the coliseum again.

“Are you still thinking about the man you saw, Mio?”

“Yes. I have a feeling his frame was slightly different, but silver hair that light is rare.”

“Then it must have been him. It wouldn’t be so strange given the circumstances, don’t you think?”

“Even if it had been him, he must be in the royal viewing box or in the commander’s office—places we can’t visit.”

Despite what she’d just said, her eyes were still on the coliseum. Mio always seemed so calm and composed, but I supposed even she couldn’t ignore a prince.

I’m sure she must be eager to greet him!

I took her hand and pulled her toward the coliseum. “Let’s go look for him! It’s all right if we can’t find him, but we won’t be able to relax until we try.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Mio said, turning me down. “In fact, I’d rather not stick my neck into trouble intentionally.”

“Should we ask at the reception desk, then? Someone must know where the commander is.”

“Our lord has ordered me to make sure you spend the most pleasant, peaceful time possible in his absence. I’d much rather you enjoyed the festival instead.”

“But you seem very bothered by it, Mio.”

Mio’s head dropped and she remained silent. She seemed to be thinking about it. Eventually, she lifted her head, glared at the coliseum, and let out a deep sigh.

“You’re right, I am,” she finally admitted. “I can’t plan for war without knowing my enemy’s position. I do need to check on him.”

“Plan for…war?”

“However, I’ll go alone. Please stay here and peel as many apples as you like. Don’t go anywhere until I’m back.”

“Wh-why?”

“Because this might be a diversion. He might have put a wig on one of his subordinates and told him to stand where I could see him on purpose,” Mio whispered to me.

What?

“This has trap written all over it, I can feel it. That’s why I can’t bring you along. And I ask that you do not follow anyone while I’m away either—no matter what you’re told. If anyone comes to you, pretend you can’t hear them,” she warned.

“Do you think…I might get kidnapped?”

“No. We’re in a military fortress and there are guards. I don’t believe anything dangerous could happen to you, but still, we must remain cautious. His Highness is not to be underestimated.”

“I’m not sure I’m following…but okay! I’ll do as you say and stay put!” I declared.

Mio seemed satisfied with that answer, and she left after promising to be back as quickly as possible.

Why is she so worked up? Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter. I turned back toward the shopkeeper and said, “I apologize for making you wait! I’m ready to begin.”

He seemed surprised. “Oh? You’ll be doing the challenge, miss? Not that maid who was with you?”

“Oh my, do I look like I’ve never held a knife before?” I asked.

“You sure do. Have you seen your dress? You look like you’re the daughter of some big-shot noble,” he said in a bemused tone.

I looked down at my clothes—he had a point. I’d thought I was being called to the royal palace, so I’d traded the chemises I often wore for a luxurious party dress. My hair had also been styled in an updo and I had on makeup. All in all, I was dolled up like a princess.

“You seem like an odd one, though. Ladies like you usually don’t want to talk to regular folks like me.”

Ah…

My chest started aching, and I clutched at it with my hand. Hanna, Ilsa, or my mother would never have taken interest in a stall like this one, yet here I was, so motivated I’d even rolled up my sleeves. They’d have laughed at me… Ridiculed me…

I don’t mind being mocked, but…

“Do you think…people would laugh at a noble lady’s husband if his wife peeled an apple?” I asked nervously.

The shopkeeper seemed confused. “Why would they? You’ve gotta peel the apple if you want to eat it, right? Besides, our apples are first-rate. The knights all love ’em.” He winked at me, and I laughed reflexively.

There was no point in thinking negatively. This was a festival, and I ought to enjoy it!

“You can eat the apple you’re working on even if you fail. If you do manage to peel it in one go without the strip breaking once and without going over the time limit, I’ll give you this entire basket of apples. Get your knife ready, but wait for my signal to start.”

I was excitedly waiting for the man to tell me to start when someone suddenly grabbed my apple. I hadn’t even noticed him approaching, but the young man next to me smiled at me, my apple in hand. Then, he took a bite out of it.

“Huh?! That’s my apple!” I protested, louder than I’d been meaning to.

“It’s good,” he said with a smile. He didn’t even seem to mind the skin was still on the apple. “This is a great year for apples.”

“Wh-what…?”

The shopkeeper frowned and scratched his head. “You’re putting us in a difficult situation. She was about to take on our apple peeling challenge.”

“I prefer unpeeled apples, though,” the young man replied.

What in the world?

This was such an astounding development that I was frozen in place with my mouth agape. What was wrong with this man?

“Sorry, sorry,” he said. “It just looked so delicious that I couldn’t stop myself from taking it for myself. Here, take this.” He took out a gold coin and gave it to the shopkeeper.

Phew. He might be a glutton, but he doesn’t seem to be a bad person.

The shopkeeper handed me another apple, and I accepted it with a sigh of relief.

All right. Time to focus and—

Once again, the young man took the apple from my hands. This time, I didn’t hold back when yelling at him. “G-give it back!”

“Ha ha ha! Catch them if you can!”

He started juggling with my two apples—and believe it or not, he was terribly good at it! I tried to snatch my apples back, but they were always so high up that I struggled.

He’s tall!

I was as tall as the average man, but I still had to look up at him. He seemed to be slightly shorter than Lord Kyros, and roughly the same age as him. He looked nothing like my fiancé, though. His silver hair was short, and his skin was so pale that it looked almost translucent. He had icy blue eyes, and a pleasant smile I was sure people loved. But under all that beauty, he had a mean streak. All in all, he was the polar opposite of Lord Kyros! He could see I was distressed, yet he continued to smile happily.

I wasn’t sure what to do. If I jumped at him, I could probably reach my apples, but I was afraid his mood would sour and the situation would get worse.

But more than that…could this man be…?

He saw me looking at the ground and snorted.

“Pfft. You’ve given up already? How boring.”

Well, what do you want me to say to that…?

I was struggling to come up with something to say when, unexpectedly, the shopkeeper came to my defense. He put his hands on his hips and sighed. “Will you please cut it out, Your Highness? You wanted this festival to happen, didn’t you? And yet here you are, bullying my customer!”

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The young man shrugged. He stopped juggling and started fiddling with the apples instead.

“Oh, don’t exaggerate. This is friendly banter with my best friend’s fiancée.”

“‘Your Highness’? ‘My best friend’s fiancée’?” In other words, that’s really…

I’d just realized who I was dealing with when Mio came running back. She was dragging a middle-aged man by the collar with a wig half falling from his head.

“Your Highness! What are you doing here?!” she screamed.

I pushed my hand against my forehead with a groan. “I see what sort of person he is, now…”

 

***

 

“I suppose I should introduce myself properly, shouldn’t I? My name is Luifon Sandalkia Dilts, but people call me Luifon XIV. As you know, I am the third-born prince of this kingdom, and the commander of the royal knights. But none of that matters, because who I truly am is Kyros’s best friend. I hope we get along well, my little Marie,” the prince said with a smile.

I was so out of it that I’d barely been listening and forgot to answer. When I finally noticed I hadn’t replied, I let out a strangled yelp. He was royalty—an exalted person of so much higher standing than myself! I wasn’t even sure how to communicate with nobles of the same rank as me, let alone a prince!

“I-i-it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I stuttered. “Thank you for your invitation.”

He’d extended his hand to me. I’m supposed to shake his hand, right? But isn’t shaking hands a token of friendship? Sure, he’d been the one to extend his hand first, but wouldn’t it be presumptuous of me to take it?! Perhaps I should decline… But refusing a prince has to be rude—probably.

At my wits’ end, I grabbed Prince Luifon’s outstretched right hand with both of mine and bowed as low as I could. “I’m Marie Chandelan,” I said.

The prince and Mio both laughed. “Are you praying?” he quipped.

I could hear from his tone he was taking a jab at me, but I wasn’t sure what he meant.

The prince took us to the viewing area of the coliseum—to a private box, to be specific. Perched at the highest tier of the bowl-like stands, the box overlooked the entire arena. While you could look down at the rest of the audience seats, the people in the audience couldn’t see you because of a cleverly positioned wall.

“Just beneath us is the salon floor, a space reserved for the nobility. It’s closer to the stage and features a lavish buffet,” the prince explained. “We can go down there if you’d rather have a closer view of the coliseum.”

I shook my head. “I can see well enough from here, and I ate plenty while we looked at the stalls. Besides, I’m…not so good with large nobility gatherings…”

The prince nodded. “If you’re worried about those two waiting maids, don’t be; they’re not here. And our dear Mio will protect you if others like them try to approach you.”

“Th-that’s not it. I’m just…not very comfortable with lavish displays of luxury. They intimidate me.”

If I could pick, I knew I’d be far more at ease sitting with the commoners. Over there, people were casually sharing snacks. Some people were even sprawled out on the bleachers taking naps. It seemed like a lot of fun.

“Are the fighters taking a break?” I asked Mio.

The prince was the one to reply. “Yes. Next up are the semifinals. The qualifiers started early this morning, so everyone is having a lunch break now.”

I wasn’t sure if it was because he’d answered in her stead, but Mio glared at him. “I’ve yet to hear an explanation for why the mighty commander of the royal knights was bullying Lady Marie at the apple peeling stand,” she remarked pointedly.

“That was just a harmless prank. You’re as cold as ever, my little Mio,” Prince Luifon said. “Still, I’m glad the two of you came today.”

“These sorts of ‘pranks’ are called bullying, Your Highness. And I’d appreciate it if you could stop calling me ‘little’ anything. Also, I’m only here to accompany her.”

After she’d finished addressing everything he’d said to her in short order, the prince just shrugged. “I waited here for so long, but you didn’t come visit me at all,” he whined. “I wanted to go looking for you, but all I knew about Marie was that she’s tall and has red hair. I was starting to despair when I spotted the two of you together!”

“So you decided to send a decoy to lure me away from her so you could tease her while she was alone. I’m afraid my conclusion still stands—you were bullying her.”

The prince burst out laughing. “Clearly, the evidence is stacked against me!”

I wasn’t brave enough to say anything, but I agreed with Mio.

“Not to mention, you did not mention where you’d be on your invitation,” Mio added. “You didn’t even write that the event would be held at the royal knights’ fortress.”

“I didn’t write it’d be at the royal palace either. And if you wanted to find me, you could have gone to the reception or to the gatekeeper and asked,” the prince said with a smile.

“I did not want to see you, nor did I want Lady Marie to meet you.”

“Whew, talk about frigid!”

“You reap what you sow,” Mio declared mercilessly.

The prince pouted. I could see it was all an act, though—his amusement was practically written all over his face.

I was starting to get a sense of the prince’s personality. He liked pranks—ill-tempered ones, not for nothing—but he didn’t seem to be a bad person. In fact, he was very open and friendly.

I’m also starting to believe he truly is Lord Kyros’s good friend.

At that thought, the tension in my body disappeared. I looked at the stage and said, “This is a swordsmanship tournament where knights and civilians face off, right? How have the matches gone so far?”

“Sadly, most of the civilians were eliminated during the qualifiers,” Prince Luifon replied.

“The knights sure are strong!” I said admiringly.

The prince waved his hand in front of his face and joked, “No need to flatter me!” Then, he added, “I couldn’t give much notice, so there weren’t many participants to begin with. Most of the matches ended up having knights fighting one another after the qualifiers. Out of the four semifinalists, three are knights who’ve been making names for themselves in our order for quite some time.”

“Is the last one a civilian?” I asked.

“Yes. A strong lad, that’s for sure. The crowd has been loving watching him triumph over the knights match after match. He’s really made them lose face,” Prince Luifon said with a big grin.

“Y-you don’t mind? You’re their commander, aren’t you?”

While the Dilts Kingdom had been at peace for quite some time, it was originally a military nation, and the royal knights were the symbol of our military. Wouldn’t it be an issue if word got out that the knights lost to civilians?

“I wouldn’t organize such a tournament if I was going to take issue with the results,” he said. “If anything, I consider this outcome a positive. The knights have been slacking off as of late, and I didn’t know what to do about it. I’m sure this will give them the motivation they needed.”

Mio nodded. “A worthy rival is necessary to improve.”

Was that how these things worked? I didn’t know the first thing about swordsmanship. And since we weren’t at war, was there really a need for our knights to grow stronger?

I looked around at the stands. The break was likely almost over because the bleachers were much fuller than before. The majority of the spectators were men, but there were also quite a few women. Here and there, I could hear people sharing their thoughts about the tournament:

“How far do you think that man will go? He’s pretty skilled.”

“He might just bring down all the knights and win!”

“That’d be quite something!”

They were all smiling.

Mio pulled on my hem. “Lady Marie, you don’t have to force yourself to watch if you don’t want to. You don’t like these things, do you?”

I hadn’t said it out loud, but Mio seemed to have read the distaste on my face. I was about to make an excuse to leave when the prince, who’d heard her, let out an exaggerated “Reaaaaally?” His tone was very judgmental. “Why?! They’re using training swords, so you won’t see any blood. It’s just a sport—nobody is going to die. It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that these sorts of tournaments are the nobility’s favorite pastime!”

“I-I’m aware, and I’m just fine, Your Highness. I will spectate with you until the end,” I stumbled to say, nodding several times.

The prince seemed to excuse my rudeness with that, and his frowned brow relaxed. I let out a sigh of relief, but Mio wasn’t done. “If you enjoying fighting that much, why don’t you participate, Your Highness?”

He laughed before whining, “No way! I hate things that hurt!”

While it may have been rude of me, I couldn’t help but take a good look at the prince. He was tall, but slender in an almost androgynous way. He lacked the manly air of other knights, and his silver hair and pure-white skin made him look like he’d stepped out of a picture book. He was a true fairy-tale prince in every way, the kind that rode into the story on a handsome white horse—and decidedly not a military chariot. All in all, he didn’t seem very strong to me.

Prince Luifon noticed me staring. “What is it? Were you thinking that I look like I’ve been made commander just for show?” He sounded offended.

“I-I wouldn’t dare to have such an imprudent thought!” I insisted, shaking my head vigorously.

Surprisingly enough, he smiled. He didn’t seem to be mad at me. “It’s a rather common sentiment, but it’s all right. I’m not mad. I have confidence in my swordsmanship. I may not have as much arm muscle as some do, but I’m confident my technique is better than anyone else’s. Even Kyros said I was a genius when it comes to swordsmanship.”

“Lord Kyros said that? You must be very strong then,” I said.

Prince Luifon puffed out his chest. “I sure am. If even he says so, it has to be true, right?”

My! He seems so happy about Lord Kyros’s praise.

The coliseum had filled up when a man—the host of the tournament, by the looks of it—appeared on the stage.

“The time has come for the semifinals of the Dilts Kingdom Swordsmanship Tournament to begin!”

Claps and cheers echoed around us, and the prince smiled. “I haven’t been this excited in ages! Last year, during the Shainese orchestra recital, I got so bored that I fell asleep at the very beginning. Kyros had to keep pinching my cheek to wake me up.” He seemed to remember the pain and massaged his cheek with his hand. Despite that, though, he was still smiling.

I had to stop myself from giggling, and I turned to Mio. “His Highness always seems so happy when he mentions Lord Kyros,” I whispered in her ear. “Just like a child.”

“That’s true,” she replied.

“Even I feel happy when I listen to him talk about Lord Kyros.”

“People tend to enjoy talking about things they love.”

“Indeed! His Highness does seem to love Lord Kyros!”

Mio squinted at me and let out a quiet, knowing laugh before standing up abruptly. “I’m going to go look for something to eat while we watch,” she declared.

“Did you not eat at the stalls? I asked for a ton of food stalls to be installed especially for you!” the prince said.

“I didn’t have time to stop at all of them earlier,” Mio replied.

“As always, your stomach is bottomless,” the prince chuckled.

“See you later, Mio,” I said, waving at her.

Mio bowed. “I shall excuse myself for a short while. Please enjoy the show in His Highness’s company, my lady,” she told me before leaving.

Just then, cheers echoed through the arena once again. The host had just called two contestants to the stage. I was quite surprised by their appearances—they were both wearing full sets of armor.

“Why are they so heavily protected if they’re using training swords?” I asked. “The fight will never end this way, will it?”

“These sets of armor are special,” Prince Luifon replied. “The ‘vital spots’ are hollow, so when they’re hit, they’ll make a very loud noise. A big CLIIING.”

“Ah! To signify they’d be dead if this were a real battle.”

“Exactly. The spots are the crown of the head, the chest, the stomach, the throat, and the wrists. They can hurt a lot even through armor, you know? A blow at just the right angle can even shatter bone.”

“Really?!” That meant that if someone was hit on the top of the head, they could die!

To make it easier for the audience to tell who was who, the fighters wore armor of different colors. The two current competitors were clad in green and red. The man in green was smaller, while the one in red was tall and muscular.

“Which one of them is the civilian?” I asked.

“Neither. These two are both knights. The civilian will fight in the next duel. You should pick one to support since you’re watching!”

“Hmm… I’ll go with…the one in red, then. He’s taller.”

“Interesting. People usually want to support the smaller fighter.”

“I’m tall and red too,” I said.

“I see. Shall we bet on it? Ten thousand eiros on the green shorty.”

I almost fell down from my chair. T-ten thousand?! That’s enough money to feed a regular family for an entire year! Does he not value money at all?!

Just thinking of wasting that amount on gambling almost made me faint.

“I-I can’t, I—”

“It’s starting!”

My attempt at protest was drowned by the cheers of the crowd and Prince Luifon’s voice. On the stage, the fighters started the battle immediately without even greeting one another.

The first to strike was the big man in the red armor. He roared as he swung his iron blade. The smaller green-armored knight dodged nimbly. Smaller does equal quicker!

The big man raised his sword high and brought it down heavily. As I expected, the smaller man dodged once more, but the tip of the big man’s blade sank deep into the stone paving of the stage.

“I-if the green knight had been hit with such force, wouldn’t he have been badly hurt?” I asked the prince.

“They both know what they’re in for,” he replied. “That tall man is the oldest of our knights. He used to be a wandering mercenary, but he distinguished himself during a civil war and was knighted. He’s a true warrior.”

“H-huh? But I thought that, while knights were regarded as heroes during the war, they were just lower-ranked nobles nowadays.”

“Nowadays, sure. But we need experienced mercenaries among them in case someday, something happens. That’s also why daily training is crucial.”

The smaller man in green also seemed very skilled. Not only did he keep dodging the red knight’s strikes, he counter-attacked with his own thin sword.

The heavy noise of metal hitting metal echoed throughout the coliseum, but it wasn’t very loud. The smaller man had successfully landed a slash, but it didn’t appear to have been on a vital spot.

“That hit just now didn’t count,” the prince told me. “But he was close. The red one got lucky.”

“Ugh… It really must hurt even with armor…”

“I won’t pretend it’s painless, but the green one is focusing on speed and isn’t putting his weight behind the hits. That’s our young ace, by the way. Not only is he sharp and talented, he also understands how these sorts of games are played.”

The man in green swung his blade so fast that I struggled to follow his movements. Just as the prince had said, he didn’t seem to be putting much strength into it; he was just trying to graze his enemy where it mattered. It didn’t matter to him if the resulting wound wouldn’t have been deep enough to kill his opponent in a real fight; all he needed was to draw out the clarion sound of victory.

That’s not fair! I didn’t mean the young man in green, but the prince! He’d bet on him while knowing full well he was the better fighter!

The big man was starting to run out of breath, and he grew slower. The smaller one saw his chance to strike, and the telltale metallic screech rang throughout the coliseum.

“And the victor is our green knight, Edward! He advances to the finals!”

Edward waved at the audience as cheers and clapping filled the air. He stayed in the center of the stage for a long time, even after his opponent left, blowing kisses and waving.

The prince laughed. “Someone’s really feeling himself, huh?”

“The knights seem to be enjoying this event too.”

“Well, they usually do nothing but train with no real source of entertainment. Not to mention, women are forbidden at the barracks.”

I had no idea. I’d imagined the knights living much more glamorous lives, not whittling away their days stuck in an all-male barracks.

Speaking of which, I’d never really seen men interact outside of class. I wondered what they did during their days off. “Your Highness, what sorts of games do you play with Lord Kyros on your days off?” I asked.

“Huh? What games?” the prince asked, his eyes widening in confusion.

Did I say something weird? Did grown men never play together? I flushed red in embarrassment and reworded my question, “You and Lord Kyros were classmates, right? I was just wondering how the two of you spent your time back then.”

“Let me think… The first time we met, we ended up brawling.”

Huh?!

“The second semifinal is about to start!”

The host’s voice brought my attention back to the stage. The two fighters were making their entrance. This time, one was wearing a blue set of armor, while the other was in all black. They were both big—no, actually, the one in blue was both tall and bulky, while the one in black was slender despite his height.

The man in black’s outfit was also different from that of the other three. The knights had been wearing half-faced helmets that only protected the top of their head but left their faces open, while his helmet completely obscured his face. I couldn’t see what he looked like at all.

Considering he was the only one with a different style of armor, I assumed he was the civilian the prince had mentioned. Why is he hiding his face?

I was curious, but I was even more curious about what the prince had just said regarding his and Lord Kyros’s meeting. I turned back to look at the prince and asked, “Why did the two of you fight?”

“The reason was stupid,” he replied. “You know how Kyros hates the kingdom’s elitism? Even though he’s of a very high rank himself.”

“Begin!” the referee exclaimed. At the signal, the giant in blue screamed and thrust his sword forward to keep the man in black in check. However, the civilian didn’t budge.

The prince rested his chin in his hand and gazed at the arena while continuing his story. “The academy we attended… Well, let’s say it was a little selective. It’s reserved for royalty and important nobles, and the student with the highest status after me was him, the son of a duke.”

“Then you must have understood one another at first,” I said.

“No, it was the complete opposite. At the time, I looked down on the masses, to be honest. I took it for granted that he shared my views, so I started talking to him. ‘Next year, they’ll allow commoners into this academy, can you believe that? I don’t want to breathe the same air as them!’ I’d told him. Do you know what he said back? ‘There are plenty of smart commoners, just like there are morons like you in the royal family.’”

“H-he called you a moron?!” I couldn’t believe my ears. What the prince had said wasn’t very nice, that was for sure, but calling a member of the royal family a moron to his face was lèse-majesté!

“That’s why you fought?” I asked.

“Yep. I thought he was an ass and threw the first punch, and Kyros didn’t hesitate to hit back. In the end, we created quite the commotion! Ha ha ha!”

“Oh my…” The prince is a lot more hot-blooded than I thought!

The way he laughed about it confused me, though. What was so funny about getting into a fight? Still, I let out a sigh of relief. “I’m so glad the two of you get along well now,” I said. “Just thinking of you two fist-fighting makes my chest ache.”

Prince Luifon let out a perplexed hum.

Suddenly, a very, very loud metallic clang resounded. It was much heavier than the sound that had concluded the previous match, almost like a bell had been cracked open. I looked down, surprised, to see the giant on the ground.

“It’s over already?!”

“You saw how the knight was trying to keep his opponent at bay with the tip of his sword, right? Well, the man in black got past it and settled the duel in one blow. That sound was him shattering his opponent’s armor,” the prince explained.

Sh-shattering?! I strained my eyes, and sure enough, the blue set of armor was cracked open. The knight was still on the ground and appeared unconscious.

“H-he’s not dead, is he?”

“No, don’t worry. Our warrior in black held back so as to not crush the knights’ organs beyond the armor.”

I didn’t know the first thing about swordplay, but I trusted the prince knew what he was talking about. Still, I could hardly believe what I’d seen was an instance of “holding back.”

“That man in the black armor seems really strong,” I whispered, shivering.

While his opponent was thankfully still alive, the tournament’s staff was in an uproar. Several people had come running to the stage to surround the blue man and yell at one another.

“Bring a stretcher! Hurry up! And we need the medical squad!”

“No one will be able to carry him like that! We need to remove his armor first.”

Oh no! I couldn’t handle the sight of blood…

In the meantime, the host announced the winner. “Congratulations to the jet-black warrior!”

Cheers louder than ever erupted all around the coliseum. The civilian had taken down yet another knight, and the crowd was jubilant. The warrior in black didn’t even bother waving at the crowd, though. Instead, he crouched next to his opponent, wrapped his arm around the man’s waist, and stood back up. Then he carried his opponent away with the medical squad trotting behind him.

He helped his opponent and the medical staff!

Prince Luifon laughed. “He is strong. Who knows? He might just be able to shatter real armor, not merely the special suits we use at sporting events.” The thought made me shudder.

I was staring vacantly at the empty stage when I felt the prince poke my shoulder. “Say, my little Marie, don’t you think he’s cool?”

“Huh?”

“That warrior in black. He achieved victory over someone much bigger than himself with a single hit. Most girls would be fawning over him. You know, screaming stuff like, ‘Aaaaah! You’re so strong! So dashing! Take me now!’” The prince proceeded to point out women in the audience, and sure enough, plenty of them were standing up and yelling things along those lines.

I knew that nobles usually loved these sorts of tournaments. I supposed the less connection you had to the battlefield, the more fun you could have watching mock battles. But I still couldn’t personally see the appeal. “I don’t think being good at fighting is attractive.”

“Isn’t being strong and dependable what makes a man most attractive?” the prince asked.

“No, it’s terrifying. When I see them swinging their blades, I can’t help but wonder if one day it’ll be my turn—if one day those very blades will be pointed at me…”

“Wow, that’s some pessimistic thinking!” the prince remarked loudly.

He crossed his legs and put his chin in his hand before looking straight into my eyes. His sharp, ice-blue eyes were staring straight into mine.

I-Is he glaring at me? “I-I’m sorry…” I said weakly as my body shivered.

“Why are you apologizing?” he asked.

I had no answer. I didn’t know what I’d done wrong, but one thing was for certain: I had done something wrong for his mood to turn so suddenly.

I looked at my feet and remained silent. The prince kept staring at me without saying anything either.

The next moment, a nice aroma wafted through the air. I turned around, intrigued, and saw Mio with a mountain of food in her arms.

“I’m back. How is the tournament going?” she asked.

“The final round is about to begin,” I replied. “The civilian made it to the finals.”

“Oh, is it that man in the black set of armor?” Mio asked pointing at the stage.

The two finalists were currently walking back onto the stage. Trumpets sounded, and the two men stood opposing one another. The civilian in black was a head taller than the knight in green.

“In the past two matches, the smaller one won. Being bigger isn’t necessarily an advantage, right?” I asked.

“In a real battle, a powerful blow can do the trick no matter where you hit, so having more reach is a considerable advantage,” Mio replied between bites as she gnawed on a piece of deep-fried chicken. “But when the spots you can hit are restricted, being smaller makes those areas smaller and harder to hit.”

She offered me some chicken, but I refused politely. Unlike Mio, there was a limit to how much I could eat.

On the stage, the two swordsmen bowed at one another.

Considering what Mio had just said, I took it the knight had a slight advantage. He was swift and had great technique, while the man in black seemed to rely on brute strength more.

When I explained my reasoning and declared that I thought the knight in green would win, Mio smiled.

“I don’t think so,” she whispered. “The one in black will win. He’s stronger than you think.”

A second later, that tonitruous metallic sound rang out once again as the knight in green was launched backward. This time, there’d been no back-and-forth whatsoever. The civilian had struck before the knight could do anything, and his slash had been so powerful that he’d blown the knight away even through his attempt to block.

At the sight of the knight’s shattered armor on the ground, the crowd fell silent. I started trembling once again. He’s so scary…

After checking on the knight on the ground, the referee made a sign to the host, who proclaimed, “The victor is the jet-black warrior!”

The crowd cheered as the man in black armor sheathed his sword. His shoulders were shaking as though he was taking deep breaths.

Huh? Why is he that tired? He wasn’t hit, and he won in the blink of an eye.

After thinking about it for a moment, I assumed being able to carry out such an attack took a considerable amount of focus. Despite his full-face helmet and practically demonic strength, this was surely a living, breathing man, not a Dullahan.

As I clapped away, I decided to get answers from Mio while she was working hard to put away her second turkey leg. “You didn’t see the other matches, so how did you know he’d win?” I asked.

“Well, I just observed the way he walks despite his heavy armor and helmet, his stance, and his general build. He seemed used to fighting,” she explained.

“The swordsmanship that knights practice most often nowadays is meant for ceremony,” Prince Luifon explained. “The one in green had good technique, but a fighter with actual experience naturally proved a bit much for him.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Wouldn’t that civilian in black have even less fighting experience? The war has been over for fifty years.”

“There are occasions to fight even outside of war,” Mio said. “Besides, in this era of powder and firearms, swordplay has become more so the specialty of brigands and the like rather than something soldiers trifle with. Well, I should say, brigands and the people who need protection from them, like merchants.”

“Or maybe he’s the son of an important lord in charge of protecting the border, and he’s been practicing swordsmanship since his school days to try his hand at foreign trade…? Who knows?” Prince Luifon suggested.

Mio seemed to be about to say something, but the prince stood up before she could and added, “I’m going to go congratulate the winner. The two of you can go home if you’d like.”

“Thank you for your invitation today, Your Highness,” I said. “I had a very pleasant time.”

He grinned. He somehow seemed both the happiest he’d been today and also the meanest.

“Don’t forget to pay up that ten thousand eiros you owe me for losing the bet, my little Marie.”

“What?!” I exclaimed. “I don’t remember agreeing to that bet!”

“Of course you did. It’s all right if you don’t have the money with you right now. I’ll send someone to Granado Castle to collect it, so do get it ready for me.”

Wh-what should I do? I thought as I started panicking.

“I-I’m sorry, Your Highness, but I’m penniless, and my parents have no money either,” I confessed. “I’ve been relying on the good will of the people of the castle to live, but I…I promise I’ll work to pay you back! Please give me some ti—”

I couldn’t finish my sentence because Mio shoved a pumpkin croquette into my mouth. Having forcefully shut me up, she said, “I don’t believe I’ve received the money you owe me for losing against me at chess, Your Highness. You may take out the ten thousand Lady Marie owes you from that sum, but please make sure you bring the remaining three hundred twenty thousand eiros to me at your earliest convenience.”

Prince Luifon raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Kyros sure is blessed with kind servants.” And with that, he turned on his heel and left.

Down below, on the stage, the warrior in black was being congratulated on his victory. He was offered a trophy and a treasure chest by a beautiful woman. After he accepted them, the woman leaned toward him and made to kiss him on the cheek. He seemed taken aback and whispered something to her. I imagined he’d told her removing his helmet was too much work because she hugged him instead. For all his bravery during the battles, he was frozen stiff, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I could see why that warrior was so popular with the ladies. Despite his strength, he was considerate and seemed very humane.

I’m sure he’s a very nice person.

“I think I could enjoy watching this man’s matches,” I said. “But only from time to time.”

Mio gobbled down another piece of dried squid before whispering, “I’m sure our lord will be pleased to hear that.”

Huh? I turned back toward the warrior in black and started at him perplexedly.

 

“For years, the Dilts Kingdom has expanded its territory through military conquest. While we are now at peace, the people of Dilts must carry this pride. We are all part of this great history—we are all warriors at heart.”

Every child born in this country had heard this speech at least once growing up, but most people didn’t actually take it to heart. Learning martial arts did not put food on the table, and most nobles and commoners never wielded a sword.

The most prominent nobles, however, couldn’t afford to ignore it. The higher their rank, the more patriotic they were expected to be, and young boys of upper social strata were all given swords. That was also why the commander of the royal knights was a prince.

Needless to say, at the academy royalty and high nobility attended, swordsmanship classes were compulsory.

Kyros Granado had trained tirelessly during his days as a student. Thanks to his muscular build and the skills he’d acquired, he’d emerged victorious at countless tournaments, both at home and abroad. Because of his dark skin and black hair, people sometimes referred to him as the “jet-black warrior.”

 

After Mio told me all that, I laughed. “Surely you’re joking,” I said.

“I’m not, my lady. He practices hard because he knows that, due to his work, he can encounter brigands and pirates at any time. Even though I haven’t seen his face either, the way he carries himself and his strength leave no place for doubt. That man is our lord,” she asserted.

She seemed so sure of herself that I flinched.

“B-but His Highness didn’t say a thing! He’s the one who organized this tournament, so he has to know who the participants are!”

“He simply concealed that fact from us, just as I’m sure he didn’t tell our lord that we’d be watching. He must have had his fun watching our reactions as the only one who knew the truth.”

That did sound like the prince.

“So that powerful warrior…is Lord Kyros?”

“Is that surprising? He doesn’t look weak in the slightest, does he?”

“Well… He is tall and muscular, but…how do I put this…? I’ve never imagined him with a sword in hand. And to think that he’s the jet-black warrior! It’s just…”

I didn’t think Mio was lying, but I had a hard time wrapping my head around it. I ended up repeating the same things again and again, utterly confused.

“If you’re so unsure, we can check,” Mio suggested eventually. I nodded, and Mio took a deep breath. “AAAAH! COUNT KYROS GRANADO! YOU’RE SO COOOOL! LOOK THIS WAY!” she screamed.

The warrior started to panic while murmurs swept through the crowd.

“Kyros? The Count Kyros?”

“Seriously?! The one from the Granado Trading Company?”

“Remove your helmet! Show your face!”

With that first call as the trigger, more and more people started screaming for him to take off his helmet: “Show your face! Show your face!” Everyone was curious about the mysterious warrior who’d defeated all the knights.

The jet-black warrior was in a bind. He tried to retreat and leave the stage altogether, but the staff of the event stopped him and dragged him back to the center of the stage.

Out of options, he finally reached for his helmet. As he pulled it off his head, his black hair cascaded to his chest, framing his tan skin, sharp features, and piercing green eyes. The knight was Kyros Granado, without a shadow of a doubt.

Shouts louder than ever echoed all over the coliseum, while Lord Kyros scratched the back of his head, unsure what to do.

“Should we visit him to congratulate him?” Mio asked.

After staring at him, mouth agape, for a few more seconds, I nodded.

Chapter 7: I Want to Stay Here

Chapter 7:
I Want to Stay Here

 

THE UNDERCROFT WAS PACKED WITH MEN. Most seemed to be either participants or family members and friends. Despite many of these men having fought one another, the atmosphere was peaceful, and knights and civilians congratulated one another on their performances.

After walking for a while, the atmosphere completely changed. Dozens of women had gathered in front of a door marked with a sign that read “Special Reception Room Ahead.” They were all clad in beautiful dresses and had their makeup done, so I assumed they were noble women.

“Stop pushing me, cake face! You’re going to stain my dress with all that makeup of yours!”

“How about you learn how to be quiet?! I can’t hear what’s going on inside because you keep blabbering! Ah… How I wish I could know what His Highness and the count are talking about!”

“I just want to see the two of them standing next to one another!”

Mio kept walking, straight into the crowd. It was almost magical! I didn’t know how she did it, but she somehow dodged them all as she advanced.

I tried to follow close behind her, but I wasn’t as lucky, and the noble ladies soon blocked my path. “Hey! You! Don’t cut in line! Can’t you see everyone’s lining up?!”

“S-sorry.” As I bowed to apologize, I was pushed all the way to the back. “E-excuse me,” I asked the person in front of me, “but what are we waiting for?”

“A chance to win the count’s favor, of course!”

Huh?!

Another lady with rosy skin, standing one spot ahead in line, covered her mouth and giggled softly before adding, “The count doesn’t show himself much in high society, so we can’t miss any occasion to work our charms!”

I was starting to understand what was going on. Most people had no idea Lord Kyros had gotten engaged, so to these women, he was still a potential target.

While the way their eyes gleamed frightened me, I also had to admit their resolve was impressive. They’d all donned their best dresses and put on enough perfume and makeup to make even themselves dizzy, all in the hope to catch Lord Kyros’s eye. They weren’t apologetic about it either, and I couldn’t help but think it was cool. They were the complete opposite of someone like me, who was cowering and curling up on herself at the end of the line despite being his actual fiancée.

I sighed. I was so ridiculous—such a small, insignificant person. There wasn’t a place for me here among these beautiful, strong-minded women. I didn’t have the confidence to hold my head up high here, and it’s what made me feel the most pathetic.

The other women kept chatting together, completely ignoring me, the pathetic silent girl at the end of the line.

“He truly is the biggest catch one could hope for! Sure, he’s got that disgusting barbarian blood running through his veins, but the pros outweigh the cons. I mean, think about it! The second the current Duke of Granado dies, he’ll inherit his position!” one of them pointed out giddily.

“And the one who becomes duchess will have all of high society at her feet!”

“H-huh?!” I finally lifted my head. “Hmm… D-didn’t you gather here because you love Lord Kyros?”

“What?” one of the women replied with a grimace.

“Well, he does have a handsome face, that’s for sure. He’s a lot better looking than the man my father has in mind for me, anyway,” another said. Several of them nodded.

“I suppose these creepy eyes of his aren’t so bad if you avoid his gaze. And you can just turn off the lights to forget about the color of his skin.”

“People say he has a difficult personality, but that doesn’t matter much in a marriage of convenience. He’ll be happy enough as long as his wife gives him a son, won’t he? I can’t speak for others, but I’d be ready to overlook his flaws.”

“Why care about his flaws when he’s never home anyway? You can just play around with his money and have his servants at your beck and call!”

“Ha ha ha ha!” the ladies laughed in unison.

I straightened my back. When I stood upright, I was taller than anyone else here. I thrust my arm in front of me and used it to push my way forward. The ladies screamed and complained.

“What’s wrong with you! We said no one cuts in line—”

“I’m his fian—um, I live in Lord Kyros’s castle!” I shouted as loudly as I could.

“What?!”

Just as one of them screamed at me, the door opened. It was Mio coming back out, and she started pushing the women aside.

“I’ve talked to the guards,” she said. “I’ll make sure no one else gets through, so please go on inside, Lady Marie.”

I nodded and dove into the breach Mio had opened up for me. As I ran for the door, I felt my jaw clench in irritation. It was so frustrating. I hated this feeling far more than I disliked being mocked for being ugly or in tatters.

All they talk about is his money and his rank! There are so many of them gathered here, and not a single one of them is genuinely attracted to him?! And what was that about his “barbarian” blood?! Ypsandros has a wonderful culture! Besides, Lord Kyros’s skin being dark doesn’t mean it’s dirty or anything like that! He’s handsome, and he smells nice, and his eyes aren’t creepy at all! They sparkle like gems, and I love the warmth in his gaze! Not to mention, while he might seem a little difficult at times, it’s only because he’s so compassionate! I’ve only ever seen him get mad on other people’s behalf! He’s gentle and kind to everyone, including his servants and even his enemies! What flaws does he have?! How dare you laugh at him?! There’s no reason to mock him! The only thing you could laugh at him for is… I stopped in my tracks and whispered, “…that he got the short end of the stick.”

Lord Kyros’s reception room was separate from that of the others. After getting past the first door, I walked through a corridor until I stumbled on two knights guarding another door. When I told them I was the person Mio had told them about, they let me through.

Beyond that door was a red carpet that led to yet another door. I walked over to it and turned the knob. Inside were the prince and the jet-black warrior, Kyros Granado, who’d now removed his helmet.

I didn’t think Mio had entered the room before, and at first, they didn’t notice me. They were busy chatting. They’d been friends for twelve years, after all, so they were able to speak very casually with one another.

“You’re all sweaty, Kyros. Just watching you is making me hot, so hurry up and put on something clean.”

“Who’s the one who barged in before I could change?” Lord Kyros shot back. “Besides, I sweat so much because of that helmet you forced me to wear. It was so heavy, I could barely see in front of me!”

“Hey! It’s not my fault! Can you imagine the commotion if everyone had known it was you from the start? Though I guess you were plenty popular despite the anonymity.”

“There was an easy solution: not making me participate. You’re the one who practically abducted me from the palace.”

“You’re the only one I could count on to beat my knights. Besides, a commoner striking back against the nobility! It’s always a popular narrative! People love it!”

“I’m a nobleman too, so your ‘narrative’ doesn’t hold up.”

“It would have if no one had figured out your identity. Well, the crowd was the most excited when you removed your helmet, so it doesn’t really matter either way. You’re a crowd favorite.”

“Speaking of which, why did they know? Who was the first to scream my—huh?!”

The first to notice me was Lord Kyros. I was still standing right in front of the door, and he stared at me, blinking several times in confusion. Then, he rubbed his eyes.

“I’m starting to hallucinate,” he said. “I haven’t seen her in eight days, so I must be suffering from withdrawal symptoms…”

“Um… Congratulations on your victory,” I said.

Lord Kyros seemed to finally accept I was real. He blinked a few more times and asked, “Marie? It’s really you! Phew… That surprised me. What are you doing here?”

“His Highness invited me,” I replied.

Lord Kyros’s expression shifted. His smile fell right off his face, replaced by bewilderment and anger. He turned to his friend and growled, “Luifon!”

“Don’t be mad! You got to show off your cool side to her thanks to me, so it’s fine, right?” the prince replied while laughing.

Lord Kyros glared at him. “It’s not fine,” he shot back, anger thick in his voice. “You can’t just do whatever you want! I didn’t want Marie to see such a gruesome display!”

“I heard she doesn’t like lavish displays of luxury.”

“I know that! That’s why I decided not to force my values or the lifestyle of the nobility on her. I’ll give her what she wants and make sure she lives a comfortable life,” Lord Kyros said, then paused for a moment. “Though I’m still not sure how to achieve that…”

Prince Luifon raised his thin eyebrows. He seemed displeased, and he looked at Lord Kyros with eyes full of disdain. “If she doesn’t need great wealth, it doesn’t need to be you, does it?”

Lord Kyros’s words got caught in his throat. He seemed to have understood what the prince was getting at, but I hadn’t. The reverse made perfect sense to me: Lord Kyros’s fiancée didn’t have to be me. I, on the other hand, had no other prospects. He was the only one to ever say he wanted me.

Lord Kyros still hadn’t said a word, so the prince turned to me.

“I heard of the way your relationship started. The one Kyros proposed to was your sister, not you.”

Oh, um… My body stiffened, but Lord Kyros immediately came to stand in between the two of us.

“I made a mistake because I misunderstood! I explained it all to you already.”

“I know how you feel, Kyros. But Marie only went to you to fulfill her duty, didn’t she? She went to you expecting a marriage of convenience.”

Lord Kyros remained silent once again, and the prince looked at me.

“You accepted the match without knowing or caring who you were marrying, didn’t you?” he asked.

His gaze was urging me to answer, and I nodded.

Prince Luifon was right. It was all true. When my father dragged me to the castle, I didn’t even know what Kyros Granado’s face looked like. All I knew was that I was my sister’s replacement, and that I had to marry her suitor for political and monetary reasons. I’d told myself again and again that that was all it was so I wouldn’t expect more.

But…

“You don’t love or even like Kyros,” Prince Luifon declared accusingly.

I couldn’t nod. I couldn’t say that. It was only when Lord Kyros put his arm over my shoulders that I realized how badly I was shaking. He pulled me close and put his body in between the prince and I in a protective motion.

“That’s not Marie’s fault,” Lord Kyros said firmly. “I don’t know why you’re in such a bad mood, but don’t take it out on her.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Kyros,” the prince said. I could hear in his tone that he was genuinely sad. “When you told me you were getting engaged, I was happy for you. I was looking forward to your wedding day. I thought, ‘Ah, my stubborn friend who’s remained cold as an iceberg no matter how many noble women have spoken to him has finally found the one who made him melt.’ I looked forward to meeting the girl who’d achieved that! And yet, this is just a marriage of convenience. I don’t get how she’s different from all the other noble girls hanging around you.”

“Um… I… I…”

I tried speaking up, but I couldn’t refute what he’d said either. I dropped my gaze to the floor as the prince continued. “She’s even worse than the rest! She doesn’t care for rank or money, hates the way nobles live, and is scared of swordplay on top of it all! That means she sees no value in you, Kyros! So why is she even with you? Because her parents forced her, I suppose. What a boring woman. She’s selling herself like a—”

Lord Kyros grabbed the prince by the collar and lifted him off his feet. His sweet green eyes had turned into the piercing glare of a predator.

“Luifon, just what are you trying to achieve? Did you bring Marie here so you could insult her?”

“No. I did it to laugh at your misery.”

The prince put his hand over Lord Kyros’s wrist and pressed. Lord Kyros’s face twisted in pain. Their struggle lasted only a few moments until Lord Kyros let go and Luifon laughed.

“You’ve become such a coward,” the prince mocked. “You would have punched me for this in the past.”

“We’re in front of Marie…” Lord Kyros replied. “Besides, I’ve never hit you first. Not once.”

“That’s because you’re scared of me. You’ve never beaten me with a sword, have you, coward?”

“I always let you win. Don’t tell me you’ve never noticed, Your Highness?”

Prince Luifon’s face fell. He unsheathed the decorative sword hanging at his hip and swung it at Lord Kyros. The latter still had his training sword on him, and he quickly drew it and parried, filling the room with the shrill sound of metal clinking…but their contest of strength lasted only a few seconds. They both pulled away and sheathed their swords again.

Prince Luifon let out a daring laugh. “There are still spectators. Should we turn the cheers into shrieks of terror?”

“You insulted Marie. I will get an apology out of you for that, Luifon Sandalkia Dilts.”

And with those parting words, the two men turned their backs to one another.

“Please wait, Lord Kyros!” I shouted, doing my best to catch up with him. I weaved through the crowded corridors as best as I could and finally got hold of his black armor. “Lord Kyros, please! I-I’m fine! I really am! So please, make up with His Highness.”

Lord Kyros shook himself free without a word and kept walking. I ran behind him and managed to catch his arm. “His Highness is right! I’m a stupid, cowardly girl who’s always followed her parents’ orders! I deserve to be told I’m…s-selling myself.”

Lord Kyros tried to break free, but I held onto him. I put all of my weight on him as I tried to stop him. “Please! Don’t make a fool of yourself for me! I don’t want anyone to laugh at your expense!”

Lord Kyros finally stopped walking. He didn’t turn around to face me, but simply asked, “You don’t want people to laugh at me? Are you referring to what Luifon said?”

I nodded. That wasn’t all, though. Hanna and Ilsa—no, it wasn’t only them either. I believed the entirety of high society would likely think our engagement was ridiculous. There were countless women lined up to snatch him up, yet here he was, marrying the riff-raff. I didn’t care if people criticized me for not knowing my place, but I never wanted Lord Kyros to feel ashamed. I couldn’t bear that.

“I’m sorry… I keep causing you trouble… I’ll go home, so please…”

I’ll go back home to the Chandelan estate, so please, find a wonderful woman to marry.

I couldn’t get everything past my lips. Instead, I felt tears welling up in my eyes and threatening to escape.

Why? I always knew our engagement could be cancelled at any point. I’ve never allowed myself to forget that, so why? I was still clinging to Lord Kyros’s arm, unable to let go. Tears started running down my cheeks, and Lord Kyros wiped them away with his fingers. Then, he bent down to look into my eyes.

“Luifon wasn’t mocking me because of your appearance or the standing of your house,” he said.

“What?”

“I’ve told him about you, so he knew that House Chandelan was poor before he met you. Besides, I know him. He wouldn’t ridicule someone’s wife because of that. He’s laughing at me because he thinks my unrequited love is pathetic,” Lord Kyros said, a bitter smile on his face.

Seeing him explaining things so calmly, I could hardly believe he was the same man I’d seen fighting with the prince mere moments ago.

“And since he can’t bear to see his rival acting so pathetic, he’s mad. He always tries to make it look like he’s in perfect control, but he’s quite emotional, you see.”

Despite the situation, I could see the fondness in Lord Kyros’s eyes when he talked about the prince. It was the same fondness I’d seen in Prince Luifon’s eyes earlier when he’d happily talked about his best friend.

I’d seen that look in other people’s eyes too: when the servants of the castle talked about their master, when they enjoyed nice food and pleasant cups of tea, when they mentioned the heroes of their homeland, when they watched flowers bloom…

People get such gentle looks on their faces when they think about the things and the people they love.

The two of them were best friends, and they worried about one another. Lord Kyros seemed to understand the prince’s behavior entirely, and the affection he held for him didn’t seem to have turned to hate either. And yet, he wouldn’t let go of his sword.

“Still, I can’t forgive him for insulting you. I will make him take back these words,” Lord Kyros said.

“You don’t need to! Please leave my honor to me. I’ll defend it myself!”

Lord Kyros blinked at me confusedly, and I added resolutely, “If anything, I’d rather you corrected him on something else. He called you a coward! Even I took offense to that.”

Lord Kyros let out a soft laugh. He took my hand and brought it to his face before kissing the tip of my fingers so lightly I wasn’t entirely certain his lips had come in contact with my skin. “Understood. I’ll go beat up my dear friend, then.”

“O-okay! Umm… Do your best?”

“I will. But before I go, Marie, may you bless this poor man headed to battle with a kiss?”

“Wh-what?!” I shrieked without meaning to.

Lord Kyros laughed. “It was just a joke. I’ve long decided never to force your hand on anything.”

He caressed my hair softly and grabbed the handle of the door that led outside the private area without another word. I realized too late that I should warn him.

“Lord Kyros!” I exclaimed. “Not this way! The ladies are—”

Alas, my warning had been too late indeed. What lay beyond that door, however, wasn’t quite what I had expected. The noble ladies I’d seen earlier were all splayed on the ground, except one who was in the process of ­being thrown over Mio’s shoulder. I stared at the chaos in utter confusion.

 

After Lord Kyros’s victory, the seats of the coliseum had started emptying. However, they were now once again full, and the crowd was bubbling.

“Ladies and gentlemen! You are about to witness a special exhibition match! A duel between the winner of our tournament, Count Kyros Granado, and our dear prince and commander of the royal knights, His Highness Prince Luifon Sandalkia Dilts!”

At the announcement, the coliseum filled with cheers.

I clapped too. This time, I wasn’t in the royal box all the way up but in the regular seating area. After all, I couldn’t very well sit in the prince’s box while cheering for his opponent! I was surrounded by spectators on all sides, and my seat wasn’t as comfortable, but I was much closer to the stage.

Prince Luifon was the first to enter the arena. He wasn’t wearing a helmet, and he waved at the crowd with a bright smile.

The jet-black warrior made his entrance soon after. This time, however, Lord Kyros wasn’t wearing his helmet either. Despite that missing piece of his costume, there was absolutely no doubt that he was the man I’d watched fight on this very stage earlier. With his training sword in hand, he looked so manly that I felt overwhelmed.

“He really seems like a completely different person…” I whispered.

“Did he seem that weak to you before today?” Mio asked.

That wasn’t quite it. I hadn’t thought he’d looked weak, but I’d just never associated him with fighting. As a high-ranking nobleman and the wealthiest man in the kingdom, I’d never have guessed he’d have occasions to wield a sword! On top of that, Mio was more or less his bodyguard. Who would assume a man who allowed a petite woman to guard him would be so strong?

“Come to think of it, I wonder: Who’s stronger between you and Lord Kyros?” I asked.

“Not even I can compete with him—if he has a sword in hand, that is,” she explained. In other words, Mio was confident she’d win if they fought barehanded.

But I wasn’t sure that really answered my question. They both seemed to be in a league of their own in any case.

At the center of the arena, Lord Kyros started speaking. This time I was close enough to hear.

“Luifon, even if we forbid attacking the top of the head, we may graze each other’s faces,” he said. “Wear a helmet. I don’t want you badly wounded.”

“I don’t mind,” the prince said with a shrug. “I was starting to get bored of looking this good. If anything, I’d say you’re the one who needs to protect his face. Don’t you think Marie will hate you for good if you lose half of that handsome nose of yours?”

“You always know exactly how to get my goat.” Lord Kyros had been holding his helmet in his hands, but now he threw it down. “On guard, Luifon! For the first time in over ten years, I’ll fight you seriously.”

“How unconvincing. The Kyros from back then would’ve rushed me by now instead of blathering about helmets,” Prince Luifon shot back.

I got goosebumps at Lord Kyros’s intensity. Unlike earlier, I could feel his bloodlust in the air. Despite that, he still seemed unsure of himself, and when he swung, I got the sense he wasn’t aiming at anything. He must have been worried about the possibility he might accidently kill his best friend.

Regardless of whether it was reasonable for Lord Kyros to hesitate in this situation, it was plain to see that he was. Naturally, his indecision hadn’t escaped the prince’s notice, and he laughed viciously. “Do you think my sword won’t kill you?” he jeered. His gaze was ice cold.

“I’m not looking down on you that much,” Lord Kyros insisted.

“Then stop dawdling and come at me!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Prince Luifon kicked the ground with his pure-white boots to propel himself forward. He was keeping his body low as he aimed a thrust straight at Lord Kyros’s stomach.

Lord Kyros reflexively deflected the blow with his own blade. The resulting clang was so loud I felt my eardrums vibrate. While the sound still rang through the air, the prince unleashed two more blows. Lord Kyros parried them both, but the prince was rapidly closing the distance between them.

Mio produced a bag of fish cakes. “Our lord is stronger, but His Highness is quicker.”

“Ah! No! Watch out!” I shrieked, closing my eyes as Prince Luifon swung his blade once more. Thankfully, Lord Kyros yet again successfully deflected the hit.

Then, when I dared to look up again, I saw that Lord Kyros was about to counterattack. He was pushing his sword forward against Prince Luifon’s, keeping it low at about hip level, and then he rotated his wrist, forcing the prince’s blade to rotate with his own. From there, Lord Kyros thrusted forward in one swift motion. A disturbing noise resounded as his blade grazed Prince Luifon’s armor.

Had that been a provocation? Prince Luifon looked even more angry than before. But he didn’t falter. He stepped forward, slashing at Lord Kyros several times in quick succession.

The two tall figures were exchanging blow after blow in close proximity, switching swiftly between offense and defense as their positions required.

“I-it’s only a matter of time before he gets a hit in…” I whispered, worried about Lord Kyros.

“The same goes for his opponent, my lady,” Mio reminded me.

After parrying a set of rapid blows, Lord Kyros took a half step back and swung his sword at the prince with all his strength. Prince Luifon raised his sword to block—his timing and stance were excellent, offering him the perfect defense—and yet, he was pushed back so hard he almost landed on his backside. He managed to catch himself at the last possible moment and remain standing. But unfortunately for him, Lord Kyros was already striking again before Prince Luifon could recover his balance.

“Urgh…!” The prince leaped backward to dodge and put some distance between the two of them. Immediately after, however, he once again closed in on Lord Kyros from the side and slashed at his chest.

But Lord Kyros’s arm was still outstretched. He started pulling back his blade, but he wouldn’t make it in time to block!

No!

I closed my eyes, terrified, but I forced myself to open them immediately after. I had to watch!

Lord Kyros bent his arm and deflected Prince Luifon’s sword with his elbow. He’d hit the prince’s blade so hard he knocked it out of the prince’s grip, and it flew into the air.

The prince didn’t even try to go after his sword as it landed far off in the distance. Instead, he glared at Lord Kyros. “You’ve always got a few tricks up your sleeve, don’t you?!” he roared. Then he bent forward and dashed at Lord Kyros barehanded.

H-he’s not giving up?!

The unexpected attack caught Lord Kyros off guard, and the prince manage to punch him squarely in the face.

“Huh?! Is that allowed?!” I screamed despite myself.

I grabbed Mio, who was currently eating candies, by the shoulders and shook her. As she swung like a pendulum, she mumbled, “Shouldn’t be,” with a blatant lack of interest. The referee seemed equally puzzled.

In the meantime, the prince kept up his assault on Lord Kyros. He didn’t risk trying to grab Lord Kyros’s sword, instead settling for punching the count’s face once… Twice… Three times… Four…

Though the prince may have been disarmed, his hands were still encased in a thick layer of armor! It must have stung as badly as being hit with a metal bar.

The first two hits landed straight on Lord Kyros’s face. He blocked the third, however, and he finally managed to push Prince Luifon off him on the fourth. The prince wasn’t ready to give up, though, and he made to strike Lord Kyros’s right hand.

Oh no!

Lord Kyros grabbed his sword and brandished it with a smile.

CLAAAANG!

That distinctive metallic noise appeared to be the sound of Prince Luifon hitting Lord Kyros’s armor.

Ah… He lost…

Right as I thought that, however, another metallic noise—louder still—reverberated through the arena. Lord Kyros had just punched the prince in the stomach with his fist and split his armor open. The prince bent forward, clutching at his stomach in pain before collapsing and going still.

He’s lost consciousness, I realized.

Now that he was on the ground, I could see there was a huge hole in his silver plastron.

The coliseum fell silent.

“Um… So… Um…?” the referee mumbled, looking between the two competitors.

Lord Kyros wiped the blood off his face. His lip seemed to have gotten cut when the prince punched him. Then he looked down at his friend and stretched before letting out a deep sigh.

“He won,” he said. “Luifon got me first.”

“B-but, hitting with your fists isn’t allowed…” the referee muttered. “Well, I suppose there’s no such rule, but—”

“In that case, I couldn’t have won by punching him either, so I’ve lost all the same,” Lord Kyros said.

The host glanced at the referee, waiting for a result to announce. The referee frowned and ran back to the undercroft. After deliberating for a while, he came back and announced, “The winner is the jet-black warrior, Count Kyros Granado!”

Ah!!!

“You did it, Lord Kyros! You won!” I shouted excitedly. I’d risen to my feet and begun clapping with such enthusiasm that it took me a few moments to notice that I was the only one screaming. I covered my face with my hands and crouched to conceal myself.

“Marie…” I heard Lord Kyros say.

Aaaah, he heard me!

A few others started clapping. More people imitated them, and soon the entire crowd came to life. It was mostly clapping and cheering, but there was quite a bit of booing in the mix. The host was doing his best to calm the public by explaining the referees’ decision.

According to him, while the prince’s first punch had been deemed a violation of the rules, Lord Kyros had done the same, so they were even on that front. He went on to explain that the referees would have wanted them to fight another round to determinate the winner without such violations, but with the prince out cold, that wasn’t an option. There had apparently been some debate regarding the validity of Lord Kyros’s last hit, but the referees had concluded that, since they’d heard the characteristic sound they’d been waiting for, it had counted.

And so, after careful deliberations, the referees had all agreed that Lord Kyros should be deemed the victor.

I was still embarrassed about jumping the gun to congratulate Lord Kyros, but I finally sat back and lifted my head to look at the stage. A beautiful woman was giving Lord Kyros a bouquet of roses. She tried to hug him, but he stopped her before looking at me and waving like a child. The girls around me started squealing.

“AAAH! COUNT KYROS!”

“He just waved at me! At me!”

“What are you on about, old hag? He clearly smiled at me!”

“What did you just say, fatso?”

I couldn’t bear to listen to them and plugged my ears with my fingers, looking down at my feet. Just then, Mio tapped me on the shoulder. “Yes?” I asked.

I removed my hands and heard Lord Kyros’s voice. “Marie! Marie! Come down here!”

Huh?!

The women around us all turned to glare at me. I was terrified by their piercing eyes, and Mio had to physically give me a push on the back so I’d finally stand up and start climbing down the stairs.

When I reached the bottom, I realized the stage where the contestants and host were standing was elevated. I hadn’t noticed from above, but it came up to my chest.

I looked up at Lord Kyros and asked, “I-I’m, here. What can I do for you?”

“Stay right there,” Lord Kyros said as he got on his knees and gently pulled one rose out of the bouquet. He put it in my hair before repeating the process with a second, and then a third.

Wh-what is he doing?

When he was done, my hair was completely decorated with red roses, and Lord Kyros seemed pleased with himself.

“Perfect,” he whispered, nodding happily.

I could hear the audience whispering among themselves.

“May I head back?” I asked. But to my surprise, Lord Kyros helped me up onto the stage instead. Then, he crouched down, put an arm behind my back, and—

“AAAAH!” I screamed.

He’d just picked me up in a bridal carry in front of everyone!

I’m scared! I’m so high up! And everyone is looking at me!

Amid the loud commotion, I was trembling with embarrassment, shock, and fear, and all I could do about it was bury my face in his shoulder. Even though I was so tall, Lord Kyros seemed to have no issue carrying me like this, but I still held on for dear life, terrified that he’d drop me.

Suddenly, he declared loudly, “Allow me to take this opportunity to make a personal announcement. I, Kyros Granado, have recently become engaged to Lady Marie Chandelan!”

The noisy coliseum fell silent immediately.

Why are they all so quiet? I could feel countless gazes digging into my back. The back of my head started to feel numb. Why are they looking at me like that?

“I am aware the matter of my engagement has been a cause of concern for many, but rest assured that my business, as well as my house, is thriving now that I am receiving help from my future wife. More than ever, I will strive to contribute to the prosperity and stability of this kingdom through my work. I ask for your continued support for House Granado and its new member, my dear fiancée Lady Marie.”

Lord Kyros bowed, and finally put me back on the ground. His hand was still around my waist, though, so I couldn’t escape.

“Turn around,” he said. “Everyone wants to see your face.”

“B-b-but I…”

“It’ll be fine. You’re beautiful, Marie.”

Everyone here admired Lord Kyros. They’d expect a striking beauty at his arm, not someone like me. Are you sure you’re fine with me? Won’t I embarrass you just by being by your side?

“I’m… I’m scared,” I said weakly.

“It’s all right, Marie.” Lord Kyros stroked my trembling back. Then, he tapped it gently three times, as though he were knocking on a door. “You’ll be all right.”

Image - 14

I turned around nervously.

I couldn’t read the expressions of the people in the crowd. I had no idea what those hundreds of men and women thought of me, Lord Kyros’s fiancée. However, I could hear them. Their cheers, clapping, and congratulations rained upon us, wrapping us in their warmth.

I was so surprised that my eyes widened in shock. All I could see were smiling faces. Well, there were a couple of displeased women, but they weren’t looking down at me in contempt. Rather, they seemed…envious.

At Lord Kyros’s encouragement, I waved at the crowd. The cheers got louder, and Lord Kyros started waving too.

“In roughly two months, we’ll hold our engagement ceremony,” he shouted. “I’ll open the gates and welcome everyone at the banquet, regardless of rank. You won’t need an invitation, so tell your friends and families! Everyone will be welcome! And let me tell you, the food at the Granado Castle is great!”

The loudest cheers of the day echoed in the coliseum.

From that moment, time flew by in a blur, and before I knew it, evening had fallen.

The coliseum was now closed off to the public, and the inner court where all the stalls had been erected was almost devoid of people. The stalls that had sold out their merchandise were almost done packing up, while the others had put their goods on sale.

Mio seemed to have been eagerly awaiting this chance, and I watched quietly as she descended upon stall after stall to purchase up all their leftover food.

My nerves hadn’t quite yet settled from watching all the fierce fights, but now I also felt an indescribable loneliness as I watched the crowd retreat like the tide. This day really is over… Somehow, the realization made me even sadder.

The armored carriage that had taken us here was likely waiting for us at the gate. If we rode it, we’d be back at Granado Castle in no time.

We’d walked a lot today, so I was sweaty and covered in dust. Tunica would pounce on me as soon as she saw me.

I remembered how worried Thomas had been before we left. And I wanted to tell Johan that his flower beds were far lovelier than the ones here. Would Toppo be sad if I told him I’d eaten so much that I wasn’t hungry enough for dinner? If I really had to, I could probably fit in a few bites, but…

No, I should talk to him. If I just ask him if I can have my dinner later, I’ll have room again.

Ah! I almost forgot! I looked around and ran up to one of the stalls that was the closest to the door that led to the coliseum.

The shopkeeper was yawning, and he slowly lifted his head when I arrived.

“Welcome. Would you like to try peeling an apple?” he said.

“Yes, please!” I exclaimed.

He seemed to suddenly remember me, and he scratched the back of his head. “Sorry ’bout what happened earlier. His Highness wouldn’t stop messing around.”

“It’s all right. Thank you for defending me. But please, let’s forget about that so I can finally take on your challenge.”

“Ha ha ha! You’re really motivated, aren’t you? You’re a strange one, you know that?” He noticed me taking out a coin, and he immediately added, “You don’t need to pay. You did earlier.”

“Thank you! Heh heh, I’m itching to have a go!”

I rolled up my sleeves and accepted the apple and knife the shopkeeper handed me. I was ready to begin when someone grabbed my apple from behind me. Again?!

I turned around to find not the prince, but my fiancé.

“Lord Kyros! You’re finished cleaning up?”

He nodded. His armor was off, and I assumed the clothes he was currently wearing were the outfit he’d worn at the royal palace: a long mantle over an azure tunic adorned with an exquisitely embroidered hawk. He was so handsome and dignified that I couldn’t help thinking he was worthy of sitting on the throne.

Lord Kyros played with the apple in his hand. He looked at me, then at the big sign hanging in front of the stall, and then he started to hum. “Seems like fun. I’ll have a go too,” he said, giving the shopkeeper a copper coin.

He took the knife the man handed him and started peeling the apple with a serious expression. The gap between his handsome, focused face and what he was doing made me laugh.

“You’re good at this, Lord Kyros. Do you cook?” I asked.

“I often have to camp outside,” he said. “I don’t know much about complicated seasonings, but I can put a meal together. It’s my first time peeling an apple, though. I like to eat them as they are.”

These last words reminded me of the silver-haired prince, and I asked, “Has His Highness woken up?”

“I just did,” a voice came from behind.

Lord Kyros was even more surprised than me, and he broke the peel. “Ah! This is all your fault, Luifon. You’d better try your hand at this too now—it’s the only way society can forgive you for your crime.”

“This is a travesty of justice!” the prince shot back with a frown.

The shopkeeper didn’t give Prince Luifon any time to argue and just offered up two apples with a smirk. Lord Kyros took both apples and pushed one into Prince Luifon’s hands. The prince didn’t react and simply stared at the apple annoyed. Nevertheless, Lord Kyros didn’t insist and just started on his own apple.

“Urgh. I failed again. Is there a trick, Marie?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “First, you should hold it upside down and start with the bottom, not the part with the stem. It’s softer, so you’ll have an easier time getting your knife under the skin.”

I demonstrated it for him.

“Oh! It’s true!” Lord Kyros said.

“Then, you put the apple down on the counter and turn it sideways, like this. You have to press on it lightly to rotate it as you go. Try to peel as thinly as you can, but if you catch the flesh too, it’ll break.”

“A thin layer, huh? That’s the hard part. You’re really good at this, Marie.”

His praise made me so happy that I trembled slightly. I stopped my hands for a moment, and looked down, giggling.

“I’m not that good at cooking either,” I said. “But I used to do everything I could to maximize the edible parts. It was quite literally a matter of life or death, so…”

Lord Kyros knitted his brow at first, but after a few seconds, he smiled.

“I like this side of Marie. She looks frail, so I get the urge to protect her, but the truth is she’s unexpectedly strong and reliable,” he whispered, peeling his own apple.

He wasn’t talking to me, but to the prince. Unlike when he spoke to me, there was no trace of sweetness, shyness, or playfulness in his tone. Rather, he sounded calm and matter-of-fact.

“If Marie is with me against her will, I won’t stop her from leaving,” he added. “If I did, I’d be no better than her father; I’d essentially just be buying her from him. That’s not what I want.”

Prince Luifon shrugged. “And if she stays? Are you telling me you’re enjoying acting like a fool and doting on a woman who doesn’t care for you one bit?”

“Oh, I am,” Lord Kyros declared. The prince raised an eyebrow at the statement, but Lord Kyros smiled softly. “I’m having fun—a lot more fun than I ever thought I could have. Ever since Marie came to my castle, I’ve been enjoying myself every single day, no matter what I’m doing. Even when I have to leave for work and can’t see her for several days in a row, the thought that she’s waiting for me at home brings me joy. As long as she’s getting along well with my servants and having a good time, that’s all I need. Even if she doesn’t like me now, I get excited thinking about how we might grow closer in the future. It might take years for us to become husband and wife in the real sense of the term, but I’m not in any rush. I’ll just keep loving her and doting on her happily until that day comes.”

Prince Luifon tossed his apple in the air. He caught it, and tossed it again, laughing scornfully. “I’m sorry to break the news to you, but there’s nothing cool about what you just said.”

“I don’t need you to think I’m cool.”

“Oh, yeah? I guess you can just spend the rest of your life acting like an idiot if that makes you happy. Do whatever you want,” the prince spat out before turning on his heel.

I caught his arm, and he turned around. I stared right into the prince’s eyes. “Lord Kyros is cool,” I insisted.

“What?”

“Lord Kyrosiscool,” I repeated. “I…um… I think he is, at least. And he…he has a lot of other good sides too!”

My voice failed me and broke halfway through my declaration. I’d had a ton of his good sides in mind and I’d wanted to list them, but all of that got caught in my throat.

Still, even if I didn’t sing Lord Kyros’s praises, I was sure Prince Luifon would know what I was talking about. After all, he loved Lord Kyros and knew all the positive things about him too!

It has taken me some time, but I can see right through you now, Your Highness! You summoned me because you wanted us to talk about the person we were both supposed to love!

The prince averted his eyes, embarrassed, and scratched the back of his head. Then, he sunk his teeth into the apple he was still holding. He spat it out ­immediately after.

“Urgh! Bleh! That’s a decorative apple!”

Lord Kyros burst out laughing. “You should have realized that the moment you touched it, you idiot!”

The shopkeeper was also laughing. As for the prince, his face flushed red.

“I won’t forget that! I’m a prince of this kingdom, and the proud commander of the royal knights, you know! I’ll have you two arrested for lèse-majesté!”

He squared his shoulders to intimidate us before stomping away. The three of us couldn’t help but laugh even harder.

“His Highness is a very interesting person,” I said.

“You sure never get bored with him around,” Lord Kyros replied, holding his sides with laughter.

Mio seemed to notice the uproar and finally joined us. I’d been about to calm down, but I started laughing again when I saw the mountain of food she was carrying. I was laughing so hard tears formed in my eyes.

I’d been interrupted so many times in my attempt to peel my apple that, when I finally finished, the sun had long set and there wasn’t a single other stall left open.

I showed the shopkeeper the long, thin strand I’d ended up with. It was roughly four times my height. In return, I received his remaining stock of apples—five large crates. With Mio and Lord Kyros’s help, we managed to carry them outside the gate.

“Welcome back,” the coachman said, confused. “You’ve…acquired quite a bit of luggage.”

It was a bit difficult, but we managed to fit all the crates inside while leaving interstices for us to sit. I was the first to board the carriage, and Lord Kyros helped me by holding my hand. Even after I sat down, he kept my hand in his and smiled at me.

“I still have work planned tomorrow,” he said. “Go back to the castle without me.”

“All right. Good night, Lord Kyros.”

“Thank you for coming today, Marie.”

“N-no, thank you. The festival was a lot of fun, and I got to see your cool side.”

Lord Kyros laughed. “I’m glad I got to show off. Truth be told, I’ve never won a fencing match against Luifon before.”

“You would have been plenty cool even if you’d lost,” I said.

I meant it. This wasn’t about technique or arm strength, nor was it about rank, wealth, or looks. Lord Kyros was cool and strong regardless of any of that. Not that I could bring myself to say it, but it rang true in my heart.

I used to believe Lord Kyros was a difficult man, but I now knew better. In actuality, he was a very honest man. He liked people he thought were talented or interesting regardless of their rank, and he was never ashamed to say so. That mindset extended to other things too: foreign cultures, food, and even apple-peeling contests and word-chain games. He wasn’t against trying anything that could be fun, and he didn’t hesitate to thank people or apologize to them. He was also the kind of man who treasured what he loved with all his might. I couldn’t imagine he was possessed of any sort of misguided pride—I knew he was much too bighearted for such a thing. He never seemed to feel like he was losing out by apologizing, showing gratitude, offering help, or giving praise.

“You really are a great man, Lord Kyros. A strong man,” I whispered.

He squeezed my hand. “My strength is yours to use, Marie.” His shining green eyes found mine. “It’s all yours. You said you’d marry me, and if you do, then everything I have—the Granado Trading Company’s financial power, my social status, my physical strength, and me myself—all of it will be yours.”

“You… You’d give me your everything?”

“Of course. If it’s all yours, you won’t have to restrain yourself anymore. You’ll be able to use it all as your own strength, right?”

Lord Kyros smiled unreservedly. He seemed genuinely happy. Then he let go of my hand and whispered, “Good night, Marie.”

He turned his head and tried to step back so that Mio could board the carriage, but I grabbed his arm to stop him. I pulled him forward and pressed my lips against his cheek. I’d squeezed my eyes closed in embarrassment throughout the whole process, so I had no idea if I’d done it well. I thought I had, considering I’d felt the warmth of his skin against my closed lips, but…

Lord Kyros turned to look at me, but I pushed him away and slammed the door of the carriage shut. Then I let myself fall against a crate of apples and screamed, “You still have work, right? They say a man’s workplace is like a battlefield, so go and rest up!”

“H-huh?! M-Marie? What was that—”

“Good night!” I shouted from inside the carriage. “Coachman! You may depart!”

“I haven’t boarded yet, Lady Marie,” Mio called out while knocking on the door.

I realized my mistake with a start. Oh no! I was about to forget her!

I opened the door, but Mio didn’t hop in immediately. She probably had something to tell Lord Kyros, because she pulled him away and the two of them discussed something. It didn’t take long, and she soon returned and took her place next to me.

“Sorry for the wait. Let us get you back home,” Mio said with a smile.

 

As the carriage cut across the royal capital and headed toward the old castle, I felt the gentle aroma of apples envelop me. I thought the sun was done setting, but when we exited the walls of the city and buildings stopped blocking my field of vision, I noticed that there was still red light stretching across the horizon. The days were becoming longer, and soon it would be summer, though this season when the sun was so hot it burned your skin was rather short in this country.

In two and a half months, when the tomatoes would be as red as the setting sun, our engagement ceremony would be held in the white-walled castle. And after that, I would marry the man who used to be my sister’s fiancé, Kyros Granado, a man six years my elder.

Now, I knew a bit more about him than just that. I knew he was tall and strong, and that his masculine and sharp features were a little scary. I knew that despite his scary appearance, he was a kind man with a sweet tooth. And I also knew that his best friend, his family, and his servants loved him dearly.

I’d come here to replace my sister, but it seemed that he saw me as more than that. He seemed to like me, at least a little. And I…also liked him a little.

I was, of course, my sister’s replacement, and this was certainly a marriage of convenience, but I knew we’d grow closer. One day, we’d be a true couple, connected by our love for one another. I hoped I would be happy, and I hoped he’d be happy too.

Actually, I hoped that the two of us would be happy—together.

Epilogue: I Want to Cherish Marie

Epilogue:
I Want to Cherish Marie

 

I FELT SOMETHING SOFT AGAINST MY CHEEK, and right after that, the door of the carriage slammed shut in my face. The pleasant smell of Marie’s hair lingered at the tip of my nose.

I heard her say something from inside the carriage, and I grabbed the door. I was ready to open it by force when Mio took my hand away.

I glared at her, but she put her finger in front of her lips to gesture for me to shut up before whispering, “Please look at this, my lord.”

She took out a cheap-looking envelope from her pocket and handed it to me. As soon as I opened it and read its contents, I stepped away from the carriage. “When did this arrive?” I asked.

“Four days ago. Two days after Lady Marie received that package.”

I stared at the letter. The sender was Gregor Chandelan—the head of House Chandelan and Marie’s father—and it was addressed to Marie.

“Are we sure Gregor wrote this and not his wife, Elvira?”

“Yes. The handwriting on the card was different.”

Mio pulled out the card she’d found in the package we’d received four days prior—the one Marie had seen. Whereas Elvira’s abusive message featured small, sharp, crooked handwriting, Gregor’s letters were notably thick and round. Although he left very little space in between his letters, he maintained a curious amount of space between each line. They both had poor handwriting, but in different ways. The language they used was different too.

In any case, I felt like throwing up as I read the words Gregor had written to his daughter.

Marie, what are you doing? Why aren’t you home yet?

The count says we don’t need to pay him back, so you don’t need to play the prostitute any longer. You’ve accomplished your duty there, so hurry home. There is work for you to do.

You’ll never be happy in that castle, so come home. I won’t tolerate any delay.

Mio sighed.

“Like wife, like husband. They’re the same,” she said. “How can they bear to be so cruel to their daughter? If you’re done reading them, give them back and I’ll burn them both.”

“They’re not the same,” I replied. I was sure of this—they seemed to think in completely opposite ways.

Mio reread both messages and frowned. “I can’t tell if they want Lady Marie out of their life or if they want to keep her close by.”

“There is no ‘they,’ Mio. That’s my point—Gregor and Elvira are two separate people.”

“Two people who aren’t in agreement…”

I compared the two messages. The handwriting was different, and so were the writing utensils they’d used and the days when they’d posted their respective letters. They’d written them independently…but had either of them told the other they had?

Marie.

Marie was cute, and undeniably so. Not only was Marie adorable, she was honest, kind, and smart. Even if she truly hadn’t been as beautiful as her sister, weren’t parents supposed to love their children? Weren’t parents supposed to find their children adorable simply for existing?

And yet, they’d kept persecuting her. I felt rage rise in my chest. How could they treat their daughters so differently just based on their appearances? How could there be parents like them?!

Suddenly, a question welled up in my mind.

Yes, how can there be parents like them?

“Mio, while I’m away, I need you to look into something for me.”

“Whether Lady Marie is the baron and baroness’s biological child…right?”

“Yes. I keep wondering why Marie’s own parents hate her so much, but perhaps that’s the answer. Maybe they were mistreating her for a reason.”

Mio nodded. I handed the letter and card back to her, and she slipped them in her pocket before walking back to the carriage, her expression perfectly neutral.

As soon as Mio boarded, the coachman tugged on the reins, and the carriage departed. I waved at it and waited until it disappeared in the distance. Maybe Marie had been looking at me from inside.

I’d told Luifon that I was happy even when Marie and I were apart, but that was only half true. I’d been dying to embrace her since the moment I’d let go of her hand. Even though I couldn’t see her anymore, I couldn’t bear to turn my back to her. I wanted nothing more than to run after the carriage and steal her away. I wanted to take her with me everywhere I went so we wouldn’t ever be apart—not even for a second.

All right. I’ll deal with my work as fast as I can.And once I’m done, I’ll stay at the castle until our engagement ceremony and spend as much time with Marie as possible.

Actually, I should get her flowers on the way back. Beautiful, vibrant flowers that’ll compliment her fiery red hair.

Extra Story: Toppo, a Man with a Rich History

Extra Story:
Toppo, a Man with a Rich History

 

“IT’S DELICIOUS! I’VE NEVER HAD SUCH A DELICIOUS vichyssoise!” I exclaimed. Lord Kyros, who was sitting next to me, and the servants nodded.

To celebrate Kyros’s return, he and I were having dinner with the servants who weren’t busy at the moment—namely, Mio, Tunica, Thomas, Johan, and even Toppo, the head chef. The dining table was livelier than ever.

“This is from your homeland of Fralia, right, Toppo?” I asked. “The intense sweetness is very interesting.”

“I’ve had vichyssoise in Fralia before, but they don’t make it quite like this over there,” Lord Kyros said. “Toppo’s version is the best I’ve ever had.”

Toppo let out an adorable laugh at Lord Kyros’s comment. His large body shook as he wiggled in his seat and puffed his rosy cheeks.

“In addition to the pan-seared green onions, Toppo added a bit of regular onion and slowly sautéed it in butter to bring out the sweetness!” Toppo explained. Then he added, “If you keep praising Toppo, his cheeks will grow bigger!”

“I don’t think that’s how cheeks work,” Mio quipped. Of course, her misgivings weren’t stopping her from spooning up more and more of her soup.

Tunica, Thomas, and Johan also praised Toppo, who seemed very pleased. He was so elated, in fact, that he decided to share the almond jelly he’d made for his late-night snack with everyone. I’d never had it before, but it was apparently a Shainese dessert. Of course, it was delicious too!

“You’re amazing, Toppo,” I said. “You can make anything!”

“Tee-hee! Toppo has traveled through many countries before coming here. Toppo’s taste buds have recorded dishes from all over the world, as well as the local cuisine of Fralia.”

“Before you came here… Speaking of that, when did you start working in this castle, Toppo?” I asked.

“It’ll be twenty years soon.”

Whoa! That’s amazing! He’d probably been among those who had worked here the longest in that case.

Actually, many of the others seemed surprised too.

“It’s been that long?” one of the servants asked.

“Twenty years ago? That would be around the time when our lord was just starting to form memories,” another said.

“Say, why did you come to the Dilts Kingdom in the first place?” Tunica asked in between two spoonfuls of almond jelly. “Fralia is a country of gourmets, with a cuisine renowned the world over. Isn’t Dilts behind on that front?”

“Come to think of it, that’s a very good question,” Lord Kyros said. “I heard that, in Fralia, the chefs of the palace are given wealth comparable to counts. With your skills, you could have aimed for that position, right, Toppo?”

Everyone’s attention was on Toppo, and he knitted his brow, embarrassed. “Well, um… Toppo…fled. Toppo can’t ever go back there…”

Huh? Did he mean to say he was a refugee? Fralia was an advanced country where those who knew a trade could find work easy. I couldn’t see why he’d need to seek asylum elsewhere. Is he on the run from debtors?!

An unsettling silence came over the room until Toppo at last shook his head and declared, “It wasn’t Toppo’s fault! They just put Toppo’s name on the wanted list!”

“What do you mean, they ‘just’ put your name on the wanted list?!” I squealed.

“If Toppo goes back to the royal capital of Fralia, ­execution probably awaits him.”

“E-e-execution?!”

“But Toppo is okay,” he tried to assure us. “Madam Liu Liu helped Toppo out! And Toppo isn’t his real name.”

“Wait, you’ve been using a false name this whole time?!” Lord Kyros jumped to his feet with surprise.

A cacophony of alarmed chatter broke out in the dining room. I clearly wasn’t the only one who’d been caught off guard by this sudden revelation. Toppo, on the other hand, was perfectly calm, and he poured himself another cup of jasmine tea before sitting back down and having a casual sip.

Huh? Isn’t he going to share any of the details?! I’m so curious… But he looks like he doesn’t want to elaborate…

We all looked at one another in confusion. Finally, Mio sighed and spoke up. “Don’t you think this is a good opportunity to tell everyone about your past and your true identity?”

What incredible secrets has Toppo been keeping from everyone?!

Toppo closed his charming blue eyes for a moment to collect himself. When he opened them again, they’d been overcast by a dark shadow I’d never seen in them before. He removed his chef’s hat and set it down on the table, which gave me a better look at the lemon-yellow hair framing his face.

“You’re right… We’ve welcomed a new member to this family with the madam’s arrival, so perhaps the time has come—the time for me to share my story with all of you.”

I was already shocked enough by the sudden change in tone that I was bursting with questions, but I didn’t dare interrupt and instead listened closely.

With all eyes on him, Toppo started recounting his story calmly, “A long time ago, I was one of the chefs of the royal palace of Fralia…and the princess’s fiancé.”

 

***

 

There was a reason why the chefs of the royal palace back in Fralia enjoyed such wealth and influence.

A little more than thirty years ago, Fralia saw the end of a large war. Once peace was declared, the nation welcomed an era of tranquility.

Well, on the surface, at least.

For Fralia’s citizens, the end of hostilities could not simply translate to an end of their worries. When would another war start? When would their fields be burned and famine strike again?

The fears of the population impeded the return to normalcy, stagnating Fralia’s economy and development, so the monarchy set a secret plan in motion. First, they started a heavy propaganda campaign to ingrain in the citizen’s minds that Fralia was a nation of gourmet with the best cuisine in the world. Next, the propaganda effort was supplemented by a reform of the tax system to elevate the status of the dairy and food service industries. Lastly, the most exceptional chefs of the country were invited to work for the palace and given a peerage.

Many years passed following these changes, and on the thirtieth anniversary of the end of the war, a cooking competition was organized in the royal palace—with the prize for the winning chef stated to be anything they wanted, be it tremendous wealth, a prestigious title, or even the hand of the princess in marriage.

During the semifinals of that tournament, the queen of Fralia was so amazed that she stood up and shouted, “It’s delicious! I’ve never had such a delicious éclair before! The multi-layered dough is as crisp as a croissant, it’s topped with just the right amount of chocolate icing, and the inside is filled with a rich chocolate cream that melts on the tongue! And the slight bitterness hidden beyond the sweetness of the cream… Ah… I feel like the chocolate of this dessert loves me and only me. This is true bliss!”

After the queen’s speech, there was no need to wait for her and the rest of the judges to cast their vote. The first to realize that was my opponent, whose creation the queen had already sampled a moment prior, and he threw his toque to the ground in frustration.

One of the judges raised his hand in the air, before bringing it down and pointing at me. “The winner is Bartolomeo Reggiano!”

Cheers echoed across the royal palace of Fralia. Everyone in the hall—including the servants, judges, civil officials, military officers, nobles, and even the queen—stood up and clapped for me.

From his throne, the king looked down at me with a smile and praised me. I kneeled at the bottom of the stairs of the throne platform and bowed to him respectfully.

“You may raise your head,” he said.

“Thank you.”

I followed his order…and the queen let out a sweet gasp and suddenly cried out, “What a beautiful man you are!”

The king laughed. “That’s no way to speak before your husband, my queen. Although I do concur with that sentiment.” Even as he admonished his wife, he was in high spirits.

“Your name was…Bartolomeo, if memory serves,” the king continued. “Your creation for the sweets showdown of the semifinals was splendid.”

“You honor me, Your Majesty.”

“I suppose fortune smiled upon you too,” he added. “To think you’d choose to serve the queen’s favorite dessert out of the countless list of Fralian desserts. You must be loved by the God of Cooking.”

I bowed once more and replied, “I’m afraid that isn’t exactly correct, Your Majesty. I’ve been a chef of this palace for ten years now. I’m but one of many, so you must not remember me, but in my eyes, Your Majesties are of unmatched significance. When I heard that Her Majesty would be one of the judges, I had to make sure the dessert I served suited her tastes.”

“You know what I like?” the queen asked. “I don’t believe I’ve ever informed you of my tastes.”

“I asked your ladies-in-waiting, and I’ve pored over every women’s journal and pamphlet that mentions you. I concluded you like long and narrow sweets with crispy textures, as well as chocolate filling. Am I correct?”

“I-indeed, you are! You’ve certainly done your research…”

“That is because cooking is loving.”

“My!” She seemed deeply impressed.

The king smiled before beckoning me closer. “If you triumph in the finals, you’ll obtain glory and riches. To be honest, I’m quite certain the final victory will be yours, and…” He cleared his throat and beckoned me closer still before whispering in my ear, “I’m personally rooting for you. The reason this tournament’s prize is so extravagant is so that you will be able to marry the princess when you win.”

“Wh-what?! Why would you—”

“Ha ha ha!” The king interrupted me with boisterous laughter before once again whispering, “Don’t play dumb. I know you and my daughter are on quite familiar terms. She’s told us all about you. You swore to marry one another, did you not?”

Astonished, I looked around in a panic. My eyes met with the princess of Fralia, who was sitting at the edge of the judges’ panel. She hid her face with her folding fan and squirmed in her seat.

I shook my head. “Th-that does not make any sense. I’ve only ever talked to Her Highness while serving food to her, and I’ve never said a word about marriage.”

“Oh. Is that so?” The king, as well as the queen, seemed genuinely disappointed. Nevertheless, he hummed and nodded before saying loud and clear, “Hmm, I wonder where the information got mixed up. Well, it matters not. You can still marry our daughter. Bartolomeo, from this moment onward, consider yourself officially engaged to her. I trust you’ll take good care of our nation’s princess after winning the tournament.”

I couldn’t find the words to protest and turned around to look at the young lady I was suddenly set to marry. I was hoping she’d say something along the lines of “Father! You cannot make this decision for me,” but the words that came out of her mouth were actually, “If that is His Majesty’s will, then we must accept it.”

“Y-Your Highness?!”

“Ah, speaking of which,” the king said. “I will be the sole judge for the finals. Worry not, Bartolomeo, your future is assured.”

“Heh heh heh… So, Bartolomeo is to be our son-in-law… How I look forward to that,” the queen said with a smile.

I was astonished, but I finally managed to speak up, “I-I did not participate in this tournament hoping for such a thing!”

“‘Such a thing?!’” the princess repeated shrilly. Her enraged screech echoed throughout the hall.

“Before coming to the palace, I used to work at a restaurant in the capital,” I said. “People from several countries work there. They were caught up in the war and haven’t been able to go home ever since.”

“Hmm?”

“Among them were veteran chefs and genius artisans with years of experience. I was deeply moved after tasting their cuisine. The world is vast, and there were techniques and charm in their cooking that Fralia does not yet possess. So why, then, Your Majesty?” I paused to glare at the king, then I stood as straight as I could and all but shouted, “Why are these amazing talents not even allowed to take the examination to become chefs of the palace?! Do you believe a person cannot make delicious food if Fralian blood does not run in their veins? Or is the reason merely discrimination?”

“H-huh? W-well, that’s…um…”

“Meaningless considerations such as origin or rank should have no place in the pursuit of taste!” I continued. “Please, Your Majesty, give an equal chance to all cooks! We must learn about foreign ingredients and preparation techniques from those who know them best and incorporate them into Fralian cuisine. That is the only way this country will become a true nation of gourmets! I became a chef of the palace and entered this competition for this singular purpose—I wished to petition you, Your Majesty!”

“I can’t believe this! You’ve come so far in this tournament just for the sake of other chefs…and for the pursuit of taste?!” The king slapped his lap joyfully and stood up. “Ha ha ha! Not only are you an excellent chef, but you aim for such wonderful, lofty goals! I like you even more, Bartolomeo!”

“Th-thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I understand your plight. And I want you as my son-in-law even more! Alas, you can forget about the engagement for now.”

“Father?!” the princess screeched. The king gestured for her to quiet down and nodded magnanimously.

I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I was about to disgrace a sacred competition out of love for my daughter. I’m sorry about that. She always says she’ll bite her tongue off if I force her into a marriage of convenience, and you’re the first man she agreed to marry… But still, we were being too selfish and shouldn’t have tried to force your hand. I hope you’ll forgive us,” the king said, his tone truly apologetic.

I was so relieved. I didn’t particularly hate the princess, but I had my heart set on being a chef, nothing more. I had no interest in marrying a princess or becoming the next king of Fralia, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to balance such important duties with cooking. If the king agreed to grant me my wish, I would be satisfied.

“I promise you, Bartolomeo, that if you win, the palace will hire chefs based on their talents, with no distinction made based on origin. Work alongside them and continue your quest for the ultimate taste.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I wish for nothing more.”

Though the king roared with laughter, the princess bit her lips anxiously.

 

The finals were held three days later, with the king presiding as the judge. Naturally, I’d investigated his tastes as well. He liked chicken the best, especially chicken seasoned with fragrant spices from the East, so I let a bone-in chicken simmer in lemon cream and served it with rice and a curry sauce I’d made using an original spice blend. The rich, exotic aroma wafted through the air, making the king’s nose twitch and flare. Incidentally, the dish my rival presented was a veal steak.

First of all, a portion of the dishes we’d made were served to the food taster to test for poison. My dish would be first, and the king already had his knife and fork in hand, eagerly awaiting the taster’s approval. He did not spare one look for my rival’s steak.

I’ve practically won this already!

However…

“Urgh!” the food taster groaned before reaching for his throat frantically. He collapsed onto the table.

“Wh-what?!”

“What’s wrong?”

“I-it…hurts…” he managed to choke out between coughs. The coughing intensified, and red droplets fell onto the table. Chaos took over the hall.

“Poison?! Bartolomeo! You tried to kill my father, didn’t you?!” the princess screamed. “You must be a foreign spy! You were never a true Fralian! That’s why you didn’t want for the throne or my hand! I knew it! You murderer!”

The king’s expression shifted in an instant, and he looked down at me coldly. “You planned this from the start…”

“No! I have no idea what she’s talking about! I haven’t poisoned the food!” I protested, desperately pleading my innocence.

“Silence! Who else could have?!”

The king was right. I’d picked the ingredients myself and prepared them alone. I was even the one who’d brought the plate to the taster. And yet, I hadn’t done it. None of the ingredients I’d used were naturally toxic either, so I didn’t understand how or when the poison could have been added.

I took a better look at the taster collapsed on the table and realized that something was strange. For someone who’d coughed up blood, his face hadn’t paled one bit. His breathing was stable, and he wasn’t sweating either. When I tried to approach to take his pulse, the princess blocked my path.

“Guards! Guards!” she cried out, pointing at me. “Arrest this murderer right this instant! Throw him in jail and execute him!”

The heinous contortion of her face told me everything I needed to know. The king, meanwhile, appeared both genuinely sad and angry.

“I’m so disappointed, Bartolomeo. The lofty aspirations you spoke of were only a trap to get me to lower my guard, weren’t they? What a shame…”

Two soldiers approached me, swords in hand. I lowered my head, and stopped moving, pretending to have given up on resisting. Then, when they least expected it, I kicked them, sending the fully armored men flying into the wall and knocking them unconscious on the spot. Another soldier was watching in confusion and, before he could make sense of the situation, I hit his sword arm and stole his blade. Now that he’d served his purpose for me, I swept his leg and raised his weapon to deter others from approaching.

“Bartolomeo!” the king roared. “You dare resist?!”

“If I don’t resist, you’ll kill me, won’t you? I’d rather fight, then.”

“You fool! Do you think a mere cook can best trained soldiers?!”

“We’ll see.”

The soldier whose sword I’d stolen got back up and tried to strike me with his bare hands. I stood my ground and dodged the flurry of hits by swaying my upper body left and right. Then, I sent him crashing into the ground with a single slash.

As I fought back against the next set of knights who attacked me, I started planning my escape route. Once I figured out what to do, I jumped and grabbed a windowsill before immediately pulling myself up.

“How can a cook fight so well?!” one of the knights cried out in shock.

“Wrong question. How could a cook not know his way around cutlery?” And with that, I jumped through the window.

 

I’d lost everything.

With nowhere to go, I wandered about alone. I passed through several countries, meeting and leaving countless people until I ended up in Dilts. I found work at an inn on the side of the highway and served food to travelers every day. It wasn’t anything like my days in Fralia, given the poor quality of the ingredients and the cooking equipment, but that didn’t mean my talents had declined. The inn soon made a name for itself, and through word-of-mouth, its reputation even reached the nobility. Then, one day…

“That vichyssoise is amazing! Tell me, would you like to become an exclusive chef of the Granado Castle? We can give you the environment you deserve to display your true abilities! We have ingredients and recipes from all over the world.”

…I was recruited by Madam Liu Liu.

 

***

 

“And that is how Toppo found himself in this castle.”

You could hear a pin drop by the time Toppo finished his story. We’d all been gathered around him and listening with rapt attention.

“Um, so… How do I put this…?”

“I’m not sure what to comment on first either…”

“Oh, let me have a go. ‘Bartolomeo’? Seriously?” Tunica jabbed.

“I’m more curious about the reason behind his fake name. Why Toppo?” Mio added.

The servants were continuing to whisper to one another, but I let out an impressed hum and said, “What an amazing story! There’s more to people than meets the eye, huh?”

“Lady Marie, please don’t tell me you believed that ridiculous tale,” Mio said.

Huh? Why are they all staring at me now? “W-was there something strange about it?”

“Every single part of the story was strange,” Mio said. “I can believe he might have been a chef in the palace, but the rest makes no sense. Besides, the person in his story had an entirely different personality than the Toppo we know.”

“She’s right. And there’s no way his name is Bartolomeo,” Tunica reiterated.

“Y-you think so? But…I was in tatters just a month ago, and now I’m about to marry a count. People’s lives can change in the most unexpected of ways, so you never know…”

“There’s no way,” the two said in unison, shaking their heads with impressive synchronization.

I-is that so?

“Hmph! Toppo didn’t lie!”

Hmm… I looked to Lord Kyros, but he was eating his almond jelly nonchalantly. Since I had no idea what he thought of Toppo’s story, I decided to ask for his opinion.

“Well… There were a couple parts that made me raise an eyebrow, but I think we can at least all agree that he was most likely very popular with the ladies,” Lord Kyros reasoned. “After all, he’s gotten you to let your guard down around him, yet you still won’t with me…”

“She’s just wary of you specifically, my lord,” Tunica clarified.

Lord Kyros pressed his head against the table and groaned.

Mio nodded. “I think the part about him being able to use a sword is true. The way he moves shows he can fight. As for the rest? I have my doubts.”

“Who cares about the sword fight?” Tunica interjected. “What matters is what he looks like.”

“The way he spoke was totally different too,” Thomas added. “The Bartolomeo I picture even has a different voice.”

“And he is not called Bartolomeo,” Tunica insisted.

Toppo winked and stuck out his tongue. “Toppo might have put on a little bit of weight since coming to Dilts.”

“Did you do all that in another dimension? Like, you died once, got reincarnated into a world where bread flies and people fight in the sky, and then found your way here?” Tunica asked. I wasn’t sure I understood how she thought the world worked.

There was no way to verify Toppo’s story, but I didn’t think it mattered either way. If he had lied, it probably just meant there were things he wanted to hide about his past. I didn’t want to pry beyond what he was ready to share; I was simply grateful for what he had decided to share.

“Thank you, Toppo,” I said.

“What for?”

“For coming to this castle. It’s thanks to you we get to eat delicious meals every day. Regardless of the circumstances that brought you here, I’m very thankful.”

Toppo’s expression, lemon-yellow eyebrows and all, softened into a warm smile. “Toppo is happy too,” he answered. “Toppo gets to use a great variety of ingredients and has learned so many recipes from all over the world. Every day is a chance to learn something new, and Toppo enjoys that very much. Toppo will do his best to become even better at cooking! And Toppo will be even happier if you all find the new dishes he comes up with tasty!”

Toppo’s beaming grin surprised the rest of the servants, but they all smiled right back. His background didn’t matter—what mattered was that Toppo was here now, and that he seemed happy. That was more than enough.

The first to speak amid this soft, happy atmosphere was Mio. “I still really wonder what prompted you to choose that name. What does Toppo mean?” she asked.

Toppo lifted his plump index finger—which resembled a bread roll—and wagged it from left to right before replying, “Heh heh! That’s a secret!”