《My Sisters are Strange》


 CH 1

    ¡°Capture the sinners now!¡±


    I rose from my seat to the distant voice of the knights.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You expected it, Daisy. Let¡¯s not be scared.¡±


    Without rushing, I got dressed properly and prepared to leave the room.


    ¡®Is this the end?¡¯


    Then I erased my gloomy expression and looked coldly out of the window.


    The Duke of Liviatan, one of the founding families of the Odphelia Empire.


    This place, which used to be a beautiful mansion representing the capital Bard, was filled with dark energy that it was impossible to find its former appearance.


    The garden, which was famous in other countries because it was full of beautiful flowers given by God all year round, had long since been trampled by knights, and the historic mansion was ruined by the sudden invasion of knights.


    ¡°How did this happen¡­¡±


    I let go of my anguish and slowly left the room.


    The interior of the mansion had already been occupied by knights.


    The lobby was already full of knights, and the atmosphere was also dark.


    Unlike their angry appearances, the knights who found me guided me to the lobby carefully.


    After a while, two women were dragged by the knights in front of a huge staircase that split on both sides.


    The two haggard women were thrown out without hesitation.


    ¡®Liliana Liviatan, Viola Liviatan¡­¡¯


    My sisters.


    They fell to the floor without being able to resist the strong hand of the knights.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed that you dare to do this in the name of Liviatan?¡±


    The two women slowly raised their heads at the captain¡¯s cry.


    There was no regret or despair in their eyes.


    From the beginning until now, they just kept their faces expressionless.


    The Knight Commander clicked his tongue at such a sight.


    I couldn¡¯t stay still in the precarious atmosphere that seemed to wield violence at any moment.


    ¡°Let me talk to my sisters for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Please stand back.¡±


    The knight¡¯s attitude was strong despite his intent gaze.


    The fact that I couldn¡¯t do anything was terrible.


    Soon, the words that the employees couldn¡¯t avoid their owners¡¯ sins rang in the mansion lobby.


    The employees were terrified and couldn¡¯t hide their resentment toward the two sisters, who were the culprit of everything.


    My heart was violently shaken by the constant anxiety.


    As everyone from the Duke of Liviatan gathered in the lobby of the mansion, outspoken footsteps were heard behind Sir Jeronimo¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed.¡±


    At the low voice, the knights around him saluted.


    ¡°I see the Prince and the Princess.¡±


    Lilliana¡¯s eyes shook violently with the appearance of the first prince, Ronald Odphelia.


    ¡°It¡¯s already messed up. It¡¯s not fun.¡±


    Princess Blair Odphelia glanced at the mansion once, uttered sadly, then looked down at the two of them with a smile.


    ¡°No. Is it not completely over yet?¡±


    I raised my head in response to the words addressed to my second sister, Viola.


    After opening her mouth a few times, Viola finally closed her mouth again and bowed her head.


    ¡°In November 575, an emergency trial begins. Listen to the sinners Liliana Liviatan and Viola Liviatan.¡±


    In the serious atmosphere, First Prince Ronald spoke.


    ¡°Liliana Liviatan has been imbued with heretical ideas by tampering with the learning of the demons, which is taboo in the Empire. Not only that, do you admit the sin of selling the Empire¡¯s information by interacting with the demons?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    First sister Lilliana said nothing and kept her mouth shut.


    When there was no sign of her mouth opening, Princess Blair, who was next to her, opened her mouth.


    ¡°Viola Liviatan, as the leader of the knights representing the Imperial family, dared to act as a spy in the war against the demons and annihilated the knights. Do you admit to committing subsequent desertion?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The second sister, Viola, also kept her mouth shut.


    I put my hands together nervously


    ¡®You have to deny it to the end.¡¯


    Unless you confess first, the emergency trial will not have much effect, so you will be able to buy time until a formal trial.


    After waiting for a long time, when neither of them answered, Ronald and Blair looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°Nothing can be solved by wasting time with silence. We can¡¯t go on like this when there is solid evidence to prove their sins.¡±


    Ronald patted his chin and said mournfully.


    ¡°Did you know that the Duke and Duchess have already been taken away because of your sins?¡±


    At Ronald¡¯s words, we were astonished.


    I finally knew the whereabouts of my parents, who, until last night, said they would somehow solve this problem.


    Following Ronald¡¯s footsteps, Blair mocked my sisters with a smug voice.


    ¡°They came last night and begged earnestly. It¡¯s all their orders, kill them! To die in vain because of having the wrong children. They died like dogs!¡±


    When the taunting was over, they opened their mouths without waiting.


    ¡°I ask again, did you do it voluntarily? Do you both admit it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Lilliana, who answered, bit her lips with an expression of resentment.


    ¡°I am disappointed, Viola. I really cared for you.¡±


    ¡°¡­I am ashamed to face you.¡±


    At Blair¡¯s voice full of joy, Viola erased her shaken eyes and replied.


    As the two began to plead guilty, Ronald added as if he had waited for this moment.


    ¡°Then do you also admit that you tried to revolt against the Imperial family by colluding with the demons?¡±


    Lilliana tried to shake her head hastily at his words.


    ¡°Liliana, you¡¯d better not lie for the sake of your family.¡±


    Ronald patted her cheek gently.


    Lilliana trembled as if she had been insulted by the action and lowered her head.


    ¡°Viola personally led the demon army and tried to invade the Imperial family, right? Still, killing all the men in the garrison was too much.¡±


    At Blair¡¯s words, Viola had an angry expression and couldn¡¯t say anything


    ¡°Do you admit it?¡±


    Ronald asked again to confirm, and the two couldn¡¯t resist the rising anger and began to shout desperately.


    ¡°Yes, we did. I don¡¯t want to see your arrogant appearance anymore, so I tried to kill you by colluding with the demons! I was about to hand over this Empire into the hands of the demons!¡±


    Viola also growled lowly at Lilliana¡¯s cry.


    ¡°Is that enough? Now that you¡¯ve got the answers you want, you must be feeling better!¡±


    Looking at the sisters who answered in anger, the two members of the Imperial family smiled terribly.


    ¡°You¡¯re begging me to kill you. Are you asking me to kill you as painfully as possible? What are you going to do if all your family members die because of you?¡±


    The future of the family rested in the hands of the Imperial family.


    Lilliana and Viola silently shed tears with their faces filled with evil.


    Then, as if I had given up on everything, I finally burst into tears.


    ¡®I guess it¡¯s really the end. There¡¯s no hope for the peasants.¡¯


    The two, who were crying silently, soon turned their eyes to me.


    Looking at the faces of my tearful sisters, I held my fears together.


    ¡®I can¡¯t give up like this.¡¯


    I¡¯m the only one who can save those who stand on the edge of the cliff.


    I took a deep breath and walked forward with my head up.


    ¡°I have something to say to you two.¡±


    I tried to struggle for the last time.


    Hoping that I would be the Duke¡¯s last hope, I risked my life to make a deal.


    But the moment I saw Ronald and Blair¡¯s satisfied smiles looking at me, I realized something was wrong.


    ¡®It won¡¯t do any good.¡¯


    In the end, even with a desperate wish, it was impossible to prevent the disappearance of the Duke family.


    ? ? ?


    Duke of Liviatan, who was rumored to have the most beautiful mansion in Odphelia, lost its beauty at the same time as the Duke family was destroyed.


    No, this change wasn¡¯t just for the Duke family.


    Everyone who attempted to revolt was captured, but the Imperial family couldn¡¯t prevent the demons from invading.


    Odphelia¡¯s army resisted to the end but eventually failed to stop the pouring demon army.


    The Empire was invaded.


    A white flag symbolizing surrender was hung in front of the gates of all noble houses in the empire, and the Imperial family was no different.


    Sitting on the throne, the leader of the demon tribe looked down with his legs crossed at the Emperor of Odphelia who kneeled.


    The Emperor shuddered and approached the man step by step, unable to raise his head in fear.


    Then he stopped right in front of the throne and politely raised his trembling arm.


    The Emperor of Odphelia directly presented the white flag and the crown of the emperor to the leader of the demon tribe.


    As soon as the Emperor offered the white flag, the demons mercilessly dragged the kneeling Imperial family members outside.


    Whether they would become food for the demons¡¯ pets or get tortured to death, the only thing that unfolded before them was a tragic death.


    Those who were dragged away, knowing their end, begged for forgiveness, but there was no mercy for them.


    ¡°Is this the end?¡±


    The person sitting on the throne said with a voice full of joy, and the laughter of the demons around him filled the quiet hall.


    It was the fall of the Odphelia Empire.


    ? ? ?


    Daisy Liviatan.


    The youngest of Duke Liviatan¡¯s three daughters.


    I was more special than others in many ways.


    Unlike the outstanding sisters of the family, I was weak and full of shortcomings, so I was always compared to them.


    I gave up going to school because I couldn¡¯t even live in the academy properly, and eventually, I became a solitary princess who didn¡¯t even have friends.


    But I had a secret that no one knew.


    And seeing the future unfolding in my dreams due to that ability, I was now in a big shock.


    We¡¯re doomed.


    My family, the Duke of Liviatan!

 CH 2

    ¡°What kind of nightmare is this? What do you mean, Liviatan is doomed?¡±


    Dreams that I couldn¡¯t control sometimes surprised me, but this was too much.


    I wiped my cold sweat and looked down at my trembling little hands.


    ¡°Even the Empire falls? Am-am I going to die?¡±


    Obviously, as long as the two older sisters were here, our family wouldn¡¯t be able to achieve success.


    I tore my hair out and let out a silent scream.


    ¡°I thought I was living a comfortable and quiet life¡­!¡±


    It was still midnight, so I couldn¡¯t scream.


    ¡°What the hell is going on¡­¡±


    I drew my knees together and leaned against them.


    A very deep sigh broke out.


    If the older sisters saw it, they could criticize it, saying, ¡®Don¡¯t show a weak appearance¡¯ but now I couldn¡¯t afford to care.


    ¡°¡­If I knew this would happen, I would have forced myself to wake up instead of keep watching.¡±


    It was just that the older sisters were so cold and unlucky today, so I was even more upset than usual.


    Still, I wanted to be helpful to my sisters, so I just kept watching the future, thinking this dream might be helpful to them.


    ¡°What should I do if they destroy me by telling me not to put a burden on the family?¡±


    At least one of them inherited the duke, and the other would go a different route for the glory of the family.


    But the content of the dream was different from the future I had vaguely expected.


    My sisters who were being taken away for conspiring with the demons to seek treason, the knights who were likely to have them executed at any moment, and my parents who begged pitifully.


    After that, the Empire, which had become a mess after the duke¡¯s treason, walked the path of destruction due to the invasion of demons, and the dream came to an end.


    The ability to see the future around me through dreams hadn¡¯t been taken seriously because it had shown trivial things so far.


    However, it gave me a glimpse of true misfortune for the first time today, and my body trembled with fear.


    ¡®It¡¯s different from the dreams I¡¯ve had.¡¯


    The dreams used to show me about small events happening around me¡­


    ¡°I end up here.¡±


    I had no choice but to let out a sound full of disappointment on my own in a terrible dream.


    Perhaps because I peeked into the future through a dream, my whole body sank without energy.


    ¡°But it¡¯s a little strange. Why is it so vivid as if I¡¯ve experienced it myself?¡±


    I felt so tired that I couldn¡¯t stand it.


    The tiredness didn¡¯t go away as if I had experienced a life that I had endured with a body that would collapse at any moment.


    The thought of dying horribly didn¡¯t stop.


    I guess I¡¯m dead in the future.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t something that would come out of the mouth of an 18-year-old noble girl, but I couldn¡¯t stand it without swearing.


    Unlike other people, even if I was born with a small and weak body, even if I don¡¯t have anything special on the outside!


    I thought I would be able to live happily and laugh with my whole family someday.


    To do that, I promised to find out what I could do, but the end was the destruction of the family.


    ¡°It¡¯s wrong. The family has committed treason and failed, leading to the end of the Empire. That¡¯s a disaster.¡±


    There was no way I could stop such a huge thing with my humble body.


    My beliefs began to falter in the face of a shocking future.


    ¡°Since I have enough pocket money, wouldn¡¯t it be better to run away? Poporian Island is a neutral area, so I might be able to live there alone.¡±


    What if I save money and go into exile before the Empire collapsed?


    No, if I abandon this identity in the first place and live as a commoner, wouldn¡¯t my obligation to take responsibility for treason disappear?


    ¡°It¡¯s too much for me in the first place.¡±


    For a moment, my eyes sparkled with hope, but it quickly faded away.


    ¡°Then what should I do with my parents¡­?¡±


    A benevolent but responsible father certainly wouldn¡¯t run away from such circumstances.


    A mother with a kind but upright conviction would also stand by.


    ¡°And my sisters¡­¡±


    Although they were unlucky because they thought they were superior, they left scars by saying mean things every day.


    ¡°They¡¯re family. How can I leave them?¡±


    Of course, unlike my parents, they hated me, but they were a very precious family to me.


    Hating my sisters just because they hate me is ugly.


    ¡®But is there anything I can do¡­? Wouldn¡¯t it be best to just sneak away?¡¯


    Yeah, obviously not¡­ Not without them.


    Now it was year 573 of the Empire, so what happened in the dream was two years from now.


    Why should I be so scared of something that hasn¡¯t even happened yet?


    ¡®I know the future, so maybe I can change it¡­?¡¯


    With that thought, I slowly looked back on my dream and thought of the problematic situation.


    ¡®First of all, my sisters¡¯ biggest sin is becoming a heretic. Joining hands with the demons and bringing down the Imperial family... It¡¯s treason.¡¯


    But this sin didn¡¯t make sense.


    No one knew that Liviatan¡¯s godfather was from the Imperial family and that he was trying to do anything to protect his power.


    The power of Liviatan¡¯s godfather was also shared by the Imperial family, so they wouldn¡¯t have had the same opinion.


    ¡®My sisters who were educated by Grandmother couldn¡¯t have made that decision.¡¯


    Above all, the First Prince and Princess whom I had seen in my dream were trampled on by my eyes.


    ¡®I heard that the First Prince and the Princess don¡¯t get along well. They didn¡¯t seem to have a bad relationship in my dream. But they didn¡¯t seem close. It¡¯s as if they were in an alliance for a while.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know the details, but I wondered if my sisters were involved in the power struggle of the Emperor.


    I didn¡¯t know who my sisters supported, but they must have grabbed the rotten rope.


    ¡®Anyone would have asked for cooperation because they wanted to borrow the power of Liviatan. I¡¯m sure my sisters accepted it for the family. And they were sacrificed for power.¡¯


    In the end, they were ruined due to the wrong investments.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let my sisters step into the Crown Prince¡¯s selection¡­!¡±


    Although they hated me now and criticized me for being useless, they were precious sisters to me.


    ¡®And this is something only a person who knows the future can do.¡¯


    My eyes sparkled at the thought of doing something for my family, for my sisters.


    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t let my family die just because we¡¯re unlucky.¡±


    I made up my mind.


    The dream I happened to have must be an opportunity God gave me.


    You must have given me the task of preventing future tragedies.


    It might be a little difficult, but it was my family¡¯s job and, furthermore, it was for the Empire, so I would have to overcome this.


    ¡°Okay. Then I¡¯ll try to get closer to my sisters from tomorrow on.¡±


    Until now, we hated being close to each other so I had lived with a moderate amount of self-consciousness, but not tomorrow.


    ¡°For a peaceful future, it¡¯s okay to have a small wound in my heart. Let¡¯s do our best tomorrow, Daisy!¡±


    When I came to a neat conclusion on my own, sleep came to my tired body, perhaps because of the shock of the dream.


    But I didn¡¯t know at this time.


    That the conclusions that I made freely in my head didn¡¯t lead to a happy ending like in the fairy tales.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°Let¡¯s give up. Let¡¯s run away.¡±


    I slammed my head against the wall.


    ¡®You want some tea? I¡¯m really sick of it. I don¡¯t have time to spare for you.¡¯


    Again today, I was rejected for tea time.


    When I was alone with my head against the wall, Viola, my second sister, who left after uttering those bad words, turned around.


    Normally, I would have gotten up right away, smiled, and managed my expression, but I didn¡¯t want to pay attention anymore.


    ¡®What do you care? You won¡¯t like me no matter what I do.¡¯


    If you¡¯re going to look at me like that anyway¡­


    It¡¯s better to just do whatever I want and receive those eyes.


    ¡®Oh, I think I¡¯m going to cry.¡¯


    I thought I was accustomed to being constantly slapped, hit, and watched by my sisters over the years.


    Just a moment ago, I had approached carefully and laughed and recommended drinking tea together, but I was coldly rejected.


    ¡°Is it already a year? It¡¯s been a year since you recommended it once a day.¡±


    Tears flowed down because of my mood.


    I crumbled against the wall.


    Just like the night a year ago, the maids around me cried as they couldn¡¯t stand my gloomy look and the sight of me gathering my knees together.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Miss Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Am I crying now?¡±


    ¡°We can see it. You don¡¯t have to cry on the outside, but you¡¯re shedding tears on the inside.¡±


    Why are you looking at me as you please?


    The words came up to my throat, but I didn¡¯t bring them out of my mouth.


    It was embarrassing, so I received a handkerchief and wiped away the tears around my eyes, but the voices around me were full of regret.


    ¡°The other girls are mean. How can they be so cold to Miss Daisy?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m ugly. It¡¯s because I¡¯m not good enough to stand alongside my sisters.¡±


    I felt really sorry for myself for doing my best to protect my sisters even though I said I wanted to give up just a while ago.


    I slowly rose from my seat with a gloomy expression.


    If I kept doing this, I might catch Sister Liliana¡¯s eyes.


    ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anyone more annoying and boring than you in my life. Don¡¯t make yourself noticed again.¡¯


    As I remembered what Liliana had said, my mood dropped again.


    Even my greetings had been ignored this morning, so my mood showed no signs of improving.


    Perhaps the reason I had such a dream wasn¡¯t to change my sisters, but rather a hint to run away quickly?


    I swallowed a bitter smile and cast my gaze over the window toward the setting sunset.


    ¡®At that moment the sunset is beautiful. My death must be tragic.¡¯


    The First Prince and the Princess pretended to show mercy to my family, but the crime of treason ended with the destruction of three generations.


    No matter how hard I struggled, everything would have worked out the way it was supposed to.


    Since it was a crime of treason, I might be decapitated by the guillotine.


    ¡®Is it right to run away¡­¡¯


    Fortunately, there is still one year left, so it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have a chance¡­


    ¡®That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m giving up.¡¯


    As of today, I have definitely realized.


    My sisters don¡¯t like me, they don¡¯t love me, and they won¡¯t.


    Eighteen years of my efforts are really useless, as my sisters said.


    Author''s Thoughts


    Hoho, I can tell the next chapter gonna get interesting

 CH 3

    Bang. Bang. Bang.


    The harsh knock opened my eyes.


    ¡°What-what is it?¡±


    What kind of fuss is this in the middle of the night?


    With my eyes wide open like a rabbit, I threw my gaze at the door where the sound came from.


    I looked at the clock and it was three in the morning.


    Who¡¯s coming to visit me at this time?


    I pulled the blanket up to my chin in great fear.


    Then I heard a familiar voice and looked at the door with eyes full of fear.


    ¡°Daisy! Daisy!¡±


    ¡°Are you in there, Daisy?¡±


    Lilliana and Viola.


    It was the voices of my sisters.


    However, it was not their usual cold voice.


    It was the first time I heard their voices filled with fear and shame, so I wondered if they were really my sisters.


    ¡°S-Sisters? It¡¯s really Sisters, right? Wh-what are you doing at this hour?¡±


    When my trembling voice came out of fear, another loud noise was heard outside and the door opened with a bang.


    No, the door broke and fell to the floor with a loud noise.


    Lilliana¡¯s kick broke the door.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­¡±


    That moment when I thought I was so annoyed that they came like this and broke my door.


    Suddenly, my sisters ran to me and hugged me tightly.


    I immediately tried to ask what was going on, but I couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Huu, I¡¯ll never lose you. Sister will protect you from now on. My precious little sister.¡±


    Liliana, the first sister, who stole the hearts of men and women alike with the most beautiful appearance and splendid speaking skills in the Empire, suddenly grabbed my right hand and cried.


    ¡°I can¡¯t forgive anyone who touches my little sister.¡±


    This time, the second sister, Viola, who was the youngest to sit on the throne of the Empire¡¯s highest prosecutor, beating everyone regardless of age or gender, held my left hand and cried.


    What kind of fuss is this in the middle of the night?


    Liliana burst into tears filled with sadness, and Viola spat out swear words and shed tears.


    For the first time, my sisters cried in front of my eyes.


    My sisters hugged me for the first time.


    ¡®Have my sisters lost their minds?¡¯


    ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Viola, why do you ask that?! It¡¯s only natural that she¡¯s fine!¡±


    I guess they¡¯ve lost their minds.


    Suddenly, they looked at me as if to check my physical condition, and they were arguing with each other while raising their voices.


    My sisters usually had a noble conversation with each other, or quietly fight with each other if there was something they didn¡¯t like¡­


    ¡®Why are you doing this to me?¡¯


    Just in case it was a dream, I raised my hand and hit my cheek hard.


    ¡°It hurts¡­¡±


    Maybe I hit it too hard, but I felt a tingling pain in my cheek.


    Holding back the tears that were about to come out, I covered my cheeks with both hands, but Liliana grabbed my hand and pulled it down.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? Get a doctor right now!¡±


    Liliana stroked my cheek with a trembling hand, and Viola screamed out the door.


    ¡®If it¡¯s not a dream, I won¡¯t be the only one who feels this is strange!¡¯


    Viola¡¯s words brought me to my senses and I turned to the door.


    The broken door was rolling pitifully on the floor, and the new maid who had just entered through it nodded with a contemplative face.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll bring a doctor!¡±


    As soon as she ran, my chin was caught and my head turned slowly.


    ¡°Your cheek is a little swollen.¡±


    Viola said, looking at my cheek with a grave face.


    Liliana, who suddenly grabbed my hand, continued speaking in a worried voice.


    ¡°Oh, my. Why is your wrist so thin?¡±


    Even Viola continued with the strange worries.


    ¡°Is anyone starving you?¡±


    ¡®There¡¯s no way there¡¯s someone like that in the duke!¡¯


    I screamed.


    Of course, It was a scream that I couldn¡¯t utter outwardly.


    I wanted to say something, but for a moment, I felt like I am sitting on a cushion of thorns, my lips couldn¡¯t utter anything.


    Then, hearing the news, my parents and the employees of the duke¡¯s family came running.


    ¡°W-what is this¡­¡±


    ¡°The door is broken to pieces.¡±


    Father and Mother ran out in their pajamas and stared blankly at the pieces of the broken door.


    Everyone stared blankly at the wreckage and then looked at us, and I predicted I could get out of the embarrassing situation.


    ¡°Father! Mother! Daisy¡¯s body is so thin! How can she live in this harsh world with such a small and fragile body?!¡±


    ¡°Your complexion is blue and you look sick! Is the doctor not here yet?¡±


    At Liliana¡¯s cry, Viola shouted as if she didn¡¯t want to lose.


    At the desperate cry, silence came to this space that surrounded us for a moment.


    ¡®Y-yeah. They look strange, right? It¡¯s strange, so come on, tell me what¡¯s going on!¡¯


    I looked at my parents with longing eyes, and soon they opened their mouths as if to meet my expectations.


    ¡°Oh, my God. Our flower girls have become so close that they take care of each other.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that it feels like a dream.¡±


    My mother burst into tears following my father¡¯s emotional voice.


    Of course, isn¡¯t it right to be surprised by this ridiculous situation?


    But beyond the broken door, the parents, the servants, and the maids all looked at us with tears in their eyes and looked moved.


    ¡®Why, why doesn¡¯t anyone question this strange situation?¡¯


    It¡¯s strange that I¡¯m the only one who feels strange here!


    Is it my sisters or me that is strange here?


    No matter how much I wanted to ask for an answer, my sisters just cried and didn¡¯t tell me what I wanted.


    ¡®Did you eat something wrong?¡¯


    Maybe my sisters should see a doctor.


    They suddenly showed a complete reversal, so I was worried that I might die the next day.


    ¡®W-we have to end this situation first.¡¯


    I pursed my lips and reached out my hand for help, but Liliana took it.


    Viola clenched the other hand, her other hand tightly clenching the bed.


    ¡°Daisy, my little sister. We¡¯ll protect you for sure. Trust your sisters.¡±


    As they spoke solemnly while holding both of my hands, I decided to give up thinking.


    ? ? ?


    The warm sunlight penetrated the room over the curtains.


    I frowned and struggled to open my eyes.


    All of a sudden, my sisters became strange overnight, and I couldn¡¯t sleep thinking about what the hell this was about.


    ¡®I heard that you will die if a person suddenly changes. Am I going to die soon?¡¯


    No, I won¡¯t.


    Because there is still one year left until extinction.


    ¡°So what¡¯s going on? Did yesterday happen to be a vain dream created by my earnest desire?¡±


    I rubbed my aching head and glanced away.


    ¡®The visit¡­¡¯


    It was temporarily blocked, but seeing the broken door, it was clear that it wasn¡¯t a dream.


    Yeah, it wasn¡¯t a dream.


    It wasn¡¯t enough that my sisters hurriedly called their doctor at dawn and got a diagnosis, but they also tried to sleep in my room saying that if I got sick anywhere, it would be a big deal.


    Even if it was okay for me to sleep alone, they didn¡¯t listen, so I barely managed to get them out the door after giving the reason that I couldn¡¯t sleep unless I was alone.


    ¡°Miss Daisy. Are you up?¡±


    I heard the voice of my maid Isabel and answered her quietly, and she came into the room with a big smile.


    ¡°Good morning. Did you have a good dream last night?¡±


    Isabel asked in a bright voice as she closed the curtains.


    I shook my head at Isabel¡¯s words.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m so tired because I couldn¡¯t sleep well. I have a headache, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Why didn¡¯t you sleep well? Did you have a bad dream?¡±


    A voice full of worries that didn¡¯t seem to have any doubts.


    ¡°It happened yesterday, there¡¯s no way I can sleep well.¡±


    Isabel tilted her head as if she didn¡¯t understand my sigh.


    I turned my head to her face, wondering if it was a real dream.


    But seeing that the broken door was still there, it really wasn¡¯t a dream.


    So all of this is real, but why doesn¡¯t Isabel feel anything strange?


    I slowly brought it up with a throbbing head.


    ¡°My sisters have become strange. Suddenly they came in the middle of the night, grabbed me and cried, and asked if I was sick.¡±


    I thought Isabel would understand because it was an unimaginable sight considering what my sisters had been showing so far.


    But Isabel smiled brightly, saying, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    Then she asked, tilting her head.


    ¡°Was it because of that? Could it be that the two ladies were so impressed by Miss Daisy¡¯s hard work that they finally opened up their hearts?¡±


    At the hopeful words, I looked at her with cold eyes, as if asking if she was serious.


    As if she couldn¡¯t see the look, Isabel put her hands together on her chest, closed her eyes, and began to recall what happened last night.


    ¡°I was so moved! Miss Liliana and Miss Viola came running in the middle of the night because they were worried about Miss Daisy!¡±


    Isn¡¯t it strange that they didn¡¯t give that much attention and then suddenly give it to me?


    Isabel¡¯s words didn¡¯t end.


    ¡°It was strange in the first place! If Miss Daisy approached like that, how could anyone refuse so coldly?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They couldn¡¯t sleep because of the regret you¡¯ve accumulated so far so they came running to Miss!¡±


    Isabel¡¯s words became more ridiculous.


    ¡°Isabel, I¡¯m not that great.¡±


    In the first place, I was always compared to my great sisters.


    A face far from beauty, and a poor body that barely managed to go out for a day because of poor physical strength.


    No social skills, no conversation skills.


    I was afraid that people around me would look at me badly, so after debuting in the social world, I¡¯d never been to anyone else¡¯s party, I couldn¡¯t go along with her words saying that I¡¯m great.


    ¡°Someone would think I¡¯m a great person. Don¡¯t go around saying this for no reason.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what are you talking about? Miss Daisy doesn¡¯t know her charm!¡±


    Isabel struck her chest with frustration.


    ¡°If you go outside, no one will ignore Miss Daisy. You¡¯re so attractive that it takes everyone¡¯s attention, so be confident!¡±


    ¡°What is this charm that you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    When I asked about the charm I didn¡¯t know about, Isabel¡¯s mouth moved quickly without a break.


    ¡°Your warm wheat-colored hair is soft to look at, and your red eyes sparkle more beautifully than rubies! Your pale skin looks so soft that I want to touch it every time, and when I see your slender figure, I always feel the need to protect you!¡±


    With a shocked expression, I had no choice but to put down the glass so that I wouldn¡¯t spit out the water I was drinking.


    There was only one thought in my head.


    ¡®My maid must be crazy.¡¯

 CH 4

    There was a moment of silence in the room.


    What should I say to the undeserved compliment?


    I sighed and opened my mouth.


    ¡°Do you see me like that?¡±


    ¡°I can explain more. Can I explain more?¡±


    ¡°Stop. Now I know how glorified I am in your head.¡±


    It was natural for a maid to only say good things to her master in the first place.


    ¡°But don¡¯t talk about it outside. I¡¯m going to get cursed at.¡±


    I was a kind employer, so I gave advice and got out of bed.


    ¡°I want to eat in my room today, is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Um, wouldn¡¯t it be unreasonable?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    It was common to eat breakfast together, but it was possible to eat alone if I wanted to.


    In this situation, it was clear that if I faced my sisters, I wouldn¡¯t be able to raise my head properly, let alone eat.


    As my eyes narrowed, Isabel quickly told me why.


    ¡°Miss Liliana and Miss Viola were in charge of the breakfast preparation.¡±


    ¡°What-what are they doing?¡±


    ¡°Miss Daisy blamed herself for being noticed as too thin last night. For Miss¡¯ sake, I heard that they are mainly preparing healthy food so that Miss can eat properly.¡±


    Hearing those words, I stood still and stiffened.


    ¡®I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m really scared now.¡¯


    With my poor head, I couldn¡¯t imagine what my sisters were up to.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to add that other family members are waiting for Miss Daisy in the dining room.¡±


    ¡°You should¡¯ve said that first!¡±


    I got goosebumps just imagining that my feisty sisters were waiting for me.


    There was no way they were just waiting.


    Obviously, they were getting angry that I was late for the prepared meal.


    Because my sisters are like that, that¡¯s why!


    They didn¡¯t criticize me severely in front of our parents, but I didn¡¯t want to face their looks of contempt so early in the morning.


    With Isabel¡¯s help, I quickly prepared only enough not to be criticized and headed downstairs.


    When I arrived at the dining room, everyone in the family was really waiting at the table except for me.


    ¡°Oh, good morning. Father, Mother. And Sisters.¡±


    When the four pairs of eyes turned to me, I greeted them with a trembling voice without realizing it.


    ¡®Oh, I am going to get in trouble.¡¯


    It was obvious that I would be criticized for oversleeping shamelessly without doing anything for the family.


    Or they might laugh at me, saying, You can¡¯t even speak properly and stutter.


    I was nervous at the words of my sisters who were about to fly, and I closed my eyes tightly.


    But the words that came back were not a stinging remark.


    ¡°Did you sleep well, Daisy? Good morning.¡±


    Behind Liliana¡¯s sweet voice, Viola gently led me to my seat.


    She pulled out the chair and let me sit down.


    When she finished escorting, she went back to her seat, sat down, and smiled a rare smile.


    ¡®Sister Viola is smiling. Is this an extension of Sisters¡¯ yesterday strange behaviors?¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t scolded, but my heart was pounding with anxiety because this was different from the usual.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, shall we eat now?¡±


    Father lifted the tableware with a warm smile, followed by Mother and my sisters.


    It was the same breakfast as yesterday, but the atmosphere was different.


    Both Father and Mother smiled brightly as if they had blown all their worries away, and my sisters also seemed to be in a good mood.


    I couldn¡¯t ruin the harmonious atmosphere I felt after a long time, so I raised the corners of my lips awkwardly.


    And the moment I saw the colorful table in front of me, I swallowed a huge amount of saliva and raised my fork.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it too much in the morning?¡¯


    A light salad with a few slices of bread and fruit was enough to fill me up, but this was worth more than breakfast.


    No, this wasn¡¯t breakfast, this was food that would be served when hosting valuable guests.


    ¡°Eat a lot, Daisy. Eat a lot and don¡¯t get sick.¡±


    ¡°Tell me if you want more.¡±


    It would be nice if you can focus on your own meals once the meal started.


    My sisters filled my plate with a little bit of each food.


    Then they looked at me, telling me to eat well.


    ¡®I think I¡¯m going to get indigestion.¡¯


    Every time I moved the fork, their eyes continued following my moves.


    Yes, even their eyes were like that.


    ¡°Oh, my little sister is cute even when she eats like this, right? I¡¯ve prepared a lot for you. Eat a lot.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good to eat a lot, but chew well.¡±


    It was so unfamiliar to see their worried gazes with bright smiles.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m full¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God. You only eat this little? I can¡¯t. Daisy! I¡¯ll have to take care of your diet from now on!¡°


    Is this a high-level bullying operation?


    Viola supported Liliana¡¯s words.


    ¡°I think it would be better to build up a little bit of physical strength¡­ Let¡¯s work out together.¡±


    ¡°What? Yes.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear well in the confusing situation, so I gave a rough answer and fixed my gaze on the plate.


    What the sisters were saying didn¡¯t go into my ears properly.


    So I could only nod my head in a yes-or-no way.


    The trembling in my eyes showed no sign of stopping due to the friendly attack of the two people that continued for a long time.


    This isn¡¯t the sisters I know.


    ¡®Something¡¯s strange.¡¯


    I wanted to run outside and asked people passing by.


    When have you ever seen my sisters talk like that?


    ¡®Why doesn¡¯t everyone think it¡¯s strange?¡¯


    I carefully turned my eyes to my parents while eating.


    ¡®This.¡¯


    My parents didn¡¯t care about us and were eating well.


    ¡°Honey, try this, too. It¡¯s grapefruit that you like. Now, ah.¡±


    ¡°Ah, really. We already have children.¡±


    My mother criticized my father, but opened her small mouth and ate the grapefruit.


    ¡®You¡¯ve been on good terms since this morning..¡¯


    Our parents, immersed in their own world, seemed to have no time to worry about us.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s not just today¡­ In the first place¡­¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to keep the friendly image that popped into my head, so I hurriedly shook my head and decided to focus on my meal.


    ¡°Daisy likes grapefruit, too, right? Let¡¯s eat some fruit if you¡¯re full.¡±


    Liliana put a piece of grapefruit on my plate with a soft smile.


    She must have misunderstood something, I was looking at my parents, not the grapefruit my mother ate.


    I looked down at a piece of grapefruit on my plate, swallowed a sigh, and put it in my mouth.


    As the bitter taste spread in my mouth, my expression almost crumpled, but I tried to smile, conscious that Liliana was staring.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister.¡±


    ¡°No, grapefruit is good for your health, so eat a lot.¡±


    Liliana put a few more grapefruit slices on my plate with kind words.


    It was nice to be taken care of.


    The biggest problem was that I hated grapefruit.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want to eat?¡±


    As soon as Liliana finished speaking, Viola asked out of the blue.


    I held back my cough and smiled brightly.


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m very full!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Contrary to what she said calmly, her voice sounded very sad, but it didn¡¯t matter to me.


    I gulped as I looked at the grapefruits stacked on the plate.


    Just looking at it, my mouth was watering and filled with bitterness.


    Just imagining it was painful but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡®If I can¡¯t eat it all, what will you say?¡¯


    It was obvious that they were going to get mad at me for ignoring their consideration¡­


    I cried and forced myself to eat all the grapefruits with lettuce and mustard.


    ? ? ?


    As soon as I entered the room, I took out a basket full of chocolate and ate it to get rid of the bitter taste that lingered in my mouth.


    With the sweetness that filled my mouth, the wrinkles on my forehead were smoothed out and I was able to smile.


    ¡°Why are they doing this to me?¡±


    They say if you suddenly do something you¡¯ve never done before, you¡¯ll die.


    ¡®Are they really going to die?¡¯


    I shook my head immediately.


    Well, seeing that I had a strange thought, the grapefruit must have been a big blow.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s a whole bunch of stuff I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Aside from my sisters suddenly became strange, seeing everyone happy rather than feeling strange about it made me feel frustrated.


    ¡®After all, my sisters will be going out soon as always¡­¡¯


    I was able to relax my tense shoulders as I watched a carriage leave the mansion through the window.


    ¡°At least we won¡¯t meet before dinner.¡±


    Thinking it was fortunate that my sisters went out often, I hurriedly called Isabel.


    ¡°Did you call, Miss?¡±


    ¡°Yes, help me get ready to go out.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you thinking of going to the salon?¡±


    Isabel clapped her hands and asked in a delighted voice, but I shook my head.


    ¡°Salon? What are you talking about? I will go to the temple again today, so please prepare clothes as simple as possible.¡±


    ¡°What? But today¡­¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Isabel didn¡¯t have to answer my question.


    This was because after Isabel, a person who shouldn¡¯t appear here now appeared.


    ¡°Hello, Daisy. Do you have any special schedule today?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sister Liliana.¡±


    At her sudden appearance, I stood up straight again and smiled naturally.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a fixed schedule, but I was thinking of going to the temple after a long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­To the temple? Why the temple?¡±


    When the word temple came out of my mouth, Liliana looked visibly displeased.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I thought I¡¯d pray for you after a long time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a place full of corrupt priests anyway, so God won¡¯t be able to listen to your prayers. If you insist on visiting such a place, you¡¯re just going to waste four hours of your time.¡±


    Liliana was right.


    The Pope had been in bed with an unknown disease for five years.


    The cardinals and priests seemed to do their best to fill the Pope¡¯s vacancy, but they lacked the power to control the temples outside the Vatican.


    As a result, the number of corrupt priests in the temples spread throughout the continent, except for the Vatican, especially in the case of the Odphelia Empire.


    But there is no one proud enough to say it out loud¡­


    As I just smiled awkwardly, Liliana brightened her wrinkled expression and suddenly approached and grabbed my hand.


    ¡°My tea party is going to be held today, so won¡¯t you join me?¡±


    ¡°Tea-tea party?¡±


    It was hard to believe Liliana invited me to a party in her name.


    ¡®When I asked you to drink tea together, you refused¡­.¡¯


    It was difficult when I wanted it, and so easy when Liliana wanted it.


    I was very upset at the fact that the efforts I had made were so easily accomplished.


    But I had to answer.


    I asked back just in case.


    ¡°Can I come?¡±

 CH 5

    ¡°Sure. Of course.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe it even though it was a definite answer.


    As I opened my eyes wide and stared blankly, Liliana smiled quietly with a pleasant laugh.


    She tilted her head slightly, her black hair fluttering.


    Her hair was usually shiny and smooth, but it seemed to be shinier than usual, perhaps because she paid more attention today.


    Her black hair, slightly reddish under the sun, looked covetous.


    As the end of her eyes folded gently over the white skin, the beautifully gleaming purple eyes closed slightly.


    Even though it was half hidden, at those alluring eyes and bright expression, I trembled, unable to refuse the request.


    ¡°Really, can I go to attend Sister¡¯s tea party?¡±


    ¡°Really! Of course!¡±


    I had a hard time asking, but Liliana smiled broadly as if she was happy.


    ¡®What are you up to?¡¯


    However, her smile was too bright to have a hidden meaning.


    As Liliana smiled brightly, I saw a vision of red roses blooming splendidly behind her.


    Just doubting what she said seemed to create a sense of guilt.


    ¡°I am so happy to see my beloved little sister at the tea party I¡¯m hosting.¡±


    Liliana turned her head and said to Isabel.


    ¡°So dress up my little sister properly.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°But? You dare to talk back to my words?¡±


    Isabel quickly opened her mouth as Liliana¡¯s eyes became fierce.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that, Miss Daisy doesn¡¯t have a dress for the tea party!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Miss has grown taller than last year, so I have to adjust to a new dress for going out, but Miss keeps refusing to go to the salon, so I stop¡­¡±


    I never imagined that it was the reason she kept bringing up the salon.


    Isabel didn¡¯t hide her sad expression and spoke pitifully.


    Liliana¡¯s expression became serious as if her sad face had worked.


    ¡®Come to think of it¡­ I thought I don¡¯t need expensive clothes because I wear simple clothes every time.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t have any friends that I could meet freely, and even if I went out occasionally, I only had to go to the temple, so I wasn¡¯t interested in new clothes.


    So I didn¡¯t know Isabel was grumbling about it.


    ¡®Now, you may say that I have been walking around without respecting the noble¡¯s dignity, saying that the prestige of the duke has fallen.¡¯


    I closed my eyes tightly in preparation for the incoming nagging.


    Because I didn¡¯t have the courage to face the eyes that would turn vicious.


    But contrary to my expectations, the brutal beating didn¡¯t come back.


    ¡°It would have been enough to call a designer, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Isabel declined to comment.


    That¡¯s because I ordered not to call a designer because I was aware of Liliana and Viola.


    Liliana sighed loudly as Isabel bowed her head.


    ¡°Is it because of me¡­¡±


    She murmured softly, but it was loud enough to be heard by me who was nearby.


    So I gathered up my courage and glanced at Liliana.


    Her expression seemed to be stained with guilt.


    ¡°Daisy, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯ll lend you my clothes today. I still have the dress I used to wear when I was a kid¡­ It¡¯s not new, but there will be something suitable.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Well, it might be a shame for her, who was sensitive to fashion and lead the fashion style, that the dress looked unstylish at first glance.


    But it was definitely prettier and better than the dress I had.


    ¡°You should call a designer tomorrow and make a new dress, outdoor clothes, and indoor clothes for Daisy. Throw away the old clothes.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Isabel nodded enthusiastically at Liliana¡¯s words.


    ¡®Yes, Isabel. You must have wanted to have a master who wears a pretty dress too.¡¯


    As I understood Isabel¡¯s mind, I sighed softly inside.


    For a brief moment, Liliana¡¯s hand led me to her dressing room.


    ? ? ?


    As a matter of fact, the most beautiful flower in the social world had always been different since my childhood.


    Liliana¡¯s dress, as I expected, was better than the ones I had, and had a design that wouldn¡¯t look tacky at all even if it was worn years later.


    Liliana picked out my dress with a wistful look.


    ¡°If possible, I want to choose new clothes together. It would be nice to go to a salon together next time.¡±


    ¡®I feel suffocated just thinking about it, can I not go?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t bring up these words because I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because the clothes are pretty, I¡¯m feeling good right now.¡¯


    Although the light yellow dress, which was suitable for early summer, was made of thin material, it was subtly glossy, and the sound of cloth moving smoothly every time I walked was good to hear.


    As I hummed inwardly, I arrived at the tea party in no time.


    The tea party, which was held outdoors in the summer, was splendid and beautiful enough to be hosted by Liliana.


    The faces of the nobles seen everywhere were full of smiles, and their gaze didn¡¯t leave Liliana.


    Liliana left for a moment with an apologetic look on her face as the people who came here desperately called her.


    ¡°Sorry. Have some tea for a while. I¡¯ll be right back.¡±


    ¡®The best beauty in the empire that attracts both men and women.¡¯


    Unlike her who was surrounded by people before I knew it, I sat in front of the empty table she had guided me to.


    ¡®You asked me to wait for a while, but just do it moderately.¡¯


    This kind of position where I didn¡¯t know anyone was too burdensome for me.


    I wasn¡¯t sure what Liliana was thinking when she called me here in the first place.


    ¡®She¡¯s been weird since last night. Why the hell?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t have the courage to ask, but I was curious.


    ¡®Phew.¡¯


    I sighed softly.


    ¡®There will be no one who pays attention to me anyway.¡¯


    I just sat quietly like this, and while I was full of thoughts of leaving, a shadow suddenly fell in front of me and I lifted my head.


    And at the same time, tea poured over my head.


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t know you were in front of me!¡±


    The quiet tea time alone ended in an instant.


    At the high-pitched voice, I could feel the eyes of those around me being drawn toward me.


    I was surprised to see the tea dripping down my chin, and as I stood there, I heard the sound of laughter over my head


    ¡°How dare someone like you attends Liliana¡¯s tea party.¡±


    ¡°You should understand your place.¡±


    A young lady and a young master, whom I had never met before, muttered in small voices, and I couldn¡¯t even get angry as I looked at the wet dress.


    ¡®Oh, did she invite me to a tea party to make me feel miserable?¡¯


    How dare you want to drink tea with me? Thinking that it was intended to show that, I smiled automatically.


    ¡®I¡¯ve already given up, Sister.¡¯


    So you don¡¯t have to do this.


    As I watched the tea dripping down my chin, the sound of ridicule rang in my ears.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll get scolded again if I stay still here.¡¯


    Even in this situation, I felt that I should leave before Liliana came.


    I swallowed my sadness and tried to get up from my seat.


    If it wasn¡¯t for the harsh voice that was close to criticism.


    ¡°What kind of fuss is this?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lilliana. Hello.¡±


    The woman who poured tea on me looked at Liliana, blushed her cheeks, and greeted her with respect.


    Liliana glanced at her, then glanced at me, and frowned.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Liliana looked at me with startled eyes.


    She seemed surprised like someone who really knew nothing about the situation.


    It was even more upsetting.


    ¡°Why-why do you look like this¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry I made a fuss at your tea party.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t stand the feeling of being miserable anymore.


    I jumped up from my seat and managed to smile.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go in first.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say anything that would stop my lips from trembling.


    I took a heavy step at the mocking gaze I felt from behind.


    ¡®Yes, I¡¯m a person who can only run away.¡¯


    I felt miserable but I was used to it.


    * * *


    Liliana really did her best from dawn for today¡¯s tea party.


    Usually, she would have created a small party hall, not a big tea party, and interacted only with her friends.


    ¡®But that would be burdensome for Daisy.¡¯


    So she decided to create a place where Daisy could feel comfortable.


    Liliana tried to show everyone that she had begun to care for her youngest sister by showing her love for Daisy in private.


    While preparing for the tea party, she was excited to spend time with Daisy.


    ¡®I hope I can get a little closer to Daisy today.¡¯


    Excitedly, she invited Daisy directly and chose the dress herself.


    Daisy seemed bewildered because this had never happened before, but soon Liliana was relieved to see her smile happily.


    Was it wrong to invite Daisy with a pathetic and complacent thought?


    As the host of the party, while serving guests, she noticed that the surroundings had become noisy.


    And at the center of it was Daisy.


    Seeing the atmosphere was so bleak, she cut off the conversation and rushed closer, then Liliana realized that something was wrong.


    Daisy hurriedly apologized to her, covered in tea water, and left her seat before Liliana could catch her.


    It was not her illusion that Daisy¡¯s face was pale as she quickly escaped.


    Liliana stared blankly at Daisy as she moved away, and turned her head so fiercely that she could hear a whiff of laughter from the side.


    ¡°Really. I don¡¯t know why she was making such a fuss and attending senselessly.¡±


    ¡°If the blood flowing is of low descent, your eyesight will decrease that much.¡±


    The young lady and young master, who hadn¡¯t even spoken a few words to her, glanced at Liliana with a smile while talking to each other.


    Like a child who wanted to be praised for doing a good job, Liliana realized the situation was like that.


    Liliana opened her fan and covered her mouth, and spoke to the young lady and young master whose names she couldn¡¯t even remember properly.


    ¡°How rude of you.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s eyebrows were raised fiercely as if she wasn¡¯t trying to hide her unpleasant feelings.


    ¡°Did you pour tea on my sister just now?¡±


    ¡°Well, it was a mistake¡­.¡±


    ¡°And my sister has low blood?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like the usual Liliana, who was usually polite and had a beautiful smile that seemed to melt away.


    The young lady, who grew up beautifully enough to be called the flower of society, was surrounded by a bitter atmosphere.


    The two turned their eyes as they perceived something was wrong, but the other people invited to the party turned away from them.


    Liliana¡¯s dislike of her youngest sister was already famous in society, so they acted like that.


    They were stupid people.


    Liliana was a person who didn¡¯t do things she didn¡¯t like in the first place.


    It meant that if she didn¡¯t want to, she wouldn¡¯t have invited Daisy to the VIP seat, but those two didn¡¯t notice it.


    Liliana looked at the two with cold eyes and soon left her seat with her back to them.


    She heard an apology calling for her pitifully from behind, but the voice couldn¡¯t hold back her step.


    The most important thing for Liliana right now was Daisy.

 CH 6

    As I walked down the hallway, the surprised eyes of the employees turned to me.


    Most of them tried to approach me with a look of astonishment and concern.


    I raised my hand to say no and went back to the room alone.


    ¡®You¡¯re sad? Miserable?¡¯


    You gave up in the first place, but why do you keep wanting to look forward to it, Daisy?


    I looked up into the mirror.


    Bright brown hair that looked nothing like my sisters¡¯.


    Unlike the sharp eyes of my sisters, my eyes lowered gently.


    I even have an unconfident personality.


    When I confirmed again that I had no similarities with my sisters, my mouth felt bitter.


    ¡®It shows that we¡¯re not real sisters.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t believe I was insulted by people of lower status than me in front of many people at the tea party.


    That child in the mirror who looked like a wet mouse was so pitiful.


    Daisy Liviatan was so pitiful.


    I put my hand on the mirror and smoothed my cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    I tried to fold my round eyes.


    As soft and warm as possible.


    ¡°Smile.¡±


    The lips of the girl reflected in the mirror were trembling pitifully.


    If you can¡¯t do anything, at least you should be good at smiling.


    It felt like the promise I had engraved on myself was about to be broken at any moment.


    I closed my eyes tightly because I couldn¡¯t just watch the tower that I had built solidly collapse.


    Daisy Liviatan is a little special from other Liviatan family members.


    ¡®You mean that the youngest daughter of Duke Liviatan is not of a direct line?¡¯


    ¡®That¡¯s right. She¡¯s the daughter of the Duke¡¯s brother, right?¡¯


    ¡®His brother died, so he adopted his brother¡¯s child.¡¯


    ¡®You know what? They even said she was a child he had after running away with a commoner due to family opposition.¡¯


    ¡®There¡¯s a mix of low blood. Why did they let that child in? I feel so sorry for the Duchess.¡¯


    ¡®There¡¯s even a saying that she¡¯s cursed. Her parents died in a carriage accident, but she survived alone.¡¯


    Daisy Liviatan grew up being talked on people¡¯s lips.


    Yeah, I grew up hearing such rumors.


    For the sake of my parents who gave birth to me, for the sake of my parents who raised me, I shouldn¡¯t burden the family.


    That way, even at the end of Liviatan, we can raise our name up.


    It doesn¡¯t help the family, but if it bothers me, I might really be hated by everyone.


    So I have to smile.


    When I opened my eyes again, I was smiling very beautifully in the mirror.


    I felt satisfied with the smile that was so good no one could swear carelessly at me.


    It was the same smile as always.


    ¡°I should wash up now.¡±


    Now that I had run out of the tea party this way, I couldn¡¯t even dream of being invited to Liliana¡¯s party.


    I sighed as I looked down at the tea-colored dress.


    Even if she said she couldn¡¯t wear it because it didn¡¯t fit, the dress that Liliana owned was stained with red tea.


    ¡®I¡¯m in trouble.¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t a laughing matter, I had to somehow fix this dress first.


    I stared at the dress with a face that suddenly turned pale, but that didn¡¯t mean the dress would return to its original state.


    ¡°I-I have to do the laundry soon¡­¡±


    While I was muttering, the new door opened violently without a knock.


    ¡°Daisy!¡±


    Liliana¡¯s cry made me startled like a sinner.


    ¡®What do I do? What do I do¡­?!¡¯


    I was already dying of shame, I didn¡¯t know what kind of persecution I would face.


    ¡®I refuse to be even more hated here!¡¯


    There¡¯s only one thing you can do at a time like this.


    I bowed my head toward Liliana, who was approaching me.


    ¡°Sorry, Sister! I messed up Sister¡¯s dress! I¡¯m so sorry!¡±


    ¡°Are you all right¡­ what?¡±


    Liliana and I shouted at the same time.


    I couldn¡¯t hear her well because I was shouting out loud, so I gently raised my head and asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t hear you because I was talking¡­What did you say?¡±


    Liliana stared at the dress with her head down and slowly raised her head.


    There was no hatred toward me in the eyes that I finally met.


    She didn¡¯t laugh at me and she didn¡¯t look offended.


    It was just¡­


    It was so strange that she stared at me with a worried face.


    ¡°The talk of dress is over.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why do you bow your head for a dress like this?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s your dress¡­¡±


    As my voice got smaller and smaller, Liliana¡¯s fine forehead began to wrinkle.


    It was me who looked rather bewildered at the sight of her that was about to burst into tears.


    ¡®You said you don¡¯t value it, but why are you crying while looking at the dress¡­¡¯


    To be honest, it¡¯s not even my fault¡­


    I wouldn¡¯t have borrowed this dress if I had known it was so precious.


    This cry in my heart didn¡¯t reach Liliana.


    ¡°Raise your head! You¡¯re a princess of Liviatan no matter what anyone says! Daisy Liviatan!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m Daisy Liviatan, but¡­.¡±


    I apologized with sincerity for my other words, but didn¡¯t I have no the dignity of a princess?


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡±


    ¡°It was just tea.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean just tea!?¡±


    No, crying or getting angry, can¡¯t you just do one of the two?


    Liliana pursed her lips as if she wanted to say something, then sighed heavily.


    ¡®Are you disappointed?¡¯


    ¡°The doctor! Get the doctor!¡±


    Apparently, she sighed to scream effectively.


    At Liliana¡¯s call, the maids waiting outside could be heard running.


    ¡°It¡¯s upsetting, really.¡±


    Liliana took out her favorite handkerchief and began to wipe the tea off my cheeks.


    My body stiffened at the gentle touch as if she was touching a very precious treasure.


    ¡°Oh, Sister. Shouldn¡¯t you go to the tea party?¡±


    ¡°Never mind that. Why would I go back to a place where there are people who treated you like this?¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re your guests.¡±


    Without even pretending to listen to me, Liliana began patting my forehead past my cheek.


    It felt good to have my face dry, but I felt uncomfortable because I kept thinking of many people outside.


    How angry Liliana¡¯s fans will be when they learn that Liliana¡¯s tea party is ruined just because of the youngest princess of Liviatan?


    The thought of it made me hate society even more.


    When I peeked into the mirror, my complexion turned pale.


    All right, this looks pathetic, so you¡¯ll do me a little favor.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    Liliana¡¯s hand stopped at the gentle trembling voice.


    ¡°The people outside are people who came for you. At this rate¡­.¡±


    ¡°You must be worried that my reputation will deteriorate at this rate.¡±


    No, I¡¯m afraid my reputation will be ruined.


    Liliana burst into tears and immediately looked moved.


    ¡°My little sister. I¡¯m proud of you for taking care of your sister already¡­¡±


    With a very friendly touch, she helped my wet hair.


    Then she said in a cold voice to the maid who brought a wet towel.


    ¡°Go out and tell them to go away right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Someone asked back in a ferocious voice.


    Then Liliana hardened her expression as if she was about to scream, then glanced at me and lowered her voice.


    ¡°How can I continue the tea party when my sister is in this situation? If you have a good sense, tell them to get out of here.¡±


    One of the maids waiting for Liliana¡¯s order rushed out.


    Indeed, Liliana¡¯s exclusive maid, Susan, was quick-witted.


    ¡°You go get some hot water in the bathtub right now, and bring Daisy a change of clothes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The maids, who were suddenly alerted by Susan¡¯s actions, began to follow the orders at a light but fast pace.


    ¡°Is the doctor coming yet?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s arriving soon.¡±


    ¡°So slow.¡±


    Liliana said so and added one more thing.


    ¡°What if Daisy catches a cold? He¡¯s so late!¡±


    I stared blankly at her figure.


    ¡®Is this an extension of yesterday¡¯s dream?¡¯


    This scene was shocking to the extent that the insult I had just received at the tea party just disappeared from my mind.


    ¡®I thought it was a warning for me not to bother you again.¡¯


    I sat still and looked at Liliana who was busily giving orders to the maids.


    ¡®Oh, I think I¡¯m going to sneeze.¡¯


    I was quietly watching the harmony between Liliana and the maids when suddenly the tip of my nose began to tickle.


    I tried to hold back, but the sneeze that came out of my mouth was loud, contrary to my intentions.


    ¡°Ahchoo!¡±


    And silence descended in the room.


    Liliana, who was busy giving orders, looked at me with a startled face, even the maids stopped moving and fixed their eyes on me.


    ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡±


    I was startled by the many gazes on me, and I stuttered and sneeze again.


    ¡°Achoo-!¡±


    Liliana¡¯s face turned pale as a cough erupted.


    And soon a shrill scream rang out in my room.


    ¡°The child is drenched, what are you doing? Can¡¯t you start the fireplace right now?¡±


    The maids¡¯ movements accelerated at the voice that sounded harsher than usual.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Before I knew it, my shoulder was covered with a soft blanket.


    ¡°Daisy, it¡¯s really cold, isn¡¯t it? Cover up with this first.¡±


    Liliana gently stroked my shoulders and then left to give orders to the maids again.


    They started running around the room in a hurry again.


    I murmured to myself, watching everything.


    ¡®It¡¯s summer right now.¡¯


    A fireplace in the summer.


    As expected, it¡¯s clear that you¡¯ve become strange.

 CH 7

    ¡°Wake up, Daisy.¡±


    I felt like I barely fell asleep while watching the dark sky turn blue, so when someone woke me up, I was filled with anger that I couldn¡¯t hide.


    I couldn¡¯t sleep well yesterday because I was busy organizing my complicated mind, but I was really bothered by who this was.


    ¡°Go away.¡±


    I waved my hand with a nervous voice, but the hand was caught with a snap.


    ¡°But we decided to work out together from today.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know who disturbed my sleep, but their voice, as if giving up on waking me up, shrank.


    Satisfied with that, I was about to fall asleep again when an unfamiliar hand touched my face.


    I wondered who the owner of this hand was because the hand that stroked my cheek was so careful that it felt like they were touching a very precious treasure.


    In the first place, the only one who came to wake me up from my sleep was my exclusive maid, Isabel.


    But this person was definitely not Isabel.


    Unlike usual, Isabel¡¯s hand that touched my cheek felt unusually rough.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be like this from the first day¡­.¡±


    Only then did I know who the main character of this voice was due to the full concern in their voice.


    ¡°Si-Sister Viola?¡±


    My eyes fluttered open with surprise at the unexpected presence.


    The drowsiness that had been pressing heavily on my eyelids disappeared in an instant.


    I got up from my seat, calming my pounding heart.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s the matter?¡±


    I glanced outside and saw that it had not been a long time since I had fallen asleep


    ¡°I¡¯m here to work out together starting today.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    I blinked my eyes at Viola¡¯s words and fell into thought.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Come to think of it, I think I said that during breakfast yesterday.


    ¡°Did you forget?¡±


    ¡°N-no. I don¡¯t forget it!¡±


    I tried to smile brightly and answered.


    ¡°But is that possible? As Sister already knows, I¡¯m so weak that I don¡¯t fit into Liviatan¡­¡°


    I glanced at Viola and saw her visibly frowning when I brought out what she would normally say to me.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do if you try.¡±


    At Viola¡¯s words, I raised the corners of my mouth awkwardly and nodded.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t have clothes to wear for exercise¡­¡±


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Viola had clothes in her arms that I had never seen before.


    She handed me her clothes and asked without a change of expression.


    ¡°Do you want me to help you change?¡±


    Whether this was really a dream or reality, she was staring at the clothes with a long, uncertain look that I almost answered yes.


    ¡°No!¡±


    When I shook my head in surprise, Viola put the clothes down in front of me.


    ¡°Get ready and come out. I¡¯ll be waiting outside the room.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    When I gently touched the clothes on the bed, I felt a soft fabric.


    Feeling the cool clothes in the cold air of dawn, I could see that this situation was not a dream.


    Soon Viola went out, and I sighed as I watched the door close.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    As I let out a sigh, my body obeyed and gently lifted the clothes that Viola had prepared.


    After a quick wash, I changed into a comfortable shirt and pants, and as Viola said, she stood still at the door waiting for me.


    The sunlight that came through the hallway window shone on her face.


    For a knight who always trained under the sun, her transparent skin and long tied orange-blonde hair looked brighter than usual in the sunlight.


    She closed her eyes as if dazzled by the sunlight but slowly opened her eyes at me.


    The purple eyes, similar to Liliana¡¯s, were shining brightly, looking full of heat as if on fire.


    No, not heat. Is it passion?


    ¡°Then shall we go?¡±


    As soon as I came out, her stiff lips softened.


    ¡®I knew Sister Viola would laugh like this.¡¯


    I nodded casually at the friendly smile I had never seen before.


    I am a little worried, but I¡¯m sure Viola brings me out because she has an idea.


    Thinking like that turned out to be a problem.


    ? ? ?


    Viola started by lightly circling the field, but my goddamn body couldn¡¯t even make it to five laps and fell forward.


    Viola¡¯s expression became more serious than usual due to my shocking physical strength.


    She brought the lightest wooden sword with a skeptical look and asked me to swing the sword a few times, and I swung it wildly until she told me to stop.


    Of course, most of the time I staggered, so she made a vague expression and told me to stop right away¡­


    ¡°I think this is enough for today.¡±


    Viola finished her morning exercise with a mixed look and supported me who was exhausted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget tomorrow, too.¡±


    ¡®Ugh, I don¡¯t want to exercise. I hope I don¡¯t exercise tomorrow.¡¯


    Of course, I smiled softly contrary to my thoughts.


    ¡°Thank you, Sister!¡±


    ? ? ?


    As I hoped yesterday, I couldn¡¯t exercise today.


    Because I¡¯m in terrible muscle pain!


    Sometimes it felt like God granted useless wishes that were not important.


    I let out a groan of pain at the arm that couldn¡¯t be lifted.


    My whole body hurt as if it was going to break, and I thought of Viola, the one who made me feel this pain.


    ¡®I should have been more worried!¡¯


    Viola was one of the most difficult people to approach because she didn¡¯t change her expression much.


    Already, the Viola in my head was floating as a villain who ignored me and laughed at me without anyone knowing.


    ¡®I¡¯m sure you were trying to insult me and to let me know the difference between you and me.¡¯


    Having been suffering from muscle pain and being unable to get out of bed all day, I couldn¡¯t help but get prickly.


    Then I heard a sad voice above my head.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡®You surprised me.¡¯


    I was swearing at Viola inside, so I was surprised due to my conscience.


    I avoided her eyes due to my guilty conscience, but I had no choice but to make eye contact because she didn¡¯t leave.


    Viola was watching me with a worried expression.


    ¡®Worried? Guilt?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know in detail, but it was clear that her usual firm expression was broken.


    And it made me strangely sad to know that it was because of me.


    ¡°Sister Viola¡­¡±


    As soon as my weak voice came out on its own, Viola¡¯s words broke my heart.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be like this with that much training.¡±


    The serious voice hurt my pride.


    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m weak!¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t born weak because I wanted to.


    Tears almost came out of my eyes.


    I was the one who was sick, but looking at her face, anyone would think the person who should have been lying in bed was Viola.


    ¡®I want to be alone.¡¯


    If Viola was still by my side, stress would build up and my recovery would be slow, so I hurriedly urged her.


    ¡°You have to go to work.¡±


    ¡°How can I go to work when you¡¯re sick?¡±


    Viola¡¯s firm voice was filled with guilt.


    ¡®What are you guilty of?¡¯


    I blinked and smiled softly as usual.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go to work.¡±


    How can such a Knight Commander be so irresponsible and take a day off just because I am sick?


    ¡°I¡¯ll get better after a day off.¡±


    ¡®So please get out of here.¡¯


    My head hurt more when I thought of the rumors that would follow if she was absent without permission because of me.


    Viola couldn¡¯t take a step back, not knowing that not being by my side would help.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take care of Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    Viola¡¯s gaze turned back at the friendly voice heard from behind.


    ¡®I thought my face was going to be pierced.¡¯


    While sighing a little at the gaze that had just gone away, the two began to talk.


    ¡°Daisy is sick because of me, so I¡¯ll take care of her.¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re very worried, but are you going to ignore the responsibility of the Knight Commander?¡±


    At Mother¡¯s question, Viola expression¡¯s hardened


    As she licked her lips and tried to say something, Mother firmly shook her head.


    ¡°Stop. If I were you, I would have left for the Imperial palace long before I ended up arguing like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so worried about Daisy, it¡¯s hard to leave.¡±


    Viola bowed her head with a sullen expression.


    Viola, who is famous for her poker face in the Empire, made a sad face!


    This time, not only me, but also Mother was a little surprised, so she paused and patted her back lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep you updated on Daisy¡¯s condition. I¡¯ll let you take care of her after your work, so hurry up and go to work before it¡¯s too late.¡±


    When Mother said this, a resignation appeared on Viola¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Viola hesitated a little, then came back to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    The way she spoke was stiff, but the hand that touched my forehead was soft and friendly.


    I nodded slightly, hiding my puzzled eyes.


    Soon, Viola left the room, and then Mother came up to me and sat down.


    ¡°Daisy, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°It hurts so much, but it¡¯s bearable.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you not to endure the pain?¡±


    I smiled faintly at Mother¡¯s friendly voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s just muscle pain. I¡¯ll feel better after a few days off. I¡¯m a little embarrassed because I¡¯m sick with just something like this.¡±


    My mother covered her mouth and laughed as if she found my lamentation cute.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of as a family.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    At my muffled voice, Mother gently wiped my forehead and kissed it lightly.


    ¡°Sleep tight, our lovely youngest flower. I¡¯ll be by your side when you open your eyes.¡±


    At the soothing voice, I finally relaxed my stiffened body.


    And after a while, I couldn¡¯t overcome my drowsiness and fell into a deep sleep.


    And when I opened my eyes again, the sun was setting.


    My whole day passed like that with muscle pain.

 CH 8

    ¡°M-my day!¡±


    The sunset outside the window clearly showed that my day had disappeared into sleep.


    As I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the window with surprised eyes, I heard laughter from the side.


    Mother must have been sitting next to me just as she had promised before I went to sleep.


    I smiled as it warmed my heart and Mother also smiled as well.


    ¡°Viola must have been very worried about you.¡±


    With a gentle hand, Mother brushed the hair off my forehead and continued to speak.


    ¡°She has been calling home even after she went to work. Are you all right, or are you awake? It was bothersome to answer her. I am sure she¡¯ll keep contacting me.¡±


    I smiled awkwardly at Mother¡¯s mischievous remarks.


    ¡°Liliana also kept checking to see if you were okay. I¡¯m so glad you get along with your sisters.¡±


    Mother who spoke those words with a smile on her lips looked really happy.


    ¡®It¡¯s really strange. What¡¯s wrong with both of them?¡¯


    Normally, the two of them wouldn¡¯t even care about me being sick.


    Rather, it would more plausible if they sent a stinging look, asking if I got hurt again.


    I stared at Mother¡¯s smile and wiggled my hands for no reason.


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    A weak voice naturally leaked out in front of my mother.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my Daisy?¡±


    ¡°My sisters¡­¡±


    The moment I tried to say that they were strange, I heard a knock.


    ¡°Honey, is Daisy okay?¡±


    Father¡¯s voice was full of worries, so I hurriedly changed my words.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so come on in!¡±


    At my words, the sturdy new door slowly opened and my father, still in his uniform, entered the room.


    He couldn¡¯t even change his clothes and ran right away after work, so I smiled and let out a small sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sick at all.¡±


    ¡°You always say you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Father¡¯s worried hand gently stroked my hair.


    I smiled at the careful but affectionate touch.


    I, who had been weak since I was young, often caught a cold whenever the season changed, so I used to get sick for more than a week as it didn¡¯t get better easily.


    It was a miracle to be so healthy now because I was told that I could die before becoming an adult due to my weak body.


    As a result, my parents were very sensitive to my illness.


    They also knew that I felt sorry that they couldn¡¯t pay much attention to my sisters because they cared about me who couldn¡¯t get out of bed since I was a child.


    ¡°More importantly, Daisy, what was it about your sisters?¡±


    Mother asked back the words that had been cut for a while due to my father¡¯s appearance.


    I tried to open my mouth, but in the end, I couldn¡¯t open it and shut it tight.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to make you worry more about my problems.¡¯


    Both of you seem to be barely getting rid of your worries, I don¡¯t want to pour cold water on you for no reason.


    T/L note: pour cold water = spoil the mood.


    I smiled softly at my parents¡¯ faces full of curiosity, saying it was nothing.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just so happy that my sisters have been kind to me lately.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they must have grown up, too.¡±


    Father smiled with pride at my words.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to think that our flower girls will get along well.¡±


    Mother looked happy, wiping away tears around her eyes.


    My parents didn¡¯t value the sudden change in my sisters.


    They just seemed satisfied with the situation.


    My mouth felt bitter, but I still smiled.


    ? ? ?


    To be honest, I thought Viola¡¯s worries would be over in about a day, and my usual daily life would come.


    When I wake up and see my sisters who hate me so much are taking care of me, can I believe that it is real?


    ¡°I take a day off.¡±


    Funny how I thought it would be over, Viola took the next day off.


    ¡°I will nurse you today.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe it even when it was right in front of me.


    That Viola, who resembles Father and has a great sense of responsibility, takes a day off?


    ¡°Sister Viola?¡±


    I was startled and wanted to get up from my seat, but my heavy body didn¡¯t follow its master¡¯s instructions.


    I thought I¡¯d get better in one day, but I guessed it was too much for my damn body.


    Viola sat on the chair next to me and looked at me gently with a look I had never seen before.


    ¡®It¡¯s not worry¡­ Pride?¡¯


    ¡°Hey, Sister¡­ Are you really taking the day off?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    ¡°What? B-but¡­!¡±


    The leader of the 1st Knights that represented the Empire was taking a day off only because of me.


    I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s taking the day off!


    As if she couldn¡¯t see my expression full of surprise, Viola dipped the face wash placed next to her with water and began to carefully wipe my face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you today because you got sick because of me.¡±


    ¡°Y-you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ll be fine soon.¡±


    ¡°Muscle pain shouldn¡¯t be ignored. I¡¯ll give you a massage in a little while.¡±


    ¡°N-no, you really don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Whether I was embarrassed or not, Viola was adamant.


    When she finished washing my face, she dragged a tray next to her.


    Seeing the food on the full tray, I felt tired.


    ¡°Well, Sister¡­ It¡¯s nice that you take care of me, but what if Sister¡¯s day is interrupted because of me?¡°


    At the careful question, Viola responded immediately, as if it was a useless question.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to interrupt because it¡¯s a day that I¡¯ve left empty for you.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­.¡±


    You¡¯re not really going to be with me all day when it¡¯s this uncomfortable, are you?


    When I barely stopped the words that seemed to come out of my throat, what I saw in front of me was a spoon filled with steaming soup.


    ¡°Come on, ah.¡±


    ¡°Sister, I really can eat by myself.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I opened my mouth with tears in my eyes at Viola¡¯s stern words.


    The soup that filled my mouth was savory and delicious, but when I saw Viola holding a spoon in front of me, I felt uncomfortable as if I was going to have an upset stomach.


    ¡°You can eat well, but why have you been eating so little?¡±


    She was murmuring it to herself, but I could hear it well, so my shoulders shrank automatically.


    Not noticing it, Viola continued to talk without a break.


    ¡°If you had eaten this well, you could have been healthier.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You could have had better stamina.¡±


    Normally, I could just move on quietly, but today it was a little different.


    I had gotten a lot of muscle pain from Viola¡¯s sudden forced exercise, and I couldn¡¯t even get out of bed properly.


    ¡®Should I stress out that this body is that much of a trash?¡¯


    I wanted to shake off the anger in my heart, but if I did, I would be the only one who would eventually suffer damage.


    If Viola got angry and left her seat, I would be the one who¡¯d end up feeling uncomfortable and restless.


    So instead of getting angry, I decided to apologize.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re sorry?¡±


    Viola stopped her hand, which was carrying the food, and asked me with a puzzled look.


    I spoke in a depressed voice, unable to hide my sullen expression.


    ¡°Because my body is so useless that it doesn¡¯t fit into Liviatan, I can¡¯t live up to Sister¡¯s expectations.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Sister took the time to help me, but the result is such a disappointment.¡±


    If I added a detailed reason, she would nod quietly and say, ¡®Yeah, you know it well. So get out of my sight from now on.¡¯


    But it didn¡¯t happen.


    Viola stared at me with a stupid expression that I had never seen before.


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are a child worthy of Liviatan.¡±


    As I blinked at the unfamiliar words, Viola frowned as if in pain.


    ¡®An expression I¡¯ve never seen before.¡¯


    ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s all what I said.¡±


    The voice she muttered to herself was small, but it was loud enough for me, who was right next to her, to hear it.


    ¡°Daisy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sister Viola.¡±


    Viola called out to me and didn¡¯t say a word for a long time.


    The food next to her is getting colder, and Viola opened her mouth as if trying to say something with an uncomfortable expression on her face.


    When I was about to go mad with frustration, she finally opened her mouth


    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    To make a person angry, the first step is you cut off the words you¡¯re about to say.


    ¡®Sigh¡­¡¯


    I sighed inwardly, barely giving up the desire to urge her to speak immediately.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish eating.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m full.¡±


    Viola normally wouldn¡¯t listen to my words properly, but now it seemed like she would listen a little.


    ¡°Really? Then should we eat some fruit?¡±


    As expected.


    I didn¡¯t know the reason, but I nodded with relief that her softer attitude didn¡¯t return to her usual anger.


    And the fruit that appeared in front of my eyes was grapefruit.


    ¡°The last time I saw you, you seemed to like it.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot, so feel free to eat.¡±


    Gulp


    Even though I hadn¡¯t eaten, I swallowed the saliva that was accumulating in my mouth without realizing it.


    Viola took a piece of grapefruit with a fork and held it out to me like a mother bird feeding a baby bird.


    ¡°Come on, ah.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear to refuse, and I had to swallow my tears at the bitter taste that filled my mouth.

 CH 9

    Viola¡¯s care was more effective than I thought.


    When the meal that she hand-fed me was over, she came up to the bed and gently relaxed my tight muscles and massaged them, and even took care of the snacks and did her part well.


    To my surprise, the next day, I could walk around without a hitch.


    It would have been a perfect healing time if it wasn¡¯t for her quiet presence.


    For a while, I was happy to get a healthy body in return for having an uncomfortable day.


    When I heard Viola take a vacation again, I was surprised and tiredly tried to dissuade her.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that people will lose trust in Sister just because of me.¡±


    As she put her hands together and looked up eagerly, she unexpectedly nodded her head and went to work.


    Then Liliana, who noticed Viola was away, approached me to go out together.


    I could see her wish to go to the salon, but fortunately, she had to be away for a while because of Mother¡¯s call.


    I didn¡¯t intend to miss this opportunity.


    ¡°Isabel! Help me get ready to go out!¡±


    ¡°Yes, miss!¡±


    When she heard I was going out, Isabel excitedly started to help me dress up without knowing where I was going.


    It wasn¡¯t until I wore my favorite light dress and tied a hat¡¯s ribbon under my chin that she asked for my destination.


    ¡°Huh? Where I am going? Of course, it¡¯s the temple.¡±


    ¡°Yes? It-it¡¯s not the salon?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°M-miss! At least take a knight with you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, so don¡¯t worry. There¡¯s no way my safety could be threatened in the first place.¡±


    No matter how corrupt the temple is, it is also a place where faithful believers still visit.


    It goes without saying that there are no stupid people who would do nonsense in broad daylight like this.


    I left the mansion in a carriage, leaving Isabel with her worried farewell behind.


    ? ? ?


    There¡¯s only one reason I like the temple.


    The temple on weekdays is quiet because there aren¡¯t many visitors, so it¡¯s a good place to spend time alone.


    It¡¯s nice to be able to organize my complicated head, and true to the name of the temple, it¡¯s filled with holy energy, so I find peace of mind whenever I come here.


    Rumors that it¡¯s a corrupt temple and that there are no right priests left can¡¯t stop me.


    The temple is so beautiful, and it¡¯s a place of peace for me.


    It used to be like that until a little while ago.


    ¡®I should have brought a knight, as Isabel said.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to stand out for no reason, so I didn¡¯t have knights to accompany me.


    If I had known that I would be caught up in such a troublesome thing, I would have brought out a knight.


    Yeah, when does the world ever go the way I want it to?


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone as faithful as Lady. How happy God must be if He watched this.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course.¡±


    He was one of the priests I encountered whenever I stopped by the temple, and he was famous for persistently flirting with female believers.


    It was said that there were reports of him seducing and molesting people by saying that they should pray together, but even though they investigated it, he wasn¡¯t kicked out.


    So when I was alone, I always avoided him carefully, but in the end, I was forced to continue the conversation because it was difficult to overcome the man¡¯s fast steps.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done praying, why don¡¯t you go to my room and share a sincere story with me?¡±


    ¡°I have to go back home.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take too long.¡±


    I tried to leave my seat naturally, but the priest grabbed my wrist to prevent me from running away, adding a ridiculous reason.


    ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯


    Even though I didn¡¯t reveal that I was a Liviatan, I would be above middle-class just by looking at my outfit.


    ¡®How corrupt are these people that going around the temple?¡¯


    ¡°It will be a pretty good time for Lady, too¡±


    The hand that grabbed my wrist stroked my arm gently.


    When my expression hardened at the goosebumps that felt like crawling insects, the priest just looked happier.


    ¡°It will be over soon. God is waiting for Lady, would my devoted Lady dare to disappoint God?¡±


    ¡°No! Let me go! This is a real travesty! If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯ll let the temple know!¡±


    ¡°You should try. I don¡¯t know if it will be useful, though.¡±


    Eventually, the anger I had been holding back exploded when the man uttered outrageous sophistry.


    I had been angry these days because of my complicated sisters, but this guy poured oil on the small fire.


    The moment I picked up a pot in the hallway and tried to hit his head.


    Suddenly, someone appeared in the empty hallway.


    Running from the side of the garden, he leaped over the wall of the hallway without hesitation and roughly knocked off the person who was threatening me.


    The priest was thrown helplessly to the floor and the man who suddenly appeared asked without even looking at me.


    ¡°Are you all right, Lady?¡±


    He had a nice voice to listen to.


    His gentle voice echoed in my ears as if riding in the gentle breeze of early summer.


    As soon as I heard the man¡¯s voice, my heart suddenly shook and began to beat fast.


    ¡®What is this?¡¯


    In case the beating sound could reach him, I put my hand on my chest to calm myself down, and then his voice was heard again.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡±


    Even though I knew it wasn¡¯t polite, I couldn¡¯t raise my head.


    ¡®W-why is my heart doing this?¡¯


    If I had been taken by the priest, it would have been difficult to get out.


    It was a dangerous situation, and it made sense to feel grateful for his help.


    But the more the man¡¯s gaze touched me, and the more his worried voice turned toward me, strangely, the more I felt like tearing up.


    ¡°Lady?¡±


    I hurriedly bit my lower lip at the man¡¯s voice again.


    ¡®I-I must have been scared.¡¯


    I must have been so scared that the worries of a man I had never seen before made me feel relieved.


    ¡®Let¡¯s not cry. It¡¯s okay now.¡¯


    If I burst into tears here, the man would feel embarrassed.


    I held out desperately, strengthening my eyes that seemed to burst into tears at any moment.


    The man didn¡¯t say anything, as if waiting for me to calm down.


    After a while, the rushing emotions subsided a little.


    I thought it would be okay to raise my head now that I barely had tears in my eyes.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be nervous and say thank you.¡¯


    I organized my thoughts and slowly raised my head to face the man who helped me.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I was speechless as soon as I saw the man.


    I had never seen him before.


    I raised my head a little more because there was a difference in height between me and the man.


    His calm black hair was slightly tangled as if to show that he had rushed here.


    The blue eyes filled with worry were clear as if they contained a clear lake, and just looking at them made me feel deeply immersed.


    ¡®Handsome.¡¯


    I grew up with Liliana, the representative beauty of the Empire, so I wasn¡¯t impressed by the appearance of most beauties, but this man was different.


    The round eyes under the straight eyebrows, the angular and sleek nose, and the vibrant bright red lips were beautifully harmonized in his small face.


    The man¡¯s face was unfamiliar, but the clothes he was wearing were familiar.


    The blue uniform covering the wide shoulders and chest was definitely the uniform of the Holy Knights.


    ¡®But I¡¯ve never seen him before¡­¡¯


    If there was a handsome man who looked good in the uniform of the Holy Knights, the temple couldn¡¯t have been as quiet as it was now.


    ¡®This place wouldn¡¯t have been my resting place.¡¯


    Perhaps I was staring too closely, the man slightly lowered his head and made a puzzled expression with worried eyes.


    It was as if God had made him Himself, I felt like my heart was pounding again at his beautiful holy appearance.


    ¡®T-this isn¡¯t the time.¡¯


    I hurriedly grabbed the hem of my skirt and bowed my head slightly.


    ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±


    ¡°No, I just did what I had to do.¡±


    The man smiled as if he was going to ignore the rudeness I had committed.


    With the corners of his lips raised softly, he didn¡¯t say anything, but I felt comforted by what happened a while ago.


    While I was relieved by the friendly smile, I could immediately feel something strange.


    ¡®Come to think of it, why do I feel familiar with this person?¡¯


    This was the first time we met, but it was strange that I felt like I definitely knew him before.


    ¡®When I first heard his voice¡­¡¯


    Above all, I was so embarrassed at the blooming happy emotions as if I just met someone I missed.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think it was just because I was relieved¡­¡¯


    ¡°Nice to meet you, my Lady. My name is Adelio Gwenus.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your help, Gwenus. My name is Daisy Liviatan.¡±


    It was the first time I properly introduced myself in the temple.


    The reason why high-ranking aristocrats deliberately wore plain clothes they usually wouldn¡¯t wear was to avoid the eyes around them as much as possible.


    I knew that revealing the name of Liviatan would attract annoying attention, so I had been hiding it.


    However, I didn¡¯t want to hide it from this good man who had helped me.


    It was impulsive, but when I saw Adelio smiling as if he was happy to be introduced, I thought I wouldn¡¯t regret it.


    ¡°Please call me Adelio comfortably, Lady Liviatan.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s voice was warm enough to melt cold ice, but the title that popped out of his mouth was not pleasant.


    ¡°There are three Lady Liviatan in my family. Could you please call me Daisy?¡±


    ¡°Is that really okay?¡±


    I was a little surprised, but I was able to nod happily as he opened his eyes wide.


    ¡°Thank you for allowing me to call your name, Daisy.¡±


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    After committing it, I realized that I had spoken out on impulse again.


    ¡®Am I too careless?¡¯

 CH 10

    Author: LyraDhani


    Even if this person has helped you, just because you don¡¯t like your family name, you¡¯re acting so impulsive.


    ¡®Calm down, Daisy Liviatan. As long as you bear the name of your family, you shouldn¡¯t look stupid.¡¯


    ¡°Are you okay? If you were shocked by what happened a while ago, please feel free to tell me.¡±


    While I was organizing my thoughts alone, Adelio asked me again with a worried face


    ¡°No, I am fine. Anyway¡­¡±


    I saved my breath.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time that priest had been reported, so even if I said something, nothing would change.


    If I tried to kick out the priest by revealing the name of Liviatan, I would lose my desired quiet haven.


    ¡®Above all, if rumors spread that the esteemed daughter of Liviatan was harassed¡­¡¯


    The thought of causing trouble to the family made me dizzy.


    Adelio took a step closer at my increasingly pale face, looked at my complexion, and spoke in a friendly voice as if consoling me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will take responsibility and hold the priest responsible for trying to do something bad to Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    How can you hold a priest who has a strong backup responsible?


    I didn¡¯t have expectations, but I smiled, thankful that he cared about me.


    ¡°So, you think I¡¯m lying.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s something I¡¯ve seen before.¡±


    Adelio smiled affectionately at my words and nodded as if he understood.


    ¡°Then you can wait and see if it¡¯s a lie or not.¡±


    At the tone of anticipation, I glanced behind him.


    The priest was knocked out by Adelio and then hit his head on the floor, fainted, and still hadn¡¯t woken up yet.


    ¡®Is he dead?¡¯


    Adelio smiled as he checked where I was looking.


    ¡°He¡¯s not dead. He just fainted for a second.¡±


    ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t thinking that he was dead.¡±


    As if he had read my thoughts, I hurriedly spoke out, but it felt even more awkward.


    I turned away from the fallen priest, coughing for no reason, and looked at Adelio again.


    ¡®As expected.¡¯


    Obviously, it was my first time seeing Adelio, but the feeling of familiarity hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡®Familiarity? No, is it happiness?¡¯


    I wondered whether I should solve or hide the questions that kept popping up.


    ¡°I know this is a strange question¡­¡±


    If I just keep thinking about it, it will increase the sadness in my heart.


    ¡°Yes, please feel free to ask.¡±


    ¡°Have we met somewhere before?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Adelio blinked as if bewildered by my question.


    But seeing my serious expression, he also responded seriously.


    ¡°Unfortunately, today is my first day at work since I was sent here from the Central Temple.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not something to feel sorry for.¡±


    Adelio spoke kindly, but I couldn¡¯t hide my red face that burned with embarrassment.


    ¡®Yes, This is definitely the first time I see your face. I¡¯m also confused with this, so I ask strange questions.¡¯


    My question sounded like a trick to continue the conversation, so I couldn¡¯t get over my embarrassment easily.


    As I fanned my hands enough to make a clattering sound to cool off the heat, he looked out of the hallway and said.


    ¡°I think the sun will set soon. If you go back too late, your family will be worried.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I had come out early, but the sun, which had been high in the sky, was already setting and turning into the sunset.


    I couldn¡¯t hide my regret and sighed quietly.


    Instead of taking a break while avoiding the people who were bothering me, I felt like I was only getting more stressed out.


    When I sighed, Adelio¡¯s expression hardened as if following my emotions.


    At that expression, I couldn¡¯t control my emotion and ended up saying.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    ¡°¡­May I ask why?¡±


    I paused for a moment at the careful question.


    ¡®Would you believe me if I said I don¡¯t want to go back to my Sisters because they are being nice to me?¡¯


    How would this person react if I said that it was strange that my Sisters who used to be so mean were now treating me kindly?


    Those around me were busy rejoicing in our good relationship.


    ¡®Rather, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to get some advice from the point of view of someone completely unrelated?¡¯


    However, since I couldn¡¯t show the faults of my family to other people, the words raised up to my throat did not come out easily.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to tell me.¡±


    Perhaps noticing my reaction, Adelio was considerate of me in a kind voice.


    The stress I had received for a few days had already piled up like it was going to explode, but new stress had piled up on top of it.


    I had to overcome the frustration alone because I couldn¡¯t easily tell anyone and tried to endure it.


    It was so difficult that I wanted to share my concerns with someone right away.


    But I didn¡¯t have a chance to do that because I didn¡¯t have any friends, and Adelio appeared right when I was upset.


    A person who could objectively look at the situation more than anyone else because he didn¡¯t know the details of Liviatan princesses as a Holy Knight who had just arrived from the Central Temple.


    ¡®Is it okay to tell him?¡¯


    My mouth twitched as I thought he was dropped from the sky for me.


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°That?¡±


    Yeah, if I want to talk to someone, it wouldn¡¯t be bad if that person is the guy in front of me.


    ¡°People who used to be mean to me suddenly treat me well¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. So?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so awkward and uncomfortable that I don¡¯t want to go back.¡±


    I spit it out.


    My heart started beating hard again.


    I let out a secret that I shouldn¡¯t tell anyone to a stranger I¡¯d never seen before!


    After I did it, my heart couldn¡¯t stay still, like a child who committed a mistake, so I pressed my left chest firmly.


    ¡°Seeing that you don¡¯t want to go home, it must be your family.¡±


    I nodded softly at Adelio¡¯s words.


    His expression became serious as if he had understood the timid gesture of my head.


    ¡°Actually, not everyone in my family is like that. All of a sudden, my sisters treat me kindly.¡±


    ¡°Your sisters?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to tell the person I met for the first time that my sisters didn¡¯t like me because I wasn¡¯t good enough.


    However, I had no choice but to open my mouth because he wouldn¡¯t understand if I didn¡¯t tell him.


    ¡°My sisters are outstanding in many ways. Unlike them, I don¡¯t have anything outstanding about me¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that they didn¡¯t like you because you didn¡¯t have anything special?¡±


    I nodded at Adelio¡¯s neat conclusion.


    He asked with a look of great incomprehension.


    ¡°Is that a good enough reason to hate your family?¡±


    ¡°I guess people around me compare us a lot¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about your parents?¡±


    ¡°No, my parents love us unconditionally!¡±


    At my words, he stroked his chin and fell into thought.


    I hurriedly changed my words because I thought I would only recall unpleasant memories if this story continued.


    ¡°Anyway, my sisters hated me, but they suddenly treated me well. I just feel uncomfortable because I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re being sincere or not.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, even for me, it would be strange if someone who hated me suddenly did me a favor.¡±


    Adelio shook his head sympathetically.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m having a hard time because they¡¯re always trying to be nice to me when I get home.¡±


    ¡°Do you hate being treated kindly by your sisters, Daisy?¡±


    ¡°Rather than hate, I just feel awkward. And I hate myself who starts to doubt what they¡¯re up to.¡±


    Yes, I hate myself for questioning someone¡¯s favor, so I want to avoid being in that position.


    ¡®But if I blindly trust my sisters and they start treating me coldly again, I won¡¯t be able to stand it.¡¯


    I thought it would be better if I told someone about my worries, but my heart felt heavy because it seemed that only my ugly inner feelings were discovered.


    ¡°I should go back before it¡¯s too late. Thank you for listening.¡±


    I ended the story with a smile, and Adelio smiled lightly as if he had read my intention.


    ¡°Daisy, I want to escort you to the entrance of the temple. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°I would be grateful.¡±


    When permission was granted, Adelio came up to me and started walking first.


    I appreciated his kindness to escort me to the entrance, but I didn¡¯t feel comfortable because of the confession of my worries.


    So as I walked quietly without saying anything, it was Adelio who broke the silence.


    ¡°I thought about it after listening to Daisy¡¯s concerns. I don¡¯t think I can just ignore it like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    My voice naturally rose at the sudden words.


    ¡°What if my siblings who don¡¯t like me until now suddenly treat me well? I think I will be suspicious first because they might be doing this because there is something they want.¡±


    ¡°Suspicious¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t everyone like that?¡±


    Adelio¡¯s natural remark reassured me that I was not the only one.


    ¡°And isn¡¯t it disgusting that they¡¯ve hated it so far and suddenly tried to get close to you?¡±


    ¡°Disgusting¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe, and it¡¯s disgusting, but they made you worry about this, so if it were me, I wouldn¡¯t let it go quietly.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s words were surprisingly persuasive, so I asked with curiosity.


    ¡°Then what would you do if it were you, Adelio?¡±


    He brought up an answer that I had never thought of.


    ¡°If it were me, I would test my siblings. To make sure whether the kindness they give me is true or false.¡±

 CH 11

    Author: LyraDhani


    ¡°True or false¡­¡±


    I muttered intentionally following Adelio¡¯s words, and still smiling, he said.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of nasty.¡±


    ¡°Nasty?¡±


    ¡°Daisy, didn¡¯t you say they hated you even though you didn¡¯t do anything wrong? I thought if it was me, I would feel that it was unfair.¡±


    I nodded violently as if deceived by Adelio¡¯s kind voice.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve done something wrong, haven¡¯t I? I¡¯m always lacking compared to my sisters¡­.¡±


    ¡°Daisy. Again, hating people for that reason is something that only bad people do.¡±


    ¡°¡­My sisters are not bad.¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s check if they really mean it.¡±


    As I let my shoulders drop weakly, he kept comforting me over and over again.


    ¡°Daisy. A normal relationship isn¡¯t something that can be achieved through one-sided favor.¡±


    That¡¯s true.


    If something like that was possible, the relationship between me and my sisters wouldn¡¯t have broken down this much.


    ¡®You¡¯ve given up on me who¡¯s been trying so hard and now you suddenly show your love to me, how I can trust you?¡¯


    Adelio spoke warmly as if he understood my feelings.


    ¡°So I think it¡¯s their turn from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve done enough.¡±


    Adelio nodded, saying yes to my blunt tone.


    ¡°¡­But how can I be mean to my sisters?¡±


    ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m scared¡­¡±


    I bowed my head, recalling Liliana and Viola¡¯s angry faces.


    ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s a little scary. I can¡¯t even remember their smiling faces.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    In the end, nothing was solved, but Adelio¡¯s words comforted me to some extent.


    Before I knew it, I arrived at the main gate of the temple and greeted him face-to-face.


    ¡°Thank you for today. It gave me a lot of strength.¡±


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Adelio grabbed me as I was about to go back, and, after a bit of agitation, he opened his mouth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone would blame you for being mean to your sisters, Daisy.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Honestly, if you want to let it go, that¡¯s fine, but Daisy, it¡¯s so unfair.¡±


    I blinked in embarrassment at Adelio¡¯s sullen tone, and he smiled even more brightly.


    ¡°Or think of it as being a little naughty to your sisters. You¡¯ll feel more at ease. ¡°


    I asked Adelio, who was looking at the carriage that had just arrived and had a regretful expression on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time we¡¯ve seen each other today, so why are you being so kind to me? Maybe it was really my fault.¡±


    ¡°Well, because I think Daisy¡¯s a good person? Maybe that¡¯s why I don¡¯t want you to be hurt.¡±


    My voice trembled a little at my rising emotions.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your words.¡±


    Hearing those words for the first time from someone else besides my parents gave me courage.


    ¡°Adelio has cheered for me, so I¡¯ll try to be brave. I will negotiate with my sisters this time.¡±


    Adelio opened his eyes wide as if surprised by the sudden change in my attitude.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it. It¡¯s just a story of what I would do if it were me.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll try. I think I can do anything because someone is rooting for me. Anything related to my sisters!¡±


    I replied with a big smile and an excited voice.


    At my answer, Adelio smiled shyly.


    ¡°I hope everything goes well.¡±


    His face under the light was so bright that I unintentionally stared blankly.


    From his round and pretty forehead, his sleek nose, lips, and the line went down under his thick neck, and without realizing it, my eyes were fixed in one place.


    ¡°¡­Is there something on my neck?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    I felt like I was staring too hard, so I waved my hand with a red face.


    ¡®Strangely, my eyes keep going near his neck.¡¯


    Perhaps because his face was shining more under the bright light, my eyes were especially on the shadowy part under his neck.


    I quickly removed my rude gaze and smiled broadly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, Adelio, can I come to see you next time?¡±


    Adelio smiled after me as if he didn¡¯t mind my rudeness.


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ? ? ?


    I took a deep breath in front of the front door with the setting sun behind me.


    It was so much fun having someone listen to me seriously that I didn¡¯t realize how much time had passed.


    Naturally, in the temple, I was full of courage and confidence, but when I tried to enter the mansion, my heart trembled.


    ¡®No, Daisy. Adelio has cheered for you, too.¡¯


    I would continue to suffer unless I could confirm whether my sisters¡¯ hearts were true or false.


    I couldn¡¯t just move on like this. It was a problem that I had to face at once. Let¡¯s do it!


    I made a firm commitment and tried to enter.


    But before that, the door of the mansion burst open.


    ¡°Daisy!¡±


    I could see Liliana, who was looking for me with her voice raising, and Viola, who burst open the door behind her.


    ¡°Where have you been? I was worried!¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I mean.¡±


    ¡°If you were just a little late, Viola might have released the knights. Next time you go out, tell me where you¡¯re going. That way, I¡¯ll be less worried.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t even speak and just nodded at Liliana¡¯s quick words


    At my reply, Liliana erased her uneasy expression and smiled contentedly, and Viola escorted me into the mansion.


    Listening to the closing door, I reflected on the determination in my mind.


    ¡®Don¡¯t get angry¡­ A little naughty, a little nasty¡­ It¡¯s too difficult. Will I be able to do it?¡¯


    Unable to get out of my gloomy thoughts, Liliana clapped her hands and reversed the chaotic atmosphere.


    ¡°Oh! Viola bought dessert for you today.¡±


    ¡°Dessert?¡±


    When I smiled slightly at the good news, Viola nodded with a blunt expression.


    ¡°On my way back from work, I saw grapefruit tart, and I thought of you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, grapefruit tart¡­¡±


    I blinked at the word grapefruit that came out again.


    ¡®Since the blunt Viola bought it for me, I should eat it.¡¯


    ¡°Yes! I paid more attention to your meal today. For a refreshing taste, I put grapefruit in the sauce for the grapefruit salad and steak¡­¡±


    At the feast of grapefruit dishes that followed Liliana¡¯s words, a huge thunderbolt struck my complicated head.


    If I didn¡¯t say it clearly now, I would be buried in the grapefruit field given by these two people.


    ¡°Sister, I¡­.¡±


    But Liliana cut me off before I could open my mouth.


    ¡°Daisy likes grapefruit! Right?¡±


    Viola also nodded quietly, and the employees around were looking at us with warm expressions.


    In this friendly space that didn¡¯t include me, a crooked mind arose along with an unknown resentment.


    ¡®I hope Daisy doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡¯


    For some reason, I suddenly remembered Adelio¡¯s friendly words of comfort.


    ¡®Oh, now I got hurt again.¡¯


    How long have I been ignoring the pain and trying to ignore such trivial words and actions over and over again?


    Liliana said and tried to put her arms around me.


    I pulled out her arm roughly.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    Liliana looked astonished by my sudden action, and Viola, who was standing next to me quietly, also stepped back in a panic.


    ¡®Why, why am I the only one who needs to be hurt?¡¯


    A feeling of shame arose again.


    Why am I the only one surrounded by worries like this, paying attention to the people around me who are giving meaning to each of my likings and getting stressed out?


    Should I just receive whatever they give me, whether it¡¯s affection or negative feelings?


    No, that¡¯s not it.


    I don¡¯t want to.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like grapefruit. I hate it so, so, so much, so much!¡±


    I took a deep breath and spoke clearly to my sisters.


    ¡°It¡¯s bitter, and I have a hard time every day eating grapefruit! It was so hard for me to force myself to eat what Sisters gave me!¡°


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    Liliana tried to approach me in embarrassment, but I immediately retreated.


    It was cool when I actually spit it out, but I had no idea what to do next.


    ¡®¡­No, Daisy. While you¡¯re at it, you have to say it till the end.¡¯


    If it wasn¡¯t now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to properly convey my feelings to my sisters.


    My sisters would never understand this unfair and painful feeling.


    ¡®You have to, Daisy.¡¯


    After much consideration, I decided to open my mouth again.


    I clenched my hands and screamed with my eyes closed tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s uncomfortable for me that Sisters are doing this. It¡¯s too burdensome, and I don¡¯t like it. No, I hate it!¡±


    I spit it out.


    I slowly opened my eyes, breathing heavily.


    After showing my true feelings, I was afraid that Liliana and Viola would be angry again like before.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid, Daisy.¡¯


    If that¡¯s the case, the Sisters¡¯ feelings are only that much.


    ¡®It would be better if they get angry. Then I won¡¯t be so confused again.¡¯


    I plucked up my courage and raised my head, making eye contact with Liliana and Viola.


    I thought they would be angry because of my insult, but their expressions were different from what I thought.


    Liliana¡¯s expression contorted as if she was about to cry, and Viola¡¯s face stiffened with guilt.


    I could feel it as soon as I saw their expressions.


    I don¡¯t want my sisters to be hurt like me.

 CH 12

    Liliana and Viola couldn¡¯t say anything unlike usual.


    I began to feel guilty that they couldn¡¯t easily say something.


    I didn¡¯t know what kind of change they had in their mind, but it seemed that my sisters sincerely thought of me and tried to take care of me.


    And unlike them, I was hoping with a petty heart that my sisters would get mad at me.


    ¡®If Sisters hate me, I won¡¯t have to go through such an uncomfortable situation in the future. I wanted to avoid it.¡¯


    I was embarrassed, but at the same time, I was angry that my sisters were hurt just because I said this much.


    ¡®If you think about what you¡¯ve done to me, shouldn¡¯t you understand this much?¡¯


    My thoughts were too complicated.


    ¡®What the hell am I hoping for? I don¡¯t know either.¡¯


    The ensuing silence became uncomfortable and eventually I left my seat first.


    The two of them could not hold onto me and as I pretended not to notice their gazes behind me, I quickly returned to my room and threw myself onto the bed.


    I lay alone on the bed for a while.


    I didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but I realized that the mansion was quiet and I opened my eyes that had been closed until now.


    I felt like crying.


    I was embarrassed, ashamed, and tormented by guilt.


    Angry at feelings that could not be defined, I sighed.


    ¡®No, Daisy. This is less than half of what Sisters usually do. Why are you suffering?¡¯


    Just because the Sisters made some hurt expressions, my determination shouldn¡¯t have been shaken already.


    It was so pathetic that I couldn¡¯t even have a strong heart.


    ¡®I¡¯m ashamed to see Adelio.¡¯


    It was our first time meeting but he kindly comforted me and gave me advice¡­


    I couldn¡¯t stop blaming myself for being a child who couldn¡¯t do anything even with the help of those around me.


    ¡®Stupid Daisy.¡¯


    I tried to be mean, but only endless guilts bloomed in the end.


    I closed my eyes tearfully.


    It was a night where I wanted to escape to my dream.


    * * *


    ¡°Why are your eyes swollen? It made me upset.¡±


    Isabel put a cold towel around my eyes and let out her sad feelings.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I have a lot on my mind these days. It¡¯s time for self-reflection.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t cry. If you cry¡­.¡±


    ¡°What if I cry?¡±


    ¡°Then, Isabel¡¯s heart breaks.¡±


    I smiled lightly at the sincere voice.


    As I quietly closed my eyes for a while, the towel became lukewarm.


    I took off the towel and got up from my seat.


    ¡°I want to go to the temple.¡±


    ¡°Today as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is no place like the temple to calm a confused mind.¡±


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to run into Adelio, but¡­.¡¯


    If I met him in my current mood, I might show a weak side again, so I thought it would be better to avoid him as much as possible.


    ¡®He¡¯s just been appointed, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be busy.¡¯


    With Isabel¡¯s help, I left the room dressed similarly to yesterday.


    I even skipped breakfast on purpose, and I waited calmly in my room without going out until th3 ambiguous time right before lunch.


    ¡®I have to hurry up and leave before I run into them.¡¯


    I thought that family relationships were really difficult, and as I was about to go out, I made eye contact with my sisters.


    ¡°¡­Where are you going, Daisy?¡±


    As I was hesitating not knowing what to say, Liliana and Viola came up to me.


    I couldn¡¯t ignore the two of them waiting for my answer and opened my mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the temple.¡±


    ¡°The temple? Why the temple?¡±


    Liliana blatantly looked disagreed with my answer.


    Viola also crumpled her brows and didn¡¯t hide her displeasure.


    I hesitated at their negative reactions and tried to answer the question.


    ¡°When I go to the temple¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you. The temple is a place where nothing will be of any help to you. It¡¯s definitely going to be a waste of time.¡±


    ¡°Liliana is right.¡±


    Their firm reactions made me close my mouth.


    ¡®Am I the only one who cares about yesterday? Why aren¡¯t you listening to me?¡¯


    As I remembered what happened last night, the raging emotions burst out again.


    ¡®It seems that Sisters only care about me this much, do I really need to care about their feelings¡­?¡¯


    ¡°Whatever I do, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that Sisters have to care about.¡±


    I lowered my head and spoke out without hesitation, avoiding Sisters¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°The temple is my only sanctuary. It¡¯s a place that gives me stability every time Sisters threw me away! Are you going to take away my sanctuary now?¡±


    I thought I would be relieved by what I said, but it wasn¡¯t the case.


    With a frustrated heart, I forcibly lifted my head and faced the faces of my sisters who seemed to have been hurt.


    Just like yesterday, the guilt was piling up while my heart was pounding with unknown emotions.


    ¡®You¡¯re ugly, Daisy. If this isn¡¯t venting your anger, then what is it?¡¯


    I felt like I was about to burst into tears at any moment.


    ¡®Why on earth am I this kind of person?¡¯


    Even while the guilt was blooming, I didn¡¯t want to cry in front of my sisters.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out then.¡±


    I left the mansion in a hurry, leaving them behind.


    My heart, which became more complicated than yesterday, showed no sign of subsiding.


    * * *


    ¡®No matter how you look at it, Sisters¡¯ actions seemed to be sincere.¡¯


    Otherwise, there was no way my words could make them look so hurt.


    ¡®And I didn¡¯t want to believe Sisters, so I wanted to deny it until the end.¡¯


    I continued to doubt my sisters because I couldn¡¯t just accept their favor as it was.


    I knew that my sisters¡¯ feelings were sincere, but I didn¡¯t want to easily relieve them because of the wounds I had received.


    ¡®I am no different than Sisters. This time, I am the one who threw out the hands that Sisters had reached out to me.¡¯


    The thought of me being pathetic did not end there.


    A stupid Daisy who doesn¡¯t do anything well and doesn¡¯t do anything she promises to do.


    As I continued to think of negative words that describe me, I felt depressed and my tears fell.


    The moment I sat alone in the quiet prayer room and looked at the tears that fell on my knees.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    I was startled by the sudden voice from behind.


    ¡°W-Who¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me, Adelio.¡±


    ¡°A-Adelio.¡±


    I hurriedly wiped away the tears with my sleeve.


    ¡®Why now?¡¯


    I went out so confidently yesterday, but today, I ran into him while crying.


    How could I face such a worst-case scenario?


    While I was wiping away my tears, Adelio came close to my eyes.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°No, I am fine.¡±


    Adelio stared at me and sat next to me without saying a word.


    ¡°If you want to cry, you can cry comfortably.¡±


    ¡°Everyone cries. I¡¯m embarrassed because I didn¡¯t want to bother you anymore.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re bothering me. Just sharing your worries can be a huge help.¡°


    Adelio¡¯s soft and warm voice touched my heart again.


    I tried to hold back the tears that were about to come out again, but I guess it was not enough to hold them back.


    ¡°Adelio, I ruined everything.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°I said I wanted to check my sisters¡¯ feelings, but I already concluded that they were not people who could actually change. I denied their sincerity.¡±


    Adelio listened to me, nodding his head quietly.


    ¡°So I pushed them out hoping that my sisters would be hurt. I did it twice, not once, so it¡¯s all over now.¡±


    As I was crying, unable to speak anymore, something soft touched my cheek.


    Adelio had taken out his handkerchief and carefully wiped the tears off my cheeks.


    I stared blankly at his face in astonishment.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    To my foolishness, in this situation, the handkerchief that Adelio handed me caught my eye.


    I thought that the handkerchief with his name embroidered on the light sky blue cloth really suited Adelio.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. You¡¯re not a pathetic person at all.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because Adelio doesn¡¯t know me very well. I am¡­¡±


    Adelio shook his head before I could finish speaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think it¡¯s too late. You just have to find a new way.¡±


    Adelio gave me warm consolation and placed a handkerchief in my hand.


    ¡°Yesterday was my idea, so why don¡¯t we take a look at Daisy¡¯s heart today?¡±


    ¡°My heart?¡±


    ¡°This time, we¡¯re going to think about what Daisy wants and put it into action.¡±


    At Adelio¡¯s words, I closed my mouth and nodded.


    ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s right to think about what I really want in the first place.¡¯


    Adelio was right.


    I should have checked my true feelings before I heard others¡¯ opinions.


    ¡®What I want¡­.¡¯


    The faces of Liliana, Viola, and other family members floated in my head, and I was easily able to conclude what I wanted.


    ¡°I want to protect the peace of my family.¡±


    If the ruined empire in my dream was really going to come true in the future, it was right to get close to my sisters.


    ¡®I just have to try again.¡¯


    Some people might think it was frustrating and stupid, but what I wanted most right now was to go around and get along with my sisters again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if my sisters will accept me again. The conclusion is too lame, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    At Adelio¡¯s confident tone, I turned my head to look at him.


    He spoke with a friendly smile that seemed to melt like yesterday.


    ¡°Every choice Daisy made will work out. No matter what anyone says, it will work out.¡±


    For sure.

 CH 13

    As if possessed by something, I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off Adelio.


    It was as if he had read my mind, I felt like I was about to burst into tears again when he picked out the answers I wanted to hear and said them.


    ¡°¡­Thank you. I¡¯m very encouraged.¡±


    My voice trembled slightly, but Adelio pretended not to notice and held out his hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I could encourage you.¡±


    At his friendly smile, I also smiled a little.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯m sure everything will be fine. Then, I¡¯ll see you off before it gets late.¡±


    I nodded my head which was full of emotion.


    ¡®Adelio seems like a really nice person. How nice it would be to be friends with someone like this.¡¯


    Thinking so, I quickly shook my head from side to side.


    ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous to be friends with a wonderful person like Adelio. Don¡¯t depend on his kindness too much, Daisy.¡¯


    Adelio was a paladin, so he treated me kindly as a believer.


    I shouldn¡¯t cross the line.


    ¡®Next time, I have to show him my cool side instead of such a shameful side.¡¯


    I remembered his friendly behavior and promised to face him with a smile next time.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°As expected, it¡¯s scary to go in.¡±


    Looking at the main gate, I somehow felt more pressure than yesterday.


    Still, I felt that it was not right to avoid the decision I made on my own without putting it into action.


    ¡®But what if they get angry?¡¯


    Even if that happened yesterday, wasn¡¯t I a little too much today¡­


    ¡®No, let¡¯s face them.¡¯


    Even if they were angry with me, we might be able to solve it if we talked.


    ¡®Adelio cheered for you, too. Yeah, let¡¯s be brave, Daisy!¡¯


    Even if I couldn¡¯t understand my sisters¡¯ changed behavior, I had to do it as long as there was a reason to reconcile.


    ¡®My sisters¡¯ rebellion, the destruction of the family, and the destruction of the Empire are in my hands.¡¯


    It might be a daunting task for me as someone couldn¡¯t do anything, but I was sure a small intervention could change the future.


    ¡®All right, let¡¯s go.¡¯


    I fired up my spirit and I tried to open the door.


    ¡°Daisy, are you coming in now?¡±


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    I would have if it weren¡¯t for the voice from behind.


    I turned my head slowly, covering my mouth in surprise.


    I wasn¡¯t sure when she had arrived but Liliana was standing behind me.


    With the gorgeous garden in the background, her smile looked as beautiful as a flower.


    She was so beautiful that I forgot my nervousness and looked at her with appreciation.


    Liliana¡¯s face slowly began to darken as I kept staring at her without saying anything.


    ¡°Ah, that happened in the morning, I was too indifferent.¡±


    Liliana sighed uncharacteristically and lowered her head a little.


    It was me who was rather frustrated with the expression on her face that looked like she had a lot of worries as if she had no idea what to do.


    ¡®Oh, what should I do? How should I do this?¡±


    I never thought my sister would feel apologetic for me, so my face turned white.


    ¡°Daisy, you were upset about what I said this morning, right?¡±


    ¡°What? N-No¡­¡±


    ¡°Being honest is okay.¡±


    ¡°I-I was a little hurt.¡±


    At my reply, Liliana held my hand with an apologetic expression.


    As I was surprised by the sudden warm body temperature, she continued to speak slowly.


    ¡°I listened to you and thought a lot about it. You might be surprised by how reckless I was trying to be close to you.¡±


    She looked embarrassed when I nodded my head slightly


    ¡°People around me only give me favors, and I thought it was natural, so I didn¡¯t think of your position. Daisy, it would be funny if I said this now, but¡­.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s face had a glimpse of pathetic emotion.


    She asked me with a sad smile.


    ¡°I want to be close to you. I want us to be good sisters who cherish each other.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Not with Viola, but with me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s funny that I suddenly say this when I¡¯ve turned down your request so far, but I mean it.¡±


    Liliana erased her usual smile and said with a serious look.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I normally wouldn¡¯t ask, but seeing her changed attitude made me curious.


    ¡°I want to know why.¡±


    ¡°Because.¡±


    Liliana seemed a little hesitant, then replied with a slight smile.


    ¡°Actually, I wanted to get to know you since long ago.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    She smiled softly as I uttered in a surprised tone.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re such a sweet, nice, and cute little sister. So I am doing this because I thought I would regret it if I don¡¯t try to get close to you now.¡±


    ¡°Regret?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t want to regret it. Viola too.¡±


    Liliana said with a detached look as if she were looking elsewhere.


    As I reflected on her words, my cheeks reddened at the casual compliments.


    ¡°You really mean it? Are you making fun of me or trying to bully me?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    A different voice came from behind Liliana this time.


    Viola, who arrived in front of the main gate after work, answered my question.


    ¡°Viola? When did you arrive? Give some warning next time.¡±


    As if I wasn¡¯t the only one surprised, Liliana grumbled, calming her startled heart.


    However, Viola lightly skipped over Liliana¡¯s words and continued her previous words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to bother you.¡±


    ¡°But before, you said you didn¡¯t want to be with me¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I thought we shouldn¡¯t be close. But I was wrong.¡±


    I tilted my head, not understanding Viola¡¯s words, then found something in her hand.


    In Viola¡¯s hand was a box of limited edition cakes sold at a famous bakery downtown.


    ¡°Like you said, we don¡¯t know anything about you. So, even if I tried to get close, I didn¡¯t really know what to do.¡±


    As my gaze turned to the box, Viola slid towards me and said.


    ¡°So I didn¡¯t even know you hate grapefruit. I didn¡¯t know you were forced to eat because of us.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    Even though I knew it, I asked again just in case.


    ¡°I asked Isabel. About what you particularly like.¡±


    I was a little surprised that Viola, who was not very interested in desserts, personally visited Isabel for me and bought desserts herself.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you. I don¡¯t know what you like or what you don¡¯t like.¡±


    Of course, there was no connection between us.


    When I nodded, Viola smiled slightly and said.


    ¡°So I want to get to know you from now on.¡±


    It was unlike Viole to sound so earnest yet anxious.


    ¡°I know we¡¯ve been so indifferent, and we¡¯ve done a lot of wrong to you. So I regret it, and I want to change it from now on.¡±


    Liliana, who was standing next to Viola¡¯s words, also nodded in agreement.


    The two asked me at the same time with the most serious expression I¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°Can you please give us a chance to get to know you?¡±


    ¡°Would you mind giving us a chance to get to know you?¡±


    At Liliana and Viola¡¯s words, I barely caught my consciousness that almost flew away.


    ¡®I can¡¯t guarantee whether that dream is the future or not, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too late now.¡¯


    Yeah, it¡¯s not too late.


    It was funny how my worries went away bit by bit just like I wanted.


    In a way, it looked like self-justification from the beginning to the end, but I thought this was the best right now.


    ¡®Don¡¯t be so impatient, Daisy. I¡¯m starting with what I can do now.¡¯


    I organized my thoughts in determination.


    There was only one thing I could do at this moment.


    I would forget my sisters¡¯ figures from before and trust the sisters who wanted to be close to me.


    And I hoped that this moment would be the seed that changed the worst future.


    ¡°I was angry yesterday and today, but the truth is, I still want to be close to Sisters.¡±


    I smiled broadly as I held the box of cakes Viola handed me.


    ¡°So let¡¯s get along well from now on, Sisters.¡±


    The two smiled happily like flowers in bloom, as if matching their names.


    Yes, that¡¯s enough.


    ? ? ?


    Tonight, unlike yesterday, I jumped into bed feeling excited because I had a good time with my sisters.


    ¡°If it stays like this, there won¡¯t be any problem.¡±


    My sisters continued to treat me kindly as if they intended to erase their old images from my mind.


    Unlike the other siblings, it seemed we were getting to know each other carefully from the beginning, but I had an unknown confidence that this moment would continue.


    ¡°First of all, the Sisters weren¡¯t angry with me. That alone is a big change.¡±


    My sisters love me.


    I hated it a little, but I still liked my sisters, so if we got along well in the future, I would be able to prevent their rebellion just as I first promised.


    Smiling alone at the feeling of continuous joy, I remembered the face of Adelio, who gave me courage and confidence today.


    ¡°He¡¯s a really nice guy.¡±


    Perhaps because I had never received such sincere consolation and advice from others, I couldn¡¯t hide my happy smile.


    ¡®It is as Adelio said. It worked out just the way I wanted it.¡¯


    I murmured, rubbing my fuzzy eyes.


    ¡°The next time I visit the temple, I will go there with a smile.¡±


    I was sure I would be able to meet him with a smile this time.


    With a smile rising on my face, I couldn¡¯t resist the drowsiness and soon fell into a sweet sleep.

 CH 14

    I felt like my body was sinking down.


    I only felt this familiar sense when I had lucid dreams of peeping into the future, so I gradually opened my eyes.


    What appeared as soon as I opened my eyes was a confrontation between Liliana and Viola.


    ¡®Why am I here?¡¯


    The atmosphere between the two was unusual.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to get engaged to the First Prince.¡±


    Viola waited for Liliana¡¯s words with a disapproving expression.


    ¡°For the time being, I think I will be receiving education as a princess in the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even so, I have no intention of giving up the Duchy. I can¡¯t give you too much work.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Rather, I think it¡¯ll be too much work for you.¡±


    Liliana shook her head at Viola¡¯s sarcastic remark.


    ¡°I¡¯ve done enough so far, and it¡¯s what I have to do in the future.¡±


    ¡°Too much greed is poison, Liliana.¡±


    The ensuing war of nerves between the two people made me look around and slipped out of the spot.


    I didn¡¯t want to suffer from those two even in my dream.


    ¡®But why did Viola look so upset? Is it such a big deal that Liliana doesn¡¯t give up the dukedom? She obviously doesn¡¯t seem interested in the duchy¡­¡¯


    Fearing that sparks would fly, I left my seat, but I never thought that this situation would turn into a big discord.


    Unlike with me, they were twin sisters who got along well.


    I opened the door like that and came out, and suddenly the surroundings began to change drastically.


    I came out of an ordinary room, but the place that unfolded before me was the lobby.


    Bang, the sound of the door opening violently rang through the mansion.


    As I headed to the lobby at the loud sound, people who gathered there after hearing the commotion were restless.


    ¡°Do you know what rumors are circulating outside right now because of your rash behavior?¡±


    In the center of the lobby stood a very angry Viola, clutching Liliana by the collar.


    ¡°What rumors? Are you talking about rumors that the Duke of Liviatan supports the First Prince?¡±


    ¡°You know very well that Liviatan is a family that must be loyal to the Imperial family, don¡¯t you? But you¡¯re recklessly messing with the prince when the crown prince hasn¡¯t even been decided yet?¡±


    Viola broke her usual expressionless face and was openly angry.


    Liliana listened quietly to Viola¡¯s words, and when she calmed down, she continued speaking in a calm tone.


    ¡°The First Prince wants the support of our family. And I¡¯ve only dabbled in the social world a little bit to help him.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to agree with this arbitrary choice?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem if the poor prince becomes the crown prince. What the hell are you so unhappy about?¡±


    Viola responded to Liliana¡¯s words in a tone of derision.


    ¡°Are you telling me to just watch and see you acting arrogantly as if you¡¯ve already received the Duke¡¯s title?¡±


    ¡°This is a right I should enjoy proudly! It¡¯s a choice I can make as the next duke!¡±


    Liliana continued her conversation calmly but eventually began to raise her voice as if she couldn¡¯t control her emotions.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know that you are doing this because you are blinded by love?¡±


    Liliana shut her mouth tightly at Viola¡¯s words.


    But soon, she shouted without hesitation.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that I love Ronald, but I¡¯m not saying that I¡¯m going to choose someone who has nothing as the Crown Prince! I made this decision because he has the qualifications and ability to become the Crown Prince!¡±


    ¡°You want me to believe your selfish words?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so against it in the first place? There¡¯s no one better suited to be Crown Prince than Ronald.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡±


    Viola¡¯s short answer brought a look of astonishment to Liliana¡¯s face.


    Her expression twisted and she pushed away Viola who grabbed her by the collar.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡±


    Thinking that there would be trouble if they continued like this, I hurriedly went down the stairs and intervened among them.


    ¡°Please stop it. I think you¡¯re both too emotional. There are many eyes to see.¡±


    When I separated the two of them, they seemed to have calmed down a bit and started a war of nerves, glaring at each other fiercely.


    There were no more voices, but their gazes were still fierce, so my shoulders naturally shrunk.


    ¡°Determine if you are in a position to intervene or interrupt.¡±


    After stopping them, Liliana raised her voice as if taking out her anger on me.


    ¡°Sounds like love. Anyone can see that you¡¯re being used.¡±


    The atmosphere in the lobby flared up again as Viola laughed at Liliana.


    I sighed at the messy lobby atmosphere, then I saw my parents walking in behind the open door.


    As soon as Father returned, he saw Liliana and Viola and began to scold Liliana in a cold voice.


    ¡°Liliana, from now on, refrain from making statements that openly support the First Prince.¡±


    Liliana couldn¡¯t hide her resentment at Father¡¯s words of rebuke.


    She bit her lips violently and couldn¡¯t hold back her anger and spoke to Father in a desperate tone.


    ¡°Father. Ronald really fits the position of the crown prince. He is someone who knows how to see the truth, not the appearance. This is a piece of advice for the development of the Imperial family! There is no one more devoted to the imperial family than he is!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because you care about your reputation that you make him sit in the Crown Prince¡¯s seat.¡±


    Liliana glared fiercely at Viola¡¯s sarcasm.


    When the atmosphere between Liliana and Viola turned violent again, Father personally tried to stop them.


    But Viola did not stop being sarcastic.


    Liliana¡¯s patience seemed to have reached its limit, too.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even care about reputation, do you? Why don¡¯t you try to raise your ruined honor a little and covet the duchy?¡±


    Viola glared sharply at Liliana¡¯s sarcasm.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something to bring up in this situation.¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Liliana approached Viola with her arms crossed and contemptuous eyes.


    ¡°For the sake of the family, for the sake of the Imperial family, please put in some effort, will you? I said it because I¡¯m embarrassed.¡±


    Liliana raised her eyes fiercely and warned Viola.


    I noticed the bloody words coming and going, watching over them.


    Of course, Viola didn¡¯t put up with it.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you saying that to hide the fools in love?¡±


    ¡°At least I have a cause for doing this. What do you have left? Your petty pride?¡±


    ¡°Watch your language.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    Viola¡¯s sharp words crossed the line.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think  I should hear it from you who can¡¯t do anything without relying on the prince¡¯s love.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s eyes widened in shock, but Viola seemed unwilling to back down.


    Rather, once it exploded, she poured out abusive words without hesitation.


    ¡°You must be happy that you can aim for the empress position with just a pretty face without any effort, right?¡±


    ¡°I think the way you see it is no different from them. Don¡¯t you think so?¡±


    ¡°Is it wrong? Is there anything special about you besides your looks? Aren¡¯t you just a bit smarter than others? There are people who are better than you in the Empire.¡±


    Viola¡¯s cruel words pierced Liliana¡¯s heart.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    Father, who had been watching the messy atmosphere, opened his mouth.


    ¡°Stop it. How far are you going to show your ugliness in front of your little sister?¡±


    Liliana¡¯s gaze turned to me at Father¡¯s sharp words.


    She looked at me with bloodshot eyes dyed red with contempt.


    ¡®Is Liliana crying?¡¯


    Shocked more by the tears in her eyes than the anger towards me, she said to Father as I was unable to say anything.


    ¡°Father doesn¡¯t deny Viola¡¯s words either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    ¡°No, I guess I was only a pretty daughter in Father¡¯s eyes.¡±


    Liliana spoke to everyone, holding back her sadness.


    ¡°But Ronald is different. He cheers for what I want, what I can do, and the future I will cultivate, not my appearance.¡±


    She suppressed the rising emotions and bared her teeth at everyone as she spoke.


    ¡°He recognizes my true self, even when my family doesn¡¯t. Is it a sin to support the only person who acknowledges my inner self?¡±


    Liliana roughly swept her hair and immediately stepped forward.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give up on my opinion. Even if I lose my family, I will make him sit in the Crown Prince¡¯s seat. By any means.¡±


    As soon as she finished those words, the world suddenly began to turn upside down, and soon a strange place appeared in front of my eyes.


    There, Liliana was kneeling in front of the First Prince Ronald, crying.


    ¡°I loved you and everything is now ruined. I shouldn¡¯t have loved you.¡±


    Above the bitter resentment, regret, and resignation, there was anger in her eyes.


    As soon as I met Liliana¡¯s eyes, I woke up from the dream as if I hadn¡¯t been allowed here.


    ¡°Cough-!¡±


    When I opened my eyes with heavy breath, what I saw was not the place where Liliana and the First Prince were, but my familiar room.

 CH 15

    The bright sunlight coming through the window told me that it was morning, so I knew I had woken up from a dream.


    I vaguely remembered lying in bed and falling asleep last night.


    ¡®A dream¡­?¡¯


    It was too vivid to be a dream.


    The miserable figure of Liliana, who was kneeling down and crying, still lingered in front of my eyes as I held my forehead.


    It was similar to the dream I had last year.


    It was really an unkind, resentful dream.


    ¡®Sister Liliana¡­ She looked very regretful. I wish it was just a dream, but¡­¡¯


    Liliana who I saw in my dream seemed to gradually have a fallout with Sister Viola due to her engagement with the first prince, Ronald.


    She threw away the honor she valued and chose love instead of her family, in the end, she regretted having ruined everything with that choice.


    ¡°What did she mean everything is ruined? Could that have been the cause of the rebellion?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t forget Liliana¡¯s teary-eyed expression.


    The eyes that looked at Ronald horribly were full of contempt.


    The anger in her eyes was an emotion I had never seen before.


    It was something I never wanted to see, something that seemed out of place with the Liliana I knew.


    I couldn¡¯t even define the aftermath of my last dream yet, but the new dream was already giving me a headache.


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s like this, I should stop the engagement first.¡±


    If the events happened because of the engagement, I could stop the engagement from the beginning.


    If I get rid of the cause, the results I saw in my dreams will disappear completely, right?


    But the dream just now was a little strange.


    ¡°She said that the First Prince was the only one who acknowledged her¡­¡±


    Certainly, if we were to find the most outstanding thing about Liliana, it would be her exceptional look.


    But the rest of her was not so worthless that it had to be devalued.


    ¡°Acknowledging her¡­¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what Liliana wanted to be recognized for but knowing that might certainly prevent her from getting engaged to Ronald.


    I finally got along with my sisters, so I had to stop it somehow.


    ¡®From now on, I¡¯ll stick to Liliana¡¯s side.¡¯


    I clenched my fists tightly to forget the uncomfortable dream and made a resolution to work hard today.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°Oh, my. It looks so good on you.¡±


    Liliana clasped her hands together and blushed slightly.


    I was a little embarrassed by the affectionate gaze that looked as if she was looking at something lovely, and she circled around me, giving me praises.


    ¡°Maybe because Daisy¡¯s hair color is light, it goes so well with this light material.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Madam. Can you bring me all the dresses made of this material?¡±


    I thought I¡¯d worn over 10 dresses so far, but I guessed it wasn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡®I promised to follow Sister around, but she¡¯s not going do this every day, right?¡¯


    As I swallowed tears from the sudden concern, I heard her words saying that the dress was done.


    ¡®I can finally go home!¡¯


    I approached Liliana with a face full of hope as if I had never been sullen, but her big smile made me contemplate.


    ¡°Now we have to buy accessories to match the dress. I heard that blue topaz is popular this summer, which one do you like?¡±


    The box Liliana was holding was full of beautiful accessories.


    ¡°I-Isn¡¯t it over?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told by your maid that you¡¯re lacking not only a dress but also everything else to adorn yourself with. I don¡¯t like them because they¡¯re not expensive, but since we¡¯re in a hurry, I¡¯ll buy a little for now.¡±


    ¡°A little¡­¡±


    It seemed that what she bought today was just a little by Liliana¡¯s standards.


    I swallowed the tears that were about to come out again and nodded my head with difficulty.


    ¡°¡­Are you having a hard time?¡±


    I must have looked rather worn out.


    Liliana handed the box to the servant next to her and looked at me with a worried expression.


    I was taken aback by the careful touch on my cheek, then smiled lightly at the concern in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m a little tired. I don¡¯t come to the salon often.¡±


    It was the first time I¡¯d had so many people sticking around to buy my clothes, and with Liliana, a social celebrity, by my side, people wouldn¡¯t stop staring.


    It was Liliana who received the gaze of respect and adoration, but for some reason, everyone noticed me standing next to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to leave as much as I can.¡±


    Perhaps noticing it, Liliana sighed deeply as she looked at the people gathered around her.


    I grabbed her hand in a hurry with an expression that was stiffer than a while ago as I was confused by the fact that things weren¡¯t going the way I wanted.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want you to suffer because of me for no reason.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean I suffer? People who respect you want to get close to you.¡±


    I held my sister¡¯s hand tightly and smiled broadly.


    ¡°Unlike those people, I¡¯m getting closer to Sister, so I¡¯ll try to be more confident!¡±


    It was still a bit unfamiliar, but if I went around with Liliana, I would get used to this kind of gaze at some point.


    ¡°And I¡¯m really happy to go out with Sister. Don¡¯t be sorry.¡±


    At my answer, Liliana loosened her stiff expression and smiled broadly along with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you think so.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s cheeks turned redder than before and she said to the servant next to her.


    ¡°When is Madam coming?¡±


    ¡°She said she would bring a hat and shoes that match the dress you mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Tell her to pack all of this and send them to the Duke of Liviatan.¡±


    ¡°D-Do you mind not checking?¡±


    At the servant¡¯s words, Liliana nodded lightly and put a wide-brimmed hat hanging next to her on my head.


    She tied a ribbon around my chin and then looked down with a satisfied expression.


    Looking at the hand that still holding on, I hurriedly tried to let it go, but she held on tight.


    ¡°I¡¯m done with the salon. Anything will look good on you anyway, so let¡¯s go back.¡±


    ¡°Is it okay?¡±


    ¡°Up until now, I¡¯ve been doing what I like, so from now on I¡¯m going to do what Daisy likes.¡±


    Liliana took the lead with a triumphant expression on her face, telling me to follow.


    The place we went to after leaving behind the eyes of the people around me was a famous dessert shop not far from the salon.


    There were quite a few people in the store, but what was placed in front of us as we sat on the wide terrace was a feast of sweet desserts.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like, so I asked them to prepare everything. Can you tell me if there¡¯s anything you find particularly delicious?¡±


    She said so and smiled shyly and as I looked at the dessert spread out on the table, unable to close my mouth.


    ¡®It would be rude to say that Sister looks really cute.¡¯


    I swallowed a word that almost came out, covered my mouth, and smiled slightly.


    While happily exploring desserts with Liliana, I found out that I unexpectedly prefer refreshing flavors to sweet desserts.


    We were having a good time drinking different teas at Liliana¡¯s recommendation when someone sneaked up to us.


    ¡°Hello, Lady Liviatan.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time. Countess Patrick.¡±


    ¡°Hello, my name is Iris Patrick.¡±


    The green-haired girl next to Countess Patrick greeted Liliana with a flushed expression.


    Her fair green hair fluttered in the wind, and her face seemed full of affection for Liliana.


    I stared at Iris and greeted her before it was too late.


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Madam. My name is Daisy Liviatan.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first time I meet the youngest princess of Liviatan. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Countess Patrick said with a kind smile, pointing to Iris next to her.


    ¡°This is my daughter, Iris. She just came back from studying abroad on Poporian Island.¡±


    ¡°No wonder. I thought she was someone I hadn¡¯t seen before, but turns out she¡¯s your daughter.¡±


    ¡°She just graduated from the academy and came back to her hometown as an adult.¡±


    At the words of the Countess, Liliana clapped her hands and said.


    ¡°She¡¯s the same age as our Daisy. Daisy is 19 years old, too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    As soon as the Countess finished speaking, I met Iris¡¯ gaze.


    ¡®She came back after living abroad, so this situation must be unfamiliar to her.¡¯


    We looked at each other and laughed awkwardly, and before we knew it, we exchanged greetings again, leaving behind the two people talking about different things.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself again. My name is Iris Patrick. Please feel free to call me Iris, Lady Liviatan.¡±


    ¡°Calling me Daisy is enough for me too.¡±


    At my words, she nodded her head with a slightly relaxed face.


    ¡°You went to the academy on Poporian Island?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I went to school before I could even remember, that¡¯s why, much to my embarrassment, I haven¡¯t been to the social world yet.¡±


    ¡°Academy life, I can¡¯t believe it. You must have a lot of fun memories.¡±


    As I laughed with envy, Iris cautiously spoke out.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind Daisy, can I talk to you about life at the Academy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to listen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to meet a lady of my age in Odphelia.¡±


    When I accepted Iris¡¯ offer, she smiled broadly without hiding her happy expression.


    ? ? ?


    ¡®I made a friend.¡¯


    My mouth twitched at the unexpected existence.


    ¡°When I went out with Sister, I made a friend.¡±


    It was exhausting today, but I became close with my sister and had a friend who I could greet in the social world.


    Compared to the chaotic dream, besides the fatigue, it seemed today would end as a perfect day.


    It certainly would have been one, if it wasn¡¯t for the First Prince¡¯s engagement letter that I faced after returning home with a happy heart.

 CH 16

    ¡°Liliana, the First Prince has sent you an engagement letter.¡±


    Silence came over the table at the topic Father brought up during dinner.


    I dropped my fork in surprise, and the tableware fell on the quiet table, creating an unpleasant sound.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Viola asked with a slight frown as I clutched my startled heart.


    ¡°Where are you hurt?¡±


    I quickly smoothed my expression at the worried expression that overshadowed my fear of being scolded.


    ¡°Oh, I am not hurt at all.¡±


    Viola looked at me, not paying attention to the tremendous news Father brought out earlier.


    After I kept saying it was okay, I nodded lightly and started to focus on my meal.


    ¡®Oh, is everything going to be all right?¡¯


    In my dream, Viola obviously disapproved of Liliana¡¯s engagement, so I carefully examined the atmosphere flowing on the table.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Liliana had a calm reaction.


    It was different from her excited reaction in my dream.


    She even smiled leisurely as she took a sip of the water.


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t have been a sudden call from the Imperial family¡­ Did Grandmother come forward herself?¡±


    ¡°It seems they had a private conversation.¡±


    Liliana nodded as if she had expected Father¡¯s words.


    ¡°Then give me a little more time to think about it.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. If you don¡¯t like it, we¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    At the words of Father and Mother, Liliana erased the smile from her lips and muttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if that will work for me.¡±


    However, her voice was so small that it didn¡¯t seem to reach Father.


    ¡®Am I the only one who heard it?¡¯


    I blinked and glanced sideways.


    Father and Mother were seen talking, and Viola was focusing only on the food in front of her, not paying attention.


    Liliana, the center of the topic, was also drinking tea in front of her as if it were not an important matter.


    ¡®Why does it feel like I¡¯m the only one who cares?¡¯


    Liliana and Viola¡¯s reaction was quieter than I thought, so I was a little taken aback.


    ¡®It¡¯s different from my dream, so perhaps I don¡¯t have to worry too much?¡¯


    As I thought about it, I immediately shook my head.


    ¡®No, you can¡¯t let your guard down.¡¯


    If you let your guard down because of a trivial matter, you will get into trouble.


    ¡®Even if she doesn¡¯t seem to have any feelings now, she might fall in love with the First Prince if she spends time with him. No, maybe she¡¯s already interested in him¡­¡¯


    It was also necessary to stick by Liliana¡¯s side for a while.


    ¡®More importantly, it¡¯s an engagement led by Grandmother¡­¡¯


    Suddenly, I was worried that even if Liliana didn¡¯t like the engagement, it might be difficult to refuse it if Grandmother herself stepped forward.


    ¡®It¡¯s really difficult.¡¯


    When I recalled Grandmother¡¯s stern expression, I lost interest in the food I had enjoyed until a moment ago.


    I rummaged through the food for no reason as I was worrying about this and that, and when I let out a deep sigh, Liliana poked me in the shoulder from next to me.


    ¡°Daisy. You don¡¯t have an appetite?¡±


    I smiled as nonchalantly as possible at her.


    ¡°I must have eaten a lot of desserts earlier. I am full.¡±


    As I added a plausible reason, Liliana and Viola erased their worried faces and smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad the three of you got along.¡±


    ¡°I agree. It¡¯s really nice to see. If our beautiful flowers continue to get along like this, I have nothing to wish for anymore¡±


    Mother made a happy face at Father¡¯s touched voice.


    I smiled at my sisters and parents.


    I shouldn¡¯t forget my promise to protect my precious family.


    ¡®Who cares if it¡¯s difficult. I have to make it work somehow.¡¯


    The relationship between Liliana and the First Crown Prince.


    I had to figure it out first.


    ? ? ?


    ¡®I¡¯m tired¡­¡¯


    I secretly sighed as I looked at the friendly small little party.


    It was good to decide to follow Liliana, but she went out more often than I thought, and I thought having ten bodies wouldn¡¯t be enough to follow her since she was busy everywhere like a main character.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t think she¡¯s made any contact with the First Prince.¡¯


    Finding out the relationship between the two was the first priority, but there was no sign of them having an encounter, so there was no progress.


    ¡®It¡¯s so difficult because she keeps following me every time we go out.¡¯


    Today, too, I followed Liliana to Lady Poppint¡¯s tea party.


    ¡®Liliana is over there¡­¡¯


    I let out a tired sigh after seeing Liliana talking to Lady Poppint nearby.


    I massaged my tired shoulder and when I saw a familiar figure approaching me, a smile appeared on my face.


    ¡°Long time no see, Iris.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Daisy!¡±


    Iris came up to me with a bright face and greeted me.


    ¡°We exchanged letters, but it¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other, so it¡¯s nice to see you from afar.¡±


    ¡°Me, too. Thank you very much for sending me letters. The stories you told me are so much fun that I always look forward to your letters.¡±


    We sat down at a table that was arranged for a little chat.


    ¡°How have you been, Iris?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been fine! I¡¯m attending a lot of parties these days. It¡¯s hard because I¡¯m busy getting people used to my face.¡±


    Iris laughed a little as she pretended to weep.


    This was the second time we met in person, but because we had exchanged letters, I didn¡¯t feel awkward.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten close to a lot of people, but Daisy, you know that you¡¯re the most important person to me, right? My precious first friend!¡±


    When I answered yes to her bright voice, she laughed happily.


    As we were chatting, the young ladies around us also started to gather, and the group naturally grew.


    ¡°By the way, Daisy. I heard that Liliana might get engaged soon?¡±


    And as the group grew bigger, Liliana¡¯s story naturally couldn¡¯t be left out.


    ¡®I am at my wit¡¯s end.¡¯


    I wanted to avoid this topic as much as possible, but it didn¡¯t seem easy.


    Above all, Iris was also waiting for my answer with her eyes shining full of curiosity.


    I glanced at Iris and smiled.


    The light green dress that went well with the color of her hair was a dress that went viral after Lilliana wore it not too long ago.


    In these small details, Iris¡¯ respect and fondness for Liliana were revealed.


    I smiled slightly, thinking that it couldn¡¯t be avoided.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see. Nothing has been confirmed yet, so I am cautious about what to say.¡±


    It meant that since nothing had been decided, I would be careful with my mouth.


    However, how they interpreted my reaction opened a door to conversation among themselves.


    ¡°It¡¯s being quietened down, but it¡¯s true that the First Prince is the closest candidate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Duke Liviatan knows that, so he must be thinking carefully about it.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, those two look good together. He¡¯s so handsome¡­¡±


    At the words of a young lady whose cheek turned red, people around her nodded shyly.


    There was no dissatisfaction or jealousy on her face, only respect and great envy.


    ¡®You can¡¯t win anyway so you¡¯re not jealous, is that it?¡¯


    While I was alone in my thoughts, Iris, who was next to me, asked sneakily.


    ¡°By the way, there are also First Princess and Second Prince. Is it okay to say this?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know, Miss Iris.¡±


    In response to Iris¡¯ question, a young lady next to her nodded in understanding.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the princess is interested in the crown position. She¡¯s not interested in anything other than play.¡±


    ¡°Then what about the Second Prince?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know about him?¡±


    At Iris¡¯ question, another lady kindly added an explanation


    ¡°Not all of the Imperial family are the same. How could he dare to covet the throne when there is low blood flowing through half of his body.¡±


    It was a story that was carefully brought up in a whisper, but they laughed as they treated it as a light joke.


    My heart sank at her carelessness.


    ¡®What if you get arrested for insulting the Imperial family?¡¯


    ¡°Oh, I see. By the way! Do you know that Lord Grayton is coming back to the Imperial family this time? He¡¯s a historian¡­¡±


    Iris tried to divert her words, perhaps sensing that the subject was off-topic, but they didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Honestly, when you think about the lineage, that¡¯s probably the case, right?¡±


    ¡®I can¡¯t believe you bring this up when I am next to you.¡¯


    The moment I was about to tell her to stop, the sound of laughter stopped at the voice that came from behind me.


    ¡°No matter how small the party is, you have to watch your mouth.¡±


    All the people gathered turned their heads stiffly.


    Liliana didn¡¯t mind the awkward gesture and gave a warning.


    ¡°If Viola was here, she would have drawn a sword on you right away. How dare you talk about the Liviatan and the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°I, that¡­¡±


    Someone panicked and tried to come up with an excuse, but it didn¡¯t work on Liliana.


    ¡°Be careful from now on.¡±


    Liliana finished her words with her eyes on each of the young ladies who were talking nonsense.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡±


    While a chilly air flowed through the friendly party, Liliana suddenly clapped her hands and changed the atmosphere.


    ¡°Did you enjoy the party today, Daisy?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I had fun.¡±


    ¡°I am glad.¡±


    Liliana couldn¡¯t hide her proud expression.


    Her smile softened the atmosphere once again.


    There were occasional whispers about the way she treated me, but Liliana reached out to me without caring about it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home now, Daisy.¡±


    It was hard to believe that she was a woman who had been cold and angry just a moment ago.

 CH 17

    It had already been a month since I¡¯d been clinging to Liliana, the flower of society.


    I thought I had flawlessly become close with Liliana, but I guess I¡¯d accumulated just as much fatigue.


    Even though I already woke up late than my wake-up time, my closed eyes couldn¡¯t open easily.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to do anything. I don¡¯t want to move.¡¯


    I was fidgeting on the bed, unable to overcome my desire to sleep in, when I heard someone come in.


    ¡°Daisy, are you still sleeping?¡±


    It was Liliana¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Sister¡­ What are doing so early in the morning?¡±


    I struggled to open my closed eyes and tried to get up, but she put me back on the bed.


    ¡°If you¡¯re tired, you can sleep more.¡±


    ¡°But then I can¡¯t go out with Sister¡­¡±


    Liliana laughed lightly as if she found it funny that my words were slurred because of my sleepy voice.


    She closed my eyes, covered me with a blanket, and whispered softly.


    ¡°Sorry, Daisy. I¡¯m here to tell you that I won¡¯t be able to hang out with you for a while.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s words opened my eyes wide.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    I almost fell asleep drowsily, but at her words, all my sleepiness was gone.


    I got up from my seat and made eye contact with Liliana, wondering whether I had done something wrong or if I¡¯d become a nuisance.


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    Liliana blinked in surprise and explained.


    ¡°I am sorry. I want to spend time with Daisy too, but I have something to do.¡±


    ¡°Something to do?¡±


    At my question, Liliana smiled quietly and nodded.


    However, unlike that kind smile, the expression that followed immediately was very fierce.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when it¡¯s confirmed later.¡±


    Liliana gently stroked my cheek and soon put me back on the bed.


    ¡°So our Daisy, sleep a little longer. You look very tired!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine! I¡¯ll go as well¡­!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s boring so it won¡¯t be fun.¡±


    Liliana patted me a few times and then went out with a stiff expression on her face.


    ¡®W-What¡¯s this?¡¯


    I blinked my eyes wide open as I lay on the bed.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯


    The news that Liliana was suddenly going out alone was quite a shock to me.


    ¡®Are you hiding something?¡¯


    I had a reasonable suspicion that she might be going to meet the first prince.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay still like this.¡±


    I jumped out of my seat and immediately called Isabel.


    ¡°Yes, Miss. Did you call me?¡±


    At Isabel¡¯s voice, I made sure that there were no people around and closed the door immediately.


    Isabel looked at me with a confused expression, so I cleared my throat and asked.


    ¡°Do you know where Sister Liliana is going?¡±


    ¡°Miss Lilliana? I didn¡¯t hear it in detail, but it seemed she is going to the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°I-Imperial family?¡±


    At those words, my eyes trembled violently.


    ¡®Oh, my gosh. She¡¯s going to see the First Prince!¡¯


    I guessed the story I saw in my dream was about to begin.


    ¡®Is she going to the Imperial palace, meet the First Prince, and fall in love with him?¡¯


    That shouldn¡¯t happen.


    Absolutely not!


    I turned to Isabel with a determined expression and said.


    ¡°I have to go to the Imperial palace.¡±


    ¡°To the Imperial palace? Do you have something to do?¡±


    ¡°¡­I want to go out to the library.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s eyes sparkled at the useless excuse.


    ¡°Oh, my gosh! Are you going out to the Imperial palace alone? Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll help you get ready perfectly!¡±


    Isabel quickly ran out of the room humming.


    Hearing that she would make me ready soon, I gulped as I looked in the mirror.


    ¡®I-It will be fine, right?¡¯


    The fear of heading to an unfamiliar place alone was rising, but since I already said it, there was no turning back.


    ? ? ?


    It was surprisingly easy to keep track of Liliana¡¯s movements.


    Liliana, who always drew attention, always had her surrounding filled with people.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect her to come to the library though.¡¯


    I lied to Isabel about going to the Imperial library, but I never imagined that her destination would be the library.


    I hid behind the bookshelf and sneaked a peek at Liliana.


    I looked suspicious, but no one seemed to care much, probably because there were already a lot of people like that around.


    I held up a book I hadn¡¯t read to cover my face and peeked my head out.


    Liliana was reading a stack of books I had never seen before, and she seemed so focused that she didn¡¯t notice the stares around her.


    ¡®What book are you reading?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to be caught, so I stood a little far away and couldn¡¯t see the title of the book properly.


    ¡®Mmm.¡¯


    I opened my eyes and tried to find out as much as I could, but failed.


    I might get caught if I act a little more suspiciously, and I didn¡¯t want to get caught up in such an awkward situation, so I put the book back up and covered my face.


    ¡®Can¡¯t we come read a book together?¡¯


    Although it was different from the usual social gatherings, we often had book club meetings, so I couldn¡¯t understand this situation.


    ¡®Studying? But is there a reason to study? She already graduated from the academy.¡¯


    The graduation exam wasn¡¯t even here yet, so I couldn¡¯t figure out what Liliana was thinking.


    ¡®Study? Book? A meeting with the First Prince? Love?¡¯


    Since I couldn¡¯t find anything related to the words that come to mind, only questions piled up and no clear answer came out.


    As I tried to organize my thoughts as neatly as possible, shaking my throbbing head, I saw Liliana rise from her seat.


    ¡®Gasp. People have gathered like this before I knew it.¡¯


    There were twice as many people around as before.


    People were approaching Liliana with good feelings, but it seemed that the small sounds gradually gathered and became quite noisy.


    Liliana frowned, closed her book, and rose from her seat.


    Then, before someone could talk to me, I quickly borrowed a book and left the library.


    ¡®Huh? Huh?¡¯


    It happened so suddenly that I hurriedly tried to follow her.


    However, the problem was that I wasn¡¯t the only one who tried to do so.


    People began to move in a hurry to follow Lilliana, and then someone was pushed roughly.


    The man, who was quite large, fell helplessly and violently pushed the bookshelf next to him.


    The problem was, he wasn¡¯t the only one who fell down, putting great force on the bookshelf, and the bookshelf began to tilt to one side beyond the shaking.


    And under the tilting bookshelf, a man stood and was absorbed in reading a book, unaware that the bookshelf was tipping over.


    ¡°Get out of there!¡±


    Someone was shouting, but the person was so engrossed that he couldn¡¯t hear it.


    Everyone was taken aback and just stood still, staring at the sudden situation.


    ¡®W-Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to rescue them if we move quickly?¡¯


    Fortunately, the falling bookshelf was right next to me, so I thought if I pushed him away and got out, both of us would be safe.


    The moment I thought of that, my body started to move.


    When I suddenly jumped out, someone screamed louder, but now I couldn¡¯t hear that scream.


    I roughly pushed the person reading the book, and because of my momentum, the man was pushed out.


    I lost my balance and fell, but I was certain I could slip out of the bookcase.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and immediately tried to run out too.


    ¡°Kyaaak!¡±


    ¡°What should I do!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    At that moment, when I slowly raised my head to the screams of people, the bookcase was already heavily tilted.


    My body froze as I looked at the bookshelf that was right in front of my eyes.


    The thought of running away at once and the fear of the impending pain made me unable to move and close my eyes tightly.


    Clatter-.


    The sound of the books falling to the floor filled my ears.


    I closed my eyes tightly at the tremendous sound, but instead of the pain I should have felt, I felt a strong force pulling me.


    ¡°Gasp!¡±


    Even after a while, I didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    Only the sound of my heart beating wildly filled my entire body.


    I breathed out heavily and opened my eyes slowly, and I could see someone standing right in front of me.


    Huge shoulders were carrying bookshelves on their backs, and all the books on the bookshelf were lying on the floor.


    The man was raising his arm awkwardly over my head, but it seemed to have prevented me from being hit by a falling book.


    I slowly lifted my eyes, leaving the sight full of a wide chest behind.


    A familiar neckline appeared, followed by black hair fluttering violently.


    The lustrous hair distracted me for a moment, but when I raised my head again, what I saw were clear blue eyes.


    ¡°How can you suddenly jump into danger?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You almost got hurt.¡±


    The voice that criticized me was full of worries rather than reproaches.


    He asked cautiously as he blinked with his eyes wide open, not knowing what to say.


    ¡°Ah, this isn¡¯t it. Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    A light of savior seemed to emanate from behind him.


    Is it really an illusion that my heart trembles at the warm voice?


    ¡°A-Adelio.¡±


    The fact that voice my voice trembles now certainly isn¡¯t.

 CH 18

    With a voice that sounded stupid, I covered my mouth.


    ¡°W-What should I do¡­¡±


    Adelio was supporting a fallen bookcase only with his body.


    ¡°S-Someone please help!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t just stay flustered, so I hurriedly shouted to the people around me, and people started to gather.


    However, Adelio stepped forward first and stopped them, then he lifted the bookshelf slightly, and soon the bookshelf returned to its original place.


    At the bookshelf that was handled as if it was a piece of paper, the people who came to help looked bewildered with blank expressions.


    ¡°Are you okay? You didn¡¯t get hurt, did you?¡±


    When I asked urgently in a worried voice, Adelio smiled and nodded.


    It was a relaxed smile, but the weight of the bookshelf didn¡¯t seem light, so I was worried.


    ¡°I am fine. Is Daisy okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine thanks to Adelio stepping up.¡±


    I felt sorry and wanted to cry, but I couldn¡¯t cry in front of the person who helped me.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re worried. But I¡¯m really fine. I can  easily lift this much.¡±


    If a normal person said something like this, anyone would think it was a lie, but since I had seen it with my own eyes a while ago, I couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t get hurt, but¡­¡±


    Those gathered around us also nodded their heads in admiration


    ¡®Why are you nodding your head!¡¯


    They seemed shameless, as if they didn¡¯t know who had caused such an accident just a moment ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad nobody was hurt.¡±


    ¡°Truly.¡±


    As we talked back and forth, I quickly turned my head, holding back the anger that seemed to rise.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad. This man did nothing wrong, but he almost got hurt.¡±


    At my words, people cast their gazes at the man sitting absent-mindedly behind us.


    Grasping the situation, they hurriedly began to make excuses, perhaps feeling bad for their contemplative faces.


    ¡°No, we didn¡¯t mean to do that either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It was an accident.¡±


    I only intended to receive an apology in moderation, but my insides couldn¡¯t stop boiling at the cowardly excuse.


    ¡°You can¡¯t apologize, so you¡¯re trying to avoid it?¡±


    It was a loud voice not suitable for a quiet library, but I was filled with the desire to have them come forward and apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t get hurt. If anyone got hurt¡­¡±


    They frowned as if they didn¡¯t even want to imagine it, then they flinched and hurriedly apologized.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    It was an apology that sounded forced, but the person pushed by me nodded as if he was glad to just receive an apology.


    Librarians came rushing in to sort things out, probably feeling that the situation had been sorted out.


    I was trying to get out of this situation, too, when Adelio grabbed me by the shoulder.


    ¡°Not only you should apologize, but you should also say thank you properly. Something big might have happened if it wasn¡¯t for Miss Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine¡­.¡±


    The moment I was about to say that it was fine, I met Adelio¡¯s eyes.


    As I stared at him, my mouth closed automatically before I realized it.


    ¡°You should. Say thank you.¡±


    Adelio emphasized the word thank you to those who stood blankly, and they rolled their eyes as if embarrassed, then bowed their heads and said thank you to me.


    ¡°I would like to express my gratitude to both the lady and the knight.¡±


    They spat out apologies and thanks, but their faces didn¡¯t look good, probably because of the accident that had happened.


    Feeling the attention of the people around them, they hurriedly left their seats, and those gathered around them also quickly left the library feeling that the situation had been sorted out.


    ¡®It¡¯s too late to follow Liliana now.¡¯


    I expressed my dislikes against them inwardly and vigorously turned my head.


    I couldn¡¯t keep my face steady for Adelio, who was staring at me with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you, Adelio. Thanks to you, no one was hurt and I was able to stay safe.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. All I did was support the bookshelf. But I think it¡¯s better to ask someone around you for help next time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I rated myself too highly.¡±


    It was true that I had tried to commit reckless acts in the hope that an innocent person wouldn¡¯t be hurt even though it was dangerous.


    If I had been hurt, it would have been a big commotion in another sense, so it was definitely a hasty move.


    ¡°Next time, I won¡¯t go out of my way.¡±


    At my words, Adelio lightly closed his eyes and smiled.


    Somehow he looked like he didn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°It¡¯s true¡­¡±


    I timidly tried to express my opinion, but Adelio only smiled and said nothing.


    ¡°Hmmhm.¡±


    Then I heard a strange cough next to me.


    At that sound, Adelio and I turned our heads at the same time, and the person who was almost hurt under the bookshelf was staring at us.


    ¡°First of all, this is a library, so let¡¯s go out and talk.¡±


    At the old man¡¯s advice, we nodded at the same time.


    When we made our way out of the hallway through the chaos, the old man in a gloomy robe was also together behind us.


    ¡®He¡¯s older than I thought.¡¯


    Remembering how I had roughly pushed him, I asked, unable to hide my worried expression.


    ¡°Are you all right, sir? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I fell violently to the floor because of someone, but¡­¡±


    The old man put his fist to his mouth, cleared his throat a little, and then glanced at me.


    ¡°Thanks to the lady, I didn¡¯t get seriously hurt. I express my gratitude late. Thank you.¡±


    Hearing such gratitude for unintended goodwill somehow made me feel proud.


    ¡°May I know my benefactor¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean a benefactor? I didn¡¯t do much.¡±


    ¡°An old man like me would go to another world if he got caught up in something like that. So I¡¯ll call you a benefactor or something like that.¡±


    I was taken aback by the old man¡¯s sharp words and put on an awkward expression.


    ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t do anything in particular. On the contrary, Adelio¡­.¡±


    ¡°If the lady didn¡¯t throw herself, that man wouldn¡¯t have come forward.¡±


    ¡°Yes? No. Adelio is a good person!¡±


    My voice rang loudly in the quiet hallway.


    ¡°Thank you for seeing me in a good light.¡±


    Adelio tried to break the awkward atmosphere, but his face turned red with embarrassment.


    ¡®Saying this in front of you¡­¡¯


    When I covered my face with my palms and felt embarrassed, the old man burst into laughter.


    ¡°It would too rude to just say thank you. Please feel free to tell me if there is anything you want.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t help you to hope for something in return.¡±


    ¡°Really? Hmm. Then what should I give you? Oh, do you like studying?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    How should I answer in this situation?


    I was just following Liliana, but if I told the truth here, wouldn¡¯t I be no different from those people earlier?


    ¡°Ha, ha, ha. Yes, I love reading books. There are many old books in the library¡­.¡±


    The excuse I squeezed out seemed to work pretty well.


    Suddenly, the old man started rummaging through the bag he was wearing and took something out of it.


    ¡®A book?¡¯


    Its old-fashioned cover looked worn out.


    ¡°I only have this to give you. I wrote it, but it¡¯s an old book, so it¡¯s not easy to find even if you try. You seem to like old books, so I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    The old man held out the blue-covered book in front of me.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s really fine!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. This old man wants to show his gratitude, so please accept it.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it a precious book?¡±


    Obviously, the cover of the book looked old, but the paper looked clean as if it had been well maintained.


    The old man smiled at my words.


    ¡°It¡¯s not something I can¡¯t give to my benefactor.¡±


    ¡°Um, am I allowed to have this precious book?¡±


    ¡°Who will blame you for owning what I want to give to you? It¡¯s going to be quite interesting to read.¡±


    At the old man¡¯s words, even Adelio, who was next to him, helped.


    ¡°Take it. He wants to give a gift for your good deed, Daisy, and he will be happier if you receive it with gratitude.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The old man nodded at Adelio¡¯s words.


    I ended up receiving the book as a gift from the old man.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m busy, so I have to go. Thank you so much.¡±


    As soon as the old man gave me the book, he disappeared to the other side of the hallway without any regrets as if he had finished his business.


    I stood still and watched the old man leave, hugging the book that came into my arms preciously.


    ¡®I¡¯m proud.¡¯


    As I continuously went out, I thought that I would experience various things like this, and my heart was filled with joy.


    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. I was chasing Liliana.¡¯


    I forgot that I was following my sister due to the sudden uproar and ended up missing her.


    ¡®I should go home today.¡¯


    Apart from my pride, I didn¡¯t earn anything, so my motivation suddenly fell to the bottom.


    ¡°Somehow I feel proud.¡±


    However, I quickly came to my senses when I heard Adelio¡¯s voice next to me.


    Although it was late, I decided to finish expressing my gratitude.


    ¡°Anyway, all I can do is say thank you for Adelio. Thank you very much for what happened last time and what happened today.¡±


    ¡°I guess the things you were worried about have been resolved.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡±


    I nodded my head happily, and he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I was worried because I haven¡¯t seen you for a month, but I¡¯m glad.¡±


    Adelio smiled slightly as he spoke, but for a moment I had the illusion that the sunlight was shining only on him.


    ¡°Oh, I thought I should visit¡­¡±


    For some reason, I felt my cheeks getting hot.


    Unable to keep eye contact, I slipped my eyes down and smiled awkwardly.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s not polite.¡¯


    Even though I couldn¡¯t formally express my gratitude to the person who helped me, I thought I shouldn¡¯t avert my gaze and be evasive.


    And the moment I lifted my head, my eyes directly met his.


    ¡°T-That¡­¡±


    Adelio tilted his head slightly and smiled again.


    At his relaxed figure waiting for my answer, I opened my mouth and said in a small voice.

 CH 19

    ¡°T-Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±


    The neat answer left me a little embarrassed.


    I looked at Adelio and said with a big smile this time.


    ¡°It went well with my sisters. I really wanted to tell you that it all worked out, so now I¡¯m telling you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°To be exact, we¡¯re trying to get along with each other!¡±


    At my answer, Adelio asked with a serious look.


    ¡°But why were you chasing after someone who looked like your sister?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get caught.


    I was embarrassed and taken aback.


    ¡°That, I mean, um¡­.¡±


    It certainly looked suspicious, so I sighed a little and said.


    ¡°I have some circumstances that I can¡¯t tell you, but I didn¡¯t follow Sister around with bad intentions.¡±


    ¡°As expected, it was really your sister. I wasn¡¯t sure because it was my first time seeing her.¡±


    Adelio laughed mischievously.


    It might have been intended to ease my mind, but as if the thought of going after Liliana stabbed my conscience, excuses kept popping out.


    ¡°So I didn¡¯t really mean anything weird. I want to ask her about something¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. That could be the case. I understand. But if you really have any questions, it might be better to ask them in person.¡±


    I eagerly nodded my head at his advice.


    ¡°I feel like I keep repeating the same thing, but thank you. I don¡¯t think the word thank you is enough for what happened a while ago.¡±


    ¡°Are you really thankful?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    I answered vigorously because I was able to say this with certainty.


    Then, Adelio brushed his chin and thought for a moment, then smiled softly.


    ¡°Then could you come and see me next time?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I was waiting for you.¡±


    Adelio said, avoiding my gaze as if embarrassed.


    ¡°I heard you come to the temple often, but I didn¡¯t see you for a month, so I thought you were avoiding me.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not true!¡±


    ¡°If you come to see me when you come to the temple, I think this disappointment will disappear completely.¡±


    It was a request that could be done, so I nodded willingly, and he smiled brightly as if he was really happy.


    ¡°Are you really okay with that kind of request? You could have been seriously hurt today.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy to meet Daisy because Daisy is the only friend I have here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Friend?¡±


    When I opened my eyes wide in surprise at the word friend, Adelio made a look of regret.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°N-No, that¡¯s not it! Friend, that¡¯s right, friend¡­¡±


    Somehow, I couldn¡¯t hold back my lips that twitched with joy and smiled broadly like a fool.


    Adelio also smiled as if copying my smile and added.


    ¡°The day I meet Daisy will bring me great joy. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    ¡®What?¡¯


    After finishing his last words, Adelio left, saying he should get going.


    As I watched his uniform fluttering across the hallway, my face suddenly felt hot.


    The light scent and smiling face left behind in the spot where he disappeared was settled like an afterimage in my head, and I felt his voice lingering in my ears.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be waiting.¡¯


    For some reason, my heart seemed to be beating a little faster than usual.


    ? ? ?


    After parting with Adelio, I walked in a daze down the hallway.


    It was quite late, so I was thinking of returning home when I heard a familiar voice from behind.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    The familiar voice was Viola.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    I said in a startled voice, and she strode up to me.


    Next to her was a knight of similar height.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Viola worked for the Imperial family, but she usually stayed in the training hall, so I didn¡¯t expect to meet her.


    At my startled voice, Viola glanced at me and said.


    ¡°I¡¯m on my way to the library because I heard there was an accident. What about Daisy?¡±


    ¡°I also came to the library to read a book¡­¡±


    I couldn¡¯t bear to say I had been following Liliana¡¯s footsteps, so I lied with my consciences pricked up.


    ¡°Library? I think Liliana said she¡¯s going to the library alone from today¡­¡±


    As Viola looked suspiciously at me, I recalled the book in my arms and hurriedly made an excuse.


    ¡°Sister Liliana was in the library! I wanted to greet her, but there were so many people around. I couldn¡¯t get close and I only borrowed a book!¡±


    When I showed her the book, the suspicion disappeared from her eyes.


    ¡®T-That¡¯s a relief.¡¯


    I inwardly sighed in relief as I thanked the old man for rewarding me with a book.


    ¡°Still, don¡¯t go out alone and bring a knight with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Imperial palace.¡±


    When I smiled cutely, Viola gently loosened the corners of her tightly closed mouth.


    ¡°The accident was about a bookshelf falling over, but you weren¡¯t hurt, right?¡±


    ¡°I peeked and fortunately, no one got hurt!¡±


    At my words, Viola nodded and said to the knight who was standing beside her.


    ¡°Sir Hudson, you go talk to the librarian and get things done.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Where are you going, Captain?¡±


    ¡°I should get off work now.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    At Viola¡¯s words, Sir Hudson put on a confused expression, as if he had cognitive dissonance.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about sending Daisy back alone.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Sir Hudson alternately looked at me and Viola with a surprised look.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the late greeting. My name is Judrick Hudson.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, Sir Hudson. I am Daisy Liviatan.¡±


    Lord Hudson was startled again when he heard my name, but because of Viola¡¯s fierce gaze, he closed his mouth that had been opening wide.


    ¡°Haha. I see! Instead, can I finish this and go home?¡±


    ¡°Write a report then you can go home.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    As soon as Lord Hudson bowed his head and finished his formal greeting, his eyes met with mine.


    ¡°Go home safely!¡±


    He greeted me lightly and quickly ran down the hallway.


    The word ¡®go home¡¯ gave him magical energy.


    ¡°I told him not to run in the corridor of the Imperial palace.¡±


    Viola looked at him disapprovingly, then, feeling my gaze, she turned her head.


    ¡°Is it okay to leave like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost the end of working hours, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really fine, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Viola patted my head clumsily, then held out her hand to me.


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    I blinked my eyes wondering what it meant but Viola didn¡¯t withdraw her hand.


    ¡°There are a lot of people in the Imperial palace, you might get lost.¡±


    ¡®The hallway is too quiet for that.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t say anything, but she added quickly, as if reading my mind.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s time to get off work soon.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I looked at her hands for a long time, and then when I looked up, I could see her ears turning red.


    Her usual blunt expression didn¡¯t change, only her ears were turning red, so I couldn¡¯t help but look at her.


    ¡®Is she embarrassed?¡¯


    Getting to know Viola¡¯s unexpected side was strangely entertaining.


    I also smiled and lightly placed my hand on hers.


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go home holding hands together.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just my imagination that the corners of her mouth rose up behind the head that turned away without hesitation.


    ? ? ?


    Liliana¡¯s suspicious behavior continued for two weeks.


    I thought about following her out after breakfast, but it turned out that the First Prince was leaving the Empire for a while as an envoy to another country.


    It meant that even if Liliana went to the Imperial palace, she would never meet the First Prince.


    So I immediately decided to stop following her.


    ¡®Because there could be misunderstandings.¡¯


    Honestly, even with the turmoil on the first day, it was a relief that I hadn¡¯t been caught.


    Liliana kept going out alone, so I spent time trying to make friends with my new friend.


    Going out with Iris and attending small parties made me somewhat used to the social world.


    ¡®Although it¡¯s embarrassing that people keep asking me where Sister Liliana is.¡¯


    Rumors seemed to be circulating around her, perhaps because the flower of society suddenly left for a long time.


    ¡®Ignoring them in moderation is also a problem.¡¯


    Those who looked down on Liliana whispered behind her, thinking that it was finally time.


    Just staring at them was enough to accumulate my fatigue.


    ¡®Still, Sister Liliana is the best.¡¯


    I thought that there was no one who would dominate the social world more than Liliana.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to get engaged to the First Prince.¡±


    Until Sister Liliana uttered these words.


    On a peaceful evening, Sister suddenly threw out her opinion to our unprepared parents.


    Our parents couldn¡¯t say anything while looking at each other, perhaps thinking that they had heard it wrong, and Liliana opened her mouth again as if she had expected them to be like that.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d respect my opinion, right? Please tell Grandmother too. I have no intention of engaging with the First Prince.¡±


    She finished her meal leisurely as she threw out words like a storm.


    And it was not only my parents who were confused by those words, I was confused too.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t do anything, so why doesn¡¯t it come true as I saw in my dream?¡¯


    I turned my head and looked at my sisters.


    Liliana, who brought up the topic, was eating her meal in peace.


    Viola was also absorbed in her meal, not showing any reaction as if it was just a greeting.


    No, she was putting my favorite food little by little on top of my bowl.


    At first, my parents seemed surprised, but they soon spoke calmly.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell her.¡±


    Mother also nodded her head as if agreeing with Father¡¯s words.


    ¡®I-Is this okay?¡¯


    Looking at the atmosphere in the house, it was almost like it wasn¡¯t anything special.


    But it was.


    Because Liliana¡¯s remarks turned the social world upside down.

 CH 20

    Liliana¡¯s announcement of her rejection of the engagement caused a storm in the social world.


    The buzzing rumors continued to the point that they scratched my ears.


    Liliana began to openly sit out social gatherings, and the more she did that, the more malicious rumors began to spread.


    ¡°Honestly, isn¡¯t it too much that she wants to covet the dukedom now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Other than her youthful and beautiful appearance, she¡¯s just a normal girl.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. She¡¯s still the academy¡¯s top graduate, right?¡±


    ¡°Was she the only top graduate? There are a lot of people like that in the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m sick of this.¡¯


    Not long ago, they were busy supporting her, but isn¡¯t this change in behavior too drastic?


    ¡°Oh my! Could it be that the reason she refused to get engaged is that she has another fianc¨¦e?¡±


    ¡°Well. Since she looks so gorgeous, it should be easy for her to seduce a man.¡±


    My brows naturally furrowed at the ensuing insults.


    ¡®You can¡¯t even speak up in front of me!¡¯


    Even though they knew I was looking at them, they paid more attention to the whispering people, and then, unable to endure it, I tried to go and tell them.


    I tried to get closer to bring out the words in my heart, but someone grabbed my wrist.


    ¡°Iris?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, Daisy.¡±


    Iris pulled me carefully, and I followed her with a disgruntled look.


    Iris didn¡¯t let go of my arm until we went outside the party hall.


    ¡°I know Daisy wants to be angry with them. But if Daisy gets mad, they¡¯ll get away with it and make Daisy the weirdo.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just sit still and listen. They are insulting my sister!¡±


    At my words, Iris hesitated a little before asking.


    ¡°Then, the rumors circulating around are false, right? Miss Liliana is engaged to the First Prince as planned, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not a lie. Sister Liliana said she wouldn¡¯t get engaged.¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s really true.¡±


    With that short answer, a look of regret passed through her face.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t understand Miss Liliana¡¯s actions.¡±


    ¡°Which part?¡±


    When I asked with a frustrated heart, Iris whispered softly after confirming that no one was around.


    ¡°Everyone didn¡¯t think Liliana would inherit the dukedom. We naturally thought she was aiming for the position of the Crown Princess.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Sister¡¯s choice. What does that have to do with why she¡¯s being criticized like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a problem that everyone thought Liliana would be engaged to the First Prince. Most of the young ladies have given up and got engaged to other families.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Is there no one worthy of being the First Prince¡¯s fianc¨¦e?¡±


    ¡°If you turn your eyes to the Princess¡¯ faction, there isn¡¯t any. They are similar to the Princess. People who like to enjoy things. That¡¯s why I heard the First Prince doesn¡¯t like them.¡±


    Iris¡¯ words made it clear why Liliana¡¯s actions had caused a stir.


    But that¡¯s that.


    ¡°And they won¡¯t be helpful for the crown prince selection. By the way, if Liliana ascends to the Duke¡¯s position, would she support the First Prince? I think the fact that  she turned down the engagement means that she has no intention of supporting him.¡±


    ¡°I have nothing to say because it hasn¡¯t been discussed in the family yet.¡±


    Iris still looked like she didn¡¯t understand.


    She had a frustrated expression as if she was wondering who could sit in the crown prince¡¯s seat if not the First Prince.


    I had no answers for her.


    I looked around and didn¡¯t hide my displeasure.


    ¡°Liliana is not the type to listen to these dirty words. Thanks to this, right now the situation is very unpleasant.¡±


    Despite my anger, Iris calmly continued her explanation.


    ¡°Everyone must be panicking and saying something they don¡¯t mean. Don¡¯t be too upset.¡±


    Iris tried to comfort me as much as she could, but there were still many parts of what they said that I didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t accept their insults when they said all they need to see is her appearance.¡±


    They were always so obsessed with that appearance and followed her around and now they were busy criticizing and degrading that part of her.


    ¡®To judge Sister Liliana¡¯s value solely on her looks. They¡¯re really narrow-minded.¡¯


    Liliana was worth more than her outward beauty for people to disregard so easily.


    ¡®In the first place, do you think being a top graduate is easy?¡¯


    It wasn¡¯t even about me but my anger naturally rose, creating a sense of resentment.


    ¡°If there are no incidents, the First Prince would be the crown prince, and she would become the empress after she became the crown princess, she would live a life where she didn¡¯t have to envy others, so why did she make such a decision?¡±


    Iris sighed as she covered her cheek with her right hand.


    I couldn¡¯t help but pay attention to the voice filled with concern and regret.


    ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t have made that choice.¡±


    As I was dazedly unable to answer Iris¡¯ words, she hurriedly looked at me and apologized.


    ¡°I am sorry. You must be feeling complicated, but I said something useless.¡±


    ¡°No. You told me something I didn¡¯t know. You must have already adjusted to the social world, Iris.¡±


    ¡°The social word is no different from the academy. In front of you, they show off, and behind you, they gossip¡­¡±


    For an instant, her eyes shone fiercely.


    However, when I blinked, that energy disappeared and returned to her usual docile eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I love Daisy.¡±


    I was grateful, but I didn¡¯t have the strength.


    As I continued to feel down, Iris cheered me up once more.


    ¡°But these rumors will soon subside. If Liliana becomes the duke and empowers the First Prince, those who said these things would be ashamed.¡±


    Iris cheered me on, saying don¡¯t worry, clenching her fists and cheering me on.


    ¡°But I should refrain from going out for a while. I can¡¯t help but feel tired from the words I hear. Thank you, Iris.¡±


    ? ? ?


    I sat down at my desk for the first time in a long time, scribbling hard on the paper in front of my eyes, organizing my thoughts.


    ¡®The reason Sister Liliana in the dream decided to get engaged was because of love.¡¯


    First prince, love, engagement ceremony


    I wrote down the words and drew a circle around them several times, but I couldn¡¯t come up with the right answer.


    ¡®She said she loved him because he acknowledged her, not because of her looks.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t understand it right away after the dream, but when I heard rumors going around social circles these days, I naturally understood her words.


    ¡®No matter how hard Sister Liliana tried, they were people who would only look at her appearance.¡¯


    The way they naturally cut her down as if she were nothing other than her appearance was truly mean.


    Of course, there were also people who shrank away and refrained from talking, but most of them insulted Sister.


    Apart from being angry, I was also upset, and I threw the pen I was holding on the desk.


    Apparently, contrary to what I saw in my dream, Liliana decided not to get engaged.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because of me.¡¯


    It was clear that Liliana hadn¡¯t met the First Prince because I had been following Liliana around and spending a lot of time with her.


    In that case, I should be relieved that things were obviously going the way I wanted them to.


    However, my complicated mind didn¡¯t think of calming down.


    ¡®What did Sister want to be acknowledged for?¡¯


    Liliana¡¯s desperate figure I had repeatedly seen in my dreams couldn¡¯t leave my mind.


    Liliana¡¯s popularity in society, and the recognition she desired from others.


    Until these two questions were solved, I felt like I couldn¡¯t get them out of my head.


    I sighed deeply and got up from my seat with a sullen look.


    I felt like my head was stiff because I only sat in front of the desk.


    ¡®Should I go to the garden?¡¯


    I thought walking around the beautiful garden would refresh my complicated mind a little, so I informed Isabel and left the room alone.


    ? ? ?


    The path to the garden was quiet, and the wind blowing in the open nature gently brushed my cheeks, and I naturally smiled.


    I stretched out and headed toward the middle of the garden.


    There was a swing hanging from a large tree, and it was a place filled with memories of Father taking all three of us for a ride as children.


    ¡®The time we spent together, even if we were forced to it, was really precious.¡¯


    After passing through the beautiful flowery path while looking back on the memories, I finally saw the swing.


    But someone was sitting on the swing.


    It was dark and I couldn¡¯t see them well, so I slowly approached, but the moon that had been hidden by the clouds appeared and shone over the swing.


    As the darkness gradually faded, their figure was revealed, showing a mysterious and beautiful sight as if the goddess of beauty had returned to the world.


    Her hair, which was dyed in a reddish color, looked particularly black today, but even in the midst of that, her eyes shone bright like amethyst, making me smile.


    ¡°Sister Liliana?¡±


    ¡°Daisy? What are you doing so late at night?¡±


    Liliana, lost in thought, rose from her seat, startled.


    ¡°I came out because I wanted to take a walk.¡±


    ¡°Really? Me, too. I guess we are in sync today.¡±


    Liliana joyfully took my hand and led me to the swing.


    When I looked at the swing I used to ride as a child with longing eyes, she smiled and sat me there.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Thinking that I would be scared, she patted me and sat down next to me.


    The swing, which swayed slightly, soon settled into place.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been on this swing together. Should we come with Viola next time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d love to.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t been able to hang out with you lately. My busy schedule will be over soon, so please wait a little longer.¡±


    Liliana winked lightly, saying she was sorry.


    I laughed lightly at her cuteness, but when I didn¡¯t say anything, silence flowed.


    ¡®It would be better to ask her directly than to follow her around.¡¯


    I remembered what Adelio had said, but I was a little hesitant to ask.


    However, the atmosphere was so quiet that it wouldn¡¯t be strange if one of us asked to go back to our rooms, so I opened my mouth.


    ¡°Sister, I want to ask you something¡­¡±

 CH 21

    Liliana smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Ask me anything. If you have any questions, I can even tell you the family¡¯s secret.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a little dangerous?¡±


    At my words, she laughed, saying it was a joke, but somehow, rather than being flustered by the situation, she seemed delighted.


    I decided to take this opportunity to ask the question I was currently most curious about.


    ¡°I wonder what Sister wants to do.¡±


    ¡°What I want to do?¡±


    I nodded vigorously at Liliana¡¯s response.


    She stared me in the eye and scratched her cheek, a little embarrassed.


    ¡°I must have kept you waiting without saying anything. I lacked consideration again this time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡±


    Liliana looked up at the sky and went silent for a long time, apparently lost in thoughts.


    Then she slowly opened her mouth.


    ¡°I want to study demons.¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-Yes?¡±


    While I was taken aback by the topic of conversation that was beyond my imagination, her explanation continued.


    ¡°To be exact, the relationship between humans and demons¡­ Let¡¯s just say that I want to study history.¡±


    ¡°History ¡­So may I ask why you want to study that?¡±


    Liliana spoke in a voice full of determination, unlike a moment ago when she hesitated.


    ¡°I want to explore and find out the hidden history and let everyone know.¡±


    The more Lilliana uttered her resolution, the more confident her voice gradually became.


    ¡°I want to explore all the history so far. I want to build a great future based on that. I thought it is right to walk this path to do that.¡±


    As Liliana¡¯s pledge was over, her eyes were shining with hope for the future.


    ¡°Are you hoping to become a scholar with this path?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Actually, this time, the person who is said to be the biggest expert on history subject has returned from being dispatched to the periphery. There¡¯s a rumor that he is recruiting students.¡±


    ¡°Then are you going to be his disciple?¡±


    ¡°I hope so, but I will definitely become his disciple. In order to do that, I have to become an Imperial scholar first. I have an exam soon. So I¡¯ve been studying alone.¡±


    At Liliana¡¯s words, I couldn¡¯t hide my confusion and asked.


    ¡°By the way, will the Imperial family allow you to study demons, even if only its history? They regard demons as heretics and reject them as enemies.¡±


    At my question, Liliana smiled faintly and patted my head.


    ¡°Are you worried?¡±


    ¡°A little, no, I am very worried.¡±


    Liliana spoke in a calm voice.


    ¡°Under him, it is possible. He used to be a scholar of demon research a long time ago. There are probably more people who don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Is research on demons possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible with the Imperial permission. Currently, he is the only person in the Imperial family of Odphelia who is allowed to research that.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s words made me break out in a cold sweat.


    ¡®Actually, I guessed that she was studying something after seeing her go to the library¡­¡¯


    Liliana had a more special reason for her path than I thought, and it contained her goals and dreams.


    ¡°You turned down the engagement because you can¡¯t become a princess if you want to be a scholar.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Imperial family won¡¯t allow a princess to become a scholar.¡±


    ¡°Then does Sister have no feelings for the First Prince?¡±


    Liliana¡¯s expression hardened at my words, and soon she shouted firmly.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Perhaps embarrassed that she had raised her voice, Liliana cleared her throat and said,


    ¡°Hmm. I have no feelings for him, and never will.¡±


    I widened my eyes and nodded.


    With this answer, I no longer had to worry about my dream and considered it as a precognitive dream.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know Sister has such a dream.¡±


    The conversation before made it clear to me that I really didn¡¯t know anything about Sister.


    ¡®Somehow, I¡¯m a bit ashamed. I thought I knew everything about my sisters. I was just being conceited.¡¯


    As much as my sisters tried to be considerate of me, I felt the need to get to know them too.


    Somehow, I felt a little better because I felt that the time when we talked and listened to each other¡¯s stories quietly was precious.


    ¡®It was right to listen to Sister¡¯s stories instead of talking about them outside.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to be swayed by other people¡¯s talks in the future.


    After hearing the story, not only did I have no reason to step forward and oppose it, but I also wanted to support her move.


    ¡°It¡¯s really cool.¡±


    She smiled pleasantly as my eyes sparkled with sincere admiration.


    ¡°You were bothered by the rumors circulating in the social world, right? Don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ll take care of it after everything is resolved.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s sweet words made me laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fine if you ignore all those words.¡±


    Now that Liliana¡¯s story was over, it was finally my turn to say what I wanted to say.


    ¡°Sister. I will cheer for your dream even if everyone else opposes it.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Liliana didn¡¯t respond to what I said.


    She opened her eyes wide and looked at me for a long time, but I hurriedly added something because I thought it was probably a pointless remark.


    ¡°Although my support may not be of much help to you¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Liliana dyed her cheeks crimson and smiled, her eyes crinkled.


    Liliana hugged me while I was flustered by the small tears in her eyes.


    ¡°There will be nothing more encouraging than your support.¡±


    ¡°S-Sister?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Daisy. It really cheers me up.¡±


    Liliana repeatedly thanked me with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make it somehow.¡±


    I lowered my arm which was slightly raised and patted her on the back.


    ¡®Is this what sisterhood is?¡¯


    After listening to Liliana¡¯s innermost thoughts, somehow my complicated head cleared out a little.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad that Sister doesn¡¯t want to get engaged, but I¡¯m still worried.¡¯


    In order for Liliana to study what she wanted, she had to become a disciple of that scholar who was said to be an expert.


    ¡®It won¡¯t be easy, right? Is there anything I can do to help?¡¯


    I was worried that I was meddling for no reason, but at least I wanted to help since I had decided to support her.


    ¡®If she asks for it, I have to help.¡¯


    ? ? ?


    After breakfast, Liliana and Viola left to go out.


    Until yesterday, I went back to my room right after I finished eating, but starting today, I decided to change my mindset and take action.


    I followed my sisters to the door to see them off.


    Then, before they stepped out, I shouted vigorously.


    ¡°Do your best today too, Sisters!¡±


    My sisters made blank expressions with their mouths slightly open in surprise, as if they hadn¡¯t expected me to see them off.


    To put it mildly, they seemed silly.


    ¡°Daisy¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Liliana covered her mouth with her hands with a touched face, and Viola looked at me softly without saying a word.


    ¡°Thank you. I will do my best today.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Liliana and Viola said at the same time as if they made a promise.


    ¡®Who says they¡¯re not twins?¡¯


    I laughed hard when they looked at each other as if wondering how the timing could be the same.


    Then I heard a familiar voice behind me.


    ¡°Daisy. You have never seen Father off like this before¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, Father.¡±


    When I turned around, Father, dressed in a uniform, was looking at me with a sad expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely a good thing that you and your sisters got along, but somehow I also feel upset.¡±


    ¡°You look great, so why are you being like this?¡±


    At Father¡¯s sullen voice, Mother next to him poked him in the side with her elbow.


    ¡°Is it not enough that I see you off?¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be, ma¡¯am.¡±


    Father¡¯s sad voice quickly died down.


    Looking at our parents who fell into their own world, we met each other¡¯s eyes and laughed lightly.


    ¡®It¡¯s so peaceful.¡¯


    This moment was so pleasant because the family had never been as harmonious as it was now.


    ¡°P-Please wait!¡±


    At that moment, the knight¡¯s urgent voice breaking this harmony was heard from beyond the door.


    We stopped laughing at each other and turned our heads toward the door, and as soon as we turned our heads, the door swung roughly.


    ¡°Liliana!¡±


    A high, clear voice echoed through the lobby.


    At the figure of the person who entered through the open door, everyone looked shocked.


    Because she was a person who shouldn¡¯t be here.


    Everyone in the lobby stiffened at the appearance of the woman with blonde hair that had faded with the passage of time.


    She entered, shouting Liliana¡¯s name, and found the crowded lobby, looking more displeased than before.


    ¡°What kind of commotion are you gathering in the lobby in the morning? So undignified.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even make eye contact with her, but my body started to tremble with fear.


    ¡®W-What should I do?¡¯


    Thoughts that it would be better to leave this place immediately filled my head.


    She slowly looked around the crowded lobby and eventually made eye contact with me and clicked her tongue loudly at the same time.


    The sound of the tongue clicking made my shoulders shrink and my eyes turned to the floor.


    ¡°Mother. What brings you here without contacting me?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything useless when you already know why I¡¯m here.¡±


    Even without raising my head, I could feel her gaze still fixed on me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a good mood, so let¡¯s get rid of that child in front of us first and talk.¡±


    A person who could come to the Duke Liviatan without an appointment, a person who dared to open the door without hesitation and shout out the names of the family members.


    And someone who really hated me.


    My paternal grandmother had come to visit the mansion.

 CH 22

    Her ageless beauty, upright posture, and exuding elegance seemed to show her noble lineage.


    Although it faded to white, her prickly and strict personality was revealed in her neatly raised blonde hair, which was a representative symbol of the imperial family, and her fiercely shining blue eyes.


    ¡®Speregrin Liviatan.¡¯


    A woman from the Imperial family who inherited the blood of the noble royal family of the Odphelia Empire and became the duchess by marrying the former Duke of Leviathan.


    The Liviatan family was in a position to maintain neutrality between the Imperial family and the nobles, but after she entered the duke¡¯s house, she was so influential that she transformed the family to become royal to the Imperial family.


    After the previous Duke of Liviatan passed away, she went down to the duchy and lived quietly, but her reputation was still famous in the social world.


    Grandmother Liviatan was so proud of her lineage that she was enraged by her second son¡¯s escape of love.


    Later, when my parents died in an accident and I appeared at the duke¡¯s office, rumors that she was angry and tried to kick me out circulated secretly.


    ¡°Mother.¡±


    Father called Grandmother in a low voice, but she ignored it and scolded me.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I see a face that¡¯s so unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    When I spat out an apology at her prompting, the sound of her clicking her tongue was heard again.


    ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t been wasting your time. Have you found any exceptional talent to contribute to your family?¡±


    ¡°N-Not yet¡­¡±


    My face turned pale as I continued the conversation with Grandmother.


    ¡°This is why I told you not to bring in vulgar things. It¡¯s needlessly damaging the honor of the duchy and the Imperial family¡­¡±


    Grandmother strode towards me, looking at me as if I was pathetic.


    ¡®I want to run away right now.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t have the courage to stay here anymore, so I wanted to run away and never looked back.


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Before I knew it, my sisters stepped forward to block Grandmother who had approached me.


    The two put me aside as if to protect me, then walked over to Grandmother and interrupted her.


    ¡°Daisy is not a child who deserves to be told that by Grandmother.¡±


    At Viola¡¯s words, Grandmother looked at her as if she was seeing something strange.


    ¡°It seems you have some business with me, so you may talk to me. Why are you lashing out at an innocent kid?¡±


    Liliana spoke clearly without avoiding Grandmother¡¯s eyes.


    As if understanding the situation, Grandmother looked at me and Sisters alternately, unable to hide her displeasure.


    ¡°What is this¡­.¡±


    Father quickly stepped up and grabbed her by the arm before Grandmother could raise her voice.


    ¡°Mother, there are a lot of eyes here. Let¡¯s move over and talk.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Grandmother snorted at Father¡¯s words and moved to the drawing room.


    The way she left without casting a glance at us showed how unhappy she was about the situation.


    Father didn¡¯t immediately follow Grandmother and patted me.


    ¡°Daisy. Don¡¯t pay too much attention to your grandmother¡¯s words. Just remember that we are lucky just to have you by our side, and let go of all the bad words.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Father headed to the drawing room with Liliana.


    ¡°Our precious youngest, please go back to your room and rest. Don¡¯t forget that we always love you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I love you, too.¡±


    Mother hugged me tightly with an apologetic look.


    Being comforted and hugged in a warm embrace, I felt like my tears were about to burst out.


    Soon after, Mother also headed to the drawing room, and the lobby became quiet.


    I bit my lip in resentment, but after chewing it over and over again, I didn¡¯t think Grandmother¡¯s words were wrong.


    ¡®It¡¯s true that the blood flowing in me is different from my parents and sisters¡­ For Grandmother who belonged to the Imperial family, my half bloodline is low blood.¡¯


    Like my grandmother said, since I didn¡¯t know how to do anything properly, there was no way I could look pretty in her eyes.


    ¡®But it¡¯s not my fault that I was born like this¡­.¡¯


    Hearing the vague criticisms made my self-esteem plummet to the ground.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    I was lost in my thoughts, so I forgot for a moment that Viola was next to me.


    When I looked up in surprise, I realized that she had come close to me and was watching me.


    ¡°Sister! You¡¯re going to be late. You have to go to work.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little worried.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother went to talk to our parents and Sister Liliana, so it should be fine.¡±


    Viola shook her head and said with a smile.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m worried about you.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean¡­.¡±


    ¡°You were hurt by Grandmother¡¯s words.¡±


    I tried to turn my eyes away out of embarrassment because I felt like I was caught red-handed, but she grabbed my shoulder.


    ¡°Daisy. Father and Mother are right. No matter what anyone says, you¡¯re our family, and you¡¯re never useless.¡±


    ¡°¡­But unlike Sisters, I don¡¯t have anything special. Maybe it¡¯s true that I am unfit to be in Liviatan.¡±


    I expressed my upset heart in a trembling voice.


    Viola shook her head firmly at my words.


    ¡°No. You suit Liviatan better than anyone else. You try your best in everything, you¡¯re sweet to everyone, and you¡¯re braver than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°I am?¡±


    Viola¡¯s praise made me think that it was all nonsense.


    However, the smile on her lips showed that what she had just said was not a lie.


    ¡°So what if you don¡¯t have any special ability? Even if you don¡¯t have any ability, the thought that you are my precious and lovely sister will not change.¡±


    Viola¡¯s ears were red, perhaps she was embarrassed for having to speak for a long time, which was unlike her.


    Nevertheless, she continued to look straight at me as if there were no lies in her words.


    Her kind consolation suddenly reminded me of the situation from a moment ago.


    ¡®Sisters blocked Grandmother.¡¯


    Liliana and Viola had been raised and educated by Grandmother since childhood.


    ¡®Grandmother threatened my parents about the responsibility of Sisters¡¯ education, so they said it couldn¡¯t be helped, but it¡¯s probably because of me.¡¯


    Mother said that after giving birth to my sisters, she became weak and had to lie in bed for a long time, so she had no choice but to entrust the children¡¯s education to Grandmother.


    When I woke up from the hospital bed, I secretly heard someone say that she couldn¡¯t take care of my sisters as much as she did with me because she was taking care of me who was sick.


    My sisters always worked hard to be the best under Grandmother¡¯s guidance, and they grew up loyal to the Imperial family while illuminating this family.


    For my sisters, Grandmother would have been a mother, a teacher, and a spiritual pillar.


    I heard that my sisters respected Grandmother and never disobeyed her teaching.


    Those kinds of Sisters were now the first to talk back to Grandmother for my sake.


    ¡®Doesn¡¯t it seem like they¡¯ve completely changed?¡¯


    I could definitely feel it when they protected me in front of Grandmother.


    ¡®Sisters really like me. They tried to save me.¡¯


    Liliana, who always solved everything on her own and didn¡¯t bring up her story, told me what she felt inside.


    Viola, who was blunt with no one to talk to, kindly comforted me when I was sad.


    It was possible because they thought of me as a younger sister and cared for me.


    Having realized this fact, I was more than touched and felt great joy.


    The fearful worries that remained feeble flew away.


    I raised my head straight up and looked at Viola.


    Viola was drooping her eyebrows and looked worried.


    ¡°Thank you, Viola. You really cheered me up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    I smiled broadly and nodded.


    Everyone in my family loved and cared for me, so I didn¡¯t want to listen and care about the people who hated me.


    ¡®She¡¯s someone who won¡¯t like me no matter what I do.¡¯


    It was scary if you didn¡¯t expect it, but I didn¡¯t have to suffer.


    ¡®It feels like I am just making up my mind to make a firm decision every time.¡¯


    Thinking that this might be the time to put it into practice, I smiled lightly and said to Viola.


    ¡°Thanks to you, I feel better. So don¡¯t worry about me and come back safely.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Viola was about to leave but suddenly stopped, came up, and hugged me tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Then she left the mansion without saying anything.


    I covered the corners of my mouth and laughed, then came to my senses when I thought of Grandmother.


    Instead of going back to my room, I turned to the drawing room.


    ¡®I¡¯m afraid of Grandmother. But I can¡¯t avoid her forever. Remember this, Daisy. No matter what anyone says, you are a proud member of Duke Liviatan.¡¯


    And when I arrived in front of the drawing room after a while, I heard a tremendous scream from inside.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you refused the engagement! Are you really trying to disgrace my face!?¡±


    Grandmother was screaming at Lilliana in a very angry voice.


    It was clear that the refusal of the engagement with the First Prince had made Grandmother so angry that she lost her temper.


    Perhaps if it was yesterday, I would have been worried that Liliana might follow Grandmother¡¯s orders.


    But after talking to Liliana last night, I decided not to worry about useless things.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Grandmother and I will accept each other¡¯s opinions.¡±


    Liliana spat out the words regretfully, paused for a moment, then spoke in a confident voice.


    ¡°So Grandmother, won¡¯t you make a bet with me? About whose choice is right?¡±

 CH 23

    ¡°What did you say just now? A bet?¡±


    Grandma let out a stunned laugh, and Father intervened between them.


    ¡°Stop it, Mother. Didn¡¯t I make it clear? I would consider Liliana¡¯s opinion first before making a decision.¡±


    ¡°If you have a brain, you would have allowed it!¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    Grandmother and Father raised their voices.


    In the increasingly brutal atmosphere, Liliana stepped in and dissuaded Father.


    ¡°No, Father. I knew I¡¯d have this conversation with Grandmother one day since the moment I turned down the engagement.¡±


    ¡°Liliana.¡±


    Father called out to Liliana in a worried voice, but she responded more calmly than usual.


    ¡°I want to know what the hell you were thinking and why you turned it down.¡±


    ¡°I turned it down because I thought that even if I don¡¯t have the position of an Imperial princess, I could be useful to the Imperial family with my abilities.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Me.¡±


    Despite Grandmother¡¯s sarcastic voice, Liliana spoke calmly.


    There was a long silence, and soon Grandmother opened her mouth.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s make that bet. Whether or not you can have more influence than an Imperial princess. Let¡¯s wait and see who¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll show it to you, so please look forward to it.¡±


    At Liliana¡¯s confident tone, Grandmother answered in a tired voice.


    ¡°A month. I can¡¯t wait for more than that.¡±


    Somehow, it felt like the conversation would end soon.


    ¡®Wait. If I stay like this, she¡¯ll get mad at me for overhearing it.¡¯


    It was a difficult situation to enter, so I hesitated for a while, but the conversation had ended before I knew it.


    While I was perplexed about what to do, the butler who was waiting at the door knocked as if he saw my strange expression.


    ¡°Duchess, Miss Daisy is here.¡±


    I smiled broadly as a token of gratitude at his thoughtful remark, and the butler also smiled softly in response.


    ¡°Come in, Daisy.¡±


    In the quiet room, I finally heard Father¡¯s voice.


    I inhaled a breath of tension, exhaled it, passed through the door opened by the butler, and entered the living room.


    ¡°I came because I was so distracted that I couldn¡¯t even greet Grandmother properly. Am I interrupting?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean interrupting? The urgent talk is over, so it¡¯s fine.¡±


    At Father¡¯s words, I put my hands together and laughed, saying, ¡°I¡¯m glad.¡±


    Then I turned around and greeted Grandmother, who was still looking at me with a disapproving look.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Grandmother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m tired because I came up early in the morning. I¡¯m going to stay here for a month, so prepare my room.¡±


    However, Grandmother left the open door without even receiving my greeting.


    I felt a different kind of cold treatment for the first time in a long time.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t think it hurts as much as it used to.¡¯


    I put my hand on my chest and was relieved that my heart was beating calmly.


    ¡®I¡¯m probably changing, too.¡¯


    I smiled a little proudly, but Liliana approached me with a slightly angry expression.


    ¡°Daisy, I told you to go back to your room, why did you come here?¡±


    ¡°I was worried that Sister would get in trouble. Sister hasn¡¯t forgotten that I will be Sister¡¯s strength, right?¡±


    ¡°You are so¡­¡±


    At my words, Liliana hugged me with a softened expression, as if the remaining anger had melted away.


    ¡°I will do my best. I will do my best so that what you cheer for will not become powerless.¡±


    ? ? ?


    Rumors that Grandmother had come to the Capital spread quickly throughout the social world, and invitations poured in from numerous families, but the only one she responded to was the Empress¡¯ invitation.


    ¡®I¡¯m tired because Grandmother¡¯s been staying in the mansion too much.¡¯


    The answer was not to run into her as much as possible, but being alone in the room also had its limits.


    However, if I went to the temple, I had to clarify my destination, and Grandmother really hated the temple, so I couldn¡¯t go there.


    As the frustration and tiredness piled up, Iris contacted me.


    She said she had a place she wanted to go to together and asked if the timing was okay.


    Although it was a sudden call that I received the day before the hangout, I left the mansion with a joyful heart at the thought of being able to go out confidently without drawing attention.


    ¡°Daisy. Here.¡±


    As soon as I left the mansion, I saw a carriage with Iris in it.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d only send a carriage. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d come in person.¡±


    As I was surprised, Iris let out a pleasant laugh.


    ¡°I wanted to come and see my friend. Were you surprised?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I was. Are you looking forward to today?¡±


    ¡°Huft. Listening to everyone praising that place, I really wanted to go there. I¡¯d like to go with Daisy.¡±


    The carriage, full of anticipation, soon set out for its destination.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    I got off the carriage and looked up at the place I had arrived at, blurting out.


    It was a familiar place, so I blinked, flustered.


    Iris smiled broadly as if she hadn¡¯t noticed my expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s the temple!¡±


    How can I not know the place that brought me comfort and peace?


    However, the temple was always quiet as its prestige declined, but it had a lot of visitors today.


    ¡°Oh, no. Since when have there been so many people in the temple?¡±


    When I asked in a stuttering and embarrassed voice, she looked aghast.


    ¡°Oh. I forgot to explain.¡±


    My eyes turned to Iris, who was heading to the nearby carriage.


    ¡°There is a famous figure in the temple these days, so the number of visitors has increased to meet him.¡±


    ¡°Famous?¡±


    Iris quietly slipped her arms with mine and said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain the details as we enter. Now, shall we go in?¡±


    Arm in arm with Iris, I climbed the familiar stairs.


    ¡®Who were you talking about when you said a famous person?¡¯


    As far as I know, there were no such figures in the temple, rather it was full of notorious priests.


    ¡®And so was the person from that time.¡¯


    When I remembered the priest who threatened me, my eyebrows naturally furrowed.


    However, as I recalled a face, I began to wonder.


    ¡®Wait. No matter how much I think about it, isn¡¯t it him?¡¯


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s a holy knight who came here a while ago. Everyone praised him for his beautiful appearance that looked as though created by God, a strong body that makes people want to be held in his arms, and his friendly and righteous personality.¡±


    There was only one person Iris¡¯s explanation could point to.


    ¡®It¡¯s Adelio.¡¯


    Iris continued in a slightly more excited voice than usual.


    ¡°There was a big accident at the Imperial Library recently, and he stepped up and said no one was injured.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Because there were no visitors before, no one knew that such a great person was here. Well, not anymore.¡±


    At the end of Iris¡¯ explanation, a loud noise came from nearby.


    ¡°He must be there.¡±


    Iris¡¯s steps accelerated, but we couldn¡¯t get close.


    Because there were a lot of people around him.


    Adelio was responding with a friendly smile to the women who kept talking to him.


    ¡°Holy Knight! My brother who was in the library last time didn¡¯t get injured because of your help. I¡¯d like to thank you on his behalf!¡±


    Their voices were so loud that we could hear the conversation from a long distance.


    ¡°I just did what I had to do. There¡¯s no need for your gratitude.¡±


    ¡°Then can you just accept this?¡±


    A woman of my age held out something to Adelio with a trembling hand.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s a handkerchief that I embroidered myself. If you feel uncomfortable with my gratitude, please accept this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really beautiful. But as a holy knight, what I did was only natural. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll only accept your heartfelt gratitude.¡±


    At the repeated refusal, the woman put on a sullen expression, but she was soon pushed out by the other women.


    Seeing his popularity made me feel strange for some reason.


    ¡®He said he would wait for me someday.¡¯


    I was annoyed for no reason when I thought that with so many people visiting him, he would soon forget me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see his face well because it¡¯s so far away. Shall we get a little closer?¡±


    Iris asked me, but I shook my head with an unhappy look.


    Then another woman asked Adelio a new question.


    ¡°I heard that Holy Knight was in the central temple and applied for a dispatch directly here. Do you have any special reason?¡±


    ¡®Aren¡¯t you asking something too personal?¡¯


    I thought it was rude, but I was also curious, so I listened carefully and waited for his answer.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    At Adelio¡¯s words, all the women around him became quiet.


    He smiled lightly at the women who instantly turned silent, then he slowly turned his head, and fixing his eyes in one place, he said.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone I really want to meet in the Capital.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s expression instantly changed.


    He looked as if he was so happy imagining it to the point that he didn¡¯t know what to do, it was the expression of a man in love.


    ¡°H-Have you meet that person?¡±


    At someone¡¯s question, He shook his head.


    ¡°No. Not yet, sadly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to help you find that person?¡±


    At the women¡¯s continued words, Adelio shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    A confident expression formed on Adelio¡¯s lips.


    ¡°The longer I wait, the sweeter the reunion will be.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hear the women¡¯s sad sighs.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    I froze in place for a while in bewilderment.


    Adelio¡¯s gaze hadn¡¯t left me for a while.


    As if he was talking to me.

 CH 24

    Adelio left after that question, and Iris and I had no choice but to leave the temple without even saying hello to him.


    It was a pity to part like this, so I came to the cafe, but the topic of conversation naturally flowed to the temple.


    ¡°I was so surprised because there were so many people in the temple. I¡¯ve never seen so many people gather.¡±


    Iris whispered to me as if she was talking about a secret.


    ¡°I heard that all the priests who were harassing the believers were dismissed. That¡¯s what the rumors said.¡±


    I let out a startled voice so loud that there was no point in whispering anymore.


    ¡°Dismissed?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They said it was full of wicked people who threatened and harassed believers with the title of priest. In the end, the central temple gave the order to dismiss them.¡±


    At Iris¡¯ words, I unwittingly opened my mouth wide in surprise.


    I was so shocked that if there was tea in my mouth, it would have flowed out.


    ¡°I heard it¡¯s not easy¡­¡±


    ¡°All of them were solved because the Holy Knight we met just a while ago requested the Central Temple directly.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    At my words, Iris emphasized again that she was not lying.


    ¡°Since he¡¯d solved the problem at the library as well as at the temple, he¡¯s praised for being a righteous person. It¡¯s not for no reason that he¡¯s famous in the social world these days.¡±


    ¡°It certainly seems so.¡±


    At Iris¡¯s words, the sadness I felt at the temple a while ago eased a little.


    ¡®He said he would take responsibility and ask the priest to take responsibility, but he really did.¡¯


    Of course, I felt happy even though I knew that his action was not only for me but also for the development of the temple.


    ¡®It¡¯s unfortunate that there are more people in the temple, but as a believer, it¡¯s only right.¡¯


    My own cozy nest was gone, but a good thing was still a good thing.


    ¡®But what¡¯s with his answer to the last question?¡¯


    When I first saw Adelio, I felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, but it was clearly an illusion.


    ¡®Did he say it to me?¡¯


    Adelio and I met for the first time at the temple, so even though I knew that it was impossible, the subtle sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu didn¡¯t go away.


    ¡°By the way, that Holy Knight. He certainly looks good in appearance and personality, but don¡¯t you think there are parts of him that made him seem difficult to approach?¡±


    Iris¡¯ voice brought me to my senses.


    ¡®How can I keep thinking about something else in front of Iris?¡¯


    I smiled awkwardly and nodded.


    ¡°Maybe you feel this way because he¡¯s not your type.¡±


    Iris said, smiling playfully.


    ¡°Daisy, what¡¯s your type?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Oh, was that too personal? Like me, Daisy doesn¡¯t have a fiance yet, so I¡¯m curious.¡±


    I replied to Iris¡¯ words, saying that it was fine.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know. I am not interested in the opposite sex yet.¡±


    As I was saying this, a person kept popping into my mind.


    ¡®I¡¯ll be waiting for you.¡¯


    Why do I keep remembering what he said as he left after helping me at the library?


    ¡®Hold on. Could it be that those words weren¡¯t sincere and were just a habit of his?¡¯


    Even though I knew I shouldn¡¯t be upset about this, I couldn¡¯t calm down my violent heart.


    Unable to concentrate on the conversation, I started stirring the black tea in front of me with a spoon.


    Before I knew it, the whirlwind inside the teacup seemed to reveal the complexities of my head.


    I let out a big sigh, but I felt a gaze directed at me, so I lifted my head.


    Iris was staring at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Iris. I kept thinking about something else.¡±


    ¡°Daisy, are you worried about something? You don¡¯t look good.¡±


    Iris looked me in the eye and asked cautiously.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s better not to tell her that I know Adelio.¡¯


    I knew Iris is a good person, but at least it seemed right to keep this concern to myself.


    ¡°I am really fine. Nothing happened.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a relief, then.¡±


    Seeing Iris¡¯ expression, it seemed that she didn¡¯t believe me.


    Looking at her eyes stained with worry, it seemed that she had picked up a lot of rumors from the social world.


    I was grateful that she was considerate of me, but I wanted to avoid the conversation because both the temple and the talk about my grandmother were uncomfortable for me.


    ¡®I should change the subject.¡¯


    While contemplating what would be the right topic for this situation, I remembered a story that Iris had lightly spilled in the past.


    ¡°Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Iris say this before? I think I heard that a famous scholar have come to the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s for sure. He is a very famous historian. I heard that he was dispatched to various parts of the continent, but this time he has completely returned to the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡®Oh, wait a minute.¡¯


    ¡°He is so famous that he made a mark in history. He is the one who revealed how the energy of the World Tree affects the continent. He is arguably the greatest scholar on the continent.¡±


    Her explanation didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°And I heard that he is planning to take this opportunity to take in a student.¡±


    ¡®As expected.¡¯


    The scholar Iris was talking about was the one Liliana wanted as her teacher.


    ¡°I heard that he personally lead the test to select students. They say that the questions come from the contents of his research. So I heard that people who take the exam are struggling to find his book. It would be too late to try to get it now.¡±


    Iris seemed to know more about the rumored scholar than I thought.


    ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be possible to get some helpful information?¡¯


    I clapped my hands and put on a really surprised look.


    ¡°That¡¯s great, Iris. How do you know this in detail?¡±


    ¡°A while ago, I got a letter from the academy professor.¡±


    ¡°I envy you, Iris. I¡¯m homeschooled, so I don¡¯t have any connection with the academy.¡±


    Iris was startled as I lowered my eyebrows and let out a regretful voice.


    Then she held my hands tightly and said with a passionate look.


    ¡°If Daisy has any questions, feel free to ask! My knowledge alone may not be enough, but I will do my best to solve your questions!¡±


    ¡°Then may I know the title of his book?¡±


    She closed her eyes for a moment and thought about it, then she replied in a bright voice, saying that she remembered.


    ¡°I think it was <The Beginning of Brilliant History>.¡±


    In order not to forget the title of the book, I replayed it in my head and smiled.


    ¡°Thanks to Iris, my curiosity is resolved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    Iris calmed down and drank tea to quench her thirst.


    ¡°Thank you. When I think about it again, I am glad that someone as kind as Iris is my friend.¡±


    At the words I said with sincerity, Iris smiled broadly.


    After that, we had a pleasant conversation and spent our time, and Iris, who said she had to go back, was sent back first.


    ¡°Is it okay if I don¡¯t take you back?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay because I¡¯m going to meet up with Viola and go home.¡±


    ¡°See you next time, then, Daisy.¡±


    Iris, unable to hide her regret, continued to wave her hand over the window until she couldn¡¯t see me.


    And after she had completely gone, I asked the knight next to me.


    ¡°Sir Dominic. How can I find an out-of-print book of a famous scholar?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t famous scholars¡¯ books usually in the Imperial library or academy? It might be in Leviathan¡¯s study.¡±


    Those who took the exam must have already visited the Imperial library, so if I dismissed that, the only option left was the library in the mansion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to search in the mansion first.¡±


    ¡°Or you can ask the information guild to do it. At least they¡¯ll find its location in the Capital.¡±


    Sir Dominic¡¯s words gave me a little hope.


    ¡®But what if Sister already got the book?¡¯


    Maybe I should ask my sister¡¯s maid.


    ? ? ?


    Should I be glad or not?


    She said that Lilliana hadn¡¯t gotten the book.


    ¡®It¡¯s so hard to find an out-of-print book.¡¯


    Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t in Liviatan¡¯s library, and since I couldn¡¯t steal books from other families, there was no way to get them.


    With the help of Sir Dominic, I put my hopes on requesting a guild that specializes in running errands, but an answer stating that it was difficult to find came back.


    In the end, a week passed and I didn¡¯t gain anything.


    The regret of not being of any help to Liliana, the embarrassment of not being able to gain anything.


    Controlling my emotions, I left the information guild and tried to get back to the carriage.


    ¡°Wait a minute, miss!¡±


    Then someone from the information guild came out and handed me a piece of paper with something written on it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the address of a second-hand bookstore, but I heard that the owner is a bit of an eccentric and collects all sorts of books. So please visit here as well. Don¡¯t expect too much. If you can¡¯t get it from here, you have to think that you can¡¯t get it anywhere in Capital.¡±


    Giving them a lot of money must have worked.


    ¡®It¡¯s worth the money I put in!¡¯


    This might not be in vain.


    After handing Sir Dominic a note, I climbed into the carriage with joy.


    And the carriage moved for quite a long time.


    Time seemed to have passed, so I looked out the window and saw a street I had never seen before.


    ¡°I think this is it. However, there seems to be something wrong with the carriage, so I think we have to get off here. The coachman said the carriage wheel is squeaking so he wanted to check it.¡±


    ¡°Really? Then it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Fortunately, it was located not far away, so after a short walk, I could see my destination.


    The place where a small and shabby signboard was hung was a small used bookstore that the guild had told me about.


    ¡®It¡¯s really my last hope. If it¡¯s not here either, I can¡¯t get it.¡¯


    ¡°Sir Dominic. It must be there.¡±


    At my words, Sir Dominic came closer, and we slowly made our way there.


    ¡°Hn? For some reason, two guests came to visit. Take your time and look around.¡±


    When I opened the door and entered the store, the person who seemed to be the owner sat on a chair and roughly waved his hand.


    Sir Dominic frowned, but I calmed him down and stepped inside.


    ¡®It¡¯s bigger than I thought.¡¯


    The inside was shabby, but the books were neatly arranged in alphabetical order.


    I walked slowly and started looking for the title of the book.


    ¡®Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant¡­¡¯


    While looking for the book and muttering to myself, my eyes finally saw the letter I wanted.


    <The Beginning of Brilliant History>


    When I found the cover of the book that had faded to gray, I smiled broadly with delight and reached for it.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    I reached for the book, but I couldn¡¯t take it out right away.


    Not only me, someone else was pointing at the book at the same time.

 CH 25

    Even in such a surprising situation, I thought that the book shouldn¡¯t be taken away, so I didn¡¯t let go and only turned my head to look at the other person.


    And I faced someone I never imagined I would meet here.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    ¡°Adelio?¡±


    Adelio was also looking at me with a startled look.


    He didn¡¯t take his hand off the book in the midst of this, maybe he felt the same way as me.


    ¡®When they said there were two guests, could they be referring to me and Adelio?¡±


    Net to me, Sir Dominic quickly tried to step forward, but I raised my other hand to stop him.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. I know him.¡±


    Adelio slowly lowered his hand as he flinched at our awkwardly touching hands.


    I thought it would be funny if I took the book in this situation, so I lowered my hand and a moment of silence passed between us.


    ¡°What brought you here?¡±


    The words I brought out to break this awkwardness were such a stupid question that I wondered if I really had just said them.


    ¡®You¡¯re here to buy a book!¡¯


    I hate my mouth that uttered words without thinking, but I didn¡¯t lose the smile on my lips.


    ¡°I have been looking for a book for a long time and one of the believers introduced me to a place that handles old books.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s eyes turned to the bookshelf.


    ¡°I was trying my luck in looking for the book I wanted. What about Daisy?¡±


    ¡°I came across this place while looking for a book I wanted to give to my sister as a gift. That book from before.¡±


    Unlike usual, Adelio looked at the book and at me alternately with a slightly puzzled expression.


    He seemed to be thinking about what to do.


    ¡®It seems he¡¯s been looking for the out-of-print book for a long time¡­ Of course, he won¡¯t give up.¡¯


    But I couldn¡¯t give up easily either.


    ¡®I¡¯d like to give it to you, but¡­¡¯


    I hesitated because I was looking for the book for Liliana¡¯s sake, not for me.


    ¡®¡­This is difficult.¡¯


    I felt a little resentful about the decision I had to make and why he showed up in this situation.


    I unwittingly sighed quietly, then I heard a small laugh in front of me.


    ¡°Why are you laughing?¡±


    Unlike me, who was serious, Adelio¡¯s expression showed no signs of distress.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re thinking too hard.¡±


    ¡°This is a concerning matter. Are you not concerned, Adelio?¡±


    Just as I was about to be devastated, wondering if our friendship only mattered this much, he smiled shyly, his eyes upturned.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m glad that I get the same treatment as Daisy¡¯s precious sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been so seriously troubled.¡±


    With those words, Adelio took the book out of the bookshelf.


    As I watched Adelio¡¯s action with a surprised expression, he casually held out the book to me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to buy it because I just need to find and read the parts I¡¯m curious about.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If Daisy doesn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to check out that part for a moment, so could you give me a moment?¡±


    At Adelio¡¯s suggestion, I smiled and tried to nod.


    Then Sir Dominic, who was next to me, sneaked in.


    ¡°But, miss, a lot of time has passed. If you come home late, everyone will be worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be brief. It won¡¯t be long.¡±


    ¡°Everyone will understand if I tell them that the carriage is broken. Adelio will give me the book, so I¡¯ll make time for it.¡±


    At my words, Sir Dominic backed down as if it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    It seemed that the situation had been sorted out, so I quickly purchased the book and came out, but the carriage hadn¡¯t seemed to be fixed yet.


    ¡°I wish I can see you off in the carriage.¡±


    At my regretful voice, Adelio shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. In case there is a strange rumor about Daisy because of me, I¡¯ll just take your gratitude.¡±


    ¡°A strange rumor?¡±


    When I blinked not knowing the reason, he laughed quietly and didn¡¯t speak.


    Adelio stood under the dim lamplight on the street and began to look through the book he had received from me.


    I stood next to him and watched his still figure.


    Adelio was reading the book carefully with a serious look.


    The lights on this street were weaker than those on the main street, so a long shadow was cast on his face, giving off a different atmosphere than usual.


    ¡®It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen this expression. It looks very cold.¡¯


    It was not a smile full of kindness, but a stiff mouth that was very unfamiliar to me.


    ¡®But you¡¯re still handsome.¡¯


    It was a beauty that would have become a hot topic in society.


    ¡®Certainly, it¡¯s strange that rumors about this kind of appearance aren¡¯t spreading.¡¯


    Holy knight was a position that could only be climbed with faith and skill regardless of status.


    Since they were knights who fought using the holy power that blossomed under the care of the gods, just being selected as a holy knight was an honor.


    ¡®It¡¯s the same with priests, but they¡¯re a little different.¡¯


    As a result, the Imperial family and the temple maintained independent powers, and because of that, Grandmother hated the temple.


    ¡®I heard that aristocrats are very interested in marrying them because holy knights are allowed to date and marry.¡¯


    I heard that collaborating with the temple was a good choice even in aristocratic society, so it happened often.


    ¡®On top of that, Adelio is handsome and has a good personality, so he is bound to be popular.¡¯


    It was not for no reason that he was popular not only among nobles but also among commoners.


    ¡®Oh. I wondered why I was so upset, but I guess it¡¯s because I felt like we were drifting apart.¡¯


    It seemed I didn¡¯t like the idea of Adelio being closer to someone else.


    ¡®But why?¡¯


    Adelio was a good person, but I couldn¡¯t figure out why I felt that way.


    ¡®Is this what normal friends are like?¡¯


    While I was deep in thought alone, Adelio closed the book.


    ¡°Daisy. I have some sad news.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What do you mean sad news?¡±


    Adelio ran his hand over the cover of the book and said forlornly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this book is the complete version.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What do you¡­¡±


    ¡°In fact, I¡¯ve found this book somewhere else before.¡±


    Adelio handed me the book and said with a very regretful face.


    ¡°The content I was looking for was in the back of the book, but that part was missing. I think the same goes for this book.¡±


    Surprised, I hurriedly took the book from him and opened it.


    Adelio was right.


    There was no content corresponding to one-third of the table of contents written at the front of the book.


    The book I was so happy to have finally found wasn¡¯t the complete edition.


    Adelio also spoke in a subdued voice as my expression became tearful.


    ¡°This book has been revised once. I heard that the revised version completely cleared up the contents that could be problematic in the complete version.¡±


    ¡°Then this is¡­¡±


    ¡°It misses a lot of parts, so it¡¯s like an unfinished book.¡±


    I finally found it, and I found a reasonable compromise with Adelio, so I was relieved and delighted, but that feeling calmed down in an instant.


    ¡°¡­Thank you, Adelio. If it wasn¡¯t for Adelio, I would have given my sister an unsuitable gift.¡±


    I almost gave Liliana a useless gift.


    Despite my gloomy heart, I conveyed my gratitude with a shy smile.


    ¡°No, after all, you couldn¡¯t find the book you wanted either.¡±


    ¡°But in the first place, you gave this book to me. That alone is enough to make me happy and grateful.¡±


    ¡°Then, if Daisy doesn¡¯t mind, can we meet each other next time?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I blinked because I couldn¡¯t understand his sudden words, but he smiled with his eyes and mouth upturned.


    ¡°Apart from meeting at the temple, let¡¯s have a meal together.¡±


    ¡°Me and Adelio?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just me and Daisy.¡±


    I was taken aback by Adelio¡¯s words, so he continued talking with his cheeks blushing slightly.


    ¡°Because there are more eyes on the temple. I can keep waiting, but I don¡¯t want to burden Daisy.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to recall what Adelio had said last time.


    ¡°Did you really wait for me? Not someone else?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    I was suddenly embarrassed by the answer that readily returned as if I had asked something obvious.


    ¡®Really, my emotions are so jagged these days.¡¯


    Whether it was happiness or sadness, I wished my heart only focus on one thing.


    The twitching of my lips trying to hold back my laughter looked like an ugly expression.


    I didn¡¯t want to show that, so I held up the book and blocked my face, and a small laugh burst out in front of me.


    ¡°Then, I will be sure to join you next time.¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Anytime Daisy wants to.¡±


    I thought I would leave quickly after this, so I hurriedly lowered my book and at the same time met his eyes.


    Adelio gently grabbed my hair, which was fluttering in the wind, and kissed it lightly.


    The kind eyes that looked up at me when my hair was kissed made my heart skip a beat.


    ¡°Have a good night, Daisy.¡±


    Without saying anything, he just nodded and left the street after saying goodbye.


    After a while, Sir Dominic, who had gone to see if the carriage was fixed, returned and he asked me.


    ¡°Miss. Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I am not.¡±


    ¡°Your face is very red.¡±


    I scrambled into the carriage, unable to lift my head out of embarrassment.


    My heart was still beating violently.


    ? ? ?


    After washing up, my heart, which had been beating loudly, calmed down.


    I stood in front of the mirror and stared at my face, then I recalled what had happened a while ago and immediately blushed.


    ¡®This is what I showed to him.¡¯


    Feeling ashamed, I hit my head against the mirror and sighed.


    ¡®Whatever.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t know why I was being like this, so even if blamed my heart, I didn¡¯t get an answer.


    I put Adelio out of my mind for a moment and then looked at my desk.


    ¡®I wanted to help Sister.¡¯


    Somehow, as I sighed thinking that it wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought, something caught my eye.

 CH 26

    ¡°Ah, right. I forgot to sort it out.¡±


    What caught my eye was a book I received as a reward from an old man at the library a while ago.


    The blue cover of the antique design reminded me of the dizziness and pride from that day.


    ¡°Should I put it in the library?¡±


    Since I didn¡¯t have a hobby of reading, I didn¡¯t have a bookshelf in my room, so I didn¡¯t have a place to put it.


    ¡°Should I take this opportunity to enjoy reading as a hobby?¡±


    As I was thinking about what to do with this book, I noticed something strange.


    ¡°The cover looks somewhat familiar?¡±


    I inadvertently picked up the book and opened my eyes wide.


    <The Beginning of Brilliant History>


    The name of the book I had been searching for was written on the blue cover.


    In very small letters, too!


    ¡°W-What is this?¡±


    I slowly turned over the book with a trembling hand.


    ¡°T-The table of contents is the same.¡±


    Just in case, I opened the book I had bought and started comparing it.


    ¡°The previous content is the same!¡±


    I examined the back of the book, unable to calm my pounding heart.


    I screamed when I found it had all the contents listed in the table of contents.


    ¡°Oh, my! What should I do?¡±


    With a joyful heart, I grabbed the blue book and jumped up and down.


    ¡®Come to think of it, he said at the time that he was the author of the book! Oh my God!¡¯


    Then the person I had helped in the library was the rumored scholar.


    ¡®Yes. It¡¯s not easy to find because it¡¯s an old book. I¡¯m sure!¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how such a coincidence could happen.


    ¡°The saying that you will be blessed if you do good things is right.¡±


    The book that the old man gave me was a complete edition, so it was much thicker than the one I bought, and it had handwritten notes written by him.


    ¡°What should I do?!¡±


    I ran out of the room in my pajamas without drying my hair.


    ¡°M-Miss?¡±


    Isabelle, who was standing outside, was surprised at my outfit and called out to me, but I couldn¡¯t stop running.


    ¡°Miss! You¡¯ll catch a cold!¡±


    Leaving Isabel¡¯s anxious shout behind, I arrived in front of Liliana¡¯s room.


    Her maid, Susan, couldn¡¯t hide her surprise at my sudden arrival.


    ¡°Miss Daisy? What brings you here at this hour?¡±


    ¡°I came to see Sister. Is she still awake?¡±


    I asked, gasping for breath, and Susan hid her bewilderment, answered me, and immediately knocked.


    ¡°Miss. Miss Daisy has visited.¡±


    ¡°What? Daisy? Tell her to come in. No, I¡­.¡±


    At Susan¡¯s voice, I heard a startled voice from inside, and when Susan opened the door, Liliana, who had come to the door, was standing there.


    ¡°I was going to open it for you.¡±


    Liliana led me to her room with a voice of regret.


    ¡®This is Sister Liliana¡¯s room.¡¯


    I had seen Viola¡¯s room by chance before, but this was really the first time I had been to Liliana¡¯s room.


    ¡®It¡¯s more colorful than I thought.¡¯


    If Viola¡¯s room was neat, Liliana¡¯s room was full of colorful things.


    The works placed here and there looked so expensive that I felt like I was in an art museum.


    ¡®I was so happy that I came running here. I should¡¯ve packed the book.¡¯


    My gift looked shabby, so I pulled it tightly into my arms and hid it.


    As I was looking carefully at Liliana¡¯s room, she led me to a sofa set on one side.


    ¡°Oh, my God. You didn¡¯t even dry your hair? What are you going to do if you catch a cold?¡±


    Liliana brought a towel from somewhere, saying that I shouldn¡¯t do that.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s summer now, you shouldn¡¯t walk around like this at night.¡±


    ¡°I was in a hurry because I wanted to meet Sister quickly.¡±


    When I smiled brightly, Liliana smiled along, saying she couldn¡¯t stop me.


    She put a towel on my head with a careful touch.


    The hand that gently brushed down the hair and wiped away the water was gentle and full of affection.


    ¡°Why did Daisy come to my room at this time of night?¡±


    At Lilliana¡¯s joyful humming voice, I glanced down at the book in my arms.


    At first, I was really happy, but I hesitated when I tried to hand over the book.


    Liliana was popular with everyone, and she had a wide connection, so she might have gotten it if she made up her mind.


    ¡®Should I have asked? No, I worked so hard to get it, so she¡¯ll like it.¡¯


    Making up my mind to pass it on, I turned my head back and said to Liliana.


    ¡°Sister. There¡¯s something I want to give you.¡±


    ¡°To me?¡±


    Liliana stopped drying my hair and let out a shrill voice.


    When I shrank my shoulders in surprise, she hurriedly patted me on the shoulder and soothed me.


    ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m so excited to hear that I get a gift.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s not as great as you¡¯d expect.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s expectations grew bigger, and it became a burden, but I closed my eyes and turned around to hold out the book to her.


    ¡°Here!¡±


    ¡°A book?¡±


    Liliana made a puzzled expression, then put down the towel and accepted the book.


    ¡°<The Beginning of Brilliant History>? Wait a minute, Daisy. This is¡­¡±


    Liliana read the title of the book and immediately opened it and began to scan through it.


    ¡°Oh, my God.¡±


    A short exclamation escaped her mouth.


    ¡°Daisy. Where did you get this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡±


    After hesitating a little, I opened up about what had happened in the library.


    It was a word uttered in preparation for a bitter remark, and as expected, Liliana¡¯s expression was stiff when the explanation was over.


    ¡®I might get scolded for secretly following her.¡¯


    As I closed my eyes and was about to be scolded, she grabbed my shoulder and asked in a worried voice.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier!? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Yes. As I said, a passing holy knight helped me, so no one was hurt. Neither was I.¡±


    Liliana breathed a sigh of relief at my words.


    Then, she spoke to me with a serious look.


    ¡°Daisy, make a promise to Sister. I understand your desire to help others, but if it puts you in danger, never do it.¡±


    ¡°But if I hadn¡¯t stepped up¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for you, that holy knight would have helped. You were lucky that time, but there¡¯s no guarantee that you won¡¯t get hurt next time.¡±


    Liliana urged me again and again with a nervous voice, unlike before.


    ¡°Come on. Promise to Sister.¡±


    I nodded softly at her anxious expression.


    ¡°Okay. From now on, you must never get involved in anything dangerous. We value you more than we do others. If you get hurt while helping someone, it will hurt me.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t until she heard my affirmation that Liliana threw out her urgency and smiled calmly.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen Sister get flustered like that.¡¯


    This was the first time since she suddenly came into my bedroom in the middle of the night.


    ¡®I must have worried her too much. I have to be careful.¡¯


    I was actually weaker than the others, so I definitely needed to be careful as she said.


    Liliana smiled as she read the book.


    ¡°The first gift from Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Of course I like it.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s happy expression was flooded with pride.


    ¡°I thought you would need it for the test, so I really wanted to get it for you.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find it, so I was looking at other books while studying, but thanks to Daisy, I can study more perfectly.¡±


    Liliana hugged the book tightly and smiled joyfully.


    ¡°More than anything else, I am so happy that Daisy got this for me, so much that I feel like crying. I can feel that you really believe in me and support me.¡±


    Her voice trembled slightly.


    I quickly got up from my seat as she looked like she was going to burst into tears.


    ¡°Never forget that I¡¯m always cheering for you! You won¡¯t lose the bet with Grandmother!¡±


    ¡°As expected, you were listening outside at that time.¡±


    Aghast at Liliana¡¯s words, I covered my mouth and gave a small laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just me alone, with your help combined, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out.¡±


    We smiled bashfully as we faced each other.


    It was a night full of unknown hopes that things would turn out the way I wanted.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°It¡¯s already been a month as of today, but I haven¡¯t heard from you.¡±


    Toward the end of dinner, Grandmother finally brought up the bet.


    Tension hovered over the table at the topic that came up for the first time since the bet started.


    ¡°In case you didn¡¯t know, I waited until evening.¡±


    Grandmother shook her head and said to Lilliana.


    ¡°Your proof is done now. So, quietly get engaged to the First Prince.¡±


    ¡°Grandmother, why are you so impatient?¡±


    Liliana answered Grandmother¡¯s words in a quiet voice.


    ¡°I was going to tell you. The news.¡±


    At Liliana¡¯s gesture, Susan, who had been waiting behind her, brought out something and set it down in front of Grandmother.


    ¡°I have officially become a scholar belonging to the Odphelia Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Scholar?¡±


    Grandmother frowned at the sudden word and began to read the letter in front of her.


    ¡°Fine. It says that you passed the exam as the top scorer. However, there are many other great scholars in the Imperial family besides you.¡±


    Liliana smiled at Grandmother¡¯s words.


    ¡°Grandmother is right. That can¡¯t be the end, can it?¡±

 CH 27

    Author: LyraDhani


    As soon as Liliana finished her words, Susan put down another letter.


    Grandmother tore the letter apart and began to read it, and when she finished reading it, she slammed the table.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just as it says. It means that Lord Grayton, the great scholar, will take me in as his apprentice.¡±


    Liliana said casually with a smile, despite Grandmother¡¯s anger.


    ¡°Are you trying to say that the position of a scholar is equal to that of the princess?¡±


    ¡°No, Mother. Lord Grayton is no ordinary scholar.¡±


    At Father¡¯s words, Liliana continued her explanation.


    ¡°Sir Grayton is famous. An expert on history, the best scholar in the Odphelia Empire, and a talent coveted throughout the continent.¡±


    As the explanation continued, Grandmother¡¯s forehead became more wrinkled.


    ¡°He is so well known, I must say, that His Majesty, the former emperor, had made him a Marquis out of fear that Lord Grayton might be scouted by another continent.¡±


    ¡®So, that¡¯s how it is.¡¯


    My parents also nodded to Liliana¡¯s words, perhaps because everyone except me knew it well.


    Grandmother crumpled the letter in her hand and couldn¡¯t hold back her anger.


    ¡°How do you manage to become his student?¡±


    ¡°I took the test and passed.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Yes, me.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s voice was full of confidence and pride.


    ¡°Even His Majesty the Emperor approved it. If you come and overturn it now, that would be disobeying the imperial family.¡±


    Grandmother¡¯s body couldn¡¯t contain her anger and began to tremble.


    Even though I was nervous that she would explode at any time soon, Liliana didn¡¯t stop talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the position of the princess and the empress.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if His Highness Ronald would never become emperor.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that the crown prince hasn¡¯t been selected yet, so it¡¯s not certain. I don¡¯t want to hang myself on uncertainties.¡±


    Liliana said with a single laugh, and as her smile deepened, Grandmother¡¯s expression flushed with anger.


    ¡°Since I have become Lord Grayton¡¯s student, I will follow him in his footsteps and become a scholar who contributes to the continent beyond the Imperial family, so please watch after me.¡±


    There was no answer to the remark.


    This was because Grandmother eventually got up from her seat and left the restaurant, unable to overcome her anger.


    There was silence in the restaurant after she left.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were thinking of that.¡±


    It was Mother who broke the silence.


    Mother looked at Liliana with pride and said.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that my daughter had such wonderful thoughts. As her parents, I am really sorry.¡±


    Liliana shook her head at Mother¡¯s words.


    ¡°Of course, I planned it without anyone knowing.¡±


    ¡°No, Lilliana, you¡¯ve done a remarkable job. I¡¯ve heard that Lord Grayton is looking for a student, but it turned out to be you.¡±


    Father spoke in a voice mixed with excitement.


    ¡°I remember when I went to the academy. He is said to be a master of history, but he excelled in all studies and was respected by everyone.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Marquis Filton has been spreading rumors that his eldest son will be Lord Grayton¡¯s student. He must be so embarrassed that he can¡¯t raise his face.¡±


    Liliana also smiled at the sincerity on Father¡¯s face.


    ¡°I think the Imperial family and the social world will go crazy. Will you be okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t have taken on the challenge if I hadn¡¯t been able to overcome that much fuss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you.¡±


    Liliana smiled contentedly at Father¡¯s praise.


    As if Father¡¯s words were a prophecy, a new wind really began to blow in the Imperial family and social circles.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°Who would have known that the reason Liliana rejected the engagement was for the development of the Imperial family and the continent.¡±


    ¡°I heard Lord Grayton is really a great man.¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s such a great person that he was coveted all over the continent. I heard my parents admiring him, saying he¡¯s great.¡±


    The noises of the young ladies were so loud that I could hear them from far away.


    Liliana, who became Lord Grayton¡¯s student, hosted a party herself for the first time in a long time and received everyone¡¯s attention as the main character.


    Some people couldn¡¯t admit that Liliana, whom they dismissed as insignificant, was a better person than they thought.


    But those words soon died down.


    According to Iris, it was because the position of Lord Grayton¡¯s disciple held such authority.


    ¡®They used to curse like that until recently.¡¯


    Of course, in my eyes, neither the cursing nor the flattering people seemed noble.


    All social circles were like that, but it couldn¡¯t be helped that the people who pranced around Liliana looked like snobs.


    ¡°As expected of the top academy graduate! You are so amazing.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? You¡¯re Lord Grayton¡¯s student, so the Duke and his wife must be very proud.¡±


    ¡°Are there any books you would recommend on the subject? I¡¯m interested in the research Miss Liliana is going to study.¡±


    Liliana was dealing with them leisurely, as if the people talking to her didn¡¯t bother her.


    Maybe because I was looking at them with too much anguish.


    Iris, who was next to me, asked stealthily.


    ¡°Daisy, you¡¯re offended, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°A little. It¡¯s amazing that people can change their attitude so quickly.¡±


    Iris burst into laughter at my sarcastic words.


    ¡°They are all snobs.¡±


    Iris also didn¡¯t hold back, and for good reason.


    ¡°You know what, Daisy? I heard that recently, more and more young ladies of the same age as us are breaking their engagements.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Since Miss Liliana became Lord Grayton¡¯s apprentice, her engagement to the First Prince definitely fell through.¡±


    ¡°Are they aiming for that position?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I heard. Half of the young ladies who are gathered over there are like that.¡±


    I was shocked by Iris¡¯ words.


    ¡°They dare to break off their engagement for an uncertain position?¡±


    When I frowned, saying that I didn¡¯t understand, she nodded quietly.


    ¡°If Liliana pushes for them, the chance of becoming the princess increases, so they must be trying to look good.¡±


    Iris said, looking pitifully at those who gathered.


    ¡°Moreover, since Miss Liliana has declared that she will not become the princess, her chances of inheriting the dukedom are high. She has nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re funny people.¡±


    No matter how stupid I was, I remembered those who cursed at Liliana clearly in my head.


    ¡®Don¡¯t forget this, I¡¯ll tell Sister everything later.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t intend to see them in good light, so I huffed, but Iris muttered softly next to me.


    ¡°Well. If the result is more important than the process, their ugliness is understandable.¡±


    Judging from the pity in her voice, it seemed that she felt sorry for them.


    ¡®Come to think of it, wouldn¡¯t Iris be interested in the position of the Imperial Princess?¡¯


    I remembered what Iris asked me a while ago.


    ¡°What¡¯s your type, Iris?¡±


    ¡°My type?¡±


    ¡°I feel like we only talked about me last time and didn¡¯t hear anything about Iris.¡±


    That talk had gone a different way because I couldn¡¯t concentrate, but when I asked her pretending it hadn¡¯t happened that way, she answered without putting much thought.


    ¡°I like cute people.¡±


    ¡°¡­Cute?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So, if possible, I would like my spouse to be a cute person as well.¡±


    ¡°In terms of appearance?¡±


    ¡°In general. I get happy when I see something cute.¡±


    Iris let out a pleasant laugh.


    ¡°I hope everything about his appearance, personality, and attitude is cute. If I am going to live with someone, I hope it¡¯s someone who makes me feel better just by looking at them.¡±


    Iris¡¯s words gave me a new shock.


    ¡°And I have to take over the Count, so I hope my husband doesn¡¯t have a lot of desire for power. I don¡¯t want to get tired.¡±


    Iris¡¯s words were convincing.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you said the Holy Knight isn¡¯t your taste. Because he¡¯s far from being cute?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Recently, a new knight joined the Imperial Knights and he¡¯s famous, so I went to the training hall with other young ladies, but he¡¯s not my type either. He¡¯s far from being cute.¡±


    Iris sighed, saying that it was too bad.


    She was a very diligent person unlike me.


    ¡®It¡¯s kind of cool to go out looking for your groom on your own.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s sad that I haven¡¯t found a suitable partner yet after worrying about this and that.¡±


    ¡°Iris is a wonderful person, so soon the person you want will appear in front of you.¡±


    ¡°Whoa. Thank you. What about Daisy? Still don¡¯t have a type?¡±


    I tried to answer yes to the question that came back.


    However, because of the one person that popped into my head, my mouth couldn¡¯t easily say it out loud.


    ¡®Why am I reminded of Adelio?¡¯


    Obviously, I liked Adelio, but I was embarrassed because I liked his human side.


    As I dyed my face red, Iris asked with a mischievous expression.


    ¡°Do you have someone you like?¡±


    I was surprised by her words and screamed loudly.


    ¡°N-No! That¡¯s impossible! What are you talking about?!¡±


    However, Iris, who had been playful until a moment ago, was flustered.


    ¡°Miss Liliana¡­?¡±


    Startled by Iris¡¯ words, I turned around to see Liliana, who had come behind me before I knew it, staring down at me.


    ¡°Are you not with Miss Viola?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she doesn¡¯t usually attend parties.¡±


    The surroundings were so quiet that I could hear a slight whisper.


    ¡°I wonder what you meant.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just Lilliana.


    I didn¡¯t know when she came to the party, but Viola was also looking down at me from next to Liliana.


    Both of them had scary faces.

 CH 28

    The party, which had been noisy until a while ago, quickly became quiet.


    Seeing that the three ladies of Liviatan were gathered in one place, it was inevitable that we would gather attention, but it seemed they were looking at us because the atmosphere looked serious.


    ¡®Are you angry?¡¯


    However, there was nothing that could pose an issue in the conversation I had with Iris earlier.


    As I blinked my eyes with a puzzled expression, Sisters¡¯ expression became more serious.


    ¡®I¡¯ll have to answer first.¡¯


    I smiled as broadly as I could and said.


    ¡°I was just talking about my type.¡±


    ¡°Type?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean with your type?¡±


    Liliana and Viola¡¯s spirits didn¡¯t fade at all.


    ¡°My ideal type.¡±


    ¡°What? So suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a topic I can talk about.¡±


    When I spoke bluntly, Liliana hid her agitation and asked.


    ¡°R-Right. This can happen. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never heard of it. Daisy¡¯s ideal type. Isn¡¯t that right, Viola?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡®It¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say because the people around are paying attention.¡¯


    But I felt like my sisters wouldn¡¯t back down if I didn¡¯t answer.


    Still, I thought it would be better to answer quickly than to let this situation continue.


    ¡°A kind-hearted and gentle person.¡±


    Liliana fell into deep thought, rubbing her chin.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯ll have to remember it well.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anyone who isn¡¯t gentle get close to you.¡±


    Iris, who was next to Viola, whispered in my ear.


    ¡°They must really care about Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s true.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but smile awkwardly and nod.


    ¡°And you?¡±


    Viola looked at Iris and asked.


    ¡®Come to think of it, the two of them have never met.¡¯


    Iris smiled and greeted first.


    ¡°My name is Iris Patrick. I am Daisy¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Viola Liviatan.¡±


    Viola also bowed politely and turned to me again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t eat too many snacks.¡±


    ¡°I will eat in moderation.¡±


    I was embarrassed and spoke in a sullen voice, and she smiled and patted my head before leaving.


    I had told her that I was thinking about eating less due to the increased amount of snacks these days, but the amount of advice I received suddenly increased like this.


    ¡°They must really care a lot. I¡¯m an only child so I feel lonely. I¡¯m so jealous.¡±


    Before I knew it, Liliana had also left her spot, and the party flowed without much fuss as Iris chattered.


    ? ? ?


    When I returned to my room after the party, I was exhausted from the social activity that I hadn¡¯t done in a white.


    ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯


    After washing, I lay down on the bed with my hair half-dried and wrapped myself in the blanket.


    ¡®Since Sister Liliana¡¯s engagement has ended safely, she won¡¯t be as unhappy as she was in the dreams.¡¯


    I smiled with pride, but when I thought of Grandmother, my smile disappeared.


    ¡®She¡¯s suddenly staying at the mansion longer. Why?¡¯


    I heard that after Liliana¡¯s incident, Grandmother lavishly praised her granddaughter¡¯s brilliance.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably just on the outside. She¡¯s always frowning at the mansion.¡¯


    Since the engagement ceremony didn¡¯t happen, I naturally thought she would return to the dukedom, but she said that she was thinking of staying in the Capital a little longer.


    I didn¡¯t care anymore, I erased the uncomfortable feeling and lay down comfortably.


    ¡®But I haven¡¯t been dreaming lately.¡¯


    Of course, considering the dreams I had recently, I felt more comfortable not having them.


    ¡®But was I just deluded when I thought that my dream is a precognitive dream? Liliana¡¯s engagement ended too easily.¡¯


    In the end, I thought that treason, the destruction of the family, and the destruction of the Empire might be false.


    ¡®Honestly, it was absurd.¡¯


    As I felt the anticipation that the future would be filled with only peaceful things, the tension in my body loosened and I yawned.


    Soon after that, I closed my eyes, unable to overcome the sleep that was pushed by fatigue.


    ? ? ?


    I felt like my body was completely submerged.


    When I opened my eyes, feeling like I was falling into a dream again, I heard a loud noise.


    Viola was fighting sword to sword with a knight bigger than her in the arena.


    ¡®This place is¡­? Oh, it¡¯s a stadium.¡¯


    It was the final of the knight competition held every five years.


    It was only natural that a lot of attention and support was pouring into Viola, the youngest winner of the last competition.


    ¡°Viola! You can do it!¡±


    ¡°Captain, you can¡¯t lose to that guy!¡±


    Even while people around were cheering for her, Viola¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change much.


    ¡®Viola is so cool.¡¯


    Even in this situation, she looked great as she maintained her composure.


    Everyone in the family was busy, so I was the only person here from Liviatan.


    ¡®It¡¯s too bad that I¡¯m the only one watching this.¡¯


    They said the knight who made it to the final was a person who entered the Imperial Knights with their skills despite being a commoner.


    ¡®I heard they have great skills, but the opponent is Sister Viola.¡¯


    The fact that Viola proudly occupied the position of captain of the First Knight Order indicated that she was the best swordsman in the Empire, so everyone was certain of her victory.


    And so was I.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    However, the more the swords collided, the more Viola¡¯s expression deteriorated.


    If it were the usual Viola, no matter who the opponent was, she would have swung her sword leisurely until the end of the match without a single change of expression.


    Even for me who didn¡¯t know much about swords, her swordsmanship was unrivaled enough to be called beautiful.


    But now it was different.


    Viola was known for wielding her sword lightly, but she was moving it as if she were swinging a heavy object.


    Naturally, the opposing knight easily avoided the attack, and suddenly the situation was going in the opponent¡¯s favor.


    ¡®What? What¡¯s going on?¡¯


    While everyone was buzzing with confusion, the swords of those two continued to move, and someone¡¯s sword flew into the air and stuck to the floor.


    ¡°The game is over! The winner, Theodore!¡±


    Viola had lost.


    Viola was on her knees, unable to hide her shocked expression.


    The winner, Theodore, also seemed a bit taken aback, but he smiled brightly and raised his sword high.


    Everyone was dumbfounded by the unexpected situation, but they soon cheered for the birth of a new winner.


    ¡®No way!¡¯


    I was the only one shocked, unable to accept this victory or defeat.


    It was true that Viola had lost.


    But no matter how you think about it, isn¡¯t it strange?


    There was no way that she, who had been swinging her sword leisurely until just now, could be defeated like this.


    ¡°You punk!¡±


    No, I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one who thought so.


    Viola suddenly jumped on Theodore.


    She grabbed him by the collar and shouted in a voice mixed with anger.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done something!¡±


    People around her hurriedly began to stop Viola, but no one could stop her anger.


    ¡°You want me to accept that you, a commoner, defeat me just now?¡±


    ¡°Captain! Calm down!¡±


    The people around her tried to dissuade her, but once Viola¡¯s mouth opened, it didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°The more I parried the sword with you, the more strange something was. The sword didn¡¯t listen! Did you want to win using such a cowardly move!?¡±


    Viola¡¯s desperate cry made the hall noisy in a different way.


    But that, too, was only for a moment, Theodore threw away the hand that had grabbed his neck and said.


    ¡°To not admit defeat in a fair game. It¡¯s ugly, Captain.¡±


    Sadly, no one listened to the cries of the loser.


    After the scene, the surroundings began to change.


    I saw a familiar place, not the stadium.


    I was standing in front of Viola¡¯s room.


    ¡®Is this an extension of my dream?¡¯


    It was scary to think so, but the events after the knight competition passed through my mind.


    Due to Viola¡¯s strong protest, there was an investigation into the irregularities of the knight competition, but nothing suspicious was revealed.


    Viola¡¯s sword and the winner Theodore¡¯s sword were intact, and there was nothing wrong with the stadium.


    In the end, Viola was only branded as a sore loser in everyone¡¯s memory.


    The first defeat seemed to have come as a big shock to Viola.


    She stayed in her room for over a week without going to work.


    I knocked on the door with an anxious heart.


    ¡°Sister Viola, are you inside? Sister, I¡¯m so worried. If you don¡¯t mind, please answer me.¡±


    ¡°Noisy. Get out of there.¡±


    I called out to her anxiously, but the answering response was sharper than usual.


    ¡®This is a big problem.¡¯


    Time flew by again.


    The family said we should wait for Viola to get better, but as time went on, we could see that instead of getting better, she only got worse.


    The longer I waited, the more desperate I became.


    ¡°Sister, Sister.¡±


    ¡°I said you¡¯re noisy.¡±


    As I kept knocking, she finally opened the door.


    Taking a look at the messy room and glancing at Viola, who had a hardened expression like a demon, I quickly handed out a letter.


    ¡°There was a call from the Imperial family. There will be disciplinary action tomorrow for your absence. Sister, how about taking a vacation first?¡±


    There was no answer from Viola.


    She snatched the letter violently and closed the door with a loud noise.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing something useless.¡±


    ¡°S-Sister Lilliana.¡±


    I heard that she was out, so I was more startled than usual.


    ¡°Did you commit a crime? What¡¯s with your expression.¡±


    Liliana passed by me without saying much.


    At that moment, I had a courage that came out of nowhere.


    ¡°I think Sister Viola is having a hard time. Since Sister Liliana is closer to her than I am, why don¡¯t you comfort her?¡±


    ¡°Why me? If she can¡¯t overcome that much alone, she will be deprived of the Liviatan.¡±


    But Liliana casually refused and left.


    ¡®What do you mean why? It¡¯s because I am worried.¡¯


    Of course, it was a voice that wouldn¡¯t reach Liliana, who had already disappeared.


    I let out a sigh and was forced to leave the scene.


    Fortunately, when I woke up the next day, I finally heard that Viola had gone to work.


    I thought it was a relief, and I thought things would come back to the way they were.


    But I was wrong.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have told her yesterday.¡¯


    Viola returned to the mansion in a mess.


    After receiving a two-week probation.

 CH 29

    On the day Viola went to work, it seemed there were people around her secretly cursing her out.


    I heard that Viola couldn¡¯t stand the behavior of the people who recklessly spoke ill of her, and she swung her sword mercilessly at them and almost got into trouble.


    ¡®No, it¡¯s not like Sister Viola at all!¡¯


    The punishment lasted only two weeks, but it was enough time to damage Viola¡¯s reputation.


    What happened at the knight competition and to the knights began to spread by word of mouth.


    The title of the Empire¡¯s Greatest Knight had long since been cracked by her defeat in the knight competition, and a lot of people turned their backs on her after her disappointing attitude.


    Above all, since there was nothing more enjoyable than this for the common people, I heard that the traveling bards contributed to the spread of rumors.


    ¡®Theodore, a commoner knight who defeated a conceited aristocratic knight fair and square.¡¯


    Viola was a laughing stock to everyone.


    With her strong pride, she couldn¡¯t tolerate her situation nor she could forgive them.


    After the disciplinary action, Viola began to change.


    Viola, who was always calm, began to lose her temper easily over trivial matters.


    Her face was always full of anger, and if there was something she didn¡¯t like, she would act recklessly.


    Above all, she was given a disgraceful nickname because of her insistence on never admitting defeat in the knight competition.


    The Tyrant of the Imperial Knights.


    I heard that everyone complimented it, saying that it suited her.


    So Viola continued to lose her former self.


    Seeing Viola increasingly becoming more ferocious, the Imperial family finally made a decision.


    Time passed quickly, and in front of me, I saw a haggard Viola, not the one I once knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m the leader of the Third Knight Order¡­.¡±


    The Imperial family demoted Viola.


    ¡®Sister Viola was a part of the First Knight Order of the Imperial Family, a special group consisting of the most powerful men in the Empire.¡¯


    On the other hand, in the case of the Third Knight Order, most of the soldiers were assigned to patrol the capital and maintain public order, so they belonged to the lower ranks within the knights.


    In other words, it was a demotion.


    There was no longer any room for her honor to be restored.


    Due to the shock, Viola started drinking alcohol, which she had never tasted before.


    The whole family tried to stop her from turning into an alcoholic, but it was useless.


    The light gradually disappeared from Viola¡¯s eyes.


    Then one day, a very special guest came to her.


    ¡°Her Highness is here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She came to see Miss Viola quietly.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s words suddenly made me anxious.


    ¡®She¡¯s drinking a lot these days, will it be fine? Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to be by her side just in case?¡¯


    My body moved first, thinking that if another accident happened here, Viola would never be able to come back.


    When I arrived in front of Viola¡¯s room with hasty steps, unexpectedly, no one was guarding the front.


    ¡®What?¡¯


    It was strange that there was no escort at the princess¡¯s visit, so I went closer and saw that the door was slightly open.


    Looking through the gap, the Princess and her escorts were all in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting how straightforward you are now.¡±


    The unfamiliar voice clearly belonged to the Princess.


    ¡°You visited my father and Ronald because of your demotion, but you couldn¡¯t meet them, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing, looking for the people who will abandon you? It¡¯s no use anyway.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Viola called out to the Princess in a trembling voice, but she didn¡¯t listen and only said what she wanted to say.


    ¡°I am different from them. I acknowledge your outstanding talent, and I feel really sorry about this situation.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask my father to reinstate your position right away, but it¡¯s also not an easy situation.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    At Viola¡¯s resentful voice, the Princess comforted her with a gentle voice.


    ¡°But I want your honor restored. It¡¯s ridiculous that an excellent swordsman like you is only the leader of the Third Knight Order.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I will reinstate you.¡±


    ¡°How? It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, I will make the impossible possible.¡±


    The Princess held out her sword to Viola.


    ¡°Go to the outskirts and come back after winning the war against the demons. If you do that I¡¯ll somehow put you in the position of First Knight¡¯s captain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Just make an excuse. After that, I¡¯ll take care of everything myself.¡±


    Viola slowly raised her head and looked at the Princess for a long time.


    And soon she accepted the sword from her and said.


    ¡°I accept your order.¡±


    ? ? ?


    After that day, Viola volunteered to be dispatched to the outskirts, and thanks to that, rumors about her gradually faded away.


    But nothing improved.


    Viola¡¯s honor and reputation remained, and every time she returned occasionally, there was a lot of friction in the house.


    Liliana and Viola hadn¡¯t been together for a while because they clashed at every opportunity.


    ¡®Where will this dream end?¡¯


    The dream and reality didn¡¯t match.


    Liliana obviously chose to become Lord Grayton¡¯s apprentice rather than betrothed to the First Prince, so why is she still present as his fianc¨¦e in this dream?


    Time passed by quickly again, with the question still unresolved.


    The swift-passing time stopped on the day Viola returned to the capital after her long absence.


    Liliana and Viola still growled and argued when they met.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to put the hedonistic princess on the throne? For you to make that decision, you must be insane.¡±


    ¡°You talk a lot about the subject, considering you made a decision because you were blinded by love. Don¡¯t judge her by how she looks on the outside. Enjoying entertainment is just her external appearance, but she is a person who plans thoroughly and looks into the future.¡±


    ¡°Once she becomes the Emperor, Odphelia will perish in an instant.¡±


    ¡°I cannot tolerate anyone insulting my lord, even if it¡¯s you.¡±


    But today, Liliana and Viola¡¯s war of nerves intensified.


    The two reacted more sensitively than ever, and their voices gradually rose.


    ¡°Are you going to point a sword at me?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    At Viola¡¯s words, Liliana looked at her with a shocked face.


    ¡°I thought you and I could walk the same path, but I guess I was wrong.¡±


    Liliana¡¯s face no longer showed any emotion.


    ¡°Our relationship as a family ends here. I won¡¯t care what happens to you in the future.¡±


    ¡°You said what I wanted to say.¡±


    The two stared at each other and turned their backs and disappeared.


    They didn¡¯t hesitate at all as they walked away without looking back as if they would never see each other again.


    I was looking at those two with a nervous feeling, but the surroundings suddenly started to shake.


    I closed my eyes, enduring dizziness from the collapse of the space around me, and when I opened them, I was standing in a place I had never seen before.


    ¡®Prison?¡¯


    Startled, I looked around and saw a familiar face in the distance.


    Viola was shouting, looking up at the Princess with a desperate expression.


    ¡°I believed in Your Highness. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint you for trusting me. I wanted to give my life to be with you until the end.¡±


    Contrary to Viola¡¯s miserable expression, the Princess was looking down at her with a smile.


    ¡°Why? Why are you throwing me away like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun anymore.¡±


    ¡°For that reason¡­.¡±


    The Princess burst into laughter at Viola¡¯s bewildered expression.


    ¡°And I decided to join hands with Ronald for a while. I guess your twin sister is no longer useful.¡±


    ¡°Liliana¡­?¡±


    Viola froze at the name that was suddenly brought up.


    ¡°Go back to the mansion and wait for your end, Viola.¡±


    With the Princess¡¯ last words, the view surrounding me began to shake again.


    This dream was similar to Lilliana¡¯s.


    The reason why they chose their respective Imperial family member, and the final image of being betrayed.


    The surroundings crumble again.


    The space in my dream changed so quickly that it illuminated the lobby of the duke¡¯s residence.


    Familiar places, familiar situations, familiar people.


    ¡°Yes, we did. I don¡¯t want to see your arrogant appearance anymore, so I tried to kill you by colluding with the demons! I was about to hand over this Empire into the hands of the demons!¡±


    ¡°Is that enough? Now that you¡¯ve got the answers you want, you must be feeling better!¡±


    Lilliana¡¯s and Viola¡¯s raging voices made it clear that this was part of the dream I had a year ago.


    ¡°I love you and everything is now ruined. I shouldn¡¯t have loved you.¡±


    I could hear Liliana¡¯s voice sobbing in agony.


    ¡°If only I didn¡¯t serve you as my lord. That¡¯s where the worst started.¡±


    I also heard Viola¡¯s voice of regret.


    ¡°If I could turn back time, I wouldn¡¯t hold your hand.¡±


    Those two looked at the First Prince and the Princess with hateful eyes and said.


    ¡°Never!¡±


    As soon as those words ended, the dreams I had so far began to flow quickly in my head as time passed.


    Starting with Liliana¡¯s happy engagement with the First Prince, she gradually began to distance herself from her family.


    After Viola was defeated in the knight competition, she began to break down, and after meeting the Princess, she suddenly volunteered to leave for the outskirt.


    Liliana wanted the First Prince to become the crown prince, and the two of them became isolated from a certain moment and did not even talk.


    In the end, those two became each other¡¯s enemies, and the moment they became useless, they were abandoned by the people they trusted.


    And lastly.


    The family and Empire that perished along with my sisters who shouted their regrets with hatred and resentment.


    When the dream was over, I opened my eyes.

 CH 30

    I blinked and corrected my shaky vision.


    What I saw in front of me was my familiar room.


    It wasn¡¯t Viola¡¯s room, it wasn¡¯t a prison, and it wasn¡¯t the lobby of the mansion.


    The bluish morning light shimmered in the window.


    ¡°A dream?¡±


    I sighed and rubbed my forehead.


    ¡®A dream? It can¡¯t be.¡¯


    It was vivid as if it had happened right in front of my eyes.


    It was never a dream.


    The same shock as when I dreamed of the Empire¡¯s destruction a year ago ran through my body.


    ¡®Why did I dream like that the moment I didn¡¯t want to have a precognitive dream?¡¯


    Isn¡¯t this timing astonishing?


    The dreams kept showing up as if to tell me never to forget them.


    ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯


    I thought I could relax because dreams and reality were going differently, but I felt anxious again.


    Above all, the dreams showed why my sisters committed treason.


    I didn¡¯t even have a question about what the direct cause of the rebellion might be before I thought about stopping the rebellion by becoming close with my sisters.


    When I was tired and decided to give up everything, my sisters changed and I thought I had achieved my goal by getting close to them.


    Even when I dreamed of Liliana getting engaged and estranged from the family, I was relieved that in the end, the reality was different from the dream.


    I thought the dreams I had before were just coincidences, and I hoped that the dream of the Empire being destroyed was just a useless dream.


    And it was the same now.


    ¡®But there¡¯s a what-if.¡¯


    What if it was just a coincidence that Lilliana¡¯s fate changed?


    Or what if it still happened somehow?


    Even if she was already living a life as a scholar under the order of the Emperor, what if someone used dirty tricks to kick her out?


    The flood of negative thoughts grew bigger.


    I curled up in fear and closed my eyes tightly.


    In the dream, Liliana was betrayed by the person she loved, and Viola was betrayed by the lord she wanted to trust until the end.


    At the end of their decisions, leaving the family behind, and leaving everything behind, they ended up being useless and abandoned.


    If the precognitive dreams came true somehow, in the end, my sisters might commit treason due to the shock of betrayal, and the family and empire might perish together.


    I didn¡¯t want to cling to the uncertainty, but I couldn¡¯t just ignore it because I knew it was related to my sisters and my family.


    ¡®The damn Imperial family.¡¯


    First Prince Ronald Odphelia.


    Princess Blair Odphelia.


    I gritted my teeth when I thought of the pitiful sisters who were used and abandoned in my dream after being entangled in the crown prince selection.


    ¡®Bad people. I¡¯ll never see my sisters playing into their hands again.¡¯


    I jumped out of my seat and sat down at the desk.


    I hurriedly took out a piece of paper and meticulously wrote down notes so that I didn¡¯t forget the dream I had, then I fell into deep thoughts.


    ¡®As long as Sisters doesn¡¯t come into contact with the Imperial family, this could work.¡¯


    Sister Lilliana was studying hard as a scholar, and the First Prince hadn¡¯t returned from another country yet.


    So I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Liliana for the time being.


    I suppressed my uneasiness and sighed as I scribbled the name of the next person.


    ¡®What¡¯s left is Viola¡­¡¯


    I thought of the sparsely connected scenes.


    ¡®It was after she lost the knight competition that Viola began to break down.¡¯


    Obviously, she went up to the final easily, and at the beginning of the game, she was leisurely facing the sword.


    ¡®Then, it means that there was a problem during the game¡­.¡¯


    Looking back to the words Viola shouted, she said that the other knight had done something cowardly, but nothing was revealed.


    Eventually, Viola couldn¡¯t contain her resentment and anger, and she couldn¡¯t recover her crushed pride, so she ended up in a mess.


    ¡®Then there¡¯s only one way, I have to stop Sister Viola from joining the knight competition.¡¯


    When the Imperial family investigated directly afterward, they couldn¡¯t find anything suspicious, so the possibility of me figuring it out after the incident was extremely small.


    No matter how strong Viola was, if she got caught up in such nonsense, the outcome was not guaranteed.


    However, when I thought of the upcoming future, the fear I felt last year came back.


    ¡°No. Now that I know the cause, I have come up with a way to stop it. Let¡¯s hope, Daisy.¡±


    I calmed down and looked out the window.


    ¡®Sister Viola?¡¯


    At the familiar figure, I hurriedly approached the window.


    There I could see Viola passing by, soaking in sweat.


    ¡®You¡¯re working hard from early in the morning.¡¯


    Viola was the one who worked so hard that she sweated profusely from early morning.


    Even if she was called a genius, she wasn¡¯t arrogant and always worked hard in her place, so I didn¡¯t want to see her broken again.


    ¡®I can never let you be treated like that.¡¯


    Viola should never be defeated, nor should Princess Blair reach out to her.


    ¡°The schedule for the knight competition hasn¡¯t come out yet, so I¡¯ll have to think about how to prevent it before then.¡±


    ? ? ?


    ¡°God. If you¡¯re looking down on me, please let me know.¡±


    I put my hands together and prayed to God with a desperate heart.


    ¡®Please tell me when the knight competition is!¡¯


    I wanted to shout loudly, hoping that it would be heard high in the sky, but considering that it was a prayer room, I shouted vigorously to myself.


    ¡®There are only rumors about the location, the exact date is kept secret!¡¯


    I was so frustrated that it felt like my veins would burst out of my neck, and the hands I folded together trembled.


    I asked around, but unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t find out the date of the knight competition.


    ¡°That¡¯s how special the competition is. Can I prevent her from participating in such a competition?¡¯


    Unable to overcome the frustration at not making progress, I let out a sigh.


    I came to the temple to calm down my complicated mind, but it wasn¡¯t as effective as before.


    I glared at the crowd outside in contrast to the quiet prayer room.


    ¡®I didn¡¯t know there are still so many people coming to see Adelio.¡¯


    I came to the temple to get peace of mind, but in fact, I came to see Adelio after a long time.


    However, there were still many people looking for Adelio as a popular figure in the temple, but he didn¡¯t show up at all.


    Seeing that I couldn¡¯t see him, I wondered if he might be caught in a group somewhere.


    ¡®He asked me to have a meal with him, but he hasn¡¯t contacted me.¡¯


    I wanted to schedule a meal today, but it felt like it would be difficult.


    ¡®Was he just being polite?¡¯


    The prayer was over, and since it didn¡¯t seem like I was able to see the person I wanted to meet, I thought it was time to go back.


    I tidied up my clothes and quietly slipped out through the side door.


    ¡®I don¡¯t want to be treated the same.¡¯


    It was a contradiction that I had come to the temple for the same purpose as them, and yet I didn¡¯t want to be treated the same way.


    ¡®No. But since Adelio and I are friends, isn¡¯t it a bit different?¡¯


    I took a little nervous step at the answer that didn¡¯t return, but suddenly someone grabbed my shoulder.


    I couldn¡¯t overcome the recoil with the whirling sound and my hair shook violently like a wave.


    A familiar scent tickled the tip of my nose through the fluttering hair.


    A refreshing scent soon spread around me and made me feel as if I was being engulfed in the scent.


    ¡°Got you.¡±


    Adelio looked at me and smiled broadly like a mischievous boy.


    My eyes stared at his tousled hair and crooked collar as if he had just run over to here, and he began to tidy up my hair with an embarrassed expression.


    ¡°I am sorry. I¡¯m just so happy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Seriously, this body¡¯s heart started beating loudly again as if it really hurt somewhere.


    I spoke in a slightly louder voice than usual, fearing that he could hear my heart.


    ¡°Did you run here?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because I saw Daisy in the distance while passing by.¡±


    ¡°From where?¡±


    Adelio pointed his index finger to the hallway of the building across the street.


    I was surprised to hear that he had just run through a distance that would have taken 10 minutes to go up and down because of the stairs.


    ¡°You should have called out to me.¡±


    ¡°You looked like you were lost in deep thought. And you don¡¯t like drawing attention, Daisy.¡±


    I nodded slightly at Adelio¡¯s words, and he quickly tidied up his collar.


    I was happy that he had come all the way here out of consideration for me.


    ¡°Are you here to pray? If I had been near the prayer room, we could have talked a little longer, what a shame.¡±


    ¡°Actually, the reason I came here today.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I fiddled with my fingers for no reason, sparing my words, then averted my gaze and said.


    ¡°The reason I came here is to make a meal appointment.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Adelio, who had been speaking softly a moment before, suddenly shut his mouth.


    I was suddenly afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything.


    ¡®Was he really just being polite?¡¯


    As I wondered if I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned it, I turned my head to immediately cancel it, then my eyes met Adelio, who was smiling very happily.


    ¡°¡­Why are you smiling like that?¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m so glad. Because Daisy is visiting the temple to see me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I made a promise.¡±


    My voice gradually diminished in embarrassment.


    Adelio also raised his hand to cover his mouth, perhaps feeling embarrassed, but when he tried to cover it, his eyes were smiling, so there seemed to be no point in covering it.


    ¡°I also want to make an appointment right away, but I think I have to postpone it a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡±


    In response to my question, Adelio added an explanation as if it was nothing special.


    ¡°There is a request for cooperation from the Imperial family because the knight competition will be held in a month.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Because the knight competition gathers various classes, there is a lack of manpower. Thanks to that, I¡¯ve been out of it these days.¡±


    He put on a startled expression as I blinked foolishly at the sudden information.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a secret.¡±


    Oh, God


    It seemed God had seriously listened to my prayers.

 CH 31

    At the tremendous information I heard from Adelio, I bid him goodbye and quickly returned to the duke¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Don¡¯t run around. You¡¯re so uneducated.¡±


    As soon as I came back, I ran down the hallway, and Grandmother who was passing by gave me sharp advice.


    ¡°Yes! Okay!¡±


    I was in a hurry, so I answered her half-heartedly and didn¡¯t stop running.


    I heard the sound of her tongue clicking from behind as I moved away, but it wasn¡¯t important right now.


    When I finally reached Viola¡¯s room, I caught my breath and knocked with a nervous expression.


    However, even after waiting for a long time, I didn¡¯t get the response I had expected.


    I grabbed the passing maid and asked.


    ¡°Where is Sister Viola?¡±


    I thought she would be in her room since it was already past work hours, so I felt impatient


    ¡°She¡¯s practicing in the training hall.¡±


    ¡°Really? Thank you!¡±


    I started running down the stairs again without catching my breath.


    ¡°Daisy! Watch out, you¡¯re going to fall!¡±


    After answering Liliana¡¯s voice that came from somewhere, I came down the stairs safely.


    ¡°Why are you in such a hurry?¡±


    I could hear Liliana talking to herself from behind, but I couldn¡¯t answer because I was so distracted.


    ¡®Oops.¡¯


    Perhaps the constant running had become too much for me, my legs were gradually losing their strength.


    ? ? ?


    I managed to move my tired, limp body and get to the training hall.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard.¡±


    I lowered my head, took a breath that seemed to pass, and rolled my head.


    ¡®I came in a hurry, but what should I say?¡¯


    Whoo- Whoo- Whisk-


    As I was thinking about it, I could hear the sound of a sword cutting through the air nearby.


    As if naturally guided by the sound, I lifted my head and the training hall where the sunset was setting spread out in front of me.


    Viola was training while standing alone in the center of the training hall.


    The way Viola swung her sword was light like blowing wind, and it was so cool that it looked like a piece of art.


    The power carried by the sword remained unshakable and calm at all times as if she didn¡¯t get tired from the continuous rapid movements.


    ¡®Amazing.¡¯


    As I stared at the beautiful figure, fascinated by it, Viola felt my gaze and turned her head toward me.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    She looked a little surprised.


    I clapped my hands incessantly, forgetting my purpose in coming here.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so cool.¡±


    ¡°I just wielded the sword.¡±


    Viola wiped the sweat off her chin with an indifferent look.


    ¡°No, it was great. Sister, you looked as though you were born to hold a sword.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I think I know why the craftsmen want to make a sword for Sister! It¡¯s amazing!¡±


    Fortunately, she didn¡¯t seem to be in a bad mood, even though I twinkled my eyes and uttered in admiration.


    ¡®Well, she must be used to this kind of compliment.¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t hide my pride and was smiling to myself when Viola asked.


    ¡°But what brings you here? Are you going to start working out again?¡±


    She frowned as if she was recalling the past.


    Seeing Viola¡¯s concerned gaze, I shook my head.


    ¡°I came to ask Sister to go on a picnic with me together in a month.¡±


    I hurriedly added a plausible reason and continued.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go on a picnic together on the weekend. I¡¯m going to take a packed lunch and go see the autumn leaves.¡±


    ¡°Picnic?¡±


    ¡°Yes! The hill behind the duchy is full of colored leaves in autumn! Whenever I saw autumn leaves, I wanted to go on a picnic with Sisters.¡±


    Viola tried to answer my words right away, but she paused and hardened.


    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t think I can.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Why?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a knight competition at that time. I have to participate.¡±


    At the words that came out of Viola¡¯s mouth, I didn¡¯t panic and continued talking.


    ¡°Uh, Sister is the leader of the First Knight Order, so why would Sister need to go to the competition? Honestly, the judges wouldn¡¯t know.¡±


    The more I spoke, the less confident I became and the more my voice got smaller and smaller.


    ¡®I should have come up with a good reason! Should I just pester her to come with me?¡¯


    But I didn¡¯t want to be the ugly little sister who was acting like a kid and yelling at her to go on a picnic with me.


    ¡®Is this useless?¡¯


    As I kept looking at Viola, she put her hand on my head.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking strange things right now.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of anything strange.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you think asking me was useless?¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Look me in the eye and say it.¡±


    She flicked me on the forehead because I couldn¡¯t make eye contact.


    ¡°Ouch.¡±


    It was only loud and less powerful, but it hurt.


    When I grabbed my forehead and pouted, Viola softened the corner of her mouth and smiled.


    ¡°After the knight competition, I can go as long as we are together.¡±


    ¡®I said it with the intention of skipping the knight competition, so it will be already too late then.¡¯


    ¡°Early autumn leaves are the prettiest.¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to, but I ended up acting like a spoiled brat.


    Viola began to soothe me, thinking that I was upset.


    ¡°But I have to go to the knight competition.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is there any special reason?¡±


    ¡°A reason.¡±


    Viola looked at the setting sunset and said nothing as if lost in thought.


    At her pensive look, I tried to say something, but I closed my mouth.


    I didn¡¯t want to disturb her deep train of thought.


    ¡°There¡¯s a match I want to fight.¡±


    Viola patted my head gently and recited as if it were a promise.


    ¡°I have to win.¡±


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    Viola¡¯s figure under the swaying sunset was very solemn.


    ¡®Like a person about to go to war.¡¯


    ¡°Who do you have to fight? Sister is the best knight in the Empire. Sister is the leader of the First Knight Order¡­¡±


    At my words, Viola spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in such positions.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Because status doesn¡¯t speak of my skills.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s true, but.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when the match is over.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know that her determination for the competition was this firm.


    I was stunned to think that her determination would not waver no matter what reason I brought up.


    ¡°Then can I cheer for you at the knight competition?¡±


    ¡°Were you not planning to come?¡±


    Viola¡¯s somber expression disappeared, and her sadness began to hover.


    I hurriedly waved my hand and denied it.


    ¡°I would still go even if you told me not to come.¡±


    I had gone secretly even when we weren¡¯t close, but now I had no reason not to go.


    At my answer, Viola held out her hand with a satisfied look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re holding my hand even if no one is around?¡±


    ¡°Because the road is bumpy and you might fall.¡±


    I smiled at Viola¡¯s nonsense and held her hand tightly.


    ¡®But I can¡¯t just watch and stay still. I¡¯ll have to think of another way.¡¯


    ? ? ?


    ¡°Goodbye, miss!¡±


    Leaving Isabelle¡¯s bright voice behind, I climbed into the carriage.


    Trying to shake off the tension, I held on to the large basket tightly so that I wouldn¡¯t drop it.


    Duke Liviatan¡¯s splendid carriage left the duke¡¯s residence vigorously.


    Looking at the strong sunlight, it seemed that summer had really come.


    ¡®I can do this.¡¯


    After staying up all night thinking, I couldn¡¯t come up with ways to stop Viola from participating in the knight competition.


    ¡®Then there is only one way.¡¯


    Looking back on my dream, Viola had complained of injustice, claiming that the opponent was cheating.


    I didn¡¯t know yet what kind of trick her opponent did in the final, but I just needed to stop him before that.


    In order to do that, I had to first look at what kind of person the other person was.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to go to see the place where Sister works, too.¡¯


    It wouldn¡¯t be a nuisance because Viola had said that I could come to the Knight Order at any time since she was disappointed that I only hung out with Liliana in the past.


    ¡®I brought a lunch box, so I have plenty of excuses. The final opponent was definitely a man called Theodore.¡¯


    A commoner knight with outstanding skills.


    ¡®If it looks like he¡¯s going to do something suspicious, I¡¯ll have to stop him somehow!¡¯


    In order to do that, I would have to visit their training hall often, but I was a little worried about whether that would be possible.


    The carriage ran fast.


    I quickly arrived in front of the Imperial palace.


    ¡®It¡¯s quite hot.¡¯


    I fixed my hat so that it wouldn¡¯t fly off, got off the carriage, and started walking slowly.


    ¡®I can¡¯t ride the carriage to enter a place where the knights are.¡¯


    Walking aimlessly under the scorching sun, it was so hot that sweat ran down my back.


    ¡®Is this really the right way?¡¯


    It was so hot, no matter how much I walked, I couldn¡¯t find the destination I wanted.


    On the contrary, the more I stepped forward, the thicker the bush became. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed I was lost.


    ¡°I am in big trouble.¡±


    Had I known this was going to happen, I would have brought an escort with me.


    The basket was heavy and the polished road had disappeared before I knew it.


    I stopped in place and looked around for a long time, unable to hide my embarrassment.


    ¡®What do I do? I¡¯m completely lost.¡¯


    How did I get here? My head was spinning.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t decide whether I should stand still or walk recklessly forward.


    At that moment of confusion, I heard a rustling sound from somewhere.


    I was startled and turned my gaze that way, and I saw someone yawning and getting up.


    ¡°Hoam. I¡¯m so sleepy I might die.¡±


    I approached the familiar knight uniform with a welcoming smile.


    ¡®I¡¯m glad! I have someone to ask for help.¡¯


    ¡°Excuse me!¡±


    I smiled broadly and called out to the man, and at my voice, he turned his head this way.


    Then he distorted his expression and uttered in a voice mixed with irritation.


    ¡°What the hell?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Are you following me all the way here? You bloody stalker.¡±

 CH 32

    Judging from his healthy body and extremely handsome appearance that couldn¡¯t be hidden even if it was wrapped under his uniform, he seemed to be popular with women.


    ¡®I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere.¡¯


    As I tried to recall his familiar appearance, the man roughly tousled his curly brown hair.


    The man kicked the ground, probably not intending to hide his annoyance.


    ¡°It¡¯s break time, but I can¡¯t even rest properly.¡±


    Then he glared at me once and walked away from me briskly across the bushes.


    ¡°Just try following me again.¡±


    In this surprising situation, I couldn¡¯t say anything with my mouth open.


    I could only stare blankly at his back as he disappeared.


    It was only after he completely disappeared that I manage to speak.


    ¡°W-What is this situation?¡±


    I frowned, flustered.


    ¡°Stalker, me?¡±


    I was belatedly angry at the fact that I had been treated disrespectfully by a man I had never seen before.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡±


    I started chasing the direction the man was walking, reddening and huffing.


    ¡°Who are you calling stalker?!¡±


    With the determination to catch the man right away and listen to his apology, I made my way through the bush.


    The moment I reached the end of the bush, my field of view opened up.


    The forest road, which had been quiet since a while ago, had gone somewhere and noisy sounds filled the surroundings.


    ¡°H-Huh?¡±


    ¡®I managed to find my way.¡¯


    All I wanted to find was the knight¡¯s building¡­


    A large training hall was spread out in front of me, and the knights were gathering there to train.


    I was so surprised that I lost my strength and accidentally dropped the basket.


    At the sound, one of the knights who was training nearby turned his head.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I blinked at the question as soon as our eyes met.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡±


    The eyes of the knights around were focused on me.


    At the sight of many people looking at me, I hurriedly picked up the basket filled with the lunchbox.


    This situation was too burdensome, but if I ran away without a word, I would only become a suspicious person.


    I tried to calm my trembling heart and smiled broadly.


    ¡°Hello. I came to the knight¡¯s building to see my sister, but I got lost. Can I ask for your help?¡±


    ¡°Sister?¡±


    ¡°Did Lord Philoa have a sister?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Christian¡¯s sister? I think her hair color is a little similar.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she Eze¡¯s sister?¡±


    I wanted to get out of this place quickly, but for some reason, more and more knights started to come.


    ¡°No, I have heard that Christian only has a brother.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like Eze. Her physique is too different.¡±


    ¡°Is she Lord Philoa¡¯s sister?¡±


    I could just tell them, but they started to argue amongst themselves, debating who my sister was.


    It didn¡¯t seem like it would end at this rate.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    I tried talking to them, but it seemed they were immersed in their own world.


    As I was thinking about whether I should shout or not, I made eye contact with the person behind the group.


    ¡®The person from before.¡¯


    I frowned at the unpleasant feeling I had forgotten, but the man also began to approach me with his forehead wrinkled.


    ¡®Are you planning on kicking me out?¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t a stalker, so I had nothing to fear.


    ¡°Hey, you¡­¡±


    The moment the man finally approached me and opened his mouth to say something, a voice I had heard somewhere pierced my ears through the noise.


    ¡°Lady Liviatan?¡±


    ¡°Ah! Lord Hudson!¡±


    It was the knight who was next to Viola in the hallway the other day.


    I remembered his name and delightfully called him.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Are you here to see Captain?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s right. But I took the wrong road and got lost so I ended up here.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Fortunately, Captain is nearby¡­.¡±


    I smiled in relief at the thought of finally being able to see Viola, but there was a sudden silence.


    ¡®What is it?¡¯


    The knights forgot to discuss among themselves and looked at me with an expression as if they had been hit in the back of the head.


    ¡°Uoooh!¡±


    And they all screamed at the same time.


    I flinched, and Sir Hudson looked at them as if they had gone mad.


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Are you really the captain¡¯s sister?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard that she has a sister.¡±


    ¡°No, she has a sister, and they¡¯re famous for not being close.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If it got famous, Captain must have hated her so much¡­¡±


    The knights chatted wildly, then suddenly lowered their voices and looked at me.


    ¡®My relationship with Sister is so famous.¡¯


    I felt bitter, but I could understand their reaction.


    But now that I was close with my sisters, I thought the rumor would subside to some extent, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case.


    ¡®They¡¯re tactless.¡¯


    As I wiggled my fingers holding the basket for no reason, I heard a hard voice without a high pitch.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on there?¡±


    Viola appeared, hovering over those gathered here.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold back my joy and went into Viola¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Daisy?¡±


    Viola looked at me with a surprised look and immediately hugged me in her arms.


    ¡°Gasp.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing the captain¡¯s face like that.¡±


    ¡°Is there something wrong with my eyes? Wow, crazy.¡±


    The knights, who had been talking formally a while ago, began to whisper in surprise.


    I tried to get away from Viola because of the belated embarrassment, but she wouldn¡¯t let go.


    ¡°Captain is also a person who knows how to smile.¡±


    The knights murmured even more as I couldn¡¯t get out of Viola¡¯s arms and didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Sister, let go of me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Viola loosened her grip with a face of great regret, and I took a step back.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I came here because I wanted to have lunch with Sister. Have you eaten?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then am I getting in the way?¡±


    ¡°Never.¡±


    I smiled broadly at Viola¡¯s words.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s have lunch together!¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Viola picked up the basket I was carrying without saying anything.


    ¡°But how did you get to the training hall?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I wanted to go to the knight¡¯s building, but I got lost on the way.¡±


    I turned my head and looked at the unfriendly man who led me here.


    Perhaps he had been looking this way, as soon as our eyes met, he flinched, and I raised a corner of my mouth at that sight.


    ¡°I met that knight while wandering in the forest, and he was so kind that he guided me to this place.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    At my words, Viola also turned and looked at the person I pointed to.


    ¡°Y-Yes.¡±


    The man broke out in a cold sweat and slurred his words.


    ¡®Hmm. I¡¯ll cut you some slack.¡¯


    Anyway, thanks to that person, I was able to come out to the training hall, and Sister happened to be here, so I decided to be kind.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to say hello, so can I ask what the knight¡¯s name is?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s Theodore.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    I closed my eyes, wondering if I had heard it wrong.


    ¡°Sir Theodor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say anything more than that, so it seemed my ears weren¡¯t wrong.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m glad to know the name of the knight who helped me. Thank you for showing me here, Sir Theodore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Theodore.¡±


    When Viola added her gratitude, he lowered his head with an embarrassed expression.


    It looked like he was trying to hide his bitter expression, but I could clearly see it.


    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s get going now.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s enjoy our lunch.¡±


    Viola held out her hand to me after briefly notifying the crowd.


    I took Viola¡¯s hand as I was accustomed to it and started following her.


    ¡®Theodore, he said.¡¯


    I glanced back.


    Theodore was scratching his head with a mixture of irritation and embarrassment.


    Just like before, he kicked the floor violently and then he burst into anger after he got hit in the head by a knight next to him.


    As it looked like they were about to fight, I turned my head again and looked forward.


    ¡®I thought he looked familiar.¡¯


    It was the guy who fought Viola in the final.


    ¡®The commoner knight Theodore.¡¯


    A person who was said to have proudly entered the Imperial family¡¯s First Knight Order despite being a commoner due to his outstanding skills.


    The winner of the knight competition.


    And the one who brought defeat to Viola.


    ¡®It¡¯s not right to judge people by their appearance or way of speaking, but¡­¡¯


    Unlike other knights, he noticeably had a harsh image and a harsh way of speaking.


    And seeing that he seemed to have a bad relationship with those around him, naturally, I couldn¡¯t help but give him negative evaluations.


    ¡®I know you shouldn¡¯t judge people by first impressions, but¡­¡¯


    But when Sister Viola stepped up, it was clear from the careless way he was looking at her that he didn¡¯t like her!


    ¡®As expected, you¡¯re the number one suspect!¡¯


    I still vividly remembered Viola¡¯s voice filled with resentment.


    Until the end of her life, she was branded a cowardly loser and lost everything.


    ¡®Bad kid. Do you think I am just going to wait and see?¡¯


    I felt like I had to come up with an excuse to come to the Knight Order somehow.


    ¡®I should use Sister¡¯s power to visit her often.¡¯


    In order to use whatever means necessary, I decided to ambitiously use Sister¡¯s power.


    ¡®Before that¡­¡¯


    I decided to keep Theodore¡¯s face firmly in my mind so that I wouldn¡¯t forget it.


    Theodore seemed to have been looking at us the whole time. As soon as I turned my head, our eyes met.


    ¡®What? Why are you staring?¡¯


    As soon as our eyes met, he turned his head away and quickly left the place with rough steps.


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯


    Really, from the first impression, everything about him was unlikeable.

 CH 33

    ¡°This is where Sister work.¡±


    In the commander¡¯s office that I visited for the first time, I couldn¡¯t hide my joy and looked around.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to watch slowly.¡±


    Viola put the basket on the side of the table and pulled out a chair and said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡±


    ¡°Look at your spirit. You¡¯re really hungry, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    When I sat down on the chair she gave me, Viola also sat across from me.


    I took the food out of the basket one by one and quietly said to Viola.


    ¡°I am really not bothering you, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m rather busy with work these days, so I tend to skip lunch most of the time.¡±


    The words she said so calmly were shocking.


    ¡°¡­How could you do that?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°You always told me to eat a nutritious meal on time!¡±


    ¡°You and I are different.¡±


    I shook my head at the words Viola said casually.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not different. Sister has to eat well, too. If you don¡¯t eat properly because you¡¯re busy, your body will suffer.¡±


    ¡°Skipping this much is fine.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fine!¡±


    The moment I was about to shout out of frustration, something passed through my mind.


    ¡®I was worried about how to get in and out of the Knight Order, so this works out.¡¯


    I immediately brought up the idea that had just occurred to me.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of packing Sister¡¯s lunch from now on until the knight competition.¡±


    ¡°You will? You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    Viola wiped the sweat off my forehead and said.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot even for me, so there¡¯s no need for you to suffer.¡±


    ¡°Sister. You said there¡¯s someone you want to fight in the knight competition. To do that, you have to stay in top shape.¡±


    I said, placing a deliciously prepared sandwich in front of Viola.


    ¡°I also want Sister to win the knight competition. So please think of this as my own support.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wander and get lost again?¡±


    ¡°It was because it was my first time. I won¡¯t forget the roads I¡¯ve seen once.¡±


    Viola smiled faintly as I grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯ll bring it every day, it¡¯s just until the knight competition is over. So please let me.¡±


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t allow it?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t¡­¡±


    At Viola¡¯s low voice, I swallowed.


    ¡®I can¡¯t back down here. I won¡¯t watch Sister lose to Theodore.¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯ll sneak up on you and leave you behind!¡±


    I spoke in a solemn voice, and Viola turned her head.


    ¡®Are you angry?¡¯


    As soon as I spat those words out, I noticed it, and when I looked at her quietly, Viola was covering her mouth with her hand.


    ¡°Pfft.¡±


    Then, she burst into small laughter.


    ¡°Sister Viola?¡±


    With a heartbroken expression on my face, I raised her other hand as if to ask if she was laughing at my great determination.


    ¡°Sorry. You look so serious.¡±


    ¡°You think it¡¯s funny that I¡¯m being serious?¡±


    ¡°A little?¡±


    When I put on a shocked look, Viola quickly began to patch things up.


    ¡°Of course, you can come, but I am not sure about it because you¡¯re so somber like someone about to do something big.¡±


    Viola rose from her seat and headed for the desk.


    Then she took something out of the drawer and put it in front of me.


    ¡°It¡¯s an entry permit. If you show this, you can come into the captain¡¯s office anytime, so don¡¯t wait outside and come here.¡±


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    I admired the round metal plate, fiddling around.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the Knight Order too, so come in with pride.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    I quickly took the permit as if I had encountered a precious treasure.


    ¡®Okay. From now on, I¡¯ll take care of Viola¡¯s lunch box and see if Theodore or someone else is doing something suspicious.¡¯


    If he really did something suspicious, I would stop him.


    I made up my mind with my eyes shining sharply.


    ? ? ?


    ¡°It¡¯s not as easy as I thought.¡±


    I trudged along helplessly, carrying a lunch basket.


    ¡®No, why can¡¯t I even see a trace of him?¡¯


    I knew that the first floor of the knight¡¯s building had a separate canteen where the members of the Knight Order could eat.


    So I purposely came out a little early and wandered around the canteen before going up to the commander¡¯s office, but I couldn¡¯t see him.


    ¡®Does he not eat?¡¯


    I walked past the canteen and back out into the lobby.


    It didn¡¯t go the way I wanted, so I sighed, and I happened to encounter Viola coming downstairs.


    ¡°Ah, Sister.¡±


    I raised my hand to greet her, but Viola¡¯s expression was not good.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is something wrong?¡±


    I wondered if she came here to meet me because I was late, but her expression was too serious for that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think we can have lunch together today.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Why?¡±


    ¡°I urgently need to go to the temple. It seems that there is a problem with their cooperation. I had to deal with it urgently.¡±


    Viola¡¯s expression was apologetic.


    ¡°I heard it a little while ago. You ended up coming here for no reason.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s because of work, isn¡¯t it? That can happen.¡±


    I smiled and pushed Viola¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, just go ahead!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you have to deal with the urgent matters first! Sister, you¡¯re working right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Viola hesitated a little and patted my head.


    ¡°Go home safely.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    And Viola swiftly walked out of the knight¡¯s building.


    ¡®Phew. I¡¯m gonna go home.¡¯


    Without Viola, walking around the Knight Order in a dress was drawing too much attention.


    Having to go back without gaining anything again today, I felt so tired.


    ¡®But isn¡¯t it too sad to go back like this? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I take a walk before going back?¡¯


    Today, the sky was clear without a single cloud, and it was sunny, drawing out my desire to take a walk.


    I slowly started walking down the hallway on the first floor with the basket dangling in my hand.


    ¡°The weather is so nice.¡±


    A little stroll around the first floor wouldn¡¯t seem particularly suspicious.


    I stepped away from the window in the hallway and began to watch the summer greenery,  avoiding the sunlight.


    The training hall, which was always noisy due to the people training, was especially more quiet than usual because it was lunchtime.


    Whoo- Whoo- Whisk-


    It was certainly the case until now.


    I poked my head out, unable to overcome my curiosity at the sound coming from beyond the open window.


    Someone was training alone.


    Everyone seemed to have a cool passion for training even during breaks, so I smiled a little and then immediately blushed.


    ¡®Oh, my God! No matter how hot the weather is. How can you train half-naked?¡¯


    The sweat on the back was dripping down, but it was reflected by the sunlight and glistened, so I kept staring.


    He trained so hard that the muscles in his broad back looked angry.


    ¡®Calm down, Daisy. This is sexual harassment.¡¯


    I had no intention of interrupting the knight¡¯s training, so I tried to look away quietly.


    But the moment he turned around and revealed his face, I was startled and dropped the basket.


    At that sound, Theodore, the knight who was training hard, turned his head quickly.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    At the same time, I let out a small scream as I covered my eyes with both hands at his clearly visible abs.


    ¡°W-What? Are you crazy?¡±


    Theodore, perhaps surprised by my cry, ran over to the window lightly and covered my mouth.


    ¡°Eup! Eup!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t scream! Do you want people to gather?¡±


    ¡®Then get out of my way!¡¯


    I closed my eyes tightly, not wanting to see his bare skin flickering in front of my eyes.


    ¡°Damn you.¡±


    Theodore spat out a small curse.


    ¡®Just get off.¡¯


    I smacked him down as hard as I could in irritation.


    I was surprised that his bare skin touched my hand with a squeak, so I immediately withdrew my hand.


    ¡°It hurts!¡±


    Theodore shouted and removed his hand and backed away.


    I hurriedly turned my head to hide my reddened face.


    ¡°Get dressed first!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, damn it!¡±


    At my words, he let out a panicked voice, and I heard the sound of him running somewhere in a hurry.


    Since I had my eyes closed, I couldn¡¯t help but felt sensitive to sounds. The sound of cloth brushing made my ears warm.


    ¡°I¡¯m done. You can open your eyes.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe Theodore right away, so I took a peek and saw that he was well-dressed.


    I opened my eyes with a sigh.


    ¡°What the hell¡¯s with you? No, no. Lady, why the hell have you been spying on me here?¡±


    Theodore¡¯s face was flushed red as if he was embarrassed by this situation.


    ¡°I-I happened to pass by, and I just turned my head in surprise at the sound of a sword swinging.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not telling me to believe that, are you?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯ve been following you on purpose? Why, do you want to call me a stalker again?¡±


    ¡°No, back then, I was¡­.¡±


    I tried to bury the mistake of the day, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. I had to escape this embarrassing situation.


    When I turned my eyes into triangle shapes and glared at Theodore, he brushed his hair and frowned.


    Not only I didn¡¯t want to see him, but I really didn¡¯t have the slightest interest in Theodore, so firm words sprang up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you at all? At all?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to emphasize it twice on purpose, you know?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re speaking comfortably again? Please be polite, Sir Theodore.¡±


    ¡°Ah-oh!¡±


    He hit himself in the mouth a few times with an expression that looked as though he was going to go crazy.


    ¡®Hmph. You have nothing to say.¡¯


    I laughed at him with my arms crossed and let out a small snort.


    However, after laughing, I couldn¡¯t figure out how to get out of this situation.


    ¡°Daisy? What are you doing there?¡±


    Then, like a savior, I heard a welcome voice coming from next to me.

 CH 34

    ¡°Adelio?¡±


    The owner of the voice that I recognized was Adelio.


    ¡®But why is Adelio here?¡¯


    I was curious, and getting out of here was more important, so I quickly approached him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I heard that there are documents that need to be sent to the Knight Order urgently, so I came to deliver them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God. My sister was heading to the temple a while ago.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s your sister, do you mean Dame Viola? Hmm. We must have crossed paths.¡±


    I felt sorry for Adelio as he sighed with his eyebrows drooping.


    ¡°What? Who are you talking to all of a sudden? Uh, why is a holy knight here?¡±


    At this time, Theodore climbed over the window frame and crossed into the hallway, announcing his presence.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver the papers to the Knight Order.¡±


    ¡°Has the captain gone out?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already explain everything just now? More importantly, Adelio, what should we do, you ended up walking here for no reason.¡±


    At my words, Adelio shook his head lightly and smiled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a waste of time. Because I met Daisy.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s smile seemed to shine more than the sunlight shining outside.


    ¡®It¡¯s like there¡¯s a halo around.¡¯


    I covered my mouth and gave a small smile to hide these thoughts away.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Then a voice of disapproval came from next to me.


    I said, looking at Theodore who kept getting involved in the conversation without warning.


    ¡°Anyway, what happened a little while ago was Sir Theodore¡¯s misunderstanding, so please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡±


    ¡°You touched me too openly for it to be called a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°When did I touch you?¡±


    ¡°Without hesitation, like this, like this¡­.¡±


    ¡°I-I was hitting you!¡±


    I shouted in embarrassment at Theodore¡¯s words, and he snickered at my reaction.


    It was an expression that looked evil.


    ¡°What happened between you two?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say anything as I puffed in resentment, so Theodore opened his mouth instead of me.


    ¡°The Lady was secretly spying on me while I was training.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not true!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so red?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because Sir Theodore keeps treating me like a weird person!¡±


    I huffed at him.


    ¡°In the first place, people who take off their clothes and train next to the corridor where people pass by are strange!¡±


    ¡°Haha. Calm down, Daisy.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t calm down, so Adelio tried to mediate the situation.


    ¡°But this man keeps treating me like I am a weirdo! The first time I met you and now! I¡¯m innocent!¡±


    ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t feel wronged? If I have any sins, it¡¯s only the sins of training hard!¡±


    ¡°Ha, really¡­¡±


    Just when I couldn¡¯t control my anger and tried to shout something, a loud noise passed between us.


    Brr¨C


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Silence fell between us at the sound of the stomach growling.


    ¡°I am not hungry at all. I don¡¯t even have an appetite because I saw things I shouldn¡¯t see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just come back from eating.¡±


    Adelio and I turned our heads as soon as we spoke.


    Theodore¡¯s face, which received our gazes, instantly turned red.


    ¡°I-I¡­¡±


    The way he couldn¡¯t manage his expression was embarrassing for me to watch.


    ¡®Is it really true that Theodore did something to Viola¡¯s sword?¡¯


    I had vowed to find out suspicious things about him while coming and going to the Knights, but when I met him in person, he turned out to be a guileless person.


    ¡®Or is it someone else¡¯s work? Ah, whatever.¡¯


    The train of thought didn¡¯t continue anymore, I must have put too much heat into the argument with him.


    I sighed in exhaustion, picked up the basket I had just dropped, and held it out to him.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this? No, what is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the lunch I brought for Viola, so eat it there.¡±


    ¡°No, why do I¡­¡±


    ¡°Go eat before training. You¡¯ll injure yourself.¡±


    I pushed the basket forward and Theodore hurriedly accepted it.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be going, so go eat or train, take care of yourself.¡±


    I stepped out of the hallway with weary steps.


    I could feel a gaze from behind, but I couldn¡¯t afford to pay attention to that side anymore.


    I was so tired that I wanted to lie in bed right away.


    ¡°¡­How annoying.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s annoying you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you scared me!¡±


    When I was surprised by the voice coming from next to me, Adelio was standing there. I wondered since when we had been walking together.


    ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, from the beginning?¡±


    I must be so distracted that I didn¡¯t even know who was walking next to me.


    ¡°By the way, are you acquainted with the knight from before?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that, the topic of conversation is a little¡­ That¡¯s how I feel.¡±


    I looked up at Adelio with frustrated eyes at the resentment that came over me again.


    ¡°I feel so wronged.¡±


    From the first impression to the second meeting, how could there be such a terrible person?


    I let out a heavy breath after talking about all the injustice of what had happened with Theodore.


    ¡°So, something like that happened.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s someone I really don¡¯t like.¡±


    ¡°You gave him a lunch box, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Because being a knight is a job that requires a lot of physical movement. He shouldn¡¯t be hungry.¡±


    Adelio asked, tilting his head at my words.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t there a restaurant just a short walk away?¡±


    ¡°He must have wanted to devote himself to training so much that going to the restaurant would be a waste of time. Sister can¡¯t eat it anyway, so I might as well give it to him.¡±


    I made an X mark with both hands and emphasized that I had absolutely no ulterior motive.


    ¡°I am being kind because he¡¯s Sister¡¯s subordinate.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I thought I explained it well, but the answer that came back was puzzling.


    ¡®Is he in a bad mood? Well. He came here during a busy schedule and it turned out to be a waste of time, so it¡¯s understandable.¡¯


    Even in the midst of that, he walked at my pace out of consideration so I laughed out loud.


    ¡°Are you going back to the temple now?¡±


    ¡°I think I should.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    ¡°Because you can¡¯t be with me anymore?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Surprised by the sincerity that unknowingly came out of me, I covered my mouth.


    ¡°I also think it¡¯s too bad.¡±


    At my reaction, Adelio smiled softly, creaking the corners of his eyes as if he had never been in a bad mood.


    ¡®Ah, seriously.¡¯


    I felt like I was blushing a lot today.


    I cooled my face using my hand as a fan.


    ¡°By the way. Has the urgent matter been resolved?¡±


    ¡°Urgent matter?¡±


    ¡°Last time you said something happened, so you rushed back home. I was worried that something might have happened, but today, that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.¡±


    It was the day when I found out about the date of the knight competition and went back to persuade Viola, leaving Adelio behind.


    ¡°Haha. No.¡±


    I laughed awkwardly and shook my head sullenly.


    ¡®I couldn¡¯t stop Viola from participating in the competition, and I couldn¡¯t dig up suspicious things about Theodore.¡¯


    When I realized again that I was not making any progress, my shoulders felt weak.


    ¡°The truth is¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Sister to participate in the knight competition.¡±


    ¡°You mean Dame Viola?¡±


    When I nodded, he asked, perhaps because he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Her victory is basically confirmed, isn¡¯t it? Is there any reason to refuse such an honorable position?¡±


    ¡°She might lose.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why you¡¯re so worried?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t give an exact answer to Adelio¡¯s words.


    ¡®How can I tell him I know the future?¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯m just worried.¡±


    ¡°Daisy doesn¡¯t seem to trust Dame Viola.¡±


    Hearing those words, unlike a little while ago, I became alert.


    ¡°What? That¡¯s not true!¡±


    ¡°It seems to me that you¡¯re certain of her defeat.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s words gave me goosebumps.


    ¡®He completely caught me.¡¯


    No, anyone might think so if they saw my attitude.


    ¡®Then Sister Viola might have been thinking like that, too.¡¯


    She would feel betrayed if she knew that on the outside I was going to cheer her on but on the inside, I was thinking this way.


    ¡°Daisy. Did Dame Viola say she¡¯s not going to the competition?¡±


    ¡°No,¡±


    ¡°Then were you worried about her losing?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    My voice was weak because of the feeling of shame that was creeping in.


    ¡°Then trust her. Do you remember what I said?¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    There were so many things Adelio had told me that I didn¡¯t have a clue.


    When I was puzzled, he lowered his head close to me.


    ¡°Anything Daisy wants will come true.¡±


    Adelio whispered to me like a spell.


    Strangely enough, I felt relieved in an instant.


    ¡®It¡¯s weird.¡¯


    Adelio¡¯s words had power.


    It was so powerful that I forgot who I was and felt swept away in an instant.


    ? ? ?


    I leaned against the window and looked down at Viola returning from evening training as usual.


    ¡®Going to work after training in the morning and training in the evening after work, she¡¯s really diligent.¡¯


    Viola said there was someone she wanted to beat down in this competition.


    That¡¯s why she was splitting her time and sweating so hard.


    ¡®I was so cowardly.¡¯


    She tried to confront the competition directly, but I tried to make her run away because I saw the future of her losing.


    ¡®Sister won¡¯t run away. That¡¯s why I need to be more alert.¡¯


    I decided to work hard on what I could do in my position.


    ¡°Sister Viola, you¡¯ve worked hard today!¡±


    I waved my hand to Viola, and she looked up and waved after me as she passed under my room.


    ¡®Even if Sister loses, I just have to protect her from collapsing.¡¯


    Let¡¯s not be afraid of failure.


    If you don¡¯t run away, you¡¯ll find a way somehow.

 CH 35

    At the sound of loud cheers outside, I stopped walking the window and looked out the window.


    ¡®It¡¯s probably because the knight competition is just right around the corner, so everyone is so excited.¡¯


    Time passed quickly and a month had already passed in an instant.


    The schedule for the knight competition was also announced a week ago.


    It was like a competition to rank the knights, so the Capital was buzzing with the talk of the knight competition these days, regardless of whether they were nobles or commoners.


    Thinking that today was the last time I would hear the voices overflowing with passion, a faint smile formed on my lips with regret.


    A gentle breeze blew through the open window.


    I felt someone¡¯s gaze as I stopped walking in the hallway and enjoyed the regret of the last day.


    I looked down and, as expected, I met Theodore¡¯s eyes again today.


    ¡®Why are you staring at me?¡¯


    I pouted and immediately looked away.


    Ever since the last time I unintentionally saw Theodore¡¯s naked upper body, he always stared at me, no matter where I was.


    ¡®I gave you lunch that day.¡¯


    Of course, it was true that I pushed it out to him as if carrying a burden in my tired mind, but there was no bad feeling to it because it was a kindness I gave him since I felt sorry that he was starving.


    ¡®Did he get sick?¡¯


    But I¡¯d never heard such a thing.


    And Theodore was a normal person.


    Seeing his brazen attitude, he would have rushed and got angry right away if he got a stomachache.


    ¡®Then what¡¯s wrong with him?¡¯


    I didn¡¯t understand, so I shook my head and started walking towards my destination again.


    Ignorance was the answer.


    ¡®Come to think of it, this must be my last lunch with Viola.¡¯


    After the competition, the one hour that became our daily routine would be over as of today, but as expected, it was such a pity.


    ¡®Let¡¯s enjoy it today.¡¯


    I walked vigorously with a strong basket again today.


    ¡®I came too early.¡¯


    When I thought this would be the last time, the corner of my heart felt empty, so I came 30 minutes earlier than the usual time before I knew it.


    ¡®At this time, Sister won¡¯t be in the commander¡¯s office yet.¡¯


    Ever since I started coming and going out of this place, Viola always waited for me after taking a shower in the commander¡¯s room.


    It was natural to sweat when training in hot weather, but Viola didn¡¯t skip a day for me and always greeted me after taking a clean shower.


    I said that I was fine with it, so she didn¡¯t have to do that, but I couldn¡¯t break Viola¡¯s stubbornness.


    ¡®Ho-ho. But not today. I¡¯ll be waiting for you today.¡¯


    Imagining Viola¡¯s surprised face already made me happy.


    I put a little force on the door of the commander¡¯s office, and it was so well maintained that the door started to open without a sound.


    Sshh-


    I could hear the sound of running water coming from the shower room on one side of the dressing room.


    ¡®Oh, my God. She¡¯s already washing up.¡¯


    The moment I thought I had done well in quietly opening the door, I found someone in the commander¡¯s office.


    ¡®Huh?¡¯


    I came from the back, so I couldn¡¯t see who it was.


    However, seeing that he was wearing the uniform of the First Knight Order, he seemed to be Viola¡¯s subordinate.


    ¡®Should I say hi?¡¯


    I was thinking about what to do, but the man¡¯s behavior was a little suspicious.


    ¡®Wait. Aren¡¯t you the one that might harbor ill feelings toward Sister Viola?¡¯


    Even if he came to the commander¡¯s office for business, it was strange that he was waiting while the owner of the room was taking a shower.


    ¡®But there¡¯s no way Sister would take a subordinate inside and go to the shower.¡¯


    I quietly watched the man¡¯s actions through the gap between the doors that were not opened yet.


    The man looked at the shower room where Viola was and began to move away silently.


    The man approached the clothes on the side of the room and took something out of his arms.


    ¡®Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡¯


    Viola was a well-prepared person by nature, so she always had a habit of preparing thoroughly before important things.


    Tomorrow¡¯s knight competition was also an important event for Viola, so it was natural that she prepared clothes for the day of the competition in advance.


    What the man took out was a small water bottle, and a transparent liquid was flickering inside the bottle.


    And without hesitation, the man began to sprinkle it on the inside of the glove.


    ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯


    After spraying the liquid evenly on both sides of the glove, he put the glove back in place and smiled while looking toward the shower again.


    ¡®No way, this¡­¡¯


    The man turned around before I could organize my thoughts.


    At the same time, our eyes met, and I was shocked as soon as I saw the man¡¯s face properly.


    ¡°S-Sir Hudson? What did you do?¡±


    The identity of the suspicious man was Sir Hudson, who always stood close to Viola.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Hudson froze for a moment, then jumped out of his spot and ran out.


    The moment I realized he was about to run away, I reached out to catch him.


    I succeeded in grabbing his arm, but he shook me off with a vexed look.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Sir Hudson¡¯s rough hand threw me to the ground without hesitation.


    ¡°Stop there!¡±


    My leg hurt as I fell, but I couldn¡¯t give up.


    I began to run vigorously with all my strength.


    ¡®What Viola said in the dream was right. Someone really did a trick!¡¯


    I finally understood why nothing suspicious was found on Viola¡¯s sword after being examined.


    ¡®Gloves! You did something strange inside the gloves, that¡¯s why nobody found it!¡¯


    Nothing suspicious was found because no one examined her clothing.


    ¡®He¡¯s so fast¡­!¡¯


    I had to catch him now to prevent the destruction of evidence.


    But catching up with a strong knight was too much with my physical strength.


    The distance with Hudson gradually widened, and I felt like my lungs, which couldn¡¯t hold my breath, would burst at any moment.


    My legs were about to break at any moment.


    ¡°Huft, huft.¡±


    Hudson seemed to have arrived in front of the stairs leading to the end of the hallway before I knew it.


    If he exited the knight¡¯s building and destroyed the evidence, I would have no chance of catching him.


    ¡®I¡¯m dizzy.¡¯


    My head began to spin.


    This weak body couldn¡¯t withstand this level of running and complained of dizziness.


    When I finally arrived in front of the stairs, I felt dizzy as if I would collapse just by taking a step forward.


    ¡®This damn body!¡¯


    Before I knew it, I saw Hudson¡¯s back as he was trying to get out through the lobby.


    Damn it, there was not a single person in sight in the usually bustling lobby.


    ¡®Don¡¯t.¡¯


    My legs began to give way, and I had no choice but to hold on to the handrail of the stairs and take each step with difficulty.


    ¡®I can¡¯t miss it like this. Sister Viola lived such a hard life! He has to get punished!¡¯


    Hudson finally started going through the door.


    Perhaps he had expected that I wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up, he was now walking away in a leisurely pace.


    ¡°Huft, huft. You¡­ Stand there!¡±


    My cracked voice was so pathetic that it couldn¡¯t reach him.


    Then, like a miracle, someone walked past him.


    I shouted with all my might right away at the brown hair that was visible though my blurry vision.


    ¡°Sir Theodore! Hold on to Sir Hudson!¡±


    Thinking this was my last chance, I screamed with all my might, enduring the pain that felt like my throat would be torn apart.


    Hudson showed a look of panic, then cursed and started to run away.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t stand there!¡±


    Fortunately, it seemed that the brown-haired man was Theodore.


    I could hear the sound of him moving away along with his distinct feisty tone.


    He seemed to be chasing Hudson.


    My dizzy vision returned to normal as time passed and I slowly descended the stairs.


    I saw two people walking from a distance.


    ¡°Let go! Let go of me!¡±


    To be exact, it was Theodore walking, and Hudson being dragged by the scruff of the neck.


    ¡°I did this because you asked me to, but what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I saw Sir Hudson doing something suspicious in Sister Viola¡¯s commander¡¯s office. As soon as he was caught, he ran away so I started chasing him.¡±


    At my words, Theodore looked at Hudson..


    Hudson kept his mouth shut, glaring at me, perhaps intending to remain silent..


    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    However, the timing was bad for that.


    Before I knew it, it was lunchtime, so many knights began to flock into the lobby.


    All eyes were on what was happening in the lobby.


    ¡°Nonsense! I¡¯ve done nothing wrong!¡±


    He was forced to open his mouth when the attention was focused on him.


    However, he clenched his teeth and said to me with a brazen look.


    ¡°Lady, are you driving away people without proof? I thought Lady was polite as a family member of my boss, but you insulted me like this!¡±


    Hudson¡¯s cry stirred up the surroundings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! I saw with my own eyes you pour a suspicious liquid into Sister¡¯s glove!¡±


    ¡°I did not do such a thing! Do you even have proof in the first place!?¡±


    ¡°We can find out by examining the potion bottle you have!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Take a look! Just see if I have anything like that in my arms!¡±


    Despite the dire situation, Hudson was brazen.


    In the midst of the confrontation between me and Hudson, a nearby knight searched his arms and shook his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that. Perhaps Lady has been mistaken?¡±


    I bit my lips at the knight¡¯s careful words.


    ¡°Look at this! This isn¡¯t right! I treated Lady properly take care of her without any inconvenience because she is a family member of my boss, but she is too much!¡±


    Hudson exclaimed proudly.


    He must have thrown away the bottle in that short time.


    As I thought about what to do, Theodore intervened in our conversation.


    ¡°Bottle? He threw it while he was running away earlier. Are you talking about this?¡±

 CH 36

    When I saw the bottle Theodore was holding, I shouted in surprise.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°W-What¡­¡±


    Hudson panicked and reached for the bottle, but Theodore loosened his grip and he collapsed onto the floor.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nutritional supplement! I heard that just applying it on your body gives you strength, so I just visited the room to give it to Captain!¡±


    ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have anything like this a while ago!¡±


    ¡°Lady keeps making me look suspicious so I can¡¯t help it!¡±


    Hudson didn¡¯t give up even in this situation.


    ¡°Lady, as Sir Hudson said, you could be mistaken. Sir Hudson tends to come and go freely in the chief¡¯s office. So just calm down¡­¡±


    Someone advised me carefully, perhaps to stop me from getting agitated.


    ¡®Seriously¡­!¡¯


    I couldn¡¯t resist the rush of anger and shouted regardless of the gazes I felt around me.


    ¡°Then, if you had something business to do, why did you secretly visit her while she was in the shower!?¡±


    I cried out with my arms wrapped around me as if I didn¡¯t know what to do with the goosebumps running through my body.


    ¡°What kind of subordinate enters the room without asking permission while his superior is taking a shower!? Not even of the same sex, but in the room of a superior of the opposite sex!¡±


    At my cry, the audience was astonished.


    ¡°Sister always took a shower at this time because she was considerate of me! There¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know that! You even looked at the shower room several times to keep checking!¡±


    The gazes around Hudson began to get fierce.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how scared I was because I thought it was a pervert!¡±


    Hudson wanted to make an excuse, but he seemed at a loss for words.


    Then Theodore opened the bottle and sniffed it.


    ¡°This seems to be a muscle relaxant.¡±


    ¡°¡­You can tell what it is just by smelling it?¡±


    I asked because I was surprised that he could figure out what it was in an instant.


    Theodore also held it out to the knight next to him so that he could smell it.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. It¡¯s a muscle relaxant.¡±


    Theodore nodded confidently at the words of the other knight.


    ¡°Any knights would know. It¡¯s a prescription for muscle spasms.¡±


    The knights who smelled it nodded at Theodore¡¯s words.


    ¡°It¡¯s a medicine applied to the skin so it¡¯s useful. But you don¡¯t look for it unless you train too much.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had any hard training lately.¡±


    Hudson¡¯s expression began to whiter as the knights around him swayed.


    ¡°Lady Liviatan, can you repeat what you witnessed?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Theodore¡¯s question drew attention once again.


    I tried my best to keep my voice from shaking.


    ¡°I saw Sir Hudson pour that medicine into Sister¡¯s glove that she will use for tomorrow¡¯s contest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡±


    In the tense atmosphere, I continued.


    ¡°I was so suspicious so I asked what he did, and he started running away. I think he was going to ruin Sister¡¯s competition tomorrow.¡±


    When I uttered the last words, I remembered how miserable Viola look in my dream, and my voice trembled.


    ¡°He must have intended to put it on the gloves and let it permeate her skin. Then, because of the medicine¡¯s effect, Sister would stop playing in the competition¡­.¡±


    In the end, I couldn¡¯t finish my words.


    I couldn¡¯t get Viola¡¯s poor figure out of my head, so I felt like my tears were coming out.


    I could feel the eyes of the knights around me looking at me with pity, perhaps they thought I was frightened.


    ¡°Since Sir Hudson said it is unfair, shouldn¡¯t we investigate Captain¡¯s gloves according to Lady Liviatan¡¯s testimony?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    The knights around him nodded at Theodore¡¯s words.


    As I was relieved that the situation seemed to be being sorted out, Hudson persistently pleaded not guilty.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you trying to blame me for what you did?¡±


    ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡±


    I spoke confidently, but my body began to tremble.


    Perhaps because I could imagine what Hudson would say next.


    ¡°To be honest, everyone knows that the relationship between the two of you was not good! Who doesn¡¯t know that Captain didn¡¯t even treat Lady as a human being!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    And it came out just as I had expected


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you do it out of anger because the person who hates you keeps asking you to bring a lunch box? If you¡¯re trying to put the blame on me, you¡¯ve chosen the wrong person!¡±


    When I couldn¡¯t say anything to the old rumors he had brought up, he laughed unpleasantly.


    Even though I was standing still, my heart began to beat fast just like when I ran as hard as I could earlier.


    I felt dizzy as anxiety eroded my whole body.


    Even though my sister and I had gotten closer, I was frustrated by the fact that the gazes around me hadn¡¯t changed much.


    ¡°Sir Hudson seems to be misunderstanding something. Sister Viola and I don¡¯t get along as badly as rumors say.¡±


    Hudson sneered at the words I uttered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t deny your ugly wish of wanting the person who hates you to be defeated.¡±


    ¡®How well does this person know so much about us that he talks like this?¡¯


    My stomach was boiling and I wanted to grab hold of the collar of the person in front of me right now and ask.


    What have we done wrong to you?


    Why the hell are you so shameless even after doing this?


    ¡°Honestly, don¡¯t you think that you might be pretending to reconcile because you¡¯re conscious of people¡¯s gazes around you? It¡¯s only natural that Captain was generous to you¡­¡±


    Before Hudson could say anything more, Theodore hit him hard in the back of his head and warned him.


    ¡°Shut up, you punk. You are now a criminal. Can¡¯t you understand the atmosphere?¡±


    ¡°This bastard¡­¡±


    Hudson glared at him with bloodshot eyes, but he said without blinking.


    ¡°They¡¯re obviously close sisters, so who are you trying to fool?¡±


    Theodore¡¯s words brought back my mind that had been in a daze


    ¡°And I don¡¯t know about a crooked bastard like you, but in the first place, siblings always fight and then reconcile.¡±


    At those words, I stared blankly at Theodore.


    My eyes met his.


    My emotions began to swirl as I saw him say things that I couldn¡¯t confidently say so easily.


    I inadvertently spat out the words that I had been holding in my heart for so long and hadn¡¯t been able to come out of my mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Lady?¡±


    When I put on a strange expression, the knights around me began to worry about what to do.


    They seemed to think that I had been hurt by his words and actions.


    ¡®Not at all.¡¯


    I spoke loudly with a firm look on my face.


    ¡°As you may know from the rumors, my sisters and I were not on good terms. But what¡¯s wrong with that?¡±


    I would be strong in the face of my shyness.


    ¡°I¡¯m on good terms with my sisters now, and I¡¯ll be on good terms with them in the future, so it¡¯s not a problem!¡±


    I cried out.


    I said what I wanted to say, not paying attention to the gaze toward me or the new rumors that would follow.


    ¡°In the first place, I don¡¯t know if Liviatan is an easy family that you carelessly mention.¡±


    At my words, silence fell in the lobby.


    I looked down at Hudson coldly and said.


    ¡°I want you to know that I never intend to let this go lightly.¡±


    ¡°Daisy, what are you doing there?¡±


    When I thought the situation was sorted out, I heard a welcomed voice from behind.


    I felt like I was going to burst into tears at any moment out of relief, but I maintained my expression and turned my head away.


    ¡°Sister Viola.¡±


    I smiled lightly, but Viola was startled and hardened.


    Viola came up with a quick step and began to examine my complexion.


    ¡°Why is your expression so bad? What happened¡­¡±


    But while Viola was taking care of me, covering my cheek, Hudson quickly got up and began to run away.


    While everyone panicked seeing him running hard after pushing the knights around him.


    Something brown flew in a large trajectory and landed right on Hudson¡¯s head.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    With an invisible groan, Hudson fell forward, accompanied by the crackling sound of breaking glass.


    Dark red liquid spilled around him, and the sound just before must have been the sound of a wine bottle breaking.


    Theodore, standing next to Hudson, shook his head and clicked his tongue.


    Then he came over here with a brown object that had fallen near the Hudson.


    ¡°A basket?¡±


    In his hand, a familiar brown basket was held broken.


    Viola raised her hand to block my view, as if to prevent me from seeing Hudson¡¯s wine-covered face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady. I wanted to give it back completely intact, but I ruined it.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I thought it was familiar, but it turned out to be one of the baskets I had brought with me for the lunchbox.


    ¡®I gave it to Theodore last time.¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Because you caught the criminal.¡±


    Even if I said that, Theodore had a sullen expression while holding the handle of the broken basket.


    ¡°I broke the expensive wine, too. I bought it to give it to you as a return gift.¡±


    ¡°You can just give it back.¡±


    I was flustered by his rapidly sinking figure and the moment I tried to soothe him, I heard a loud shout next to me.


    ¡°What is this, Sir Theodore!¡±


    Viola was angry at Theodore.


    It happened before everyone could open their mouths, so they couldn¡¯t intervene recklessly.


    ¡°I asked you what did you do, attacking a colleague like that!?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Theodore bowed his head immediately without even making an excuse.


    ¡°¡­You made a commotion, so there will be a fair punishment. Keep that in mind.¡±


    I didn¡¯t even have time to organize my thoughts.


    I hurriedly grabbed Viola¡¯s arm and said.


    ¡°Theodore didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±

 CH 37

    ¡°Theodore?¡±


    ¡®Oops.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t like what he had been doing, so I called him by name without even realizing it, probably because of the habit of calling him ¡®that guy¡¯.


    Viola paused and asked me quietly.


    ¡°Daisy. Have you made any acquaintance with Sir Theodore?¡±


    ¡°No, not like that.¡±


    In order to rectify the situation, I explained in detail what happened a while ago.


    I emphasized Hudson¡¯s suspicious behavior, Theodore who helped me when I almost collapsed from exhaustion, and that he shouldn¡¯t be punished for preventing his last escape.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    After all the explanations, Viola¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°Where did you get hurt?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, I didn¡¯t get hurt! Again, I¡¯m all right thanks to Sir Theodore¡¯s help! I didn¡¯t even fall!¡±


    She took a look at me and Theodore and said.


    ¡°I will cancel the punishment I was supposed to give to Sir Theodore. First, let¡¯s get rid of Hudson and we¡¯ll talk again. Wait here.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°You looked roughed up. Wait a minute, Daisy.¡±


    Viola began giving orders to knights gathered around to deal with the situation.


    ¡°Go get my gloves. And the evidence, to me.¡±


    Under Viola¡¯s direction, the knights began to move quickly.


    She put the bottle close to her face and frowned quietly.


    ¡°This is indeed a muscle relaxant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve brought the gloves!¡±


    Naturally, the inside of the glove was wet and smelled exactly like the medicine bottle.


    ¡°The smell of this medicine disappears when it dries completely. Just because it dries doesn¡¯t mean the effect goes away. Rather, it penetrates the skin better and enhances the effect of the medicine.¡±


    The obvious evidence eventually determined Hudson¡¯s arrest.


    I watched her sort things out and let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I am glad.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Then, I smiled at the voice coming from next to me and turned my head.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Theodore.¡±


    ¡°No, I just did what I was supposed to do as a knight.¡±


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Sir Theodor¡¯s help, I wouldn¡¯t have caught the criminal.¡±


    At my words, he shook his head.


    ¡°Lady witnessed the scene and was able to catch him. Also, if Lady hadn¡¯t chased Hudson to the end, I wouldn¡¯t have had the opportunity to help like this. This is all thanks to Lady.¡±


    Theodore continued to answer with an unusually calm face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Captain would still make it to the finals somehow, but it would be difficult for her to win. So I am more grateful to Lady.¡±


    I was surprised by the words that sounded as if I had seen the future that was supposed to happen, and I smiled bitterly.


    ¡°What are you saying? I¡¯m more grateful.¡±


    ¡°I was just happy to be able to play fair and square. I will definitely meet Captain in the final.¡±


    It was a great confidence, but since I knew the future, I couldn¡¯t help but blink in embarrassment.


    At my reaction, he smiled as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡®He looks a little different when he smiles. He doesn¡¯t look grim.¡¯


    As if all my suspicions were useless, the culprit was not Theodore.


    It was hard to look him in the face because I felt sorry for having doubted him so far.


    ¡®Maybe he¡¯s not such a bad person.¡¯


    It was also true that my favorability for him rose because he followed his colleague without question just because his boss¡¯ younger sister asked him to.


    ¡®As expected, you shouldn¡¯t judge the book by its cover.¡¯


    I smiled at the thought of having learned another thing, and Theodore called me quietly.


    ¡°Lady Liviatan.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Theodore bowed to me without hesitation and apologized.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    I immediately tried to stop Theodore from acting erratically but he didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°These days, I got tired of noble ladies who kept following me around, observing me, and even touching my things, so I acted rude to a lady I hadn¡¯t met before.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°In fact, they didn¡¯t stop watching while I was training, so I purposely moved my spot to train alone in case it bothered my colleagues.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. That day, while training alone in the forest, I met Lady during the break, so I reacted more sensitively.¡±


    ¡®So, that¡¯s why.¡¯


    Because of Theodore¡¯s words, his actions made sense.


    ¡®Of course, Theodore was bad, but I think I would¡¯ve done it, too.¡¯


    Iris explained that there was a famous figure in the Knight Order in the social world these days, but if that person was Theodore, it made some sense.


    ¡®It must be because they keep following him around and making him tired like they had done to Adelio.¡¯


    To put it mildly, Theodore¡¯s personality was kind.


    ¡°I wanted to apologize, but I kept missing the chance, so I finally did it. I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡®That¡¯s why he stared at me every time our eyes met.¡¯


    Everything he had done to me until now made sense, and the little resentment I had left melted away.


    Theodore didn¡¯t raise his head despite his apology.


    It was as if he didn¡¯t deserve to raise his head until I accepted the apology.


    ¡®I¡¯m the one who should be sorry.¡¯


    Even if I didn¡¯t express it on the outside, I thought Theodore was the culprit who caused the dream so I had been treating him badly.


    I grabbed Theodore, who was motionless, by the shoulder and said.


    ¡°I am sorry for being so mean.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s only natural you would act like that since you got insulted like that for the first time.¡±


    ¡°It feels awkward when Sir Theodore treats me with respect.¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t talk in a casual manner in this situation.¡±


    As I continued to keep his shoulders lifted up, he had no choice but to straighten his back.


    I couldn¡¯t even make eye contact as if embarrassed, so I inadvertently laughed.


    ¡°Actually, I thought you were picking a fight because you kept staring at me, but it was because you wanted to apologize?¡±


    ¡°I was just staring quietly.¡±


    Theodore said as if feeling wronged.


    ¡°Your eyes were cold. It was a little scary.¡±


    ¡°Do my eyes look that bad?¡±


    ¡°A little?¡±


    ¡°No, my eyes are soft and friendly.¡±


    ¡°It must be your habit to talk nonsense.¡±


    I covered my mouth and laughed at the sight of him playing a joke.


    I could see Theodore¡¯s shoulders relaxed at my laughter.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We made up, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t we?¡±


    At my words, Theodore looked elsewhere, wanting to say something, but hesitating.


    As I waited still, he finally looked directly at me.


    ¡°I mean about how you called me before.¡±


    ¡°What? Oh! I didn¡¯t mean to call you that earlier!¡±


    I remembered calling his name by mistake, so I hurriedly tried to make an excuse, but he didn¡¯t listen to me and continued.


    ¡°Please feel free to call me Theodore from now on.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    Theodore spat out his words and scratched his head shyly.


    ¡°So let¡¯s be friends. Friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it doesn¡¯t mean anything else. I didn¡¯t mean to offend you either.¡±


    As I was just listening to Theodore¡¯s words without saying anything, he spoke quickly as if he was embarrassed.


    ¡°We solved a big case like this, so shouldn¡¯t we be friends?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice.¡±


    ¡°We can drink if you want. The knights won¡¯t come after today anyway¡­ What did you say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good for me. Let¡¯s be friends.¡±


    Theodore opened his mouth wide, unable to hide his surprised expression.


    It was so funny that I laughed with giggles, and suddenly I came to my senses.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to see you often, but let¡¯s greet each other when we meet. And call me Daisy comfortably, too.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Daisy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Theodore.¡±


    I smiled broadly and nodded.


    I was happy to be able to resolve the misunderstanding with Theodore and become friends.


    A small smile didn¡¯t leave my lips.


    ¡°Then¡­ Please take care of me.¡±


    ¡°You can speak comfortably.¡±


    ¡°T-Take care of me.¡±


    Theodore blushed as if he was embarrassed by the situation.


    ¡°Please take good care of me, too.¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking comfortably?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s up to me.¡±


    I laughed for a long time because it was fun to see him flustered, and Viola, who had handled the situation, approached me.


    ¡°What did you two talk about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Sister. We talked about what happened a little while ago. I was just saying thank you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Viola grabbed me by the shoulder and began to examine me carefully.


    Then, after confirming that there was no apparent injury, she slowly patted my head and said.


    ¡°Thank you. You¡¯ve helped me.¡±


    ¡°I did what I had to do! If Sister competes in fair conditions and wins, I will be so happy that I will have nothing to ask anymore.¡±


    Viola smiled at my sincere words.


    ¡°But don¡¯t overdo it next time. If you got hurt¡­¡±


    Viola erased her smile and murmured low with a fierce look I had never seen before.


    ¡°I would never have forgiven Hudson. I¡¯d have taught him that it¡¯s more painful to live.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Sister too.¡±


    For some reason, chills ran down my spine, and I sneaked up next to Viola.


    ¡°I was very scared, but I did my best for Sister. So please tell me that I did a good job.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    Viola complimented me and patted my head.


    As I smiled at the friendly touch, I could see Theodore staring blankly at us.


    ¡°You must have had a hard time, Sir Theodore. Thanks to you, I was able to prevent unsavory things in advance.¡±


    ¡°No, I just did what I had to do.¡±


    ¡°Theodore did a great job. You shouldn¡¯t punish him, okay?¡±


    I whispered to Viola.


    ¡°It would be even better if you give him an award.¡±


    At my words, Viola stared at me.


    ¡®What is it? Is there something on my face?¡¯


    I touched my cheek, but nothing came off my hand.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°No, Sir Theodore.¡±


    Viola¡¯s gaze went past me and turned to Theodore.


    She asked, looking at Theodore with soulless eyes.


    ¡°Do you have a kind personality?¡±

 CH 38

    Theodore answered Viola¡¯s question without hesitation.


    ¡°Oh, I am also very kind.¡±


    Viola¡¯s eyes lit up at Theodore¡¯s words.


    ¡°Kind? You¡¯re kind?¡±


    ¡°I told you I am kind¡­¡±


    Viola¡¯s eyes glistened before Theodore could finish his words.


    He hastily changed his words.


    ¡°Sometimes I am bad¡­? Or something like that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Answer with certainty.¡±


    When Viola¡¯s spirit turned unusual, Theodore looked at me as if asking for help.


    ¡®What? Why are you doing this?¡¯


    While questioning Viola¡¯s strange behavior, I suddenly remembered the day when I had seen such a similar expression before.


    What I had told them when they asked what kind of person my ideal type was.


    ¡®I like kind people.¡¯


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    I hurriedly grabbed Viola¡¯s sleeve.


    But Viola wasn¡¯t looking at me and was forcing Theodore to answer.


    ¡°Tell it to me straight.¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly like this, Captain? Haha.¡±


    Even when Theodore awkwardly asked, there was no room for him to escape.


    ¡®But I can¡¯t talk about my ideal type here.¡¯


    I hurriedly grabbed Sister¡¯s hand and said.


    ¡°Sister. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    Just in time, Theodore¡¯s stomach also rumbled.


    ¡°T-Then I will go eat before mealtime is over. Have a great time!¡±


    Theodore hurriedly turned around and ran.


    Viola took one look at Theodore¡¯s disappearing back, then immediately turned down her tension and held my hand firmly.


    ¡°Shall we go?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    I answered calmly, but my legs throbbed as I tried to climb the stairs.


    ¡®Ah. I overdid it.¡¯


    My body started sending signals at the sudden exercise without any warm-up.


    I got dizzy thinking that I might fall down while climbing the high stairs like this.


    At the moment of hesitation, Viola suddenly hugged me easily.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡±


    I hugged Viola¡¯s neck in surprise and naturally fell into her arms.


    My legs dangling in the air might be bothersome, but Viola began striding up the stairs without showing any signs of difficulty.


    ¡°I can walk alone¡­.¡±


    ¡°Considering that, your legs don¡¯t seem to have any strength.¡±


    Viola¡¯s demeanor was firm despite her embarrassed voice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard today. So leave it to me now.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t help but lean on her comfortably except for the stiff force in my back.


    When I relaxed and leaned back comfortably, the fatigue accumulated from what happened a while ago came at once.


    I felt drowsy and closed my eyes, but I heard a small whispering voice from above.


    ¡°Thank you, Daisy.¡±


    I raised my head at Viola¡¯s words, she wasn¡¯t looking at me.


    She just walked down the corridor without hesitation.


    ¡°I am glad that you are our little sister.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡±


    Even though I said so, I didn¡¯t hide the smile on my lips.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I would never have been able to prove that Hudson did that kind of a trick for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then it would have been really unfair.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It would have been really unfair.¡±


    Viola stopped speaking after that.


    She had a complicated expression unlike usual, perhaps because of the incident.


    ¡°I think I can win this time.¡±


    But the muttered words were full of confidence about the future.


    It was enough.


    I put aside my nervousness and smiled brightly.


    And finally, the day of the knight competition came.


    ? ? ?


    Viola¡¯s match was excellent.


    With her unstoppable swordplay, her speed and accuracy, and her neat victory, people cheered her, both commoners and aristocrats.


    I clapped my hands passionately for Viola who won this match as well.


    Watching the game today, I clapped so much that my hands felt tingly.


    ¡°Our Viola is very commendable.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. We haven¡¯t done anything for her but she grew up really well.¡±


    I laughed softly at my parents¡¯ conversation next to me.


    Many things were different from what I had seen in my dream.


    Unlike in the dream where I escaped alone and cheered for her, I came to cheer with my parents today, so I was able to sit comfortably in the VIP seat and cheer for Viola confidently.


    ¡®But I don¡¯t see Adelio.¡¯


    There was no familiar face among the holy knights arranged for the audience.


    ¡®What a shame.¡¯


    I was expecting to meet him, but it seemed today was not the day.


    Still, I couldn¡¯t give up and rolled my eyes hard, but I felt a presence next to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s still before the final round, right? I¡¯m glad I am not late.¡±


    Liliana sat next to me with relief.


    ¡°I barely got out of there because I have so much work to do.¡±


    Liliana leaned back comfortably in her chair, wiping the sweat off her forehead.


    Not only my parents but also Liliana came to cheer for Viola.


    I couldn¡¯t stop laughing because I was so happy that the whole family was together.


    ¡°Viola is great, too. I didn¡¯t expect her to play without gloves.¡±


    The sight of her holding a sword with her bare hands among many knights stood out more than expected.


    Even if I wanted to keep quiet about what happened yesterday, it was already widespread, so I could hear whispers about it from time to time from the VIP section.


    Although they shut my mouth right away at the gaze of my parents.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    As I was having a leisurely conversation with Liliana, the second semifinal was finally over.


    ¡°The victor, Theodore! Advance to the final!¡±


    After a short break, with the sound of the final continuing, commoners cheered and shouted his name from the cheering seats.


    ¡°That knight is a knight, alright. His skills are definitely great. Still, Viola will win, right?¡±


    There was a faint worry in Mother¡¯s murmur.


    Hearing those words from Mother, Father¡¯s eyes did not move away from Theodore¡¯s back.


    When he finally went back to the stand, Father said calmly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. No matter how good that knight is, he won¡¯t be a match for Viola.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s trust our daughter. And so what if she loses? That experience will also serve as a springboard for new growth.¡±


    ¡°I hope she doesn¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    My parents leaned on each other¡¯s shoulders and whispered affectionately.


    Liliana and I quietly turned our eyes away from the two.


    ¡°She definitely looks pretty capable, but I¡¯m a little worried.¡±


    Oh.


    It seemed Liliana was worried about Viola just like Mother.


    Since I had secretly sneaked a peek at her training, I had an obligation to relieve that anxiety right away.


    I turned my eyes as I pulled Liliana¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°Of course Theodore is strong, but Viola is stronger. So don¡¯t worry too much and cheer for her!¡±


    I clenched my fists and posed to cheer.


    ¡°Hmm, yes.¡±


    But somehow Liliana¡¯s response was lukewarm.


    ¡°Viola will do well on her own. Viola will win.¡±


    ¡°Right! That¡¯s right!¡±


    Still, I heard the words I expected to hear so I nodded vigorously, but Liliana smiled as she grabbed my fisted hand.


    ¡°But why are you calling the opposing knight¡¯s name in a casual manner?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Theodore?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. Sir Theodore.¡±


    Since I had nothing to hide, I answered in a cheerful voice.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends.¡±


    Liliana looked at the waiting room with cold eyes and asked slowly.


    ¡°By the way, Is that knight friendly and smile a lot?¡±


    At the same attitude I had seen in Viola yesterday, I made an X with my hands, saying that it was absolutely not true.


    ¡°Nope! He¡¯s not friendly!¡±


    ¡°Why are you friends with someone who¡¯s not friendly to you?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a little feisty, but he¡¯s a good person. He helped catch the criminal yesterday.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    Liliana answered in a bitter voice, then turned her head.


    ¡°It feels new to hear that you have a friend I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Yes? What did you say?¡±


    ¡°No, Viola is coming.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t afford to hear Liliana muttering to herself.


    It was because the mutters were buried in the cheers that erupted when they entered as the final match began.


    Liliana was looking down at the stadium with a smile as if it wasn¡¯t a very important thing remark.


    I also focused quietly so that I wouldn¡¯t miss a single scene of the match.


    Soon, the match began following the referee¡¯s guidance, and the two began to gauge each other while maintaining a reasonable distance.


    This was different from what I had seen in my dream.


    Viola¡¯s movements were natural, light from beginning to end.


    The sword she swung softly, as if it were swimming in the air, was gentle and disciplined, and it rushed without a break, pressing Theodore.


    But Theodore wasn¡¯t just on the defensive.


    When Viola had an opening, he stretched out his sword without hesitation, and maintained a certain distance again, continuing the match narrowly.


    ¡®That¡¯s amazing.¡¯


    The current match was so great that the previous matches were forgotten in my head.


    As the atmosphere escalated, a deep smile appeared on Viola¡¯s lips.


    She looked happy.


    Since she was known for being calm, many people were fascinated by the way she smiled and swung her sword, and they concentrated their eyes on her passionately.


    The same was true of Theodore.


    Rather than being tormented by hitting Viola¡¯s sword, everyone was busy cheering for him, forgetting his identity as he smiled with a cheerful face.


    The sight of both of them doing their best in a fair and square competition seemed to shine brighter than the sun rising in the sky, so I felt like I would cry.


    The moment the tension of the match reached its peak, the loser¡¯s sword flew and stuck to the floor with the sound of a bang.

 CH 39

    ¡°I lost.¡±


    Theodore grinned at the sword that came under his neck.


    Despite being in a mess and drenched in sweat, he had a happy face with no regrets.


    The same was true of Viola.


    Even the referee was surprised to see them smiling with a flushed face.


    ¡°Winner, Viola Liviatan!¡±


    However, it was only for a moment, the referee¡¯s ruling filled the stadium with cheers.


    Viola pulled up her sword at the referee¡¯s words, and Theodore sank back in his spot as if his legs had lost strength.


    ¡°Sister Viola won!¡±


    ¡°She said she would win so it¡¯s only natural.¡±


    I jumped out of my seat, unable to hide my joy.


    My hands turned red and were whining in pain, but I clapped my hands hard.


    ¡°Oh my gosh.¡±


    Not only me, everyone was still in shock from the game a little while ago.


    Viola knelt down and bowed her head towards the Emperor who was sitting in the highest seat.


    ¡°Congratulations, Dame Viola. You won twice in a row. I¡¯m so proud that a genius like you is a knight of the Imperial family.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s voice contained sincerity.


    ¡°I will continue to be loyal to the Imperial family.¡±


    Viola¡¯s solemn determination made the Emperor laugh in satisfaction.


    ¡°I will send the prize to the mansion of the winner, Dame Viola, tomorrow. Everyone, you¡¯ve done a great job.¡±


    At the Emperor¡¯s words, I asked Liliana.


    ¡°Is he giving an award to only the winner?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s mean.¡±


    I murmured softly and then turned to Theodore.


    It bothered me that he didn¡¯t seem to have any regrets at all.


    ¡®I should give him a small gift, too. To celebrate! Since we¡¯re friends, that¡¯s okay, right?¡¯


    As I was alone in my thoughts, the Emperor¡¯s greetings at the closing ceremony inadvertently ended.


    After the Emperor left, Viola strode up to the hall, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.


    Viola stood before Theodore and looked down at him.


    Everyone stopped cheering and focused on the two people that had a strange atmosphere.


    She reached out to Theodore.


    ¡°It was a great match. If you do a little more, you might surpass me, so I should be nervous.¡±


    Viola¡¯s praise erased Theodore¡¯s tired expression and he smiled confidently.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll definitely beat you in the next tournament.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±


    Theodore took Viola¡¯s hand and, with her help, he rose from his spot.


    Someone exclaimed in admiration at the way they acknowledged each other as colleagues, as if neither status nor victory or defeat mattered.


    After everyone cheered, the two let go of their hands and came down from the arena together as if they had promised.


    Viola¡¯s smile had already disappeared from her face, but her face was flushed as if the sense of elation during the game remained.


    She raised her sword high to the audience who supported her.


    At the winner¡¯s performance, the voices calling her again grew louder.


    I would never forget Viola¡¯s face, rejoicing in victory as she raised her sword high.


    ? ? ?


    Even though my parents and Liliana dissuaded me, I ran to Viola, who I could see in the distance.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡±


    Viola quickly approached me from a distance and immediately took me into her arms.


    ¡°You could get hurt running.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to be the first person who congratulate you.¡±


    Viola smiled at my words.


    Perhaps because she finally won the victory she wanted, Viola looked truly at ease.


    ¡°Yes. Thanks to your help, I could win fair and square.¡±


    ¡°With the opponent you wanted to defeat?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I could have been defeated.¡±


    Viola¡¯s calm words surprised me.


    ¡®It wasn¡¯t Theodore?¡¯


    As I couldn¡¯t hide my surprised expression, she smiled quietly.


    ¡°I think I can finally accept that someone better than me might show up. I defeated my stubborn self.¡±


    Viola kindly explained it to me, but I wasn¡¯t sure what she meant.


    She just nodded, patted my head, and turned her eyes.


    ¡°I won. Father, Mother.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations, Viola.¡±


    As our parents approached, I slipped away slightly, and the two of them hugged Viola without hesitation.


    She hesitated and stiffened at their action, but as if she couldn¡¯t help it, she hugged the two of them.


    While smiling at the harmonious sight, I suddenly felt sorry for being unable to do this in the original future.


    ¡®I think our relationship with our parents has gotten better too?¡¯


    In the future seen through dreams, the relationship between Sisters and our parents was awkward, but that wasn¡¯t the case right now.


    Thinking that it was such a relief, I laughed again.


    ¡®I laugh a lot these days.¡¯


    I loved the change that came after I got along with my sisters.


    There would be no rebellion now.


    How can I not laugh when all the things surrounding Sisters have been resolved?


    ¡®I hope this happiness lasts for a long time!¡¯


    I made an earnest wish in my heart.


    ? ? ?


    On a quiet night with low darkness.


    Viola walked down the corridor in a strange mood.


    Even after having a good night¡¯s sleep for the first time in a long time, her steps were heading toward one place.


    When Viola arrived at her desired destination, Liliana was waiting for her.


    ¡°As expected, I knew you would come on a day like today.¡±


    ¡°Why are you here at this hour?¡±


    At Viola¡¯s question, Liliana pulled up her shawl and laughed.


    ¡°I came to see Daisy. It¡¯s the same for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Viola didn¡¯t answer.


    But reading her twin¡¯s minds was a piece of cake for Liliana.


    Liliana quietly opened Daisy¡¯s door.


    The door opened, and at the same time, the white curtain fluttered to announce its existence.


    ¡°No matter how hot the summer is, what are you going to do if you catch a cold?¡±


    Liliana entered and closed the window, and Viola closed the door carefully to not make a sound. The sound of breathing was heard in the quiet room.


    Those two sat down beside Daisy¡¯s bed.


    They did nothing.


    ¡°It¡¯s comfortable and nice.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    They enjoyed this moment where just looking at Daisy felt precious.


    The appearance of Daisy sleeping quietly without any worries gave them peace of mind.


    ¡°Hey, Viola.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nervous?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    To Liliana¡¯s question, Viola answered improbably.


    ¡°You become a scholar, and I won the knight competition. I¡¯m walking on a different path from the worst one I¡¯ve already taken, so what¡¯s there to be anxious about?¡±


    Liliana smiled bitterly at Viola¡¯s unfriendly consolation.


    It was so cryptic that if anyone heard it, they wouldn¡¯t understand what it meant.


    But Liliana nodded with a strange expression as if she understood the meaning of her words.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Our future that would be ruined has changed, so you can relax now.¡±


    Ruined future.


    The worst path ever taken.


    Despite the strange combination of words, there was no awkwardness in the conversation between those two.


    ¡°I should feel at ease.¡±


    But unlike what she said, her expression didn¡¯t seem at ease at all.


    ¡°But strangely enough, I keep getting anxious.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Liliana looked at Daisy, who was asleep, with a frustrated expression.


    ¡°Is it because we unexpectedly came back to the past?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    At Liliana¡¯s words, Viola looked at her.


    ¡°At first I thought it was a dream.¡±


    Liliana smiled, recalling the night she returned from the past.


    It was a day full of regrets, as usual.


    She barely fell asleep due to insomnia, but when she woke up, she realized that she was in her room in the past.


    It was as if she was born again.


    After rummaging through the bookshelves and waking up the sleeping maid, she was able to accept that she had truly returned to the past.


    What she did immediately after that was to go see Daisy right away.


    And on her way to Daisy¡¯s room, she met Viola, and the look in her eyes revealed that she was going through the same situation.


    ¡°All I could think about was that I had to see Daisy right away.¡±


    Liliana nodded at Viola¡¯s words.


    Whatever she dreamed about, Daisy¡¯s forehead was furrowed.


    Liliana patted her brows gently, arranging the messy quilt.


    The touch was friendly as if it would drive away a bad dream.


    ¡°Daisy hasn¡¯t changed. She still thinks of us and understands us now and in the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just like Daisy.¡±


    Liliana gently patted Daisy¡¯s stomach and whispered softly.


    ¡°Why did we come back?¡±


    ¡°Well.¡±


    Viola couldn¡¯t answer Lilliana¡¯s question.


    She also suddenly returned to the past, so she also had the same worries as Liliana.


    However, no matter how many times she thought about it, there was only one answer.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s for Daisy. To protect Daisy this time.¡±


    For Daisy.


    At Viola¡¯s firm resolve, Liliana¡¯s hand stopped.


    ¡°It was a future that wouldn¡¯t have happened if we had walked the right path in the first place. So Daisy will no longer be in danger.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice.¡±


    Even with Viola¡¯s words, Liliana couldn¡¯t shake off her anxiety.


    ¡°You realize now that it was a future that wouldn¡¯t have happened if we had accepted Daisy without deceiving ourselves in the first place.¡±


    Liliana nodded at Viola¡¯s cold words.


    Liliana stopped craving love from Ronald and learned how nice it was to have someone who believed in her.


    Daisy helped her get the position she wanted by getting Lord Grayton¡¯s book.


    Viola caught the culprit who ruined her match and was able to play fair and square.


    When playing the fair match with Theodore, she could overcome her pre-return shabby self who had succumbed to a sense of defeat.


    All the worst futures that had been scheduled were changed just by having Daisy by their side.


    Daisy was their salvation and their hope of moving forward to a better future.


    ¡°One regret is enough.¡±


    At Viola¡¯s words, Liliana nodded her head, holding her trembling heart firmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter what happens, I won¡¯t be helpless again. I will become stronger to protect Daisy.¡±


    Deep into the night, the two people who had been through the future erased their regrets and started writing a new future for a better tomorrow.

 CH 40

    ¡°You know, Isabel. I think the weather is so nice today.¡±


    ¡°My lady must be in a very good mood these days. You say the same thing every day.¡±


    After changing my clothes, I went out to the terrace and spun around enjoying the fresh air.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go round and round together every day.¡±


    Filled with joy, I couldn¡¯t hear Isabel¡¯s words.


    I could enjoy the beautiful weather by going around a hundred times and a thousand times.


    However, contrary to my intention, the skirt of the light dress fluttered several times, and then I hurriedly stopped due to the incoming dizziness and grabbed the railing.


    Isabel approached in surprise and recoiled when she saw my expression.


    ¡°Lady.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you dizzy? Or are you in a good mood?¡±


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Your expression is weird. You¡¯re smiling while frowning.¡±


    My vision, which had been spinning around, finally got better.


    I pretended not to hear Isabel¡¯s words and couldn¡¯t help laughing as I looked at the beautiful garden across the terrace.


    ¡®It¡¯s all finally solved. Solved!¡¯


    How can I not laugh?


    ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to feel so relaxed now that the burden in my heart is gone.¡¯


    These days, having prevented betrayal, rebellion, and family annihilation, my body and mind felt so light that I could fly in the sky.


    Neither Liliana nor Viola would suffer from betrayal, so there would be no more suffering.


    They went to work as usual, and nothing unpleasant happened in the mansion unless I met Grandmother.


    After the peaceful days following the knight competition, the worst future didn¡¯t exist anymore.


    ¡®All that¡¯s left is for a much better future to unfold!¡¯


    The misfortune that would happen in the future had been kicked far away, so now I could enjoy my daily life with peace of mind.


    ¡®But it¡¯s okay to change the future, right?¡¯


    Even though I thought it was okay, my anxiety kept lingering in the back of my mind.


    ¡®No, I did a good job. Everyone is smiling.¡¯


    I tried to soothe my heart, but the anxiety that suddenly bloomed in my heart always made my heart tremble just by its presence.


    ¡®Yes, it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    I remind myself again today as if hypnotizing myself.


    The blue sky was beautiful enough to blow away my current anxiety for a while.


    ¡°How can the weather be so nice today? It¡¯s perfect for going out.¡±


    A  clear sky without a cloud.


    As if announcing the arrival of autumn, the wind grew cooler, and the sun softened the heat and made it warm enough to take a walk.


    ¡°Lady, you¡¯re going to be late for your appointment at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Oops!¡±


    At Isabel¡¯s words, I came to my senses and hurriedly went into my room.


    I have a very special appointment today.


    ¡®It¡¯s been a while.¡¯


    The letter arrived to me only after the knight competition was over and my busy schedule was roughly sorted out.


    The sender was Adelio.


    He finally contacted me to set a good date, saying he wanted to eat together.


    Considering that the appointment had been delayed a long time, the date was set so easily, and the day of meeting Adelio finally came.


    When I recalled Adelio¡¯s good smile, my heart began to beat again.


    ¡®No. Calm down, Daisy. This makes you look like you¡¯ve been waiting for today.¡¯


    I sat down at the dressing table and placed myself in Isabel¡¯s hands.


    Isabel continued to praise me while helping me dress up.


    ¡°Oh, my. Today, Lady is even more lovely.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course. When have I ever talked nonsense?¡±


    Isabel snorted and worked harder on my dress.


    I just told her I had an appointment with a friend, but strangely, she seemed motivated.


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t this be too much?¡±


    I thought it would be burdensome to walk around the streets in fancy clothes as if I was going to meet the Imperial family.


    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s your first date with that knight, so you have to dress up this much!¡±


    ¡°D-Date? It¡¯s not like that!¡±


    Isabel comforted me with an insidious smile.


    ¡°Heh. If you say so, Lady.¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s really not¡­¡±


    Adelio and I dating?


    We were really good friends, and there was a lot I felt grateful to him for, so I was just buying a meal in return.


    We were no more than friends, but Isabel didn¡¯t even pretend to listen to me.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°But did I tell you who I was going to meet?¡±


    I said it was a friend. I never said I was going to see Adelio.


    Above all, Isabel didn¡¯t know that Adelio and I were close.


    ¡°Uh¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to see Sir Theodore?¡±


    ¡°How do you know Theodore?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god. You call each other casually?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not the point! How do you know?¡±


    ¡°Lady Daisy sent Sir Theodore a present.¡±


    Isabel¡¯s words reminded me of something from a while ago.


    I was upset that there was no prize for the runner-up Theodore, so I sent him a small gift to congratulate him.


    I nodded as he remembered that I had sent him a small brooch after much consideration.


    ¡°It was the first time Lady gave a gift to a man, so I naturally made an assumption.¡±


    ¡°No. Theodore and I are friends.¡±


    ¡°Then who are you going to see today? Didn¡¯t you already meet Count Patrick¡¯s daughter yesterday?¡±


    At Isabel¡¯s words, I closed my mouth and looked straight ahead.


    My face reflected in the mirror.


    The makeup that I put more effort into than usual, the flashy dress that suited me the most, and the cheeks that turn red just by thinking about the other person.


    ¡°You know, Isabel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady. I¡¯m here.¡±


    Isabel bowed her head with a worried expression, as if my voice seemed unusual.


    ¡°This is not my story, but someone else¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Just thinking about someone makes their heart pound.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t feel good when they think that there is someone else next to that person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my.¡±


    Isabel covered her mouth and uttered a small exclamation.


    ¡°Is this because that someone you know likes that person?¡±


    Before I knew it, my face burned red.


    These were the emotions that appeared when I looked at Adelio.


    I wasn¡¯t sure how to explain the feelings that went beyond the friendly favor I received from someone for the first time.


    Adelio cheered for me, saying that whatever I wanted would come true.


    He was a person who believed in me, saying that I could change, and thanks to that, I was able to take a step back from my fear.


    Perhaps because this feeling was too great.


    I wasn¡¯t sure if this feeling was really meant for a friend or something more.


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s the case.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t it be just a favorability as a friend?¡±


    ¡°Well, did Lady¡¯s friend say so?¡±


    Isabel smiled softly and began to touch my hair.


    ¡°I think they will soon find out about their heart. Now, today I¡¯ll tie your hair up in half beautifully.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯ll go with that.¡±


    Despite the ambiguous words, I understood Isabel¡¯s words and moved to the jewelry box.


    I heard that my deceased parents were deprived of the opportunity to inherit the duke¡¯s inheritance because they were escaping for love.


    There was only one relic that my parents left me.


    ¡®Levy¡¯, a rare mineral found just below the world tree.


    It could contain divine power, and since it was rare, it was a mineral that was purchased at a fairly high price.


    Usually, it was a transparent jewel that was seen through the inside, but the one my parents passed down to me was unusually rare because it sparkled in many colors under the light.


    My parents said they processed this levy into pendant decoration and shared it with each other instead of using rings.


    The pendant was decorated in the shape of a half-moon, and when the two pendants contacted each other, it became one like a round moon.


    I didn¡¯t wear it unless it was a special day because it was a very precious treasure to me, but today was different.


    ¡°I hope my parents in heaven will bring me luck today.¡±


    I waited silently for Isabel, but her reaction was strange.


    ¡°Huh? What¡±


    She peeped into the jewel box and began to hurriedly dig inside.


    ¡°Oh, Lady.¡±


    Then, when she turned her head, her face was contemplative.


    ¡°One side of the pendant is gone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Surprised by Isabel¡¯s words, I ran to the jewelry box.


    But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn¡¯t see the pendant.


    Only half of the pendant shimmered, revealing its existence, but the other half was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    My head stiffened with panic.


    I couldn¡¯t believe such an unpleasant thing happened before I went out.


    ¡®What should I do?¡¯


    I clasped my head and closed my eyes tightly.


    I wanted to dig through the jewelry boxes right away, but if I delayed it some more, I would be late for the appointment.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for the appointment soon, so please finish the preparations first. Look for it until I return.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±


    ¡°¡­Can you first put the remaining one on my head?¡±


    Isabel hurriedly took the remaining one and began to put it on my head.


    ¡®Where did it go all of a sudden¡­.¡¯


    Was it wrong to keep it in the jewelry box?


    Or did someone steal it?


    ¡®It¡¯s not Isabel, is it? I don¡¯t think so.¡¯


    Putting aside the surging doubts, I managed to get up from my seat.


    ¡®It¡¯s the worst.¡¯


    I was in a bad mood the whole time I left the mansion.


    Isabel insisted that she would find it, but the anxiety on her face only increased my worry.


    ¡®What if I can¡¯t find it?¡¯


    It made me angry because this seemed to be happening because I put my precious object in the corner and didn¡¯t pay attention.


    ¡®Oh, you shouldn¡¯t cry. Please don¡¯t cry.¡¯


    I was exhausted from holding back tears the whole time in the carriage.


    ¡®Let¡¯s only think of good things. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find it.¡¯


    With anticipation, excitement, and anxiety remaining in the corner of my heart, the carriage began to run hard toward its destination.

 CH 41

    The place to meet Adelio was a restaurant on the outskirts of the main street.


    Unlike its location, the building I arrived at was quite cute. The manager came out and started guiding me.


    ¡®Is there no one here?¡¯


    It was lunchtime, but surprisingly, I couldn¡¯t feel a presence.


    ¡®It¡¯s convenient that there¡¯s no one here.¡¯


    It was quiet without any noise filling the surroundings, so it was a great place to focus on today¡¯s meeting.


    ¡°Your companion is waiting inside.¡±


    As soon as I opened the door behind the manager¡¯s polite greeting and entered the room, I was able to run into Adelio waiting for me.


    ¡°Good evening, Lady.¡±


    My eyes turned upward at the sweet voice.


    Under his usual dark hair, his bright face looked more beautiful today, full of energy.


    It was the first time I saw Adelio wearing plain clothes, not the holy knight¡¯s uniform, so my heart pounded fast.


    Adelio approached me with a big smile.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Knight.¡±


    ¡°Will you give me a chance to escort you, Lady?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    As I tuned in to Adelio, his expression turned happy.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    Adelio pulled out the chair across from him and reached out his hand to me.


    ¡°What a kind knight.¡±


    I laughed, grabbed his hand, and sat down in the chair he pulled out for me.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the weather nice today? I¡¯m looking forward to spending a good time with a nice person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one.¡±


    I covered my mouth and laughed as I recalled the time I was spinning around on the terrace before coming to the meeting place.


    ¡°Have you been well?¡±


    Adelio nodded to my question.


    He listened with a twinkle in his eyes as I told him what I had been up to.


    ¡°After the knight competition was over, I had a lot of free time.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, I was a little sad that I couldn¡¯t see Adelio in the venue. Were you busy?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to make it obvious that I waited for him, but my voice was already dripping with disappointment.


    ¡°I was in the temple. For those who couldn¡¯t make it to the venue, the temple screened them with magic communication tools.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    I smiled as if nothing had happened and drank the water in front of me.


    ¡®For some reason, since we¡¯re alone, my throat feels burning.¡¯


    Since I only drank water, Adelio asked a question this time.


    ¡°How was the knight competition? You must have felt it differently because you saw it in person.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I really enjoyed myself. I was once again amazed by Sister Viola¡¯s wonderful performance.¡±


    I clapped my hands and smiled broadly at the welcome topic of conversation.


    ¡°The knights were all very great. I don¡¯t know much about swordsmanship, but everyone was outstanding, and everyone did their best, so I don¡¯t think they have regrets regarding the result.¡±


    ¡°Like how Dame Viola won, right?¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    Adelio covered his mouth and giggled at my spirited answer.


    ¡°Daisy, you really like your sisters. You¡¯ve changed a lot compared to before.¡±


    ¡°We really didn¡¯t get along at the time. Now that I think about it, it was thanks to Adelio that this could happen.¡±


    I put a wide smile on my lips that I had been putting off until now.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be this happy without Adelio¡¯s help, right? Meeting Adelio is a great fortune in my life.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Why would I lie?¡±


    I was afraid that my feelings might not be conveyed properly, so I emphasized it again, but for some reason, his expression looked a bit weird.


    Obviously, his mouth was smiling as usual, but his eyes were not.


    ¡®Did I say something wrong?¡¯


    The silence that descended with the subtle feeling was unfamiliar and awkward, so I didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I offended you.¡±


    I thought I should apologize first, but he blinked and smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to apologize about. I¡¯m just so surprised. I didn¡¯t expect to hear this.¡±


    ¡°I meant it.¡±


    His eyes widened slightly, as if embarrassed.


    As I watched, he slowly started talking about himself.


    ¡°Every time Daisy says this, I feel a little embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    I wondered if all the emotions I had expressed thus far had become a burden.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not a person great enough to receive Daisy¡¯s gratitude like this. Rather, I¡­¡±


    Adelio hesitated to continue and eventually closed his mouth.


    At the sudden pause, I immediately asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you mean.¡±


    ¡°On the contrary, I learned a lot from Daisy.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As long as you don¡¯t give up, you can achieve what you want someday.¡±


    All I did was make up with my sisters and get along with them, so that evaluation was too much.


    ¡°I never thought the day would come when I would have these thoughts.¡±


    Adelio seemed a little hesitant and then shyly spoke out.


    ¡°I think being able to meet Daisy was a blessing from God to me.¡±


    Adelio had a slightly different smile on his face.


    I was embarrassed by the slightly sly-looking smile and the blatant compliment, but a smile continued to bloom around my mouth.


    After a while, the prepared food started to come in, and we continued our meal in a friendly atmosphere.


    ? ? ?


    ¡®Oh, it¡¯s so much fun.¡¯


    Even though I had a leisurely meal with Adelio for quite a long time, it was such a pleasant time that it felt too short.


    I felt so happy that I felt like I could fly in the sky and stop this precious time.


    From the beginning until now, I felt that he was always kind to me so I was happy.


    ¡®I¡¯m so glad I came out today.¡¯


    I wasn¡¯t the only one who enjoyed this time together.


    Thinking like that, my mouth eased again and laughter leaked out.


    At the sound of knocking, I quickly fixed my expression.


    The waiter came in with teacups and refreshments on a tray and began to set them down in front of me.


    However, because the waiter was nervous, his hand was shaking as he poured the teacup.


    ¡®He should be careful.¡¯


    Sure enough, the waiter dropped the teapot by mistake.


    The tea fell over when he tried to pour the tea into Adelio¡¯s teacup.


    ¡°Oh my god! Are you okay?¡±


    When I said loudly in surprise, the waiter immediately bent down and began to apologize.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    However, he only apologized again and again, and when he didn¡¯t take any other action, I inadvertently raised my voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just apologize and bring me cold water and clean cloth!¡±


    At my words, the waiter rushed out of the room, and I approached Adelio in a gloomy mood.


    ¡°Are you all right? It must be very hot.¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, no one is hurt. Though my clothes are a little wet.¡±


    Adelio lightly pinched the wet clothes with his fingers and put on an awkward expression.


    ¡°Oh. The tea stained my clothes.¡±


    It happened to be a hibiscus tea, so his white suit reddened.


    When my mood didn¡¯t improve, Adelio held my hand and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Daisy. I¡¯m really fine, so don¡¯t make that face.¡±


    ¡°What expression am I making?¡±


    ¡°Um. An expression like you¡¯re about to cry.¡±


    I shook my head at Adelio¡¯s words.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a person who cries every day?¡±


    ¡°No, I know how pretty you are when you smile.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s words surprised me and gave me hiccups.


    With the hiccups, my heart began to beat fast.


    Adelio was just expressing his embarrassment in his wet shirt, as if he was not aware of what he had said.


    ¡®No way, am I really in love with Adelio..?¡¯


    My heart, which seemed to explode just by imagining it, quickly calmed down at that thought.


    ¡®Adelio came to the Capital to meet someone he had been waiting for for a long time. That person must be someone he likes, so let¡¯s not think about anything strange.¡¯


    The joyful mood quickly dropped to the ground.


    When my expression didn¡¯t look good, Adelio raised his hand and began to unbutton his shirt.


    ¡°Look. I am really not hurt.¡±


    Perhaps thinking that I was worried, he didn¡¯t hesitate to move.


    As Adelio unbuttoned his shirt one by one, my face suddenly began to heat up.


    ¡°W-Wait a minute!¡±


    Despite my panicked voice, his hands unbuttoned the suit without pausing.


    I knew I should turn my head, but without realizing it, my eyes turned to his bare skin.


    The moment the three buttons came undone, revealing a wide chest.


    My knees gave out and I almost collapsed on the spot.


    A necklace was hung inside Adelio¡¯s clothes.


    I asked in a trembling voice.


    ¡°Adelio. What¡¯s that on your neck?¡±


    ¡°Neck? Oh.¡±


    Adelio lowered his eyes with a puzzled expression and then erased the smile from his lips.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    He grabbed the necklace pendant and kissed it lightly.


    As I was startled and surprised, he asked in a casual voice.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a pretty pendant?¡±


    ¡°Why does Adelio¡­¡±


    Adelio continued, smiling.


    ¡°I have a story about this pendant. Do you want to hear it?¡±


    Adelio got up slowly and began to approach me.


    ¡°It is a pendant shared by a couple to pledge their love to each other. What I have is half of it.¡±


    ¡®You know what it is?¡¯


    This was more uncomfortable than when I dug around the jewelry box with Isabel this morning.


    Without realizing it, I started to take a step back to avoid him, and before I knew it, I was blocked by the wall.


    As my eyes looked around busily with nowhere else to run, he slowly reached out his hand to me.


    I closed my eyes tightly, shrugging my shoulders at the approaching hand, and I got goosebumps from the voice whispering in my ear.


    ¡°And the other half rests on Daisy¡¯s head.¡±

 CH 42

    ¡°The levy in this pendant are different from the usual levies, and they are very pretty because they have multiple colors. I wonder if it¡¯s more beautiful because it holds a pledge of love.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s gaze looking down at me was somehow cold.


    His usual kind and nice appearance was a lie, but behind his smile, there was a hint of joy.


    In the sudden change of atmosphere, confusion engulfed me


    ¡°What do you think, Daisy?¡±


    The more Adelio¡¯s words continued, the more I felt like the blood in my body cooled down.


    ¡®How can this other side belong to Adelio?¡¯


    I had been worried that I might have lost my pendant this morning, but I found it right away.


    The problem was, it was in my friend¡¯s hands.


    ¡®But it¡¯s so strange.¡¯


    I had never been out with this pendant when I met Adelio.


    How does anyone who hasn¡¯t even seen this pendant know its hidden story, and that the other half is with me?


    ¡®Did he do some background research on me?¡¯


    However, only my parents and Isabel knew about the relics in detail.


    Neither my parents nor Isabel had ever met Adelio.


    ¡®Did he sneak into my room and steal it?¡¯


    The more I thought about it, the more I thought negatively.


    ¡®But if he really stole it, it¡¯s strange that he knows so much about it!¡¯


    The unanswered questions in my head began to entangle here and there.


    I was dumbfounded by this damn situation where I couldn¡¯t get any assurances unless I asked Adelio.


    ¡®Yes, let¡¯s ask him.¡¯


    I didn¡¯t want to waste my emotions with a strange and useless misunderstanding.


    Listening to Adelio¡¯s definite answer and thinking about the consequences was the best I could do right now.


    ¡®First of all, let¡¯s not doubt him¡­.¡¯


    I calmed myself down as much as possible and asked slowly.


    ¡°What a coincidence. Mine and Adelio¡¯s pendants are a match.¡±


    I hid my trembling hands behind me and tried to raise the corners of my mouth, which was twitching pitifully.


    ¡°I heard that this levy is rare, so I was a little surprised that Adelio has one as well. If you don¡¯t mind, may I ask where you obtained that pendant?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I stole it?¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    My body trembled for a moment as if I had been suffocated by the question that seemed to have peeped into my heart.


    Adelio didn¡¯t miss it and slowly lowered his hand and gently patted my hair.


    The action that had made my heart flutter with excitement in the past was now unwelcome.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    Adelio¡¯s hand, which had come down before I knew it, grabbed my trembling hand.


    Unlike me, who was confused, Adelio couldn¡¯t hide the amusement in his eyes, as if he was happy with the whole situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°What is?¡±


    ¡°The current Adelio is so strange. You¡¯re not like Adelio at all.¡±


    Embarrassment and the fear of dealing with strangers enveloped me and didn¡¯t come off.


    I felt like I was going to cry.


    But it wasn¡¯t because I was scared.


    Even in this situation, unlike me who was worried about our future relationship, Adelio¡¯s attitude of not caring about such things made me feel sad.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Adelio stole it.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re not lying?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Really.¡±


    I had doubted him for a moment, but I could tell from what I had been through that Adelio was not that kind of person.


    ¡°Then I will tell you honestly.¡±


    Adelio smiled as usual.


    Even so, instead of looking friendly, it felt cold, as if a snake crawled across my body.


    ¡°I received a gift from the owner of this pendant.¡±


    At his words, my heart sank again and plunged downward.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    My body began to tremble with anger.


    At least I thought that if I pushed him into this situation, he wouldn¡¯t lie to me.


    I even had a slight expectation that Adelio might have bought it from someone of a ducal family who had secretly stolen and sold it.


    But he said he got it as a gift from its original owner.


    ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±


    I felt like a fool for trying to believe him until the end, and I was angry with him for making fun of me.


    I pushed Adelio as hard as I could as he approached.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie!¡±


    The anger that rose didn¡¯t subside and instead burned even more like a fire.


    ¡°I¡¯m the owner of this pendant. Who did you get it from?¡±


    My voice couldn¡¯t come out properly.


    ¡°The story Adelio brought up is the story of my real parents! I¡¯ve never told Adelio anything like that before!¡±


    I puffed out in anger.


    ¡°I trusted you, but why are you lying to me?¡±


    Even if I spoke angrily, Adelio only smiled quietly and said nothing.


    I was the only one who felt frustrated when he didn¡¯t show confusion or denial.


    ¡°What the hell¡­.¡±


    My voice trembled with rage.


    ¡°Say something!¡±


    I wished he made an excuse but Adelio remained silent.


    ¡®Why¡­.¡¯


    Why do you seem to be enjoying the current situation?


    Amusement spread in Adelio¡¯s eyes, and then his eyes curled up.


    I wanted to leave this place, but that would be running away with nothing resolved, so I couldn¡¯t leave the place.


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    Adelio finally opened his mouth in silence.


    When he unavoidably made eye contact, he loosened his necklace and held it in his hand.


    And as he reached out his hand toward me, I subconsciously closed my eyes tightly.


    Unlike the friendly voice, his hand hovered over my head and then pulled out the pendant.


    When I opened my eyes in surprise at the touch of Adelio and my hair flowing down, he already had my share of pendants in his hand.


    Adelio said as he aligned the shining pendant together as if he was used to it.


    ¡°What if you don¡¯t remember giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Y-Yes?¡±


    What does that mean?


    Adelio spoke kindly again with an innocent face without the slightest hint of lies.


    ¡°Daisy, you gave it to me yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Adelio¡¯s words were such a shock that eventually my legs staggered and my body trembled.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Just before I fell, Adelio grabbed me by the waist as if he were used to it and pulled me into his arms.


    At our distance that got closer in an instant, I took a deep breath.


    ¡°You have to be careful.¡±


    At his voice whispering in my ear, I said with a trembling voice.


    ¡°What you said is wrong.¡±


    I naturally recalled the day we first met.


    How had I responded to the familiar feeling of deja vu that I ahd felt somewhere despite seeing him for the first time?


    ¡°Obviously we had never met¡­¡±


    ¡°Daisy.¡±


    ¡°I told you, you¡¯re wrong!¡±


    Adelio called my name in a friendly voice, but I didn¡¯t want to respond to it unless I got the answer I wanted.


    I glared at Adelio as hard as I could.


    Seeing my eyes, he opened his mouth as if he couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°Daisy, sadly, I never once said that we met for the first time.¡±


    ¡°¡­What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Remember what I said to Daisy¡¯s question.¡±


    At his words, I calmed down my racing mind and remembered our first meeting.


    ¡®Have we met somewhere before?¡¯


    Yeah, I definitely had asked him that question.


    And Adelio¡­


    ¡®Unfortunately, today is my first day at work since I was sent here from the Central Temple.¡¯


    Without giving a definite answer, he passed the situation in a clever way so that anyone could easily be deceived.


    ¡®It¡¯s true.¡¯


    No matter how much I thought about it, he never said no.


    ¡°Did you decide from the beginning to deceive me?¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Even if he said so, I couldn¡¯t trust his words anymore.


    ¡°In fact, the first place we met was not the temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then where is it?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t want to easily tell Daisy, who has forgotten me.¡±


    His voice was slightly grumpy.


    Even so, the good-natured smile was still there, and I felt like I was the one who did something wrong.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to forget your meeting with me, but I¡¯d be happy if you could remember it.¡±


    Adelio was smiling, but there was a meaning behind it.


    It was such an insincere statement that one could sense at once that it was not sincere.


    With that remark, Adelio slowly loosened his grip on my waist.


    This time he backed away, widening the distance.


    ¡°I should go back to change my shirt.¡±


    Adelio began to treat me as if he hadn¡¯t said everything a while ago.


    ¡°Shall we go out before it gets too late?¡±


    ¡°Adelio.¡±


    When I called his name softly, he paused in his rush to get out.


    As if he was waiting to be called, he looked at me with anticipation and I slowly opened my mouth.


    ¡°If I¡­¡±


    What is the most important question in this situation right now?


    He smiled brightly as I couldn¡¯t continue even if I opened my mouth.


    ¡°Yes, Daisy. I¡¯m listening.¡±


    At the leisure look as if he was going to wait forever for me to talk, I finally opened my mouth.


    ¡°If I never remember you, what would you do then?¡±


    I didn¡¯t believe that it was okay to forget.


    He probably didn¡¯t mean it.


    But what if I really forgot?


    A smile bloomed again on his face.


    It was a strange yet familiar smile, as if an unknown longing bloomed again, just like when we first met.


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid you won¡¯t remember. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    To my question, Adelio answered so easily as if it was nothing special.


    ¡°Because I¡¯m confident in waiting.¡±