《The Reborn Lady is Loved by her Foster Brother: The Scariest Villain》 Chapter 1 CHAPTER 1 ¨C REBORN ¡°Ortansia Remi Verite. For the crime of attempted assassination of Countess Dendane: ¡­¡± The accused criminal, Ortansia quivered and trembled as she pleaded at the charges read out in a loud voice by the Judge. ¡°No, sir, I didn¡¯t do it¡­ I would never attempt to assassinate¡± The bride selection meeting was held at the royal castle with the daughters of nobles as candidates for the crown prince¡¯s wife. During the selection process, a countess was poisoned and she collapsed. The culprit was a duchess of ill repute. Desperate being a candidate to be crowned as the crown prince¡¯s consort, she plotted to assassinate the Countess who had attracted the crown prince¡¯s attention and had his affection. But her crimes were exposed in the light of day, and now the hammer of judgment was about to fall on her This was the alleged crime. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t do anything¡­!¡± The duchess, who was accused of the crime, Ortansia, was in the depths of despair. After all, Ortansia had really done nothing. She had been summoned to the court as a candidate for the crown prince¡¯s consort, but it was nothing more than a game to her. If she had successfully completed the selection process, she would have been able to return home without any unforeseen incident. However, an incident occurred in which one of the candidates for the prince¡¯s consort was almost assassinated, and she found herself being accused of the crime. She was captured, thrown in jail, interrogated, and then¡­ ¡°Beheading.¡± ¡°Hiccup!¡± As soon as the sentence was read out, fear surged through her and a scream escaped from the back of her throat. ¡°They are false accusations I didn¡¯t do it! Please, investigate again! I would never ever¡± ¡°It¡¯s unsightly. Come on!¡± Almost being dragged along, she was taken to the execution platform. The blade on the decapitation table reflected into her eyes, and her teeth clenched in horror. ¡°No, no, no¡­!¡± Many of the nobles watched as Ortansia was dragged to the decapitation platform as if it were a spectacle. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the one¡­¡± ¡°The daughter of the whore who tried to take over the duke¡¯s house, right?¡± ¡°I knew I shouldn¡¯t have let someone of such low birth into my house.¡± ¡°The previous duke was also a poor man. She had a hand in his early death, didn¡¯t she?¡± The scorn, the amused glances, the rootless slander, the ridicule¡­ For them, Ortansia¡¯s destruction is just another form of amusement. The more Ortansia resisted in vain, the more they were pleased. ¡°Oh¡­ brother! Please help me! I have been falsely accused! I did not plot any assassination!¡± Gerard Adonakion Verite, the young head of the Duke of Verite family. With lustrous silver hair and cool azure eyes, he is the brother of Ortansia, who is also known as the ¡°Noble Prince of Ice¡± and the ¡°Ruthless Duke¡±. Since becoming the duke¡¯s adopted daughter, she has had only a few opportunities to converse with him. Still, he is Ortansia¡¯s older brother. He would surely help her! That¡¯s what she thought. As if clinging to that little glimmer of hope, Ortansia desperately cried out to her adopted brother. But what she got in return was a horrifyingly cold stare and a cruel word that seemed to shun her. ¡°Shut up, you are a disgrace to my ducal family. I have never, not even once, thought of you as my sister.¡± She realized that her mind had gone blank at those words. As Ortansia¡¯s body was being pushed to the decapitation table, the tears that flowed down her cheeks wetted the decapitation table. ¡®How did I end up like this? Was it the first time I went to court as a candidate for the crown prince¡¯s wife? Or from the time I was taken in by the duke¡¯s family as an adopted daughter and became a duchess? Or was it a mistake that I was born?¡¯ ¡®What am I supposed to do?¡¯ Despair overtook her heart, and tears blurred her vision. The voices around her screaming for her execution echoed in her ears. ¡®God, why on earth would you treat me so cruelly? If you will have mercy on me, please give me another chance¡­¡¯ As if on cue, the decapitator¡¯s blade glinted more brightly. There was a hissing sound of the wind, and then¡­ ¡°¡­Hyah!¡± The sheer terror and shock caused Ortansia to scream and jump out of her skin. In that spur of the moment, she lost her balance and fell down, hitting her buttocks on the floor in a heap. ¡°Gyan!¡± ¡°Ortansia, are you okay?¡± Ortansia was quickly helped up and looked up at the person in confusion. She was very surprised to see who was there and frowned ¡°Oh, Father?¡± The person who helped her up was the previous Duke of Verite, Ortansia¡¯s foster father. He died of illness shortly before Ortansia was falsely accused. ¡®Oh, is this heaven? I was executed and reunited with my father in heaven.¡¯ ¡°Oh, yes I am your father. I¡¯m glad you called me that, Ortansia. Because from this day forward we are family.¡± ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± She became confused ¡®My father¡¯s words sound a little strange.¡¯ It was only then that Ortansia was finally able to calm down a bit and look around. With a rattling sound, the scenery flows outside the window. The surroundings looked familiar. It was the interior of a carriage owned by the Duke de Verit (T/N: Duke of Verite) Besides, ¡°From today on, we are a family.¡± ¡®What did that mean? Like in the past?¡¯ Fearfully, Ortansia looked down at her body. Her body was much smaller than she remembered. It was as if she was a young child¡­ Read only on He picked up the bewildered Ortansia lightly, and sat her back on her seat in the carriage. ¡°Look, there is your new home.¡± The carriage was headed for the mansion where Ortansia had spent her entire life since she was taken in by the duke¡¯s family, the Duke of Verite¡¯s mansion. Ortansia was stunned to see such a ridiculously large mansion. ¡®I remember this scenario!¡¯ ¡°From today on, you will be my daughter, the duchess. My son is a grumpy child, but I know you will get along with him. I have high hopes for you, Ortansia.¡± Her father¡¯s mouth spun the same words as she remembered. Hearing his voice, Ortansia felt dizzy. ¡®No, no, no, no, no! I did want to start over, but I never thought I¡¯d start from here!¡¯ ¡°His Excellency the Duke and Miss Ortansia have arrived!¡± While she was stunned, the carriage passed through the gates of the duke¡¯s mansion, and Ortansia got out of the carriage with the help of her father¡¯s hand. The servants of the duke¡¯s mansion were lined up on either side of the carriage. The person at the center of the crowd stared at Ortanshia with absolute cold eyes. ¡°Ortansia. This is Grard, my son and also your brother.¡± The brother, whom she met again, was staring at her with the same absolutely cold eyes that she had seen just before her execution. ¡®I remember this scene well¡­¡¯ The first time, Ortansia kept avoiding facing him because of the coldness in his eyes. ¡®Oh, God. Is this a punishment? Or is this an opportunity? No way! she had never thought she would go back in time to the day she was taken in by the Duke!¡¯ Chapter 2 CHAPTER 2 ¨C AH, WHAT AN UNLUCKY LIFE! Ortansia was originally a daughter born to a bar woman. Her mother was a very attractive woman, so Ortansia never knew her father. Still, she and her mother lived happily together when she was a child. Life was poor, but they always had a lot of happiness and laughter. Until her mother passed away at a young age due to a sudden illness. Orphaned with no relatives to rely on, Ortansia was sent to live in an orphanage. Life at the orphanage was not so bad. She was sometimes mistreated by mean children, but she was still able to live with everyone huddled together. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Then, when Ortansia was seven years old, her foster father, the Duke of Verite, came to the orphanage. He took her in as an adopted daughter of the duke¡¯s family. Apparently, the Duke was one of Ortansia¡¯s mother¡¯s lovers. When the Duke learned of her mother¡¯s death and that her daughter Ortansia had been left an orphan, he searched for her, wondering if she might be his own daughter. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I left you alone, Ortansia. I am your father.¡± On the day they first met, the Duke of Verite, her foster father, hugged Ortansia and uttered these words. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ He seemed convinced that Ortansia was his daughter. ¡®But thinking about it, I think he just wanted a ¡°duchess¡± to marry off to an influential person as a pawn in¡­ political maneuvering! Because he is very good at scheming!¡¯ Duke Verite promised huge aid to the orphanage and took Ortansia in as his daughter. An orphan who hasn¡¯t even received an education has changed classes to become a duke¡¯s daughter! The Duke of Verite is one of the four great dukes that has existed since the country was founded, in other words, it is one of the most prestigious aristocratic families in the country. Ortansia, who until a few days ago was carefree weeding in an orphanage, has quickly become a ¡°Noble lady¡± who is served by many servants. To be honest, she was more surprised than happy. In the beginning, everything was new to her. Ortansia, who didn¡¯t have even the most basic etiquette, was scolded by the teacher a lot. Behind her back, the servants made fun of her, saying, ¡°She is a daughter of a Mistress,¡± and ¡°I doubt if she really has the duke¡¯s blood in her veins¡±. She couldn¡¯t even ask anyone for help, and when she went to bed at night, she always cried aloud. Her father, the Duke of Verite, was a busy man and was away from the mansion most days. It was obvious to the young Ortansia that he didn¡¯t have time for her, his daughter, so she couldn¡¯t ask him for advice if she had any problems. Besides, the biggest barrier was Gerard, her foster brother. He was a problem from earlier on. In the first place, it was hopeless to communicate with him. Ortansia, who had been greatly frightened by her foster brother¡¯s absolutely cold stare at their first meeting, had since then excessively avoided him. Even in the mansion, she tried to avoid meeting him as much as possible, and even when she did have dinner with him, she was so afraid of his cold gaze that she could not even look at him. ¡®Well, from my brother¡¯s point of view, I am just a lowly bar girl who may or may not be related to him. Even if I suddenly say, ¡°I¡¯m your little sister from today!¡±, there¡¯s no way he will accept me¡­ ¡® Because of this situation, Gerard never interacted with Ortansia, and the two of them were like strangers living in the same house. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ No, they were worse than strangers. Gerard treated Ortansia as if she were a ¡°non-existent person¡± and every time Ortansia saw Gerard, she would run away as fast as she could. ¡®Because I was running away so much, I became more familiar with the structure of the duke¡¯s mansion than anyone else. It didn¡¯t help me much, though.¡¯ And so, she spent several years in solitude in the spacious mansion. After a few years of living in solitude in a large mansion, Ortansia managed to acquire enough manners to make her debut in the social world as a duchess. She was warmly welcomed by everyone when she stepped out onto the social scene as a duchess. ¡°I heard that she is the daughter of a Mistress. No wonder she is so vulgar.¡± ¡°I heard that Master Grard doesn¡¯t even speak to you. I guess he can¡¯t tolerate a lowly person mixing with his noble blood. Why don¡¯t you learn to understand your place in the world? It¡¯s disgraceful. ¡®Yes, yes, I can hear you! They are saying this on purpose so that I can hear them¡¯ Ortansia, a new duchess, was often ridiculed behind her back. Ortansia, who had a timid personality, couldn¡¯t even speak back, and always looked down at parties and other places. As the daughter of a prestigious duke, she often received invitations to dance and other events, but she was afraid of making a mistake, so she always turned them down. ¡®I wonder if I could have avoided the worst future if I had an arranged marriage with the right person at that time¡¯ So, at the age of 16, Ortansia, who had made no progress with her marriage proposal, was invited into the royal court as a candidate for the prince¡¯s consort. (T/N: Consort is the same thing as Wife in this context) It was not because the prince had taken a liking to her, but to give face to the ducal family and simply to make up the numbers. It has been the custom in this country for generations that when the crown prince reaches a certain age and has no queen or fiance, a so-called ¡°bride selection gathering¡± is held at the royal palace, where daughters of noble families at the same age as the crown prince are gathered to deepen interaction with him. Ortansia, who was just the right age and had neither a Lover nor fiance, was invited to attend. Following her father¡¯s advice to ¡°take it lightly as a social experience,¡± the unfortunate duchess went up to the royal palace without hesitation. However, even at the bride selection committee, Ortansia was the only one who stood out. The other candidates for the crown princess, who were beautifully dressed and made every effort to look attractive to the crown prince, looked radiant and glamorous. Ortansia felt inferior and ended up shutting herself up in her room all the time except when she needed it. To escape reality, she immersed herself in reading and embroidery. Which was too plain for her own good. Even during the time set aside for each candidate to interact with the Prince, she was always trying to keep him from falling into an awkward silence. She was sure that none of the other candidates saw Ortanshia as a rival. It was during this time that her father suddenly fell ill and did not return home. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®I was surprised at that time¡­ There was no foreseen sign of that at all.¡¯ Ortansia, who was allowed to temporarily return to the ducal family from the royal palace, bursted into tears at the untimely farewell to her father. As usual, her brother Gerard did not speak to Ortansia, and his occasional glances were cold, but Ortansia was vaguely concerned for his wellbeing. Due to his father¡¯s death, her brother was required to succeed to the dukedom at a young age. On the day of the funeral, he remained resolute, showing not a single tear or emotion. But it must have been hard for him. ¡®I must be more firm and support my brother¡¯, Ortansia thought, without realizing it. ¡®It must have been a nuisance for her brother, though.¡¯ When Ortansia returned to the royal palace, her mind was always occupied with when she would be able to return home, despite the ever-increasing heat of the bride selection. ¡®When I return to the duke¡¯s mansion, I would have to study so that I can help my brother as much as possible¡¯. It was while her mind was occupied with that thought that an incident occurred that shook the royal palace¡­ or even the whole country. One of the prospective queens was nearly poisoned to death. Fortunately, the doctor¡¯s treatment was quick and she survived, but if it had been a little later, she would have died. Hearing this story, one shudders, ¡°How horrible,¡± and at the same time, Ortansia was captured as a suspect. It seems that there were several people who testified that Ortansia had been acting suspiciously and that she had been in disagreement with the victim. ¡®I didn¡¯t even realize I was being set up, and I just kept bumbling alongThinking silly things like ¡°when did my doppelganger appear?¡±.¡¯ It was bad enough that I was holed up in my room all the time, with no allies and no good alibi. Without time to argue, Ortansia was accused of the crime. Grard did not try to help his sister. He had become known as the ¡°Duke of Ruthlessness,¡± and he did not hesitate to abandon her. She was captured as a criminal, interrogated and finally cruelly executed. ¡®Looking back, what a life of bad luck ¡® Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3 FROM TODAY, I¡¯M AN IMPROMPTU DUKE¡¯S DAUGHTER ¡°Nice to meet you, Lady Ortansia, I will be in charge of your aristocratic education, my name is Annabelle.¡± ¡°..Nice to meet you.¡± ¡®¡­Everything was happening exactly the same as in the first life.¡¯ As soon as she stepped into the Duke¡¯s mansion, she was introduced to a woman named Annabelle who would be in charge of her education. ¡®Actually, it¡¯s not ¡°nice to meet you¡±¡­¡¯ In fact, even in her first life, Annabelle was a Ortansia¡¯s educator. Annabelle stares at her with a look of contempt behind her glittering glasses. She was a venerable lady under the umbrella of the Duke of Verite, and she hated undisciplined daughters like Ortansia. ¡®In my first life, how many times did I shed tears when I was bullied so hard¡¯ She almost let out a sigh when Annabel preached the things to be aware of when spending time in this mansion and the rules of being a duke¡¯s daughter. ¡°Well, Annabelle¡­ Ortansia must be tired, so let¡¯s have a meal first.¡± Thanks to her father¡¯s intervention, she was released from Annabel¡¯s sermon and sent to the diningp table. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®Huh¡­ still nostalgic¡¯ To be honest, she didn¡¯t have many good memories in this mansion. However, after going up to the royal palace as a consort candidate, Ortansia had a strange desire to return to this mansion. ¡®I never thought that I would be reborn after dying¡¯ ¡°Miss Ortansia, please come here.¡± She was seated and the food was brought to her immediately. As she recited the prayer and proceeded to eat without a second thought, she noticed her father looking at her as if he was surprised. No, not only that¡­ ¡®Yes, they¡¯re all looking at me, but why¡­!¡¯ Looking closer, she noticed that it wasn¡¯t just her father, but Annabelle and the other servants were also looking at her with a frown on their faces ¡®¡­Uhm, did I do something wrong?!¡¯ As I was trembling in my heart, my father asked me a few questions. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Ortansia, your dining etiquette is perfect. Where did you learn it?¡± ¡®It was!¡¯ At this point in her first life, having just been taken in by the duke¡¯s family, Ortansia, of course, knew nothing of aristocratic dining etiquette. She made an embarrassing mistake at the first meal after arriving at the ducal residence, and Annabelle and the other servants were very sarcastic, saying that she was like a wild monkey with no discipline. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ While being ridiculed by Annabelle, she managed to master etiquette through bloody hardships, but¡­ ¡®Wait, how can you deceive me?!¡¯ She couldn¡¯t honestly say, ¡°Apparently, I was killed in the future and came back to the past.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± As she let her gaze wander around, her gaze met with her brother Gerard, who was sitting far away from her. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®Hey, I¡¯m scared! Anyway, I have to make some excuses¡­! Help me, Mother!¡¯ As soon as she asked her mother in heaven for help, she suddenly had an idea. Maybe this would get her through. She looked up, kept Gerard out of sight as much as possible, took a deep breath and lied with an imposing attitude. ¡°Actually My mother taught me this.¡± ¡®Okay, it¡¯s not¡­ funny, it shouldn¡¯t be!¡¯ Ortansia¡¯s mother was a woman with many lovers, and She seemed to be on friendly terms with several men of nobility besides Duke Verite. So it should not be surprising that she had learned the etiquette of dining with the nobility from her mother. ¡®perhaps¡¯ As she waited with a pounding heart for a response, her father smiled gently. ¡°Well Bernadette Maybe she foresaw what would happen in the future.¡± Saying this, her father went into sentimental mode. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Seeing this, Ortansia let out a sigh of relief in her heart. She thought about checking on¡­ Gerard, but was too scared to turn that way. ¡®¡­Okay! Looks like I made it through!¡¯ After that, she was asked to speak a few more times, but Ortansia managed to get a few words back, even though she was slurred. Unlike in her first life, Ortansia was not blamed for her mistakes, and she was able to successfully finish her first meal at the duke¡¯s house. Chapter 4 CHAPTER 4 THE FIRST HURDLE IS TOO HIGH ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Lying down on the canopied bed, Ortansia sighed heavily. The room, which had been perfectly furnished for the new duchess, was so spacious compared to her time in the orphanage that she almost fainted. ¡®Really, everything is the same as the first life¡¯ Since she came to the Duke¡¯s house, the exact same thing has happened in her first life. The only difference is that I have gained experience as a duke¡¯s daughter once, so I didn¡¯t get scolded at the dining hall. ¡®¡­I really wonder what the hell is going on.¡¯ Ortansia timidly touched her own neck, but of course there was no evidence that it had been severed. She let out a sigh of relief at the smooth feel of het skin. ¡®I was supposed to have gone up to the royal court as a candidate for queen, falsely accused and executed¡­ and died. Was that¡­ a very long dream? ¡­No, no, it can¡¯t be.¡¯ The memories of the ten years since the duke¡¯s family took her in were too vivid to be a dream. The pain of being alone in an unfamiliar place and the despair of being abandoned and executed publicly were clearly etched in her¡­ mind. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®I don¡¯t know why, but I prefer to think of it as time rewinding.¡¯ If so, then there might be some hope. Thanks to the fact that she had the etiquette of a duchess from her last life, unlike the first time, She didn¡¯t have to be reprimanded by Annabelle. In other words, depending on how she treads, she might go on to a different route in the future than her past life. Of course, Ortansia has only one goal. ¡®I¡¯m not going to be falsely accused and executed!I¡¯m going to survive this time!¡¯ Rising stiffly, Ortansia pondered, ¡®hmmm¡¯ If she continued to dawdle, she would end up repeating the first life again. She had to find a way to survive, no matter what it takes. ¡®Refuse the offer of beea consort candidate? But it¡¯s unnatural for me, a duchess of my age, not to go¡­ getting engaged to someone before that? But with whom? No. The more I think about it, the more my head is getting all tangled up¡¯. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ In her first life, Ortansia was too clumsy in everything. She was bewildered and frightened by suddenly becoming a duchess, she couldn¡¯t ask¡­ anyone for help, and she was easily drawn into a conspiracy. So this time, she needed to just struggle for survival as much as possible now. ¡®The first thing I think I can do now is to I have to get on good terms with my brother.¡¯ Worst case scenario, even if she proceed to the same future as the first life and is falsely accused, if Gerard, the duke, insists on Ortansia¡¯s innocence, she wouldn¡¯t be persecuted to that extent If the case is properly investigated, she believed that he can prove her innocence ¡®For that to happen, though, I¡¯d like to somehow build a good relationship with my brother and have him become an ally. ¡­¡­¡¯ Gerard¡¯s absolute cold gaze apears in Ortansia¡¯s mind. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ She was always frozen and unable to move just by being pierced by that cold gaze ¡®From the very beginning, aren¡¯t the hurdles too high¡­!?¡¯ With this great challenge in front of her, Ortansia rolled around on the bed with her head in her hands. Chapter 5 CHAPTER 5 ¨C GOOD MORNING, BROTHER.. The next morning, Ortansia woke up and nervously made her way to the dining room. ¡®Somehow, I have to get my Oniisama on my side¡¯ (T/N: Oniisama means brother. It is formal and usually used by the upper class) But what should she do? As she walked along, deep in thought, she saw her father and brother-in-law in the corridor, talking about something. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m not prepared!¡¯ She didn¡¯t expect to run into them so soon, so she hadn¡¯t decided what exactly she was going to do about it at all. She tried to turn on her heel to plan a strategy but her eyes met her father¡¯s exactly. Please do not read on pirate sites. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Please read this content from the original site. ¡®Oh, Father! Don¡¯t smile at me so nicely!¡¯ Now that she has been spotted, it would be strange to run away from here. Determined, Ortansia advanced on her feet trembling . ¡®Smile, smile¡¯ ¡°Okay? Ortansia. No matter how annoying someone is in front of you, you must never stop smiling. A woman¡¯s smile is a trap that catches them off guard.¡± A story her mother told her in the past came to mind. Ortansia¡¯s cheeks twitched, but she kept on a lovely smile. ¡°When you meet new friends, greet them loudly. That way you¡¯ll get to know them quickly.¡± The teachings of the kindly smiling, orphanage teacher came to mind. Ortansia, who had been emotional, felt a sense of mission: ¡®At any rate, I have to greet people with a smile!¡¯ She opened her mouth with a sense of mission. ¡°Good morning, father. Oni¡± As soon as he shifted his gaze from her father to Gerard, Ortansia froze. ¡®Isn¡¯t it too familiar to suddenly call him ¡°Onii-sama¡±! It¡¯s rude! Um, in a situation like this¡¯ Ortansia managed to hold back the urge to start crying at any moment and opened her mouth towards Grard. ¡®Good morning, Grard-sama.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m drawing a line at modesty,¡¯ she appealed. But at that moment, Grard¡¯s eyes widened and a blizzard blew up around him¡­ he was attacked by an illusion. The cold air, which chills both body and soul, caused Ortansia¡¯s smile to instantly falter. ¡®Heh, it was no good! Was it presumptuous for an insect like me to call out to him?¡¯ ¡°¡­Hun.¡± Gerard snorted disinterestedly, then turned away and left immediately. As his figure moved away, I felt my body finally regain its normal temperature. ¡®Thank God, I am alive..! Not good at all!¡¯ No matter how she thought about it, the likelihood of getting on good terms with him was leaning towards a positive zero or rather a negative one. Unable to come up with any plan at all to get Gerard on her side from this state, Ortansia was at a loss. ¡°Good morning, Ortansia. Did you sleep well last night?¡± She gave a small nod to her father, who called out to her briskly, and laughed a little annoyed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Gerard. He¡¯s at a rebellious age and¡­ Doesn¡¯t dislikes you.¡± Father explained up, but Ortansia¡¯s heart was heavy. ¡®No, no, no, that look in his eyes, he thinks I¡¯m no better than a Daphnia, right? I think that not showing up is the best way to not lose my favorability¡¯ But that would be a repeat of the first life. As she walked along, Ortansia sighed a little. Please do not read on pirate sites. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Please read this content from the original site. ¡®I¡¯m his father¡¯s mistress¡¯s child, and I¡¯m not even sure if I¡¯m actually of my father¡¯s blood. From my brother¡¯s point of view, there¡¯s no way he would accept a sister who grew up in an orphanage and was suddenly in as a member of the duke¡¯s family¡­¡¯ On the contrary, by positively greeting him, it might have made him feel like, ¡°What an overly familiar and impudent woman¡­!¡± and his likability might have gone down. ¡®Huh, I wonder if I¡¯m alright like this¡¯ Chapter 6 In the end, she was too afraid to speak to Gerard during breakfast. Of course, he never once looked in Ortansia direction, ignoring her presence like air. ¡®Yeah. Probably I should just give up trying to have a good relationship with my brother now!¡¯ While she was in such a downcast mood, her father called out to her. ¡°Ortansia. We are going to the cathedral for your baptism. Go get ready.¡± ¡®Oh, that reminds me.¡¯ In this country, there is a ceremony in which a person can be baptized by the gods and receive blessings by offering a certain amount of money to the cathedral. Many common people were not baptized due to lack of money, but children of nobles were usually baptized as soon as they were born. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ What kind of blessings one receives depends largely on one¡¯s own qualities, and the blessings Ortansia received in her first life were honestly too weak for a nobleman. That¡¯s why she almost forgot that she received the baptism ceremony. ¡®But there¡¯s no particular reason to refuse. Will we head to the temple as we did the first time¡­?¡¯ ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ó No matter how many times she came here, she was always impressed whenever she saw the cathedral in the royal capital. The Cathedral of Auriela, the goddess who protects the Country. ¡°Is this your first time here?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve only ever been to a small church before¡­¡± ¡®Actually, I had been here a few times in my previous life.¡¯ Ortansia followed her father¡¯s lead, looking around to avoid suspicion and giving off the impression that she was overwhelmed by her first time here. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ As soon as she stepped into the cathedral, she was greeted by the bishop, as if he had already spoken to her. ¡®As expected of the head of a prestigious ducal family. The special treatment is amazing..!¡¯ The bishop looked at the astonished Ortansia and smiled. Welcome, my dear. Oh¡­ this is the Duchess of Verite, what a lovely young lady you are.¡± ¡°My daughter, Ortansia. Bishop, baptize her as I told you.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Come this way, please.¡± Ortansia followed the bishop¡¯s lead and went further into the cathedral. She arrived in front of a large statue of the goddess Auriela. ¡°Kneel down here¡­ and soon the goddess will bestow upon you a new name and blessing.¡± She knelt before the statue as she was told, and the bishop began to recite a very long prayer. She was very excited during this ceremony in her first life, but now Ortansia was feeling somewhat downcast. By being baptized by the goddess, one receives a new name and blessing. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Incidentally, the strength of the blessing is proportional to the length of the baptismal name, and the longer the baptismal name, the stronger the blessing. Ortansia¡¯s baptismal name in her previous life was ¡°Remi¡±. What a short name! It was too short a name, to say the least. Nobles usually received names of about more than four letters, so Ortanshia was often ridiculed in that regard as well. Her blessing was a light one that ¡°keeps evil away,¡± but when she thought about it, she didn¡¯t think it kept evil away at all. ¡®I was executed for being involved in an attempted murder..!¡¯ By the way, Onii-sama, Gerard¡¯s baptismal name is ¡°Adonakion.¡± His baptismal name is ¡°Adnakion,¡± which is very long. This is comparable to royalty, and just saying his baptismal name is powerful enough to make the other party bow down to him. just by saying his baptismal name. She didn¡¯t know what kind of blessing he had received, but he must have tremendous power. While she was thinking about this, the bishop was about to finish his prayer. The bishop was about to finish his prayer: ¡°O Goddess Auriela, I pray that this child be given a new name. Please grant this child a new name and blessing.¡± Then the bishop looked at us and opened his mouth. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ Your new name is¡­ ¡°Altiel.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Ortansia¡¯s mouth was gaping open at this unexpected turn of events. As she looked up in surprise, a strong wind blew, and she closed her eyes The next time she opened her eyes, she felt a strong wind blowing on her face, and she quickly closed her eyes. The next time she opened her eyes, she found herself in a mysterious space that was completely white, no matter where she looked. ¡°What is this! What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡¶ Ortansia, can you hear me?¡· ¡°Haaaah!¡± As she was dazed and confused, a voice suddenly echoed in my head, and I reflexively let out a pitiful scream. Then, as if the fog gradually cleared, a statue of the goddess Auriera appeared before her eyes. The sudden appearance of the statue made Ortansia gasp. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡°What, uh¡­?¡± ¡¶We don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll keep this short and sweet.¡· ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡®perhaps this voice is coming from the statue in front of me? Which means that the owner of this voice is by no means¡­ The goddess!¡¯ ¡¶Ortansia. Do you remember your first life¡· ¡°Huh?¡± Ortansia was so surprised by the sudden question that she uttered a strange cry. No one but herself was aware that time had rewound. Infact she had begun to suspect that it had been a long dream. ¡°Did that really what happen?!¡± ¡¶That event was not a dream or an illusion, it really happened.¡· ¡°Oh no¡­ then why am I still alive!¡± ¡¶With your death, the world lost its equilibrium and plunged into an era of chaos. So many lives were lost that time was rewound starting with you.¡· ¡°¡­?¡± Completely unable to understand, Ortansia nodded her head. Chapter 7 The Reborn Lady is Loved by her Foster Brother: The Scariest Villain, will be updated every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday by 2:00pm (GMT +1:00), from October 10, 2022. ¡°Eh, I¡¯m not sure about the world or anything, but¡­ anyway, you¡¯re saying that my execution wasn¡¯t a dream but something that actually happened, and that the you as the goddess rewound time?¡± As she frantically twisted her head around, the goddess¡¯s voice echoed again. ¡¶First of all, let me tell you about what happened after your death. After your death, an investigation was conducted again, the false accusations against you were cleared and the stigma was wiped away.¡· ¡°Did someone¡­ Do something to help me?¡± ¡¶ No, it was more about stopping the Countess of Dendane, who was the target of an assassination attempt, from becoming queen.¡· ¡°Not for me?!¡± Reality, it seemed, was merciless after all ¡¶As a result, Countess Dendane¡¯s self-made act was exposed and your stigma was cleared. You were canonised as a saint as a sign of atonement.¡· ¡®So it was all a staged act¡­¡¯ Apparently, the Countess of Dandane took the poison herself, in a desperate attempt to gain the Dauphin¡¯s attention and sympathy. (T/N: Dauphin means prince or heir apparent to a throne, but you can also do your own research. I will be using both during this translation) ¡®She framed me, with whom she had no particular interaction with, as the culprit because I was a recluse who¡­ didn¡¯t have any friends¡¯ Ortansia was simply sacrificed as a human to be easily made into a villain¡­ When she thought about it, she let out a dry laugh because of how pathetic she felt. ¡¶With this, the kingdom seemed to have regained its calm, but there was one person who was quietly consumed by madness¡­ Gerard Adonakion Verite. Your foster brother.¡· ¡°What? Why?¡± If Ortansia¡¯s stigma had been cleared, it would have been unexpected to her brother and the Duke¡¯s family¡­ ¡¶G¨¦rard regretted day after day that he could not believe in your innocence and that he could not save you. And when your innocence was proved¡­ he finally exploded with rage.¡· ¡¶He stormed into the royal palace and demanded to see the Countess of Dendane, who was imprisoned. When he was refused, he murdered dozens of people present, including members of the royal family.¡· ¡°¡­What?!¡± ¡¶The Countess of Dendane, who had been imprisoned, also died at his hands. G¨¦rard¡¯s rage was still unrelenting, and he even invoked the demonic god, whose fury resonated with his own.¡· ¡¶He fused with the Demon God and became the Demon King, and with the advent of the Demon King, the world plunged into an age of chaos. Conflict led to conflict, and as more blood was spilled and lives were lost, which led to me finally rewinding time.¡· ¡°The scale is too complicated to keep up with!!¡± ¡®What is the Demon King? Why did she suddenly change the topic from my false accusation to that! Or rather, why is she talking about my first life¡­¡¯ ¡°I think it¡¯s strange that Onii-sama was angry that I died because I was falsely accused.¡± G¨¦rard hates Ortansia, the disgrace of the ducal family. He was definitely happy that she was dead, but she couldn¡¯t believe that he would continue to regret that she couldn¡¯t be saved. ¡¶¡­Ortansia, what you see is not all there is. G¨¦rard certainly loved you. so much so that his love consumed him into madness.¡· ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡¶There is not much time left. There is only a little time left for me to speak to you in this way. Ortansia, please remember what I am about to tell you.¡· When she nodded gently, the goddess began to speak softly. ¡¶You may have been reborn, but you were once canonised as a saint. I have bestowed stronger blessings on your soul. It will surely be of help to you.¡· It seemed that the baptismal name was longer than the first time because of this. ¡¶Ortansia, please stand by G¨¦rard and guide him on the right path. His hidden power is mighty, and depending on how he uses it, it could be the sword that destroys the world. Only you can save him.¡· ¡°No, I can¡¯t.¡± ¡¶I have asked you, Ortansia. I beg you, Ortansia, may blessings be with you¡· ¡°Wait a minute!I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be close to that cold-hearted brother, it¡¯s absolutely impossible! It¡¯s bound to fail!¡± A familiar voice reached Ortansia¡¯s stunned ears. ¡°This is wonderful, Your Excellency the Duke!¡± ¡°I never thought this would happen¡­ Ortansia.¡± ¡°Your given name is ¡®Altiel¡¯. Like G¨¦rard, it is a name as precious as royalty. From now on, you shall proudly call yourself Ortansia Altiel Verite.¡± ¡®Your Excellency Duke, a maiden with such strong blessings could be canonised as a saint immediately. By all means, would you entrust your daughter to our care?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t do that. She¡¯s a girl I¡¯ve only just met, and I¡¯d like to keep her for a while to pamper her.¡± When he dismissed the bishop¡¯s proposal with these words, her father smiled as if he was planning something. ¡°Your Excellency the Duke! Please, please reconsider¡± ¡°Come on, Ortansia.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be inundated with offers of marriage from royalty and nobility all over the world.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her father was smiling happily, In contrast to her father, Ortansia was exhausted While leaning against her father, Ortansia ruminated vaguely on the words of the goddess earlier.. ¡®Haa¡­ I don¡¯t understand, but if I¡¯m not mistaken, my brother will be in trouble if I leave him alone like this, so somehow I have to pull him back to the right path¡­¡¯ The goddess¡¯ requests were impossible but they were in line with Ortansia¡¯s objective of getting Gerard on her side in order to survive. ¡°Whatever it is, I have to find a way to get Onii-sama to like me¡­ is there such a way?¡± Facing her first and biggest mission, Ortancia was at a loss. Chapter 8 ¡°Ortansia, please stand by Gerard and guide him to the right path. His hidden power is mighty, and depending on how you use it, it could be the sword that destroys the world. Only you can save him.¡± Three days had passed since Ortansia heard the goddess¡¯s words at her baptismal ceremony. According to the goddess, if Ortansia doesn¡¯t prevent Gerard from falling into darkness, this world will be in danger. ¡®No, no, no, it¡¯s really impossible. Goddess, no matter how I think about it, you definitely picked the wrong person¡¯ Ortansia sighed heavily as she hugged the fluffy cushion on her bed. The fact that Ortansia had obtained a baptismal name and blessing as powerful as royalty caused a bit of a commotion at the Duke of Verite¡¯s mansion. The Duke of Verite¡¯s residence had been in a bit of an uproar since she arrived, The disdainful gazes like ¡°A dirty whore¡¯s child!¡± decreased, but instead, they look at her like they were looking at a mysterious and rare animal. G¨¦rard, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t proud or interacted with Ortansia because of it. He still ignored Ortansia as usual. Tired of the situation, Ortansia became a recluse after only three days in the mansion, and when she was not busy with her work, she was in her room. She knew that if she continued like this, she would repeat the mistakes of her past life, but she couldn¡¯t seem to find a way out of it. ¡®Goddess, if you want me to do something so hard, why don¡¯t you give me some more hints!¡¯ Ortanshia was spending her time idly, when suddenly there was a knock on the door of her room, and she stood up with a start. She hurriedly sat down on the sofa and picked up a nearby book, giving off the air of ¡°I was reading gracefully.¡± When she was ready, she steadied her breathing and called out to the other side of the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Lady Ortansia, this is Pamela, your servant. May I come in?¡± ¡°Please, come in.¡± After giving her permission, the young maid hurriedly stepped into the room. Ortansia frowned at the sight of the young maid. ¡®Oh, this person¡­¡¯ It was a young woman who looked like a country girl. Ortansia knew her. ¡®Pamela. I see. She was already working at the mansion at that time¡­¡¯ When she saw Pamela, her heart was filled with nostalgia as she prepared for tea time.saying, ¡°I¡¯ll make you a cup of tea¡± In her past life, Pamela was a maid working in the duke¡¯s mansion as well. Most of the servants treated Ortansia like a nuisance, saying, ¡°A mistress¡¯s daughter is useless¡­¡± but Pamela was different. ¡°I have a sister about the same age as you!¡± She always said. She used to adore Ortansia. Ortansia also trusted Pamela. Although she was a bit gullible at times, she could tell that she had a good heart. Annabelle, her teacher, had taught her that in aristocratic society it was necessary to distinguish between honest intentions and pretense, and Ortansia liked the presence of an innocent person like her. ¡®But because she¡¯s too straightforward¡­ Pamela¡¯ Her naivety might offend some people. Or perhaps she was defending Ortansia in disputes between servants, so they bore a grudge against her because of Ortansia. Not long after Ortansia arrived at the mansion, Pamela was accused of stealing the mansion¡¯s furnishings. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t steal anything!¡± Pamela insisted, but no one believed her. Pamela would never do such a thing. Ortansia believed so, but she could not say anything. She was afraid of protecting Pamela and becoming more and more disliked by the other servants. In the end, the duke, who did not want the scandal to become known by the public, dismissed Pamela and left the duke¡¯s mansion, although she was not handed over to the security forces. The loss of her only ally made Ortansia even more lonely. ¡®If she had defended Pamela at that time, something might have changed.¡¯ After Pamela was gone, Ortansia regretted it over and over again. Even now, she still believes that Pamela would never have done such a thing. She was probably framed by the other servants who didn¡¯t like Pamela anyway. ¡®Hey¡­ But that means I know what will happen in the near future, right?¡¯ When Pamela would be framed and kicked out of the Duke¡¯s mansion, Ortansia remembered well. ¡®And maybe¡­ I can prevent Pamela from being kicked out!¡¯ She missed Pamela. Before, a helpless Ortansia could do nothing, but at least now it¡¯s different. ¡®I know the future, and I should be able to change it. After all, that¡¯s the request of the Goddess!¡¯ Besides, now she had powers from the special blessing given to her by the Goddess. ¡®I¡¯ll clear your name. It¡¯s going to be a good practice to change the future!¡¯ Pamela, who knew nothing about the situation, tilted her head curiously at Ortansia, who gazed at her with a sparkling and motivated gaze. Chapter 9 ¡¯But how can I help Pamela?¡¯ Ortansia pondered in her room. ¡®The stolen mansion furniture was found in Pamela¡¯s luggage¡­ meaning someone put them in there?¡¯ Someone had deliberately planted stolen items in her personal belongings in order to frame Pamela. If she can successfully prove that they were falsely accused, she will be able to rid Pamela of the accusation ¡®I don¡¯t know what to do!¡¯ Ortansia groaned as she hugged her pillow tightly and jiggled her tiny feet. No matter how much she wanted to find the culprit, she couldn¡¯t keep a 24/7 watch on the servants¡¯ quarters where Pamela lived. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ What else could Ortansia do? ¡®Oh, yes. I received a new blessing from the goddess!¡¯ Finally remembering this, Ortansia hurriedly pulled out her naming card from the shelf. The naming card should have contained the new name given at the baptism and details about the blessing. She was so busy on the day of the baptism that she didn¡¯t have time to check it carefully, but if she checked the naming certificate, she would know about the blessings. When Ortansia opened it with trepidation, she was astonished. ¡®So many blessings!¡¯ There was a list of blessings given to Ortansia (or so it seemed). Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®I really didn¡¯t realize there were that many blessings! I didn¡¯t notice that at all.¡¯ ¡®But with this¡­ It might prevent Pamela from being falsely accused.¡¯ Ortansia gulped, and began to think of a plan. ¡°Excuse me, Lady Ortansia!¡± The next day, Pamela arrived at Ortansia¡¯s door in high spirits and Ortansia answered her with a smile, taking a small potted plant in her hand. ¡°Pamela,¡± Ortanshia called out with a smile, ¡°I went out in the garden yesterday. I went out into the garden yesterday and saw some really beautiful flowers blooming, so I thought I¡¯d give them to Pamela as well.¡± ¡®Are you okay? It¡¯s not natural! Is this what a 7-year-old should be like!¡¯ Taking care to sound exactly like an ¡°innocent seven-year-old girl¡± as much as possible, Ortansia uttered the line she had practiced over and over again. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ She said, ¡°Pamela will always take care of the flowers in my room. I know I¡¯m a bit nervous about suddenly being in a big mansion, but the flowers that¡­ Pamela takes care of, cheers me up! So¡­ I¡¯ll give Pamela some beautiful flowers too! I hope you¡¯ll take good care of them as if they were mine!¡± With a smile that made her look as lovely as possible, she offered Pamela a potted plant of flowers that she found randomly in the garden yesterday. Pamela looked at Ortansia in surprise. ¡®Ugh¡­ was that weird?! As expected, such a dirty potted plant wasn¡¯t good enough!¡¯ She had just unearthed a potted plant that was almost buried in the soil around there and planted some random wild flowers, so to be honest, it was not even a subtle interior design. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®I should have made it more elaborate¡¯ And when Ortansia began to regret it, ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe the young lady said that.¡± Pamela suddenly bursted into tears. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I¡­ am a country girl, I¡¯m not witty, I make so many mistakes, and I¡¯ve thought about quitting this job so many times already, but¡­ Thank you, Miss!¡± Pamela received Ortansia¡¯s potted plant with a smile, even though she was crying raggedly. The sheer joy of it all made Ortansia feel a tingle of guilt. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®Ugh¡­ if I knew she would be this happy, I would have done better, but this should be a breakthrough in clearing Pamela¡¯s false accusations.!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll treasure it!¡± Pamela said happily. Ortansia nodded to her in reply and let her gaze follow Pamela¡¯s back as she proceeded with the cleaning while humming, with eyes full of calculations unlike a child. Chapter 10 Soon after, the X-Day arrived. The pure gold frog figurine that had been displayed in the hallway of the mansion disappeared without a trace. ¡®No, I don¡¯t think they should have left that thing on display.¡¯ The ornament was not beautiful, but it was made of pure gold, so of course it was valuable. Naturally, there was a commotion in the mansion, and the search for the culprit began. Pamela was identified as a suspect. The situation was progressing just as Ortansia remembered it. ¡®But this time, I¡¯ll stop them.¡¯ To avoid ending up being executed, it is better to have many allies. For Ortansia, who was currently alone and helpless, securing Pamela will be a great asset. ¡°I heard that country girl was called to the master¡¯s office.¡±. ¡°I hate the idea of my colleague being a criminal. Why doesn¡¯t the master just hand her over to the guards?¡± After hearing the servants whispering through her powers; listening ears, Ortansia stepped out of her room. She was headed for the office of her father, the Duke of Verite. ¡°Enough! It¡¯s unsightly to say that the Duke will be kind to you if you speak honestly! ¡°But I really didn¡¯t do it!¡± When she reached the front of the office, she immediately heard such an argument from inside. ¡°No, sir, I did not do it. I would never attempt to assassinate..¡± For a moment, her mind wandered back to the time before she was reborn. ¡®¡­¡­ don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not going to be like that in the future anymore.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, Ortansia straightened her posture and tapped on the door to the office. The argument stopped for a moment and the door immediately opened. The one who appeared from inside was her father. ¡°Ortansia¡­? I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m busy right now.¡± ¡°No, Father, It has to be now. Pamela is my maid. Don¡¯t I have the right to intervene?¡± She folded her arms, and her father frowned in surprise, then smiled, looking¡­ amused. ¡°All right, come on in.¡± ¡®Okay, the first barrier has been breached!¡¯ She had expected to be told to stay back, but she managed to get in. Seeing Ortansia come in, those in the office looked startled. ¡®The butler and the head maid ¡­¡­, well, that¡¯s a reasonable choice.¡¯ Ortansia looked around the room and saw Pamela, who looked like she was about to start crying. ¡°Oh, Mistress¡­¡± She nodded at Pamela, who looked surprised, and Ortansia gently opened her mouth. ¡°I heard that¡­ Pamela was suspected of stealing something valuable from the mansion. Is that true?¡± Yeah, it¡¯s true. As for the stolen ornament, it¡¯s been reported that it was found in her personal belongings.¡±. Despite the situation, my father was smiling with great amusement, as if to say, ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Ortansia straightened her back and puffed out her chest as much as possible so as not to lose to his gaze. ¡°Pamela would never do such a thing.¡± When Ortansia insisted, the head maid sighed in disappointment. ¡°However, my lady, we have already found the stolen item among Pamela¡¯s personal belongings. This is irrefutable evidence.¡± ¡°No, it could be that someone has framed her¡­ Hey Pamela, is the potted plant I gave you before in your room?¡± ¡°Ha, yes! Of course, I take good care of it every day.¡± ¡°Can someone please bring me the potted plant from Pamela¡¯s room? I will find the real criminal¡±. Both the butler and the head maid seemed bewildered by Ortansia¡¯s brazen attitude. Only her father, however, chuckled and ordered a servant to bring her a potted plant. ¡°So, my little girl, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°¡­ I have been given a blessing that allows me to ¡°read the memories of plants.¡± The divine blessing called ¡°Fresh Green Eyes¡± is a rare divine blessing that allows you to read the memory of a plant just by touching it and thinking about it Where would one use such an insignificant skill? Ortansia was aghast, but then she came up with an unexpected use for it. ¡®If I give Pamela a potted plant of flowers, the flowers will prove her innocence!¡¯ Soon, a servant brings a potted plant from Pamela¡¯s room, just as she was told. Ortansia had given it to Pamela as a random gift, but it seems that Pamela had polished the potted plant beautifully and taken good care of it every day. Gently touching a leaf in the potted plant, Ortansia strongly requested ¡°Please tell me who framed Pamela!¡± Memories of the plant flew into her mind. For a while, nothing unusual was shown, just an unoccupied room, with Pamela coming and going every once in a while. ¡®Here it comes!¡¯ Suddenly, the door seemed to open, and who appeared was not Pamela but another maid. She was a little older than Pamela. With the master key in her hand, she took out a pure gold frog from a package in her pocket and quickly shoved it into Pamela¡¯s luggage. Then, with a nasty smile on her face, she left the room. ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Ortansia spuned around and turned to her father and told him confidently. ¡°Father, I have found the culprit. But I still can¡¯t match the faces and names of the servants, so ¡­¡­ may I ask you to gather everyone in the hall?¡± ¡®Now, let the counterattack begin!¡¯ Ortansia chuckled, and her father smiled in amusement. Chapter 11 The servants gathered in the hall were looking at each other with mixed expressions of anxiety and curiosity. Apparently, they had not yet been informed of the details. As she watched them one by one, Ortansia searched for the real culprit behind Pamela¡¯s false accusations. ¡®Oh, there she is!¡¯ The woman was indeed present in the gathering. She probably thought that there was no way they would find out that she was the culprit. She had a smile on her face. ¡®Hmmm, it¡¯s only a matter of time before she does so!¡¯ Ortansia stood proudly next to her father, stretching her back and chest out as best she could to avoid being looked down on. ¡°The reason we¡¯ve all gathered here is none other than the case of the theft. It seems that my daughter has found the culprit. Please listen carefully.¡± Ortansia didn¡¯t miss the smile of the real culprit towards her fathers words. Ortansia slowly stepped forward and looked at each of the servants¡¯ faces. Then she stopped in front of the maid and stared at her face. ¡°You¡¯re the one who put the stolen goods in Pamela¡¯s luggage.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­!¡± The real culprit seemed to scowl for a moment, but then immediately coughed and smiled thinly. ¡°Master, it pains me to say this, but I¡¯m sure the young lady was persuaded by Pamela. She has been tricked into believing that it was someone else who did it. Do you believe what this child says?¡± The way she said it, the mockery was evident. But my father didn¡¯t stop smiling. ¡°Is that so, Ortansia?¡± ¡°Yes father. I have no doubt.¡± ¡°My Lady! If you¡¯re so sure, do you have any proof?¡± ¡°Yes, because I saw you frame Pamela with the power of the blessings I received from the Goddess.¡± ¡°How can something like that be used as proof! Master! The young lady said something untrue and tried to unfairly frame me¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± At that moment, a chilling voice echoed through the hall. The maid who was the real culprit, expression froze at the sound of that voice, and Ortansia froze at the unexpected turn of events. The sound of footsteps resounds. Ortanshia¡¯s brother, G¨¦rard appeared ¡®Huh, why is Oniisama here!? Is he mad at me because I¡¯m getting on his nerves!¡¯ While Ortansia was worried, Gerard came and stood right in front of Ortansia. He looked down at Ortansia with those absolutely cold eyes. ¡®Huh! How can a Mistress daughter behave like a boss?!¡¯ Ortansia froze and waited for Gerard to tell her to ridicule her. But Gerard suddenly took his eyes off Ortansia and announced in a chilling voice: ¡°How dare you, a servant, talk back to a member of the Duke de Virit¨¦ family? The one that Gerard¡¯s cold gaze was on was not Ortansia, but the servant, who¡¯s the real culprit. ¡°Huh! Could it be that.. he is protecting me?¡± Ortansia looked up at her brother in disbelief. ¡°No, no, Master Gerard¡± ¡°Shut up. The most important thing to do is to answer exactly what you are asked if you don¡¯t want to have your head chopped off. Is that clear?¡± ¡°Hyah!¡± The servant, who was the culprit, was glared at by G¨¦rard, and was shaking her head like a bobblehead doll with a pale face. ¡°You stole the Duke of Verite¡¯s fortune and tried to frame another servant for the crime. no doubt.¡± The maid, perhaps oppressed by Gerard¡¯s stare, continued to shake her head like a broken doll. She easily admitted her guilt. ¡°That¡¯s right. Father, about the rest of the process¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. I¡¯m sorry to have bothered you, Gerard. Thank you, too, Ortansia. Thanks to you, we will be able to save the innocent and punish the culprit properly.¡± ¡°Ha, yes¡­¡± Gerard was no longer interested and left, his shoes clacking against the floor again. ¡®No way, I never thought Onii-sama would help me¡­¡¯ Unable to believe what had just happened, Ortansia pinched her soft cheek. The pain she felt seemed to tell her that what had just happened was definitely real. Chapter 12 Thanks to Ortansia¡¯s help, Pamela was to continue working at the duke¡¯s residence, and the real culprit was handed over to the guards. There were additional charges such as unauthorized use of the master key, so it seems that simply dismissing her was not enough. Ortansia sighed as she watched Pamela prepare the snacks while humming a tune. ¡®And even so¡­ I never expected that Onii-sama would help me¡¯ Since the incident, Ortansia has been thinking over and over again the meaning of Gerard¡¯s actions at that time. ¡°How dare you, a servant, talk back to a member of the Duke de Virit¨¦ family?¡± Depending on how you think about it, those words sounded like he was acknowledging Ortansia as a member of the ducal family. ¡®But that can¡¯t be possible because he once said, ¡°I never once thought of you as my sister¡±.¡¯ Maybe he simply didn¡¯t like the fact that the servant had a cocky mouth. Still, it turned out, he saved Ortansia. Pamela was to remain with the duke, and the future will change a little. ¡®It would be nice if I could somehow get Onii-sama favorability with this flow. But how could I get along with that expressionless man?¡¯ Ortansia, who had been groaning, called out to Pamela unconsciously ¡°Hey, Pamela.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, miss?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ trying to get along with someone, but I can¡¯t talk to him very well. How do you think we can get along?¡± ¡°If¡­ you smile and talk to him, it will solve the problem right away! There is no way anyone would get angry after being smiled at by a cute young lady!¡± The answer Pamela gave cheerfully made Ortansia involuntarily wince. ¡®I don¡¯t think so! only someone as naive as you can make a move like that¡¯ Ortansia smiled awkwardly as she thanked Pamela. ¡ó¡ó¡ó¡ó Since Pamela¡¯s advice didn¡¯t help much, Ortanshia wandered around the mansion blindly, hoping that her walk would give her some ideas. Then, just as she turned at a corner, she bumped into someone. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡± As soon as she apologized and looked up, Ortansia froze. The culprit that troubled Ortansia¡¯s thoughts, Gerard, was staring at her with a cold gaze ¡°Uhh, Onii-sama¡­¡± Ortansia was tensed as she accidentally said that out of habit. ¡®Oops! I was careful not to be overly familiar! Why would I call him Onii-sama¡¯ Feeling as if she was about to start crying, unable to look away, Ortansia just continued to stare at her brother¡¯s face. Gerard, too, was still staring at her with his emotionless, cold gaze, but he suddenly opened his mouth. ¡°The maid you spoke out for, I heard she¡¯s still staying in the mansion.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not sure what to do.¡¯ ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡®Huh, my brother is talking to me! What is this? Is this a sign of an impending disaster?¡¯ Ortansia¡¯s head was in a state of panic at this impossible situation. Her thoughts were jumbled together and she immediately remembered the words she heard from Pamela just a few minutes ago. ¡°There is no way anyone would feel annoyed about being smiled at by a lovely young lady!¡± ¡®Huh! It doesn¡¯t matter anymore¡¯ Confused, Ortansia stopped thinking. Then, she smiled adorably as she spoke to Gerard. ¡°Brother, you were amazing! Ehehe, thank you!¡± Without knowing what she was saying, Ortansia just kept saying, ¡± brother is amazing! She continued to praise Gerard with a smile. She was frightened that at any moment he would say, ¡°Shut up right now or I¡¯ll cut your head off!¡±¡­ But for some reason, Gerard seemed to be listening to Ortansia very patiently. ¡®I¡¯m not sure why, but I¡¯m in a really good mood today!¡¯ Everything was out of the realm of Ortansia¡¯s imagination, and her head was filled with ¡°???¡± But there was no backing out now. She has no choice but to go through with this ¡°cute little sister¡± mode. G¨¦rard suddenly looked out the window and sighed. Ortansia was frightened that his anger had finally crossed its limits and that the thunder of judgment would fall, but¡­ ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s about time. Tell me if you have any trouble again.¡± After saying that, Gerard clumsily patted Ortansia¡¯s head with an awkward expression quickly left. Ortansia stood there in a daze. ¡®¡­Was that a dream? That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way my brother would listen to me silently and ask me to tell him if I had any trouble¡­¡¯ She pinched her cheek to immediately wake up from the dream, but what she felt was definitely pain. Until Pamela, who was worried, came looking for her, Ortansia repeated her odd behavior of pinching her cheek and shutting and opening her eyes on the spot for about half a minute. Chapter 13 Strange. No matter how she thought about it, G¨¦rard¡¯s attitude just didn¡¯t seem right. ¡°Shut up, you disgrace my ducal family. I never once, not even once, thought of you as my sister.¡± Even now, she remembered it clearly. Gerard clearly refused Ortansia, who desperately asked for help on the execution table. In other words, Gerard hated Ortansia. There should be no doubt, but¡­ ¡°Good morning, brother.¡± In the morning, when she when she cautiously greeted Gerard, who happened to pass by her in the hallway of the Duke¡¯s mansion, he stopped and stared at her Looking at that cold gaze, Ortansia froze and thought, ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I have called out to him!?¡¯ ¡°¡­Uhm.¡± ¡®What¡¯s with the ¡°Uhm¡±?! Is that supposed to mean that he returned my greeting! I mean, why is he still standing still!!!?¡¯ Confused, Ortansia stared at Gerard with a smile, but for some reason he continued to stare at her without moving from his position. ¡®Perhaps I should say something? But what should I say! Let¡¯s see, in a situation like this¡­¡¯ Tempest, Ortansia desperately tried to remember her late mother¡¯s words. ¡°Ortansia. To speak to your guests in a way that entertains them, you should¡­ well, maybe start with the weather or a bland topic and see how they react.¡± ¡°Uh, Onii-sama¡­! It¡¯s a beautiful day, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Yes.¡± As usual, Gerard was staring at her with a cold gaze. She couldn¡¯t figure out what he was thinking. ¡®Huh! What was this reaction to it!? Good!? Bad!¡¯ Not knowing what he was thinking, Ortansia was confused. But when she saw that he did not walk away, she wondered if he was waiting for her next words. ¡°Uhm, on a nice day like this, a walk in the garden sounds pleasant!¡± ¡°¡­Really¡± ¡°I was taking a walk in the garden the other day and I found the most beautiful flowers! I asked the gardener about it, and he said it was a very rare flower¡­ Well, it¡¯s just like the Duke de Verit¨¦ to have such a rare flower!¡¯ ¡®Oh what are you saying! There¡¯s no way Onii-sama would be interested in that!¡¯ ¡°The good thing is that, Ortansia, you don¡¯t have to do the talking, you just have to lead the other person to do the talking. All you have to do is smile and give them a little direction.¡± She remembered what her mom once told her. ¡®I can¡¯t do that kind of advanced technique, Mom!¡¯ Ortansia felt like crying because she had gone in the opposite direction of her late mother¡¯s advice. She had made a last, apologetic gesture by bringing up the garden, but there was no way that G¨¦rard would be interested in Ortansia¡¯s boring stories about her daily life. He was sure to be displeased. ¡°¡­Got it.¡± Ortansia was trembling like a sinner waiting to be executed when she heard her brother¡¯s words. At the same time, he clumsily patted his head and quickly left the place. Left behind, Ortansia held her breath and just waited for the footsteps to move further away. ¡®What did he mean by ¡®I get it!¡¯ You mean you understand my boring story and you want me to keep my mouth shut forever!¡¡Right? That¡¯s the only way I can think of it!¡¯ ¡®I must have stepped on Gerard¡¯s landmine this time¡­!¡¯ Ortansia, who collapsed on the spot in horror, would learn the true intentions of her unexpected brother in a few days. Chapter 14 That day, I got up as usual and headed for the dining room. ¡°Hee!¡± As if he was waiting, Gerard was standing against the wall of the corridor in front of the dining hall. Ortansia, who inadvertently let out a careless scream, was instantly captured by his gaze before she could turn and run away. As he walked towards her, Ortansia panicked. ¡®Ugh, I am air, I am a houseplant, I am a stain on the wall¡­ please let him pass by without noticing me!¡¯ But Ortansia¡¯s prayers were in vain, and Gerard stopped in front of her. And then, said a single word. ¡°Come¡± And then he left. Ortansia, who was left behind, already wanted to cry. ¡®Where did he say to come to? Can I pretend I didn¡¯t hear him and run away?¡¯ However, Pamela, who was waiting behind her, said, ¡°You¡¯re wanted, miss!¡± and she shoved her on the shoulder with a woozy smile. Unfortunately, the ¡°pretend I didn¡¯t hear him¡± strategy failed. Ortansia had no choice but to reluctantly follow G¨¦rard. ¡®What is this really about? A sermon about ¡°not getting carried away?¡± No, Onii-sama wouldn¡¯t do something so troublesome.¡¯ After all, in her first life, he had treated Ortansia completely like an invisible air. It was hard to believe that her brother would go out of his way to spend the effort to bully Ortansia, like other servants. She didn¡¯t know what he was thinking and the fact that she didn¡¯t know is what made it so terrifying. Ortansia felt like a sinner advancing to the executioner¡¯s block and chased after Gerard at a trot. He headed not for the torture chambers in the basement¡­ etc., but for the brightly lit yard. ¡®What is going on? Am I just going to be thrown out of the gate and kicked out with a ¡°don¡¯t ever step on the Duke¡¯s soil again¡± warning?¡¯ She felt like that would be better. ¡°Wah-pooh!¡± Ortansia, who inadvertently bumped into her brother because she was looking down, fell on her buttocks. ¡®Aaahhh¡­ what a mistake at a time like this!¡¯ Gerard stretched out his arms toward Ortansia, who was trembling in the ground. ¡®Will she be beaten or strangled¡­¡¯ Ortansia trembled imagining the violence that was about to come ¡°Whoa!¡± The sudden feeling of levitation made her scream out. But soon Ortansia¡¯s feet were on the ground. Gerard lifted Ortansia¡¯s torso and helped her to stand. ¡°Oh, thanks¡­ that?¡± Reflexively trying to thank him, Ort¨¢nsia shouted in surprise. The flowers of Shangri-La were in full bloom in the flower beds right beside where Ortansia and her brother were. Like a blue sky, like a clear sea ¨C beautiful blue flowers. ¡®Huh? When I saw it before, it was said there were only a few of them because they are extremely rare flowers but¡­ Why?¡¯ Shangri-La flowers originally bloom only in remote and unexplored highlands, and to grow them elsewhere like this required a specialist gardener who had learned advanced magical techniques. And there were so many of them. It seemed it would be difficult to maintain them with half-baked growing techniques. As she craned her neck, a gardener working nearby called out to her. ¡°Oh, miss! How would you like it? The Shangri-La that the young lady desires, such a sight of so many flowers all at once is rarely seen, even in the royal palaces of other countries! Well, as expected of the Duke of Verite.¡± ¡°If you let them wither¡­ you know it.¡± ¡°Of course, young master! I¡¯ve brought in a specialist Gardener, as you ordered.¡± The gardener, who had been glared at by G¨¦rard, turned pale and excused himself for the painstaking care he had taken of the Shangri-La¡¯s flowers. Seeing this, Ortansia tilted her head again. ¡®Huh, the way he just said it, it sounds like¡­ Onii-sama went through a lot of trouble to get so many Shangri-La flowers and ordered them to be grown but¡­ Why?¡¯ Shangri-la is a rare flower. It is said that even just one plant is worth several months of a commoner¡¯s salary. ¡®Why bother with such an expensive flower? It doesn¡¯t seem like Onii-sama has the heart to love flowers in any way¡­¡¯ Rather, Gerard seemed to be the type of person who would be the first to dismiss this kind of investment in flowers that would please people¡¯s eyes as a waste. Suspicious Ortansia was surprised when Gerard suddenly turned around and asked ¡°Do you like it ?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± After she responded enthusiastically, a thought popped into Ortansia¡¯s head that she never thought would occur to her. Chapter 15 ¡®Come to think of it, when I met Onii-sama before¡­¡¯ ¡°I was taking a walk in the garden the other day, and I found a very beautiful flower! I asked the gardener about it, and he told me it was a very rare flower called a Shangri-La. ¡­¡­ Well, it is indeed the Duke de Verite that even has such a rare flower!¡± Ortansia remembered. It was true that she had inadvertently mentioned the Shangri-La flower in front of him. But no way, that was all it took for that cold-blooded brother of hers! Ortansia never thought he would order to arrange rare flowers for her. ¡°These are all yours.¡± Gerard told her with an extremely serious expression on his face. Ortansia was taken aback by his words. ¡®Could it¡­ really be because I told him about the Shangri-La flowers?¡¯ The answer she had arrived at quickly made her pale ¡®What does that mean? What on earth is the purpose of this?¡¯ Gerard¡¯s icy gaze was still fixed on Ortansia, who was turning pale. He seemed to be waiting for Ortansia¡¯s reaction. ¡®I have to say something. Something¡­ ah, help me, Mom!¡¯ Confused, Ortansia requested her late mother for help in her mind, as usual That¡¯s it. Her mother often received presents from customers at the bar. At that time she¡­ ¡± ¡­Look, Ortansia. Aren¡¯t these flowers beautiful? I got them from a customer. When you are a little older, I am sure you will receive more flowers than you can hold from many gentlemen. After all, you are my daughter!¡± ¡®Far from being unable to hold it, it¡¯s a whole flowerbed, Mom!!¡¯ ¡°When you receive a gift from someone, you should be overjoyed. If it is a genuine favor, the recipient will be happy, and if there is some calculation, you can catch them off guard.¡± Ortansia turned her head and took a deep breath to regain her composure. Then she looked up quickly with a smile on her face as best she could. ¡°I¡¯m so happy! Thank you, Onii-sama!¡± ¡®Anyway, I have to be overjoyed¡­ or I¡¯ll be in jeopardy!¡¯ ¡°Ehehe, I love these beautiful flowers! I feel so happy!¡± ¡®Ugh, I want to disappear right now¡¯ While being a big cutie, Ortansia was inwardly fighting a sense of shame. ¡°Onii-sama is amazing! I admire you so much!¡± ¡°. . . ¡± Gerard was looking down at Ortansia, who was in high spirits (pretending to be), with an absolutely cold gaze as usual. ¡®¡­I wonder if I exaggerated too much.¡¯ She may be immediately dismissed as, ¡°We don¡¯t need such a noisy creature¡±. Her forceful smile was about to twitch, but¡­ ¡°¡­aside from this¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What else do you want?¡± It¡¯s more of an interrogation than a question. Gerard stared at Ortansia with a very serious expression. If it was allowed, she wanted to dash with all her might and escape from here. But Ortansia, who was not allowed to run away like that, smiled and turned her head desperately ¡®What did he mean by ¡°What else do you want?¡± If I can escape from here, I don¡¯t need anything else!¡¯ ¡®So What is the correct answer?¡¯ Ortansia fell silent and felt as if the air in the room was gradually freezing over. The gardener, wondering what she thought of the atmosphere, hurriedly followed up. ¡°Oh, Miss Ortansia, you are so humble!¡¡Young master, for a young lady of her age¡­¡± The gardener said something, and Gerard nodded as if he was convinced of something. ¡°I understand.¡± After saying that, he quickly left the place. Left behind, Ortansia had no choice but to just stand there dumbfounded ¡®I¡¯ve been liberated¡­ right? What in the world was that?¡¯ Ortansia was so distracted that she crouched down on the spot. The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how to do it. If she looked up, she could see the fantastic Shangri-La flowers. She wondered why he spent so much money collecting such rare flowers. ¡®Probably because I told him about the Shangri-La flowers¡­ But why? Did he think it would somehow benefit the Ducal family?¡¯ The gardener and her maid, Pamela, looked on with a smile as Ortansia pondered, not understanding what was going on. Chapter 16 The next day, while Ortansia was taking a lesson as usual from Annabelle, the nagging education officer, an incident occurred. ¡°Excuse me. Oh, this is the Duke¡¯s daughter!¡± ¡°How lovely!¡± ¡°My arms are ringing¡± A couple of women in outlandish costumes, not to mention a few in flashy outfits, bursted into the lesson room with a bang. ¡°Who are you people? I am in the middle of teaching her a lady¡¯s etiquettes! Now get out of here!¡± With a deep frown on her face, Annabelle approached the intruders in anger. However, the ladies did not seem to care about her, and announced as matter-of-factly, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m late. I am Solange, a designer, and I am here at the request of Mr. Gerard. This is my assistant.¡± Ortansia, who had been watching the proceedings with a blank stare, widened her eyes in surprise as soon as she heard the name. ¡®Solange? You don¡¯t mean Madame Solange of ¡°Sorci¨¨res¡±?¡¯ ¡°Sorci¨¨res¡± is the most popular and well-known brand in the kingdom. In her past life, Ortansia was not very familiar with the latest fashions. But even she had heard of Madame Solange of ¡°Sorci¨¨res¡± fame. She was a charismatic designer of a popular brand that was always at the forefront of fashion, creating one innovative and beautiful design after another. All the daughters of nobility wanted to wear ¡°Sorci¨¨res¡± dresses. Ortansia was not uninterested, but as the daughter of a Mistress, she did not feel comfortable ordering a dress from such a famous brand, so she never once wore a Sorci¨¨res dress. ¡®Why is the designer of such a popular brand here¡­¡¯ To answer to Ortansia¡¯s question, Madame Solange smiled. ¡°Then, young lady, please come over here. I¡¯ll take measurements right away¡± ¡°Um¡­ What?¡± ¡°What kind of dress would you like, miss? After all, it¡¯s Gerard-sama¡¯s request. I will make you a wonderful dress that will enhance your lovely appearance!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Annabelle cleared her throat when Ortansia was dazed. ¡°¡­Excuse me. Did you just say that it was Master Gerard¡¯s request?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. I received an order directly from Master Gerard to ¡°make a dress suitable for Lady Ortansia¡± Madame Solange held out a sheet of paper to Annabelle. As she read it, Annabelle¡¯s brow furrowed. She was not sure what was written on it, but Ortansia could see Gerard¡¯s signature in beautiful handwriting at the bottom of the page. ¡®Does that mean that Onii-sama really ordered my dress to be tailored¡­?¡¯ ¡°If it was ordered by¡­ Gerard-sama,then I have no choice. Miss Ortansia, today¡¯s lesson is over, but do not let your mind wander. I ask you to always be aware of a lady¡¯s etiquettes. ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Ortansia was taken out by Madame Solange immediately, and every inch of her stunned little body was measured. ¡®Onii-sama, my dress¡­ no, no, why?¡¯ Since she came to this duke¡¯s house, she has been provided with at least enough clothes to wear every day. And yet, why did he go out of his way to call a popular designer to the mansion to tailor a custom-made dress for her! ¡®Wow, I don¡¯t get it¡­ Did my father order Onii-sama to do so? But that never happened in my previous life.¡¯ But Gerard¡¯s inexplicable behavior did not end. From then on, famous designers who were well-known in the capital began to visit the duke¡¯s residence one after another. They always claimed to be present at G¨¦rard¡¯s request, and Annabelle, who was constantly getting her lessons interrupted, began to argue with them. As the wrinkles between Annabelle¡¯s eyebrows increase, so does the number of Ortansia¡¯s dresses. And before she knew it, Ortansia¡¯s closet was filled with brand new dresses. Chapter 17 ¡®Miss! They¡¯ve decided to convert the spare room into a dressing room exclusively for Miss!¡± ¡®Really¡­?¡¯ Pamela¡¯s cheerful words made Ortansia want to hold her head in her hands. The closet in Ortansia¡¯s room was by no means small. Rather, the closet alone was many times larger than the room she lived in when she lived in the orphanage. And yet, Ortansia¡¯s exclusive dressing room, which was even larger, was¡­ ¡®What is this, what¡¯s actually going on¡­?¡¯ ¡°Excuse me. Here is a delivery for you, miss.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± When Pamela returned, she was carrying a number of large boxes. ¡°Here¡¯s a present for you, miss! Wow, what¡¯s inside?¡± ¡°¡­Can you open it for me?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind at all. Uh¡­ look! Cute stuffed animals, and over here is a trinket!¡± Stuffed toys, dolls and accessories that little girls would love were laid out on the table. Ortansia could only look in horror. ¡°¡­By the way, from whom did all these items come?¡± ¡°Of course, they are all from Gerard-sama!¡± ¡°Oh my god! do you really mean¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, Onii-sama why are you doing this¡­¡± When she muttered this unintentionally, Pamela replied with a big smile. ¡°That¡¯s because he wants you to be happy, that¡¯s obvious!¡± ¡®I¡¯m not sure how that¡¯s possible! But that¡¯s what it looks like from that perspective¡­¡¯ Ortansia took a deep breath and hugged one of the gifts, a stuffed bear, to calm her mind. Hugging the fluffy, adorable bear indeed calmed her down a little. ¡®Er, I think brother is trying to please me¡¯ He collected flowers that Ortansia said she liked, ordered a large amount of dresses for Ortansia, and gave her gifts that a little girl as young as Ortansia would love. But¡­ ¡®What was his motive for pleasing me! What¡¯s beyond that!!!¡¯ It is frightening because I don¡¯t know his key motive. Squeezing her bear to escape reality, Ortansia pondered. ¡®Anyway¡­ I don¡¯t know his purpose, but my brother is really trying to please me.¡¯ According to her mother¡¯s teachings, in times like this, she should just be overjoyed. So Ortansia, who immediately encountered Gerard in the hallway, turned around on the spot, so lightly that she seemed to be dancing. ¡°Look at me, Oniisama! The Sorciere dress that Oniisama asked Madame Solange to make for me is really wonderful!¡± The lovely dress, which looked like something out of a fairy tale, certainly suited Ortansia well. The hem of the skirt fluttered as Ortansia moved. ¡®Isn¡¯t this fine¡­?¡¯ ¡°The stuffed bear is really cute too! Ehehe. I sleep with it every day!¡± Ortansia tilted her head in a cute pose and smiled in the most adorable way possible. Gerard was staring at her with a cold gaze. ¡®Hee! Scary! That was indeed too much!¡¯ ¡°I understand.¡± G¨¦rard said this without hesitation, patted Ortansia who froze in a cute pose lightly on the head, and walked away. ¡®¡­So, what exactly did you ¡°understand¡±¡® A few days later, a wide variety of stuffed bears arrived, and Ortansia was even more troubled. Chapter 18 At the same time, Annabelle¡¯s lessons as Ortansia¡¯s educator also became more and more heated daily. Recently, the lessons were often interrupted by the intrusion of the designer, and Annabelle seemed to be tenser than ever. ¡®May I, miss? Yes, bend at the waist and bow your head¡­ Well, I guess you pass.¡± With a look of reluctance, Annabelle passed Ortancia¡¯s bow. Ortansia breathed a sigh of relief that she had made it through the lesson without incident. ¡®As expected, she managed to pass thanks to the hard work she did in the past¡­¡¯ Before, Ortansia was very terrible. Thanks to her mother, she had acquired the manners of a ¡®commoner¡¯, but there was no way that would be acceptable in aristocratic society. Annabelle was particularly harsh with her, to the extent that she felt like she was avenging her parents. ¡°You are like a wild monkey with no discipline!¡± She scorned Ortansia and gave her lessons until midnight¡­ It was a memory she didn¡¯t like to recall¡­ if she could help it. Even now, it was obvious that if Ortansia had the slightest crack in her character, it was clear that her thunder would strike. For this reason, Ortansia was very cautious in Annabelle¡¯s presence and behaved like an ideal lady. It seemed a little unnatural, but it was better than being squeezed like a rag by Annabelle again. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for today¡¯s lesson. ¡®Miss, please don¡¯t be careless just because lesson time is over. A true lady must never let her guard down at any time.¡± ¡°I know, Annabelle. Good day to you.¡± With a perfectly angled bow, Ortansia left the room. As soon as she slowly closed the door, a loud sigh escaped her lips. ¡®Haah¡­ I was so nervous. Annabelle is always scrutinizing me to see if there¡¯s a mistake somewhere.¡¯ She was a genuine lady. So Ortansia, the daughter of a tavern woman and raised in an orphanage, would be just like a bump on her eye from her point of view. ¡®Well, it can¡¯t be helped¡­¡¯ Annabelle¡¯s feelings were not hard to understand. All Ortansia could do was act like an ideal duke¡¯s daughter so as not to offend Annabel as much as possible. One day, Ortansia was suddenly summoned by her father, who had been at the duke¡¯s residence since the morning, which was unusual. ¡®What have I done? Have I done something wrong¡­?¡¯ When Ortansia visited his office with trepidation, her father smiled at her sincerely. ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Ortansia. Now, Annabelle has told us something about you. At those words, Ortansia took a deep breath ¡®Annabelle reported to my father! I wonder if I¡¯ve done something terrible without knowing!¡¯ Ortansia was nervous¡­ but¡­ ¡°Annabelle complimented you on your hard work. She also said you¡¯re so solid it¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯ve only just arrived at the Duke¡¯s.¡± ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Her father grinned at her, and Ortansia was dumbfounded by the unexpected words. Read THE REBORN LADY IS LOVED BY HER FOSTER BROTHER: THE SCARIEST VILLAIN only at https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡°Therefore, I think it¡¯s about time for you to show up in society little by little as the daughter of the Duke of Verite¡­¡± ¡®Annabelle praised me¡­? No, no, I¡¯m sure father is exaggerating.¡¯ Ortansia convinced herself of this. However, at least in Annabelle¡¯s eyes, the current Ortansia seemed to be considered ¡®fine¡¯ to put in a social gathering. In her first life, Ortansia did not make her first public appearance until much later. She was too ill-prepared in terms of manners and etiquette to show up at social events. ¡®What should I do about this¡­? I don¡¯t really want to go, but should I actively attend to improve my brother¡¯s impression of me?¡¯ As Ortansia was thinking deeply, her father spoke gently. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry so much. It¡¯s a tea party for children your age, so you don¡¯t have to be so uptight about it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father. I¡¯m a little nervous, but I would love to attend.¡± Ortansia replied, even though she was confused. In her first life, as a result of not being able to make any friends, she was abandoned by everyone and executed publicly. She didn¡¯t have much confidence, but it¡¯s better to show up a little now and then. ¡®Huh, I wonder if it¡¯s okay. I¡­ wonder if I can change the future¡¯ The situation was slowly starting to change from her first life with her brother, whose true intentions are still unknown¡­ ¡¯Am I moving forward or backward?¡¯ Unconsciously, Ortansia thought about the unpredictable future. Chapter 19 Ortansia¡¯s debut was a tea party at a certain count¡¯s house. Ortansia was accompanied by her father to the count¡¯s mansion, and stepped into the venue with a sense of excitement. ¡®Ugh, their gaze are¡­!¡¯ As soon as she stepped into the hall, she was met with curious stares from all directions. After all, the current Ortansia was a mysterious duchess who had suddenly appeared in one of the country¡¯s leading ducal families. Well, she didn¡¯t understand the feeling of wanting to pry into various things, but it felt like was going to ignore it with all my might. ¡°Come on, Ortansia. Over there is the Countess, the hostess of today¡¯s tea party.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± With an air of ¡°I don¡¯t care at all about your stares¡±, Ortansia stepped forward towards the Countess. ¡®Father¡¯s introduction means I am from the the Duke de Verite family¡­¡¯ If she make connections here, there is no chance that she will not get help in the future when she is in a difficult situation. ¡®Okay, I will try my best to flatter.¡¯ Ortansia immediately made up her mind. ¡°Madame, this is my daughter, Ortansia. I previously had to leave her in the countryside for a reason, but now she can finally live with me.¡± ¡®How do you do, Countess? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Ortansia Altier Verite.¡± The moment Ortansia said her name, murmurings could be heard from different directions. ¡®Eh, did I say something wrong!?¡¯ Maintaining a lovely smile on her face, Ortansia quietly panicked, but¡­ The next moment, the Countess bowed her head with the momentum of prostrating herself, and Ortansia was taken aback ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you too, Lady Ortansia. Ah, you really are a divine young lady, like a goddess¡­¡± The Countess stared at Ortansia passionately with a somewhat ecstatic expression on her face. The unexpected reaction made Ortansia dumbfounded. ¡®What a huge¡­ difference in response!¡¯ In her first life, when Ortansia ostentatiously introduced herself, everyone smiled meaningfully, saying, ¡°Ah, so this is the rumoured mistress daughter of the Duke of Verit¨¦.¡± Some even mocked her outright. So Ortansia thought such mocking reactions were normal¡­ ¡®Why this sort of reaction! I just said my name normally!¡¯ Suddenly, the murmurings of those standing at the corner of the hall faintly reached Ortanshia¡¯s bewildered ears. She secretly activated her ¡°listening skill¡± and eavesdropped on the conversation. ¡°Did you hear that? She did indeed call herself ¡°Altiel¡± just now!¡± ¡®It¡¯s a prestigious baptismal name, comparable to royalty.¡± ¡°It¡¯s indeed certain that she is the Duke¡¯s own daughter¡­¡± ¡®Oh, I see¡­¡¯ Ortansia was finally a little more convinced. The big difference between her first life and now was Ortansia¡¯s baptismal name. Apparently, baptismal names in social circles have a much greater influence than Ortansia thought. As she was admiring how one name can make such a difference.. Her father came closer to her. ¡°Look Ortansia. Shall we head over to greet everyone else?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± As her father led her, Ortansia introduced herself to many people and greeted them. ¡°You are as lovely as a pearl, my dear.¡± ¡°She looks just like the Duke.¡± ¡°The dress you are wearing, my lady, is very lovely¡­ Huh, it¡¯s a special order from Solciere!?¡± ¡°How clever and intelligent you are!¡± The flattery that came one after another almost made Ortansia¡¯s cheeks blush. ¡®So this is how nobles scare each other¡­¡¯ Nobles by nature live in a world like this from an early age. That¡¯s why Ortansia, a sudden duchess, can¡¯t compete with them. ¡®I wonder if one day I will be able to read these faces too¡­ Hmmm, I wish I knew what my brother was thinking first¡­¡¯ While munching on her sweets at the tea party, Ortansia gently sighed into her teacup. ¡®I¡¯d like to think that, at least for now, I¡¯m doing better than I did in my first life. Anyway, I need to get more allies and work on my social skills! Gotta work harder at tea parties from now on!¡¯ While flashing an adorable smile at those around her who spoke to her, the little duchess renewed her resolve. Chapter 20 Once she attended her first tea party, invitations started arriving one after another. Invitations to tea parties, music concerts, salons, etc piled up like a mountain, and Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but look at them distantly. ¡®How dare they do that to a little girl!¡¯ They must see some use in Ortansia. At least, compared to her first life, when she was nothing but a target of ridicule, she must be making some progress ¡®Well, okay. If I keep expanding my network this way, I may gain more allies¡­¡¯ Although not very enthusiastic, Ortansia tried to attend as much as she could. Fortunately, so far she hasn¡¯t made any major mistakes. However, it was quite tiring to be in front of a large number of nobles and to be subjected to their price-gouging and probing glances. Today, too, after finishing the great task of attending a tea party, she wandered aimlessly through the corridors of the duke¡¯s mansion and¡­ ¡°Hey.¡± Suddenly, a voice called out from behind her, and Ortansia jumped up on the spot in shock. Read only at https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®No way, this voice is ¡­¡­!¡¯ She turned around as if she had been shot, and there she saw her brother Gerard approaching her at a brisk pace! ¡®Geez, Onii-sama! Why is he angry¡­?¡¯ Gerard¡¯s face, staring straight at her, seemed somehow sterner than usual. Ortansia was anxious. With a conditioned reflex, she had a lovely smile on her face. Well, Onii-sama! You came to the tea party today! I am happy to meet Onii-sama herr!¡± She had been inundated with gifts from him recently, and her conditioned reflex was to play cute when she met Gerard. However, Ortansia¡¯s pretentiousness seemed to have struck a nerve with G¨¦rard. In contrast to Ortansia¡¯s beaming smile, the air around Gerard was so cold that it looked like a blizzard was brewing. ¡®Scary! What is he so angry about! Is it because I¡¯m attending a tea party? Is he mad at me for getting carried away with being a Mistress daughter?¡¯ Gerard, who came right in front of Ortensia, looked down at her with his icy eyes. The adorable smile Ortansia had on her face was instantly frozen. ¡± Recently, it seems that you often show up at other nobles¡¯ places.¡±.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± This time, the thunder of judgment is sure to strike, ¡°You disgrace the duke family¡­¡± But ¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve only just arrived at this Mansion, Don¡¯t ¡­¡­ take it too hard.¡± Along with those words, a hand was placed on her head.Ortansia froze in place, and Gerard pulled his hand away. Even though his footsteps were no longer heard, Ortansia could not move from that spot. ¡®Well¡­ what was that?¡¯ If one listens to the words alone, it sounded as if he was concerned about Ortansia¡¯s wellbeing¡­ ¡®No, I¡¯m sure it was a roundabout way of checking. ¡°I hear you often visit other nobles.¡± He meant to say, ¡°I hear you often visit other nobles, and you have the audacity to, as a Mistress daughter¡±.¡¯ She was about to get really carried away. Ortansia almost made the foolish mistake of thinking that her brother was really worried about her. ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯s true. ¡­¡­¡± ¡±Shut up, you disgrace of a duke. Not once have I ever thought of you as my sister.¡± The words she heard just before her death was stuck in her ears like a curse and wouldn¡¯t leave. Read only at https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ He hates Ortansia, he thinks of her as an enemy. She must never forget that fact. But Ortansia never disliked her brother Gerard, neither before her death nor now. Indeed, he was terrifying. When he looked into her eyes with those cold eyes of his, she couldn¡¯t help but tremble. But at the same time, Ortansia also understood the pressure he carries. ¡®Unlike I, who is trying to dodge, Onii-sama is facing his fate with dignity.¡¯ Even when his father died suddenly in her first life, he never cried or swooned. He showed his dignity as a young duke to protect the duke¡¯s family. Ortansia admired his strength. She wished to be of help to him, even if only in a small way. The¡­ results were disappointing though. ¡®I wonder if I could face Onii-sama more properly if we were strangers instead of siblings¡¯ Ortansia sighed with such an impossible imagination. Whatever was the case, she had received a warning from her brother. She is showing up here and there now anyway, but perhaps she should cut back a little from now on. ¡®I¡¯ll attend the one I just responded to, but next time I¡¯ll be more selective in responding to the invitations¡­¡¯ Deciding to do so, Ortansia loosened her stiffened body and stepped out of the room Chapter 21 Today there was a tea party at the Viscount¡¯s house and Ortansia received an invitation. Her father was away on business, and Ortanshia was attending alone. Although she was a little nervous, there were some people she knew, and Ortensia was leisurely enjoying the tea and sweets. ¡°The duchess of Verit¨¦ is here, and it¡¯s so exciting to see her!¡± ¡°Lady Ortansia is really lovely, isn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Come to think of it, Ortansia-sama and His Highness the Prince are close in age, aren¡¯t they? Have you met him yet?¡±? ¡°No, I have not met His Highness the Prince. I have heard that he is a very intelligent man¡­¡± She was getting used to the casual responses. For the time being, when the topic moved from Ortensia to the prince, she secretly exhaled a sigh of relief. The ladies around her were enthusiastic about gossip about the royal family. As she puts her fork into the cake in her hand, Ortansia notices something strange. ¡®What¡¯s that smell?¡¯ A strange smell, as if something was burning, hit her nose. She sniffed the cake and found it had the sweet, melting aroma that she loved so much. Apparently, the cake was not defective. If that was the case¡­ ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that smell?¡± ¡®Oh, it wasn¡¯t my imagination¡¯ The people around her seemed to have noticed something unusual and were looking at each other anxiously. Then, the door of the room opened vigorously without knocking, and a flustered servant rolled in. Read only at https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡°Oh my God, ma¡¯am! There¡¯s a fire in the mansion.¡± ¡°A fire?¡± With the door open, the stench irritated her nostrils even more. Immediately, the guests at the tea party were thrown into apanic. ¡°A fire!¡± ¡°We have to get out of here!¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared!¡± The panicked ladies stood up at once and began to run. Ortansia also rushed to her feet, but her small size soon knocked her off her feet and she fell to the floor. ¡®Oh no, I had to get out of there as soon as possible!¡¯ When she tried to stand up, she was kicked and almost trampled. ¡®Oh no, I¡¯m going to lose track of the exit at this rate!¡¯ Ortansia rushed to her feet and was unexpectedly lifted up from behind. ¡°Excuse me, miss. I¡¯ll take you to a safe place, this way please.¡± Reflexively, she almost went berserk, but the voice she heard stopped her resistance instantly. ¡®Thank God¡­ is it someone from this mansion? I am saved¡¯ The man holding Ortansia in his arms moved forward without hesitation through the mansion, where smoke spread and people fled. Eventually, he arrived at what appeared to be a back door. Opening the door, she was finally able to take a breath of fresh air. ¡°Um, thank you very much¡± Ortansia thanked him, but the man holding her in his arms continued on his way. ¡®I¡¯m not sure where he¡¯s going. The entrance to the mansion should be that way ¡® ¡°¡­¡± Soon, she saw another man, who seemed to be a servant of the mansion, standing at the end of the path. For some reason, he was carrying a large burlap sack in his hand. Read only at https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡°that¡­¡± She tried to say that it would be better to join the others, but I couldn¡¯t come up with any words. As if dealing with a cat or a dog, Ortansia was roughly shoved into the burlap sack. ¡°What are you doing? What are you doing! Please let me out!¡± She screamed desperately, but without any sign of intervention, she was lifted up like a piece of luggage. ¡®What¡­is happening?¡¯ The burlap sack¡¯s mouth was tightly closed, making escape impossible. Soon, the sound of rattling wheels could be heard, and Ortansia paled. ¡®Was she put on a carriage? Could it be that I¡­?¡¯ ¡­I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve only just arrived at this mansion, don¡¯t take it too hard.¡± She remembered the words of her brother which he said some time ago. She should have been more humble at that time and refused the invitation this time¡­But it¡¯s too late to regret it now. ¡®No way, I never thought I would be kidnapped..!¡¯ Without a doubt, Ortansia has been kidnapped. An event she never encountered in her first life thanks to being cooped up for so long. Thanks to that, she had no idea what was going to happen or what to do. ¡®I never heard of such a hard mode, Goddess!¡¯ Struggling to get out of the burlap sack, Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but lash out at the goddess for her lack of explanation. Chapter 22 Ortansia, a duchess who was falsely accused, abandoned by all and tragically executed. When she found herself back in time, she was determined not to make the same mistake she made in her first life. The key to avoiding execution was Ortansia¡¯s brother, Gerard. If she can get him on her side, she may be able to change her tragic fate. Ortansia made an effort to get along with Gerard, and she found that her brother had become a little bit more attentive to her, just a little. At the same time, the treatment of Ortansia by the servants of the mansion and other members of the nobility has also changed for the better. ¡®Yes, surely, if things continue as they were, I can avoid a disastrous fate!¡­ so I thought¡­ but I was wrong.¡¯ ¡®¡­¡­ yeah. I¡¯m putting my foot down the worst possible route at all costs, aren¡¯t I?¡¯ Cowering in a dark corner of her prison cell, Ortansia managed to resist the urge to cry. In her previous life, she had been confined to the mansion for so long that she had been unable to make allies in social circles, and was easily falsely accused and executed. She regretted this, and in an attempt to make allies, she went out to socialize, only to find herself kidnapped, an event she had not encountered in her first life. Packed into a burlap sack and placed on a horse-drawn carriage, she was now confined in a dingy, stone prison-like place. Twice a day, a simple meal was served from behind cold iron bars by a man in a dubious robe. At first wary, but finally unable to resist her hunger, Ortansia took a bite of the meal. It was not very tasty, but at least it did not seem to be poisoned. Time was vague in the place with no windows or clocks, but it had probably been three days since Ortansia had been locked up here. At first, she thought she had been kidnapped for ransom. But soon, Ortansia began to realize that this was not the case. Ortansia heard a scream that sounded like silk being ripped apart from afar, and she cowered. The intermittent screams, a condensation of fear and pain, finally became too much for Ortansia to bear and she covered her ears. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t save you¡­!¡¯ Her body trembled and her teeth clattered. Ortansia clenched her teeth tightly, afraid that if anyone heard the sound, someone would come for her. She shrinked even smaller in the cramped confines of her prison cell, and she stifles her sobs with ragged tears. From time to time, Ortansia¡¯s ears would hear these mournful exclamations. And drifting in at the same time is the smell of thick blood. With just that, she couldn¡¯t help but guess what was going on over there. ¡®Surely, when my turn comes, I will¡­¡¯ Fearfully opening her eyes, she saw beyond her tear-stained vision, a strange pattern on the wall beyond the iron bars. The pattern was something Ortansia had never seen before, but now she knew what it meant. ¡®After all, this place is the hideout of the cult of demon worshippers!¡¯ In this country, ¡°star god religion¡± is the state religion, and most of the people, including Ortansia and the Duke of Verite, believe in star god religion. The goddess Auriella, who bestowed Ortansia¡¯s blessing, is also one of the main deities of the star god religion. It is not that no other faiths are allowed, but there is only one faith that is clearly forbidden. That is the worship of demon gods. Since ancient times, there has long been a cult that worships demon gods that opposes the gods of the Star god Religion, and they have repeatedly committed cruel acts such as human sacrifice, eventually leading to a national ban on their beliefs. But the cult has gone underground and is still fighting the Inquisition¡­ The heretical cult is frightening, but for Ortansia, it was supposed to be a distant world. It was supposed to be, and yet It seemed like a long time ago that she was frightened by Gerard¡¯s cold stare and Annabelle¡¯s petulant words. Now Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but miss them. ¡®I¡¯d love a cup of the slightly astringent tea Pamela made me¡­ When Annabelle comes to call me, I politely thank her and surprise her by saying, ¡°When did you improve so much?¡± It might be nice to take a walk in the garden with my father and see the Shangri-La flowers.¡¯ Unlike in her first life, Gerard seemed to care about Ortansia for some reason. Why that is, Ortansia does not know. If I was killed here, it would be completely unnoticed. ¡®I should have talked to my brother more properly¡­¡¯ Looking back, Ortansia may have been excessively afraid of Gerard since her first life. Ortansia never tried to approach him. Chapter 23 When she gently removed her hand from covering my ear, the screams had already ceased. But this time, she heard eerie chanting voices that seemed to belong to the demon god worshippers. Any moment from now, they might come and drag Ortansia out of here to be brutally murdered as an offering to the demon god. Fighting such fear, Ortansia desperately prayed to the goddess. ¡®Please help me, Goddess¡­¡¯ ¡®Whoever you are, help me out of here¡¯ ¡®Please help me, anyone¡¯ Thus locked up in a cramped prison, she was reminded, without any choice, of her first life, the last act of her first life. She kept telling herself desperately that she would be saved because she had done nothing wrong and was falsely accused. She prayed every day. But her prayers were not answered. When she finally got out of jail, she was already on her way to the executioner¡¯s block. Ortansia was sure this time too, she would probably be released from this prison when her life comes to an end . With this thought occupying her mind, Ortanshia buried her face in her knees and trembled. ¡®Help me.¡¯ ¡®Help!¡¯ ¡®Help me¡­ Oniisama¡¯ For some reason, the image that appeared in her mind was that of Gerard, who was staring coldly at her. But presently, it didn¡¯t seem the least bit frightening. Soon after, the fateful day arrived. Ortansia, who had reached the limit of her mental fatigue and was on the verge of losing consciousness, came to her senses at the sound of many footsteps coming toward her. ¡®Please, don¡¯t come¡­!¡¯ Such a wish was in vain. The footsteps came to a halt in front of Ortansia¡¯s prison cell. ¡®Go home, go home!¡¯ Ortansia, trembling, thought desperately as she turned her head, ¡°Good day to you, daughter of Duke Verite.¡± ¡°Hiccup ¡­¡­!¡± But the mousy voice reached her ears and she screamed. When she nervously raised her head, she saw several people wearing robes and strange masks staring at her from beyond the lattice. The sight of these strange figures caused Ortansia to scream in horror. ¡®Stop, don¡¯t come! ¡­¡­!¡¯ She desperately hoped so, but the sound of the lock slowly turning and the heavy sound of the bars opening echoed mercilessly. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be so frightened, Duchess Verite.¡± A masked man looked down at the frightened Ortansia and smiled slyly. ¡®After all, they kidnapped me after they found out I was a Duke¡¯s daughter.¡¯ Even though she had just been kidnapped, the disappearance of a duchess would have caused quite a commotion. They were prepared for this and dared to target Ortansia. While holding back the urge to burst into tears, Ortansia desperately raised her head and glared at the man. ¡°Why did you kidnap me?¡± Ortansia asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. The masked man laughed, as if he was amused. ¡°As expected of a duke¡¯s daughter, I thought you would cry even more¡­but that¡¯s fine.¡± The masked man chuckled and pointed to a strange pattern on the other side of the bars. ¡°As you, my dear lady, may have already guessed, we worship a being you call the ¡®Demon God.¡± ¡°Eh, that¡¯s right.¡± Ortansia clenched her fists so hard that her fingernails dug into her skin. She had to do so, or she would have cried out pitifully. ¡°A true lady must never let her guard down, no matter what time of day it is.¡± Recalling the words of Annabelle, whom she normally feared so much, for some reason she felt courageous. Seeing Ortanshia, who was looking up stoutly, the masked man continued happily. ¡°As you know, my lady, we are always in need of sacrifices to be offered to the ¡®demon god¡¯. And you, Duchess Verite, you will be the supreme sacrifice we have been seeking.¡± ¡°Why do you think so?¡± ¡°The ¡°Demon Gods¡± seek a strong and pure human being. Since you have been given a name of refinement comparable to royalty, the ¡°Demon God¡± will surely be satisfied. ¡®Hey, it¡¯s the Goddess¡¯ fault!¡¯ As far as they are concerned, it seemed that Ortansia became a target because she was given strong blessings by the Goddess. ¡®Goddess, you said something about wanting us to stop this because the world would be in trouble! I rather think we¡¯re going down the worst possible route!¡¯ Ortansia never thought that she would be in a dangerous predicament because of the blessings the Goddess bestowed on her. She could not help but grit her teeth at the cruelty of fate. ¡°Oh, surely, if we dedicate a gem like you, the ¡®demi-goddess¡¯ will be completely revived!¡± ¡°Eh¡­?¡± Ortansia was stunned by what the masked man said ecstatically, forgetting her fear for a moment. Chapter 24 ¡®Wait a minute, Demon gods are supposed to be sealed now, right?¡¯ It is said that the Demon god, who caused the world¡¯s calamities, was sealed deep underground after losing a battle with the gods of the Star God religion a long time ago. If the demon god were to return, the world would be in great trouble. ¡®Oh no, such a terrible thing, these people¡­¡¯ The masked man chuckled at Ortansia, who was speechless and ordered those standing behind him, ¡°Take her away.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t!¡± Ortansia desperately tried to escape, but there was nowhere to run to in the cramped confines of the prison, and in the blink of an eye, Ortansia was captured. ¡°Come, my lady, this way, please.¡± ¡°Hiccup!¡± She resisted, flailing her arms and legs, but the masked men seemed unconcerned and carried her away. Eventually, they arrived at a place that looked like a stone hall, with a strange pattern painted in the center of the floor. ¡®Is this some kind of magic circle ¡­¡­?¡¯ Around the pattern on the floor, candles were placed at equal intervals in a circle. There were bloodstains here and there in the room that could not be wiped away, and above all, the room was filled with a thick atmosphere of ¡°death¡±. No, that¡¯s not all. Ortensia gasped as she felt a tremendously powerful, terrifying presence nearby ¡®No way, the demon god is really on the verge of revival¡­?¡¯ The demon god worshipping cultists must have sacrificed many people in this place. As a result, the seal of the Demon God may be about to be broken. ¡®If I were killed here, I would be in big trouble¡­!¡¯ Ortansia desperately tried to escape, but to no avail. There was a restraint at the center of the pattern, and Ortansia¡¯s resistance was futile as her limbs were bound. She has heard this scream many times since she was brought here. It must have be Ortansia¡¯s turn this time. She resisted the urge to cry out, and stoutly glared at the masked man. ¡®Everything you are trying to do will end in vain. The Duke of Verite¡­ Brother Gerard will never forgive someone like you.¡± When he heard this, the masked man smiled a crooked smile, as if he was terribly happy. ¡®I am impressed that you are still able to put up such a bluff¡­ Oh, I¡¯m so sorry I¡¯m going to have to sacrifice you to the demon god! But¡­ it¡¯s time to say goodbye.¡± The masked people who were standing behind began to recite eerie incantations. At the same time, the masked man in front of her pulled out a dull silver knife from his pocket. ¡®Oh, I am sure that you are a beautiful lady, with all the blood that flows under your skin, and all your internal organs. I would be honored to uncover it with my own hands.¡± The masked man approached step by step, spouting out his usual delusions. Ortansia desperately gritted her teeth and stared at the scene. ¡­ ¡°A true lady must not be distracted at any time, even at the most inopportune moment.¡± If she could, she would have followed that lesson to her last breath, but the moment the masked man raised his knife, Ortansia was overcome by the fear that came over her. ¡°Help me¡­ Oniisama!¡± She shouted suddenly In an instant, sll light disappeared from sight and the area was enveloped in pitch-black darkness. Ortansia wondered if she had gone crazy with fear. But¡­ ¡°What¡¯s going on? Turn on the light right away¡­ guff¡± The masked man in front of her cried out in dismay and for some reason his words turned into a groan in mid-sentence. Before Ortansia could comprehend what was happening, a flash of light returned to her vision. In front of her was the same masked man as before. A figure with a sharp edge of a sword protruding from its chest ¡°Gu, ha¡­¡± Then, for the first time, the identity of the person behind the man, the person who killed the masked man with a single thrust from behind was revealed. Ortansia looked up at him in disbelief. ¡°Oh, Onii-sama¡­.?¡± Gerard, Ortansia¡¯s foster brother, who had just saved Ortansia from the brink of death, pulled his sword from the masked man¡¯s body without the slightest expression on his face. Red blood dripped from the sharp silver sword. But he did not wipe the blood off and stared straight at Ortansia. Their gazes intertwined. For a moment, Ortansia forgot the situation and the fact that she had just been almost killed, and she felt as if time had stopped. Gerard¡¯s cold, yet beautiful eyes were fixed on her. Ortansia was attracted to that gaze, which had been so scary until a while ago. It was as if Ortansia had found the greatest treasure in the world. But soon, a multitude of voices cut through the silence. ¡°Intruder!¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one opponent! Kill him!¡± The remaining masked men attacked, each with a weapon in hand. Ortansia screamed, but Gerard immediately took up a position between them to protect Ortansia. Then, for the first time here, he opened his mouth. ¡°¡­keep your eyes closed.¡± It was a voice with a mysterious, irresistible sound. Ortansia reflexively closed her eyes. There were angry shouts, sword fights, and a death cry¡­, but that soon passed. Eventually, when it seemed to have quieted down, Ortansia felt someone¡¯s presence beside her. ¡°It¡¯s over. You can open your eyes now.¡± At the sound of that voice, Ortansia gently opened her closed eyelids. She saw Gerard staring down at her. His garments were soaked with a great amount of blood. Seeing that, Ortansia immediately understood what had happened while her eyes were closed. With his blood soaked sword in hand, he proceeded to destroy the restraints that had kept Gerard from Ortansia¡¯s body. When he had finished destroying everything, Gerard reached out his hand toward Ortansia and just before his fingertips touched Ortansia¡¯s body, he stopped moving as if confused. His gaze caught the fingertips of his own fingers, which were stained red with the blood of others. Gerard looked at his own hand, widened his eyes in surprise and immediately furrowed his brow in bitterness. Then he gently withdrew his hand from Ortansia¡¯s, as if it were forbidden to touch Ortansia with blood-stained hands. But Ortansia could not resist. Gerard rescued her from the depths of despair. She didn¡¯t care how many people¡¯s blood was on his hands. ¡®I want to touch him. I want to feel the body warmth of my brother.¡¯ As if driven by this desire, Ortansia jumped into Gerard¡¯s chest. ¡°Oniisama!¡± Gerard¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at Ortansia¡¯s action, but he did not push her away. He felt the warmth of Ortansia¡¯s body through his sticky, bloodstained garments. ¡°Oniisama, oniisama..!¡± With mixed emotions, Ortansia continued to call out to Gerard, not knowing what she wanted to say. After a moment, Gerard¡¯s hand touched Ortansia¡¯s back in confusion. Then, he hugged her tightly, seemingly stiffly. ¡°It¡¯s all right now.¡± As soon as she heard that voice from above her head, Ortansia closed her eyes in relief and immediately lost consciousness. Chapter 25 Bright and warm. ¡®Is this a dream? Yes, it is. I am sure that I am still trapped in that dim and cold prison, and I am having a gentle dream. If so, then I don¡¯t want to wake up. I want to stay in this soft dream a little longer.¡¯ Ortansia pulled the blanket tighter around her, resisting waking up. The soft silk blanket gave her a certain sense of security. Fresh breeze blew in through the window, which has been opened for ventilation, and the sound of birds crying could be heard outside. Are the pattering footsteps walking around the room from Pamela? She gently reached out to touch the stuffed bear that she always slept with. When she pulled it closer, she could smell Ortansia¡¯s favorite smell. ¡®What a realistic and happy dream.¡¯ Surely if she opens her eyes, what will appear in her field of view will be a hard, cold stone wall and a rugged iron grill. She didn¡¯t want to open her eyes. But maybe¡­ Ortansia can wake up from her bad dream and get back to her normal routine. Pamela should be right there. When Annabelle calls out, ¡°Time for your lesson,¡± she would rush to her feet and smile at her. Would she be able to have dinner with her father today? She wanted to talk to him so badly. ¡®And to my brother¡­¡¯ She remembered the cold expression on Gerard¡¯s face in her mind. At the same time, the flashbacks of screams, shouts, sounds of sword fights, and the large amount of fresh blood soaking G¨¦rard¡¯s costume¡­. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a dream!¡¯ Remembering the scene, Ortansia screamed and jumped out of bed. Just then, Pamela, who was changing the flowers in a vase by the window, was startled and knocked the vase over. Fortunately, it did not break, but the spilled water trickled down and soaked the carpet. Immediately Ortansia tried to get up from the bed, saying, ¡°I have to help¡­¡± ¡°Oh, miss..!¡± Pamela rushed to her with tears in her eyes. ¡°Hahi!¡± Ortansia involuntarily braced herself. Pamela, who rushed towards her with a strong momentum¡­ hugged Ortensia with a force so strong that it seemed like she would collapse. ¡°Oh my lady, my lady! Thank God, I thought you¡¯d never wake up again.¡± ¡°Pah, Pamela,¡­¡­ it¡¯s painful!¡± ¡°Oh, my God!¡¡I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry!¡± When Ortensia cried out, Pamela hurriedly released Ortensia¡¯s small body. And then she wiped her tears, she stood up immediately as if she suddenly realized. ¡°I am so sorry! I¡¯m going to report to everyone that the young lady has awakened!¡± As soon as she said that, Pamela left Ortansia¡¯s room with a clatter of footsteps. When her back was out of sight, Ortansia fearfully looked down at her body. ¡®I am alive ¡­¡­, right?¡¯ Wagging her fingers and flapping her feet, Ortansia checked to make sure that everything about her body was in working order. As she did so, she heard a sudden noise outside the room. ¡°Ortansia!¡± The first person to enter the room, kicking in the door, was Ortansia¡¯s father, the Duke of Verite. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Oh, Ortansia. Thank goodness ¡­¡­. I am more than happy that you are back safe and sound.¡± ¡°Father, I¡­¡± Ortansia tried to explain what had happened to her. A dark, cold prison. The screams of the sacrificed, the eerie magic circle, the fresh blood on the floor. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ortansia. You don¡¯t have to say anything.¡± He hugged her gently, as if to reassure her. ¡°Gerard told me everything about what happened in that place. The people who locked you up are gone, too. It¡¯s all over, Ortansia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over?¡± ¡°Yes, so you don¡¯t have to remember anything. You can rest for a while. Don¡¯t worry, there is no one here who wants to hurt you.¡± Ortansia hugged her father tightly. ¡­There is no one here who wants to hurt you. The duke¡¯s mansion, which not so long ago had frightened her so much, felt like the safest place in the world. She thought she had been surprisingly calm, but it seemed that Ortansia was more traumatized by the kidnapping than she thought. First of all, she was afraid of dark places. She couldn¡¯t help but be reminded of the prison, which in turn brought back horrifying memories. At night, she asked Pamela to help her go to bed without dimming the light. Even so, she had a hard time falling asleep, and even when she did, she often woke up screaming from the nightmares that came over her. In the nightmare, Ortansia was in that prison. And just like in her memory, she was taken out and restrained, and unlike that time, Gerard¡¯s help did not come. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you help me?¡± ¡°Why only you?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± After nightmares, she dreaded going to sleep. She had to wrap herself in a soft blanket, hug a stuffed animal, and wait for morning, shivering. She was not feeling well, she had dark circles under her eyes, and was a mess. But there were a few good things about it. The day after Ortansia returned to the duke¡¯s mansion, Annabelle, who is in charge of her education, visited Ortansia in her private room. Chapter 26 At that time, Ortansia was in her nightgown, her hair messed up, and on her knees on the bed, looking far from ¡°ladylike¡±. Annabelle looked at Ortansia and frowned as if she was trying to hold something back. She was probably going to complain about Ortansia¡¯s current sloppiness. Ortansia thought so, but she was not in the mood to get her appearance in order, so she looked at Annabelle who was approaching her in a daze. She stopped just in front of Ortansia¡¯s bed. And the next moment she collapsed on the spot. ¡°My lady, I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back, safe and sound!¡± ¡°A¡­ Annabelle¡­!¡± Seeing her behave like this for the first time, Ortansia was flustered. She was also surprised to see a teardrop on her hand. ¡®That¡­ Annabelle is crying!¡­ Because I¡¯m dressed so shabbily?¡¯ ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry, Annabelle.¡± ¡°There is nothing you need to apologize for, Miss!¡± Annabelle was so fierce with her words that once again Ortansia was taken aback. ¡°The fact that the young lady came back here alive is enough for me.¡± Spilling tears, Annabelle said this over and over again. At those words, Ortensia¡¯s chest gradually warmed up. ¡®Ah, maybe I¡¯ve missed something important.¡¯ Annabelle was always strict with Ortansia. So Ortansia was afraid of her, assuming that she didn¡¯t like her. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ But surely there was more to it than that. Annabelle was strict with Ortansia because that was her job. She must have thought that Ortansia should not be embarrassed when she went out socially, so she strictly taught her what it meant to be a lady. Thanks to this, in her second life, Ortansia was never embarrassed when she went to social occasions, tea parties If she really did not care about Ortansia, she could have treated her more appropriately so as not to offend the duchess. But she did not. She trained Ortansia even at the risk of being hated by Ortansia and being forced out of her position. This is precisely because she is sincerely concerned about Ortansia¡¯s future. If Ortansia had faced Annabelle instead of running away, she might have realized her true intentions earlier. Ortansia squeezed Annabelle¡¯s hand back, even though she felt as if she wanted to cry herself. ¡°Thank you Annabelle. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m¡­ okay, but I¡¯d love to resume your lessons when things calm down a bit more.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯ll be waiting for you anytime¡¡But for now, please take a good rest. You need rest for your body and soul.¡± Annabelle tearfully replied, and Ortansia slowly nodded. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ So, with nothing in particular to do, Ortansia spent the day in a daze. However, having nothing to concentrate on, on the contrary, she would suddenly recall unpleasant memories. For a change of scenery, Ortansia decided to go out into the garden. She thought about asking Pamela to follow her, but it seemed that she was on an errand. Even though she was on the grounds of the duke¡¯s mansion, she felt uncomfortable going out in her nightgown. She had no choice but to change into a simple dress and wander out of the room. Upon arriving at the garden, Ortansia headed for the Shangri-La flower beds planted on Gerard¡¯s order. She gazed idly at the fantastic azure flowers and wondered how much time had passed. Hearing the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind, Ortansia suddenly came to her senses. She turned around to see what was going on and was taken aback. Gerard, looking even sterner than usual, was approaching her at a brisk pace. In the blink of an eye, G¨¦rard was right in front of her, standing one step in front of her and looking down at her. His extremely Cold gaze felt as if he was blaming her, and Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡°Oh, Onii-sama¡± ¡°You were gone, and your chambermaid was half in a frenzy.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Ortansia realize that she had left the room without leaving a note. ¡°Um¡­ could you let Pamela know that I¡¯m okay?¡± When she stopped a gardener passing by and requested him, G¨¦rard, unusually, intervened¡­ ¡°When you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll take you back to your room. Tell the maid to stay in her room.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The gardener, perhaps nervous about receiving the order directly from G¨¦rard, moved awkwardly away. Once the gardener was out of sight, silence reigned over the place. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ It was a peaceful space with only the occasional sound of the wind shaking the grass and flowers, and the sounds of birds and insects. Gerard was silent. He just stayed close to Ortansia, who was staring intently at the Shangri-La flowers. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ sleep.¡± Ortansia found herself saying this to him. ¡°I always have nightmares. I¡¯m afraid to go to sleep because I think I might still be in that place¡± She knew Gerard would be troubled by such a statement. I know that, but I couldn¡¯t stop. In mid-sentence, Ortansia was struck by a sudden floating sensation, and she cried out, frightened. ¡°Ah, Onii-sama!¡± Gerard suddenly picked up Ortansia¡¯s body to her surprise. In her first and second lives combined, this was the first time he had done this to her, and Ortansia was at once confused. ¡°Oh, that ..¡± ¡°Look.¡± With a single word, G¨¦rard pointed towards the vast gardens of the duke¡¯s mansion. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ She cautiously glanced in that direction and couldn¡¯t help but exclaim: ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful!¡± The beautiful garden of the duke¡¯s mansion shines golden in the setting sun. A sight never seen by Ortansia¡¯s small stature. ¡°This is where you belong.¡± Gerard told her quietly. His words sank deep into her heart, and Ortansia was on the verge of tears. ¡°Can I¡­ stay? ¡°Now that Father has decided to welcome you, no one is allowed to object to that decision. If there is such a person¡­ tell me.¡± These were the words of Gerard, who, though modest, acknowledged that Ortansia was ¡°a member of the ducal family.¡± Tears slowly began to fill her eyes, and Ortansia tightly buried her face in Gerard¡¯s shoulders. In this second life, when she thought everything was going well, it went down the worst route, and Ortansia was swept away in a direction she didn¡¯t expect. Though she didn¡¯t know why, at least Gerard seemed to accept Ortansia. Just that alone seemed to make everything worthwhile. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± Muttering in a low voice, Ortansia gently closed her eyes with her face buried in her brother-in-law¡¯s shoulder. And then she fell into a peaceful sleep that she had not been able to get for several days. Strangely, she didn¡¯t have any nightmares. Chapter 27 ¡°Um, Gerard-sama.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± That day, one of the teachers employed by the Duke of Verite, Patrice, was gradually becoming covered in cold sweat. The man in front of him was Gerard Verite, the heir apparent of the Ducal family. Ever since he was a child, he had been a difficult person. Even though Patrice knew he was a child, he always felt tense whenever he stood in front of him. He was ashamed to admit his fear of G¨¦rard in the beginning. But Gerard never punished others without reason. His attitude towards learning was serious and diligent. He was a brilliant man, worthy of being the heir to one of the four great ducal families. He was now Patrice¡¯s prized student. But now, for the first time in a long time, Patrice was anxious in front of him. Sitting on a luxurious sofa, G¨¦rard was looking down at his textbooks with the same cool expression as usual. But beside him, a young girl, Ortansia, the duchess who had recently been taken in by the family, was leaning against him, breathing softly and peacefully. Read The Reborn Lady Is Loved By Her Brother: The Scariest Villain only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡°¡­¡± It was a scene that was far too unsuitable. If this was a brother and sister who had a close relationship, it would be heartwarming, but as far as Patrice knows, there should have been almost no interaction between Gerard and Ortansia. On the contrary, G¨¦rard had a reputation for being as cold as ice! Even if it was his own sister, He couldn¡¯t believe G¨¦rard spoiled her like this! He wondered if Ortansia¡¯s kidnap caused some changes in Gerard¡¯s heart. He could continue to pretend he doesn¡¯t care about anything and move on with the class. But he accidentally let his mouth loose. ¡°Um, the young lady should be brought to her room.¡± No problem. Continue with the class.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The moment he interrupted him, G¨¦rard glared at him, and Patrice instantly cowered in fear. The class proceeded awkwardly, even as he was stiffened up. Even in such a tense atmosphere, Ortansia was sleeping peacefully and soundly. ¡°Uhmm¡­ Huh?¡± After waking up from such a comfortable sleep, Ortansia suddenly felt uncomfortable The room was very dark. Strange, because it was supposed to be daytime. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly a voice sounded beside her, and Ortensia jumped up involuntarily. ¡°uhh¡­ brother!?¡± Gerard was staring at Ortansia, who was also staring at him, without changing his expression as usual. ¡®Uhh¡­ I should have been talking to my brother in the garden¡­ no way!¡¯ Ortansia paled when she realized what had happened. She was wandering around the mansion when she happened to meet Gerard, and stood next to him as he was prepping for his next class, and while they were chatting, she fell asleep unconsciously. It was still early afternoon before Ortansia fell asleep, but now the sun was already setting. Read only on https://royaltywrites.com.ng/ ¡®Oh no, I¡­ I fell asleep and bothered my brother!¡¯ ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± She shrank back and apologized, and Gerard¡¯s hand stretched out to her. She was startled and shivered reflexively, but when his hand was gently placed on her head, she lost all strength. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°But if it interferes with Onii-sama¡¯s studies¡­¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a class, I had no problems, there was no problem where you were sleeping.¡± ¡®Ugh, sorry teacher¡¯ She was sure that the teacher must have been terribly surprised when he saw Ortansia sleeping next to Gerard. As she was apologizing to him in her mind, G¨¦rard clumsily stroked Ortansia¡¯s head again. ¡± I guess you haven¡¯t had much sleep at night yet. Get sleep when you can.¡± Ortansia¡¯s heart grew warmer at these words of concern ¡°Okay.¡± The hand that stroked her head was clumsy. But it was clear that he was concerned about Ortanshia¡¯s well-being. In this second life, things were slowly starting to change. She didn¡¯t know if it was for better or for worse. But she could say for sure¡­ ¡®At least I and my brother are closer than before¡¯ Feeling the touch of his palm on her head, Ortansia breathed out a sigh of relief. ¡®But I have to be stronger too.¡¯ Ortansia¡¯s primary goal was to survive anyway. Gerard happened to save her this time, but he may not always be there to run to her in times of crisis. Sometimes she might get caught up in unexpected dangers, like a kidnapping. So she must be able to protect herself. ¡®Okay, let¡¯s go for it!¡¯ She looked back at G¨¦rard with that determination, and he blinked curiously. Chapter 28 ¡®But¡­ How exactly can I become stronger?¡¯ Ortansia was thinking about this as she hugged the cushion tightly on the bed in her room. ¡®Speaking of being strong, strong¡­¡¯ The first thing that came to her mind was the image of a brave knight holding a sword. ¡®If I train myself, I too can become a great knight¡­ Right?¡¯ When she thought of this, she instantly got excited. Even if an enemy comes at her, She will beat him to a pulp. Ortansia¡¯s eyes lit up as she stood up, imagining herself coolly defeating her opponents. Seeing her, Pamela, who was standing by, widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Where are you going, Young lady?¡± ¡°The Order of the Knights.¡± ¡°The Order of the Knights? Why do you want to go to such a place.?¡± ¡°I want to be a strong knight!¡± ¡°What?¡± Pamela was shocked, and Ortansia asked her for help. ¡°Pamela,¡± Ortansia asked, her eyes flashing, ¡°can you take me there?¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s too dangerous for you!¡± Pamela, who basically puts Ortansia¡¯s will first, was firmly opposed to the idea. ¡°Does the young lady know what the knights does! They handle dangerous weapons, you know? If something were to happen to the young lady in the process oh, the horror!¡± ¡°Pamela, please.¡± Ortansia mustered the sweetest voice she could and clung to Pamela¡¯s apron. ¡°Please, Pamela, you are the only one I can ask to do this. Pamela doesn¡¯t like Sia¡­?¡± With her eyes moistening, Ortansia unleashed a blustery attack. Of course, it has already been researched that it is highly effective on Pamela. Again, Pamela didn¡¯t last more than a few seconds before she fell. ¡°Ugh¡­ I can¡¯t help it! However, please don¡¯t ever do anything dangerous, okay?¡¡It will be just a visit!¡± ¡°Wow! I love you Pamela!¡± As she hugged her tightly, Ortansia grinned wickedly so Pamela wouldn¡¯t see. ¡°Wow, so this is where the knights train!¡± And so Ortansia and Pamela stepped into the knight¡¯s training ground. The Duke of Verite had a private knighthood of a decent size. In her first life, Ortansia knew of its existence, but she had never bothered to go to the training ground to see it. She had a complex about her illegitimate (or not) origins. ¡®Ummm¡­ even the servants were cold at first, and they looked at me with great disdain¡¯ Although she had come here with great enthusiasm, Ortansia was beginning to lose her confidence. But there was no way she could say, ¡°Let¡¯s go back¡± after everything As she was quietly walking forward, one of the knights who was resting nearby noticed her and called out to her. ¡°Hey, how can I help you?¡± ¡°This is the Duke¡¯s daughter, Lady Ortansia. Lady Ortansia wishes to meet with the Deputy Commander of the Order.¡± ¡°Duchess? I beg your pardon, I¡¯ll go get the Deputy Commander now!¡± Heh¡­ It might have turned out to be more serious than I thought.¡¯ Ortansia regretted a little that she had come so carelessly. ¡®Being a duchess is a tough position¡­¡¯ She couldn¡¯t help thinking that as she fidgeted and waited, she eventually saw a burly man coming towards her with the knight from earlier. ¡®This man is the deputy captain¡­¡¯ Ortansia looked up timidly at the man in front of her. He was probably in his forties. Even through his clothes, you could see his well-trained muscles. ¡­A big ferocious bear. That was Ortansia¡¯s first impression of the man in front of her. Quite scary, to be honest. ¡®Yes, of course, he is the leader of the knighthood. He should have this level of dignity¡¯ The head of the Order of Knights was Ortansia¡¯s father, the Duke of Verite. However, her father was only the nominal head of the order, and it is the man in front of her who practically leads the knighthood. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ortansia.¡± He knelt down in front of her and fixed his gaze on her ¡°My name is Ambert Tellier, vice-commander of the Order of Verit¨¦.¡± ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sir Terrier. My name is Ortansia, and I am now a member of the Dukes of Verite. Please, accept my compliments.¡± When she bowed with the utmost elegance, remembering Annabelle¡¯s lesson, Sir Terrier¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± ¡®Ugh, did I do something wrong ¡­¡­?¡¯ Sir Terrier stared at Ortansia, who was inwardly panicking. ¡°I beg your pardon, but you don¡¯t look much like your father or brother.¡± As soon as Ortansia heard those words, she felt as if her heart had frozen. Chapter 29 She doesn¡¯t resemble her father or brother¡­ In other words, he¡¯s trying to say, in a roundabout way, that he can¡¯t recognize Ortansia as a member of the ducal family. ¡®¡­who knows, I guess?¡¯ In fact, Ortansia was not even sure if she was of her father¡¯s blood. She was born a lowly tavern girl. She lived in a downtown orphanage until the duke¡¯s family took her in. As a knight, he would not be able to offer his loyalty to a person with an unknown origin. ¡®I should never have come here.¡¯ She felt like her legs were going to tremble. Seeing Ortansia like that, Sir Terrier grinned. ¡°Really, they don¡¯t look alike. I never thought that¡­ that raccoon father would give birth to such a beautiful girl!¡± ¡®¡­. Huh?¡¯ The words were unexpected, and Ortansia looked up with trepidation. And she was astonished. Sir Terrier, who was supposed to be looking down at her with a cold gaze, had a lazy smile on his face for some reason! ¡°Ah, really cute¡­! What kind of good deeds did that raccoon father do in his previous life to be blessed with such a cute daughter?¡± ¡°¡­ Deputy Commander, Miss Ortansia is in a quandary.¡± ¡°Oops, sorry. I can¡¯t help but be reminded of my daughter when she was little. Now she says, ¡®Dad, you stink! Don¡¯t rub it on my clothes!¡¯¡­ ¡± The other knight warned him, and Sir Terrier smiled, somewhat melancholy, to reassure Ortansia. Please do not read on pirate sites. Read only on Please read this content from the original site. ¡°I am sorry for being so distraught, my lady. That old raccoon¡­ Excuse me, you don¡¯t look like His Excellency the Duke in a good way, so I was surprised that a miracle had occurred.¡± The way he said it so openly made Ortansia giggle. ¡°Hmm, you are close to my father, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, we have been through many life and death situations together. He is better at guile¡­ than brute force, and I am, as you can see, a man who only has brute force. It¡¯s a win-win situation.¡± ¡®Good. He seems to be a better man than I thought.¡¯ The gentle demeanor of Sir Terrier made Ortansia feel relieved. She assumed that she would be despised as the child of a dirty Mistress, but she never thought that she would be treated like this. ¡°Um, actually¡­ I came to see you today because I wanted to learn swordsmanship.¡± When she said this, Sir Terrier widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Swords? When you say sword, you mean ¡­¡­ this one we have?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡± Sir Terrier pointed to the sword on his waist, and Ortansia nodded many times. He seemed to get the intention, but for some reason he raised his eyebrows in a frown. ¡°I see, But first, I must make the young lady aware of reality.¡± With a small exhale, Sir Terrier unsheathed the sword he wore at his waist. And when he put the sheath on the ground, he gently smiled at Ortansia. ¡°Well then, my lady, first of all you must hold this sword.¡± ¡°¡­? Okay¡± Unsure, Ortansia held the sword. After confirming this, Sir Terrier released his hand. But as soon as he does¡­ ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Miss!¡± The sword tilted and fell towards Ortansia. She tried to support it in a hurry, but Ortansia¡¯s strength was not enough to support it. ¡®The sword is falling over.¡¯ ¡°Oops.¡± As soon as Ortansia¡¯s body was about to tilt, Sir Terrier lightly supported the sword and Ortansia. ¡°Do you understand, my lady? As you can see, to handle a sword as a knight, you must first build up your strength¡­ and muscles. If you wish, I can train you thoroughly.¡± ¡®Ugh, I didn¡¯t realize swords were so heavy, how many years would it take me to train thoroughly¡­?¡¯ Please do not read on pirate sites. Read only on Please read this content from the original site. Ortansia lamented her ineffectiveness. She could continue to study under him and become a knight, but it will take years to acquire¡­ Competence. ¡®If I take it easy, I¡¯ll be executed again.!¡¯ ¡°Thank you very much for your kindness. I will think about it a little more¡­¡± Sir Terrier expression relaxed as he lowed his head. ¡°Everyone has their own own strengths and weaknesses, young lady. Please come back whenever you feel like it. We will be very happy to help you. And of course, we¡¯ll help you get your lady all worked up¡­¡± ¡°Sir Terrier! The young lady doesn¡¯t deserve to be muscled up! ¡°Ha ha, sorry, sorry.¡± Ortansia left the place while soothing the indignant Pamela. It seems that the strategy needs to be reworked. Chapter 30 That night, when she returned to her room and groaned¡­ unexpectedly, Ortansia was summoned to the office by her father. ¡®Ugh, could he possibly be mad at me for troubling the Knights?¡¯ With a pounding heart, she knocked on the door of his office and was allowed to enter by a surprisingly gentle voice. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Read only on When She timidly stepped into the room, her father greeted her with a smile as usual. ¡°Welcome, Ortansia. Have a seat.¡± He suggested the sofa, and Ortansia sat down. ¡°Do you know why I called you here?¡± ¡°Is it about¡­ Visiting the Knights?¡± ¡°Oh, yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father. I have caused you all trouble.¡± Her father patted her head with his large hand, as she felt downcast. He sat down next to her and spoke gently. ¡°No one is blaming you. I just wanted to ask you why.¡± At her father¡¯s urging, Ortansia opened her mouth gingerly. ¡°I want to be¡­ strong so that if I had to go through something like that again next time, I would be able to escape on my own.¡± Hearing Ortansia¡¯s words, her father¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­you are right.¡± He did not blame Ortansia. He simply quietly expressed his concern for Ortansia¡¯s feelings. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ortansia. It was our fault that you were kidnapped that day. We have made sure that everyone involved in that incident has been erased so that they will never appear before you again, but it is also true that where we are is always fraught with danger.¡± The Duke closed his eyes and sighed, as if remembering the old days. Read only on ¡°I have been in danger many times in my life. It is a miracle that I am still alive today. Unfortunately, I have not been blessed with much talent in martial arts. I understand your feelings.¡± He took Ortansia¡¯s small hand in his. He chuckled. ¡°It will probably be another hundred years or so before you can handle a sword with your tiny hands.¡± ¡°Oh God, Father! I¡¯m serious!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But, Ortansia, it is not only the sword that protects you. why don¡¯t you try your talent?¡± Read only on After saying this, he got up and took a key from the desk in his office. It was a beautiful, jeweled key. ¡°This is the key to the world of the spirits who have been helping our Verit¨¦ Ducal family since time immemorial.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Enter the spirit world and ask the spirits for help. Hopefully, they will be a strong force to protect you.¡± The Duke gently placed the beautiful key in Ortansia¡¯s hand. ¡°I need to do some preparation. If you are up to it, you can come back here tomorrow night. I will guide you to the door that leads to the spirit world.¡± The Duke looked straight at Ortansia and chuckled. Ortansia looked alternately at his face and at the key in his hand in disbelief. ¡°If you are so inclined, you can come back here tomorrow night.¡± The next day, Ortansia was troubled. Should she take her father¡¯s invitation and set foot in the spirit world or not? ¡®No, I don¡¯t really understand ¡­¡­ spirits?¡¯ Spirits are creatures that live in a different world, and are considered closer to God than to man. There have been many fairy tales since ancient times about people and spirits joining forces to accomplish great things, but for Ortansia it was too far-fetched. ¡®Is it safe to go to the spirit world thoughtlessly? Won¡¯t they get angry and attack me¡­?¡¯ It was a given that the spirits lend their help only to those of noble birth or to special people with a noble spirit. But Ortansia¡¯s bloodline was doubtful, and it was hard to say if she had a noble spirit. She was honestly worried, but that won¡¯t help ¡®Okay, I should find out more about spirits.¡¯ After leaving the room, Ortansia headed for the library in the duke¡¯s mansion. She had been familiar with the library since her first life. Being an introvert, Ortansia used to stay in her room and made friends with reading and sewing. As soon as she stepped into the stacks, a librarian approached her. ¡°Oh, Miss Ortansia,¡± the librarian said. ¡°Are you looking for a book?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m looking for a book about spirits.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Soon after, the librarian returned with a number of books. After politely thanking him, Ortansia opened a book on a nearby desk and flipped through the pages. Read only on ¡®So there were people in the Duke of Verite¡¯s family who used spirits in the past.¡¯ As time went by, the number of people who used the power of the spirits seemed to be decreasing. However, many of the successive heads of the family had powerful spirits with them. If only Ortansia could have the help of spirits like them¡­. As she thought of this, a shadow suddenly fell on the page. Reflexively, Ortansia looked up and was startled to see a man who had somehow arrived at her side. ¡°Oh, brother!¡± Gerard was peering intently at her. Ortansia, who was completely unaware of his presence, froze in surprise. She took one look at him, and Gerard quietly opened his mouth. ¡°I heard that¡­ father recommended you to make a contract with a spirit.¡± ¡°Ah, yes¡± ¡®Why did Gerard know about this? I wonder if father told him.¡¯ She wondered silently, but Ortansia nodded for the time being. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°There is no need to go to the spirit world.¡± Gerard said with a very serious face. Chapter 31 Ortansia was puzzled, but opened her mouth to explain the situation. ¡°But¡­ I thought it would be better to have some way to protect myself if I ever find myself in danger again.¡± ¡°No need for that, I¡¯ll destroy all the dangerous elements that target you before they get to you.¡± ¡°what?¡± ¡°I told you that from now on, I will protect you no matter what.¡± Without moving a single expression on his face, G¨¦rard certainly declared. Ortansia, who spent a few seconds chewing on the meaning, felt her chest swell with various emotions. ¡®I can¡¯t believe that brother would say something like this to me¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­I never once thought of you as my sister.¡± That cold voice that still lingered in her mind, freezing everything in place. He definitely hated Ortansia at that time. He left her to die. But now¡­ ¡®You are worried about me¡­¡¯ She was sure that it was out of concern for her well-being that he tried to stop her from going to the spirit world. His clumsy kindness seeped into her heart. ¡®It¡¯s okay, the future should be heading in a bright direction¡¯ That is why Ortansia made up her mind. ¡°Thank you brother. But I¡­ Have decided to go to the spirit world.¡± ¡®Why? I told you there was no need.¡± ¡°Because¡­ if I become stronger, I will be able to protect you if something happens to you, right?¡± When she said this with a smile, G¨¦rard looked surprised It wass rare for him to show his emotions. Ortansia giggled. ¡®If the goddess¡¯ message is true, I don¡¯t know what will happen to my brother in the future. So I must be strong enough to protect him!¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. I will definitely come back in good health!¡± After she said this, Gerard expression became complicated, but he did not try to stop Ortansia any further. ¡®My brother also tried to stop me because I¡¯m not worthy¡­ Okay, I need to get stronger with the help of the spirits!¡¯ Suddenly motivated, Ortansia went to her father¡¯s office as soon as the sun went down. ¡°The royal family and the four great Ducal family each had a spirit associated with them, and I have a door that leads to a place close to the spirit¡¯s habitat. The spirit world is vast, and if you enter it without a guide, you will get lost.¡± Her father¡¯s voice echoed down the narrow stone staircase. With the help of the light from the candle he held in his hand, Ortansia followed him down the stairs, wary of falling. When Ortansia arrived at his office as promised, he led her down a secret passageway. ¡®I had heard there was a secret passage in the duke¡¯s mansion, so it was true¡­¡¯ The hidden door that existed behind the bookshelf in the office, continue down the stairs that lead from there, perhaps it was a subterranean space. Ortansia realized that her hands were shaking with nervousness, and she hastily took a deep breath. Eventually, the staircase ended and they reached a large door. ¡°It¡¯s just up ahead, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ort¨¢ncia replied, and the Duke chuckled and opened the door. Beyond the door was a not very large space. In the center of the room, where there were no windows or furniture, there was a single door standing alone. The door was carved with an eye-poppingly beautiful pattern and had a somewhat mysterious air. Perhaps it was the door that led to the spirit world. Ortansia gulped, and her father gently pushed her forward. Translator: Please note that The Duke is Ortansia¡¯s father, I use ¡°The Duke or ¡°Her father¡± interchangeably to refer him. ¡°Come on, Ortansia, open the door with the key I gave you yesterday. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of. You will do fine.¡± ¡®I am determined to survive¡­ and to be strong for my brother!¡¯ Managing to resist the urge to run away, Ortansia inserted the key into the keyhole with a trembling hand. Slowly, she heard the sound of the lock turning, and the door opened by itself. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Beyond the door, a snowy mountain covered in silver snow spread out. ¡®This is the spirit world¡¯ For a moment, Ortansia almost shied away, but she gathered her courage and took a step beyond the door. And as soon as she stepped onto the ground¡­ ¡°Ahh..!¡± The door closed on its own and disappeared as if dissolved into thin air. Surrounded by a world of silver, Ortansia became anxious. ¡®What should I do?! How am I supposed to get home if the door disappeared?¡¯ She had thought that she could just walk through the door and go home the same way she came, whether it worked or not, but it seemed that was not the case. ¡®What should I do if I can¡¯t go home again?¡¯ A gentle voice suddenly reached Ortanshia¡¯s ears and she was immediately on tenterhooks. ¡°What is wrong?¡± ¡°What?¡± She wondered if there was anyone other than herself Ortansia hurriedly turned around and tilted her head. ¡°Huh?¡± There was no one behind her. Apparently, she had heard wrong. ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way there¡¯s anyone here¡­?¡± ¡°Hey! Are you listening to me¡± ¡°Woah!¡± Ortansia was confused. When she wandered her eyes to look for the owner of the voice, she saw¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± A small bird was hopping around at Ortansia¡¯s feet, as if claiming something. Chapter 32 ¡® No, no way¡­¡¯ ¡°Hey! I know you can hear me! You have the nerve to ignore me!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± It was hard to believe at first glance, but it seemed that the owner of the voice was the little bird in front of her. Ortansia hurriedly crouched down to listen to what the little bird had to say. Perhaps pleased with her attitude, the bird came closer to Ortansia. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen a human being here for a long time. Where did you e from?¡± ¡°Well¡­ from the Duke of Verit¨¦¡¯s basement.¡± ¡°The Verite family! That¡¯s a name I¡¯ve missed.¡± The little bird flapped its wings in flight and settled on Ortansia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I also spent time with a child of the Verite family a long time ago.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I protected her until the day she drew her last breath.¡± The little bird didn¡¯t say much, but her gentle eyes, nostalgic for the old days, seemed to convey the deep love towards the Verite family. ¡°I understand¡­ for a child of the Verite family to e here, You are looking for a spirit to make a contract with, right?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Hmmm, that¡¯s how it is¡± The little bird flew around Ortensia as if it were an item. Then it landed on Ortansia¡¯s shoulder again and pointed in a certain direction with its wings. ¡°There¡¯s a very lively girl here. I am sure she¡¯s probably bored being here all the time, so I¡¯ll introduce her to you. ¡°Thank you!¡± The conversation went smoothly, and Ortansia was relieved. ¡®But maybe I¡¯m indeed not of the Duke of Verit¨¦ blood.¡¯ The reason the Spirit bird had been so kind to her was probably because it thought that Ortansia was ¡°Duchess of Verite¡±. But in reality, Ortansia was not certain if she was related to her father by blood. Officially, she was treated as a ¡°Duchess,¡± but that was probably not what was important to the spirits. ¡®They might be disappointed if they find out I am not from the Duke of Verite family¡¯ Since that was the case, she decided to reveal her true identity immediately. But looking at the little bird chirping happily, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it. ¡®Huh, my cowardice.¡¯ Disappointed with her own inadequacy, Ortansia slowly continued on her way. Eventually, she arrived at a place where a series of stone pillars stood as if they were ruins. In the center of it, a breathtakingly beautiful white panther laid quietly. ¡®Like the snow leopard I saw in the illustrated book.¡¯ Ortansia forgot about the situation and was transfixed by the beauty of the snow leopard. The snow leopard quietly raised its head, perhaps noticing Ortansia¡¯s footsteps. ¡°Well¡­ This is an unusual guest,¡± she said. The snow leopard got up with a sleigh and slowly approached Ortansia. Overwhelmed by its beauty and intimidation, Ortansia hurriedly bowed on the spot. ¡°Nice to meet you! My name is Ortansia!¡± As if in response to Ortansia¡¯s bow, the little bird flew out from Ortansia¡¯s shoulder and landed in front of the snow leopard. ¡°This child is the daughter of the Duke of Verite. They¡¯re looking for a spirit to make a contract with, so how about that naughty boy?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Hearing the little bird¡¯s story, the snow leopard looked up to the sky and cawed high in the air as if calling for something. Shortly after¡­ ¡°What is it? Is it important ?¡± A small shadow rushed from across the snowfield. As it approached, the figure was revealed, and Ortansia¡¯s eyes involuntarily lit up. ¡®Oh my God, it¡¯s so cute!¡¯ It was a small snow leopard cub that came running toward her, its fur fluffy and curled up like a puppy with lovely round eyes. It had little fangs and paws as cute as little loaves of bread. At first sight, Ortansia was captivated by the little snow leopard in front of her. ¡°Who is this? I¡¯ve never seen this human before.¡± The Snow leopard cub came up to her feet and looked up at her with glazed eyes. ¡°I am the Duchess of Verit¨¦, and my name is Ortansia.¡± ¡°Orta, Cee ¡­¡­?¡± Apparently, the pronunciation may have been a little difficult for the leopard. Ortansia giggled and gently bent down to make eye contact. ¡°Sia is fine. That¡¯s what I used to be called.¡± ¡°I see. Nice to meet you, Sia!¡± The snow leopard cub lifted his paw in a good mood. Ortansia gently laced her fingertips together with its paws and felt the soft texture of the paw pads. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± ¡°By the way, Ortansia.¡± ¡°Uhm, yes!¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t told me why you are seeking a contract with a spirit.¡± The snow leopard¡¯s clear blue eyes were staring at her. Ortansia swallowed, feeling as if she was looking into the depths of her heart. ¡°Not too long ago¡­, I was in danger. I almost died, and I couldn¡¯t stop others from being killed.¡± The horrific scene, which had been sealed away in the back of her memory, brought back the harrowing exclamations. ¡®I don¡¯t want that to happen again.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s why I want to bee stronger. In order not to face something like that again, next time I¡¯ll be able to protect someone¡­ someone important to me.¡± Chapter 33 The first to react to these words was a snow leopard cub. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Sai!¡± The snow leopard pounced on her, and Ortansia hurriedly hugged it. The cub came up to her and licked her cheek. ¡± I¡¯ll protect you and your precious one too!¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay with being so cavalier? What if I¡¯m the bad guy?¡± The decision was so quick that Ortansia forgot about the present situation and became worried about the snow leopard cub. What if Ortansia was a bad guy, a poacher, for example? If he carelessly follows her, he might end up turning into fur before he realises it! But the snow leopard¡¯s parents chuckle at Ortansia¡¯s concern. ¡°The wicked cannot e here. We have entrusted the keys to a trusted person for generations, and only those who have his permission can even set foot in here.¡± Read only on ¡°But¡­¡± Ortansia wondered if she should tell the truth. ¡°I¡­ really don¡¯t know if I¡¯m related to the Duke of Verite!¡± The reason they accepted Ortansia so far was because they thought she was from the Duke de Verit¨¦ family. But if they find out that¡¯s not the case, they may turn their hand away and give her the cold shoulder. ¡®No. Even if they do, it¡¯s a lot better than continuing to lie.¡¯ Looking at Ortansia, who was shaking slightly, the snow leopard¡¯s parents narrowed their eyes and spoke softly. ¡°We entrusted the key to someone we trust, and he sent you here. That alone is certainly worthy of trust.¡± The snow leopard¡¯s parent, quietly got up, approached Ortansia, and gently rubbed her cheek against the cub in Ortansia¡¯s arms. ¡°Please take good care of this child, Tyrol. He is mischievous, but he is kind at heart. I am sure he will be a good friend to you.¡± Once again, Ortansia locked gazes with the snow leopard called Tyrol. Tyrol rubbed his nose against Ortansia¡¯s cheek to reassure her. ¡°Hmm, good to see you. Tyrol.¡± ¡°I got you, Sia!¡± The little bird that had brought Ortansia here slowly flew up, watching the two play with each other. ¡°If you stay here, you¡¯ll be in the human world in a hundred years or so!¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s bad!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make a way for you to get home, just don¡¯t stop on the way home.¡± Read only on The little bird flied in circles. Then, inside the circle, a door appeared just as it did when she came. But the other side of the door was shrouded in a deep fog, and they didn¡¯t know where it led. ¡°If you keep going straight, you can get back to where you came from. But be careful not to accidentally stray from the path.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you for everything.¡± Ortansia bowed her head, and the little bird puffed its wings in satisfaction. ¡°Hmph, you are unusually honest for someone from the Verite family. You should live a little smarter.¡± ¡°Ahaha.¡± Bowing to the little bird and snow leopard cub parent, Ortansia stepped inside the door with Tyrol in her arms. ¡°Wow, I can¡¯t see anything.¡± They fearlessly made their way step by step through the fog, unable to see a single inch ahead of them. If they keep going at this rate, they should reach the Duke de Verite house, but how far do they have to walk¡­? ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something over there!¡± ¡°Tyrol, wait!¡± But at that moment, Tyrol suddenly slipped out of Ortansia¡¯s arms and ran off. It had been less than five minutes since the snow leopard¡¯s parent had entrusted Tyrol to her, If he were to go missing here, the spirits would be furious. It would tarnish the name of the Verite family, which had probably been close to them for generations. Ortansia turned pale instantly and hurried after Tyrol. Ortansia ran frantically, chasing after Tyrol¡¯s tail, which appeared and disappeared in the fog. She no longer knew which direction she had e from or even which way she was going. She was more afraid of losing Tyrol than anything else. However, Tyrol suddenly disappeared after letting out a scream. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Tyrol!¡± Ortansia rushed forward, but somehow the ground she was supposed to step on had vanished. Naturally, Ortansia¡¯s body was pulled by gravity downwards, upsidedown. Read only on ¡°Geez! What¡¯s going on!!!?¡± Ortansia fell through the deep fog. And then, suddenly, the surrounding seemed to lighten up¡­ ¡°Gyan!¡± Feeling the impact on her buttocks, Ortansia screamed like a crushed cat. It felt like she had fallen a long distance, but fortunately her body was not crushed and wounded. After confirming that she was alive, Ortansia looked around in panic. ¡°Tyrol!¡± Fortunately, Tyrol was lying on his back right beside Ortansia. When she picked him up, Tyrol snuggled up against Ortansia with a gurgling sound in his throat. ¡°My head is spinning¡± ¡°Mine too. But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe¡± She hugged Tyrol¡¯s fluffy body and finally felt calm. When she looked around again, Ortansia was at a loss. ¡°Where is this?¡± Ortansia and Tyrol had fallen into a place they were pletely unfamiliar with. It looked like a forest¡­ but if one looked closely, one could see what appeared to be some kind of building beyond the trees. ¡®If I go there, I wonder if I¡¯ll find out something about where we are¡­¡¯ Ortansia thought and immediately stood up with Tyrol in her arms. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Suddenly, Ortansia heard a voice behind her, making her cower. When she turned to look behind her, she was surprised to see that it was¡­ ¡°Who are you? What are you doing here?¡± A well-dressed boy about Ortansia¡¯s age was staring at her with rounded eyes. Chapter 34 The boy in front of Ortansia was looking at her with a curious expression. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± The fact that Ortansia was able to meet a human for the time being suggests that she has returned to her original world. But where exactly was this place? ¡®Is this someone¡¯s private property, perhaps? The child in front of me seems pretty good, and if it is some nobleman¡¯s mansion, it¡¯s not a good thing!¡¯ If by any chance she had fallen into the mansion of a noble family that is in conflict with the Duke of Verit¨¦, she would be in big trouble. The Duke of Verite is one of the four great Dukes, one of the most prestigious families in the country. But because of this, they had many enemies. They could make it difficult for Ortansia to get out of this place because of her trespassing, or worse, they could take her hostage. Read only on ¡®we have to get out of here Somehow.!¡¯ Ortansia fearfully looked at the boy in front of her. He was wearing clothes that were instantly recognizable as first-class, even from the decorations and fabrics. He appeared to be alone, with no attendants in sight nearby. ¡®He¡¯s about my age, and if I can talk my way out of this¡­¡¯ Ortansia smiled, trying not to alarm the opponent for the moment. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m sorry I startled you. I was out for a walk and wandered into this place. If you don¡¯t mind, could you show me the way out?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love to, but you¡¯ll have to play with me first!¡± The boy had a twinkle in his eye as he said this. He smiled innocently and extended his hand toward them. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯d like to get out of here as soon as possible¡¯ Read only on But she didn¡¯t want the boy to start making a fuss if she refused his request, and it was going to take a lot of effort for Ortansia to find a way out on her own. ¡®If I play with him for a bit and this boy is satisfied¡­¡¯ The boy smiled happily as Ortansia took his hand. ¡°I have a secret place over here! I¡¯ll tell you specially!¡± The boy happily pulled Ortansia¡¯s hand and started to run. Ortansia ran along to avoid falling down, but the innocent smile of the boy in front of her made her tensed body relax. ¡®I see, So this is how real children behave. I¡¯ll use it as a reference.¡¯ It would be useful to pretend to be an ¡°adorable seven-year-old girl¡± in front of the adults. With this in mind, Ortansia secretly observed the boy in front of her. ¡°I¡¯m Viktor. And you are?¡± I¡¯m Sia¡­ My name is Sia. Thinking that it would be a problem later if her real name was revealed, Ortansia decided to use only her nickname. ¡°Where are you from Sia?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ far away, I guess. I got lost and arrived at this unfamiliar place while I was taking a walk.¡± Read only on ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that! I sometimes get lost too. When there are so many similar corridors, it¡¯s hard to distinguish between them.¡± She thought her excuse was a bit silly, but Viktor continued talking without thinking deeply about it and Ortansia sighed in relief at his lack of vigilance ¡°Anyway, Cia has a rare cat¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a cat. I¡¯m not a cat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! He¡¯s so cute!¡± When Victor saw Tyrol in Ortansia¡¯s arms, he thought he it was a cat. Perhaps not satisfied with being treated like a cat, Tyrol started to make a fuss. Hurriedly covering his mouth, Ortansia laughed to cover up her act. ¡®Oh, If they know I have a spirit with me, they would find out who I really am!¡¯ It was better to just allow it to be mistaken for a cat. Ortansia, who had made up her mind to do so, smiled wryly while covering Tyrol¡¯s mouth as he let out a disgruntled sound. ¡°Look, here is my secret base!¡± They made their way through the trees to a large tree with a trunk so thick that They would not be able to enclose it even if the three of them were to hold hands. As Victor brushed aside the tall grass that had grown up around it, the rim of the large tree was exposed. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s really a secret place just for me, but I¡¯ll make a special effort to tell Sia about it!¡± Victor crawled into the secret place. Ortansia followed suit, though she was concerned about soiling the hem of her dress. Chapter 35 ¡°Being here makes me feel at ease. All I hear is the sounds of the forest, and no one yells at me or rushes me.¡± ¡°Viktor.¡± Ortansia didn¡¯t know what to say to Viktor, who spoke with a childish expression. ¡®Victor is also having a hard time. After all, he must be the child of a noble family with a pretty name. Come to think of it, I think I¡¯ve heard the name Victor somewhere before¡­¡¯ It was not an unmon name, so it must be someone else. Convincing herself, Ortansia exhaled softly. ¡®I remember when I used to hate Annabelle¡¯s reprimands too. I didn¡¯t have a secret base like Viktor, so I was usually depressed in my room.¡¯ However, Annabelle¡¯s harsh treatment of Ortansia was an act of self-imposed duty and because of her expectations of Ortansia. Surely those around Viktor also do so because they have high expectations of him. ¡°You know¡­ Viktor. There will be people who are hard on you, but I¡¯m sure those people do so because they love you too.¡¯ When she said this, Viktor puffed out his cheeks as if he was unconvinced. ¡°That¡¯s not right! If you love me, you should be nicer to me¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re being hard on you on purpose so that you won¡¯t be humiliated when it matters. I think they do that because they really like you¡± After saying that out loud, Ortansia regretted it a little. ¡®No, As a seven-year-old he wouldn¡¯t understand me! Huh, I failed¡¯ However, as soon as Viktor heard what Ortansia said, he rolled his eyes in a strange manner. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s one way of thinking about it. Sia¡¯s so smart.¡± ¡°No, I am not. I just had a similar experience. I found out that people who I thought were really strict were actually very kind.¡± ¡°Phew¡­ you¡¯re the same as me.¡± After saying that, Victor smiled happily. Ortansia also smiled happily. Viktor fumbled and searched deep inside the hollow of the tree, and held up a brightly shining book, . ¡°Look, my secret treasure! I¡¯ll show it to only Sia!¡± What he showed her was a picture story written in a language that seemed foreign to her. ¡®Gold leaf is used for the binding¡­ Isn¡¯t this a book of great value!¡¯ Even a mere book can be worth months of a moner¡¯s salary. She wondered if the boy in front of her really understood the value of the book ¡®Seeing as it¡¯s hidden here, he probably doesn¡¯t care.¡¯ But such things make her smile.. As Viktor opened the book and showed it to her, Ortansia ran her eyes over it. It was colourfully illustrated and the text was meticulously and beautifully decorated. ¡®Decorated manuscripts, huh? It¡¯s not unusual in an aristocratic home, but¡­ I never thought I¡¯d ever seen them like this, like playthings!¡¯ Victor pointed to each picture and explained them to Ortansia, who looked on with a relaxed mood. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it says, but I like this animal because it looks really strong!¡± ¡®Is this¡­ a cockatrice?¡¯ ¡®Sia, you know it!¡¯ Viktor bit down vigorously, and Ortansia nodded, a little surprised. Chapter 36 ¡°I read about it a while ago. I read in a book that they are very powerful spirits. ¡°Wow¡­Sia is so knowledgeable!¡± ¡®That¡¯s because I am a recluse with nothing to do but reading and embroidering!¡¯ Remembering her previous life, which was too plain, Ortansia felt lukewarm. But in contrast, Victor¡¯s face beamed with joy. ¡°Tell me more stuff! What about this one over here?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Despite her slumbering, Ortansia answered Viktor¡¯s questions. Apparently, the illustrated manuscript explained rare spirits and other things. While she was explaining, she heard the voices of some adults from far away. ¡°¡­are you there?¡± ¡°There is a textbook of imperial studies. It must be around here.¡± ¡°Please come out quickly.¡± As soon as he heard the voice, Viktor made a disgusted face, Read only on ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Have they found him already, ¡­¡­?¡± Presumably, someone from his family came looking for him. Ortansia also looked around anxiously.. ¡®If they find me here, I¡¯d definitely be suspected..!¡¯ She doesn¡¯t think they¡¯ll let her off the hook just because she was a child. If she gets caught by the people from Viktor¡¯s house and they get to know who she was, that will be a big problem. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ In her anxiousness, She hugged Tyrol tightly in her arms. ¡°Sia! There¡¯s a space-time rift in here!¡± Tyrol exclaimed, his limbs flailing. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where it leads, but it looks like we can go somewhere else!¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay!¡± It might lead to some strange place again, but it¡¯s better than being caught here. ¡°Sorry, Viktor. I have to go.¡± ¡°Eh, Sia?¡± Read only on ¡°Thanks for playing with me. It was fun!¡± With that, Ort¨¢nsia crawled on all fours to the back of the hollow. ¡°Sia, wait!¡± Just as Viktor rushed to stop her, another voice was heard from the entrance. ¡°I found you, Prince.¡± ¡®What, the Prince?!¡¯ Ortansia was startled. The hand that had been extended forward scratched the sky, and Ortansia¡¯s body was thrown head first into the air. ¡®Hyaaaaaah!?¡¯ With Tyrol in her arms, Ortansia slowly fell downwards through the pitch-dark space. Soon, in the pitch-blackness, she saw flashing lights like stars of various colors. ¡®Beautiful¡­¡¯ Softly, as if supported by the wind, Ortansia was able to land on the ground with the tips of her toes. ¡®Huh, thank God¡­ but where am I?¡¯ Ortansia landed in a dimly lit flowery field. The surroundings were as dark as midnight, with only the faintest starlight and unfamiliar flowers blooming at her feet were giving off a dim light. She looked up overhead, but she could no longer see Viktor¡¯s secret lair and also couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°Tyrol, do you know which way to go?¡± ¡°Ummm¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Tyrol landed on the ground from her arms and wandered from place to place, but eventually returned to Ortansia with a troubled look on his face. Ortansia sighed while stroking Tyrol to suppress her anxiety. ¡°Let¡¯s just walk for now, shall we?¡± It didn¡¯t look like things would get better if they continued to stay still If they kept walking, they might find a door that led to somewhere else. Believing this, Ortansia started walking. Chapter 37 How much time has passed? There didn¡¯t seem to be a concept of day or night in the space, and the sky was still the same twilight color as when they arrived. ¡°Tyrol, let¡¯s take a break, shall we?¡± ¡°Sure!¡± Ortansia deliberately sounded cheerful so as not to show her anxiety, and sat down on the spot with Tyrol in her arms. ¡®¡­I think it¡¯s been a couple of hours, physically speaking. I am not sure¡± Strangely, no matter how much she walked, she never got tired, which in turn made their sense of time vague. She wondered if a few hours have passed, or if it has been less than a few minutes or Maybe they were just going around in circles in the same place? Driven by these doubts and fears, Ortansia turned Tyrol on his back and buried her face in his stomach. She breathed in and out, and her strength returned. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way out!¡¯ Read only on It was a good thing that Tyrol was with her. If it had been just Ortansia alone, she might have despaired and not been able to move forward even a single step. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce Tyrol to everyone when we get to the ¡­¡­ Verite family mansion. And we¡¯ll have some good food.¡± Ortansia, trying to think of something cheerful to do, spoke to Tyrol as she softly nuzzled his paw pads. ¡°Everyone?Who¡¯s everyone? The guy from Sia¡¯s flock?¡± Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but laugh at Tyrol, who cocked his head a bit. ¡°I¡¯d call it a flock, or¡­ family? And then there are the servants¡­the people who work at the mansion.¡± The faces of those in the duke¡¯s mansion appeared in her mind. She strongly remembered her brother Gerard¡¯s face especially. Even his icy stare seems nostalgic now. ¡°I miss my brother¡­¡± The moment she said that, a streak of light appeared from a distance. ¡°Uhh?¡± The streak of blue light extended in a straight line to Ortansia¡¯s feet. Tyrol, who had been gurgling, jumped up as if in a panic. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but¡­ maybe it¡¯s leading us somewhere?¡± Read only on The streak of light felt like a thread of salvation to Ortansia. ¡°Tyrol, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ortansia and Tyrol started running, following the blue streak of light. Strangely enough, they could run as far as they wanted without losing their breath or tiring their legs. Without looking back, Ortansia and Tyrol just kept running. Soon, a large door standing alone in the darkness came into view. Ortansia gulped at the sight. ¡°No way!.¡± The door that seemed to float in the darkness was the grand door of the duke¡¯s mansion. ¡°That¡¯s a big door¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really very big.¡± Ortansia reached for the door, which she rarely touched because she usually had a servant open it for her. ¡®It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m sure after this¡­!¡¯ Read only on Convincing herself, Ortansia stretched out and pushed the handle of the door with all her strength. Slowly the door opened, and a dazzling light flooded out of the door. Blinded, Ortansia quickly closed her eyes. ¡°Uhhh?¡± When she opened her eyes, she screamed out in a panic. ¡°This is¡­ the Duke¡¯s residence!?¡± What Ortansia saw was an unfamiliar room. The building and the atmosphere of the building were however exactly the same as the ducal residence that Ortansia was familiar with. ¡®Come to think of it, there are still many rooms I haven¡¯t visited before¡­¡¯ Looking around¡­ Ortansia had a bad premonition. ¡®It¡¯s possible this is¡­ someone¡¯s private room!¡¯ The room was much larger than Pamela¡¯s room which she had seen before, and the furnishings were opulent. The overall atmosphere was chic and relaxed. It was probably the room of a man of high status. ¡®Who could it be? Anyway, it would be awkward if I am found here, so I have to get out of here¡­¡¯ Read only on Even though arriving here wasn¡¯t something she could control, She didn¡¯t want it to be known that She was intruding into someone else¡¯s private room. With Tyrol sniffing around, looking curious, Ortansia quietly tried to leave the room. But just then, the doorknob that she was about to touch turned by itself. ¡°Uhh?¡± Without having time to brace herself, the door quietly opened. She saw Gerard, beyond the door, looking exactly as Ortansia remembered him. Chapter 38 ¡°Oh brother¡­¡± ¡®Is this really my brother¡¯s private room?¡¯ Ortansia froze, not knowing what to say to him. Whether she should report that she had brought a spirit, Tyrol back with her, or she should excuse herself for having entered the room. Unable to think straight, she stammered, ¡°Well, um¡­ umm.. ¡± and then Gerard¡¯s arm reached out towards her. Ortansia squeezed her eyes shut, afraid that he would be offended that she had entered the room without permission. Gerard didn¡¯t say anything, but hugged Ortansia tightly. ¡°Well, you¡¯re back.¡± Gerard whispered this in a voice that indicated that he was suppressing his emotions. Read only on That way, she knew he was truly happy for her return. Slowly, the back of her eyes grew hot, and she spoke emotionally. ¡°I¡¯m home, brother.¡± For a few seconds, Gerard hugged Ortansia tightly without saying a word. She closed her eyes and rested her body against him, feeling comfortable. Suddenly, Tyrol in her arms began to wriggle uncomfortably. ¡°Enough, I am in pain!¡± ¡°Woah, I¡¯m sorry!¡± When I hurriedly released Tyrol, Gerard widened his eyes in unusual surprise and stared at Tyrol. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s a strange cat.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not a cat!¡± Ortansia hurriedly soothed Tyrol, who was threatening Gerard with his claws. Read The Reborn Lady is Loved by Her Foster Brother only on ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡¡Tyrol is a splendid snow leopard spirit! Brother, this cub is called Tyrol, and he is the spirit that has agreed to follow me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ I see. Whatever it is, I suppose I¡¯ll have to inform Father that you¡¯ve returned.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Ortansia followed behind Gerard as he headed to find their father. He was happy for Ortansia¡¯s return. For Ortansia, she was more than happy to see him. ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó From the time Ortansia left for the spirit world to the time she returned to the duke¡¯s mansion, it was, from a logical point of view, about half a day. However, to his surprise, a week had actually passed. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you back, Ortansia, That spirit is quite lovely¡­ Take good care of him.¡± Her Father was delighted to see Ortansia back, and when he saw Tyrol in Ortansia¡¯s arms, he let out a little laugh. ¡®Certainly, I went to the spirit world to become stronger, but Tyrol doesn¡¯t look strong by any means.¡¯ Ortansia laughed at Tyrol, who was tickled under the chin by her father and rumbled pleasantly. Still, Ortansia was satisfied. He had already become an indispensable little friend to Ortansia. ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate Ortansia¡¯s return in a big way today!¡± At her father¡¯s command, the servants who had been waiting started to move at once. The meals at the Duke of Verite¡¯s mansion were always lavish, but tonight¡¯s dinner, which was the celebration of Ortansia¡¯s return, was more elaborate than usual. Read only on As she looked around at the plates being brought to her one after another, Tyrol, who was at her feet, poked Ortansia¡¯s toes a little bit. ¡°Sia, I want to eat, too!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry! Um, can you prepare one for him too?¡± When she made the request to the servant who was on standby, a plate for Tyrol was immediately brought. Looking at Tyrol with a smile on her face, Ortansia suddenly felt a sense of incongruity. ¡°Hey, that guy¡­¡± Behind Gerard on the other side of Ortansia, there was an unfamiliar person. He was a young man with an air of intelligence. She wondered if he was a new servant. As she glanced at him, she wondered if he had noticed her movements. Chapter 39 ¡°Oh, I have not introduced you. He¡¯s a new servant in our household.¡± The servant in question curtsied gracefully at her father¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ortansia. My name is Lucian, and I am the newest member of the Duke¡¯s household.¡± When he bowed, his hair, which was tied at the back of his neck, slided down his shoulders. He had shiny black hair and a well-defined face that was unintentionally striking. He had a pair of elegant gold-coloured glasses and indigo-coloured, intelligent eyes that flickered from behind them. ¡®Wow, he looks like a magical man!¡¯ That was the first impression Ortansia had of him. The maids waiting in the corner of the room were also pouring their somewhat enthusiastic gazes on him. ¡®I hope he doesn¡¯t get into trouble¡­¡¯ Suppressing such worries in her heart, Ortansia smiled at him. ¡°Nice to meet you, Lucian.¡± ¡°Lucien was mainly supposed to be Gerard¡¯s assistant, but if you have any trouble, you can rely on him.¡± As if in response to her father¡¯s words, Lucien gave Ortansia a sweet smile. ¡°If you need anything at all, my lady.¡± ¡°Umm, Okay¡­ thank you.¡± ¡°Whenever you wish, my dear lady, I will be at your service.¡± Ortansia was astonished at Lucian, who had such a mischievous expression. ¡®This is definitely a guy who says the same thing to every girl he meets!¡¯ In an instant, Lucian was at the top of Ortansia¡¯s ¡®untrustworthy¡¯ list. Ortansia smiled in disgust, but Lucian continued. ¡®But then again, Miss Ortansia is a lovely young lady who is truly a treasure of the Verite family. In a few years, I¡¯m sure many lords will be courting her.¡± ¡°Hold off, Lucian.¡± Lucien¡¯s flattery, which seemed to go on forever, was cut short by G¨¦rard¡¯s cold air. He stared at Lucien with his usual cold eyes. But Lucien was not intimidated, and curtsied in a playful manner. ¡°Oops, I beg your pardon. It seems that the Sister-con G¨¦rard-sama is displeased at the mention of the young lady¡¯s marriage.¡± ¡®I¡¯m surprised my brother didn¡¯t kill this man.¡¯ Lucien¡¯s pace was so fast that Ortansia was not sure whether to be amazed or impressed. Ortansia looked up at Gerard, who was wearing a grim aura, and took a quick bite of her meal. ¡®Huh, delicious as ever¡­ As expected of one of the powerful Dukes in the country¡¯ At that time, Ortansia suddenly remembered something terrible. ¡®Come to think of it, just before I fell from Victor¡¯s place, I heard the word ¡°prince¡±¡­¡¯ The moment she realised this, Ortansia turned completely pale. ¡®That¡¯s right, why didn¡¯t I realise it!¡¯ She had even been to the royal castle once as a potential fianc¨¦e, but to her surprise, Ortansia had completely forgotten the name of her country¡¯s dauphin! Perhaps it was because the calm ¡°Dauphin Viktor¡± of her youth, whom she met in her first life, and the mischievous childlike ¡°Viktor¡± were so far apart. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that the name, the external features¡­ everything matched. TL: Dauphin means Crown Prince but you can also Google search the word In this context, it means Crown Prince and I will be using the words Dauphin and Crown Prince interchangeably, so please take note. ¡®Then, that Viktor I met¡­ Could it be when Crown Prince Victor was still a child?!¡¯ She choked unexpectedly , and her father called out to her with concern, Ortansia shook her head shakily to mean ¡°It¡¯s all right¡±. ¡®No, that¡¯s ridiculous¡­ Why did I go to the royal castle of all places!¡¯ It was not that she had anything against Viktor himself, but it was his queen-selection ceremony that originally led to Ortansia¡¯s execution. Speaking of Ortansia, she is definitely not someone you want to get close to in the top class. ¡®Okay, I¡¯ll never go near him again¡­¡¯ Those around her twisted their heads in wonder as Ortansia made a hundred different expressions with a spoon in her hand. Chapter 40 Tyrol, who was new to the Duke of Verite¡¯s mansion, explored everywhere every day with lots of curiosity. Given his young age, Ortansia was worried that he might become homesick, but so far there seemed to be no sign of it. The people in the mansion also seemed to think that Ortansia had started animal therapy, and they loved him as ¡°a cat with a slightly unusual pattern¡±. Having Tyrol by her side, running around adorably, soothed Ortansia and helped her to keep the bad memories away. She was too frightened to return to the social world outside the mansion, but she was more energetic than before and learned many things inside the mansion. ¡®I need to have knowledge of things so I can get around better this time, and if anyone comes to kidnap me again, I¡¯m going to blow them away!¡¯ She was falsely accused, imprisoned and sent to the executioner¡¯s block. Abducted with nothing to do but wait to be killed. Read only on She didn¡¯t want to go through that again. She wanted to protect herself and the people she cared about. With this in mind, Ortansia continued working hard on her self-improvement. ¡®Let¡¯s see, next is a music lesson, right? ¡® This was a weak area for Ortansia, who was not very dexterous, but that was why she couldn¡¯t let her guard down. As she walked down the corridor, doing image training in her head, Ortansia suddenly noticed a figure coming from ahead. ¡°Huh¡­ Brother?¡± It was Ortansia¡¯s brother, Gerard. However, unlike usual, today he seemed to be¡­ somewhat less cheerful. Worried, Ortansia called out to Gerard. ¡°Good day, brother¡­ brother, you seem a little pale¡­¡± Gerard, who stopped and looked at her, looked the same as usual, but if you looked closely, you would notice that his complexion was pale. Gerard had a somewhat superhuman aura, but he was also human. It wasn¡¯t strange for him to be out of shape. Gerard let out a small sigh at Ortansia, who was frightened by his brother¡¯s ill health. ¡°There¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m just a little sleep-deprived due to some urgent work.¡± ¡°Oh no¡­ are you all right?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already done. It¡¯s nothing for you to worry about.¡± Gerard said so, but Hortensia couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡®Brother, is that really all¡­?¡¯ He was the legitimate son of one of the most prominent dukes in the country. Read only on That was exactly why he must be carrying heavy responsibilities that Ortansia couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡®When I grow up, I wonder if I can share my brother¡¯s burdens¡­¡¯ It didn¡¯t happen in my first life. But this time, I might be able to be of use to him. ¡°Brother, please don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. I will become stronger and support you! If there¡¯s anything I can do, please tell me!¡± Gerard widened his eyes in surprise at Ortansia, who stood tall and declared, and then turned his head down to hide his expression. ¡®Eh, angry? Did I get too cocky¡¯ Ortansia became nervous, but before she could open her mouth to mend it, Gerard¡¯s hand reached out and patted her head. ¡°Oh¡­ I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Having said that, Gerard quietly walked past Ortansia. Read only on But Ortansia¡¯s heart was so full that she could not move from her position of having her head stroked for a while. ¡®Brother has high expectations towards me¡­!¡¯ ¡°¡­Shut up, you disgrace of my Ducal family¡­ I never once thought of you as my sister.¡± The cold words that were once hurled at her, that froze her body and soul, come back to her. However, recalling those curse-like words did not make her shudder or make her despair as before. More than that, warm feelings filled her heart. ¡®Dear brother, I will do my best.¡¯ Ortansia was still immersed in the afterglow of happiness, but she came to her senses when she was unexpectedly approached by the wandering Tyrol. The most important thing to remember is that you can¡¯t just go out and buy a new pair of jeans and a new pair of jeans and a new pair of jeans. ¡°Sia, why are you standing there grinning?¡± ¡°What¡­! Time for my lesson!¡± Ortansia, who had inadvertently lost track of time, made an unladylike dash down the corridor. Chapter 41 Meanwhile, Gerard, who had parted with Ortansia, was strolling down the corridor without any expression on his face as usual. However, inside his heart, he was a little shaken. He did not expect that Ortansia would realize that he was not feeling well. G¨¦rard never overtly shows his poor health. In fact, the servants and outsiders were not aware of Gerard¡¯s ailments. But only that precious little sister of his noticed the change in him. ¡°¡­No problem. I¡¯m just a little sleep-deprived due to some urgent work.¡± Those words were half-lie, half-truth. G¨¦rard had his own schedule to keep track of. Even if he had urgent work, there was no way he could afford to let them threaten his sleeping schedule. But the fact that he was sleep deprived was a fact that could not be disguised as a lie. He has had the same dream over and over again. Read only on It could be said to be a nightmare. ¡°sama!¡­ please¡­ help me¡± In his dreams, there was always one woman coming toward him and asking for help. ¡ª ¡°Sama Please! I am¡­! I am¡­ there is no¡­.!¡± G¨¦rard was always driven by the thought that he must save her. But he couldn¡¯t move his body, and G¨¦rard, in his dreams acted in direct opposition to G¨¦rard¡¯s will. He is very dismissive of the woman who asked for his help. ¡°Oh¡­ brother! Please help me!!! I am falsely accused! I have not attempted any assassination!¡± Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were full of tears as she desperately reached for his hand. How he wish he had taken her hand and hugged her and told her it would be all right. But a nightmare is always a nightmare. ¡°¡­ You are a disgrace to the dukedom. I never once thought of you as my sister.¡± With those words, Ortansia¡¯s expression twisted into despair. She was immediately taken to the execution platform and her fragile life was scattered. Gerard had seen this scene many times. He seemed to have grown up somewhat more compared to the present him, there was no doubt about it. The woman was none other than G¨¦rard¡¯s sister, Ortansia. No matter how many times he tried to scream at her to stop, no matter how many times he tried to save her, Ortansia would disappear into the dew of the decapitation. Lately he had been cutting back on sleep because he didn¡¯t want to have the nightmare, but now that¡­ Ortansia realized it, he had better stop. Read only on ¡°¡­Brother, please don¡¯t push yourself too hard. I¡¯ll become stronger and support you! If there is anything I can do, please let me know!¡± He remembered The figure of his little sister, whom he had just met a few moments ago. Not to worry, This was reality No matter how many nightmares he had, a nightmare is still a nightmare and cannot encroach on reality. ¡°Oh, G¨¦rard-sama. What¡¯s the matter?¡± The one who noticed G¨¦rard standing still, ran up to him and called out was a young servant who had recently started working for the duke¡¯s family, Lucian. G¨¦rard viewed him as a very talented young man, but there were times when he seemed to have a¡­ mysterious side to him. Not wanting to let his weakness be known, G¨¦rard started walking again. ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Followed by Lucian, Gerard began to walk in the opposite direction to Ortansia. Chapter 42 ¡°Wow¡­¡± In front of the mountain of invitations piled up in front of her, Ortansia was at a loss. After the kidnapping incident, Ortansia had not made a single social appearance. But they were just kept out of Ortansia¡¯s sight, and the storm of invitations seemed to have not subsided as usual. While relaxing in the common room over a cup of tea. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t received any invitations recently.¡± As soon as she casually mentioned this, Pamela quietly pulled out the pile of invitations. ¡°The Master had ordered me to never let you see them until you are ready for them¡­¡± ¡°I see, he has been looking out for me.¡± He hid it¡¯s existence so that Ortansia wouldn¡¯t remember any bad memories, but if she ever started to look forward again, he wouldn¡¯t stop her from taking steps forward. She was happy to see such thoughtfulness from her father. But Ortansia still couldn¡¯t find the courage to return to social life. She was reluctantly about to reach for the invitation at the top of the list when¡­ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Suddenly, a voice that cut through the air reached her ears, and Ortansia immediately looked up. It was Gerard. As usual, he was looking at her with a cold, expressionless gaze. But Ortansia was not afraid of him anymore. ¡°Brother!¡± Ort¨¢nsia smiled immediately. She felt that the sharp air around G¨¦rard seemed to have softened. ¡®I thought he didn¡¯t like me before, but¡­ maybe this is normal for brother¡¯ He always had an ice-cold expression on his face, and at first glance he¡¯s so frightening that you might think, ¡°What have I done?!¡± But if you calm down and observe him carefully, you will see that this was not the case. Lately, Ortansia felt that she can now somehow perceive his joy, anger and sadness, even though he was not very expressive. He softened a little when he saw Ortansia, but as soon as he saw the pile of invitations that Ortansia was about to reach for, he raised his eyebrows uncomfortably. ¡± what is this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an invitation that was sent to me. It seems that while I was in bed, a lot of them had arrived¡± As Ortansia said this with a wry smile, G¨¦rard reached into the pile of invitations and grabbed a few. He then, without hesitation, tossed them into the blazing fire in the fireplace. ¡®Hahya!!!¡¯ Immediately, the bundle of letters turned to ashes. In contrast to Ortansia¡¯s dismay, G¨¦rard looked heartened and refreshed. ¡°Burn the letters here, no questions asked. Don¡¯t worry about who sent them or the purpose for which they were sent. Understood?¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± Pamela, who was ordered directly by Gerard, bowed her head again and again, trembling. ¡°Wait a minute, brother! What if it¡¯s an important matter or if I offend a high ranking noble¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about it. The Duke of Verite is not so weak that they have to hang their heads over people like that. ¡®No, no, no, I need it for my survival!¡¯ G¨¦rard told a flustered Ortansia in a strong tone. ¡°I have already announced that you are recovering from an illness, and I have refused any invitation.¡± ¡°Okay¡± G¨¦rard¡¯s swashbuckling attitude pushed Ortansia to nod. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deal with them in the future. You are still a young child. You should wait until you are older to associate with the court sparrows.¡± Ortansia nodded quietly as the hand squeezed her hair. Chapter 43 ¡®Surely, I was in a bit too much of a hurry.¡¯ She was trying to survive at all costs. Because of that, she had some painful experiences that she never had in her previous life. But some things were gained because of it. ¡°Thank you, brother.¡± G¨¦rard smiled and his face relaxed with satisfaction. She was able to shorten the distance between G¨¦rard and her this way, despite everything that had happened. This was probably the best thing she could have done. ¡®But why is my brother currently so kind to me?¡¯ He hated her so much in her previous life. She couldn¡¯t think of any reason. ¡®¡­ Or was it because I tried to get close to him?¡¯ In her first life, Ortansia had been so frightened that she had not even had a good conversation with Gerard. But this time, with the help of the goddess and Pamela¡¯s advice, she made an attack on Gerard as soon as she was taken in by the duke¡¯s family (by acting like a cute little girl). That may have worked out for the best. ¡®Are older brothers surprisingly¡­ kind to those who adore them? He¡¯s scary, but he¡¯s not unreasonable.¡¯ He was stern and fearsome. But he was respected by his teachers and servants, and their father entrusted him with various tasks as the next duke. He was not a tyrant who doesn¡¯t understand what he wants. On the contrary, he may be a sweetheart to those he cared about. ¡®Right now, my brother is much more overprotective than my father.¡¯ Her father left her to her own initiative to some extent, but Gerard always tried to keep her away from danger. That made her a little heavy-handed and happy. ¡®I wonder if things would have ended completely differently if I¡¯d approached my brother in my first life as well.¡¯ Perhaps he in his previous life was also unable to gauge the distance between him and his half-sister who suddenly appeared. There was a big chasm between Ortansia and him. That was probably why Gerard believed the voices of those around him when Ortansia was falsely accused and detained, rather than Ortansia. ¡®But that won¡¯t happen this time, will it?¡¯ Now he was looking out for Ortansia. He cared. ¡®I have to make sure I support my brother too!¡¯ ¡°By the way, brother, have you recovered from the lack of sleep since then?¡± When she asked that question, Gerard slightly averted his gaze. This may be something to be guilty of. ¡°Brother! I hope you¡¯re not pushing yourself too hard again!¡± When she brought her face closer to check his condition more closely, Gerard backed away as if surprised. ¡°Brother?¡± Gerard quietly tells Ortansia, who tilts her head. ¡°¡­It¡¯s okay, no problem¡± ¡°At times like this, there¡¯s usually a problem!¡± Ortansia wanted to pursue the matter further, but Gerard did his best to create an aura of ¡°I don¡¯t want you to probe into it. ¡®I knew he didn¡¯t trust me that much.¡¯ Although they are much closer than in their first life together, Ortansia had yet to gain his trust. ¡®Am I unreliable?¡­ Yes, from brother¡¯s point of view, I am extremely unreliable¡¯ A gentle hand touched the depressed Ortansia¡¯s head. ¡°You should think only about yourself first. I¡¯ll be fine¡± He stroked her head. Compared to the clumsy way he used to stroke her head in the beginning, he now does it much more naturally. Ortansia was both happy and frustrated at the same time. ¡®That¡¯s right. Even if I try to help Brother while I¡¯m still half-hearted, he will be in trouble too. I have to be more firm!¡¯ Gerard was curiously looking at Ortansia, who was so determined. Chapter 44 However, G¨¦rard¡¯s illness showed no signs of improvement. Finally, Ortansia was given an important task by her father. ¡°Excuse me, father.¡± That day, Ortansia was unusually summoned by her father to visit his office. He greeted Ortansia with a cheerful smile, as he always did. ¡°Welcome, Ortansia. I¡¯ll have the hot milk ready for you. Would you like some sweets?¡± ¡°Father, Annabelle will be very angry with me if I eat sweets at this time of night.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s keep it a secret from Annabelle. This is a secret between you and I.¡± ¡®Bad guy!¡¯ Ortansia was taken aback by her father¡¯s smirk. But late-night snacks were so tempting. In the end, Ortansia gave in to temptation and took her father¡¯s sweet advice and ate the sweets. Ortansia was gulping down the sweets as her father watched her with squinted eyes. Read only on ¡°Ortansia, the reason I called you here today is simple. I want to entrust you with an important task.¡± Ortansia was so surprised that she almost choked on her pastry. ¡°Uhhm¡­ you want to give me an important task?¡± She never heard her father say this to her before. The event that had not occurred in her first life had happened again. As Ortansia waited with held breath for his next words, her father, with a somewhat melancholy expression on his face, said, ¡°You know, Gerard seems a little tired lately.¡± It seemed that he, too, had noticed something unusual about Gerard. He smiled when he saw that Ortansia was not surprised. ¡°It seems you have noticed it too,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, when I asked him about it, he said he was just busy and a little sleep deprived.¡± ¡°Is that what Gerard told you? I¡¯m sure I¡¯m probably entrusting a little too much to him. He¡¯s so talented that I tend to rely on him a lot.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was an act or if he really meant it, but her father spoke with a hint of regret in his voice. ¡°He is not willing to show any weakness in front of me. That¡¯s why I¡¯m asking you to do me a favor.¡± ¡°Oh, what do you want from me?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m thinking of sending Gerard to the territory for a while to rest and recuperate. He will be very busy at the academy next year, so I wanted to give him a break before that.¡± ¡°Is it to the Duchy territory of Verite?¡± ¡°Oh, there you are, Ortansia. What I¡¯m going to ask you to do is to accompany Gerard to the territory and keep an eye on him.¡± ¡°Ehhh¡­ I¡¯m going to watch my brother?¡± What in the world is he talking about? He chuckled at Ortanshia¡¯s outlandish comment. ¡°I want you to keep an eye on Gerard so he doesn¡¯t work too much and can get some rest.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Ortansia blinked at her father¡¯s intention. ¡®I see. I¡¯m sure if he was just sent to the territory, brother would work without rest.¡¯ So it seemed that Ortansia was chosen to be the watchdog. That¡¯s how much her father trusted her. Her heart warmed when she thought of that. But¡­ ¡°Is it okay for me to set foot in the territory of the Duke of Verite?¡± In her first life, Ortansia had never visited the ducal territory. Ortansia was the daughter of a commoner and may or may not have the blood of a Verite duke. It was obvious that she would not be welcomed in the territory. G¨¦rard¡¯s mother, the Duchess of Verite, died several years ago. However, she had heard that she and her husband, the duke, had been on bad terms since before her death, and that she had been spending all her time in the Ducal territory, away from her husband in the royal capital. If Ortansia were to venture into a place like that, she would probably be met with a great deal of opposition. The Duke laughed gently at Ortansia, whose expression was clouded by such thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re a bright girl, Ortansia. I understand your concern. But you are now my daughter¡­ and a member of the Duke of Verite¡¯s family. As long as it is within my territory, you are in your garden. There is no problem.¡± ¡®Really? ¡® Compared to her brother¡¯s overprotectiveness, her father tends to test Ortansia in any way. She had a hunch that there was something behind what he just said. Read only on ¡®Well, if Father says so, then I have to go.¡¯ Whatever it was, Ortansia has been given an important role in Gerard¡¯s vacation. This was surely a sign that the future was moving in the right direction. Ortansia told herself this and smiled. ¡°I understand, Father. I will see to it that my brother enjoys his vacation to the fullest!¡± ¡°G¨¦rard is a difficult man and there are few who can advise him, but I am sure he will listen to you if you ask him nicely.¡± With her father¡¯s approval, Ortansia nodded, a little uneasy. ¡®The Duke of Verite¡¯s territory, ah¡­ I¡¯ve only heard about it, so I¡¯m looking forward to it a little.¡¯ The Duke looked at Ortansia, whose eyes lit up with excitement, with narrowed eyes. Chapter 45 Please do not read on pirate sites. Read onlyppp on Please read this content from the original site. The story progressed in a smooth manner and now¡­ Ortansia is being rocked in a carriage with G¨¦rard. She sat in the carriage with G¨¦rard, who was sitting at the back of the carriage. ¡°Brother, would you like some sweets?¡¡Everyone let me have some!¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. You eat it.¡± ¡°Okay¡± As she munched on the sugar-covered dried fruit, Ortansia glanced at her brother in front of her. He was looking out the window with his usual unreadable expression. As expected, he had initially refused to return to the territory. He set himself on the road to becoming a workaholic. But then, their father¡¯s scheme was activated He said, ¡°Actually, I would like Ortansia to see my Territory. But I cannot leave Royal Capital for work, and I am worried about leaving my lovely daughter in someone else¡¯s hands. I don¡¯t know, Gerard. Would you be willing to show your lovely sister around our territory?¡± To Ortansia he said, ¡°I leave Gerard in your charge¡± and to Gerard he said, ¡°I leave Ortansia in your charge.¡± It was their father¡¯s ploy for Gerard, who would not listen to him even if he honestly told him to take a leave of absence. Ortansia was worried that G¨¦rard might refuse, but surprisingly, G¨¦rard immediately accepted his father¡¯s proposal. ¡®Father knows brother¡¯s character very well.¡¯ Ortansia, who had guessed her father¡¯s intention, switched her mind to ¡°unreliable sister mode, excited and thrilled to visit the territory for the first time,¡± and talked to G¨¦rard excitedly ¡°I¡¯m sorry that Lucien couldn¡¯t come with us, He looked like he really wanted to come with us.¡± ¡°Leave him alone. I¡¯ve given him enough work to keep him occupied.¡± Wow¡­ Lucien, now G¨¦rard¡¯s servant, heard that Ortansia and G¨¦rard were visiting the estate and naturally wanted to come along. However, G¨¦rard left Lucien behind and even gave him a mountain of work to do. The company of the siblings on their excursion was really limited to the bare minimum of servants. ¡°There is a lot of nature in the Duchy of Verite, I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Holding Tyrol, who was curled up at her feet, Ortansia thought about the scenery she had yet to see. ¡°Tyrol can run around as much as he likes. That¡¯s good.¡± She stroked the area under his chin, and Tyrol let out a pleasant sound. It¡¯s fine to run around. But don¡¯t try to leave the house without permission, or you¡¯ll get lost. ¡°Woah! I¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡®Getting lost is amazing¡­¡¯ She wondered what kind of place it was. For Ortansia, who was born in a small town, this was a world she could not even imagine. A few days later, Ortansia and her brother arrived safely at the Duchy of Verite. The Duchy of Verite was located in the northern part of the kingdom, in a mountainous region that felt somewhat chillier than the royal capital. After passing through a town lined with wooden buildings and crossing a stone bridge, they arrived at a large tall gate. Beyond the gate, however, a forest spread out, and there was still no sign of the Mansion. The carriage continued on its way through the winding paths in the woods. ¡®It¡¯s pretty advanced, but is this all the Duke¡¯s property? Amazing¡¯ After a while of passing through the woods, the view opened up, and a solid stone castle building appeared in front of them. ¡°Amazing ¡­¡­!¡± The mansions in the Royal Capital have a rather glamorous image, but this one had an atmosphere of simplicity and sturdiness. The beautifully faded exterior walls, with its many spires soaring majestically, evoke a long history. Overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the place, Ortansia took Gerard¡¯s hand and stepped out of the carriage. In front of the Mansion, an array of servants were waiting for them. ¡°Welcome, Gerard-sama, Ortansia-sama. I am glad you have arrived safely.¡± Ortansia was relieved to hear the elderly family courtier smile kindly at her. However, behind her back, she could feel the curious and reproachful glances of the rest. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m not welcome after all, am I?¡¯ Unintentionally looking down, Gerard gently touched Ortansia¡¯s shoulder, then spoke clearly in a voice that was as cold as ice. ¡°I think everyone already knows, but Ortansia is my younger sister who has officially become a member of the Duke of Velite, she will be the highest ranking woman in the current Duke of Verite family. In the unlikely event that anyone is found guilty of misconduct, the person shall never again step on the soil of the ducal estate. Be prepared if you treat Ortansia coldly.¡± G¨¦rard¡¯s words were so plainly spoken that the servants straightened their backs and bowed their heads nervously. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ha, yes!¡± Ortansia hurriedly chased behind Gerard, who started walking as if he was no longer interested. ¡°Thank you brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural to respect people from the main family. I haven¡¯t been back here for a while, so this will be a good opportunity to discipline the servants.¡± Ortansia could not help but relax her body in happiness at her brother¡¯s words of concern that were framed in such a way. Chapter 46 ¡®Wow, what a view!¡¯ The road in front of the castle pavilion led to the town, while behind it were the majestic mountains. Looking at the towering mountains from the balcony, Ortansia let out a sigh of admiration. ¡°The air feels cleaner, too.¡± Pamela, who accompanied them, also seemed to be impressed by the magnificent nature. ¡°Well, miss. G¨¦rard-sama is going to show us around the capital right away, so let¡¯s get changed!¡± ¡°Okay¡± Ortansia wanted to relax a little more, but her brother, who hates laziness, said he would take her out of town as soon as they arrived. ¡®Father told Oniisama to show me around, and my brother will try to fulfil that role. Okay, I also have to guide Oniisama towards relaxing!¡¯ That brother of her¡¯s, even here, if she¡¯s not careful, he¡¯s bound to try to get the job done quickly. ¡®I¡¯m going to activate my innocent mode that makes my brother give in to my wishes!¡¯ ¡°Okay, Pamela. I hope they make you look very pretty!¡± Pamela¡¯s eyes lit up and she nodded repeatedly to Ortansia, who smiled at her with an adorable smile. ¡°Thank you for waiting, brother!¡± Ort¨¢nsia ran to her brother, who was waiting for her in the entrance hall, and smiled with the utmost childlike smile. ¡°This is a custom-made dress from Lorelei, who was invited to the mansion by brother before! What do you think?¡± When Ortansia asked with a smile, G¨¦rard asked back without changing his expression. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Eh it looks¡­ good on me, or it¡¯s cute or¡­¡± When he responded in such a serious manner, Ortansia felt embarrassed to have been so enthusiastic in showing off her dress. Come to think of it, Gerard had given Ortansia a large number of dresses, but he had never praised any of her outfits in particular. ¡®My brother is brilliant, but he lacks this kind of thing¡­¡¯ At least if one is a nobleman from a good family, wouldn¡¯t he receive lessons like ¡°when a woman appears dressed up, give her a compliment, anyway¡±? ¡®No, in Brother¡¯s case, there¡¯s probably a lot of women who would come up to him even if he didn¡¯t particularly care about them like that, and he would rather be cold towards them¡¯ ¡°You sound like a restless little animal.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you¡­?¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a compliment, a rebuke¡­ or even an impression of the outfit, but she thanked him anyway. ¡®But now I know for sure. Definitely Brother is the type of person who doesn¡¯t care what anyone wears!¡¯ He probably doesn¡¯t care about the beauty or ugliness of his own or other people¡¯s appearance. ¡®So, so beautiful¡­¡¯ Looking up at Gerard again, Ortansia admired his well-rounded good looks. Glossy silvery hair, as if it had been spuned from the moonlight, and cool blue ice-coloured eyes reminiscent of the beautiful frozen ground. His overly well-groomed face looked artificial, and combined with his lack of expression, he looked like an elaborately made doll. Perhaps it was because his own appearance is so good that he looks at the surroundings equally as nothing but potatoes. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to play with Brother like a restless little animal!¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go, big brother!¡± ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó Luget, the capital of the Verite Territory. The most popular town in the northern part of the kingdom was also full of people today. ¡°Wow, there are so many shops! This is amazing, Oniisama!¡± Ortansia¡¯s eyes lit up at the rows of shops, while Gerard starred in the same direction as Ortansia and mumbled something to himself. ¡°¡­ Should we conduct an unannounced on-site inspection?¡± ¡®Uhn, no no! I promised Father I will make brother take a rest¡¯ She quickly grabbed Gerard¡¯s hand as he was about to start his work, and quickly glanced around her. Just in time, she saw a small boat moving along the canal that runs through the city. Determined, Ortansia deliberately shouted. ¡°Ahhh! A boat! Brother, I want to get on that one!¡± ¡°All right, go with your maid.¡± ¡°No, I want to ride with Oniisama!¡± Clinging to her brother¡¯s arm, Ortansia repeated like a spoiled child, ¡°no, no, no¡±. ¡®Ugh, how embarrassing¡­ Passers-by are looking at me and laughing.¡¯ She was so embarrassed that she wanted to run away, but if she gave up here, all her hard work would be lost. Determined to continue, Ortansia¡¯s eyes welled up and she looked up at him. ¡°You don¡¯t want to ride with me brother, have you started to hate Sia?¡± Incidentally, this technique was taught to her by her drunken mother a long time ago. She thought she would never have the opportunity to use it for the rest of her life, but Ortancia was thankful to her mother for being useful in unexpected circumstances. Gerard was still looking down at Ortansia with cold eyes. When she began to panic, thinking that she had indeed overdone it¡­ ¡± I get it. Don¡¯t get too excited and fall off the boat.¡± What came down from above was an unexpected word of approval. ¡°Yay, I love you brother!¡± When she hugged him in excitement, Gerard¡¯s eyes widened in surprise for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± Ortansia hurriedly chased after her brother, who turned his back. Chapter 47 ¡°Hmm¡­are there fish or something?¡± Ortansia, who had safely boarded the small boat, looked around with a furtive glance. Next to Ortansia sat Gerard, whose expression was as unreadable as ever. When she glanced at him and confirmed that he didn¡¯t seem to be in a bad mood, Ortansia breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Huh, I guess we¡¯ve passed the first barrier.¡¯ In the town, The small boat was one of the means of transportation for the people, just like a horse-drawn carriage. Ortansia¡¯s selfishness has allowed them to ride it to the end, so Gerard won¡¯t be back to work, at least not for a while. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Pamela! Hey!¡± Just from the bridge in the direction they were going, they could see Pamela waving her hands in the air as she carried Tyrol in her arms.Tyrol was afraid to get on the boat, which was moving on water, so she left him in Pamela¡¯s care. G¨¦rard looked at Ortansia, who was waving back at Pamela as hard as she could, as if he was looking at a strange creature, and muttered, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to ride with that maid?¡± ¡°Eh, why?¡± ¡°She¡¯s probably more qualified than I am when it comes to this sort of thing.¡± ¡°Umm¡­ but I wanted to ride with my brother¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ortansia was a little surprised by the deeper questioning than usual. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d enjoy being with me.¡± Gerard said it so earnestly that Ortansia almost fell off the boat in surprise this time. ¡®What? even Brother cares about this kind of thing?¡¯ Perhaps someone has said such a thing to him before? ¡®Who in the world¡­ Is there any brave man in this world who could say such a thing to my brother¡­?¡¯ She thought hard about it, but still couldn¡¯t come up with any ideas. But as far as Ortansia was concerned, she was not bored with his company. She had to tell him. Gerard¡¯s lack of facial expression makes it difficult to tell what he is thinking, but trying to read his emotions from such trivial changes has been Ortansia¡¯s secret boom lately. Compared to ordinary people, it is much more difficult, but if you carefully observe Gerard¡¯s slight changes in facial expressions, tone of voice, and movements¡­ little by little, you¡¯ll be able to understand what he¡¯s thinking. ¡®Well, there are far more times when I don¡¯t know¡­¡¯ Still, Ortancia replied to him with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s fun. With my brother.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± It was impossible to guess Gerard¡¯s emotions from his flat voice. But then, considering that he explained the key points of the city that while they were passing by¡­ he may have been trying to entertain Ortansia in his own way. ¡ó ¡ó¡ó¡ó On the first night of her stay, Ortansia was relaxing in her allocated room. Thanks to Gerard¡¯s help, she felt much more comfortable than she expected. However, a few of the servants have been giving her stern looks, as if they were stabbing into her skin. ¡°It seems that some of the late Duchess servants are still around, and they don¡¯t seem to think well of the young lady.¡± ¡°I guess so¡± Ortansia sighed softly at the information brought to her by Pamela, who seemed to have quickly made friends with the servants in the Mansion. It was said that the people who served the late Duchess still remained in the mansion due to the duke¡¯s kindness, and were acting like the mistress of the Mansion. But their position had been jeopardised by the arrival of Ortansia. As G¨¦rard mentioned, Ortansia was currently the highest-ranking woman in the ducal family. The elegant women who served the late duchess would have been disgusted by the idea of a lowly concubine¡¯s daughter parading around the mansion with her head up. ¡°Huh, I hope there¡¯s nothing¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss. I will protect you¡± ¡°Thanks, Pamela. But avoid trouble if you can¡­¡± Ortansia doesn¡¯t want to kick them out or replace them as Mistress of the mansion. She just wants nothing bad to happen. However, Ortansia¡¯s wish was easily crushed. Chapter 48 ¡°Huh, it¡¯s really spacious.¡± The next day, Ortansia was given a tour of the mansion by Constan, the Mansion¡¯s Steward. The day she first set foot in the territory¡¯s Mansion, she was surprised to find that it looked like a castle. But the Ducal Mansion is nothing compared to that. It was a huge castle. Even now, Ortansia was confident that if she were left alone, she would definitely get lost. ¡°It also serves as an evacuation centre for the people of the territory in case of emergency. If it¡¯s too big, it takes a lot of manpower to maintain it, but you can think of it as creating jobs.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± The middle-aged steward, Constan, kindly added an explanation so that Ortansia could understand. Nodding her head, Ortansia let the information sink in ¡°Speaking of which, where is my brother?¡± ¡°I heard that he received a report on the current situation in the territory in the morning, and in the afternoon he will go on an inspection tour.¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s working again! Father asked me to go on a vacation with my brother!¡± ¡°Hohoho, then tomorrow you will take the young Master out, Miss. If it¡¯s the young lady¡¯s request, then the young master will have no choice but to listen.¡± ¡°Heh heh, is that so?¡± While they were talking about this, they stepped into a new area. The carpets on the floor, the artwork and furnishings in the corridors all showed that they are of the first class, refined and unified products. It was clearly different from other places she had been shown. It was clear that this was the living quarters of someone noble. ¡°Hey Constant, this area is¡­¡± She was about to ask ¡°whose room is this?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± A high-pitched voice shook her eardrums and startled Ortansia. ¡°This is close to the Duchess room! What are you doing entering here without permission?¡± She looked up and saw a well-dressed lady coming towards her arrogantly. Her sharp gaze glared straight at Ortansia. Constan stood quickly in front of Ortansia, as if to shield Ortansia from her gaze. ¡°Madame Gyanne, Miss Ortansia, is the Duke¡¯s daughter and an official member of the ducal family. There is no part of this Mansion that is off-limits to her.¡± ¡°What the hell! You¡¯re not going to ask that child to take over the Duchess room are you?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that the young lady has a right to know where everything is in this castle.¡± ¡°A daughter born through improper means has no such right!¡± The woman called Madame Guyenne became increasingly rude. In contrast, Constan remained calm, but there was an aura of anger in the air. Scared of the matter escalating, Ortansia hurriedly pulled the hem of Constan¡¯s clothes down. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Constan. Can you show me somewhere else?¡± ¡°But, miss¡­¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t mind! So, please¡­¡± He nodded at Ortansia, who begged desperately, gentleness could be seen in his eyes when he gave in to her request. ¡°Okay Miss. Then let¡¯s head somewhere else.¡± Ortansia breathed a sigh of relief that Constan had listened. She turned her back on Madame Guyenne and was about to leave, but Madame Guyenne laughed mockingly. ¡°As expected. You seem to have a flirtatious technique just like your mother. I wonder if that¡¯s how you got on¡­ with that creepy kid?¡± ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Ortansia did not understand why, but Constan stopped at those words and turned back to the woman again. ¡°Your words are too much Madame Guyenne. I will not tolerate any more insults to the young Master or the young lady, and I will inform the Duke, once and for all.¡± ¡°Hmph, have it your way! A cheating husband, a creepy son who looks like a puppet, and to top it all off, a whore¡¯s daughter! I feel so sorry for the Duchess, she¡¯s been pushed around so much¡­¡± There, Pamela gently covered her ears, so Ortansia didn¡¯t have to listen to any more of Madame Guyenne¡¯s swearings. But her heart was beating fast as the words she had just heard swirled around in her head. ¡®Creepy son¡­? don¡¯t tell me she means my brother?¡¯ Ortansia can understand if they were verbally abusive about Ortansia herself. She heard the same thing many times in her first life. But that was the first time she heard someone cursing G¨¦rard like that. And it was the Madame, someone who was close to G¨¦rard¡¯s mother. ¡®No way¡­¡¯ An unpleasant hypothesis formed in Ortansia¡¯s head. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to enjoy being with me.¡± Gerard¡¯s words come back to her. She thought it was strange. From Ortansia¡¯s point of view, Gerard was not the kind of person who would be bothered by such trivial swearing. If he did care, it might be that the person who said those words might have been someone who had a great influence on Gerard. ¡°A puppet-like, creepy son¡±. Were those words spoken by the Duchess to her son, G¨¦rard? ¡®Is that even possible¡­?¡¯ Gerard¡¯s eyes, clear as glass balls, appeared in her mind Perhaps he had swallowed a lot of sorrow behind those eyes. Thinking of this, Ortansia was heartbroken. Chapter 50 It was not until the evening that G¨¦rard returned to the castle. Constan must have told him about the events of the day; The quarrel between Ortansia and Madame Guyenne. G¨¦rard came to see Ortansia, who was looking out in a daze in the room she had been given, looking more serious than usual. ¡°Pamela, I want to talk to my brother alone for a moment. Please get rid of irrelevant people.¡± ¡°Yes, My lady.¡± Pamela glanced at Ortansia with a concerned gaze, but quickly bowed and left the room. In the room where the sunset shone, Ortansia faced G¨¦rard. G¨¦rard was the first to break the silence. ¡°I heard that Madame de Gagne has been disrespectful to you. Insulting a member of the family is a serious offence. I will deal with her immediately.¡± ¡± I don¡¯t mind, more importantly, brother.¡± Gerard had spoken with anger in his voice with his face as cold as usual. But he controled himself because of Ortansia ¡°¡­ Oniisama, are you okay?¡± When she asked the question, Gerard looked as if he had been momentarily caught off guard. ¡°¡­ Is it Constant?¡± ¡°Yes. Onii-sama and¡­ Besides, he also told me about your Mother.¡± The expression on Ortancia¡¯s face and the tone of her voice probably showed that she already knew what was going on to some extent. Gerard slowly approached Ortansia and gently touched her head. ¡°You don¡¯t need to look like that.¡± Gerard said quietly. From the outside, Gerard shows little emotion, which may seem creepy. Yet, little by little, Ortansia was able to recognise his kindness. ¡°Brother¡­ would you like to walk alone with me for a while?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because I want to.¡± When Ortansia puffed out her chest, Gerard looked surprised for a moment and then nodded quietly. Accompanied by G¨¦rard, Ortansia happily went out to the garden where the setting sun was shining. It wasn¡¯t for any particular purpose. But for some reason, she assumed it would be easier to talk about various things when surrounded by nature than in a closed room. Unlike the Garden of the Mansion in the Royal Capital, which are neatly maintained, the Garden here retained a strong natural appearance. With light steps, Ortansia crossed a small wooden bridge over a stream. ¡°If you go to the right from there, there is a goat grazing area. Go there again when it¡¯s bright.¡± Ortansia smiled and thanked Gerard, who spoke so quietly. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡± I¡¯m the next head of the family after all. It¡¯s only natural to know what¡¯s on the premises.¡± Gerard muttered, looking somewhat annoyed. ¡®It¡¯s only natural to know the geography of the estate, but it was Brother¡¯s kindness to tell me so I can choose where I might like to go.¡¯ Thinking of this made her heart warm. Ortansia spun around and looked up at Gerard. ¡°Brother, you lived here when you were little, right?¡± ¡°Oh yes I did, though I don¡¯t have any good memories of it.¡± Ortansia clenched her fists tightly at Gerard¡¯s self-mocking remark. ¡°I only asked Constan about the situation, and I¡¯ve never met Brother¡¯s mother, so I don¡¯t think I have the right to interject¡­¡± Ortansia stepped closer and took Gerard¡¯s hand. Then she gently squeezed it. ¡°As for the Duchess keeping you away from her, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your fault in the slightest.¡± ¡°If I may say so myself, I was an unchildlike child. It¡¯s understandable that my mother would be bothered.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t that just an individual difference!? We¡¯re all different people, so it¡¯s not surprising that some people laugh and cry excessively, while others don¡¯t show their emotiins much! I think it¡¯s disrespectful to call them creepy or weird just because of that!¡± Gerard looked at the indignant Ortansia as if he were gazing at a rare animal. ¡°You¡¯re the first to say something like that¡± ¡°Ehehe, is that so?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ you¡¯ve changed.¡± She didn¡¯t really know if she was being praised or not. But even so, if Ortansia¡¯s words could heal Gerard¡¯s emotional wounds even a little, it would be better. With such a wish, Ortansia smiled. ¡®Hmm, even if my brother is eccentric, We¡¯re all the same, aren¡¯t we!¡¯ When she said that, Gerard made a subtle expression. ¡®Eh, have I gone too far? it¡¯s a disgrace to be the same as me! what should I do¡¯ The two of them are also in the same boat. ¡°I guess so.¡± It was terribly difficult to understand, but it was certainly a word of affirmation. Chapter 51 ¡°I¡¯m different, that¡¯s for sure. Even when I look at works of art that are considered beautiful, even when I watch plays that are said to be rare tragedies, even when my mother died, I didn¡¯t feel much emotion.¡± Gerard muttered like it was someone else¡¯s affair, and Ortansia felt her chest tighten. ¡®Perhaps because Brother was rejected by his mother, who also said terrible things to him, that made him so sad that he shut down his emotions?¡¯ I read in a book once that when a person has a shocking experience, the person suppresses their emotions in order to protect themselves. Even Ortansia experienced a hazy feeling that everything was a dream right after she was kidnapped by a cult that massacred people very easily. ¡®I¡¯m sure my brother slowly suppressed his emotions to protect himself.¡¯ Ortansia gently squeezed Gerard¡¯s hand. His hand was cold. ¡°Onii-sama¡¯s hands are cold. My mum told me that people with cold hands, on the contrary, have warm hearts!¡± ¡°Human body temperature varies according to gender, age, constitution and physical condition. That¡¯s just superstition.¡± ¡°Mooo! I want to believe in these romantic discourses!¡± The air around Gerard softened a bit as Ortansia was indignant. Little by little. She wants to melt his frozen heart. So now¡­ ¡°Hey, brother. Let¡¯s make us¡­ hambunko.¡± ¡°What?¡± Gerard frowned as if to say, ¡°You¡¯re talking strangely again,¡± and Ortansia frantically added an explanation. ¡°My mom used to say that if you share your joys and sorrows with the people you care about, you will be happy. That¡¯s why my brother and I are hanbunko!¡± Saying this, Ortansia gave a big smile. ¡®If something fun happens, I will report it to my brother. Then I will laugh as hard as I can. And if that makes my brother feel happy, even just a little, then I¡¯ll be happy.¡¯ ¡°¡­ Is that some kind of philosophy?¡¡Which faction?¡± ¡°If need be, I will be the founder of the Ortansia Acadaemy!¡± ¡°I see.¡± A little disappointed that Gerard didn¡¯t reply as she expected, Ortansia continued. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, brother. We are hambunko. We will both be happy and sad together.¡± ¡°Ah.¡¯ It was not clear whether Gerard was really convinced. It may simply be that Ortansia was talking nonsense, so he just went along with the conversation as he saw fit. ¡®It¡¯s getting dark. Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Yes, please guide me to the goat pasture next time!¡± ¡°When I have time.¡± The next thing she knew, the stars were already beginning to shine in the sky. In the midst of it, she found twin stars twinkling as if they were cuddling together and Ortansia smiled quietly. Chapter 52 The next day, G¨¦rard arranged and handed down the punishment for Madame Guyenne with astonishing speed. The confiscation of all her titles and possessions, and the imposition of a long period of labour in the mines of the territory. This was the punishment imposed on Madame Guyenne. Although she will not go directly into the mines to swing a pickaxe, her duties such as cooking and cleaning the lodgings were also very hard physical labour. From Mrs Guyenne¡¯s point of view, it must have felt like she had been cast down from heaven to hell. ¡°I¡¯m being sent to the mines? How dare you¡­ reconsider G¨¦rard-Sama! I served tmMistress Catherine with devotion for decades! And yet this treatment¡­ is the scheme of that filthy whore¡¯s daughter!¡± ¡°What have you done to Lady Ortansia?¡¡Watch your mouth!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! You filth! Why did this happen to me?¡± Madame Guanne screamed with bloodshot eyes as she was stuffed into a wagon. Ortansia was watching the scene next to Gerard. Even though she had served the duchess for many years, her repeated insults to the main family members of her master were unforgivable. She could have been executed without question, but G¨¦rard did not. Ort¨¢nsia did not know whether this was out of compassion for a woman who had served his mother for so many years, or if there was another reason. ¡°I thought for sure Brother would execute her on the spot.¡± When he heard what she said, Gerard put his hand on Ortansia¡¯s head. ¡°I thought about doing that, but then I changed my mind¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The Woman insulted you, a member of her master¡¯s family, and tried to stain your pride. If I just execute her, she may never realise the weight of the crime she had committed. So I gave her the punishment that would hurt her pride the most.¡± ¡®wow¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t because his heart softened towards her, but rather that it was the result of choosing the method that would make her suffer the most Certainly, Madame Guyenne was a proud woman, and labour in the mines would be a punishment worse than death. ¡®Probably mixed with My brother¡¯s personal resentment.¡¯ As usual, Gerard had a cold expression, making it difficult to know what he was thinking. But she wondered if he felt a little better now that he had banished Madame Guyenne, who was part of his childhood tormentor. There were many factors that had caused her to rise to that level, including the disagreement between the Duke and the Duchess and the feud between the Duchess and G¨¦rard. It was impossible to say with certainty that only Madame Guyenne was 100% to blame, but it was also true that she had been hurting G¨¦rard for many years. Ortansia hoped that her banishment will lighten the burden on G¨¦rard¡¯s heart. ¡®I feel bad for Madame Guyanne, but that would be nice¡­¡¯ The escort wagon carrying the screaming Madame Guyenne slowly moved away. After watching the scene, G¨¦rard spuned around. ¡°Where are you going, brother?¡± ¡°To check on the financial situation of the estate.¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t go.¡± Ortansia stood in front of G¨¦rard with her hands outstretched. Looking down at Ortansia, Gerard frowned slightly, looking troubled. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Brother, you were at work throughout yesterday. Today you have already completed the great task of punishing Madame Guyenne, so you should be resting well!¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t count as work.¡± ¡°It¡¯s part of the work. Besides, you told me yesterday that you were going to show me around the goat pasture! I was really looking forward to it!¡± ¡®Okay, cute little sister mode activated!¡¯ Ortansia squeezed the hem of Gerard¡¯s clothes and turned over to hide her expression. She then squeezed out a sad voice as best she could. ¡°I was looking forward to you showing me around¡± Actually, Ortansia was not that interested in grazing goats, but she had a big mission to let Gerard rest. ¡°Has Brother started to hate Sia?¡± Tears welling up in her eyes, she looks up. Then Gerard clearly flinched. ¡°Why do you need to cry? Did you love goats that much?¡± ¡®No. I¡¯m worried that my brother doesn¡¯t like me anymore!¡± The most important thing to remember is that the best way to get the most out of your home is to make sure that your home is safe and secure. Gerard let out a big sigh as he covered his face with his hands. Ortensia panicked, wondering if she had gone too far¡­ ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s go see the goats.¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± She felt a sudden floating sensation and realized she was picked up by G¨¦rard Gerard continued on his way to the path they had taken yesterday. When this happened she was both happy and inexplicably embarrassed. Ortansia¡¯s face turned bright red and she buried her face tightly in Gerard¡¯s shoulder. Seeing the siblings like this, the servants in the castle hall were all taken aback. When G¨¦rard and Ortansia were completely out of sight, the servants whispered to each other in secret. ¡°Is that really G¨¦rard-Sama?¡± ¡°That Stone-faced G¨¦rard-Sama is¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he loves with his little sister!¡± ¡°But it¡¯s kind of nice.¡± The servants nodded quietly to each other at the words uttered by one of them. The older servants, who had served the Ducal family for a long time, wept when Gerard, who had been treated coldly and emotionlessly by his mother, honestly showed his affection for Ortansia. The younger servants who did not know G¨¦rard¡¯s childhood fainted (in a good way) at the affection between the usually frighteningly cold-hearted duke¡¯s son and his innocent sister. Thus, without her knowledge, Ortansia was cheered on by most of the servants in the territory¡¯s Mansion. ¡®I feel like everyone is kind to me¡­ Why?¡¯ As soon as she returned from the goat pasture, she was greeted by smiling servants with a wide variety of desserts, which made Ortansia was inwardly puzzled ¡®But¡­ well!¡¯ The desserts were delicious and it was nice that everyone is so kind to her. Tasting the mildness of the pudding made from highland milk, a speciality of the Duke¡¯s territory, Ortansia smiled wryly. Chapter 53 Throughout their stay in the ducal territory, The attack and defense between Ortansia and Gerard continued. Ortansia tried to get G¨¦rard to take a refreshing vacation, while G¨¦rard was still a workaholic. Sometimes Ortansia¡¯s attempts were successful, and sometimes he casually refused her giving the excuse that he was busy at the moment. The odds of her being successful were 50-50 or, more often than not, victory was slightly on Ortansia¡¯s side. Read only on With Gerard¡¯s guidance, Ortansia tried horse riding for the first time. She also tried milking a cow. She was impressed by her brother¡¯s expressionless, yet rhythmic and precise milking of the cow. She went out with G¨¦rard and Pamela to various places in the Ducal Castle, ran around the ducal gardens with Tyrol to her heart¡¯s content and accidentally got lost in the forest, and listened to the territory¡¯s servants tell her all sorts of stories. Anyway, that was how Ortansia enjoyed her stay in the Duke¡¯s territory to the fullest. And before she knew it, the day to return to the royal capital arrived. ¡°Ha, that was fast¡± Over and over again, she waved her hands at the people who were seeing them off with tears, and when the majestic castle disappeared from view Ortansia sat back down in the carriage seat, feeling a little lonely. Read only on ¡°Thank you for bringing me Brother. It was so much fun!¡± After thanking him with a smile, G¨¦rard, who was seated opposite her, quietly replied. ¡°We can always come back again.¡± ¡°The pony I befriended, will he remember me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± G¨¦rard¡¯s reply was tedious, but she could sense he was in a good mood Somehow, he must have been able to relax in his own way during their stay. ¡®When we return to Royal Capital, I¡¯ll have to work hard too!¡¯ Ortansia wanted to be able to help Gerard with his work as much as possible so that her brother wouldn¡¯t get overwhelmed again. Ortansia made up her mind while staring at her brother, who was quietly looking out the window. Read only on The Royal Capital. By the time Ortansia and Gerard returned to the Royal Capital, traces of winter was already approaching. ¡°You¡¯re late, Sia!¡± ¡°Wait for me Tyrol¡± Ortansia frantically chased after Tyrol, who was energetically running around the garden of the Duke¡¯s mansion. Tyrol, who had always been a little quiet at the Duke¡¯s Mansion in the Royal Capital, had become completely naughty, probably because he was allowed too much freedom during his stay in the territory. ¡®Well, it¡¯s good because it helps me get rid of my lack of exercise, too¡¯ Chasing around the energetic Tyrol was tiring, but for Ortansia, who had a reclusive nature, it was a rare opportunity to get outside and exercise. Ortansia giggled as she watched Tyrol sniff the flowers of Shangri-La, which were blooming beautifully again today. But a cold wind blew through and Ortansia shivered involuntarily. ¡°Hey Tyrol, are you cold?¡± ¡°Not cold at all. Sia is weak!¡± ¡°it¡¯s because Tyrol has fluffy fur!¡± As she lifted Tyrol up and squeezed him, his fluffy body and warm body temperature soothed Ortansia¡¯s mind and body. There were some doubts as to whether Tyrol will be useful as a fighting tool when Ortansia is in a critical situation, as she first hoped. At the very least, he is an irreplaceable friend, and he certainly has an animal therapy effect. The year will soon be over, and in a little while G¨¦rard will go to the academy.¡¯ The academy where the Aristocrat sons attended was located away from the royal capital, perhaps to concentrate on their studies, and it was a boarding school. Gerard will probably return for the long holidays, but they won¡¯t see each other as often as they do now. Ortansia was going to miss him. In her first life, she never had that thought at all. Rather, whenever she heard that Gerard would be gone from the Mansion, she would be relieved that she would be able to breathe easier. ¡®When I think about it, my relationship with my brother is going incredibly well now¡¯ With this, she wondered if Gerard would be willing to defend her if she were to be falsely accused in the same way as in her previous life. ¡®No, no. It¡¯s best that I don¡¯t become a candidate for queen in the first place!¡¯ But even if the royal court approached her, would she be able to refuse? ¡®I think it would be best to get engaged to someone first, but I can¡¯t think of anyone at all¡¯ Read only on Ortansia, who was a raving recluse in her first life, could not think of any partner at all that she could say ¡°I¡¯ll be happy if I marry this person.¡± If it was someone who would convince even her father, he would need to have a good family background. It would be better for her to make her appearance in social circles little by little and look for a suitable partner. ¡®Haa, I can¡¯t believe I have to think about marriage at my age.¡¯ Involuntarily letting out a sigh, Ortansia buried her face in Tyrol¡¯s fluffy body and took a deep breath in search of distraction. Chapter 54 In no time at all, winter became so heavy that by the time the Winter Solstice Festival arrived, the garden of the mansion had turned a light milk colour. The feast at the Winter Solstice was so delicious that it makes one drool just thinking about it, and both the Duke and Gerard gave Ort¨¢nsia gifts. Her Father gave her books of various genres that he thought Ortansia would like. Apparently, he had done some research with the bookstore keeper and checked out the books that Ort¨¢nsia would like. Gerard gave her a cute stuffed cat that looked just like Tyrol, and a winter cloak that Ortansia would be able to pull over her head. Tyrol seemed to like the stuffed animal and always slept with it, and the winter cloak was very useful for Ortansia¡¯s walks in the garden. Of course, Ortansia also gave them both gifts. A health charm for her father and a custom-made fountain pen for her brother. The Duke was in a good mood and happy, and G¨¦rard stroked Ort¨¢nsia¡¯s head for a longer time than usual, if not more heartily. It was the first time since she had been taken in by the Duke of Verite that she had been able to spend a winter solstice festival like this, like a warm family. Perhaps that was why Ortansia could not sleep that night, even when she went to bed, wrapped herself in her blankets and closed her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had such a fun winter solstice festival.¡¯ Maybe since her mother was alive. Could Ortancia have been a family to the Duke and Gerard?. ¡®I wish these days could last forever.¡¯ Even if she wished so, time does not stop. In order to avoid the disaster that will come eventually, she had to fight as hard as she could. ¡®Okay, I have to keep trying!¡¯ Once again renewing her determination, Ortansia closed her eyes tightly. The winter solstice passed and the New Year arrived. For the nobility of the Country there is an indispensable event. The nobles of the country all gather in the Royal Capital and in turn are granted an audience with the king, where they give their New Year¡¯s greetings. It was also the start of the social season, and local aristocrats used the occasion to expand their personal networks. ¡®Which means it could at least be a preview of my marriage life.¡¯ Although her father and brother told her that she didn¡¯t have to do anything too much, Ortansia decided to go against their opposition and attend the New Year¡¯s event. ¡°Because, father, I feel that if I don¡¯t go, His Majesty the King won¡¯t recognise me as a member of the Duke¡¯s family.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, you¡¯re still my daughter.¡± ¡°But I want to go!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if that¡¯s what you want, but¡­ aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± Of course Ortansia was aware of what her father feared. How she had been abducted and had almost died in a terrifying way was fresh in her mind. There was no reason not to be afraid. But¡­ ¡®But if you don¡¯t move on, you surely can¡¯t change the future.¡¯ Determined, Ortansia smiled brightly. ¡°Because, this time, father and Brother will be with me, right? Then there¡¯s nothing to be afraid of!¡± When she said that, her father shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m no match for you at all, ¡­¡­. Did you hear that, G¨¦rard?¡± ¡°What?¡± When I fearfully looked back behind me, I saw my brother looking down at me with a blank expression on his face. ¡®Brother! When did he come here?¡¯ Ortansia, who was completely unaware of his approach, was dismayed. Alternately staring at Ortansia and G¨¦rard, who was as expressionless as ever, Her Father, the Duke smirked at her. *It seems our princess is going boldly into battle.¡± ¡°No, that is¡­¡± Gerard stretched out his hand towards Ortansia, who reflexively tried to find excuses for herself. As soon as she closed her eyes a gentle hand was placed on her head. ¡°¡­ Promise me that you will never leave me. Otherwise, I won¡¯t take you along.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± When she looked up, Gerard was still looking down at her with the same expressionless face. But there was a slight glint of concern for Ortansia in his clear eyes. If it had been him before, he would have tried to stop Ortansia¡¯s movements at all costs. But now he¡­ ¡®You trust me, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Happy at the thought, Ortansia hugged Gerard tightly. ¡°Yes! I won¡¯t leave my brother!¡± Gerard looked away from Ortansia looking a little troubled, but he did not try to forcibly pull away his sister who still clunged to him. Chapter 55 When they reached the front of the Royal palace, it was already crowded with many carriages. ¡°It¡¯s a huge crowd.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s a gathering of nobles from all over the country. We of the four great Dukes can enter through a special entrance, so there¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ortansia sighed as she peered out from the carriage curtain. ¡®At last, we¡¯re at the royal palace.¡¯ The place where Ortansia¡¯s life ended. She had absolutely no good memories of the place. If possible, she never wanted to come to the Palace again. Just the sight of the majestic buildings of the royal palace made her tremble a little. ¡®Unn¡­ I didn¡¯t come here to die, I came here to survive.¡¯ Read only on Today is just a preview. Her father and brother were together with her, so there was nothing to be afraid of. Ortansia told herself this and took a deep breath. ¡± Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Suddenly asked by Gerard, Ortancia replied in a flipped-out voice. The Duke chuckled at that reaction. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so nervous. You are my proud daughter.I won¡¯t let anyone complain¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡®I knew I could rely on my father and brother.¡¯ Ortansia nodded broadly, feeling deeply grateful to have the two of them on her side. ¡®Even My father seems to be in good spirits right now, But why¡­¡¯ Just a few years later, he fell ill and never recovered. Not having much contact with her father, Ortansia, who was in the royal palace when her father fell ill, did not know what happened to him. ¡®But now I might be able to change my father¡¯s fate. No, I must change it!¡± Read only on After her first life, Ortansia loved her father and brother much more than before. That was why she wanted to protect them as well as herself. ¡°It looks like we have arrived. Come on, give me your hand.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± Ort¨¢nsia got out of the carriage with her hand in father¡¯s hand. She looked up and saw the majestic royal palace towering above her. Taking a deep, calming breath, Ortansia willingly stepped forward. They passed through the gate, which was an entrance reserved for high-ranking Nobles and seemed to differ from the route taken by many of the Nobles who had come for their New Year¡¯s audiences. Although the front of the building was crowded with people, there was not a soul to be seen in the corridor where they were now proceeding, except for a few guards. ¡®That¡¯s how much the royal family doesn¡¯t want to spoil the mood of the four great dukes.¡¯ The four great ducal families have been famous since the founding of the country, and we¡¯re all related to the royal family. If a daughter is born to one of the four great dukes, she will naturally be considered for marriage to a member of the royal family of the appropriate age, and conversely there have been many cases of princesses marrying into one of the four great Ducal Family. In other words, if the four grand Dukes were displeased, there is no lack of possibilities for them to claim the right to the throne and rebel. The royal family was probably afraid of this and will not fail to give special treatment to the four great dukes. While She was idly thinking about such things, she was about to step into the antechamber, a little behind her father and brother ¡°Sia!¡± Ortansia heard a voice from above, and she reflexively looked up. Then she froze. A boy spotted Ortansia and ran down the spiral staircase with a single-minded determination. The¡­ figure was familiar. ¡®Yes, this is the royal palace. If I came here, of course I could run into him!¡¯ She had run away. She knew that, but her feet don¡¯t move, as if they are rooted to the ground. In the meantime, the boy came down the spiral staircase and came right in front of Ortansia. He happily held Ortansia¡¯s hand and his eyes lit up. ¡°I¡¯ve finally met you, Sia! I knew it wasn¡¯t a dream!¡± In contrast to the boy, who was showing his joy with his whole body, Ortansia was so pale that she looked as if she was about to collapse at any moment. The boy, not noticing Ortansia¡¯s state of mind, continued to press the issue. ¡°Did you forget about me? It¡¯s Viktor! We played together at the secret base!¡± How could she forget him? The boy in front of her ¨C Prince Viktor ¨C was deeply involved in Ortansia¡¯s death in her first life. It was no exaggeration to say that he was the person she must not get involved with the most in order to survive her second life. Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but curse her own carelessness. ¡®Not once, but twice. How could I have met him much earlier than I met him in my first life!¡¯ ¡°Does being here mean that Sia is also a child of Nobility? Only high-ranking nobles use this passage, right? Which family is Sia from?¡± Viktor asked questions in rapid succession with a look of great interest. At that attitude, Ortansia trembled with fear. ¡®Oh no, no, no, no!¡¯ Ortansia didn¡¯t want him to develop an interest in her. He must never, ever mention Ortansia¡¯s name at the stage of gathering candidates for the queen! ¡®What should I do?¡¯ The more she thought about it, the more her thoughts became tangled and the more nervous she became. Perhaps Ortansia¡¯s thinking was suspicious, Viktor reached out to touch her face. Reflexively, Ortansia squeezed her eyes shut. Immediately afterwards¡­ ¡°What are you doing?¡± A low, cold voice echoed, as if it was about to turn the whole area into frozen earth. Ortansia opened her eyes with trepidation, and what she saw was a reliable back¡­ her brother Gerard, standing in front of Viktor as if he was protecting Ortansia. Chapter 56 Protecting Ortansia who was already panicking, Gerard stood in front of Prince Viktor. Viktor gulped, feeling pressurized by Gerard¡¯s sudden presence, but quickly and boldly retorted. ¡°Are you¡­ From the Duke of Verite family? I¡¯m sorry, but could you move out of the way?¡± ¡°Your Royal Highness the Prince, please refrain. Is it the way of the royal family to further drive a frightened person to the brink?¡± ¡°Me and Sia are friends! Don¡¯t get in my way!!!!!!!¡± As expected of a prince who grew up being loved by everyone. It can only be said that it is daredevil to attack Gerard who was giving off such cold air. But, of course, Gerard is not the kind of person who would flinch even with a prince. ¡°I see. Is that the royal way?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The air around G¨¦rard grew colder, and Viktor gasped as if under pressure. Gerard was really angry. Ortansia felt that and became nervous. ¡®Oh no, I have to stop my brother somehow!¡¯ Even if the opponent is a prince, that doesn¡¯t mean that Gerard won¡¯t go berserk. If that happens, the Ducal family of Verite will be in trouble! ¡®It¡¯s my fault¡­ This is bad!¡¯ Ortansia immediately clung to his back as if to hold him back. The air was filled with a sense of immediate tension. ¡°Well, well, well¡­¡± A generous voice that did not fit the atmosphere of the place rang out. Ortansia looked up immediately, as if help came from heaven. ¡®Father¡¯ It was Ortansia and Gerard¡¯s father, the Duke of Verite who appeared. He looked at Gerard, who was glaring at Viktor, and Ortansia, who was hidden behind Gerard, and seemed to grasp the situation in an instant. ¡°Are you okay, Ortansia?¡± When he slowly walked towards Ortansia and, immediately called out to Gerard ¡°Gerard, leave the rest of this to me and take Ortansia back to the mansion.¡± He must have thought that he should separate Gerard and Viktor for now. He quickly instructed Gerard, and G¨¦rard nodded his head. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± G¨¦rard picked up Ortansia and she clung tightly to him. ¡°Wait, Sia! You remember me, don¡¯t you? Sia!¡± Viktor¡¯s frantic voice could be heard from behind Gerard as he quickly walked away from the scene. But Ortansia did not reply. She could only shake her small body, praying that her father would manage to settle the situation. The sound of Victor¡¯s voice frantically calling out for Ortansia and her father¡¯s voice hushing him gradually became quieter and quieter. Leaving the royal palace with Ortansia in his arms, G¨¦rard immediately instructed the carriage Driver to take the them back to the mansion. The carriage doors were closed, and Ortansia was finally able to calm her breathing. The carriage started to drive away, and seeing that Ortansia had regained her composure G¨¦rard asked her the question on his mind. ¡°When did you make Prince Victor¡¯s acquaintance?¡± ¡°I had signed a contract with Tyrol, and on my way back from the spirit world, I once went out on the grounds of the royal palace by mistake¡± G¨¦rard¡¯s well-shaped brow furrowed as she explained how she and Viktor had exchanged a few words there. ¡°You were very frightened, then.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved with the royal family because they scare me.¡± The many tragic memories of her previous life come flooding back to Ortansia¡¯s mind. Victor is not bad. Even if she knew that, scary things were still scary. If she gets involved with him¡­ She might end up walking the same doomed path again. Ortansia shuddered as she hugged herself, and Gerard stretched his arms out to her. And then¡­ ¡°Woah!¡± Ortansia screamed out in surprise as he lifted her onto his lap. ¡°Brother¡­?¡± Ortansia looked up fearfully, and Gerard stared at her with emotionless eyes. Ortansia cowered, wondering if he was going to be offended that she had not told him earlier about her encounter with Viktor. ¡°You don¡¯t want anything to do with that prince?¡± What she heard was an unexpectedly kind-sounding sentence. ¡°Yes¡± ¡°I understand¡± He said his usual ¡°I understand¡± again, though Ortansia was not sure what he meant by ¡°I understand¡±. However, Ortansia rested herself on her brother¡¯s chest feeling relieved. ¡®Strange, I was so scared before¡­ I feel relieved when Onii-sama says he understands¡¯ He said, ¡°I get it.¡± She was sure he would take some action. ¡°Oh, but please don¡¯t do anything that might crack the relationship between the Royal family and our Ducal family.¡± When she said that just in case, Gerard looked away a little awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°Absolutely! Oniisama!!¡± ¡®What on earth were you thinking of doing?¡¯ A little frightened by Gerard¡¯s inner plans, Ortansia nailed her brother over and over again. Chapter 57 After some time away from Ortansia and Gerard, the Duke also returned to the mansion. He called G¨¦rard to his office as soon as he returned. He probably had something important to say. ¡®Are you all right, Sia?¡¯ ¡®Yes. Thanks, Tyrol.¡¯ ¡®If you need any help at all, just let me know! I¡¯ll take care of it right away!¡¯ Tyrol said bravely, but he looked like an adorable kitten. Ortansia giggled and picked up Tyrol¡¯s soft body. ¡®Yes. It¡¯s going to be okay, right?¡¯ It was unexpected for Ortansia to meet Victor so early. She must distance herself from him at all costs from now on. While she was just sitting on the sofa and enjoying brushing Tyrol¡¯s fur, Pamela rushed over with a flustered look. ¡°Miss, the master wants to see you in the office..!¡± ¡°I¡¯m coming.¡± Leaving Tyrol with Pamela, Ortansia stood up. Whenever the Duke calls Ortansia to the office, he usually has something important to say. Read only on ¡®It¡¯s about today, right?¡¯ Ortansia stepped out of the room with trepidation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call you out of the blue, Ortansia. Sit down there.¡± The Duke greeted her with the same calm face he had always had. Ortansia swallowed hard and sat down on the hard sofa in his office. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the general gist of what happened from Gerard. It sounds like you¡¯ve had a rough time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you about my meeting with Prince Victor,¡± Ortansia apologized in a small voice, her father shook his head sideways as if to say, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°It was a special situation at that time. If I had spread the word, you could have been blamed for trespassing. It might have been a good idea to keep quiet about it.¡± Her father¡¯s words were probably just to comfort her, but even so, it was true that Ortansia¡¯s heart felt a little lighter. ¡°After you and Gerard left, I had a little chat with His Highness, Prince Viktor. Apparently, he¡¯s eager to see you again. He also asked if you would be interested in being the prince¡¯s playmate since you are so close in age.¡± ¡°What!¡± Ortansia¡¯s expression changed and she clenched her hands in her lap. Read only on Her father¡¯s eyes narrowed at the reaction. ¡°But¡­ You don¡¯t seem to want to see him much, do you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m new to the duke¡¯s family and I¡¯m not fit to be the prince¡¯s playmate. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll do something wrong and cause trouble for your father and brother!¡± Ortansia squeezed out desperately, but she could not imagine how her father would react. The reason he originally welcomed Ortansia, who may or may not even be his own blood daughter, is that she was meant to be a pawn to be married off to an influential person. That was why it was frightening. She was afraid that he would take advantage of Viktor interest in Ortansia and offer her to him. Looking at Ortansia, who was looking down with a pale face, her father let out a small breath. ¡°Oh well¡­¡± She felt as if it were shortly before she was sentenced to death in my first life. Read only on What Ortansia heard, while still clenching her fists so tightly that they bore the marks of her fingernails, was unexpectedly kind words. ¡°I must speak to His Highness Viktor then. My daughter still needs to rest, so it is difficult for her to play with the prince.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Her father laughed softly at Ortansia, who looked up at him, stunned. ¡°I was also talking to Gerard. In a little while, he will go to the academy and leave home. At the same time, I would like you to rest in the duchy.¡± ¡°In the Duke¡¯s territory¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to return to my home, and you¡¯ll be lonely here. If it¡¯s over there, I am sure you will not receive any unwanted invitations there. Ortansia, who was dazed, gradually began to understand the meaning of her father¡¯s words. In other words, he would let her physically distance herself from Viktor with the excuse of rest. From Ortansia¡¯s point of view, this is a situation she could not have wished for. However, she wondered if that would be okay with her father. Read only on From his point of view, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sell Ortansia to Viktor, and she couldn¡¯t believe that a man of his ability would let such an opportunity pass him by. ¡°Is it okay with you¡­?¡± Her Father¡¯s eyes narrowed and he laughed. He was unmistakably looking at her with affection. ¡°I don¡¯t even want to think about how he would react if something happened to you in Gerard¡¯s absence. Besides¡­¡± Father stood up and sat down next to Ortansia. He then patted her head gently. ¡°I, too, don¡¯t want to see my beloved daughter suffer,¡± he said. His words and gentle touch made¡­ Ortansia¡¯s heartache. ¡°Thank you, Father.¡± He hugged Ortansia gently as she buried her face in her father¡¯s chest. Read only on ¡®Even if we aren¡¯t related by blood, this man is still my ¡°father.¡±¡® This day, Ortansia certainly felt that way. Chapter 58 Once again, Ortansia herself shut up in the mansion, preparing to go to the duke¡¯s Territory. It was decided that Ortansia would leave the mansion at about the same time that her brother would be going to boarding school. ¡®Now that I think about it, I wonder if I will only be able to be with Oniisama like this for a little while¡­¡¯ Ortansia, feeling a little sad, glanced sideways at Gerard, who was accompanying her on her walk. ¡®Hey, hold me more gently! What if my guts come out!¡¯ ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a feisty cat. He could use a little more discipline.¡± Tyrol struggled to scratch Gerard with his short front legs, and Gerard held Tyrol in a way that made one fear that he might crush him. Seeing such a beautiful scene between one person and one animal, Ortansia was very happy. Ortansia¡¯s expression relaxed at the sight. Read only on ¡°Heh, I¡¯ll teach Tyrol well. So, have you finished getting ready to go to the academy yet, Brother?¡± ¡°Oh, I finished it a long time ago.¡± ¡®As expected¡­¡¯ As for Ortansia, who was still busy packing with Pamela, she was so impressed. ¡­. He always was. He was so perfect, he didn¡¯t need anyone else¡¯s help. Suddenly driven by this thought, Ortansia opened her mouth. ¡°Um, ¡­¡­ brother. When you go to the academy, can I write to you ¡­¡­?¡± Gerard did not stop. He did not even turn to look at Ortansia. But he certainly answered Ortansia¡¯s question. ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Thank you Oniisama!¡± Ortansia was so happy that she thanked him over and over again. ¡®If I send him many letters, I¡¯m sure Oniisama will remember me too.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want to necessarily get a reply from him, she just wants Gerard to see the letters and remember her existence, even for a little while. ¡°I¡¯ll write lots of letters!¡± ¡°¡­ ah.¡± Gerard¡¯s reply was curt as usual, but Ortansia¡¯s heart was warm and fuzzy. The days passed in a hurry, and the day of Gerard¡¯s departure came in the blink of an eye. ¡°Oniisama, take care of yourself.¡± The emotional Ortansia was crying early on, but Gerard was looking as cool as ever. ¡°Look, Ortansia. It¡¯s G¨¦rard¡¯s departure, let¡¯s see him off with a smile on our face.¡± Read only on ¡°Yes, Father.¡± Ortansia frantically raised her face while sniffing her nose. ¡°Oniisama¡­! Please¡­ stay healthy!¡± ¡°¡­ ah.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t let your body get cold when you sleep!¡± ¡°¡­ understood.¡± ¡°Please brush your teeth properly after eating something sweet!¡± ¡°¡­ Got it.¡± While teaching Gerard about the basics of life that her late mother used to tell her, the Duke smiled and picked Ortansia up in his arms. ¡°Ha, Ortansia is a solid girl. Gerard, please don¡¯t let your sweet sister be sad.¡± Gerard gave a small nod, then stepped closer and looked straight at Ortansia. ¡°You too.¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Gerard nodded and then took a step back and looked straight at Ortansia. The Duke of Verite can easily cover it up, so don¡¯t worry about it. ¡®What kind of advice?¡¯ While she was shaking with fear and trembling at the oblique and terrifying advice, it was finally time for him to leave. G¨¦rard got into the carriage and the door was slowly closed. ¡°Have a nice day, Oniisama¡­! Please, take care of yourself!¡± The carriage slowly started to move away, and Ortansia shouted at the carriage as it moved away from her. Eventually, the carriage disappeared out of sight. The loneliness of not being able to see Gerard for a while filled Ortansia with tears once again. ¡°You did a good job Ortansia, G¨¦rard will be fine. Now, let¡¯s write a letter to that child. If it¡¯s early, It may arrive at the academy before Gerard arrives. Ortansia nodded as her father patted her on the back. There were still many things she had forgotten to tell Gerard. Read only on ¡®I have to tell my brother that washing with salt water is good for a stuffy nose, or that cabbage compresses are good for a fever!¡¯ Seeing Ortansia burning with a sense of mission, her father let out a smile. Chapter 59 ¡°Dear Brother, How are you doing these days? It¡¯s almost time for the new term at the academy to start, so I wonder if you are busy preparing for it. As for me, I have just arrived at the Duke¡¯s Territory¡¯s Castle just a few minutes ago. Everyone welcomed me kindly and I am glad to have come here. I am now writing this letter while taking a relaxing break in the greenhouse. Tyrol is running around my feet energetically. Oh, I looked out the window and saw that it is snowing here. Isn¡¯t it cold where you are, brother? Please, don¡¯t let your body get cold.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± After writing the letter to some extent, Ortansia took a deep breath. As she wrote in her letter to Gerard, Ortansia had secretly come to the Duke of Verit¨¦¡¯s territory. She would probably be staying for a few years. It was not that she would not feel lonely, being away from her father and brother. But more than that, Ortansia was relieved. ¡®Now I won¡¯t have to deal with Prince Viktor for a while.¡¯ Not only Viktor, but here, far from the royal capital, she can get away from the social world itself. Looking at the leisurely outside scenery, Ortancia tightened her mind to loosen up. ¡®No, it¡¯s not good to just sit around. I have to do my best!¡¯ Ortansia had been thinking about the best way to avoid the fate of being executed. She didn¡¯t know if the current situation was the best, but at least it was better than the first time in her life. ¡®I was able to get along with my brother, who I couldn¡¯t even meet face to face, and my father has told me I¡¯m his daughter. And Tyrol is by my side.¡¯ When she smiled at Tyrol, who was running around at my feet, he tilted his head curiously. But that doesn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t be on her guard. ¡®Now that Prince Viktor knows of my existence, the possibility of my name being mentioned as a candidate for queen may have increased.¡¯ From now on, she will have to be wise enough to refuse as many offers for the queen as possible, and if she do become a candidate for the queen, she will be able to get around them. ¡®And I, as a duchess, want to be useful to my brother and father.¡¯ Compared to her first life, Ortansia¡¯s horizons had broadened considerably. She was able to come to the Duke of Verit¨¦¡¯s territory like this. That was why she had gradually come to understand how important her father and brother were and how much of a burden they carry. As a member of the duke¡¯s family, she wanted to become a person who can be useful to them. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to do my best in various ways!¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but go for it! Sia!¡¯ The Duke said he would arrange for Ortansia to get an education at the territory as well. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, it will work out.¡¯ With a certain hope in her heart, Ortansia turned again to continue the letter to Gerard. Chapter 60 60 DEAR SISTER! The servants at the Territory¡¯s Castle were surprisingly good to Ortansia. Thus, Ortansia was able to get used to life there sooner than she expected, and when she was able to relax a little¡­ ¡°Miss! Oh my God!¡± ¡°Pamela! What¡¯s wrong?¡± While she was leisurely reading in her room, Ortansia was startled when Pamela suddenly opened the door with great force and hurried in. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me something bad happened!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, it¡¯s¡­ here!¡± Pamela, out of breath, offered something to Ortansia. ¡°A letter¡­?¡± It was a letter. The letter, which was apparently made of high-quality paper, looked as if it had been sent by someone of high status, but¡­ ¡°Who could it be?¡± Ortansia, wondering, gulped as soon as she saw the wax seal. ¡®This is the seal of the Duke of Verite! Then, could this be a letter from my father?¡¯ Ortansia became nervous, wondering if something had happened to her father, when Pamela said something even more outrageous. ¡°Miss, this is a letter from G¨¦rard-Sama!¡± ¡°What?¡± Ortansia screamed out in surprise at the unexpected sender. ¡®Oniisama! Oniisama wrote me a letter!¡¡Oh no, I didn¡¯t expect or assume that I would get a reply.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll write to you a lot!¡± Ortansia didn¡¯t expect a reply from Gerard, even though he said he will send her letters. At best, she thought he would just recognize the fact that he had received a letter from his sister and leave the letter alone or, at best, look at its contents. ¡®Oniisama wrote to me! I can¡¯t imagine what he looked like when he wrote it¡¯ Fearfully, Ortansia looked at the letter in front of her. She was a little afraid to read what was inside. She walked around the room with the letter in her hands, sat down on the sofa again, and after groaning, Ortansia finally gathered up her courage and decided to open the letter. With trembling hands, she gently opened the envelope and took out the letter. ¡°Dear sister, Ortansia.¡± As soon as she saw the words, Ortansia was so emotional that she fell off the sofa to the floor. ¡°Miss, are you all right!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine¡­ maybe¡± With the help of Pamela, who rushed over to her in panic, Ortansia managed to regain her stance. ¡®This destructive power in just one line¡­ Oniisama, how scary¡­¡¯ Her heart was still beating fast. Even though she knew it¡¯s just clich¨¦, she couldn¡¯t sit still with something like ¡°dear sister¡±. Taking deep breaths repeatedly, Ortansia returned her attention to the rest of the letter. The content of the letter was just an ordinary status report. ¡®That¡¯s true l, I¡¯m sure even Oniisama has a lot of letters to write for his duke¡¯s business.¡¯ At least it was not a radical sentence that would shake their hearts. Slightly relieved, Ortansia read through the details with a calm feeling. The letter was apparently written soon after Gerard¡¯s arrival at the institute, and it briefly mentioned that they were about to unpack and that Ortansia¡¯s letter had arrived before theirs. He must have taken time out of his busy schedule to write this letter, as he did not want to keep Ortansia waiting. Ortansia¡¯s heart was filled with joy at the thought of it. ¡®I can¡¯t be there for him, but if my brother feels a little closer to me by continuing to send letters like this¡­¡¯ ¡®I am glad you sent me the letter¡¯ Ortansia read the short letter over and over again before putting it away for safekeeping. ¡°Ummm, I must write back a reply immediately¡¯)¡± ¡°That will be good for you, Young Miss.¡± She looked at Pamela and smiled. ¡®I can¡¯t let my guard down so that I can give a good report to Oniisama.¡¯ She didn¡¯t want him to think she was a sister who never progresses. She wants to be the one that Gerard would be proud of. Ortansia braced herself and picked up her pen again. Chapter 61 Thanks to her father¡¯s good arrangement, Ortansia was able to spend her time leisurely, without being bothered by unnecessary matters between the Nobles Prince Victor was not too worried about what was going on in the capital, but he was more interested in his own studies at the moment. ¡°Yes, Miss¡­ Yes, turn there!¡­ you¡¯re in pretty good shape.¡± Annabelle, who followed Ortansia, was more energetic than ever before and was burning through her lessons. Ortansia was surprised that such an urban girl came along, but the person in question seemed to be full of motivation. ¡°Hey Annabelle. Are you sure you¡¯re glad you came with me?¡± ¡®What are you talking about, Miss? I have been appointed by the Duke to be his daughter¡¯s teacher. It is my mission to go wherever she goes and make her into a proper lady!¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Thank you.¡± Despite Annabelle¡¯s enthusiasm, Ortansia was relieved that she came along. In addition to Annabelle, her father also arranged for teachers who excelled in various fields. Thus, Ortansia was studying every day, but there were other things she wanted to learn. ¡°You wanted to see me, miss?¡± ¡°Thank you for coming, Constan.¡± Ortansia called on Constan, the middle-aged man who manages the territory¡¯s Castle, to have a conversation. ¡°Thank you for being so good to me here. I enjoy every day very much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very good to hear. I will tell the servants.¡± ¡°Yes, please. So, you know, I¡¯m happy with my life now, but there¡¯s actually something I¡¯d like to learn from you myself.¡± When she said this, Constan¡¯s eyes twinkled in surprise. ¡°You want me to¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to learn from you about the administration of the estate.¡± It was something Ort¨¢nsia had been thinking about for some time. She wants to help her father and brother. They were always busy, so if Ortansia could help them or shoulder some of their work, she could be useful. Constan seemed surprised by Ort¨¢nsia¡¯s words, but he eventually opened his mouth to admonish her. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be presumptuous, Miss. But I have not heard of many noble daughters like yourself learning about the administration and management of their estates.¡± ¡± Yes, I know.¡± She heard that when a nobleman¡¯s daughter eventually gets married and becomes the Mistress of the Manor, she may be involved in the bookkeeping of the upkeep of the estate. However, it was rare to be involved in the operation and management of a territory. Naturally, it was not incorporated into the education of a lady. That was why Ortansia was asking Constan directly for help. ¡°I know that there are not many similar situations in the past and that it is not considered very good. But I want to learn because even a little bit might help my father and brother.¡± Constan immediately understood that Ortansia was serious. ¡°I understand your feelings, Miss. However, I cannot approve of your decision. I will ask the Master in the royal capital to make the final decision. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Constan.¡± He did not disregard Hortensia¡¯s request. She had thought about being sniggered at and not being taken seriously, so the results were better than that. ¡®What would my father think of that?¡¯ The Duke always allowed Ortansia to do as she pleases, but she wondered how he will act on this matter. ¡® Yes, I¡¯ll write to Father too! I have to let him know I¡¯m serious.¡¯ Seeing Ortansia¡¯s sparkling eyes, Constan squinted dazzlingly at her. Soon after, she received a reply from her father. With her heart pounding, Ort¨¢nsia read through the letter. The letter expressed surprise that Ortansia wanted to learn about the administration and management of the estate, and admonished her that she did not need to worry so much about it. Just as she was about to say, ¡°I guess I can¡¯t after all,¡± she saw the rest of the letter and Ortansia widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°I¡¯ll give you permission on the condition that you don¡¯t neglect your other lessons.¡± ¡°Father!¡± The Duke acknowledged Ort¨¢nsia¡¯s desire. He even said he would support her. She was so excited that she remembered his kind face and her heart warmed. ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± ¡°Listen, Constan! Father has written back to me!¡± All the servants watched with kind eyes as she ran happily around the mansion. Thus, in addition to her education as a lady, Ortansia began to learn about the administration and management of the estate. Both Annabelle and Constant were kind and strict teachers. Ortansia would not be indulged just because she is the daughter of a duke. If she let her guard down even a little, they might throw harsh words at her. In order not to disappoint them, Ortansia was busy with her studies every day. Time flies like an arrow when one is focused on something. Soon, the snow covering the land melted, fresh greenery sprouts and spring arrived. With Tyrol flitting about the garden with great excitement, Ortansia was writing a letter to G¨¦rard, as usual. Their correspondence was repeated with a frequency that surprised the servants. Because they are far from each other, the correspondence took time, but both Ortansia and G¨¦rard replied to the letters almost the same day the letters arrived. Ort¨¢nsia carefully stored the letters from G¨¦rard in a special, beautifully decorated box. Every time the contents of the box thickened, she felt happy to feel the bond with him. ¡°This time I might enclose pressed flowers with it.¡± That way he will also feel the smell of spring in the dukedom(TL: Ducal territory) Not expecting to receive a mountain of gifts in return, Ortansia carefully picked the flowers in the garden while chasing after Tyrol. Chapter 62 The seasons changed from winter to spring, spring to summer, summer to autumn and winter was coming again. The correspondence between Ortansia and G¨¦rard continued uninterrupted, and the boxes in which G¨¦rard¡¯s letters were carefully stored grew in number. And now, Ortansia was all smiles at the newly received letter. ¡°Listen, Pamela! Brother has decided to join the Order of the Black Eagle, one of the court knights!¡± Read only on ¡°The Black Eagle Order is a super-elite unit, on a par with the¡­ White Eagle Order! The activities of the Order are shrouded in mystery, but only those who graduate from the Academy of Nobles with good grades are allowed to join the Order.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ that¡¯s amazing.¡± While surprised by Pamela¡¯s vigor as she floundered excitedly, Ortansia was filled with a sense of pride. ¡®After all, My brother is amazing¡¯ In her first life, all she knew was that he had a job at the court. She didn¡¯t know if he was doing the same job as this time, but she guessed G¨¦rard was still a genius and hardworking man, to Ortansia¡¯s surprise. ¡°Brother is coming back to the mansion.¡± Ort¨¢nsia kept down G¨¦rard¡¯s letter and slowly stood up. Gerard¡¯s letter on the table and another letter from her father right next to it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Sia. Your expression is stiff.¡± Tyrol, who had grown twice as big, was now playing at her feet. Ortansia said to Pamela who was by her side, while holding Tyrol in her arms. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk outside in the garden for a while.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just in the garden, it¡¯s fine. I want to have tea time when I get back, can you set it up for me?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss!¡± Read only on Pamela, who started preparing energetically, gave a chuckle, and Ortansia and Tyrol headed out into the garden. The shadow of Ortansia on the ground in the sunlight was much larger than when she was a child. It¡¯s no wonder. On her next birthday, Ortansia will be 14 years old. ¡®The day I died in my first life is getting closer¡­¡¯ Every time she thinks of it, she gets scared. ¡®If I stay here for a while¡­ maybe I won¡¯t have to be afraid anymore.¡¯ Like a sweet temptation, such thought sat in a corner of her mind. It was about her father and her genius brother, they can get along just fine without her¡­ Rather, Ortansia¡¯s presence will be a hindrance to them. That¡¯s how she thought of it. ¡®What should I do?¡¯ She was deep in thoughts about it when she came to the bridge that she used to cross while being carried by her older brother. Suddenly there was a dazzling light, and Ortansia involuntarily covered her eyes with her hands. ¡°What the¡­!¡± ¡°Sia, are you alright?¡± Tyrol rushed over roaring Ortansia also tried her best to open her eyes and brace herself. Soon, a figure emerged from the blinding light¡­ ¡°When was the last time we met like this, Ortansia?¡± ¡°No way¡­ goddess!¡± There she was, the goddess whom Ortansia had met not long after she had been reborn ¨C Auriera. Read only on ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡®Wait, Tyrol!¡­ Is this guy¡­ or is he a god? Anyway, don¡¯t bite her!¡± If he accidentally attacks the goddess, he might receive divine punishment. Ortansia hurriedly picked up Tyrol from the ground The goddess Auriera giggled at the sight of her. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot, Ortansia. As for me, I¡¯d like to see you make use of the blessings I¡¯ve given you a little more, too.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Hit in the sore spot, Ortansia awkwardly looked away. ¡®Because it¡¯s difficult to make use of the blessing¡­ that the goddess gave me!¡¯ The ¡°listening ear¡± which eavesdrops on distant conversations is quite useful, but it is hard to say that she is currently able to use the other blessings to their full potential. ¡°No, you see, I¡¯m trying to master it somehow¡± These days she had forgotten it existed and Ortansia tried to excuse herself with a slurred voice. The goddess was not offended, but stared at Ortansia with a benevolent expression. ¡°Ortansia, I have come to see you today to give you advice, since you are lost.¡± ¡°Advice?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Ortansia, your family is in danger. The demonic forces are already at work.¡± ¡°What?¡± The goddess Auriera once gave an oracle to Ortansia. After Ortansia¡¯s death in her first life, her brother, Gerard went crazy and the Demon God resurrected, causing the world to go into great trouble. It is true that Ortansia was kidnapped by a group of demon worshippers, but G¨¦rard took care of all those who were there. Since then, at least, Ortansia had not heard of any movement of the Demon God or the Demon God worshipping group. ¡°The Demon gods are after your brother. They are plotting to take over him and plunge the world into darkness again.¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Ortansia. I know it¡¯s cruel to you, but you are the only one who can save Gerard. Please, make a wise decision.¡± ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Again, the goddess disappeared abruptly. Ortansia just looked on in dismay after she vanished. ¡®Is my family¡­ in danger, my brother and maybe even my father?¡¯ Ortansia started feeling a buzzing, unpleasant feeling of foreboding in her chest. She took a deep breath and hugged Tyrol tightly. Read only on ¡®If I stay here, I might be saved. But¡­¡¯ There was no way she could abandon her precious family. ¡°Tyrol, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going back to Royal Capital!¡± To save her brother and her father. Ortansia decided to return to the royal capital, the place of her death. ¡®I wonder if Prince Victor has already forgotten about me. I have many other worries, but¡­not to don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll do it!¡¯ ¡°Do your best, Sia! I¡¯m here for you!¡± ¡®Yes!¡¯ Tyrol raised his cute front legs with fluffy paws. Making a high five with him, Ortansia made up her mind and started running towards the Castle. Chapter 63 ¡°Miss, I can see it now!¡± Pamela¡¯s excited voice woke up Ortansia, who had been sleeping peacefully. She hurriedly turned her gaze to the carriage window and saw the nostalgic ducal Mansion of the Royal capital beginning to appear beyond the fullness of the city. ¡®I¡¯m back! ¡® With deep emotion, Ortansia looked at the nostalgic ducal residence. It had been several years since she had returned in this way. She has frequently exchanged letters with her brother and father, but she was still nervous when she was about to meet them after so many years. ¡®I remember the first time I came here¡­¡¯ The first day she set foot in the Duke¡¯s residence for the first time in her life, Ortansia was so nervous that she forgot to take a breath. Naturally she made a lot of mistakes, and as a result of her failure to build a good relationship with her brother, G¨¦rard and the rest of the Duke¡¯s household, she ended up in a mess. In her second life, when she had the chance to start over, she struggled to avoid repeating the same mistakes as the first time. As a result, Gerard became a little worryingly overprotective towards Ortansia, and the servants in the house also became kinder to her. It could be said that things were going much better than in her first life. But¡­ it is surely from now on that she will have to really work hard. ¡®The Goddess told me that my brother and father are in danger. I have to protect them both!¡¯ Anyway, she must get along with G¨¦rard! It was not the same as when she knew what would happen. From here, Ortansia will have to grope her way. ¡°¡­ Okay!¡± While looking at Tyrol, who was sleeping with his stomach at her feet, Orrtansia regained her spirit. ¡ó¡ó¡ó The Duke¡¯s residence. In front of the nostalgic Duke¡¯s mansion, the servants were all lined up, just as they had been that day. As soon as the carriage door opened, her father appeared immediately ¡°Welcome back, Ortansia¡± ¡°Father!¡± The moment she saw his face, she felt a deep heat in her chest. Pulled by her father, she got off the carriage¡­ As soon as her feet touched the ground, Ortansia hugged her father tightly. ¡°Father, I¡¯m home!¡± He hugged her back tenderly. ¡®Good to be back here.¡¯ Anxiety had been swirling in her heart until she arrived here, but now she was filled with the feeling that she was glad to be home. ¡°Oops, don¡¯t get mad at me for monopolising Ortansia. G¨¦rard has been waiting for you to come back too.¡± With her father¡¯s encouragement, Ort¨¢nsia turned her gaze towards the centre of the row of servants. There stood G¨¦rard, with the same expressionless face as the day she first set foot in the ducal residence. G¨¦rard was already mature when she first met him, but now he is at an age where he is already changing from a young man to an adult man. He had grown up to be a supple and strong man, and Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but gasp at his beauty, which still gave a sense of sagacity. ¡®My grown-up brother, I knew him in my first life, but¡­ in this way, he¡¯s so intimidating!¡¯ There was certainly a time and bond that had accumulated between him and Ortansia. Even while they were apart, they exchanged frequent letters. Even knowing this, Ortansia could not help but be afraid. The Gerard in front of her had probably forgotten all about Ortansia, and she was afraid that he would give her the same cold attitude as in her first life¡­ Gerard approached with a steady clacking of his shoes. Ortansia did not know what to say and could only stare at him, trembling slightly. G¨¦rard came up to her and stared down at her with ice-blue, emotionless eyes. His hand reached out to her, and Ortansia involuntarily cowered. She immediately felt the sensation of a palm gently placed on her head. ¡°You¡¯re still smaller than I thought you¡¯d be.¡± ¡°Hugya!¡± When she looked up at the ridiculing words, Ortansia could see that Gerard was still expressionless¡­ no, he had a slightly teasing smile on his face. As soon as she realized this, she felt her whole body relaxing. ¡®Ah, I knew¡­ that the time I spent with my brother wasn¡¯t a dream!¡¯ Encouraged, Ortansia managed to resist the urge to burst out laughing and puffed out her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m not! I¡¯ve grown up so much!¡± ¡°Really? To me it looks like a mistake.¡± ¡°Brother is getting too big! Even I¡­ Oh, I might get even shorter if I hold my head down so much!¡± ¡°Really.¡± ¡°You are not allowed to tease me like that!¡± Ortansia was indignant at Gerard, who in his good mood was stroking Ortansia¡¯s head¡­ or rather, pushing. Everyone present there relaxed at the sight of such a happy reunion between the siblings. Chapter 64 ¡°Are you sure about this, Ortansia?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, Father. I¡¯m going to the Debutante Ball next year.¡± When she announced her debut plans at the dinner table, her father looked surprised. In this country, Noble ladies are recognised as full-fledged adults when they make their official debut in society at a debutante ball. They will then be involved in the social world in earnest. ¡®I¡¯d be lying if I said I am not scared. But I can¡¯t stay on the run forever.¡¯ In order to protect her beloved brother and father, she have to stand up Ortansia was determined, but her brother, Gerard replied in a curt way. ¡°It¡¯s too early.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not too early! I¡¯m already a full-fledged lady!¡± He quieted the indignant Ortansia and opened his mouth as if to admonish her. ¡°If that¡¯s what you intend to do, I¡¯m not going to stop you, but you need to think it over and before you make a decision, Ortansia.You will receive many more invitations than in the past, and even marriage proposals. You¡¯ll have to take each one of them seriously.¡± The moment the word ¡®marriage proposals¡¯ was uttered by her father, she noticed out of the corner of her eye that G¨¦rard¡¯s brow furrowed in displeasure. He is the next head of a prestigious ducal family, and he is a handsome man. He must have had more marriage proposals wandering around than Ortansia could ever imagine. He may have had a bad experience with one of them. Not expecting her brother to be offended by the thought of her being proposed to by a stranger, Ortansia nodded toward her father. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, father. I¡¯m ready.¡± Ortansia¡¯s main goal is to survive the fate of being executed. But that was not currently her only goal. She wants to protect not only herself but also her brother and father. In her first life, her father fell ill while Ortansia was in the royal palace and never recovered, and Gerard was possessed by a demon god after Ortansia¡¯s death, and she heard that he went through a terrible time. Such a dark future must be changed at any cost. ¡®I¡¯ve changed. This time, I should be able to change things!¡¯ Ortansia did not just spend her time idly in the Ducal territory. In addition to all kinds of ladylike education, she also learnt about the administration of the estate so that she could help her father and brother in their work. ¡°Well, that¡¯s encouraging.¡± In contrast to her father, who smiled at her, G¨¦rard never changed his stony expression. ¡°Hey.¡± That evening, when Ortansia finished her work and was walking down the corridor to return to her room, G¨¦rard was waiting for her with his back against the wall. ¡®Hmmm¡­ I used to be so scared and my heart would stop whenever I saw Oniisama like this¡¯ While immersed in old memories, Ortansia approached her brother without fear. ¡°Is something wrong, Brother?¡± ¡°I need to talk to you.¡± ¡°Hmm, then I want to walk in the garden with Oniisama for the first time in a long time.¡± When she said this with a smile, Gerard¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.But immediately, he nodded slightly. ¡°Okay.¡± Gerard came up to Ortansia. Not forgetting her Lady etiquette lesson she had learned from Annabelle, Ortansia held out her hand to be escorted by him, but¡­ ¡°Uh-hyah!¡± G¨¦rard picked up Ortansia as if she were a little girl. ¡°Oh, Oniisama! I¡¯m not that young anymore!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a problem¡­¡± Ortansia¡¯s protests were in vain, and Gerard walked away with Ortansia in his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t be violent, or you¡¯ll fall.¡± ¡°Hmmn¡­¡± Being told so calmly, Ortansia meekly relaxed her body and leaned back against Gerard. ¡®After all, Oniisama is quite strange¡­¡¯ He learned many things at the Academy of Nobility and should have general common sense, but she couldn¡¯t help feeling that he is still somewhat missing a screw somewhere. ¡®Well, maybe that¡¯s one of the good things about Onii-sama¡­¡¯ While she was still in her thoughts, she realized that they had arrived at the garden. Chapter 65 The garden, lit by lanterns at equal intervals, was dimly bright. While the garden in the Territory¡¯s Castle lol valued the natural landscape, this one is neatly arranged with an awareness of orderly beauty. ¡°Wow.¡± Ortansia was again impressed by the scene, which looked like a work of art. ¡°Your favorite Shangri-La flowers have increased¡± ¡°Eh, that¡¯s true!¡± The gardener worked hard and the number of Shangri-La flowers, which Ortansia said she liked (unintentionally, in a conversation with Gerard), had increased to the point where they now occupy an entire corner of the Duke¡¯s garden. ¡°Wow, so beautiful¡± By the light of the lanterns, the Shangri-La flowers created a different magical atmosphere than in the daytime. Gerard carefully lowered Ortansia to the ground. While Ortansia was involuntarily fascinated by the sight in front of her, her brother suddenly spoke. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to reconsider?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I meant your social debut.¡± Ortansia¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected words her Brother said. ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear at this point. You may have a bright impression of society, but that¡¯s not the case in reality. It¡¯s just the appearance that¡¯s gorgeous. The hearts of people there is black and all they think about is how they can use you or kick you down.¡± G¨¦rard told her indifferently Read only on ¡°The fact that you were kidnapped in the case of the demon cult has already spread. Some people will gossip about you, and some will take advantage of it as a weakness¡­ I will, of course, erase such people as soon as they appear.¡± Ortansia was taken aback by G¨¦rard¡¯s casual mention of something so horrifying. Ortansia was aware of the concerns he spoke of. However, if he purposely said something like that¡­ Read only on ¡®He is probably worried about me¡¯ When she thought of it, her heart grew warm. In other words, Gerard was probably worried that Ortansia will triumphantly walk into the glittering social world, realize the gap with reality, and be hurt by inadvertent gossip. ¡°Onii-sama, you¡¯re kind, aren¡¯t you?¡± When she spilled it, Gerard frowned in disgust. ¡°Your eyes are knotty. You should be more observant.¡± ¡°¡­¡± The bluntness of the words made Ortansia laugh. ¡°¡­What are you laughing at?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Onii-sama.¡± Besides, Ortansia had knowledge from her first life. She was also aware of the pitfalls to avoid, even though she had a miserable life, which was hardly enough to gain enough social experience. Ortansia looked straight at Gerard and spoke firmly. Read only on ¡°Besides¡­ I heard that a noblewoman is only recognized as a full-fledged member of society when she makes her social debut. I want to be properly recognized as a member of this family.¡± When she said this, she noticed G¨¦rard took a deep breath. The changes were so minor that they are difficult for ordinary people to discern, but Ortansia, who had been watching Gerard for a long time, could clearly see them. ¡®I have to make sure Oniisama understands that I¡¯m serious.¡¯ Ortansia was no longer an ignorant, protected being. As a member of the Duke of Verite family, she wanted to support her father and brother. Read only on ¡°I also intend to be part of Father and Brother¡¯s family.¡± Chapter 66 ¡°I, too, consider myself a member of your Father and Brother family. These words were uttered by Ortansia with a determined heart, but Gerard¡¯s expression did not change and he said nothing. Looking at his icy cold but beautiful face, a bad memory stirred up in Ortansia¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­ Shut up, you disgrace the duke¡¯s house. I have never, not even once, thought of you as my sister.¡± Read only on Those words reverberate repeatedly in her ears like curse. Things are different now than they were then. Ortansia should have been able to capitalize on her previous failure and build a good relationship with her brother Gerard. Even if she tells herself that, the anxiety that smolders in the back of her mind still rears its ugly head. Ortansia couldn¡¯t shake the fear that the world around her will return to the way it was in the past, and that her brother will once again throw her out of his sight. Cold sweat ran down her spine at that thought. A few seconds seemed like an eternity. Gerard replied Ortansia, whose expression stiffened, in a cold voice. Read only on ¡°Do you think of us as family?¡± Ortansia gasped at these words. The warm memories of the past were now frozen in time. She wondered if he was the only one who thought they had become a real family. The daughter of an unidentified concubine is not accepted as a family member.Just like in her first life. Ortansia¡¯s vision, which was unintentionally looking down, darkened. When she looked up to see what was going on, she saw G¨¦rard¡¯s hand reaching out toward her. Without even time to gasp for breath, she was hit by a gasp of surprise. ¡°Uhh?¡± Read only on He stroked her head, messing up her neat hair, and she let out a surprised cry. ¡°Oh, Brother¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to be family. We are family.¡± ¡°Ehn¡­?¡± G¨¦rard told Ortansia, who widened her eyes, with a slightly stunned expression. ¡°You are a member of the Duke of Verite family, my father¡¯s family. I¡¯ve told you that many times.¡± Ortansia gasped at these words. Gerard was still looking straight at Ortansia with an emotionally unreadable expression. ¡°If you show such a weak attitude, you will be taken advantage of immediately. If you are going to step out into the social world, you need to be more confident and strong. If you can¡¯t do that¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, big brother..!¡± Ortansia was glad the surrounding was dark. Otherwise, he would have found out her change of expression. ¡®That¡¯s right. I have to face my ¡®present¡¯ brother instead of looking back at the past forever¡¯. Ortansia was sure that the memories of the past will continue to torment her. But she must not keep getting held down. She must look forward to the future. ¡°Thank you, brother. I¡¯ll do my best not to embarrass Father and Brother!¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Nothing like that!¡± When Ortansia cheerfully declared so, Gerard¡¯s expression loosened a little. ¡°Don¡¯t do anything unreasonable¡± Read only on ¡°Yes! Of course, Of course, you can¡¯t be too hard on yourself Onii-sama. Have you been sleeping properly lately? Onii-sama seems to lead an unhealthy life as soon as one takes his eyes off of him for a moment¡­¡± The garden of the duke¡¯s mansion was filled with the sound of Ortansia¡¯s joyful voice. The cheerful voice, which seemed to announce the return of the duchess after a long absence, caused the people in the ducal residence to unwittingly soften their expressions. Chapter 67 The day of the Debutante Ball. In a corner of the royal palace, in the antechamber ¨C there was a gathering of young ladies, anxious and expectant, preparing to make their debut in the social world. I It was a dazzling world that the Ladies who had grown up in the countryside for so long could not have imagined, and even those who had been rubbing shoulders in the royal capital from an early age could not help but feel nervous before today¡¯s big day. ¡°Would I be dressed correctly?¡± ¡± Would I be able to dance properly, or would I make a terrible mistake?¡­¡± Driven by these fears, the girls were silent and tense as they waited for the moment when they would step out into the social world. The door to the antechamber opened, and with a slight buzz outside, an introductory voice reached their ears ¡°Well then, please wait here until it¡¯s time.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your guidance.¡± The girls all gulped at the sight of someone stepping into the antechamber with such a voice. ¡°Nice to meet you, everyone. My name is Ortansia, the daughter of Duke Verite.¡± The young lady Ortansia, smiling as she introduced herself, did not show the slightest sign of nervousness. She wore an elegant pale blue dress. The dress is of a subdued design that evokes an atmosphere of modesty, but anyone who looks at it will see how high-quality fabric was used and how each embroidery and floral ornament was incredibly carefully crafted. Not only the dress, but also the girl wearing it. She is so elegant in every movement that one could not help but be captivated by her gaze. Even with all eyes on her, Ortansia showed no sign of concern and did not lose her smile. She then bowed gracefully to those present. ¡°I hope we will get to know each other as we embark on this journey of socializing together.¡± At the words of the duchess, some of the girls relaxed their expressions and replied to her in relief. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ortansia.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you!¡¯ The girls began to introduce themselves one after the other, gradually creating a sense of solidarity. Ortansia spoke softly to each of them and smiled. The girl¡¯s cheeks were uplifted as if they were soaring, having exchanged words with a duchess, who they had thought was above the clouds. Meanwhile, Ortansia, who is the sole recipient of everyone¡¯s envious glances, is¡­ ¡®Okay! So far I haven¡¯t failed! They don¡¯t even know my legs are shaking!¡¯ It was already a state of inward anxiety. No matter how much she had experienced it in her first life, it was a debutante ball that would greatly affect her future social activities. No matter how hard Annabelle had coached her and how much Ortansia had learnt to speak and act like an ideal lady, there was no way she wouldn¡¯t be nervous. ¡®Ugh, that girl was in the royal palace as a candidate for queen! I should make a good impression while we¡¯re at it¡¯ Among the Ladies who, like Ortansia, will be entering the social world today, there were a few who were gathered at the royal palace as candidates for Prince Victor¡¯s queen. She had no intentions on becoming a princess candidate this time, but it was better to have some personal connections just in case. ¡°Oh my, you are the daughter of the Countess Michelet!¡± ¡°Wow, you know my house? Lady Ortansia¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a lover of the Countess Michelet¡¯s speciality, tea. I am proud to meet the Michelet family.¡± When Ortansia mobilized all the knowledge in her head and flattered her, the girl in front of her burst into joy. ¡®Hmm, I guess I made a good impression¡­ for now? I¡¯m glad I learned a lot from Constan¡­¡¯ Behind her elegant smile, Ortansia let out a grand sigh of relief. Since she began to study under Constan, ¡°so that she can be useful to her brother and father¡± Ortansia had learnt many things from him. Not only the Dukedom of Verite, but also the characteristics and specialities of the Country¡¯s nobility¡¯s territories, the history of the country, the names and achievements of the major nobles, etc. Thanks to the many times she has looked through history books, maps and noble directories, the information was now firmly alive in Ortansia¡¯s mind. ¡°I heard that Viscount of Difor Grandfather played an active role in the defence of the territory. I also heard that it is thanks to the Viscounts of Difor that this country exists today.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you, Baroness Debord. Is your father well? I heard that he is an authority on botany¡­ Well, you¡¯re helping your father with his research? That¡¯s wonderful.¡± Having managed to finish greeting the Ladies gathered there without failure, Ortansia was already exhausted. ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m mentally exhausted already. I wonder if I¡¯ll be able to dance properly after this.¡¯ First dances for the Ladies making their debut in the social world will be with their fianc¨¦es, if they have one, or with a male relative. If not, a male relative usually served as an escort. It was decided that Ortancia¡¯s partner would be her father. Well, her father, who is a good middle aged man with a hundred battles under his belt, will be able to lead Ortansia well. When Ortansia breathed a sigh of relief at this thought, the door to the antechamber was knocked on and a guide appeared. ¡°It¡¯s time to go. This way, everyone.¡± ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± Ortansia gave a gentle smile to relieve the tension of the girls around her who were suddenly stiffened. While a large amount of cold sweat broke out in her heart ¡®Aaahhhh, I wonder if it will be okay! I hope I don¡¯t make any weird mistakes.¡¯ Although she was in a constant state of anxiety, she thoroughly followed the Annabelle-style graceful gait, and followed the guide down the corridors of the royal palace. In front of the door leading to the Great Hall, a group of men were waiting for the ladies to escort them. Trying to find her father among them, Ortansia froze as soon as she spotted his conspicuous presence. ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ There he was, Ortansia¡¯s brother Gerard, dressed in full formal wear. Chapter 68 Among the men dressed in formal attire, he stood out from the crowd. It was not that there was anything wrong with his attire. He was dressed in a rather standard and relaxed formal wear, but even so, his presence was outstanding. ¡®What is Oniisama doing here? Could it be that¡­ he got engaged to one of these ladies without my knowledge?¡¯ Read only on She could picture Gerard taking the hand of a girl about the same age as Ortansia, with a blank look on his face, ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± ¡®Come to think of it, I¡¯ve been in the territory for a long time, and Oniisama is kind of a mature man, so it¡¯s not surprising that he has a fianc¨¦e.¡¯ He probably got engaged without Ortansia¡¯s knowledge and forgot to tell her about it. He went out of his way to come here in formal attire to escort one of the Noble Ladies whom Ortansia had just greeted. Ortansia knew that, as a family member, she should be celebrating his engagement.. ¡®I wonder what it is¡­¡¯ ¡®Is it because he didn¡¯t talk about something as important as getting engaged¡¯ Ortansia didn¡¯t understand. She couldn¡¯t look at Gerard, and she naturally turned her head down. Then she felt someone approaching at a quick pace. ¡°Hey, are you sick?¡± Suddenly, a voice called out to her from above, and Ortansia reflexively raised her face. Gerard was looking down at her with a blank expression on his face and a hint of worry in his eyes. Ortansia hurriedly put on a smile and said cheerfully, ¡°It¡¯s a strange coincidence, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What a coincidence, Oniisama!¡± Read only on ¡°¡­What are you saying?¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d meet you in a place like this! Whose escort are you brother?¡± ¡°Who else is there besides you?¡± ¡°e¡­?¡± Ortansia froze with a smile upon hearing Gerard¡¯s voice, which had an astonishing sound ¡®What, who else but you?¡­ Don¡¯t tell me, Oniisama is my escort!¡¯ After a beat, Ortansia understood the situation and panicked greatly. Seeing her expression, Gerard gave a little sigh. He said, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m going to be your escort in place of Father. Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard¡­¡± Where on earth did the miscommunication occur No, it was that scheming Father. He may have dared to hide it, thinking that Ortansia would be frightened if he told her beforehand. ¡®What a surprise!¡¯ Glancing around, it seemed that everyone was surprised by the appearance of Gerard, the son of a prestigious Duke. If she was too timid, they might think she was suspicious. Read only on ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Calm mind, Calm mind.¡¯ Taking a deep breath, Ortansia managed to mend her elegant smile. ¡°So that¡¯s what you meant. Shia is so happy to be escorted by my Brother!¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Gerard averted his gaze from Ortansia and muttered so briefly. At first glance, that attitude appeared to be curt, but¡­ ¡®I wonder why, I feel like the air around Onii-sama is warm and fuzzy.¡¯ It¡¯s as if spring had come all at once from the dead of winter, and I could even see the illusion of flowers blooming around him. ¡®Brother, could it be that you love balls in spite of your¡­ appearance? In her first life, Ortansia rarely encountered G¨¦rard at social gatherings, partly because she had always been a recluse. Even in her few recollections, she had never seen him dance while holding any woman¡¯s hands¡­ Maybe he loves dancing more than she thought. She couldn¡¯t imagine much, though. ¡®I think someone as big as Onii-sama would get into a great rumor just for dancing once. He probably avoided dancing because he didn¡¯t like it, but he really wanted to dance. I wonder if he was happy to dance with me, his sister, because it wouldn¡¯t be weird for him to dance with me and he would be proud of it.¡¯ While thinking about things which would likely cause Gerard¡¯s mood to plummet if he knew, Ortansia stood next to Gerard and stared at the door leading to the grand hall. Seeing them, those present whispered to each other. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Master G¨¦rard like that before.¡± ¡°How lovely she is.¡± ¡°G¨¦rard-Sama and Ortansia look like a painting when they are side by side. Such murmurs did not reach the ears of Ortansia, who was so nervous that she ignored Gerard. Eventually, the ushers announced the start of the entrance, as if preparations had been made. Read only on ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, brother.¡± Finally, they were approaching the stage that had lured Ortansia to her death in her first life. ¡®But it will be okay, because now I have my brother next to me¡¯ Ortansia took a deep breath and took a step forward. Chapter 69 With the elegant music played by the court orchestra, the girls making their debut in the social world and their partners entered the grand ballroom. As soon as they stepped into the hall, they were almost dazzled by the lights shining like the midday sun. Still, Ortansia looked firmly ahead and took one step at a time. Glancing toward the back of the hall to the seats reserved for Royalty, she saw Prince Victor, grown as she remembered him from her first life. As soon as she did, her heart made a sickening thumping sound, and Ortansia hurriedly looked away. Read only on ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Onii-sama is next to me today. If I get upset over something like this, I¡¯m going to make even more weird mistakes. Calm mind.¡¯ Ortansia managed to look straight ahead and tried to keep her composure. But was it because Gerard was next to her, or were they intrigued by the appearance of the enigmatic duchess who had once retired from the public stage? In any case, the stares were coming from all directions, and Ortansia found herself sweating profusely. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had this feeling¡¯ This is what social gatherings are like. In her first life, Ortansia had been unable to adjust to this atmosphere and had continued to run away from it. In her second life, she made the most of her first failure and made an early effort to fit in, only to be kidnapped by a cult of evil god worshipers. Still undeterred, she tried to return to the social scene, but she met Prince Victor, the man who caused her execution in her first life, and she ended up going into hiding for a long time. Read only on ¡®I don¡¯t know what the right thing to do is. But I do know that if I stayed in hiding like that and didn¡¯t save my brother and father, I would definitely regret it.¡¯ That is why Ortansia came back. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve changed.¡¯ Ortansia told herself this and smiled, despite the many curious stares she received. She was no longer the pathetic, clueless, recluse person she used to be. She must successfully navigate the social circle, avoid execution, and protect her Brother and Father.! ¡®To do so, I must first make a success of this social debut¡¯ Even if she makes a mistake, she couldn¡¯t afford to appear so outlandish in such a public setting. Scolding her legs, which seemed to tremble with tension, she advanced to the middle of the venue, and Ortansia finally faced Gerard. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen Onii-sama dance before, but it¡¯s okay, right?¡¯ Read only on She couldn¡¯t even imagine him falling awkwardly. Wondering what he thought of Ortansia¡¯s attitude as he glanced at her, Gerard brought his face closer and whispered so as not to be heard by the surrounding Nobles. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± ¡°Hah!?¡± When I let out a small scream, he widened his eyes slightly in surprise. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine¡± Gerard furrowed his brows when I told a blatant lie while trembling. ¡®Oh, did I make him angry¡­?¡¯ Gerard gently pulled Orrtansia¡¯s hand, which was trembling. He whispered in her ear as he lightly embraced Ortansia, who was on the verge of falling forward, He then whispered in her ear, ¡°¡­ don¡¯t worry about what¡¯s going on around you. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± Ortansia gulped in surprise at these words. ¡®He is worried about me.¡¯ She was relieved to find out that he was apparently not angry, and at the same time, she felt a surge of joy deep inside her. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m counting on you, brother.¡± When she thanked him in a low voice and smiled, she felt the air surrounding Gerard soften. ¡®I¡¯m getting to know you a lot better now, aren¡¯t I? If there was a big brother test, I¡¯d probably be able to get the first grade¡¯ Read only on While she was thinking about this, the orchestra finally started to play a tune. The first dance of the Ladies, who were stepping into the social circle, had begun. Chapter 70 Taking Gerard¡¯s hand, Ortansia gently began to take the steps. However, she was surprised after about three seconds. ¡®Oniisama is too good! What do you mean you are better than a dance teacher?¡¯ Even with just a few seconds of light leading, Ortansia couldn¡¯t help but notice that Gerard¡¯s technique was outstanding. ¡®Oh! Onii-sama can really do anything.¡¯ Read only on She had heard so much about Gerard¡¯s excellence from the teachers at the duke¡¯s residence that it was almost deafening, but it seemed that his versatility was alive and well in this area as well. Rather than trying to dance well, it would be better for Ortansia to relax and let him take care of everything. Ortansia breathed a sigh of relief. However, every time she repeated the turns, she became aware of the glances of the spectators around her. When she spotted a familiar face among them, Ortansia hurriedly averted her gaze and focused on her brother in front of her. His well-defined face was at a closer distance than she expected, and she became more agitated than ever. ¡®Wow, this is a facial national treasure! Onii-sama really does have a handsome face¡­¡¯ Even in her first life she always thought he was a handsome person, but she was more afraid of him. Of course, there was no way that she could have done such a horrible thing as meeting him face to face, and Ortansia was never that aware of Gerard¡¯s good looks. But when she saw Gerard¡¯s face again at close range, she could only say that he was loved by God, she was surprised to see a beauty that no one could help but be captivated by. In both the literary and military arts, the family is of the highest class in this country, and on top of that, this beauty. She was sure that any woman of marriageable age would not be able to resist her Brother. Read only on ¡®There¡¯s no way Nobles haven¡¯t come to talk about engagement proposal or something like that¡¯ Earlier when she said, ¡°Isn¡¯t he engaged to one of these Nobles?¡± was a misunderstanding, but the day when he actually gets engaged to a Noble Lady is probably not far off. As soon as she thought of that, a sudden feeling of loneliness came over her, and Ortansia lowered her gaze, unable to look at Gerard¡¯s face. But that was a bad idea. Because she became distracted, she inadvertently got her feet tangled and lost her balance. ¡®Oh no, I fell¡­!¡¯ Ortansia immediately tried to reach out to her brother. But as soon as she did so, she had a flashback of an abominable memory. ¡±¡­You are a disgrace to the duke¡¯s family. I never once thought of you as my sister.¡± No matter how much she cried for help, no matter how much she reached out to him, he rejected her without reaching out. The cold words thrown at her and the scene at that time entangled her like a chain, slowing her down. With nothing to do but watch the world turn upside down, as if frozen in place, she thought she had no choice. ¡°e¡­?¡± Read only on Suddenly, Ortansia felt a sudden jerk, and with a very natural gesture, she was pulled into a hug, and before she knew it, she was being pulled back into the dance. For Ortansia, it felt like an endlessly long time, but in terms of time, it only lasted a few seconds. From the audience, they probably didn¡¯t even notice that she had almost fallen, lost in the dance moves. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± Her heart was still racing. When Ortansia thanked him in a low voice, Gerard stared at Ortansia and replied her very seriously. ¡°You should train your core a little more.¡± ¡°Ha, yes.¡± The advice from her Brother was so earnest that Ortansia, who had been gaping, chuckled a beat later. She felt somewhat amused, and even felt lighter.Read only on It was all right. Even if Ortansia wobbled, Gerard was there to support her now. Chapter 71 There were no major mistakes after that, and Ortansia managed to successfully complete her first dance, which officially marked the beginning of her social debut. Amidst thunderous applause, Ortansia left the dance floor and was finally welcomed into the circle of people. ¡°That was wonderful, Duchess Verite!¡± ¡°How divine you and Master G¨¦rard looked side by side.¡± Read only on ¡°Do you remember me? I met you once at a tea party when you were a little girl, Lady Ortansia¡­¡± Even though she was overwhelmed by the people who were approaching her, Ortansia managed to concentrate all her nerves so that her smile wouldn¡¯t twitch. ¡®Heehee. I expected it, but it¡¯s amazing. I knew the name ¡°Duke of Verite¡± was overwhelming.¡¯ She felt this when she attended the tea party for the first time, but it seemed that being the ¡®Duchess of Verite¡¯ is a position that people want to get close to by all means. Furthermore, Ortansia soon became aware of other developments since that time. ¡°Yes, Lady Ortansia. There is someone I would like to introduce to you¡­¡± ¡°He is my nephew.¡± ¡°I heard that Lady Ort¨¢nsia likes to read, just like my son.¡± ¡°Please come to the next concert. The son of a cousin of a friend of my sister¡¯s will play the violin.¡± She was introduced to a succession of strange young men and invited to come to the introductions, and while she managed to keep her smile on her face, Ortansia gulped and swallowed spit. Read only on ¡®Is this¡­ a marriage proposal, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?¡¯ This was probably what it meant to be introduced only to nobles of your age ¡®What should I do?¡­ If my first priority is not to be a candidate for Prince Victor¡¯s wife, should I get engaged to someone who is reasonable¡­?¡¯ If she wants to avoid a disastrous ending like the first life, getting engaged to someone else would be a viable option. However, Ortansia could not at all imagine a future in which she would be engaged¡­ to some nobleman, much less his wife. ¡®It might help me if I got engaged to someone else, but would I be able to protect my brother and Father properly?¡¯ If she accidentally got married, she would have to leave her father and brother. Wouldn¡¯t that make it difficult for her to protect them? ¡®Besides, wouldn¡¯t it be disrespectful to the other party to get engaged with such half-hearted feelings?¡¯ Read only on Ortansia, who is serious at heart, was beginning to worry at that thought. The face and name of the noblemen who were introduced one after the other, although it entered the mind at least once, but it did not seem to fit in any way. But one of them started approaching her a little too forcefully, wondering what he thought of Ortansia¡¯s attitude, who kept smiling quietly. ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing you, Duchess Verite. I saw your dance just now, and it was so gorgeous, like a dancing butterfly, that I couldn¡¯t help but be taken aback.¡± ¡°Well, thank you.¡± Ortansia tried to smile graciously and let it slide. but as soon as she did, her hand was held and she became flustered. ¡°Please, can I have the honor of taking your hand?¡± ¡®You¡¯ve already taken it!¡¯ She understood that she was being asked to dance. But it was unexpected that he would come so forcefully, and Ortansia was at a loss as to how to respond. No matter how much she wanted to get engaged to someone, it seemed like she will have a hard time later if it¡¯s such a pushy partner ¡®I have to refuse somehow¡­ Um, at times like this¡­¡¯ Read only on Ortansia tried to pull out from her memory drawer the ¡®Annabelle-style lesson ¨C how to refuse an invitation from a gentleman without any offense¡¯. But before Ortansia could utter an innocuous refusal, the nobleman in question half-forcibly tried to take Ortansia out ¡®Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°e, um¡­¡± Her arm was pulled so hard that she almost lost her balance. But at that moment, Ortansia¡¯s body was supported by a powerful arm from behind. ¡°Duchess of Verite, what¡¯s going on¡­ huh!¡± The nobleman who looked back made a twitching expression as if he had run into a bear on the road at night. Looking back at what the hell happened, Ortansia finally understood the situation. While supporting Ortansia¡¯s body from behind, Gerard focused an absolutely cold gaze on the nobleman in front of him. ¡®Scary!¡¯ The current Gerard was clad in a colder air than she had felt for some time now. Even Ortansia, who has some tolerance to it, was so frightened that she felt as if she would freeze unintentionally. The nobleman in question who was directly exposed to such a blizzard must have felt like he was not alive at all. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t entrust my sister to someone who would try to forcibly take her out without her partner¡¯s consent.¡± If one only looked at the content of the words uttered, they would not seem that harsh. But the words uttered from Gerard¡¯s mouth have an immense killing power. The nobleman who tried to take out Ortansia began to rattle and tremble as if he had received a death sentence. ¡°We are sorry for the inconvenience. He has just come out of the countryside and doesn¡¯t have the slightest sense of etiquette¡­ We will discipline him thoroughly, so please don¡¯t let us¡­¡± Read only on The nobleman¡¯s relatives, who immediately became like frogs staring at a snake, jumped out and began apologizing profusely. ¡®Wow, I knew Onii-sama¡¯s intimidation was great¡­ But what am I going to do about this aura¡­!¡¯ The air around them was tense, as if they were on the battlefield, not unlike a glittering ball. Ortansia panicked, not knowing what to do, but then the saviour appeared. ¡°Now, now, where is my little princess?¡±