In fact, if one were to coldly examine reality, Lieselotte’s remarriage could only be a strategic marriage based on conditions.

Could that truly be called a new happiness?

‘Above all, at this point, not long after losing her husband, someone proposing to the new mother is unlikely to have pure intentions.’

There must be ulterior motives.

At the very least, it would be someone eyeing Daiern’s wealth or power.

But really, if by some chance, giving them the benefit of the doubt a hundred or a thousand times over. Yes, let’s say it’s pure love.

Even so, the effective period of love is 2 years.

In other words, even if Lieselotte finds someone she loves and remarries, she’ll be happy for at most 2 years.

Perhaps even shorter than that.

Kardiel never believed in people’s hearts, especially the fidelity of noble men. That was the only thing he learned from his father.

So no matter how many times he thinks it over, this is right.

That Lieselotte’s remarriage must be prevented by any means necessary.

‘Only my siblings and I can truly protect our new mother.’

Kardiel’s blue eyes took on a strange gleam.

“Chersion, listen carefully to what I’m about to say.”

“U-um?”

Chersion looked up at Kardiel, blinking his large eyes anxiously.

Kardiel’s blue eyes were as sharp as a coldly-honed blade.

“Our new mother has cherished us siblings even more than her own children until now. She protected us at great risk to herself.”

“Y-yes. She did.”

The past 10 years flashed through the siblings’ minds simultaneously.

The terrible years ruled by the devil known as Duke Daiern.

What’s clear is that the fact that Daiern’s siblings are alive and well now is all thanks to their stepmother, Lieselotte.

“So now it’s our turn to protect our new mother.”

“Yes. Of course!”

Nod. The small head moved up and down solemnly. Even his tiny fist clenched with determination.

At 11 years old, he’s not that young, but somehow Chersion’s actions seem much younger than his peers.

Should I say he has an innocent feeling?

Anyway, after exchanging such glances, the brothers soon recalled what they needed to do.

“Brother! Let’s have a strategy meeting right now. You said a new tutor is coming today too. So let’s call Euphy sister now…!”

“Chersion. I’ve clearly told you not to run in the hallways….”

“Ah, right! Hee-ing.”

The daughter of Daiern is a beautiful 14-year-old girl with cherry blossom-colored high ponytail hair and amber eyes, resembling her deceased birth mother.

Flawlessly white and transparent skin, long eyelashes that seem to flutter when she blinks.

Her characteristically dazed expression stimulates maternal instincts, and the unguarded smile she occasionally shows is so innocent that it makes people’s hearts flutter, regardless of gender.

Thus, everyone who sees this girl, Euphemina Sishel Daiern, for the first time invariably has the same impression.

‘From the day the Daiern’s daughter makes her debut, the history of the Imperial City’s social circles will be rewritten.’

She’s truly a beautiful girl who inspires affection indiscriminately.

What makes Euphemina even more lovable is the small mark on her left cheek.

A distinct and small beauty mark that stretches horizontally along with her eye shape when the girl smiles gently.

That insignificant imperfection seems to play the role of captivating anyone’s gaze, making it impossible to look away from the girl’s face.

…That’s the impression of others.

Her siblings knew the girl’s true nature all too well.

“Euphemina, as expected, you were in the greenhouse.”

“Euphy sister! Let’s have a strategy meeting!”

After finishing his conversation with Chersion, Kardiel headed to the greenhouse connected to the mansion’s back door to find the second child, Euphemina. They needed to strategize about what would happen starting today.

And as expected, Euphemina could be found in the corner of the greenhouse. It was clear she had rushed here as soon as dawn broke.

The hem of her dress and gloves were covered in mud.

“…Euphemina?”

“Sister?”

However, for some reason, Euphemina didn’t turn her head even though her name was called several times.

Looking closely, she seemed to be extremely focused on something.

Ah, that’s right. Come to think of it, he remembered that the tutor had given her a special daily task.

It was to write a plant observation journal.

‘But this isn’t the movement of recording or observing plants.’

Euphemina was crouched on the ground, extending her thumb to press firmly on the floor.

At a constant speed, repeatedly, press press press press.

Although it was impossible to tell exactly what she was doing, somehow Kardiel felt uneasy.

“Sister, we’re here!”

“Wait a moment, Chersion.”

It was then that Chersion, unable to stand it any longer, tried to run to Euphemina. Kardiel grabbed his brother’s shoulder and pulled him back.

Chersion looked up at Kardiel with questioning eyes.

However, Kardiel, focused on Euphemina’s actions, ignored his brother’s gaze and slowly approached her alone.

‘Ah.’

What his sister was doing could only be seen when he got quite close.

With her characteristic blank expression, she was moving her thumb incessantly to…

Kill a line of ants.

One by one.

Making sure not a single ant escaped.

Press, press, press, press, press…

“Stop it, Euphemina.”

“Mmm.”

The girl finally showed a reaction. But that didn’t mean she stopped moving her finger.

Even for Kardiel, who had such a cold personality, it was a scene that couldn’t help but make his skin crawl.

“I said stop it!”

“Brother!”

Finally, Kardiel roughly grabbed her wrist. Forcibly lifted up, Euphemina blinked for a moment as if bewildered.

She almost twisted her face into a frightening expression for a moment, but upon seeing Kardiel, she once again showed a docile smile.

“When did you come, Kar brother? Chelsea is there too? Good morning.”

“Ha.”

What good morning.

A pure smile as if she had no idea what was happening outside, or why Kardiel was acting this way.

Kardiel alternately looked at her blank face and the small mass of insect corpses stuck to the thumb of her glove.

But what use was his reprimand?

If he could have corrected his sister’s incomprehensible behavior, he would have done so long ago.

“But my wrist hurts, brother.”

“…”

Kardiel finally gave up on scolding her and soon let go of her wrist. Instead, he had to say something else.

“Change out of those dirty clothes and switch your gloves, Euphemina. We have a problem.”

“Clothes? Why the clothes… Kyaah!”

Euphemina, who had been tilting her head, suddenly let out a high-pitched scream.

Kardiel had already covered his ears a beat earlier, knowing she would have such a reaction.

“The dress is too dirty. My gloves too… Why? Who did this?”

“It’s you yourself, Euphemina. You were sitting on a pile of dirt, how could you expect to stay clean?”

“It’s dirty, it’s filthy. I should throw away this dress now, right? It was the first non-black dress I’ve worn in a while…”

Euphemina spoke in a sorrowful voice.

Yet her hands were merciless as she took off her gloves and threw them onto the muddy ground, her expression as if she were shaking off a terrible insect.

Yes. Lady Euphemina suffered from mysophobia. This was a fact known to everyone staying at Daiern.

“Si-Sister!”

“Wait. Don’t take off your dress right now, Euphemina.”

“There are a lot of people at home right now!”

The siblings hurriedly stopped her from trying to throw off her clothes.
No matter what, seeing their sister in her undergarments was a bit in the unpleasant territory.

Fortunately, Euphemina was easily distracted by another topic more worthy of focus than changing clothes.

“Why are there people? Aren’t visitors forbidden?”

“Sister, that was only until yesterday!”

“I guess that’s true… But who came? Why did they come?”

Well.

Before answering, Kardiel let out a short sigh.

“…I told you yesterday too, Euphemina. Starting today, people from all over the continent might flock here to propose to our new mother.”

“Ah.”

Euphemina’s expression returned to her usual absent-minded face as she finally remembered what Kardiel had been repeating like a nagging for days.

She blinked for a moment, tilting her head left and right before opening her mouth.

“I have a good idea.”

Her pretty face, impossible to read what she was thinking, smiled brightly.

“If the people who proposed die, they can’t marry mom, right?”

Thanks to that, both brothers were simultaneously at a loss for words.

“Ahem, I am Count Yeongsik. Unlike those masters who carelessly sent only proposal letters and gifts, I have waited for a long time since early dawn! To propose to the Duchess. So even if the Duchess is busy, please convey my message so that I may see her even for a moment.”

“As I’ve already told you, Madam is too busy today to personally receive the proposal group. This applies to everyone, even if you are Count Yeongsik.”

“Oh my, butler! Is there really no way? Here. This is a small token…”