At that time. The mansion of Duke Yusten.

I was leisurely reading a book in my bedroom in the annex.

‘By now, my uncle who left the imperial palace must have arrived at the mansion.’

As I was thinking that, glancing at the decorative clock on the table, it happened.

Along with the sound of urgent knocking on the door, a maid’s flustered voice was heard.

“M-Miss Christine! Are you here?”

I smiled silently, then called out towards the door.

“Yes. What’s the matter?”

“The Duke is looking for you! I think you should go to the reception room in the main building quickly!”

“Alright. I’ll get ready and come out, so call Annie for me.”

“Yes, Miss.”

The sound of the maid’s quick footsteps faded away after hearing my reply.

Shortly after, Annie entered the bedroom with a stern expression. While fixing my slightly disheveled clothes, Annie said to me.

“The master seems to be in a very bad mood. Be careful, Miss.”

“Don’t worry, Annie.”

After reassuring Annie, I went to the main building of the mansion with her.

As I entered the open reception room past the entrance and hallway, I saw Duke Yusten fuming with anger and Danae clinging tightly to his side.

I looked back indifferently at the Duke who was glaring at me as if to pierce through me, and said.

“You called for me, Uncle.”

“Yes. If you’re as smart as you are, you probably know well why I called you.”

Duke Yusten spoke to me in a growling voice. I deliberately put on a serious expression and opened my mouth.

“Yes. I heard that Viscount Miles betrayed us and passed fake information to your hands.”

“How did you handle it for things to turn out like this! What kind of grudge does that bastard have against me! No. Was it even certain that the Viscount really knew about the invasion route of those barbarians in the first place?”

The Duke burst out in anger, then suddenly turned to me with a murderous gaze and pressed.

“How can you be sure of that. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand, sister?”

Danae asked me in an overly naive voice. I wanted to snort at those words but held it in and remained silent. She seemed to find my reaction amusing and continued with a slight eye smile.

“My goodness. Even someone as smart as you can make mistakes sometimes.”

“……”

“I guess the goddess of fortune who used to follow you has run out of power now. Oh well, what can we do, Father? Just think of this incident as bad luck. From now on, don’t just blindly believe everything sister says, and consider other people’s opinions too.”

She sneered with a grin. I clenched my fists so tightly that my nails dug into my palms to suppress the rising anger. Then I calmly refuted.

“Uncle. If my prediction was wrong, how could Duke Elliot Francis Haven and the White Lion Order have known to stop the invasion of the Rugl and Yalta tribes? It’s clear that Viscount Miles passed fake information to us and real information to them.”

Hearing my words, Duke Yusten let out a long groan and stroked his chin with his hand. It seemed that after hearing my explanation, the arrow of anger had shifted to Duke Haven. He frowned severely and began cursing Viscount Miles.

“Viscount Miles, that vile and wicked bastard! I don’t know what grudge he has against me to pull such a stunt! … Damn it! He doesn’t even remember the favor I did for him when his daughter’s birthday party cum debutante party ended well, and he stabs me in the back?”

I glanced sideways at the Duke who was bursting with anger, as if checking his mood. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, I muttered with a short sigh.

“… Oh. Come to think of it. Danae, did you apologize to Viscount Miles’ daughter? Don’t tell me you still haven’t?”

“Apology? What do you mean?”

The Duke immediately reacted to my words. It was just as I intended. I deliberately glanced at Danae. Then I hesitantly opened my mouth.

“… Actually, there was a very ‘small’ commotion that day. It was because of Danae’s newly tailored dress……”

I slowly, but thoroughly, explained to Duke Yusten about the commotion that occurred that day.

That the dress Danae had snatched by paying extra was actually meant for Viscount Miles’ daughter, that when the Viscount’s daughter was shocked to find the dress that should have been hers, Danae mocked and insulted her, and that afterwards, Duke Haven appeared and restored the Viscount’s daughter’s honor by presenting her with a splendid dress.

At this, Duke Yusten’s face turned bright red with excitement. In contrast, Danae’s face, looking back at her father and me, started to turn pale.

Inwardly laughing at the faces of the father and daughter, I outwardly continued speaking as if being considerate and thoughtful.

“… So I advised Danae, ‘It would be good to apologize to Viscount Miles’ daughter’, but Danae didn’t listen. No, rather, she spewed… quite unpleasant verbal abuse about Viscount Miles’ daughter.”

“… Ha.”

“… Later, I heard from a servant in the banquet hall that somehow all those words had reached Viscount Miles’ ears. … Could that be why the Viscount did such a thing…? Because he couldn’t stand his only precious daughter being despised by Danae?”

I continued speaking while subtly checking the Duke’s reaction.

“But after Danae returned to the mansion that day, I sent a letter of apology to the Viscount for Danae’s rudeness along with a small gift, and the Viscount agreed to give us the information for my sake. After all, Viscount Miles’ daughter’s party was successful thanks to me. I’m sure that’s what happened, but… I wonder if he was still bothered by the fact that Danae insulted his only daughter and didn’t apologize?”

I concluded by subtly implying that all of this was due to Danae’s actions.

Duke Yusten kept laughing in disbelief. Then he turned to Danae sharply and shouted.

“Is everything your sister said true, Danae!”

“N-No! I, I never said such harsh things! I just gave her some advice to know her place because that girl was acting above her station! That’s all!”

“That sounds exactly like you’re saying your sister’s words are all true! … Ha! Really, just like last time, how can you act so thoughtlessly and ruin my and your sister’s work time and time again! You’re truly beyond help even though you’re my daughter! Don’t you learn anything from watching your sister who is careful and smart in everything?”

At the Duke’s sharp criticism, Danae’s pretty face contorted as if she was about to burst into tears at any moment. Soon, large teardrops formed in her beautiful eyes. At the same time, her eyes flickered with resentment and irritation at the situation.

I glanced sideways at that sight while keeping my head down like a sinner. Now it was time for her to blame everything on me and shout, as she liked to blame others.

“Why are you only picking on me, Father? Of course I made some mistakes, but sister also bears some responsibility for not properly handling this situation! In fact, if sister hadn’t pushed me to apologize to the Viscount’s daughter that day, none of this would have happened!”

Sure enough, Danae immediately started blaming me. I deliberately let out a deep sigh and opened my mouth.

“I clearly warned you then. Do you think I only warned you once? I warned you when you insisted on having that dress, and I told you to apologize for your rude words to Viscount Miles’ daughter. … But what did you do? You got annoyed at me and even threw your hairpin at me, telling me to stop.”

As I said this, I slightly raised my arm that was injured that day.

‘Yes. I clearly warned you. I gave you several chances to get out of this situation.’

But Danae repeatedly kicked away the chances I gave her. So it was somewhat fortunate. If she had listened to my merely verbal advice even once, I wouldn’t have been able to succeed with this plan.

‘You have nothing to blame me for, Danae. You brought this situation upon yourself.’

Please continue to live selfishly like that in the future.

I swallowed those words inwardly and stared straight at Danae. Danae’s face momentarily turned vicious when our eyes met.

At that moment, the Duke looked at me and her with an irritated gaze and said.

“That’s enough. Both of you stop there. Now that things have come to this, what’s the use of blaming anyone? … Danae, you will be under house arrest for two more months from now on. During that time, I’ll only give you half of your allowance, so stay in the mansion and reflect on your behavior.”

“Father!”

“And Christine, you also have some responsibility as the older sister for not stopping her until the end. I’ll let this incident pass, but from now on, make sure you keep her in check more thoroughly.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

Just moments ago, he was furious saying it was mostly my fault.

When I pointed out that the cause of this failure was his own daughter Danae, now the Duke tells me I have responsibility for not stopping Danae. I answered the Duke who spoke as if he was doing me a great favor, thinking to myself.

‘Don’t be ridiculous. Why should I do that?’

In my previous life, I foolishly endured it saying ‘because we’re family’, but now I had no intention of doing so at all. The Duke, unaware of my inner thoughts, patted my shoulder as if he was proud.

Then, leaning his heavy body on the large sofa as if lying down, he looked up at the ceiling with a grim expression and said.

“Anyway, that Viscount Miles. To ruin my work and disgrace me over such a trivial grudge. … I must make him pay the price for this, but…”

“… What are you planning to do?”

I asked the Duke, trying to appear calm. Duke Yusten smiled meaningfully and replied.