“Claude! My sister!”

“Irena!”

Claude greeted her with a smiling face.

Luscious red hair and brightly shining golden eyes.

The two daughters of Vermont embraced each other and shared a brief reunion.

“Welcome. Elder sister.”

Unlike the complicated feelings she had when she received the news that Irena was visiting Rowen, seeing her in person, the feeling of joy was the greatest.

“Was the journey difficult?”

“Difficult? This is the most excited I’ve been in my life! I think I’m suited for travel.”

Laughing and full of vitality, Irena was beautiful.

The Duke of Vermont used to call Irena ‘God’s masterpiece’.

Claude also often felt that Irena was like a well-crafted work of art.

‘Does where one is born and raised make such a difference?’

At Vermont Castle, Irena was treated like a princess.

Many were uncomfortable with Claude’s background and unfortunate story.

The death of her parents was a significant event that was on many people’s lips.

It didn’t seem that she particularly lacked for food or clothing.

She was never resentful that the luxuries the Duke of Vermont brought back from his visits to the capital were only for Irena.

If my parents had only bought things for Irena, I would have been upset, but the Duke of Vermont wasn’t Claude’s father.

Claude was grateful that the Duchess of Vermont had registered her as an adopted daughter and allowed her to receive the same education as Irena.

Even if it was actually for later political usefulness.

It was natural for a child who lost their parents to become pitiful.

Irena, who grew up well planted in the good soil of Vermont under parents like bright summer sunlight, was a tree with different cotyledons.

Claude was like a tree that had been uprooted entirely from where it was born and grew, and transplanted to an unfamiliar place.

That wasn’t Irena’s fault.

What could a child just two years older have done?

Irena grew up bright and clear without blemish, while Claude grew up bearing many flaws.

Even if she was constantly compared to Irena and talked about because of her existence.

When the Duchess of Vermont or Irena, after she grew up a bit, saw people entering and leaving the castle talking about Claude, they would scold them for behaving in an undignified manner.

However, everyone knew that the lord, the Duke of Vermont, adored his biological daughter Irena terribly, and as he didn’t dislike the praise that Irena was superior to Claude, those comparisons continued unabated.

It was a vastly different life, despite being in the same castle.

“Vermont is really tiresome. Of all things, because there’s no male heir, we have to welcome a son-in-law. The daughters of Vermont can only leave the castle when they get married. I never had a chance to escape Vermont Castle from the start.”

“But you’re here now.”

“That’s right. It’s all thanks to you. If it wasn’t to see you, Father would never have allowed it.”

Irena smiled brightly continuously.

Who could not love this radiance?

In Vermont, which is frozen solid for half the year, Irena’s smile had the warmth to melt even the hearts of those shivering from the cold.

Claude often wondered if she could have become like Irena if she had been born and raised in the castle from the beginning.

Although she couldn’t quite imagine herself smiling like sunshine.

“Skip the tea and show me around the room first.”

Irena was very excited.

“When I asked Father what Rowen Castle was like, he said those Temnes are living quite luxuriously.”

As soon as her words ended, Claude felt uneasy as she noticed people passing by pausing.

However, Irena continued speaking nonchalantly.

“It’s certainly more modest compared to Vermont Castle. Our castle has gold plastered on the ceiling from here to there.”

“But Rowen Castle has deeper traditions. The wood and stone used to build the castle are of the highest quality. It was built when the Kingdom of Oberon was founded, so it’s even older than the royal palace. There are only a handful of castles this elegant in the kingdom.”

When Claude, the lady of the manor, stepped in to defend Rowen Castle, the atmosphere became warm again.

“It’s elegant, but a bit dull. It feels like a temple atmosphere. Temnes is more frugal than I thought.”

A faint voice exclaiming ‘That damn Vermont!’ was heard from afar, but Irena seemed oblivious.

“Here it is.”

Claude quickly guided her and opened the door to her bedroom.

“Wow! This room has a much better atmosphere.”

As Irena observed, the Duchess’s room had a quite different ambiance.

“Miss Irena. It’s been a while since I’ve greeted you.”

When Hannah entered with tea, Irena greeted her cheerfully.

“Oh my. Hannah. Have you been well? Goodness! That’s a Rowen-style dress. You look like a Temnes person.”

“You have a good eye. I am now a servant of Temnes, body and soul.”

“You jest. Hohoho.”

Irena, taking Hannah’s sincerity as a joke, laughed as if she had heard something very funny.

“It’s not a joke though.”

“Show me the wardrobe!”

Irena, after taking a sip of tea, stood up abruptly.

“Let’s take a look at the new bride’s personal belongings…”

Before Claude could guide her, Irena flung open the door to the dressing room without hesitation and was at a loss for words.

“Wow!”

Irena exclaimed in pure amazement.

An enormous amount of dresses filled the space as large as a reception room.

She walked into the dressing room slowly with a dazed expression.

When she opened the cabinet storing jewels, her already wide eyes grew even wider.

“Oh my…”

Claude stood awkwardly behind Irena, not knowing what to say.

It was Kaian who had filled this place like this.

Claude had tried to dissuade him, saying it was extravagant to buy more than she could ever wear or use, but the Duke of Temnes was also an unstoppable force.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before. Really.”

Irena turned around with sparkling eyes.

“Can I try them on?”

“Sure.”

“Kyaa!”

An excited Irena jumped up and down.

“Come here. Let’s try them on together.”

She put on a necklace with a large emerald and looked in the mirror, then brought a ruby necklace hanging next to it and put it on Claude.

“Let’s change clothes too. Let’s see.”

A vivid purple ruby necklace.

It was an item that Kaian had bought from the jeweler when he said “all of them” and was worn on Claude’s neck for the first time today.

At that moment, Irena’s eyes fell on a peculiar dress with a red-dyed chiffon hem.

“Gasp! Could this be a Madame Marcel dress?”

“Madame Marcel?”

“The most famous designer in the capital! It is! Look here.”

When she turned over the layered skirt of the dress, an initial embroidered in gold thread was visible inside.

“They say it’s hard to buy even if you queue for a year.”

“Really?”

“It’s extremely popular, but she’s been in seclusion.”

“Why?”

“Men won’t leave her alone. The rumor even reached Vermont. I guess it’s hard for her to work when an attractive woman gets embroiled in gossip unnecessarily.”

Irena jumped and moved sideways about a meter.

“Ahhh! This looks like Joubert! It’s famous for being the most expensive dress in the capital!”

How can she tell? They all just look like dresses to me.

“Gasp! It’s Luxian! The place where Princess Bianca wore her debutante dress!”

Claude just blinked her eyes.

The excited Irena tried on several dresses, put on jewels, and had fun changing Claude’s clothes.

“Ahh. That was fun.”

“…I’m tired.”

The two exhausted women lay down on the mountain of dresses.

With a satisfied expression like a well-fed puppy, Irena looked at Claude lying next to her.

“I thought you weren’t interested in this kind of thing. I always wanted to play like this together.”

Irena gently brushed Claude’s hair with her fingertips.

“I’m still not interested.”

“Right. You’re still just reading books every day here too?”

“I don’t just read books.”

“Hehehe. I wish we could have spent more time together like this before you got married. It’s a shame.”

Irena sighed.

“But your face looks better. I was worried when I heard you were marrying into Temnes. You looked so pale on your wedding day, like you were about to collapse.”

“This is a place where people live too, you know.”

At Claude’s words, Irena took a deep breath and asked.

“Where are you going to take me tomorrow?”

“There’s a place called a garden cafe. It’s a place you might like. There are lots of flowers and tables where you can drink tea.”

At her words, Irena sprang up as if bouncing.

“What? Let’s go right now!”

Claude laughed at Irena, whose tired appearance from earlier had completely disappeared.

Early in the morning, Rowen Castle was enveloped in a tranquil atmosphere.

The mist flowing over the surface of the lake in the backyard, illuminated by the just-risen sun, created a mystical ambiance.

Walking on the grass still wet with dew, Valcuther muttered.

“As expected, I like this castle.”

The Kingdom of Oberon began in the land of Rowen.

As the kingdom grew through various historical events and expanded to the central and northern parts of the continent, the capital was relocated for strategic reasons.

So Rowen Castle was originally where the king lived.

It’s a building with as much dignity and classic style as that implies.

It’s not easy for a solid and massive building to be elegant as well, but the majesty of Rowen Castle, built with exceptional quality down to the smallest details, always satisfied Valcuther.

“By now, they must be getting upset in Promhunt.”

Valcuther, who had sent a telegram saying to meet at the hunting ground in two days, was already in Promhunt at that time.

It’s a day’s ride on horseback from Rowen Castle to Promhunt.

After luring Kaian like that, the reason he visited the castle while the lord was away was to fully enjoy Rowen Castle.

Not as a guest of the castle where Kaian sits as the lord.

Valcuther felt that this castle should have been his as well.

However, with Kaian present, that feeling doesn’t come, so he purposely sent a telegram to make him leave his post.

“When will it become my castle?”

These days, Rowen was quite a headache.

Valcuther loved Rowen.

One of the few things he was attached to, despite being merciless even to Kaian who grew up like a brother, was the territory of Rowen.

However, because of sending Kaian to war after the conflict, the entire Temnes family, which already had many vassals and relatives, was rebelling against him, the king.

“There’s no need to rush though.”

It was then, as he muttered to himself.

Splash.

The sound of water parting came from the lake.

Splash, splash.

Valcuther unconsciously quieted his presence and slowly approached the lake.

What was swimming in the lake was a huge red fish.

“Huh.”

What at first appeared that way to his eyes suddenly surfaced.

A fairy.

No, a goddess.

Was there a legend that such a being lived in this lake?

Valcuther, who had often spent time at Rowen Castle in his childhood, doubted his eyes.

She entranced him for a long time, lying on the water, then diving under.

Valcuther watched her without even making a breath sound.

His heart fluttered.

Something indescribable, whether emotion or excitement, seemed to squeeze his chest, which had gone beyond human limits.

He forgot for a moment how much time had passed.

The woman, who seemed like she would disappear if he made a sound, approached the shore, parting the water.

She was a living person.

Not a vanishing mystery.

As Valcuther approached the lakeside in haste, the woman opened her eyes wide in surprise.

He plucked a few blooming purple scabiosa flowers and knelt, holding them out to her.

“I am… Bark. May I ask your name?”

Then the woman smiled and answered.

“Quinn.”