“Look. She’s only polite at times like this, isn’t she?”

“Yes, yes, elder sister. It’s not just any position, but one where you could become empress. Shouldn’t someone as no~ble and well-versed in etiquette as you take it? So don’t think about giving it up. Well then, Father, I’ll be going now. It seems you’ve said all you needed to say.”

“Huh…? O-Okay. Go ahead.”

“Father!!! You should stop her!”

“Stop what? This father of yours wants you to become empress.”

At times like this, he was as stubborn as they come. It had been the same in the past. The Marquis had tried to persuade Elzere again and again when she said she absolutely didn’t want to be the wife of that scoundrel, even if it meant becoming empress.

In the end, Elzere collapsed after not eating for a week. Unexpectedly fainting, Elzere had no choice but to hit the floor hard, causing severe bleeding, and only then did the Marquis stop trying to persuade her.

So in the current situation, there was no way he would give up on Elzere and hand over the position of Crown Prince’s fiancée to Sesenia.

Sesenia downed the tea placed alongside the dessert in one go and left the place.

“How interesting.”

As Sesenia, who had always been uncomfortable at family meals, came out humming a tune, Lizbeth tilted her head curiously.

“Did something good happen?”

“Yes. Something very interesting.”

“That’s good. I was worried you might get indigestion from the family meal.”

“No need to worry. Let’s go back to the room. I think… elder sister will be coming soon.”

“You mean Lady Elzere?”

“Yes. We should wait for her in advance.”

Even during the meal, Elzere had seemed like she wanted to say something to Sesenia the whole time.

Her destination after parting with the Marquis was clear. So Sesenia arrived at her room with lighter steps than ever before.

**

As expected, Elzere came to Sesenia’s room.

“You. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“You came as expected. I should have made a bet.”

“What?”

“I thought you’d come right away.”

“…So, don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Isn’t that question a bit foolish? The one who came would have something to say. What could the person quietly staying in her room have to say?”

Slurp. Slurp. Having nothing else to do while waiting for Elzere, Sesenia drank her tea loudly.

“Hah. This is really annoying.”

“You’re the one rudely barging into the room, so why are you getting annoyed?”

“Who said I’m annoyed about that? You know the situation. So why are you refusing? Shouldn’t you naturally be engaged to Crown Prince Helbert? Huh?”

“Why should I…? Are you really… an idiot?”

No longer seeming to have any intention of hiding her emotions, Sesenia slightly raised the corners of her mouth as she looked at Elzere.

“I-Idiot?”

“Or… are you really treating me like a fool? Why would I get engaged to that man?”

“It’s what originally happened. So shouldn’t you do it the same way?”

Sesenia stood up with a rather worried expression and tightly grasped Elzere’s hand. Surprised by Sesenia’s unexpected action, Elzere tried to quickly pull her hand away, but Sesenia’s grip was quite strong, so Elzere couldn’t do anything.

“Elder sister. Think about it. A regrettable past has come back in time. What do you think you’d do first?”

“What?”

“You know, things like throwing an engagement cancellation letter at your fiancé as soon as you return in time, saying ‘Let’s break off our engagement,’ or telling your husband ‘Let’s divorce.’ Don’t people usually do that kind of thing first? But right now, I’m in a perfectly clean time before such a situation has even occurred. So why would I… like an idiot, deliberately go down that path?”

“…”

“That’s why I’m saying this. Isn’t an elder sister who asks me such things really an idiot? Otherwise, why would you tell me to walk that shitty path? Are you sick somewhere?”

Her eyebrows drooping downwards seemed to genuinely worry about Elzere. That concern made Elzere suddenly feel irritated.

“And you know, elder sister. He’s the man you wanted so badly. The person you wanted even if it meant betraying your younger sister. So why are you suddenly trying to give him up to me now?”

“…”

“That’s right. He’s the person you took even knowing he was your sister’s husband. So in this life, you should just have him yourself. How nice. You can just have him from now on. It’s as clear as day that Crown Prince Helbert will become emperor anyway. Don’t think about giving up, just put him preciously in your treasure box. The seat next to that man suits you quite well, doesn’t it?”

It was then that Elzere, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

“Would you want to marry the person who killed you?”

“So it seems he did kill you. Then what about me? Wouldn’t it be even worse for me? Would I want to marry someone who not only killed me but also cheated on me all the time?”

“Anyway, I don’t want to. I won’t do it. You marry him.”

“Why? Because you think it would be better to make me empress and then steal that position, like in the past? Or because you think it would be easier for you to win against me if I marry him, like before?”

Even if she asked like this, Elzere was not likely to answer.

“Anyway, you do it.”

“Elder sister. You. Do you want to become empress?”

“Isn’t that obvious?”

“Then let’s make a bet. On who becomes empress. On who survives until the end. You have so many options, don’t you? You could marry the scoundrel Crown Prince Helbert, who will become emperor one way or another. Or you could marry Prince Ian, who has no backing so no one checks him. Work hard and become empress. With you in such a stupid state right now, it would be too easy to win. Crush me with power like that. If you don’t, I’ll kill you.”

“…”

Sesenia smiled more brightly than ever before.

As if truly happy.

“I know from experience that you can never beat me with your brain. So make sure to become empress. Understood? If you know your place now, would you please leave?”

“Are you really going to become empress?”

“Yes. And this time, I won’t be taken advantage of like that.”

“…Fine. I’ll crush you somehow.”

It was already after losing. From the moment she entered this room, from the moment she told Sesenia to get engaged to the Crown Prince. No, Elzere had practically lost from the moment she was exposed as a returnee.

And to make her empress, to put her in that position, to lead her to say those words, Sesenia had driven Elzere into a corner again and again.

And finally, on the pure white canvas, Sesenia dipped her brush in bright red paint and began to paint.

For her own bloody future.

**

After Elzere left, the Marquis came to her room.

“You’ve come.”

The Marquis, angrier than ever, stepped inside.

“Hah. Your elder sister is really driving me crazy.”

It was a first. The Marquis showing his emotions in front of her.

Lizbeth, who had naturally gone out when Elzere came in, went out again this time saying she would bring tea. The Marquis then sat on the sofa with an expression full of irritation.

“Why?”

Sesenia stood in front of him with an expression of knowing nothing. Despite it being her own room, Sesenia, who had been standing like an uninvited guest, sat on the armrest of the sofa like Elzere had done and looked at her father.

“Is elder sister not listening?”

“Right. I went to all the trouble of arranging it, and what? No one wants to get married? It’s not just anyone, but the Crown Prince. The person who will become emperor. I don’t understand why she’s saying she won’t do it.”

In the past, she couldn’t act like Elzere. She didn’t feel the need to, and didn’t even think she should. But the current Sesenia was different.

“I know. I don’t understand why elder sister is doing this either. Although the rumors about His Highness the Crown Prince aren’t good, I don’t know why she’s acting like this without even meeting him…”

“Right? Yes, Sesenia. I can finally talk to you.”

So he was someone who could be swayed by such words. No matter what image of a thorough and cold-hearted Marquis was created, the Marquis was also someone who could be handled more easily than expected.

The Marquis was also on the list for revenge. Just because of family, the things he had done made it impossible for a child to grow up as a child. It made her watch her step, made her crave for love.

A child’s temperament changes drastically from an early age depending on how the parents raise them. And because of such an inadequate father figure, Sesenia couldn’t even grow up as a normal child.

“That’s right.”

“Come to think of it, you’ve been quite intelligent since you were young.”

“It’s all because I take after you, Father. So what are you going to do?”

“Hah, I don’t know. This time she’s so resolute… I’m not sure if I can persuade her.”

In the past, the Marquis had pushed forward regardless of what Elzere thought. In contrast, the current Marquis was busy sighing deeply, as if he already knew it would be absolutely impossible to persuade her.

‘Why has it changed?’

This had nothing to do with the things Sesenia was doing. Rather, Sesenia had firmly stated that she would not become the Crown Prince’s fiancée. Then it would make sense to cling to Elzere even more, but to give up like this.

‘Why exactly has it changed? What… what’s different from the past?’

No matter how much she thought about it, it was a part she absolutely couldn’t understand. But just because she couldn’t understand didn’t mean she could do anything about it right now. After all, she couldn’t ask the Marquis why it was different from the past.

“But you’ll keep trying to persuade her, right?”

“About that… Sesenia.”

“Yes.”

“The position of His Highness the Crown Prince’s fiancée… how about it?”