Huk, Berita sharply inhaled. Her lips parted like a slash. It was quite an innocent reaction for someone who had struck the back of her sister-in-law’s head and committed adultery with her husband.

But she seemed to have anticipated this situation would arise someday, as she lowered her trembling eyes and spoke rather calmly.

“Elder sister, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Why are you asking me about brother-in-law’s well-being?”

“You went on a trip with Devon, leaving me behind to shed pitiful tears in a corner of the residence. This was right after you comforted me when I was crying, hurt by Devon’s infidelity.”

Was that all? I opened my mouth, nonchalantly brushing my hair back with the back of my hand. These were all situations known from reading the original work.

“You enjoyed your romance away from my eyes in the mansion. Footsie under the table, kisses behind doors. In his bedroom at dawn while I was asleep… I don’t want to speak of anything more, it’s too filthy.”

“E-elder sister, it seems your memory has been distorted due to the shock of brother-in-law’s infidelity. How about calling a physician for a thorough examination?”

Ha, to rebuke me to hide her own sins. I twisted my lips and raised my eyes fiercely, causing Berita to flinch.

“Do you think I don’t know that you deliberately recommended the underground guild to create a rift between Devon and me? And yet, despicably, you dealt with the guild to hide only the fact of your own infidelity. You must have enjoyed it immensely. You probably thought of me as an easily manipulated doll, pretending to be naive and fawning over me.”

“N-no, it’s truly a misunderstanding! I recommended the guild because you were so suspicious of brother-in-law! Do you realize you’re insulting me…!”

Berita gazed at me pitifully with transparent tears in her eyes. To an outsider, I might have appeared to be the aggressor.

But I deliberately narrowed my eyes and smiled brightly.

“Oh my, Berita. You shouldn’t call this an insult, we haven’t even started yet.”

Sensing that my response was unusual, the color drained from Berita’s face. She hurriedly stood up, frozen and unsure of what to do.

“Ah, this won’t do. I can’t continue talking with you in this agitated state. Please invite me again when your head has cooled down.”

Choosing to flee when cornered?

I laughed coldly at her shallow tactic and casually picked up my teacup.

“Sit down. Before I ungracefully grab you by the hair.”

Berita flinched as she was passing the table.

I leisurely tilted my teacup and widened my eyes. Our gazes met.

I could see her bloodshot throat bobbing. It was amusing to see her trembling now, afraid her sins would be exposed.

After staring at me for a long time with confused eyes, she sat down again and lowered her eyes dejectedly. A glimmer of resignation flashed across her face.

“How did you find out…?”

“Is that important?”

What’s important is that you had an affair with my husband. As I spoke casually and took a sip of tea before setting it down, she took a sharp breath and then, as if she had been waiting for this moment, shed transparent tears.

“I, I was in so much pain too. To fall in love with brother-in-law of all people…”

Ha, I was expecting some kind of excuse, but it turned out to be pathetic self-pity.

Berita didn’t even care about how devastated Etricia must have felt, betrayed by her sister-in-law and husband.

Well, let’s see how far this goes. With my interest sharply diminished, I turned my chin sideways and folded my arms.

“What was so painful?”

“The day you introduced him to me, it was the first time I saw a noble man. All the men I knew were always dirty and smelly, but he was different. He shone so brightly… I was always lonely, and he comforted me-”

“So you sought comfort in bed? In the mansion where I was staying?”

As I cut her off coldly, Berita anxiously opened her mouth.

“Y-you know, don’t you? That I’m an orphan. You don’t engage in social activities, you said you wouldn’t be my chaperone, and as I get older, someone like me, a commoner, has few chances to meet men…”

“Just get to the point.”

Seeing my calm reaction, Berita chewed on her lips. She seemed to have expected me to cry pitifully, asking how she could do such a thing. Maybe she would have tried to persuade me, saying it wasn’t her intention, hoping to continue as his mistress. I couldn’t help but laugh as her intentions were so transparent.

After hesitating, Berita looked up at me with innocent eyes.

“Elder sister, he says he likes me. He says I’m his everything. He said even if he met every woman in the world, none would compare to me. So, can’t you give him up to me?”

“What…?”

Just as I was waiting to hear what excuse would come next, my mind went blank.

What is she saying now? She should be begging for forgiveness, and yet she’s asking what?

So this is what it feels like to be speechless with disbelief.

Reading my expression, Berita lowered her eyes and answered timidly.

“Th-this is for your sake too. If two people who don’t love each other stay together, you’ll only be unhappy.”

Despite surely feeling my sharp gaze, Berita, having found her voice, continued to speak recklessly.

“A-and Devon’s infidelity was an expression of his dissatisfaction… He said he was angry that you didn’t defend him when all the central nobles slandered him and opposed his promotion at the time of your marriage.”

“Are you saying he took a mistress because I was lacking?”

Berita pressed her lips together and lowered her chin, as if to confirm it was true. Pearl-like tears fell between her softly flowing hair.

“E-elder sister, you have everything. You can do without him. I only received an old mansion from the previous count…”

You see this? I twisted my lips fiercely and tapped the table.

Berita was a child abandoned by a servant of the Vuel count’s family. Her father, a fraudster with a criminal record, had disguised his identity to work there, fell in love with a maid, and fled in the night after stealing the count’s valuables. Abandoning young Berita.

At the time, the Vuel count took pity on her and raised her not as a maid but like an adopted daughter, providing her with an education and environment no less than that of nobility.

Perhaps that’s why. Berita grew up to be a spoiled child who thought everything would be forgiven with a smile. Forgetting her place, she believed herself to be a swan among swans.

Taking for granted the kindness of Etricia, who cared for her like a real sister. Deceiving Etricia’s pure love, who would give her most precious possessions without hesitation when Berita begged for them.

Feeling secretly superior to Etricia when she was hurt by Devon. She deceived Etricia, deceived me.

Gritting my teeth, I drew upon the anger welling up from my core and spat out my words.

“Berita, you know what?”

Berita blinked rapidly and looked at me pitifully.

Her detestable expression involuntarily drew a sneer from me.

“You haven’t apologized to me even once.”

Berita froze like a stone. As if an ice shard had shattered, she came to her senses and grabbed my hand on the table.

“E-elder sister, I’m sorry. I was so surprised that I… I was so flustered-”

“Shut your mouth, Berita.”

I harshly brushed off her hand as it approached, radiating heat.

Berita’s shoulders trembled as she clutched her convulsing hand.

“I don’t want to hear any more of your stupid excuses.”

“E-elder sister…”

‘To repay the kindness of the previous Vuel count, who raised you like an adopted daughter, by stabbing his daughter in the back…’

With a cold smirk, I stood up, leaning on the table.

“You said you wanted Devon? Fine, take him. You’ve always been good at stealing what’s mine since childhood, haven’t you?”

“H-how…”

She often helped herself to valuables, to the point where my efforts to reprimand the maids who pointed fingers at Berita’s origins were in vain.

Even knowing this, I didn’t scold her out of pity, never imagining it would come back to bite me so badly today, as I was immersed in the original story.

But Berita, I’m different now. You’ll lose everything you’ve stolen.

Since neither the Vuel count nor your parents taught you what happens when you steal from others, I suppose I’ll have to teach you.

“Berita, from today on, you won’t be able to use the Vuel count’s name. This means you won’t even be able to show your face, let alone attend the social circles and the imperial court banquets you’ve longed for. I’ll also confiscate the monthly financial support you’ve been receiving and the old mansion my father gifted you.”

Berita’s tear-filled eyes rippled with shock. As if she had just received a death sentence. Of course. You’ve always dreamed of entering high society.

“E-elder sister, I was wrong. Please forgive me, I-”

“My, why am I your elder sister? We don’t share a drop of blood.”

“Elder sister…”

“From now on, my name shouldn’t come out of your mouth. Don’t think about using your connection with me anymore. If you do, I’ll make sure everyone who knows you points fingers at you as the daughter of a thief who repaid kindness with enmity.”

As I spat out sharply in a frosty voice, Berita bit her lips and squeezed her eyes shut. Tears fell onto the back of her hand, desperately clutching her dress. I stared at her tears flowing down the back of her hand, my gaze lowered expressionlessly.

I couldn’t feel an ounce of pity.

Because in the fleeting pale light in her eyes, I read resentment towards me and self-pity.

As always, with that small brain of hers, she’s probably thinking about how to appease my anger and continue her relationship with Devon.

“Don’t think of me as the Etricia in your memories, I’m cold to those who have deceived me.”

For a moment, as Berita looked up at me and our gazes crossed, she hurriedly lowered her eyes. Hmph, I sneered and headed towards the door, when I remembered something I had forgotten.

Ah, right. Lifting my dress slightly, I turned my body and smiled at Berita.

“Let me know when you marry my husband later.”

I wiped the smile off my face and coldly enunciated.

“Because then, I’ll have Devon assassinated and make you a widow.”