“Mary. What do you mean? Why is Blanche with that person?”

I was taken aback that Duke Belaste was in the lounge.

“I was waiting in the lounge with Lady Blanche when we heard a dull thud, so I went out and encountered the Duke…”

“…”

“Well, the Duke had dropped his cane and fallen. Lady Blanche helped support him inside…”

My head throbbed at the thought of Blanche meeting Duke Belaste while I was away.

‘It was already complicated enough just encountering Duchess Belaste and Uriel earlier…’

Mary was holding a mask in her hand.

It meant Blanche had shown her face in front of Duke Belaste.

‘I should have told Blanche not to leave the lounge until I got there…’

As Mary explained the situation, I could picture what had happened.

“Suddenly the Duke told me to wait outside, I’m sorry, young lady.”

“It’s alright. I understand you had no choice.”

I don’t know why Duke Belaste told her to wait outside, but it would have been difficult for Mary to refuse his order.

Peeking inside slightly, I saw Blanche touching the cane.

Duke Belaste looked at Blanche and pulled at the corner of his mouth.

“Child, thank you so much for earlier.”

“Are you alright now? Why does your leg hurt?”

“Walking is a bit uncomfortable due to burn scars.”

He smiled kindly and brought his hand to Blanche’s head, then withdrew it.

“It’s okay! Shu Shu, you can pat me!”

“…Really?”

With Blanche’s permission, Duke Belaste reached out again and stroked her hair.

“You really do resemble her so much.”

“Who does Shu Shu resemble?”

“You resemble my daughter. Amazingly so. It’s like seeing her childhood again.”

Duke Belaste’s voice faltered, as if overcome with emotion.

‘…Pretending to be sad.’

The more I watched, the more nauseated I felt.

“Do I look a lot like Shu Shu? I want to see Shu Shu too!”

“She left for a very far place long ago.”

“A far place? Then, can’t I see her again?”

It was incomparably more disgusting than when I met Duchess Belaste and Uriel.

“That’s right. I can’t see her again, so I feel even more sorry.”

Duke Belaste wiped away flowing tears.

“If I couldn’t love her, I shouldn’t have… hated or resented her. I treated her harshly. Perhaps, for my whole life.”

“Don’t cry…”

“I showed you an unsightly side of me. I’m sorry.”

“Can I ask why you did that?”

“…I was strict because I worried people might look down on her if she seemed like a motherless child.”

It was a pathetic lie.

I had never felt affection in that stern gaze.

It was just a rationalization to ease his conscience.

Didn’t he try to force me into the crown princess selection to forge ties with the royal family? When things went awry, he poured out all sorts of sharp admonitions.

“Then you didn’t hate her, you were just worried.”

Duke Belaste slowly shook his head in denial at Blanche’s words.

“No, I hated her. Even knowing I shouldn’t, I suddenly thought that if she hadn’t existed, I might not have lost the one I loved.”

…This too was an excuse I had heard to the point of nausea.

“When she would act spoiled, I felt both pity and anger. As time passed, I realized.”

“…”

“I wasn’t angry at her, but at myself for not being a proper father.”

How selfish.

Trying to portray himself as just an inept father to the unknowing Blanche.

‘When you never even thought of her as a daughter.’

Duchess Belaste’s regret was dismissible.

“If I had loved her, things might have been different.”

But his regret was unbearably disgusting.

“Ah, child. I forgot to ask your name.”

“Shu Shu is…!”

I didn’t want him to know Blanche’s name. I disliked that Blanche was included in my past life.

“Mama!”

“Come here.”

I opened the lounge door and beckoned to Blanche.

Blanche put down the cane, got off the sofa, and ran over.

“…I heard about your father. Earl Boston. I offer my condolences. So you were the Earl’s daughter.”

“Why did you send Mary out?”

“If it displeased you, I apologize.”

Since when had Duke Belaste become so quick to apologize?

‘You’ve changed so much.’

Not just that. His appearance was markedly different from 5 years ago.

His wrinkles had increased, his hair had turned white, and his once-sharp purple eyes had faded.

“I heard Mary went out before the incident at the annex. If that hadn’t been the case… I felt resentful thinking my daughter might not have ended up that way.”

The Mary Duke Belaste spoke of was me, who had changed my appearance by drinking a potion.

Perhaps that’s why. Anger rose in me at him for blaming others until the end.

The day I last spoke with him.

‘…You said it. That you wished you had the chance to choose your mother, not you.’

There are words that became eternal wounds, still lodged in my heart.

‘I already tried to dissuade Rachel from giving birth to you. I wished you would not be born. Yet Rachel chose you and died.’

Anyone else might be different, but Duke Belaste shouldn’t be like this.

‘If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have lost Rachel. I hate you. I hate you desperately for craving my affection. Don’t expect anything from me.’

Do you remember?

‘What you said to me.’

I have never forgotten for a moment the words you spoke to me, calling me foolish and sentimental.

“That’s not why she died.”

“…Earl.”

“The one who drove her to death was you, Duke.”

I returned those words I had heard in Rachel’s room.

“Never pretend to know my daughter again. Though I suppose we won’t meet after today anyway.”

“Your father also looked at me like an enemy after Rachel died. You’re the same, Earl.”

“If a daughter doesn’t take after her father, who else would she take after?”

My father was only one person – Earl Boston.

Duke Belaste’s daughter had long been dead.

I immediately left the lounge with Blanche.

“Mama, are you crying?”

“…Mama’s not crying, Blanche.”

My vision wasn’t blurry, and no tears came out. I was in an utterly dry state.

“No. Mama’s eyes look sad. Crying isn’t just when tears come out. Having sad eyes is crying too.”

Blanche hugged my waist.

“Shu Shu doesn’t want Mama to be sad.”

I smiled at the warm comfort and kissed Blanche’s cheek.

“Blanche. Is Mama still crying?”

“No! You’re smiling now!”

I took the mask from Mary and put it on Blanche.

“Is it not stuffy?”

“Mm, it’s fine. I can breathe well!”

It was almost time for the wedding to start.

When we went to the venue, Ayla was taking deep breaths repeatedly, seeming nervous.

Jade stood next to her, staring blankly with no expression on his face.

“Jade, aren’t you sad or anything that your only little sister is getting married?”

“…Not particularly.”

Jade didn’t add any more words. His indifferent response was typical of his usual personality.

“Ayla. Congratulations on your marriage.”

“…Elder sister, I’m so nervous right now that my heart feels like it’s going to jump out.”

The servant at the door informed us it was time to enter.

Ayla took a deep breath and linked arms with Jade.

As the doors opened, they slowly stepped forward.

At the end of the aisle, Jade stepped to the side.

“In the presence of Stella, we will now proceed with the wedding ceremony.”

The pope standing at the officiant’s podium announced the start of the wedding.

“Viscount Jeremy Lumiere, Lady Ayla Rowe.”

The pope called the names of the groom and bride.

“Do you swear before Stella to always respect and love each other, no matter the circumstances?”

Viscount Lumiere immediately answered the pope’s solemn voice.

“I will always respect and love her.”

Ayla looked at Jade once before speaking belatedly.

“…I swear.”

The pope rang the bell three times and made the sign of the cross. Viscount Lumiere turned to Ayla and bowed.

Ayla faced him and bowed with her hand on her chest.

Now it was time for Blanche to enter and deliver the rings.

I put two pairs of rings in a small box into the flower basket and placed it in Blanche’s hands.

“Blanche, just go out bravely and hand it over. Okay?”

“Mm…!”

Blanche walked towards the front. I went to the guest seats to watch her.

‘She seems very nervous.’

Blanche’s movements as she scattered flowers on the aisle were stiff.

She was undoubtedly extremely tense.

“Oh my, who is that young lady?”

“Yes, she’s so adorable.”

As all the guests’ attention focused on her, Blanche stopped, unable to move forward.

Unlike during practice, the venue was filled with guests, which seemed to frighten her.

Blanche turned slightly to look at me.

I mouthed that it was okay, reassuring her.

‘…Blanche!’

As Blanche started moving forward again, her feet tangled and she fell.