Back then, my sister was only eight years old. An age to be scared of ghosts enough. I’m uneasy in this strange room now. Why didn’t I think that my sister would be afraid of ghosts?

My sister’s face came to mind. The face that was always smiling a step back.

How could my sister always have a smiling face? If it was because she was used to not showing it when it was hard…

How many things that I carelessly overlooked must have hurt my sister?

The inside of her throat felt as if it was scratched by something sharp. The tip of her nose stung and felt choked up. I can’t cry like a fool in the duke’s house.

Esella hurriedly stood up from her seat. Today was not the day to see her sister.

Later, I had to come back later. I had to send a letter that really thought about my sister, not the shallow sorry I thought.

It was the moment when Esella was approaching the door. The door opened, and a familiar face came in.

“Sis, sister.”

“…Esella.”

The person who opened her beautiful green eyes wide as if she couldn’t believe it was Olivia. As the thought that this might be the last chance passed, Esella’s mouth opened.

“Sister, I have so many things to apologize for to you. Coming like this as well.”

Her voice trembled enough to be tearful. It was an incoherent word, not even knowing what she was saying.

Olivia looked at me without saying anything. This was the first time I saw an expression that I couldn’t read her emotions, and Esella was suddenly scared.

It seemed that her sister would turn around and leave at any moment. Esella’s heart sank. So she started saying what she wanted to say without even organizing it.

“…Sister, I came to apologize to you. I’m sorry for coming suddenly. But no matter what I think, I shouldn’t have said that to you.”

Esella closed her eyes tightly. The words I said became tangled in her head.

“Did our mother really die… because of you?”

“Don’t touch me! Dirty!”

“It was because of you, sister. Mom suddenly disappeared. It was all because of you!”

I blamed her carelessly, and I judged her carelessly. How could I say that to my sister?

“…I shouldn’t have overlooked what father and brothers did to my sister.”

What if I had taken my sister’s side even once? If I said I was going to the Veronia tea party with my sister. If I had handed it to my father instead, every time he ignored my sister’s juice.

The past things shattered like glass fragments and stuck in my heart. Irreversible things surged.

“I shouldn’t have had a hard time in the palace instead of me, sister.”

“…….”
“……Even if it was in the scary attic of the fourth floor, where only my sister was, it shouldn’t have happened.”

The more she spoke, the less she could open her eyes to see her sister’s face. Esella’s voice gradually broke.

She shouldn’t cry. There’s still so much to say.

Suddenly, Esella opened her eyes. If all of this was the end, she wanted to see her sister’s face at least once. When she raised her head and faced Olivia, Esella couldn’t think of anything.

The last time she saw her sister’s face, it had turned deathly pale. But now, her sister was sparkling more beautifully than she had ever seen.

As if being here was the most comfortable thing.

And the moment she realized that fact, Esella bit her lip tightly. She bit down really hard, but it didn’t hurt. Esella mumbled.

“……Ah, what do I do?”

It was a trembling sigh, full of helplessness. Esella’s nose turned red, and then transparent tears began to well up above her purple amethyst eyes.

“Sister, I’m sorry. Really, really sorry.”

Esella choked back sobs, pulling on her dress sleeve to wipe her face. Olivia, who had been staring blankly at Esella, didn’t just impulsively grab Esella’s arm.

When Esella looked at Olivia with a surprised face, Olivia’s confused mind settled down a little bit.

Esella didn’t understand everything that was being said, but Olivia slowly raised her finger and tapped Esella’s pretty forehead.

“Ah!”

At the sudden flick, Esella stopped crying and looked up at Olivia. Olivia put on a stern face.

“That’s something you really did wrong, Esella.”

She was very, very upset. Olivia had been tormented for a long time by Esella’s words, but she forcefully swallowed down her anger, even at Esella’s attitude for not listening to her.

It seemed to be the same for Esella. Tears welled up again in her eyes.

“But. Other than that.”

Olivia paused for a moment. Other than the words Esella had said to me, the things Esella apologized for.

“The other thing, it’s not your fault, Esella.”

“No. That too is….”

Esella lowered her head and spoke again. Olivia gently grabbed Esella’s shoulder. Esella’s body was hot, perhaps from crying. Just like when she was a child. So Olivia could speak more clearly.

“Esella, it’s not your fault.”

“It’s not your fault, little one.”

The image of the Duchess floated above Esella’s face.

Kind, gentle, and infinitely elegant. Never blaming Olivia, even with a tearful face.

Growing up, Olivia realized how hard it was to blame the Duke Madelreine, her husband, instead of blaming her, who was the easiest to blame.

It would be a lie if Olivia said she wasn’t angry with Esella. But she didn’t want to blame everything on Esella.

Because the Duchess taught her so.

So even if the Duke hated her, and Conrad and Jade despised her. Being in the scary attic of the fourth floor.

“You apologized for what you said. It’s okay.”

Everything was the fault of the Duke, and Conrad and Jade.

“So don’t cry.”

She said not to cry, but as soon as she heard that, Esella began to cry even louder. Tears continuously fell on her round face. It would hurt her head if she cried like that.

Instinctively reaching to wipe away the tears, Olivia hesitated. She hadn’t comforted Esella in a very long time. She thought she shouldn’t approach Esella.

But now it was different. Olivia awkwardly patted Esella’s shoulder. Once, twice. Esella’s eyes widened.

Suddenly, Esella hugged Olivia. An unfamiliar warmth enveloped Olivia, and at the same time, the crying Esella patted her back.

Esella had always seemed so young, but her embrace was warm.

Her hand, patting her, felt awkward.

Without realizing it, Olivia hugged Esella back. When the warmth spread from the middle of her palm outward for the first time in a very long time.