Estelle’s eyes reddened, and dew-like tears welled up.

“I, I didn’t know you thought of me that way.”

Estelle looked pitifully sad, like a handful of flowers. Diana, of course, Queen Isabella, and even Hessen sighed at Estelle’s frail appearance.

Her trembling shoulders and a face that seemed ready to cry made her look too pitiful.

Miryu gritted her teeth inwardly.

‘It was a trap!’

So, without a doubt, the situation was deliberately set up for Miryu to misunderstand.

‘That disgusting woman!’

Rage surged within Miryu. She wanted to expose Estelle’s true identity immediately, but any action now would only make Miryu look worse.

And that was exactly what Estelle had aimed for.

‘Why did I stupidly let you expose me like this?’

There were so many better ways than this.

Becoming friends with Princess Diana was purely coincidental.

Diana, having done many wrongs to Miryu, quickly developed a liking for Miryu, as Miryu reciprocated genuine affection. Even though there were unpleasant incidents, Miryu didn’t dislike Princess Diana, who showed sincere goodwill.

However, Miryu couldn’t completely separate Diana from herself.

‘If Miryu finds out, it’ll be a mess.’

Miryu would jump with joy just knowing that I became friends with Princess Diana. And she would likely misunderstand my intentions.

Since it had come to this, I decided to use this opportunity more cleverly.

After all, Diana, who liked me, also wanted to know the truth about what happened between me and Miryu.

“But Estelle, can I ask you about what happened with Miryu sister?”

Every time, I evaded the question.

“Really? Did Miryu tell Diana something like that?”

“Why? Is there something different from what Estelle knows?”

“Well, no. Miryu is soon to be family with Diana.”

To make Diana more curious. And then, I praised Miryu. To make it a little more suspicious.

“Even though they have drifted apart now, Miryu is a good girl. She treated Diana so well.”

“But now, I’m not sure if that was true.”

“Just because something bad happened once doesn’t mean you have to see everything as bad. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”

As suspicion continued to accumulate, Diana invited me to the Royum Mansion.

“It’s the day Estelle, as the Juuti Viscountess, will go more comfortably since the sister is away.”

The time I had been waiting for had come.

Contrary to my plan, Miryu suddenly returned, but that only made things work out better. Anxious Miryu only performed stupid actions, exactly what I chose.

“Oh, Mother. Hessen, this is a trap.”

So, I decided to make Miryu an even more definite trash.

“That girl intentionally led me to make a slip of the tongue!”

“…Ugh.”
I eventually couldn’t hold back my tears, shedding them pathetically as if I couldn’t help it. Diana embraced me and exclaimed,

“Young sister, do you think such unreasonable words will work now?”

“Diana, you’re being deceived by Estelle. Listen to me first.”

Miryu tried to console Diana with an aggrieved voice.

“Deceived?”

However, those words only fueled Diana’s anger.

“What misunderstanding could there be here? Everyone here is a witness!”

Diana retorted unreservedly.

“You, Sister, previously said it was an accident. But now it’s Estelle’s play? I’m not sure if anything that comes out of your mouth is true anymore.”

“Diana.”

Miryu called Diana’s name earnestly.

“We’ve been doing well more than anyone else. But suddenly turning like this, is it really a coincidence?”

“If it’s not a coincidence?”

Diana’s grip on my shoulders tightened. She applied pressure to my chin, grinding her teeth.

“Is this all Estelle’s fault? Because, as you said earlier, she has been jealous of you since the past?”

“It’s not like that. Rather than that…”

“Don’t look at me so stupidly.”

Disdain flickered in Diana’s orange eyes.

The atmosphere around was also unkind to Miryu. Just as Miryu was about to look at Hessen with a tearful expression, that’s when I stepped forward.

“Sorry, Miryu!”

With a very sad expression, I earnestly grabbed her hand.

“It’s all because of me. If I had just stayed still, you could have gotten married safely.”

Miryu’s face, which was about to burst into tears, stiffened.

“What is this—”

“Diana, Crown Prince Hessen, and Queen Royum.”

I slowly looked around at the Royum royals who were looking at Miryu with hostile gazes, lowering my long eyelashes tenderly. Then, with a poignant voice, I appealed,

“Please don’t judge Miryu too harshly. This is not Miryu’s fault.”

Crown Prince Hessen asked skeptically,

“What are you talking about?”

“…Well, it’s because I became friends with Diana without Miryu’s permission. If I hadn’t become friends with Diana, Miryu wouldn’t have to go through all this hardship now.”

Naturally, Diana was not silent.

“Estelle, what are you talking about? Becoming friends with me?”

“As you all may have noticed, Miryu didn’t want me to have a friendly relationship with the Royum royal family. She was afraid it might misunderstand her bad reputation.”

“That’s absurd—”