Chapter 3 part 3

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

“I know that very well. However, out of the blue, such a handsome young butler appeared and is accompanying you, and you even cover up for him. Doesn’t it look suspicious to anyone who sees it? Even more so considering Older Sister’s fiancé’s reputation.”

… This bitch, what is she saying? What about his reputation? My fiancé is much stronger and cuter than the cunning prince! Well, it’s true that Sieg is more handsome, but anyway, he’s not on a level with my past self, you know? Anyone who falls behind me are six of one and half a dozen of the other. I glared at Roanne and coldly said.

“It’s truly ridiculous to insist on that kind of indecent speculation. I swear upon my life that I love my fiancé.”

I don’t love him yet, but I plan to do so, so let’s just leave it at that. Roanne snorted at my words.

“Based on the butler’s expression, it’s not like that at all, though?”

Her words sent chills down my spine at that moment. What? What’s with his expression? I can’t see it! Sieg! What the hell are you up to? Just then, in the midst of the buzz of the crowd, a woman’s voice with a high-pitched tone could be heard.

“Older Brother! You came.”

I felt my head aching when I heard the voice that was full of joy. That sort of line at this timing, I’m sure both of you plotted this together. Obviously, I didn’t know when she would show up at the banquet which Sieg asked her to hold, but why is she showing up in a surprising manner?

As I refrained from sighing and looked back, the gorgeous platinum-haired beauty was smiling brilliantly. She’s literally sparkling with a dazzlingly beautiful face, but that sparkle is due to the chandelier’s light and her hair color, and absolutely not that I’ve fallen in love with Lady Kidea. Anyway, she’s indeed beautiful.

People began to talk in whispers with a surprised look on their face at the word ‘brother’. At the center of everyone’s attention filled with curiosity, Lady Kidea looked at the people around us one by one with an elegant gesture.

“By the way, it looks like there was some sort of commotion.”

She tilted her head as if she hadn’t completely expected the current situation to happen.

And then…

“Oh my goodness!”

Lady Kidea blurted out in a startled voice while touching Sieg’s cheek with one of her fingers. So that part was where Roanne hit him. There’s almost no trace of him getting slapped, but she is very observant. The lady’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly so as not to spoil her pretty face.

“How on earth did this happen, Older Brother Siegfred?”

The gazes that had been secretly wandering around to search for who exactly Lady Kidea was referring to as her older brother, were fixated on Sieg in an instant. Our prince, the self-proclaimed butler, took a step back and avoided the Lady’s touch with a bitter look on his face.

“You’re asking an unexpected question, Kidea. There’s nothing strange about a pathetic person, who was kicked out of the Duchy, to get beaten.”

“Kicked out?! Older Brother, who the hell spread such a ludicrous remark! It’s unforgivable.”

… Uh, I think those two make a good team and they are really good at acting in harmony, so can’t I leave the stage now? It’s too much for me who is just a supporting role. I just want to go back home. I want to see Captain Jullius so much.

To begin with, actually it’s a secret that Sieg, the first prince of the Duchy, was a clergy, but his existence wasn’t hidden per se. Even though there is an eldest son, for some reason the second prince will become the next successor. In other words, it was known that he was supposed to be the successor. As I see it, the two brother and sister are making up a story that Sieg who was kicked out of the Duchy, was hiding his identity and living in the Empire… but the people around us were listening attentively to the story that was being woven into the conversation with an interested look on their face. Except for two people.

The son of Marquis something and Roanne looked perplexed, especially Roanne, who became completely pale and kept glancing at Sieg nervously. At the cold eyes without any warmth in the slightest, Roanne turned deadly pale and her shoulders were trembling.

“I, I… I didn’t know! He’s just a butler so… My older sister said he’s a butler!”

Roanne blurted out an excuse to justify herself and abruptly pulled my arm. I don’t want to get involved, so let go of me. I wanted to draw my arm out, but Roanne clung to me as if she was desperately willing to do anything to survive.

(T/N: 죽자 살자 is an idiom which literally translated as ‘to die and survive attitude’. It means to make all-out efforts at the risk of one’s life.)

For now, I think it’ll look bad if I shake her off since we’re sisters, so what should I do?

“You clearly said he’s a butler, right, Older Sister?!”

“Uh, well… yeah, I did.”

Since I knew of Sieg’s identity, it made me feel like I was also an accomplice, so I nodded my head passively. At my response, a look of relief pervaded Roanne’s face.

“Look at this! I really didn’t know, I made a mistake thinking that he’s really an ordinary butler! Your Ladyship, I truly feel wronged!”

She appealed earnestly and kept holding onto my arm tightly as if it were a lifeline. Actually, what she said wasn’t wrong. Some bystanders seemed to sympathize with Roanne, because they themselves also absolutely wouldn’t be pleased to meet the Imperial Family or other royalty who hid their identity. What’s going to happen now?

“You felt wronged, huh?”

Lady Kidea stepped forward and looked down at Roanne. This lady is quite tall. Her purple eyes that are darker than Roanne’s contain a trace of contempt.

“If that’s so, let’s hear what’s going on first. What is your name?”

“M, my name is Roanne Epheria. I’m the second daughter of Count Epheria.”

Roanne quickly let go of my arm and hurriedly bowed her head.

“Roanne Epheria. Why did you persecute my older brother?”

“I, I thought he’s just an ordinary butler, so…..”

“This Lady asked about your reason. The fact that he is a butler isn’t an excuse to slap him. Or, does the imperial law allow commiting violence against innocent people since someone is a noble?”

(T/N: fyi, actually whenever the raw mentioned Lady Kidea, she was referred to as ‘the lady of the Duke’s household’ as her title, in which I shortened it to just ‘Lady’. Meanwhile, the mc was referred to as ‘the esteemed daughter of the Count’s household, in which I used ‘Miss’ to differentiate.)

“N, no!”

Roanne hurriedly shook her head, but actually, it’s rare for nobles to get into trouble just because they hit a commoner on the cheek. That is to say, whether there is a reason or not.

“That, so… Your Ladyship’s older brother, uh, made an insulting remark to me…”

“Tell me in details.”

“He said I might not be a descendant of Count Epheria.”

Roanne’s cheeks were slightly red as she answered. It was humiliating for nobles to speak of a scandal about themselves with their own mouth. Whether Roanne was ashamed or not, the Lady had a businesslike attitude and her reaction was dry.

“Is it true?”

“No!”

“However, Roanne Epheria.”

Lady Kidea raised one of her eyebrows.

“This Lady has also heard of the tragedy of Count Epheria’s household. The current head of the Count’s family can be said to be the eldest daughter, Silla Epheria, and recently she has been preparing to establish the new Count’s household, but I wonder how come you, Roanne Epheria, entrust yourself to an unrelated place. As far as I know, you’re staying at Marquis Stevel’s household, aren’t you?”

“That’s my fiancé–“

“It’s not decided yet!”

The Marquis’ son, who has just been watching with his mouth shut all along, suddenly stepped in.

“Miss Roanne Epheria lost her parents and had no place to rely on, so we only accepted her for a while. Our Marquis Stevel’s house isn’t that deeply involved with her.”

“Lord Krail!”

Roanne shouted with a look full of betrayal, but Krail bowed politely to the Lady and Sieg then left the place in a hurry. That’s a quick calculation. Since a member of a Duke’s family with royal blood is attending to me, does he think that his plan to marry Roanne to take over the Count Epheria’s household has gone down the drain? Roanne, who was dumped by her fiancé in the blink of an eye, staggered while looking at Krail’s back as he walked away. She reaped what she sowed but now I just feel sorry for her. If she had taken her share of the inheritance without being greedy, she could have lived comfortably without having to suffer such humiliation.

“Since your fiancé is gone, you’ll have to return to Count Epheria’s household.”

“That, that’s…..”

“Or, do you have other ulterior motives? For example, getting rid of the legitimate older sister and taking over the Count Epheria’s household–“

“No!”

Roanne denied it with a face that looked like she was about to cry.

“Such a thing, I absolutely… never had such thoughts…”

It’s over. By making such declaration in the public, the nobles that aimed for the Count’s household by sponsoring Roanne would be as good as none. Besides, the target is to gain a favor from the Lady, isn’t it? With this, Sieg has killed two birds with one stone. He also forced Roanne to reveal her identity by herself with a little scheme.

“I understand.”

Lady Kidea’s voice became gentle as if she had become someone else. At the same time, the way she spoke had also changed into using honorifics.

“I’ll be generous and let Miss Roanne’s mistake slide, since everyone makes mistakes.”

She said this furtively, as if Roanne was the only one who had done something wrong, but the girl whose eyes were brimming with tears, had no energy left to refute.

“… Thank you.”

“It seems like your partner also has left, wouldn’t it be better for you to go back?”

“…… Yes.”

“I’ll have someone escort you to my carriage.”

The Lady made a gesture to summon an attendant. Roanne was led by an attendant and left the banquet hall helplessly. I don’t think the Marquis’ household is going to accept her. I wonder where they are going to send her.