(47) I don't know the reason for that feeling. (1)
From the day after returning to the North, Cyrus was busy without a moment to breathe. He punished those who needed to be punished, rewarded those who needed to be rewarded, and killed those who needed to be killed.
After several days of not sleeping properly and solving practical matters, when he found some free time, Cyrus rode out of the castle.
Although it was April, as he rode through the North, still covered in snow, the blue sky caught his eye. A clear sky that resembled Ariana's hair.
Suddenly, he wondered.
No, actually, even in the midst of the breathlessness, during the brief pauses for breath, he wondered.
'What is Ariana doing now?'
Three weeks had passed since Ariana arrived in the East.
In the meantime, the Eastern Duke had captured and killed the spy sent from the West, and Rachel, who had been waiting for news of the spy, finally sent a telegram to the Countess.
"Is Your Excellency with Ariana?"
The Duke replied.
[ No. ]
Meanwhile, he secretly corresponded with witnesses to prepare for the trial. The maids who had been kicked out of the Bronte household were a little hesitant, but the witnesses Ariana had mentioned readily agreed to come forward.
Preparations for the trial to regain custody progressed steadily, and now all that remained was to notify Rachel.
For three weeks, Ariana felt so comfortable that it was embarrassing to feel nervous.
Catherine, the maid assigned to her by the late Duchess Carradine, moved around like a servant without any sign of surveillance, and most of the maids who came and went were kind and polite to Ariana.
Fellowes, who occasionally visited, was as blunt as ever, and even Langsty, who was relatively cool, showed no sign of checking Ariana's usefulness.
Breakfast and lunch were often separate, but in the evening, she always went to the dining room and had dinner with Russell and the late Duke and his wife. What had initially been awkward and tense was slowly becoming more comfortable.
The East was slightly cooler than the West, but it had a refreshingly crisp air. It also rained less often than West, so the sky was always clear.
In the West, she always had chores to do, but in the East, she wasn't given any orders, so she had nothing to do. This was the first time she's ever spent this much time doing nothing, and she didn't know what to do with her spare time. A knock came, followed by a clear voice.
"Get out of the way. What permission do I need to enter my sister's room?"
From the day after returning to the North, Cyrus was busy without a moment to breathe. He punished those who needed to be punished, rewarded those who needed to be rewarded, and killed those who needed to be killed.
After several days of not sleeping properly and solving practical matters, when he found some free time, Cyrus rode out of the castle.
Although it was April, as he rode through the North, still covered in snow, the blue sky caught his eye. A clear sky that resembled Ariana's hair.
Suddenly, he wondered.
No, actually, even in the midst of the breathlessness, during the brief pauses for breath, he wondered.
'What is Ariana doing now?'
***
Three weeks had passed since Ariana arrived in the East.
In the meantime, the Eastern Duke had captured and killed the spy sent from the West, and Rachel, who had been waiting for news of the spy, finally sent a telegram to the Countess.
"Is Your Excellency with Ariana?"
The Duke replied.
[ No. ]
Meanwhile, he secretly corresponded with witnesses to prepare for the trial. The maids who had been kicked out of the Bronte household were a little hesitant, but the witnesses Ariana had mentioned readily agreed to come forward.
Preparations for the trial to regain custody progressed steadily, and now all that remained was to notify Rachel.
For three weeks, Ariana felt so comfortable that it was embarrassing to feel nervous.
Catherine, the maid assigned to her by the late Duchess Carradine, moved around like a servant without any sign of surveillance, and most of the maids who came and went were kind and polite to Ariana.
Fellowes, who occasionally visited, was as blunt as ever, and even Langsty, who was relatively cool, showed no sign of checking Ariana's usefulness.
Breakfast and lunch were often separate, but in the evening, she always went to the dining room and had dinner with Russell and the late Duke and his wife. What had initially been awkward and tense was slowly becoming more comfortable.
The East was slightly cooler than the West, but it had a refreshingly crisp air. It also rained less often than West, so the sky was always clear.
In the West, she always had chores to do, but in the East, she wasn't given any orders, so she had nothing to do. This was the first time she's ever spent this much time doing nothing, and she didn't know what to do with her spare time. A knock came, followed by a clear voice.
"Get out of the way. What permission do I need to enter my sister's room?"
The door swung open, and Isabelle entered, her gorgeous lime green dress billowing. With her long, navy hair tied back in a ponytail and sparkling blue eyes, Isabelle looked vibrant. It was the first time Ariana seen Isabelle since the White family gathered for a meal shortly after arriving at the mansion. Isabelle stopped in front of Ariana and frowned.
"Are you still like that?"
"Miss Isabelle, stop it," Catherine said softly, but Isabelle ignored her.
“I told you, you don’t wear that color these days. Isn’t His Excellency buying you a dress?”
“I have more than enough.”
Ariana’s closet was overflowing with dresses. Since arriving in the East, she’d been eating well and resting, gaining weight. Whenever a dress got a little too small, Catherine must have reported it to Russell, and the tailor would come by to take her measurements and make her a new one. She wondered if she’d ever be able to wear all those dresses.
“They’re all pink, anyway?”
Isabelle entered the dressing room without asking permission and checked the closet.
“Look, look. I knew it. His Excellency has no sense.”
Ariana stood there, unsure of what Isabelle wanted to do, watching her. Isabelle returned to Ariana and grabbed her hand.
“Let’s go.”
“Where?”
“ Where? A dress shop. I’ll buy you a dress that’s the latest fashion, perfect for you.”
“Lady Isabelle, I...”
“Didn’t I tell you not to do that?”
Isabelle shouted.
“If you say that Isabelle thing again, I’ll swear at you? I’m barely holding back right now.”
“...”
“Call me sister. And stop using that annoying formal speech. Oh, you’re really acting nice. You’re unlucky.”
She turned to Catherine for help, but Catherine just smiled awkwardly.
‘Yeah, it seems like everyone in the family is having a hard time handling it, so there’s no way Catherine can handle it.’
Ariana decided to do as Isabelle wanted.
“Yes, sister.”
Isabelle smiled brightly at Ariana. It was a refreshing smile like ripe fruit.
“Ah, it’s a bit low. Let’s go, we need to get ready for the festival. Now that I’ve got my dress tailored, it’s almost finished.”
“Festival?”
“Yes, the East holds a festival called the Bounty Festival from May 6th to 8th. It’s a festival to pray for a good harvest this year. Every house and store sets out delicious food and treats for people. A lot of vendors come, so it’s so much fun.”
Isabelle held Ariana’s hand tightly and walked down the hallway, constantly praising how exciting the Bounty Festival was.
When Isabelle paused for a moment, Ariana said,
“But Sister, I can’t let anyone find out I’m still in the East.”
“It’s okay, I have permission.”
“To whom?”
“Of course, His Excellency the Duke.”
“Isabelle, you’re lying again.”
A stern voice from behind her made Isabelle freeze. Ariana stopped walking and slowly turned around.
Carradine was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at her with an angry expression.
Isabelle laughed awkwardly.
“Grandma...”
“Where are you taking Ariana?”
“Hey, those clothes are so bad. If she goes out wearing something like this, the ladies will only laugh at her.”
“She looks pretty to me.”
“Pretty in Grandma’s eyes is useless. Grandma, you’re already old.”
Ariana was speechless at Isabelle’s rudeness. How dare you say something like that out loud?
But Carradine’s expression didn’t change, as if this were a common occurrence.
“Don’t you know that Ariana shouldn’t be seen by others?”
“So what? Her hair is light blue, so unless someone tells you, you’d never guess she’s from the White family. I can’t stand seeing my sister go to the festival like this. I’m going to buy her a dress.”
Isabelle seemed determined to take Ariana with her. Finally, Carradine chuckled and said,
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter since it’s the final stages anyway. Take an escort. Don’t go anywhere dangerous.”
The Western Duke received a report that the Chief of Investigation in Weston City had been secretly in contact with an outsider.
“He was dressed as a peddler, but his aura was different. I chased him when he left the city gate, but he didn’t go far before he disappeared.”
After Ariana went missing, the Western Duke was also concerned about her whereabouts. Although she was still a child who didn’t know anything, if she spoke the wrong way, the reputation of not only the Bronte family but also the Oblen family could be tarnished.
Rachel told him that the Eastern Duke had replied “No” to a telegram asking about Ariana’s whereabouts, but the Western Duke didn’t believe her. So she recruited capable individuals and infiltrated the city of Elles.
‘A child’s only hope would be her parents. The Eastern Duke is a very affectionate man, so he would have embraced his own daughter.’
Then, the Eastern Duke’s plan was clear.
To regain custody of Ariana, he would try to gather evidence of abuse. So he placed surveillance on anyone who could testify.
The one at the forefront was the head of the investigation bureau, an Imperial agency.
Born of the Empire and personally selected and dispatched by the Emperor, his testimony would determine the outcome of the custody battle.
"He's not someone who's swayed by money, so we have no choice but to eliminate him."
Killing the head of the investigation bureau, an Imperial agency, was a huge risk, but it was unavoidable. The family's reputation couldn't be damaged any further.
"If custody of that young woman passes to the Eastern Duke, the rumors now spreading will become true, and even those who weren't interested will become interested. We must do something before that happens."
“Festival?”
“Yes, the East holds a festival called the Bounty Festival from May 6th to 8th. It’s a festival to pray for a good harvest this year. Every house and store sets out delicious food and treats for people. A lot of vendors come, so it’s so much fun.”
Isabelle held Ariana’s hand tightly and walked down the hallway, constantly praising how exciting the Bounty Festival was.
When Isabelle paused for a moment, Ariana said,
“But Sister, I can’t let anyone find out I’m still in the East.”
“It’s okay, I have permission.”
“To whom?”
“Of course, His Excellency the Duke.”
“Isabelle, you’re lying again.”
A stern voice from behind her made Isabelle freeze. Ariana stopped walking and slowly turned around.
Carradine was standing there with her arms crossed, looking at her with an angry expression.
Isabelle laughed awkwardly.
“Grandma...”
“Where are you taking Ariana?”
“Hey, those clothes are so bad. If she goes out wearing something like this, the ladies will only laugh at her.”
“She looks pretty to me.”
“Pretty in Grandma’s eyes is useless. Grandma, you’re already old.”
Ariana was speechless at Isabelle’s rudeness. How dare you say something like that out loud?
But Carradine’s expression didn’t change, as if this were a common occurrence.
“Don’t you know that Ariana shouldn’t be seen by others?”
“So what? Her hair is light blue, so unless someone tells you, you’d never guess she’s from the White family. I can’t stand seeing my sister go to the festival like this. I’m going to buy her a dress.”
Isabelle seemed determined to take Ariana with her. Finally, Carradine chuckled and said,
“Yeah, it doesn’t matter since it’s the final stages anyway. Take an escort. Don’t go anywhere dangerous.”
***
The Western Duke received a report that the Chief of Investigation in Weston City had been secretly in contact with an outsider.
“He was dressed as a peddler, but his aura was different. I chased him when he left the city gate, but he didn’t go far before he disappeared.”
After Ariana went missing, the Western Duke was also concerned about her whereabouts. Although she was still a child who didn’t know anything, if she spoke the wrong way, the reputation of not only the Bronte family but also the Oblen family could be tarnished.
Rachel told him that the Eastern Duke had replied “No” to a telegram asking about Ariana’s whereabouts, but the Western Duke didn’t believe her. So she recruited capable individuals and infiltrated the city of Elles.
‘A child’s only hope would be her parents. The Eastern Duke is a very affectionate man, so he would have embraced his own daughter.’
Then, the Eastern Duke’s plan was clear.
To regain custody of Ariana, he would try to gather evidence of abuse. So he placed surveillance on anyone who could testify.
The one at the forefront was the head of the investigation bureau, an Imperial agency.
Born of the Empire and personally selected and dispatched by the Emperor, his testimony would determine the outcome of the custody battle.
"He's not someone who's swayed by money, so we have no choice but to eliminate him."
Killing the head of the investigation bureau, an Imperial agency, was a huge risk, but it was unavoidable. The family's reputation couldn't be damaged any further.
"If custody of that young woman passes to the Eastern Duke, the rumors now spreading will become true, and even those who weren't interested will become interested. We must do something before that happens."
The Western Duke gave an order to his confidant.
"Keep a close eye on the Investigation Bureau, and if you see any signs of leaving the West area, kill him before he sets foot on Imperial soil. Cover it up as the work of Paganus or a thief."
As they rode in the carriage, Isabelle, who had been sitting across from Ariana with her arms crossed, asked,
"I heard your mother abused you terribly? Is that true?"
"Yes, it is true."
"Did she beat you?"
“Yeah. They locked you up in jail and didn’t even give me food for days.”
“Ha. You crazy bastard. Does she do that to her own daughter?”
“Yeah. She did that to her own daughter, too.”
Ariana snickered back, but Isabelle stared at her and asked.
“So you don’t trust us? Do you think we’d beat you up and lock you up like that crazy woman?”
Ariana just smiled and didn’t answer.
How should she explain it? Her past life. That miserable life of being used by everyone and then abandoned.
The kind people had their own motives, and the gentle people had their own secrets. They were at fault, but it was also her fault for trusting them like a fool.
She shouldn’t have trusted them. She shouldn’t have given her heart to anyone to protect herself.
So that’s how she decided to live this life.
She vowed to protect herself with a solid wall, never being loved by anyone, never loving anyone.
“Well, yes. I understand. But His Excellency won’t hit you. It’s not that his appearance is scary, but he’s a kind person. He cries a lot. He missed you so much.”
A lie.
Ariana cast her gaze out the carriage window.
If he had missed her so much, he would have come. He would have walked through the fire. He would have somehow rescued her from that hell.
'If he had even tried, I would have endured an even worse hell for him all back then.'
A lonely smile spread across Ariana’s lips, and Isabelle fell silent.
She didn’t know what words of comfort to offer Ariana, who, despite being small and young, somehow felt more mature than she did. Isabelle had lived her whole life as she pleased, but it was difficult to act selfishly in front of someone who smiled like that.
But that was only for a moment, before Isabelle burst into tears and said,
“Hey, stop being so conscious of others.”
“Yes?”
“If you want to be angry, let it be!”
Isabelle stretched out both hands and pinched Ariana's cheeks, stretching them.
"If you want to swear, go ahead! Don't force your smile like that."
"Sister."
"Why?"
"It hurts."
"Oh, sorry."
Ariana quickly removed her hands and found Isabelle's pouting slightly cute.
The carriage, which had been running for a while, stopped in front of a dress shop. When the escort opened the door, Isabelle got out first, followed by Ariana.
A man standing in the alleyway watched the two young ladies as they entered the shop, holding hands.
"Keep a close eye on the Investigation Bureau, and if you see any signs of leaving the West area, kill him before he sets foot on Imperial soil. Cover it up as the work of Paganus or a thief."
***
As they rode in the carriage, Isabelle, who had been sitting across from Ariana with her arms crossed, asked,
"I heard your mother abused you terribly? Is that true?"
"Yes, it is true."
"Did she beat you?"
“Yeah. They locked you up in jail and didn’t even give me food for days.”
“Ha. You crazy bastard. Does she do that to her own daughter?”
“Yeah. She did that to her own daughter, too.”
Ariana snickered back, but Isabelle stared at her and asked.
“So you don’t trust us? Do you think we’d beat you up and lock you up like that crazy woman?”
Ariana just smiled and didn’t answer.
How should she explain it? Her past life. That miserable life of being used by everyone and then abandoned.
The kind people had their own motives, and the gentle people had their own secrets. They were at fault, but it was also her fault for trusting them like a fool.
She shouldn’t have trusted them. She shouldn’t have given her heart to anyone to protect herself.
So that’s how she decided to live this life.
She vowed to protect herself with a solid wall, never being loved by anyone, never loving anyone.
“Well, yes. I understand. But His Excellency won’t hit you. It’s not that his appearance is scary, but he’s a kind person. He cries a lot. He missed you so much.”
A lie.
Ariana cast her gaze out the carriage window.
If he had missed her so much, he would have come. He would have walked through the fire. He would have somehow rescued her from that hell.
'If he had even tried, I would have endured an even worse hell for him all back then.'
A lonely smile spread across Ariana’s lips, and Isabelle fell silent.
She didn’t know what words of comfort to offer Ariana, who, despite being small and young, somehow felt more mature than she did. Isabelle had lived her whole life as she pleased, but it was difficult to act selfishly in front of someone who smiled like that.
But that was only for a moment, before Isabelle burst into tears and said,
“Hey, stop being so conscious of others.”
“Yes?”
“If you want to be angry, let it be!”
Isabelle stretched out both hands and pinched Ariana's cheeks, stretching them.
"If you want to swear, go ahead! Don't force your smile like that."
"Sister."
"Why?"
"It hurts."
"Oh, sorry."
Ariana quickly removed her hands and found Isabelle's pouting slightly cute.
The carriage, which had been running for a while, stopped in front of a dress shop. When the escort opened the door, Isabelle got out first, followed by Ariana.
A man standing in the alleyway watched the two young ladies as they entered the shop, holding hands.
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