Skyle couldn't help but laugh as he recalled the fact that Stella had asked him for help. He didn't go straight home but stopped by downtown. It was a boutique said to be famous among noble ladies these days. It was filled with clothes in cheerful colors such as lively ribbons, lace, yellow, pink, and sky blue.
"Oh, why are you here, Lord Skyle?"
As Skyle entered such a place alone, all eyes were on him. However, Skyle paid no attention to this and rummaged through his clothes.
"He doesn't even have a fiancée."
"Surely not, is he seeing someone?"
Skyle saw a dress that suited Stella perfectly.
'I think this would be good.'
It was a pink dress with frills. It was the kind of dress a girl, finally excited about her debut in high society, would want to wear. Skyle smiled, raising one corner of his mouth. Stella was his only pain. He knew very well that she disliked him. And yet, Skyle did not dislike Stella. On the contrary, she was someone he felt a tender affection for and wanted to get close to. And yet, she had left. To Duke Adrian's mansion.
'He thought there wouldn't be any more opportunities since I'm married.'
He never imagined that another opportunity would arise like this due to Lanedict's tax evasion case. Skyle didn't know how to approach his younger sister. He chose to give her a decent gift first.
"What's this?"
However, Stella's reaction was cold.
"It's a dress."
Stella was a noblewoman. In her eyes, the dress Skyle had brought was far too childish. She could not go out wearing that dress. No, it would be awkward even inside the Duke's mansion. After all, the servants had eyes and mouths. Rumors would quickly spread and become distorted.
"Why are you suddenly giving this to me?"
Stella asked sharply. A lie slipped out of Skyle's mouth without him realizing it.
"I picked it up because it was lying there."
"Why did you pick something like this up?"
Stella let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Give this to the young lady who follows you around, saying she likes you."
She pushed the dress back toward Skyle. She even wondered if it was a gift given just to humiliate Stella. Yes, Skyle was fully capable of doing so. After all, he was smart and had a wicked side. When Skyle didn't budge even after she pushed the dress away, Stella looked up.
"No."
His face was stiff.
"I'm just going to throw it away here, so wear it."
Stella had no way of knowing Skyle's intention to use this dress to advance the relationship between the siblings. Stella looked at Rincasta as if she could do nothing about it.
"Phew... Rincasta, move this to my room."
"Yes. Understood."
Rincasta finished running Stella's errand. Shortly after, Kendrick entered after finishing his meeting. Kendrick and Skyle exchanged brief greetings. It was time to start talking in earnest. It was Skyle who initiated the conversation.
"It seemed like they had a plan laid out."
He remembered Stella's gaze from yesterday. A look that seemed to be deep in thought. Stella looked at Rincasta.
"The plan I came up with is to give Adrian's ledger and send Rincasta back."
Their eyes changed to one of bewilderment. A few seconds later, they realized Stella's intention.
"So you're suggesting giving a fake ledger."
"That's right. Rincasta, just say that you swapped that ledger with a fake one."
That alone would be enough to put Cercia and Duke Lanedict at ease. They would think that Adrian was playing right into their hands. Skyle also showed interest in the rather viable plan.
This time, Rincasta spoke.
"Then I just need to steal Lanedict's ledger and bring it back, right?"
Stella shook her head. If she tried to use Rincasta, she would be no different from Sercia.
"How could I ask you to do something like that? You just need to stay by Mother's side and keep an eye on things. Skyle should be the one stealing the ledgers."
Skyle asked back in disbelief.
"I?"
Stella nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"It seems too suspicious for me to go. I even had an argument with my mother before leaving."
"Is that all you planned? You have Rincasta bring Adrian's fake ledger, and in the end, I go in and steal Lanedict's ledger?"
"I'm going to leak the information to Kendrick. We'll tell everyone to be careful because the crime of stealing and selling ledgers has been on the rise lately. Then Lanedict will probably try to move the ledger's location just in case."
Rincasta answered as if he understood what she was saying.
"Then I just need to spot the place to move the ledgers, right?"
Stella nodded in agreement. Moving the ledger would certainly make it easier for Rincasta to investigate the location. However, it was not as easy as it sounded. This time, Kendrick pointed out a flaw in Stella's plan.
"Lanedict will likely strengthen its security just as much."
Stella clenched and unclenched her palm. There was a reason she had devised this plan. She was still debating whether it would be a good idea to tell him.
"It is going to snow heavily next month. Lanedict will be frantic managing the estate then, too. Skyle just needs to steal the ledger in the meantime."
Kendrick stared intently at Stella's face. The other men did the same.
"How do you know that?"
Just as I thought. Stella stammered, wearing a troubled expression.
"It's just... my gut feeling. If it doesn't work out, we can always try another method when the time comes."
Since she was living the same time twice, she couldn't say she knew what would happen in the future. Rincasta stared intently at Stella.
"There is no need for you to get involved, Master Skyle."
"Yes?"
"I will take the fake Adrian ledger to reassure Lady Sercia, and when the time is right, I will bring out the real ledger."
Rincasta could not forget what Stella had said to him in the past while stroking his head.
"You have to protect Lina, and you have to protect Lara. It must be really hard for you at such a young age."
Until now, no adult had ever said such things to Rincasta. In his eyes, Stella, just like himself, was carrying a heavy burden unbefitting her age. Therefore, Rincasta wanted to live by becoming her hands and feet and helping her.
"It's dangerous."
If this matter went wrong, the risks borne by Skyle and Rincasta were different. As Skyle was the son of Duke Lanedict, there was no way he would be banished naked or face a severe punishment like the death penalty. However, Rincasta was merely a knight. Naturally, Sercia would punish his crimes heavily. That is why Stella chose Skyle to handle the task rather than Rincasta.
"I can just bring it out."
Nevertheless, Rincasta's resolve was strong. He showed a look in his eyes that said he would never give up.
"If it fails, then do as Stella said."
Despite repeated attempts to dissuade her, Rincasta did not change his mind. Eventually, Rincasta agreed to bring the ledger. From then on, everything proceeded smoothly. After creating a fake ledger of the Duke Adrian family without leaving any trace, Rincasta took it and returned to Lanedict.
"Ha..."
"Don't worry, he's a smart child."
Kendrick and Skyle took turns comforting Stella, who was worried about Rincasta. Skyle had been visiting Adrian's mansion whenever he had free time lately. His footsteps always led him to Stella's side.
"Why are you cooped up in the study like that? Go out for a walk."
"I'm busy."
Stella always treated him curtly. And she was also incredibly busy. Despite her cold attitude, Skyle remained undeterred and showed his face to Stella.
"Why do you always come dressed like that?"
One day, Stella even spoke to Skyle first. It was because of his attire. It wasn't particularly flashy, but it wasn't the kind of clothing he would normally wear. He mostly wore plainer clothes made of poor quality.
"I was afraid someone from Lanedict would catch me coming in and out of here."
It was a valid reason in its own way. If Skyle were caught visiting Adrian frequently, it might arouse suspicion. However, Stella was not fooled by that reason.
"If that's the case, couldn't you just not come?"
Skyle pretended not to hear and picked his ear. Then he had a servant bring something.
"Take this."
"What is it?"
"You said that one was childish last time. Isn't this pretty good?"
A rather impressive dress stood before Stella. It was a light beige mermaid-style dress with elegant pleating. Even the embroidery on the sleeve cuffs was luxurious. Unobtrusively embroidered on the fabric were the initials of a famous designer.
"Did you pick this up again?"
Stella smiled faintly as she became convinced that Skyle had bought this outfit for her. It was awkward and strange, but she didn't dislike the feeling.
"Yes."
"I won't wear it."
"Why this time?"
"Just."
Stella quietly put the dress back in the closet once again. Meanwhile, Skyle began to find something bothersome as he frequently visited Adrian's place.
"That damn book, that book."
It was exactly Stella's life. She repeated the cycle of reading or writing without a moment's rest. He often saw her writing while eating simple meals.
"You're going to ruin your eyes at this rate. Duke Adrian shouldn't just focus on business; he needs to look out for you, too."
"I'm not a child. Don't worry about it."
Stella brushed off Skyle's concerns. As this kept happening, Skyle even went to see Kendrick.
"Wouldn't it be better to stop her? She's going to hurt herself even more at this rate."
It was because he thought Kendrick, who slept in the same room under the same blanket, would be better suited to look after Stella than Skyle, who worked as a researcher at the Imperial Household. Kendrick tolerated his whining to a reasonable degree. And, as always, he spoke to Stella, who was reading a book even in the bedroom.
"Didn't you tell Lord Skyle that you were sick?"
Stella answered as she turned the pages.
"Why bother doing it?"
Although her gaze was fixed solely on the book, she was secretly bothered by the topic of conversation Kendrick had brought up. If she spent more time face-to-face with Skyle like this, they would naturally grow fond of each other. She thought that if she failed to obtain Hajean's magic stone, Skyle might be very sad as well.
"You're family."
She did not answer.
'Family...'
Could Skyle really be called family? Although their relationship had softened a bit now, when they were young, they were worse than strangers. Kendrick, concerned about Skyle, who was completely unaware of his younger sister's physical condition, gazed at Stella's back as she continued reading.
"I don't know about your parents, but Lord Skyle seems to care quite a bit about you."
'It does seem like his behavior lately is a bit off, but...'
Still, giving her a few clothes as a gift and saying a few kind words did not resolve the long-standing conflict. She intends to refrain from treating him emotionally as she used to, but even so, their sibling relationship could not return to normal overnight.
"That can't be true. Just go to sleep."
"Oh, why are you here, Lord Skyle?"
As Skyle entered such a place alone, all eyes were on him. However, Skyle paid no attention to this and rummaged through his clothes.
"He doesn't even have a fiancée."
"Surely not, is he seeing someone?"
Skyle saw a dress that suited Stella perfectly.
'I think this would be good.'
It was a pink dress with frills. It was the kind of dress a girl, finally excited about her debut in high society, would want to wear. Skyle smiled, raising one corner of his mouth. Stella was his only pain. He knew very well that she disliked him. And yet, Skyle did not dislike Stella. On the contrary, she was someone he felt a tender affection for and wanted to get close to. And yet, she had left. To Duke Adrian's mansion.
'He thought there wouldn't be any more opportunities since I'm married.'
He never imagined that another opportunity would arise like this due to Lanedict's tax evasion case. Skyle didn't know how to approach his younger sister. He chose to give her a decent gift first.
"What's this?"
However, Stella's reaction was cold.
"It's a dress."
Stella was a noblewoman. In her eyes, the dress Skyle had brought was far too childish. She could not go out wearing that dress. No, it would be awkward even inside the Duke's mansion. After all, the servants had eyes and mouths. Rumors would quickly spread and become distorted.
"Why are you suddenly giving this to me?"
Stella asked sharply. A lie slipped out of Skyle's mouth without him realizing it.
"I picked it up because it was lying there."
"Why did you pick something like this up?"
Stella let out a sarcastic laugh.
"Give this to the young lady who follows you around, saying she likes you."
She pushed the dress back toward Skyle. She even wondered if it was a gift given just to humiliate Stella. Yes, Skyle was fully capable of doing so. After all, he was smart and had a wicked side. When Skyle didn't budge even after she pushed the dress away, Stella looked up.
"No."
His face was stiff.
"I'm just going to throw it away here, so wear it."
Stella had no way of knowing Skyle's intention to use this dress to advance the relationship between the siblings. Stella looked at Rincasta as if she could do nothing about it.
"Phew... Rincasta, move this to my room."
"Yes. Understood."
Rincasta finished running Stella's errand. Shortly after, Kendrick entered after finishing his meeting. Kendrick and Skyle exchanged brief greetings. It was time to start talking in earnest. It was Skyle who initiated the conversation.
"It seemed like they had a plan laid out."
He remembered Stella's gaze from yesterday. A look that seemed to be deep in thought. Stella looked at Rincasta.
"The plan I came up with is to give Adrian's ledger and send Rincasta back."
Their eyes changed to one of bewilderment. A few seconds later, they realized Stella's intention.
"So you're suggesting giving a fake ledger."
"That's right. Rincasta, just say that you swapped that ledger with a fake one."
That alone would be enough to put Cercia and Duke Lanedict at ease. They would think that Adrian was playing right into their hands. Skyle also showed interest in the rather viable plan.
This time, Rincasta spoke.
"Then I just need to steal Lanedict's ledger and bring it back, right?"
Stella shook her head. If she tried to use Rincasta, she would be no different from Sercia.
"How could I ask you to do something like that? You just need to stay by Mother's side and keep an eye on things. Skyle should be the one stealing the ledgers."
Skyle asked back in disbelief.
"I?"
Stella nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"It seems too suspicious for me to go. I even had an argument with my mother before leaving."
"Is that all you planned? You have Rincasta bring Adrian's fake ledger, and in the end, I go in and steal Lanedict's ledger?"
"I'm going to leak the information to Kendrick. We'll tell everyone to be careful because the crime of stealing and selling ledgers has been on the rise lately. Then Lanedict will probably try to move the ledger's location just in case."
Rincasta answered as if he understood what she was saying.
"Then I just need to spot the place to move the ledgers, right?"
Stella nodded in agreement. Moving the ledger would certainly make it easier for Rincasta to investigate the location. However, it was not as easy as it sounded. This time, Kendrick pointed out a flaw in Stella's plan.
"Lanedict will likely strengthen its security just as much."
Stella clenched and unclenched her palm. There was a reason she had devised this plan. She was still debating whether it would be a good idea to tell him.
"It is going to snow heavily next month. Lanedict will be frantic managing the estate then, too. Skyle just needs to steal the ledger in the meantime."
Kendrick stared intently at Stella's face. The other men did the same.
"How do you know that?"
Just as I thought. Stella stammered, wearing a troubled expression.
"It's just... my gut feeling. If it doesn't work out, we can always try another method when the time comes."
Since she was living the same time twice, she couldn't say she knew what would happen in the future. Rincasta stared intently at Stella.
"There is no need for you to get involved, Master Skyle."
"Yes?"
"I will take the fake Adrian ledger to reassure Lady Sercia, and when the time is right, I will bring out the real ledger."
Rincasta could not forget what Stella had said to him in the past while stroking his head.
"You have to protect Lina, and you have to protect Lara. It must be really hard for you at such a young age."
Until now, no adult had ever said such things to Rincasta. In his eyes, Stella, just like himself, was carrying a heavy burden unbefitting her age. Therefore, Rincasta wanted to live by becoming her hands and feet and helping her.
"It's dangerous."
If this matter went wrong, the risks borne by Skyle and Rincasta were different. As Skyle was the son of Duke Lanedict, there was no way he would be banished naked or face a severe punishment like the death penalty. However, Rincasta was merely a knight. Naturally, Sercia would punish his crimes heavily. That is why Stella chose Skyle to handle the task rather than Rincasta.
"I can just bring it out."
Nevertheless, Rincasta's resolve was strong. He showed a look in his eyes that said he would never give up.
"If it fails, then do as Stella said."
***
Despite repeated attempts to dissuade her, Rincasta did not change his mind. Eventually, Rincasta agreed to bring the ledger. From then on, everything proceeded smoothly. After creating a fake ledger of the Duke Adrian family without leaving any trace, Rincasta took it and returned to Lanedict.
"Ha..."
"Don't worry, he's a smart child."
Kendrick and Skyle took turns comforting Stella, who was worried about Rincasta. Skyle had been visiting Adrian's mansion whenever he had free time lately. His footsteps always led him to Stella's side.
"Why are you cooped up in the study like that? Go out for a walk."
"I'm busy."
Stella always treated him curtly. And she was also incredibly busy. Despite her cold attitude, Skyle remained undeterred and showed his face to Stella.
"Why do you always come dressed like that?"
One day, Stella even spoke to Skyle first. It was because of his attire. It wasn't particularly flashy, but it wasn't the kind of clothing he would normally wear. He mostly wore plainer clothes made of poor quality.
"I was afraid someone from Lanedict would catch me coming in and out of here."
It was a valid reason in its own way. If Skyle were caught visiting Adrian frequently, it might arouse suspicion. However, Stella was not fooled by that reason.
"If that's the case, couldn't you just not come?"
Skyle pretended not to hear and picked his ear. Then he had a servant bring something.
"Take this."
"What is it?"
"You said that one was childish last time. Isn't this pretty good?"
A rather impressive dress stood before Stella. It was a light beige mermaid-style dress with elegant pleating. Even the embroidery on the sleeve cuffs was luxurious. Unobtrusively embroidered on the fabric were the initials of a famous designer.
"Did you pick this up again?"
Stella smiled faintly as she became convinced that Skyle had bought this outfit for her. It was awkward and strange, but she didn't dislike the feeling.
"Yes."
"I won't wear it."
"Why this time?"
"Just."
Stella quietly put the dress back in the closet once again. Meanwhile, Skyle began to find something bothersome as he frequently visited Adrian's place.
"That damn book, that book."
It was exactly Stella's life. She repeated the cycle of reading or writing without a moment's rest. He often saw her writing while eating simple meals.
"You're going to ruin your eyes at this rate. Duke Adrian shouldn't just focus on business; he needs to look out for you, too."
"I'm not a child. Don't worry about it."
Stella brushed off Skyle's concerns. As this kept happening, Skyle even went to see Kendrick.
"Wouldn't it be better to stop her? She's going to hurt herself even more at this rate."
It was because he thought Kendrick, who slept in the same room under the same blanket, would be better suited to look after Stella than Skyle, who worked as a researcher at the Imperial Household. Kendrick tolerated his whining to a reasonable degree. And, as always, he spoke to Stella, who was reading a book even in the bedroom.
"Didn't you tell Lord Skyle that you were sick?"
Stella answered as she turned the pages.
"Why bother doing it?"
Although her gaze was fixed solely on the book, she was secretly bothered by the topic of conversation Kendrick had brought up. If she spent more time face-to-face with Skyle like this, they would naturally grow fond of each other. She thought that if she failed to obtain Hajean's magic stone, Skyle might be very sad as well.
"You're family."
She did not answer.
'Family...'
Could Skyle really be called family? Although their relationship had softened a bit now, when they were young, they were worse than strangers. Kendrick, concerned about Skyle, who was completely unaware of his younger sister's physical condition, gazed at Stella's back as she continued reading.
"I don't know about your parents, but Lord Skyle seems to care quite a bit about you."
'It does seem like his behavior lately is a bit off, but...'
Still, giving her a few clothes as a gift and saying a few kind words did not resolve the long-standing conflict. She intends to refrain from treating him emotionally as she used to, but even so, their sibling relationship could not return to normal overnight.
"That can't be true. Just go to sleep."
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