CH 66

The Grand Duchy, preparing for the young master’s coming-of-age celebration, has been busy since this morning.

Everyone, regardless of age or sex, was running around the mansion frantically. 

Keira was no exception. She toured her main building with her butler, double-checking to see if anything was lacking.

Robert: “I’ll take care of the rest. Your Ladyship needs to prepare, too.”

She looked out the window and saw that the sun was already setting. There were only a few hours left until she’d face the moment that completely shook her life.

Keira: “…So soon.”

Keira murmured as she watched the sun go down.

From Robert’s perspective, it was a curious scene.

‘Is it so touching that your brother is becoming an adult?’

She seemed to be busy all day today, but she was lost in other thoughts the whole time.

Robert clapped his hands, waking the young lady looking into the distance.

Robert: “There are only a few hours left. If you don’t prepare quickly, you may be late.”

Keira: “Alright.”

After leaving the rest of the work to the butler, Keira went up to the bedroom. In the bathroom attached to the bedroom, the maids were already warming the water.

After washing up, Rose led her to the dresser. As Rose brushed her hair, Keira tried to organize her thoughts.

‘Never show that you’re shaken.’

In her past life, she was visibly agitated, confused, and terrified. And with everyone’s eyes on them, people throughout the capital talked about her expression.

“Why is she so agitated… Maybe she’s reacting like that because she’s guilty of something?”

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The nature of people who are swayed by what they see leads to such questions.

Cosette drew public opinion to her side in the past, and Keira’s mistake must have played a part in it.

Therefore this time, she had to present a calm and unflinching front. She had to act like this was just a minor incident, a ruse made by the family of the dead former Duchess.

She needed people to see that she was confident her position would not be threatened.

When she left the room, she saw Zichhardt, dressed in a black suit, waiting for her by the hallway. 

Today, the person playing the role of Keira’s partner was none other than her younger brother. His silver hair and black clothes reminded Keira of the Grand Duke.

Despite suspicion of their mother’s fidelity, Zeke was able to avoid public scrutiny thanks to his resemblance to Ludwig.

As soon as Zeke saw Keira, his eyes widened.

Zeke: “You look a little different than usual today, don’t you?”

Even though she knew what he meant, she feigned ignorance.

Keira: “What do you mean?”

Zeke: “You look more… splendid than usual.”

Keira answered calmly, hiding her innermost thoughts.

Keira: “It’s your birthday. I want to look a little prettier.”

Of course, it was far from the truth.

She poked her brother’s blushing cheek and smiled. Zeke’s cheeks grew even redder.

It was a peaceful and comfortable time, one that will be broken when Cosette appears soon.

Keira: “Let’s go in now. Even the main character can’t be too late.”

Zeke: “Okay.”

The birthday celebration was held in the Great Hall on the first floor of the main building. 

On the way to the venue, the siblings ran into a lot of people. So, as they greeted them one by one, it took them longer than usual to arrive. 

At the entrance to the hall, Robert was checking the guestlist. When the butler announced the arrival of the two, all the surrounding attention was on the celebration’s main lead.

Countless people wanted to befriend the young master who would one day become the next Grand Duke.

Soon, Keira and Zeke were surrounded by people. There was one man who broke through the crowd and came close to her.

“Keira, you’ve become more beautiful in just a few days.”

Keira: “Oh, Grandfather. Welcome.”

It was the Marquis of Edinburgh, the maternal grandfather of the two siblings. So people naturally moved to make way for the head of one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.

Zeke: “Thank you for coming, Grandfather.”

Marquis: “It’s my only grandson’s birthday, so of course I should come and celebrate.”

The old man smiled kindly.

However, anyone who knew the Marquis quite well was aware that there was nothing kind about him.

If someone asked Keira to describe her grandfather in one sentence, she would respond:

A cunning and greedy ruler.

‘It’s coming soon.’

What was important now was not what kind of person her grandfather was.

Keira, Zichhardt and the Marquis of Edinburgh. When the three main actors came on stage…

“Oh, my God, why is he here…”

The audience began to stir.

“It’s been almost twenty years since he’s withdrawn from society, right?”

“Are you going to quit living in seclusion? But to think he’d choose to reappear here…”

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A stoic man with dark hair. 

Count Isaac Weinberg, the brother of the first Grand Duchess, was approaching, pushing the crowd away.

This was no different from what happened in the past. That face reassured Keira. And if her memory served her correctly, there was a woman behind him. 

The tumultuous man didn’t look like he came to celebrate Zeke’s birthday. The twinkle in his blue eyes showed an obvious hostility. 

He looked at Zeke and said.

Count Isaac: “I’m pleased to meet you, Lord Zicchardt.”

Zeke: “…Who are you? You haven’t introduced yourself yet.”

Count Isaac: “Ah, excuse me. I am Count Isaac Weinberg. I hadn’t seen the young Lord since I started living in seclusion before you were born.”

Before marrying Keira’s mother, the Grand Duke had another wife. She was the first Grand Duchess of the prestigious Parvis family but was divorced because she didn’t conceive any children.

She lived in a cottage in the countryside, but news that she died of an illness reached the capital not long after she was kicked out.

No one thought anything of it because she had always been a frail person. It was around that time that the Count retreated from society.

Then he suddenly appeared at Zeke’s birthday banquet, accompanied by an unidentified girl.

A familiar face peeked out from behind the Count. Pale face, silver hair, and ruby red eyes.

It was Cosette.

The eyes of the spectators were on Count Weinberg, so no one paid attention to the girl. Except for Keira.

When their eyes met, Cosette bashfully smiled and mouthed, ‘hello.’

‘Hello?’

It was disgusting, but now was the time to smile.

When Keira smiled back, Cosette’s smile widened, making her look as if she’s waiting for something.

Like…

‘I’m really looking forward to seeing if you can smile like that after a while.’

Zicchardt was the first to notice that Keira’s eyes were on the woman behind the Count.

‘Who is that?’

She resembled their father to a surprising extent. If Ludwig had been born a woman, he would have a face like that.

‘Is she one of our relatives? But why did she appear with Count Weinberg?’

Edinburgh and Weinberg had always been on terrible terms.

It was curious, however, that a girl who might be their relative appeared with Count Weinberg.

When Zeke was about to ask who she was, Cosette walked from behind the Count and greeted him.

Cosette: “It’s nice to meet you.”

White hair and red eyes resembling the Grand Duke. Their features looked so similar that no one could deny they were related by blood.

Cosette: “I’m Cosette, the daughter of former Grand Duchess Rowena and the eldest daughter of the Grand Duke. I’m your sister.”

Zeke: “…What?”

Cosette: “I’m happy to see my family after ten years. Since I’m the older sister, may I speak informally to you?”

“…!”

The unidentified girl’s explosive remarks stirred the audience. Everyone’s attention turned from the Count to Cosette.

“W-what did she say? Wasn’t Rowena Weinberg infertile?”

“There was once a theory that she was framed by the Marquis of Edinburgh, right?”

“It’s just a rumor that hasn’t been proven.”

“I don’t know if she’s really Rowena’s daughter, but she certainly resembles the Grand Duke.”

Everyone seemed unable to get out of the shock.

But soon enough they’d start talking. It didn’t matter if that girl was the real daughter of Rowena and the Grand Duke. The important thing was they had an interesting topic to gossip about. 

Zeke, who was well aware of the characteristics of aristocratic society, clicked his tongue.

I wondered why you visited here, and it seemed like you were very determined to ruin my birthday banquet.

With an exaggerated flourish, Count Weinberg beckoned.

Count Isaac: “Young Lord, I present to you a special gift for your seventh birthday.”