CH 12

Aria · Roster.

My younger half-sister who is three years younger than me.

I am the child of a mistress, and she is the child of the legal wife.

Due to that, the treatment we received in the mansion was like night and day.

While Aria was being doted on, I was treated like I didn’t even exist.

She could have anything she wanted, while I couldn’t even make a simple wish.

Recently, she even took my fiancé away from me.

“I heard the servants talking about it, but I couldn’t believe it… Onee-sama.”

“…Yes. You look well, Aria.”

“Yes, Aria is doing great. Just look at her.”

She turned around gracefully on the spot, as if showing off her dazzling outfit.

“Does this outfit suit me? It’s a new one.”

“…Yes, I think it looks good on you.”

“Thank you. I have to properly thank Cain-sama.”

“――!”

I didn’t want to hear that name from Aria’s mouth.

No, it must have come up in conversation by this point since we were facing each other like this. 

Because Aria hates me.

Seeing my expression darken, Aria smiled happily.

“Onee-sama already knows, right? I’m engaged to Cain-sama.”

“…”

Do you know?

He was supposed to be my fiancé.

I wanted to voice my complaints out loud, but I managed to hold back somehow.

It would be pointless to resist.

Wanting to end the conversation quickly, I forced a smile and said to her, “Congratulations on your engagement, Aria.”

“Thank you. It’s all thanks to Onee-sama, too.”

“…”

On purpose.

She’s deliberately provoking me.

She enjoys seeing me lash out in anger.

That’s just how Aria is.

From the old days…

Whenever she gets a new dress, she always comes to me to show it off.

How is it?

Does it suit me?

I would answer with the same reply every time.

Yeah. It looks good on you.

She would smile happily when I said that.

But it doesn’t mean that I’m happy because of the praise.

She just wanted to show me something I would never have and enjoy my reaction. 

She hates me.

She has never said it to me directly, but I’m sure of it.

As I listened to her snide remarks and witnessed her unpleasant behavior, I began to have a hard time with her.

“By the way, Onee-sama, what are you doing here?”

“I’m doing some research.”

“Oh, I see. I heard that you’re working under His Highness Julius. That’s amazing.”

“…Thank you.”

Her smile is a bit unnerving.

It’s clear that she doesn’t really feel happy about it.

My own success probably didn’t sit well with her.

“But why bother coming back to the mansion to do your research? Couldn’t you just search for it at the royal castle? Or do you not have a place there either?”

“That’s not it at all. I just thought it would be easier to investigate in a familiar place.”

“Oh, I see. I jumped to conclusions and thought that maybe you were kicked out because you couldn’t meet His Highness’s expectations. I guess I was wrong.”

“…”

You wish that were the case…

Even without saying a word, I can tell exactly what she’s thinking. 

That’s the Expression.

That’s really not funny, is it?

That I’m working under His Highness.

That I’ve been acknowledged.

Just by facing each other like this, I can sense her frustration.

And that’s just a little…pleasant.

I lifted the stack of books I was reading and approached the bookshelf.

“Oh? Are you done with your research already?”

“Yes, I found out what I wanted to know.”

Besides, this study isn’t a comfortable place to be when Aria is here.

I looked through the book that contained information about the curse in this study.

There’s nothing more to be gained here.

After I finished tidying up the books, I hurried towards the door.

“You don’t have to rush back so soon. Since we’ve finally met after such a long time, why don’t you stay until evening? Maybe we can have dinner together?”

Aria, who was blocking the way in front of the door, made an unexpected proposal.

She had never once tried to eat together before.

What’s going on?

“Dinner?”

“Yes, I don’t know if they can prepare a meal for Onee-sama though.”

“…I see.”

That’s what it is.

She wants to make me miserable…

“I’m sorry. I have a prior engagement for dinner.”

“A prior engagement? With Onee-sama? Who is it with?”

“His Highness Julius. We promised to have dinner together.”

Aria’s eyebrows twitched, and she reacted visibly.

Her smile clearly looked forced.

She’s trying to laugh at me… this is payback for everything up until now.

“With Julius-sama? Hehe, Onee-sama, you sure love your jokes.”

“It’s not a joke. It seems unbelievable even to me, but it’s true. I feel like I’m dreaming too.”

“…I see. So His Highness is free as well.”

“That’s not true. He seems busy every day.”

Every time I replied, Aria’s expression changed.

It was no longer a smile, but a subtle expression, as if she was glaring at me.

I couldn’t help but laugh inwardly.

It’s not a bad feeling.

“Well then, I’ll be going. I have some important work that His Highness entrusted to me.”

“Oh, what kind of work is it?”

“Fufu, it’s a secret.”

“…”

I walked past her and left the study.

I didn’t see her face one last time.

But I can easily imagine it.

She must have had an expression on her face that she had never shown me before… a fascinating one, no doubt.