CH 7

For a moment, Ophelia doubted her own ears.

Just now, what did he say?

“Am I wrong? If you can honestly say that you didn’t choose me to get out of your situation, then try it.”

Ophelia tried to refute it.

I chose you because I love you. Did the affection I showed to you seem so shallow in your eyes?

But her voice had been strained since a while ago. It was like her throat was closing up.

She couldn’t speak.

“…Stop coming here. I hope this doesn’t happen again.”

After Ophelia had been kicked out, she cried for a long time. A marriage of convenience. Just what made him ask her such a question?

Was her love for him truly so shallow?

Did it seem like she was drowning in a pool that, to other people’s eyes, barely even rose up to her ankles?

Even so, it was the first time for her to love someone, and be loved in return.

Of course she chose this.

Why did he think that she was someone who never opened her heart when she loved him so deeply?

With such shallow love, how was it possible that she was drowning?

She thought everyone drowned only when the waters were deep.

Everything was her fault.

The shock of it all lingered even as she thought this. Then, after that, Ophelia truly lost her voice.

It had become impossible to say the right words in front of other people.

Even after the servants had been replaced, even after she gradually adapted to life in Ronen, Ophelia had been silent for a year. And it was only after a year that she was freed from her aphasia—for a very trivial occasion.

“Ophelia, long time no see. Oh, should I call you Grand Duchess now?”

“…Al, lei.”

It was during the arrival of the Ronen castle’s new mage.

* * *

She was told that her aphasia concerned her mental state, and that was absolutely right.

After meeting just one acquaintance, she had improved so quickly.

‘It took me a while to get better…’

At that time, she was happy to be able to talk with the people in front of her again.

Now, at the very least, Ronen was cleared of having the stigma of a Grand Duchess who was a stuttering idiot.

That one incident had been so painful that it left a mental scar on Ophelia.

‘I can’t rely on someone to escape reality.’

People changed easily, but they couldn’t handle change.

A man could be an opportunity to find the answer, but not the answer itself.

Ophelia didn’t know that back then, but she did now.

So this time, she would change things with her own will.

It had been two days since she met Ian.

Ophelia recalled what she knew of the past and how the present coincided with that.

And she found that her memories were clearer than she expected.

The mushroom soup served to her that morning was exactly the same as she remembered.

Except, there was one difference: the gazes fixed on her.

‘It’s like everyone’s hyper aware of me.’

She had always received negative looks, but the gazes she’d been receiving the past few days were a little different.

Everyone was looking at her with wonder, as though she had cut her hair short.

Of course, she could guess why.

‘I’m sure there’s someone who saw me jump.’

That was the only difference from the past.

Maybe there was a rumor going around that the First Princess had finally gone insane.

If she knew this was going to happen, she would have just pinched her cheek instead of jumping off that balcony.

Ophelia regretted it for a moment, but she quickly brushed it aside.

She was set to leave for Ladeen today anyway, so people would soon lose interest in her and move on to other objects of gossip.

‘Even if they don’t, it doesn’t matter.’

If her plan would succeed, she would never return to this place ever again.

Ophelia pulled on the strap of her bag and straightened her back. It was noisy outside.

Come to think of it, today was Ian’s day off.

Ophelia and Ian left the Imperial Palace on the same day, so he had probably left first.

In her previous life, she was so busy with preparations to go to Ladeen that she only found out about it later.

Of course, knowing about it didn’t really bother her.

Her previous life was certainly painful, but at the same time, she acknowledged that those experiences were helpful as well.

One of the things that she gained was the mental fortitude that was carrying her over right now.

For example, even if a spoiled half-sister would suddenly appear…

“Ophelia!”

…Then she could stay calm.

She put down her bag and looked up.

Unlike Ophelia’s simple clothes, Cadelia was all dressed up even until her fingertips. With her face flushed as she caught her breath, Cadelia stood in front of Ophelia.

In fact, Ophelia wasn’t surprised at all.

Born two years younger than Ophelia, the beloved Cadelia was pampered by the Emperor’s affection. And as they grew up, Cadelia would often vent her anger on Ophelia.

However, it was confusing.

Now that Ophelia was about to leave for Ladeen, Cadelia came to vent her anger once more.

But this had never happened in the past.

Perhaps it was something that wouldn’t affect her plan? Hopefully not.

“What’s the matter, Cadelia?”

“Ha! What’s the matter? Are you sure you don’t know about the rumor?”

“Rumor? What…?”

“So you’re going to pretend you haven’t been going after the Grand Duke of Ronen?! How dare you humiliate me!”

Cadelia yelled immediately, not even leaving any chance for Ophelia to finish replying.

The second most noble woman of the Milescet Empire, the second Imperial Princess who prided herself as being the only sweetheart of the solemn Imperial Family.

She was unraveling right now.

Apparently, until a few days ago, she was in a very good mood.

Because for the first time, the man she liked arrived at the Empire!

Ian Carle Ronen.

Like the Ronen territory’s cold weather, he was a man that was like a sharp black sword.

At first, Cadelia didn’t care who it was that her father had arranged for her to marry, but she fell in love at first sight.

His visage, his abilities, and even his status matched the portrait she saw of him.

So Cadelia worked hard to prepare for the banquet two days ago.

If she had a chance to talk to Ian for a while, she was so sure that he’d fall for her.

However, that didn’t happen.

At the banquet where she dressed her finest, Cadelia couldn’t even see a strand of Ian’s hair.

Still, she couldn’t give up her lingering feelings, so she went to see him off as he left.

—It’s nice to meet you, Your Highness Cadelia.

All that she got in return was a detached greeting and a light handshake.

Even if something had gone wrong, this was far too much.

Her father, the Emperor, had been secretly pushing for them to be married.

Cadelia had already spoken at various salons, saying that the vacant seat at Ronen was as good as hers.

But now, how was it that Ian could go back without even paying attention to her?!

Then, as she stared after the departing carriage in devastation, she heard someone whispering.

—I guess the rumor’s true.

—The rumor going around that there’s something going on between the Grand Duke and the First Princess? But isn’t that false?

—They had a secret meeting at the banquet a couple of nights ago. I heard a lot of people witnessed it. After all, that red hair isn’t common.

—Do you think someone like Grand Duke Ronen would meet with that First Princess?

—Doesn’t she have a pretty face anyway? Maybe that’s his taste, but now the First Princess looks like a laughingstock.

The taunt made Cadelia grit her teeth.

It was annoying enough that the first man she liked was indifferent to her, but now she found out that Ophelia might be the reason it was like that.

How was it possible that her ugly half-sister who didn’t even have a proper dress for the banquet… somehow became worthy enough to be her competition?!

That Ophelia? Made her a laughingstock?

She couldn’t stand such an insult.

Cadelia almost cried and shouted.

“Everyone’s talking behind my back! You made me the dog that’s chasing chickens! I didn’t even know about the rumor until the Grand Duke left!”

And Ophelia was able to grasp roughly what had transpired.

That’s why people were looking at her with curiosity.

‘It’s not a rumor that I jumped, but a rumor that there might be something going on between me and Ian.’

She was glad it wasn’t a big deal.

It wasn’t a scandal, but just a rumor. And Ian didn’t seem to have responded to that rumor.

The person who saw them in the same place must have been the one who started spreading the word, and the moment Cadelia heard of it, she immediately lashed out.

‘I almost forgot. Cadelia liked Ian.’

Ophelia suddenly remembered that on her wedding day in her previous life, Cadelia had thrown away her dignity and dropped to the floor, crying and kicking up a fuss.

Of course, it was because Cadelia liked Ian. But there was one more reason.

—This can’t be! This is ridiculous! You ruined everything that’s mine!

The arranged marriage of the Milescet family, which should have been Ophelia’s responsibility, fell onto Cadelia’s shoulders.

From Cadelia’s point of view, the man she loved was taken away, and the forced marriage that was supposed to have been Ophelia’s became hers, and so it fueled more of her malice for her half-sister.

Ophelia sympathized with her, but she was still on cloud nine at that time.

There was never a time when Cadelia couldn’t get what she wanted. The two half-sisters had completely opposite lives.

But the fact that Ophelia had triumphed over Cadelia, even in at least one thing, only made Ophelia shrug her shoulders.

Now, not anymore.

Ophelia’s cold gaze turned to the abusive Cadelia.