Chapter 8

The contents of the letter were completely different from what the Duke had expected.

Naturally, he had assumed Deborah had simply read aloud the poem written on the stationery.

But the letter itself wasn’t nearly long enough to contain the poem she had recited.

Then why did she suddenly read that poem?

Reading the letter with both surprise and curiosity, he soon let out a quiet laugh.

So that was her intention.

Deborah had searched for the very poem his wife had been reading at the time and recited it before him—

so that he could experience the emotions and thoughts Marienne had felt while writing the letter.

If I’d read this letter without knowing that poem… I never would have felt this way.

To think she had gone to such thoughtful lengths.

A pang of guilt suddenly struck him.

Whenever Deborah came to see him with another letter, all he had done was accuse her of trying to get diamonds out of him.

He had made it painfully obvious that he only wanted her to hand over the letter as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, Deborah had stayed up late waiting for him, bringing him a letter at the very moment he most wanted to rest.

When she had said she wanted to become the bridge connecting him and his late wife, those hadn’t been empty words.

Even now…

It couldn’t have been easy to find the poem Marienne had read from nothing more than the clue written in the letter.

To identify it, Deborah would have had to read through poem after poem.

And Lantz Schubert was famous throughout the Empire for being an extraordinarily prolific poet.

I’m the petty father here.

Realizing only now how considerate his daughter had been, the Duke stared silently at the letter for a long time, overcome by emotions he couldn’t put into words.

“Why does Deborah keep going into Father’s study? I even heard her confinement was lifted.”

At Belek’s question, his retainer lowered his head apologetically.

“All the servants of the Seymour household are extremely discreet, so we haven’t been able to determine the exact reason. Digging too deeply would only attract unwanted attention.”

“Have you investigated Deborah herself?”

“Apart from the fact that she’s recently bought a large number of romance novels and poetry collections that are popular among young ladies… we’ve found nothing else.”

Since Deborah had wrapped what she found in the greenhouse inside a long shawl and carried it around discreetly, no one had imagined there had been anything important hidden there.

Everyone simply assumed that hot-tempered Deborah had caused another incident after losing her temper.

She’s irritating.

Belek crossed one leg over the other with an annoyed expression.

His younger sister was forever disgracing the Seymour name with her thoughtless behavior.

Despite possessing virtually no talent whatsoever, she strutted around simply because she was a direct descendant of House Seymour.

Belek judged people solely by ability.

To him, Deborah was nothing more than an obstacle that needed to be removed as quickly as possible.

Rather than improving, she’s becoming even more ridiculous.

First she threw a tantrum demanding outrageously expensive jewelry.

Fine. I’ll generously overlook that much. It’s exactly the sort of thing she’d do.

Then Deborah had gone and damaged the greenhouse their late mother had cherished.

The moment he’d heard the news, Belek had been certain his father would impose a punishment far harsher than simple confinement.

Instead…

Rumors began spreading that the Duke had been having tea with Deborah.

When Belek personally witnessed Deborah leaving their father’s study wearing an utterly shameless expression, he felt his blood pressure shoot through the roof.

Why is the one who caused such an outrageous incident walking around the estate as though nothing happened?

More importantly, whatever the reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that their father had become unusually lenient toward Deborah alone.

His father constantly judged Rozad and Belek by their accomplishments with ruthless objectivity—

yet treated Deborah, who possessed the least talent of them all, with inexplicable generosity.

I truly don’t understand Father.

If I were the head of this family, I’d never allow someone as incompetent and foolish as her to remain under the Seymour roof…

Lost in thought, his dark eyes suddenly curved into a sinister smile.

Well… she won’t be here much longer anyway.

In the Astheia Empire, every noblewoman married once she reached adulthood.

There were no exceptions.

Once Deborah completed her debutante this autumn, she would be eligible for marriage.

He intended to hurry the engagement along and send her somewhere far away.

Although Rozad often got in his way, the twins thought almost identically.

Rozad also wanted Deborah gone from House Seymour as soon as possible.

In fact, he had already selected a suitable marriage candidate.

Louis Gazelle, was it?

For once, I’ll gladly cooperate with Rozad.

Once Deborah married, she’d lose the Seymour surname.

The Seymour name would no longer be dragged through the mud because of her.

And he would never have to see her face again.

Killing two birds with one stone.

Belek slowly smiled.

What’s this jerk picking a fight over now?

After finishing my morning lessons, I hurried toward the annex to continue reading my romance novel.

Suddenly, Belek stepped directly into my path.

“What do you want?”

“What do I want…?”

I looked uneasily at the slight curve of his eyes.

Goosebumps rose all over my arms.

Apparently, Deborah had hated that sinister smile of his more than anything.

“How amusing. What business could someone like me possibly have with someone beneath my level? I’m on my way to see Father regarding a research report. Unlike you, I don’t have endless free time.”

Wow.

What a lovely way to speak to someone.

Honestly, after my previous life’s siblings, his attitude didn’t surprise me in the slightest.

“If you don’t have any business with me, then stop picking fights and be on your way. I’ve got somewhere to be too.”

Suppressing my irritation, I answered as calmly as possible.

Whenever Belek mocked or belittled her, Deborah would lose her temper and vent her anger on innocent servants.

That’s how she’d dug her own grave.

It’s a waste of energy.

I don’t want anything to do with him.

I tried to walk past him.

Instead, he lightly grabbed my arm.

“As your older brother, I’ll generously offer you a bit of advice.”

“I’ll pass.”

“If you don’t like hearing advice, perhaps you should’ve behaved yourself in the first place. I’d rather pretend I don’t have a younger sister, but thanks to you, everyone’s been making quite a fuss lately.”

His grip tightened.

His sharp eyes narrowed.

“I hear you caused quite the commotion over some jewelry recently. Honestly, I’m so worried about who would ever marry someone as greedy and ill-mannered as you that I can hardly sleep.”

“You don’t need to worry. Let go.”

“I go out of my way to care about you, and that’s your response? You have no magical talent, you’re not particularly intelligent, and the only things you have going for you are your youth and your face. If I’m trying to introduce you to a decent man out of concern for your future, shouldn’t you at least thank me?”

“What are you talking about?”

Don’t tell me…

Was he trying to arrange a blind date?

“Louis Gazelle. You’ll be meeting him soon, so remember the name.”

Louis Gazelle?

That sounds familiar…

Then it hit me.

He was that sleazy creep who had harassed the novel’s heroine!

He was only a minor character, but I’d remembered him because he acted like a pervert and his name reminded me of the Thomson’s gazelle.

This lunatic.

I violently shook his hand off and glared at him.

He merely sneered and shrugged.

“You clearly need etiquette lessons all over again. I’ll personally make sure you acquire at least enough dignity not to embarrass yourself.”

The more he spoke, the more unbelievable he became.

But if I lost my temper, all I’d accomplish was giving him something to laugh at.

He’d simply mock me for being a noble lady incapable of controlling her emotions.

Clenching my fists, I suddenly remembered the way my older sister in my previous life used to fend off our relatives’ endless nagging.

“My dear brother, perhaps you’re the one who needs basic language lessons. If you ever hope to get married, you should start by learning how to choose your words.”

The moment I threw his own words back at him, the smile disappeared from his face.

His cold eyes fixed on me.

“You dare compare yourself to me? I’m the heir, while you’re nothing more than a duke’s daughter. Don’t delude yourself into thinking we’re equals. Given your current reputation, you should be grateful that a respectable noble family is even willing to consider marrying you.”

“I never asked anyone to find me a husband. You’re overstepping.”

“Deborah. If you’d ever once proven capable of managing your own affairs, I wouldn’t have had to step in. Isn’t that true?”

“I’ll manage my own life from now on, so stop interfering. If you’re really that worried about my future, give me money instead.”

“Ha! And how exactly are you planning to manage yourself now after failing all this time? Don’t tell me you’re still delusional enough to think Pilaf Montes will accept you?”

What a complete bastard.

He was even dragging up the man his little sister had a crush on.

Belek’s ridicule continued.

“Wake up. Why would Pilaf Montes ever want you as his wife? I hear he’s become quite infatuated with another woman lately. Haven’t you heard?”

He was talking about Mia Vinosh.

“I’m not interested in news about him.”

“Hmph. Putting on a brave face, are we? Or is this simply denial?”

He clicked his tongue.

“Realistically speaking, because of your disgraceful behavior, none of the great houses on Seymour’s level will want you. The sons of House Montes, Orgo, Visconti…”

“I’m not getting married.”

His endless lecture stopped instantly.

A crack seemed to appear across his marble-like face.

“W-What did you say?”

Looking directly at his trembling lips, I replied,

“I’m staying single.”