TDVIATD 10

His smiling figure was the very image of a young noble.

With ash-blond hair, blue-gray eyes, a straight nose, and finely shaped lips, he was strikingly handsome.

“Brother, I am Leah. I look forward to being in your care.”

When she took his hand, Oscar’s lips curved warmly.

“Hearing you call me ‘Brother’ makes me unbelievably happy…”

“I call you ‘Brother’ all the time, though?”

The one who murmured that at his side was a boy with platinum-blond hair and lime-green eyes.

He, too, was beautiful.

“This is Camille. He is seven—one year younger than you. He will be your little brother.”

Camille gave a shy smile and spoke.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Sister. I hope we’ll get along.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Camille. I look forward to—”

When she shook his hand, Camille let out a soft laugh.

“Don’t add ‘Lord.’ We’re siblings now. Just call me Camille.”

“That’s right, Leah. He’s your younger brother,” the duke said.

Camille clasped her hand in both of his.

“I want us to grow close quickly and become very good friends! No more formal speech, alright?”

His pure gaze left Leah flustered, but she nodded.

Oscar gently pulled Camille’s hands away.

“How long are you going to hold on to her? You’re troubling Leah. Leah, will you treat me as your real brother? I shall treat you as my true sister.”

Leah had been an only child.

The thought of having two kind brothers filled her with unexpected joy.

“Yes.”

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

Because Leah resembled her mother, the duke treasured her deeply.

Even now, he loved his late sister profoundly—but he harbored no fond feelings toward Leah’s father.

Leah’s paternal grandfather—now deceased—had been the head servant of the ducal household, and her father had served as a butler.

Though he had been of refined upbringing, there was still a difference in status between him and a duke’s daughter.

At the time, Leah’s mother had been engaged.

To none other than the current Emperor.

Her father had abducted and fled with a woman who had been destined to become Empress.

When Leah learned the full story upon arriving at the estate, she had been stunned.

The duke hated her father.

That knowledge pained her, but she endured it in silence.

She understood, after all, how deeply he had loved his sister.

—

As for Izaac, who had come to the capital with her, he was taken in by a marquis’s household.

He was, in truth, the son of the Marquis of Crum.

Izaac’s mother had once worked as a maid in that house and had conceived the marquis’s child before disappearing.

Apparently, Leah’s parents had known of this from Izaac’s mother.

Her father’s letter to the Duke of Arens had included Izaac’s circumstances as well.

The Crum household had long been searching for the missing maid, and since the marquis had no legitimate sons, he rejoiced upon finding Izaac and expressed his gratitude to the Arens family.

Izaac’s appearance closely resembled that of the Marquis of Crum, and his bloodline was unquestionable.

He was formally acknowledged as the heir.

Since being taken into their respective households, Leah and Izaac had not seen each other.

They exchanged letters, but she longed to speak with him face to face.

Now, from morning until night, both Leah and Izaac were assigned numerous tutors.

There was no time.

Painting, music, vocal training, dance—along with foreign languages and countless other disciplines befitting a lady.

Her schedule was packed hour by hour.

Leah came to understand her mother’s feelings all too well.

(Mother said she once ran away from her tutors… but she must have had it even harder than I do… especially since she had been engaged to the Crown Prince at the time.)

For eight years, she had joyfully learned many things from her parents.

Now, however, she was being educated so as not to bring shame upon the ducal house.

She found herself somewhat weary.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

During a break in her studies, Leah stepped out into the garden.

In one corner of the vast grounds lay a rose garden.

Had her parents once walked here together?

She gazed at the beautiful blossoms her mother had loved.

They had both lived in this mansion once.

Surely they had spoken here together.

Her father had been skilled at tending flowers.

Leah remembered being proposed to beside the flowerbeds he had cultivated.

(I want to see you… Father, Mother… and Paul…)

Lost in sentiment, she lowered her gaze.

Then a voice sounded behind her.

“Do you like roses, Leah?”

She turned to see Oscar standing there.

“Brother.”

With an elegant smile, he plucked a rose and tucked it into her hair.

“My little sister is as lovely as a spirit of the roses.”