“……Well, Elze. You haven’t seen each other in a very long time…… and I heard Medeia has lost all her childhood memories. Try not to be too hurt.”

At Baron Velosi’s words, the Duchess of Heidel struggled to suppress her pain, her expression tightening.

“Mother, please don’t worry too much. She probably feels this way because everything is still unfamiliar to her. Besides, Medeia can’t understand Serenian.”

Daphne stepped between them with a bright smile.

“Then why don’t we call her by the name she used in Aragon for the time being? Medeia, what were you called there?”

Her tone was kind, but she was probably trying to erase Medeia’s identity as the daughter of the House of Heidel.

Rose.

That was the name Princess Charlotte, who had taken Medeia in, had given her.

“I was called Rose, but that was the name of a dog Her Highness Princess Charlotte once raised before it died, so I’m uncomfortable being called that.”

In the past, Medeia had been unable to speak out and had concealed her discomfort for six months despite being called Rose.

When the Duchess of Heidel learned how the name Rose had been chosen, she looked horrified.

She looked as though she could hardly believe that Medeia had been treated that way in Aragon.

Although their relationship had begun in this manner, Princess Charlotte had come to cherish Medeia.

However, Medeia deliberately left that part out.

She wanted to create the impression that Daphne had carelessly brought up an unpleasant memory.

“Please call me Medeia. This is Serenier, not Aragon, and I am the daughter of the House of Heidel.”

When she finally spoke in Serenian, everyone looked surprised.

Daphne’s pink eyes, in particular, twitched faintly.

Medeia’s silver hair fluttered behind her in the wind.

Everyone was surprised except Baron Velosi, who already knew.

“Haha, Medeia. What a little prankster you are.”

Baron Velosi looked as proud as though he were watching his own child take her first steps.

“……You should have told us sooner that you could speak Serenian.”

Daphne pressed her lips together. Her expression briefly hardened before she hurriedly composed herself.

“Ah. Your name is Daphne, isn’t it? I believe Uncle mentioned you. He said we’re the same age. I’m not sure how I should address you.”

Daphne twirled the wheat-colored braid draped over one shoulder around her finger.

It was a habit she displayed whenever she was displeased.

“……My birthday is a week earlier than yours, so wouldn’t it be better to call me older sister? Vinua calls me that too.”

Medeia regretted all the years she had spent calling Daphne her older sister.

“There’s only a week between us, so I’ll simply call you by your name. Daphne.”

They had never truly been family, so how could they possibly be sisters?

“From now on, everyone will remember me as the long-lost daughter of the House of Heidel who finally returned…….”

“…….”

“Wouldn’t it be strange? I was the only daughter, yet I’m calling someone else my older sister.”

‘Older sister. I’ll give you the same wretched death you gave me.’

“And I’ll need to establish my position in society as the daughter of the House of Heidel.”

Medeia smiled as she gazed at Daphne with her crimson eyes.

“……All right, Medeia. Do as you wish. Just as you said, I’m nothing more than an adopted daughter. I was so happy and excited when I heard you were coming…….”

Daphne lowered her head and let her shoulders droop, deliberately making herself appear pitiful.

“I suppose I began thinking of you as my younger sister without even realizing it and wanted to hear you call me your older sister.”

Medeia suppressed a laugh.

Daphne still knew exactly what kind of reaction would work to her advantage.

She also knew that appearing pitiful was far more effective than becoming angry.

“That’s understandable. People naturally long for and covet what they cannot have.”

Daphne immediately raised her chin, the corners of her lips twisting.

“……What do you mean by that? Are you saying I coveted your place because I’m adopted?”

As expected, she reacted immediately to those words.

After all, being adopted was the subject Daphne was most sensitive about.

“Daphne, Medeia.”

Before the Duke of Heidel could intervene, Medeia imitated Daphne exactly.

“Is that how it sounded? That wasn’t what I meant.”

“…….”

“I only meant that I understood why you wanted to be called an older sister since you’ve never had a younger sister before.”

She spoke with an innocent look in her eyes, as though she had never imagined Daphne might interpret her words that way.

“I suppose I failed to express myself properly because I learned Serenian in such a hurry. I’m sorry.”

“…….”

“Daphne, perhaps you should refrain from belittling yourself by saying you’re nothing more than an adopted daughter.”

Daphne slowly furrowed her brow and clenched her teeth.

“When you feel sorry for yourself, anything anyone says can sound condescending. Besides which, I have never called you anything other than my adopted daughter.”

“……Medeia.”

Medeia shrugged, subtly implying that having such a severe inferiority complex was not a good thing.

She made certain that Daphne understood.

“See? I didn’t mean it that way, but you misunderstood me. We’ll be living together from now on, so I wouldn’t want any misunderstandings to make things difficult between us…….”

“That’s right, Daphne. Dea still isn’t fluent in Serenian. Don’t interpret her words so negatively.”

When the Duchess of Heidel spoke in a mildly reproachful tone, bewilderment spread across Daphne’s face.

Cough!

At the same time, the Duchess of Heidel clutched her chest as a violent coughing fit overcame her.

“Elze! Are you all right?”

The Duke of Heidel moved to support her immediately, alarmed by her condition.

Her poor health had left her extremely frail.

She was so frail that even spending a short time outdoors would make her cough uncontrollably.

“Mother! Are you all right? You should hurry inside. It must be because you stayed outside all this time waiting for Medeia to arrive.”

Daphne’s voice was filled with concern.

She made it sound as though Medeia were to blame.

The Duke of Heidel’s expression immediately turned displeased.

“Elze, hurry inside and rest. Even though it’s spring, the wind is still chilly, so that must be the reason.”

Baron Velosi quickly intervened, shielding Medeia by blaming the cold weather.

“Dea, this isn’t your fault. This mother of yours simply failed to take proper care of herself, cough!”

The Duke of Heidel slipped one hand beneath her knees, lifted her into his arms and carried her inside without delay.

Daphne watched them leave, her eyes curving slightly.

She looked relieved that the focus on Medeia had not lasted long.

She soon turned back to Medeia and gestured towards the mansion.

“Let’s go inside. I’ll show you the room where you’ll be staying.”

Hearing Daphne speak as though she were the mistress of the house made Medeia feel like nothing more than a guest.

No, not even a guest.

In fact, she felt like a stranger.

Someone who belonged nowhere.

‘You still feel superior over things like this.’

However, Medeia was the legitimate daughter of the House of Heidel.

Daphne had merely been occupying her place until now. Medeia only needed to show her the way, one step at a time. So she replied pleasantly.

“I’d like Uncle to show me around. I was exhausted and slept throughout the journey, so we didn’t have a chance to talk.”

“……It feels as though you’re deliberately avoiding me. Is it because I said earlier that I wanted you to call me older sister?”

“Of course not. Even if our birthdays are only a few days apart, I understand why you might want to be called that.”