Daphne’s expression stiffened momentarily. This time, she failed to compose herself quickly and eventually lowered her head.

“Uncle, do you know where my room is?”

Medeia asked Baron Velosi with a bright smile.

“Y-yes, of course. It’s the same room you used when you were little. Naturally, the furniture and curtains have been replaced.”

Medeia linked her arm through Baron Velosi’s and moved closer to his side.

“Then, Daphne, I’ll head inside first.”

She walked past Daphne, who was still staring at the ground, and led Baron Velosi into the mansion.

Although she did not look back, she could clearly feel Daphne’s gaze fixed on her.

“……It seems Vunua and Dian haven’t been able to leave yet. They intended to come right away, but Somiche Naval Academy is located on an island, after all…….”

Baron Velosi kept glancing at her, openly trying to gauge her reaction.

He seemed to think she would be disappointed by the Duchess of Heidel’s failure to receive a proper welcome, and by the absence of her twin and younger brothers.

Having experienced this once before, Medeia knew they would not arrive on time.

“Um, Dian is your younger brother. Both Vunua and Dian are cadets at Somiche Naval Academy. You’ve never met Dian before, so I suppose he’ll feel like a stranger to you.”

“……I’m fine, so please don’t worry.”

She didn’t care if their reunion was delayed.

After all, she no longer missed either of them particularly.

More importantly, climbing the stairs left her struggling to breathe, making every step an ordeal.

Even as she tightened her grip on Baron Velosi’s arm, her breathing remained erratic.

When he noticed, his expression filled with concern.

“Medeia, what’s wrong?”

“……I once fell down a staircase, so I’m frightened.”

“Oh, dear! No matter what happens, I’ll hold on to you. No, this won’t do. I should speak to Elze about moving your room to the first floor. It would be difficult for you to climb up and down the stairs every day.”

Baron Velosi kept glancing back at Medeia and did not release his steadying hold even after they reached the upper floor.

Only after they turned left and arrived in front of her room did he relax and breathe a sigh of relief.

“Whew, we made it safely. Here it is.”

“……Thank you, Uncle.”

“You don’t have to thank me for every little thing. How can you be so well-mannered?”

As she watched him gaze at her with pride, she suddenly remembered what Daphne had told her.

‘She said the person who abducted me as a child and ruined my life was someone close to me. Could it possibly be…… Uncle?’

That could not be true.

If it were, he would have had no reason to bring her back from Aragon.

In particular, Baron Velosi had taken Medeia’s side, even when Daphne collapsed. He insisted that it must be a misunderstanding, saying that a kind child like Medeia could never have done such a thing.

Medeia felt guilty for doubting him, even for a moment, and found it hard to look him in the eye.

‘……No. I can’t let my guard down yet.’

Even so, she could not completely dispel her suspicions.

“Uncle, I’m sorry, but I’m exhausted and would like to rest. May I come and greet you properly later?”

“Ah! Of course, I hadn’t considered that. There’s no need to apologize. How can you be so tenderhearted……?”

“It’s all right. If it weren’t for you, I never would have been able to return home.”

“Haha, then I’ll be on my way. Get some rest.”

Fortunately, Baron Velosi didn’t notice anything as he closed the door and left.

Once she was alone, Medeia allowed her mouth to relax into a smile after holding it in for so long.

She stood up and looked around the room, but nothing had changed.

Back then, she had been overwhelmed with gratitude towards Daphne for her thoughtfulness.

Now, however, she was horrified by the fact that Daphne’s tastes were reflected in every corner of the room.

She especially wanted to tear away the pearls decorating the corners of the bed.

Their presence reminded her of how often Daphne wore pearl accessories, and it made her feel sick.

‘……It’s all right. Thanks to Uncle, I’ll be moving to another room soon anyway.’

There was something far more important. Medeia wanted to repay Daphne for everything she had done in exactly the same way.

She wanted to take away all that Daphne possessed, as well as all the love she received from others.

First, however, Medeia had to destroy the reputation that Daphne had worked so hard to protect. At that time, Daphne had the family’s trust and was regarded by the servants as a gentle young lady.

And…

Medeia intended to find the person responsible for abducting her as a child and ruining her life, and then take revenge.

‘Daphne said it was someone I relied on. She said they deceived me by pretending to love me…….’

Knock, knock.

The sudden knock pulled Medeia from her thoughts, and her entire body stiffened.

She had not heard any footsteps, so who could it be?

If Baron Velosi had returned, there was no way she would have failed to hear his heavy footsteps.

“……It’s me, Medeia. May I come in? I think I misunderstood you earlier. I’m sorry if I upset you.”

That sorrowful voice.

It belonged to Daphne.

“By the way, Mother wants to hold a proper coming-of-age ceremony for you. That’s why I invited Madame Sisana today. She needs to take your measurements for the dress you’ll wear at the ceremony.”

“…….”

“Delphium Atelier, which Madame Sisana owns, is the most popular dress shop in the capital. I barely managed to secure an appointment for the day of your arrival.”

Come to think of it, Medeia recalled meeting Sisana and having her measurements taken on the day she returned.

Daphne’s thoughtfulness had touched Medeia so deeply that it was the reason she began to open her heart to her.

In hindsight, Daphne had probably done it merely to impress the Duchess of Heidel.

‘Wait. If Madame Sisana is here, could it be that this time as well……?’

Medeia immediately opened the balcony door, stepped outside, and looked down.

She saw the carriage in which Sisana had arrived.

As Sisana stepped out, a long, knobbly hand appeared through the partially open door of the carriage.

Medeia leaned further over the railing to get a better look.

Soon, a beautiful man came into view through the opening.

He had platinum-blonde hair that looked as though it had been steeped in sunlight.

It was swept neatly back from his forehead.

Their eyes met, and his gaze settled directly on her.

Looking into his blue eyes made her feel as though she had been trapped beneath the sea, leaving her breathless.

He must have arrived secretly, without announcing his visit, yet he did not appear surprised in the slightest.

Instead, the corners of his lips slowly lifted.

His perfectly composed expression soon took on a hint of intrigue.

Thump, thump…….

Medeia pressed a hand over her pounding heart, turned around, and closed the balcony door.

‘……He smiled.’

It had lasted only an instant, yet the moment was etched in her memory. Their eyes met and he smiled at her, his expression unmistakable.

She recognized him the moment she saw his face.

How could she not?

For ten long years, he had deceived everyone by pretending to be lame and uninterested in the throne, instead leading a leisurely life.

Ultimately, he successfully usurped the throne and was crowned King of Serenier.

Pierre Serenier was inside that carriage.

‘I was too overwhelmed to recognize him back then…… but I’m certain. He’s the second prince.’

Pierre had spent all those years quietly building his power because of the threat posed by his aunt, Crown Princess Pasiphae.

‘The House of Heidel was her maternal family, so Cousin Lorenz, Aunt’s son, possessed a strong political foundation, but…….’

Although Pierre was King Leopold’s only legitimate son, Queen Greta, who could have supported him, died after giving birth to him.

Moreover, Aragon, the kingdom of his maternal family, severely discriminated between legitimate and illegitimate children.

‘Queen Greta was an illegitimate princess.’

No one would have expected the son of an illegitimate princess to receive military support from Aragon.

Pierre had never relied on his maternal relatives, nor had he ever visited or kept in touch with them.

To outsiders, it seemed as though he had been disappointed by his maternal family and had become estranged from Aragon.

This was probably one of the reasons why he was able to seize the throne so easily.

‘If he deliberately came all the way here on the very day I arrived, then he came to see me.’