Chapter 46. Guests from Kamatie

“Who came to see me?”

Isabelle asked sharply, and the other person stammered in response.

“A woman claiming to be your younger sister suddenly showed up.”

Younger sister?

I had never heard of Isabelle having a sister. I only knew her family was from the Kingdom of Kamatie.

Her detailed family background was not well known. After all, she was a foreign woman who became the Duchess thanks to Paris, otherwise, she wouldn’t have reached that position.

I pressed myself against the wall, eavesdropping on their conversation. I had a gut feeling this was no ordinary matter based on Isabelle’s expression.

Isabelle spoke in a very troubled voice.

“So, did the child leave quietly? Did they say anything in particular?”

“Huh? Oh, yes. They said you would meet soon anyway and just asked me to give you this. They said you would like it.”

The servant handed over a swaddle that looked like it was meant for a newborn. It was brand new, never used. Isabelle’s expression darkened instantly upon seeing it.

“Why would they give a swaddle? The young master and miss have long since grown up.”

“……”

“The foreigner spoke with a Kamatie accent, making it hard to understand.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to like that?”

“Ah, I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything against your origins, ma’am… Eek!”

The servant bowed their head in fear. They had inadvertently insulted the Duchess of Kamatie origin.

Normally, they would have been beaten immediately, but Isabelle’s reaction was unexpectedly mild. More precisely, she seemed too preoccupied to care about the servant’s words.

“Enough. Go back. And don’t even think about mentioning the person you saw today.”

“Y-Yes, ma’am!”

The servant fled hurriedly, fearing a scolding. Once alone, Isabelle unwrapped the swaddle. Her expression grew even more rigid as she read the note inside.

Isabelle crumpled the swaddle in her hand, biting her lip. She looked at the swaddle once more, sighed, and moved away. It wasn’t towards the event area.

Her behavior was very strange. The swaddle was too plain for her to be interested in. For someone like Blanche, it could be considered a rag.

‘I’ve never been curious about Isabelle’s family before.’

Since marrying into a family in Ahivith, she had never returned to her homeland. No one knew or cared about her family background.

In the Blanche household, having given birth to a son was significant enough. Of course, the situation became ambiguous when Aster was born the following year.

‘I’d better leave before I get caught.’

Just as I was about to return to the event hall before Isabelle noticed me.

“There you are.”

A familiar scent wafted from behind. I turned around naturally, and soft lips brushed my cheek.

“Aster?”

“I was just looking for you.”

Aster smiled warmly and took my hand.

“I came to fetch you.”

His smiling face was very close. I stared at him in a daze before belatedly asking,

“How did you know I was here?”

“You weren’t at the event. I thought you might be snooping around the office.”

Aster glanced around as he spoke, checking if anyone was nearby. It seemed he had snuck in.

He checked his watch and then took my hand.

“The event should be wrapping up soon. Let’s go together.”

“But if Mother finds out…”

“She won’t have the time to worry about that right now.”

“What do you mean?”

His definitive tone made me tilt my head. It was as if he had just seen Isabelle.

I suddenly remembered how he used to spy on me from outside my window. I squinted my eyes and murmured,

“Were you hiding and watching again?”

Otherwise, how would he know Isabelle wasn’t in the right state to receive guests? Aster grinned and said,

“You misunderstand. I was here first this time.”

Which meant he had been listening to Isabelle and the servant’s conversation even before I started eavesdropping. Even after seeing me, he remained perfectly hidden.

“You said you came to fetch me?”

It was clear he had been spying on Isabelle. I made a frustrated face, and he grinned.

“Since we met like this.”

“……”

“Are you upset?”

Aster led me behind a pillar and asked softly. He leaned against the pillar and lowered his head.

His silver hair swayed in the breeze, and his eyes shone a clear red, like cornelian cherries. They looked as luscious as fruit hanging above his eyes.

“What if I was?”

I unconsciously responded and lifted my head. Smack. The sound of our lips touching and parting echoed softly.

Aster lowered his head further to chase my lips. The sound of nibbling and laughter rolled around in my mouth.

Laughing in the enemy’s territory was somewhat ridiculous.

When I gently pushed his shoulder, he let out a groan and backed off. His red eyes looked at me with dissatisfaction. I pretended to know nothing and brushed it off.

“Let’s go now.”

“Are you getting back at me?”

“Because I’m upset?”

I wasn’t really upset from the beginning.

Spending time with Aster seemed to be making me more like him. Speaking so nonchalantly.

Aster followed behind me, laughing. He seemed to realize he had been treated the same way he treated me.

* * *

Aster led me to Letia Castle in the capital.

I wondered if the friend he mentioned was Christopher. Why did we come here?

As I tilted my head in confusion, Christopher greeted me warmly.

“Welcome, sister-in-law! Aster, I was just about to contact you.”

“They’re here, right?”

“Yes, they just arrived!”

From their conversation, it seemed Christopher knew the person well. My curiosity about Aster’s friend grew, and I interrupted.

“Does Christopher know them too?”

“Oh, no. I’m meeting them for the first time too! Aster asked me to let them stay here for a while.”

“Are they staying long?”

“For now, yes.”

“Come on, let’s go! Quickly!”

Christopher, as lively as ever, urged me inside, occasionally joining our conversation.

On the way, I quietly thought about the friend Aster had brought. Considering he had them stay here instead of one of the many hotels in the capital, it seemed they were no ordinary person.

And it was Letia Castle.

Letia was one of the neutral noble families. Even Blanche couldn’t treat them lightly.

Unable to contain my curiosity, I whispered to Aster.

“Who exactly are they?”

“They’re a distinguished guest from Kamatie.”

“Kamatie?”

The Kingdom of Kamatie was quite far from Ahivith. Given that I had overheard the woman who visited Isabelle was also from Kamatie, it made me a bit uneasy.

Surely not?

If what I thought was true, Aster had brought an incredibly significant person to Ahivith.

“Could it be the person who visited the Duchess earlier…?”

When I asked with a doubtful expression, Aster smiled. It was a confirmation.

“Oh my…! How did you meet them? Did you go to Kamatie? Or did you meet them in Arendt?”

As I bombarded him with questions, we reached the reception room.

“I’ll explain in detail later.”

With that, he opened the door to the reception room. I suppressed my excitement and stepped inside.

“Hello?”

A woman inside greeted me with a bright smile and approached. Her violet hair, a characteristic of Kamatie people, caught my eye first.

Though her short bob haircut and demeanor didn’t immediately scream ‘Isabelle’s family,’ there was a resemblance upon closer inspection.

Her exotic pants suited her well, giving her an androgynous feel. Even her voice was in a low, medium register, enhancing that impression.

The woman came closer and spoke.

“You’re as beautiful as I’ve heard. What a shame. I should have met you before Aster did.”

“Don’t say such things.”

Aster replied curtly, clearly displeased, and the woman laughed heartily.

“Oh my, are you scared? Afraid I’ll steal your wife?”

“Not at all. I just don’t want Camilla to feel uncomfortable.”

“You’re no fun at all.”

The woman quickly lost interest. She then formally introduced herself.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Alyssa Brilly. You could say I’m Aster’s honorary aunt.”