Chapter 5. A Letter and A Muscle Pain Cream

Edith seemed determined not to let it go. Maybe it was a continuation of our last counseling session.

I fiddled with the napkin and muttered.

“It’s just. After meeting my fiancé yesterday, I’ve been a bit unsettled.”

At that moment, Edith dropped the ice cream cup he was eating.

Crash—!

“Edith!”

Startled by the sound of the breaking plate, I grabbed Edith. While the maids cleaned up the mess, I placed Edith on my lap and asked.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

“Sis. Are you really going to get married?”

Edith clung to my arm and looked up at me with a sorrowful expression. His blue eyes trembled as if he had heard the sky was falling. Then Catherine chimed in.

“Did you think she’d stay with us forever? She’s about to debut.”

“Big sis. Can’t you not get married?”

Edith whined, clinging to me. He looked so adorable that I wanted to cry.

I gently stroked Edith’s head and said.

“Where would I go leaving you and Cathy behind? I’d miss you too much to leave.”

“Really? Truly, Sister Camilla?”

“Sis, he’s just acting. He’s only sweet to you. To me, he’s…… ouch! Hey!”

Catherine jumped up after being hit on the forehead by a grape Edith threw. Edith also stood up, ready to retaliate.

At that moment, I heard a crackling sound between the two of them, and the air around us grew heavy. The moisture in the air began to gather, swirling chaotically.

I sighed and roared.

“Stop right there!”

The two of them, who were about to cast spells at each other, flinched. The water swirling in the air dispersed and disappeared.

The ability to control water was a power of the Francis family. Blanche’s power was fire, making the families’ abilities inherently incompatible.

It was unfortunate that the twins, who fought whenever they met, manifested these powers.

Normally, one of the twins would become the heir, but they were deemed unsuitable because they couldn’t control their powers properly. So, I was temporarily named the heir, being the only one who could stop them. This would change if I married into the Blanche family.

When I glared at them, Edith was the first to surrender.

“Sis, we weren’t going to fight.”

“Yeah, right. We were just going to practice magic because we’re full. Right, Edith?”

“Of course, Cathy.”

They put their arms around each other’s shoulders and smiled as if nothing had happened.

They were an unbeatable team when they got along, but when they didn’t, they were as bad as the Blanche and Francis families.

‘But what should I do about this?’

Aster Blanche didn’t seem to have any intention of breaking off the engagement. Since we had spent the night together, if I forced the breakup, I’d be seen as the bad one.

After all, it was my fault for dragging him into it when he didn’t want to. Just then, Serri came in carrying a tray with a letter.

“Miss, Aster Blanche has sent a letter.”

“What?”

At Serri’s words, both Edith’s and Catherine’s gazes, along with mine, turned towards the letter. There was also a box that came with it.

When I received the letter and the box in confusion, Edith and Catherine stared intently.

“What’s this? Why is that guy sending you a letter first thing in the morning?”

“Sis, open the box. I’m curious!”

Cathy’s sparkling eyes and Edith’s piercing gaze were fixed on me.

Feeling that opening it here would turn it into public property, I quietly stood up.

“Continue your training. I need to go inside.”

“Sis!”

“Siiiiis!”

Before they could follow me, I quickly headed to my room.

* * *

As soon as I entered my room, I opened Aster’s letter. The neat handwriting was carefully written on the paper.

[Aster Blanche here.
Did you get home safely yesterday?
How is your body feeling?
I remembered you kept touching your back that night, so I’m sending you a cream that’s effective for muscle pain along with this letter.
It’s a cream I used often on the battlefield, and it works very well.]

When did he notice that?

Indeed, my back had been hurting because of the intense movements that night.

The box indeed contained the cream. The instructions were meticulously written and the handwriting matched that of the letter.

“Did he write this himself?”

[This cream works better if applied while your skin is still damp after washing. It’s made from mermaid scales, so it helps retain moisture.]

Comparing the letter and the handwriting, it was clear they were written by the same person.

“He’s surprisingly considerate… or not! How can a considerate guy hide his identity and spend the night with me?”

I gritted my teeth, recalling that Aster was the young lord of Blanche.

He had said he knew me. Of all people, why did I have to seduce Aster Blanche himself? This way, instead of eloping, I’d end up walking down the wedding aisle.

“Don’t be fooled by his handsome face. He has Blanche’s blood.”

Not only that, but he was also the heir of Blanche, our family’s greatest rival.

Moreover, he was Paris and Helen’s brother. Although they were half-siblings, they still shared half of their blood.

Those two, who had severe cases of prince and princess syndrome, gave me headaches just by meeting them. Their brother would be no different.

Of course, due to his long study abroad, we lacked information about him. But considering everything, it was clear that associating with him would only bring trouble.

With my fighting spirit fully ignited, I continued reading the letter.

[I would like to discuss the engagement ceremony. When would be a convenient time for you?
I can come to you directly, or we can meet somewhere else.
Please write down your available times below, and I will accommodate you.]

Engagement ceremony? Eengageement ceeremony?

I trembled as I reread the end of the letter.

He was determined to marry me. Why was he now rushing the engagement ceremony when he had previously avoided it?

If he had hesitated a bit longer, I could have broken off the engagement after my debutante ball!

“No. This is a nightmare.”

I was pulling my hair in frustration when Serri, carrying some clothes, entered.

“Miss? Why are you pulling your hair?”

“Serri! This is serious, help me.”

I might end up marrying Aster Blanche!

I frantically pulled her to the sofa. Serri, looking puzzled, asked.

“Help you? What’s going on?”

“Well, actually….”

I wanted to say that I met my ideal type the other day, was fatefully drawn to him, and spent the night together, only to find out he was Aster Blanche. What a cruel twist of fate!

But even to me, it sounded like a strange story. I didn’t want to say it because she would probably push me to marry him.

I sighed deeply, giving up on explaining.

“No, it’s nothing.”

“By the way, what did the young lord of Blanche say? The box seemed quite heavy…….”

“He wants to discuss when to hold the engagement ceremony.”

“The box is too big for an engagement ring, though?”

“Oh, it’s not a ring. It’s muscle pain cream.”

When I answered absentmindedly, Serri asked with a suspicious look.

“What? Why is the young lord giving you muscle pain cream?”

At Serri’s question, alarm bells rang in my head. Distracted by Aster’s situation, I spoke without thinking.

It was odd for a fiancé I had just met to suddenly gift muscle pain cream.

I couldn’t possibly say that he knew my back hurt from the hot night we spent together.