Crunch.

Ciela carefully chewed the apple, ensuring it would digest easily. With every bite, tangy juice filled her mouth.

Gulp.

‘I’m full.’

After slowly finishing the single fairy apple, she realized she was completely satisfied.

‘It’s a shame, but considering how much I usually eat, I’ve probably overindulged as it is.’

As she used a handkerchief to wipe the sticky juice from her fingers, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Meow?”

Titi’s sparkling eyes, bright as stars, stared up at her, his head tilted curiously.

“Are you asking if I’m okay?”

“Meow!”

Titi nodded vigorously.

“I just finished eating it, so I’m not sure yet. But I’ll make sure to eat at least one a day from now on.”

The book had advised eating at least one fairy apple daily for consistent results. It also mentioned that the effects could vary slightly from person to person.

“Myaaaow…”

Titi let out a soft, drawn-out meow.

“It’s okay. I’ll get better soon.”

Watching Titi genuinely care for her warmed her heart, making her feel as though the apple’s effects were already working.

“You’re the real medicine, Titi, not the fairy apple.”

Filled with gratitude, Ciela gently pressed a finger against his soft pink nose. The warmth of the moment lingered as the day quietly came to an end.

***

Early Morning

As dawn broke, Ciela reached for another fairy apple the moment she woke up. The once-full basket of fruit now had noticeable gaps where apples had been taken. Holding an apple in one hand, she began eating while cautiously touching her forehead with the other.

“How long has it been since I woke up without a headache?”

Her head, once heavy and clouded, had felt refreshingly clear for days now. The unfamiliar sensation still caught her off guard, leaving her feeling strangely restless.

‘Yesterday, I ate something other than thin soup and didn’t throw up.’

Though her stomach had felt slightly uneasy, it was a remarkable improvement. What might seem like a small step to others felt monumental to her—like a baby taking its first steps after crawling. Having spent her entire life battling illness, the change felt nothing short of miraculous.

“…Ken really needs to get back to me before I finish everything in the basket.”

Despite his confident promises to deliver more fairy apples soon, there had been no word from him.

‘I hope nothing’s happened.’

Even inquiries to his subordinate stationed at the Arcel estate had yielded no information. Letting out a deep sigh, she decided to set aside her worries for now. After all, today wasn’t just any day.

‘It’s Lilia’s birthday party.’

The sky was crystal clear, without a single cloud, as if it were celebrating her party today. Ciela hurried to finish getting ready. Bearing the Arcel name, she had a responsibility to ensure everything for the event was perfectly prepared.

“You’re running quite late.”

“Sorry about that.”

Just then, Lilia, now fully dressed, approached her cautiously from behind.

“Mother, Father, I apologize for being late too.”

“What are you saying, Lilia? The guest of honor is always allowed to be late!”

The Marchioness exclaimed, fussing over her daughter. She urged Lilia to rest more, claiming that exhaustion would harm her complexion.

“I’m fine, Mother. I went to bed early last night, so I’m not tired. Since it’s my birthday party, I’d like to help oversee everything.”

“My goodness, who could you take after to be so mature at such a young age? You’re not even an adult yet!”

The Marquis and Marchioness looked at Lilia with pride. The cheerful and lively atmosphere lingered as they made their rounds inspecting the mansion in preparation for the party. With Calix confirming his attendance, the event had been expanded to an even grander scale than originally planned.

“This feels like the most extravagant birthday party I’ve ever had.”

“Hoho, of course. Your father spared no expense when he heard His Highness Calix would be attending. If only he’d put this much effort into other events.”

“Our other events are always perfectly fine. But I must admit, today is exceptionally delightful.”

Walking quietly behind them, Ciela looked around the party venue, a small smile playing on her lips.

‘I can’t even imagine how much they spent to upscale everything on such short notice.’

Considering they had to bring in extra staff to fill the gaps, the cost must have been huge.

“Hehe, such an extravagant birthday party, and His Highness Calix is attending… I’m so happy it feels unreal. I’m almost worried I’ll wake up and find it’s all a dream.”

As Ciela was finishing her inspection of the party hall, Lilia murmured dreamily, her voice filled with awe, as though she were floating on a cloud. Her family laughed at her words, as if she had just shared an amusing joke. Lilia, in turn, joined their laughter, her smile bright and cheerful.

The one to shatter the harmonious atmosphere was none other than the butler.

“A disaster has occurred!”

The butler, who normally wouldn’t dream of acting out of decorum, came rushing in, breathless and visibly alarmed.

“What is it?”

The Marquis, his expression hardening, took a few steps toward him.

“This…!”

The butler, too shaken to form a proper sentence, extended a newspaper clutched tightly in his hand. The Marquis snatched it and immediately scanned the front-page article. The sound of the newspaper crumpling accompanied the ferocious twist of his expression.

“Who? Who would dare write such an article?!”

His furious voice echoed through the mansion, filled with rage.

“What’s going on? What’s in the article?”

The Marchioness, confused, looked through the newspaper, and then gasped in shock.

“…”

Her face went pale, shaking with shock. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, but it seemed as if the shock had robbed her of her voice, and only a soft groan escaped.

Thud.

“Oh, Mother!”

The Marquise collapsed, clutching her neck. Lilia rushed to her side. After checking that her mother was still breathing, she looked up, tears streaming down her face, and turned to the servants. She was about to ask them to move her mother when –

“I understand you’re in shock, but hurry and get her to her room. You, get the doctor.”

Sitting beside Lilia, Ciela was the first to issue orders to the servants.

“Understood!”

“Thank you for your effort.”

Her calm yet considerate tone snapped the servants out of their initial shock. Quickly regaining their composure, they began to carry out the orders efficiently and without hesitation.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“…It’s just surprising to see you speaking to the servants—no, never mind.”

Lilia said, shaking her head as if brushing off her thoughts. Still, her eyes remained contemplative as they lingered on Ciela.

“Is that so?”

Ciela acknowledged her response briefly before turning her gaze elsewhere.

“Considering how much the servants have disregarded me in the past, I suppose I’ve treated them as if they didn’t exist in return.”

Perhaps the unease came from seeing Ciela address the servants in such a natural and sensitive way when giving orders. If that was the case, all Ciela had to do was to shift the focus to something else and remove any lingering doubts. Ciela picked up the newspaper that had been left on the floor after the Marquise had collapsed and raised her voice dramatically.

“My goodness! What is this?”

She feigned shock, her tone loud and deliberate.

“Lilia, did someone catch you meeting Young Master Turtlik in public?”

“W-what are you talking about…?”

Ciela didn’t respond directly. Instead, she extended the newspaper toward her.

“….”

But Lilia couldn’t bring herself to take it. She knew that the moment she looked at it, the meaning behind Ciela’s words would become crystal clear. Yet a part of her resisted, as if confirming it would make everything undeniable.

She was terrified—of the heavy, suffocating air that now invaded the once-joyful space, of the newspaper that felt like Pandora’s box, holding devastating secrets within. Deep down, she instinctively knew that the happiness she’d felt moments ago was about to shatter. Caught between curiosity and fear, Lilia hesitated before her trembling hands finally reached out to take the newspaper.

[Shocking! Lilia Arcel caught secretly meeting her sister’s fiancé…]

As her eyes scanned the headline, her face went pale, frozen as though struck by a heavy blow. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and her body sank to the floor, utterly drained of strength.

“Why did it have to be today, of all days…”

Her small, fragile frame quivered like a leaf, her trembling figure evoking an overwhelming sense of pity. Ciela quickly knelt beside her, wrapping her in a gentle embrace and softly patting her back with a sympathetic look.

“My poor Lilia, what are we going to do? This was clearly deliberate—someone must have chosen today to release this with malicious intent.

Through her tears, Lilia lifted her head to look at the Marquis, the steadfast pillar of her life. Her voice broke with desperation as she cried out.

“Isn’t there anything we can do to stop this?”

“…It’s not possible.”

The Marquis said heavily.

“But today is my birthday! Please, Father, you have to do something.”

“Hah, it’s not that I don’t want to stop it—I can’t! If this had happened just a few days earlier, I might have been able to manage it somehow. But now… damn it!”

The Marquis snapped, his frustration boiling over into angry curses.

“This can’t be happening…”

Lilia whispered, her voice trembling as she lowered her head and began to weep. Her hair fell forward, obscuring her tear-streaked face as her shoulders shook with sorrow.

“…Lilia…”

Ciela’s voice trembled with feigned sympathy as she spoke, her expression filled with a pretense of concern. Though her eyes remained dry, her tone carried the weight of someone moved by the heartbreaking scene.

‘Targeting her birthday party was definitely worth it.’

With the invitations already sent and the event already underway, there was no way to cancel the party now. This meant Lilia would have no choice but to face everyone today, unprepared and defenseless, becoming an easy target.

“And to make matters worse, even His Grace, the Duke of Calix, is expected to attend. What are we going to do?”

Her words triggered an immediate reaction. Lilia, who had been trembling like a frightened lamb, suddenly went still, as though her body had gone numb. Even her sobs stopped as she slowly rose to her feet, unsteady but deliberate.

Lilia’s blue eyes, usually so bright, were now clouded and distant, as if lost in deep thought. But Ciela didn’t miss the faint glimmer of resolve that began to spread within them.

“Did you come up with something?”

“Yes, I did.”

“If you tell me, I’ll help you.”

Ciela offered, her voice soft as she gently dabbed at Lilia’s tear-streaked face with a handkerchief.

“Thank you for saying that, Sister.”

Only then did Lilia finally stop crying, her face brightening with a clear smile. She gestured to the remaining servants nearby and issued a command.

“Take my sister to her room immediately.”