Chapter 6

Mel never truly thought of marriage as dreamy. It wasn’t that she viewed arranged marriage positively or could openly call it a “pit dragging me in.” It was just that, given her circumstances, she couldn’t express her true feelings.

“You mentioned that you lived as a commoner and only recently regained your noble status, right?”

“Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden…?“

“If you had to go through basic education again, you probably didn’t live a luxurious life. So why do you want something so idealistic? You’re not at an age to confuse fairy tales with reality.”

Gopher smiled as he spoke but surely knew those words were veiled criticism. Mel bit her lip hard, sealing her mouth shut.

“I didn’t expect to hear something like this after the families agreed. But I’ll try to understand. You must have your reasons.“

“...“

“Even if you don’t seem like a noble.“

“Ah.”

Mel abruptly stood up without realizing it. She couldn’t move further. Had the ceiling collapsed? Had the floor caved in? The world swayed as if it had flipped upside down.

“Just don’t get caught.”

“What if… I do get caught?”

The worn and faded memories she had repeated countless times pressed down on her.

‘I must not be discovered. I can’t be suspected. If anyone finds out I’m not Bleria…‘

“You’ll get to see a familiar face again.”

A ringing filled her ears. The sound of something hard rolling on the floor. The vibration from when Damian threw his ring echoed inside her mind.

Her throat felt stitched shut. She must look odd, but she had to say something—anything.

‘What am I supposed to do?’

Gopher, looking startled, stood up as well.

“Lady Bleria?“

“...”

“I apologize. That was inappropriate. Please… calm down.”

He gently grabbed her arm and helped her sit back on the sofa. The dizziness, which had seemed to threaten to knock her out, gradually subsided.

Mel kept her breathing in check as she scrutinized Gopher. She searched for any sign of suspicion in his eyes.

Fortunately, he only seemed surprised. Even after doing something far from noble, he didn’t suspect her.

‘But what if this happens again? What about other nobles?’

Of all the people she would meet, would Gopher be the only one who found her odd? Even the servants whispered that she was a fraud.

‘What should I do to avoid suspicion? What does it mean to act like a noble? How should I behave to convince people that I’m truly Bleria?‘ Thinking about it alone wouldn’t provide the answer.

“What does it mean to be noble?”

Her voice trembled.

“I—“

“I’m not mocking you. If you’re truly sorry, teach me. I’ll meet other nobles soon, and I can’t keep hearing the same thing.”

The more she spoke, the more it felt like that future was already happening. Her chest swelled, and she hunched her shoulders. She even wanted to close her eyes. That’s when a hand gently touched her face.

“You should avoid bowing your head.”

A gentle hand cupped her cheek and chin, lifting her face.

“Don’t show what’s inside. No matter what people say, don’t frown. Just smile—calmly, as if nothing can shake you.”

Mel responded like a diligent student. She smoothed her furrowed brow and forced a smile. Her cheeks trembled, but she tried her best. Gopher chuckled.

“It’s like you’ve never genuinely smiled before.“

“...”

“If it’s too hard, use Damian as a role model. Since you’re siblings, it might be easier.”

Damian?

The man who always smoked cigars, buried in paperwork, could intimidate a room without raising his voice, and whose rare smiles were terrifying. He looked like a noble but didn’t seem like someone to emulate.

There was only one thing she might attempt.

“Should I… smoke cigars?“

“I mean your expression, not that.”

His gloved fingers brushed her eyebrows, soft fabric gently pressing against her skin.

“If you stop using your facial muscles, they’ll eventually weaken. One day, you won’t have to try—like wearing a mask, your face will stay fixed.“

‘Like wearing a mask.’

Mel repeated the phrase, lost in thought. Suddenly, Gopher’s fingers pressed against the corners of her mouth, shaping her lips into a forced smile.

Looking at her bewildered face, he burst out laughing.

“You really take useless advice seriously.“

“…Was it all a lie?“

“I wouldn’t dare, considering my sins. I meant it’s just… unnecessary.”

Gopher withdrew his hand and returned to his seat across from her. The space beside her felt oddly empty.

“You’re Heaven’s diamond, Lady. If you feel something, show it. There will be plenty of people willing to cater to you. Why bother conforming to others?“

“But you always smile.“

“My position isn’t so secure. Haven’t you heard people say, ‘Gopher Allnight is unbelievably lucky‘?“

‘Uncertain position, yet lucky?’

To Mel, being born into a high-ranking noble family seemed like an incredible stroke of luck, but it didn’t appear that Gopher meant it that way. His cryptic words left a lingering sense of unease.

“You’ll understand, slowly.“

Gopher’s eyes curved gently as he spoke, exuding an air of relaxed confidence. He looked like someone who wouldn’t waver, no matter what happened.

Maybe it was because of what he had said earlier, but his smile didn’t seem genuine.

‘What is he hiding?’

A question, unanswered for now, nestled deep in her chest.

***

Gopher Allnight continued to visit regularly. He wasn’t as good-natured as his initial impression suggested. Instead, he treats Mel, unfamiliar with the noble society, as his personal plaything.

Although he hadn’t crossed any lines since the first day, Mel felt betrayed by the stark difference from his polite apology. When she finally couldn’t hold back and confronted him, he casually responded,

“People call that modesty.”

Any guilt she had evaporated. Mel decided to retaliate.

Whenever Gopher visited, she made him wait at least thirty minutes for no reason. She nitpicked his words and even “accidentally“ knocked over cups to spill tea. But despite her efforts:

“Thirty minutes is too short if you’re trying to break off the engagement. And if the person waiting seems nervous, it’s hard to get angry at them.“

“I really enjoyed our lively conversation today.“

“Sorry, I instinctively dodged that. Next time, give me a heads-up. I’ll let you hit me if it doesn’t hurt.”

Nothing fazed him. Worse, even Lucy had a startlingly positive take:

“I’m glad you’ve gotten closer to Lord Allnight! The master is pleased, too.“

“That’s unfair.”

Though Mel felt frustrated, she managed to achieve something else.

At her first tea party, she overheard whispers:

“So, the scammer rumors were just nonsense. She really seems like Heaven’s daughter.“

“She definitely looks like Lord Damian’s sister.“

“Even though she grew up as a commoner, it doesn’t seem to have affected her… Oh.”

The chatterers froze when they realized Mel was within earshot.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

Mel kept her expression neutral and walked past them. But even after returning to her room at the Heaven estate, her heart pounded relentlessly.

The servants and even nobles now seemed convinced that she was the real Bleria.

‘Good. I guess I seemed noble enough.’

For the first time, she felt a deep sense of relief. A strange, fluttering sensation followed—somewhere between joy and excitement. It wasn’t precisely honorable to fool others, but she couldn’t help feeling pleased with the praise.

“Hmmm.”

Alone in her room, Mel glanced around before stepping in front of the mirror.

A girl with snow-white hair stared back. What once barely brushed her shoulders now reached her collarbone. Her once-pale skin glowed, and her hollow cheeks had filled out. The indoor dress she wore now looked natural on her.

She stretched her lips into a smile, then quickly reverted. The smile was clumsy, but without any expression, her face looked quite…

“I can’t go on like this. I need a walk.”

She could manage the garden alone now. Instead of calling for Lucy, Mel opened the door.

Bang!

“Ah!“

“L-Lucy?”

Her maid stood there, rubbing her forehead.

“Why were you standing here…? Sorry. Are you hurt?“

“It hurts a little, but I’m fine, My Lady! Do you need anything?“

“I was thinking of taking a walk in the garden.“

“You should have called me! I’ll escort you!”

Mel was about to insist she could go alone but noticed Lucy’s eyes—round and trembling.

She wasn’t standing here by chance.

“The only daughter of the Heaven family shouldn’t go out alone. Please, let me accompany you… please.“

“Alright, let’s go together.“

Lucy’s face lit up, almost tearful moments before. She quickly took the lead, walking briskly ahead. Mel followed more slowly, deflating the excitement in her chest.

‘Why am I even excited? How foolish.’

Indeed, noble ladies didn’t get monitored like this all day.

***

As usual, Gopher visited again. Typically, Mel would have made him wait anxiously, but today, she went straight to the parlor. Realizing she was being watched had drained her energy to the scheme.

As she turned the doorknob and stepped inside, she abruptly froze.

“Huh…?”

On tiptoe, she carefully inched forward.