After the vacation ended, Siara returned to school and lived just like always. She enjoyed growing crops in the field, sharing them with students in the dormitory, and chatting pleasantly. She smiled, thinking these days weren’t so bad.

However, news of the marriage proposal from the Prince spread like wildfire, and she received a letter from Duke Light instructing her to return home for the winter break.

<Shouldn’t you come home soon for bridal lessons? I knew you would become our family’s only lifeline! Your mother says she’ll make you worthy of becoming the Prince’s wife! Come quickly and be a dutiful daughter!>

Even through the letter, Duke Light’s excitement was palpable.

‘I suppose that makes sense? Once she becomes royalty, paying off those debts would be easy. But Diego…’

[Even though I’m the legitimate heir, I could make you my concubine.]

Lying on her bed, Siara slapped her own cheek with her palm. After a couple of slaps, she regained her senses.

Whether becoming the Prince’s wife or a concubine, it would be Annie, not Siara.

‘When she comes of age, I’ll be gone.’

Complete or not, she would leave this place immediately. She wouldn’t experience these emotionally draining situations. When she returned to the Kingdom of Estain, she would live alone, immersed in research at the Magic Tower.

‘I need to find Annie’s soul.’

She needed to return the body. The moment the dimensional transfer spell was completed, this body would die when the soul departed.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

At Siara’s words, Diego entered comfortably, like it was his own room. He was probably the only man who could frequently enter the female dormitory without being mistaken for a pervert.

Peter came in and took out a teapot and two teacups he had prepared, pouring the tea. A deep red tea was brewed.

He handed the teacups, which looked completely out of place here, to Siara and Diego. Siara smelled the aroma before savoring the taste. The high-quality tea leaves were indeed delicious. Would she taste this every day if she married the Prince?

“…What brings you here?”

“I heard they’re going to marry you off at 18.”

“…What?”

Siara almost spat out her tea. Now she understood why Diego’s expression had been unpleasant.

Diego’s black eyes darkened. He glared at the red tea like it was his enemy.

“…Of course, I will stop it.”

“You? …How?”

The words in Siara’s heart spilled out instantly.

If the Empress was determined, what power did Diego have, even being her son? When royalty sent a marriage proposal, nobles were expected to accept it.

The air in the small room felt heavy and suffocating.

Peter’s hands trembled as he held the teapot, uncharacteristic of him.

“Do I look like an idiot to you?”

“…What are you talking about? Who called you an idiot?”

Who would dare call the Crown Prince an idiot? She would like to meet such a bold person. However, seeing him curse, she could tell Diego was upset.

“Do I look like someone who would let what’s mine be taken away while I stand by with my eyes wide open?”

“…Mine?”

“Yes. If I didn’t need you, I wouldn’t have rescued you from Marquis Hart.”

The “mine” seemed to be possessive affection. Siara’s face turned bright red.

‘This kid… He never knows how to express himself properly. He could just say “I like you!” Why all this talk about not letting things be taken away?’

Diego’s face moved closer to Siara’s.

“You’re mine, right? Annie Light.”

“Ah… Annie?”

She almost made a mistake. Diego was talking about Annie, not her. Siara felt disappointed.

‘Would you still like me if you met the real me?’

Siara stroked Diego’s face, which was such an impertinent action that Peter frowned. However, Diego welcomed Siara’s touch and licked her palm with his tongue.

“…!”

When Siara pulled her hand away in surprise, Diego grabbed her wrist and moved closer, almost pouncing on her.

“Diego…?”

“Tell me, Annie. You’re mine, right? You won’t betray me and go to my brother?”

Siara couldn’t speak.

‘You should ask Annie that, not me! Sigh. But I can’t tell the truth either.’

Recalling what Diego had said before, Siara’s lips twitched.

[You said anyone even a year older than you seems like an old lady!]

‘Sorry. It’s not just a year—it’s much more… More than your parents.’

“That remains to be seen…”

She tried to buy time, but hearing those words, Diego’s eyes looked ready to shoot sparks.

“What?”

“I mean, I…”

“Say it clearly. You want to go to my brother? You’d rather be the Prince’s wife than my concubine?”

‘How did it come to this…’

Siara looked at Peter with an embarrassed face, but Peter had already turned his head away. Diego’s body increasingly overlapped with Siara’s.

“Wait, Diego!”

‘We’re still too young!’

Siara pushed Diego’s body away. At first, Diego resisted, but seeing Siara’s discomfort, he backed away with a dejected expression.

“I didn’t know you were such a materialistic person.”

“…What?”

“…Right. It must be because you grew up poor. It’s not your fault.”

“Hey!”

Contempt could be read in Diego’s eyes.

‘Growing up poor? Maybe Annie did, but not me!’

But if she could have spoken freely, she would have said everything long ago. Siara wanted to punch her chest in frustration. Something was stuck in her throat, unable to come out.

Diego seemed to have made a decision and stood up, looking at Siara with cold eyes.

“…Enjoy your vacation. If you can.”

His last words were too quiet to hear clearly.

After Diego left, Peter hurriedly followed. Watching the two of them, Siara pounded her chest with her fist.

‘It’s so frustrating! I feel like I’m going to die from frustration!’

This was why she disliked humans. Emotions were exhausting. Life was more comfortable when she lived alone in the Magic Tower, focused solely on research.

* * *

When winter break began, Duke Light sent a carriage. Inside sat her younger sister Sophie, who waved her hand with a bright smile.

“Welcome, sister who will become the future Prince’s wife!”

“…You look happy too.”

“Hoho. Do I?”

Sophie’s face was covered in heavy makeup. She was only 15 years old, but her makeup was surprisingly thick.

The carriage departed after Siara sat across from Sophie.

Siara tilted her head, noticing the upgraded carriage compared to before.

“The ride is smooth. The seats seem different too…”

“Of course it’s different—this is a carriage for the Prince’s future wife.”

“…”

That Prince’s wife, Prince’s wife talk again. She wished they would stop. Annie would be the one in that position anyway. Siara felt her chest tightening again.

Since that day, Diego hadn’t acknowledged her at all.

‘That kid. Getting all sulky…’

She was going to leave anyway. But why did she care so much about this kid being upset? It wasn’t like she could kidnap him to the Kingdom of Estain.

‘Should I just take him with me…?’

After seriously considering it, she shook her head vigorously.

Diego didn’t know her real face or age. In the Kingdom of Estain, Siara had a very beautiful face, but Diego’s preference might be for ordinary faces and peers his own age.

Siara took out a mirror and slowly examined Annie’s face. Brown hair and brown eyes. An unremarkable face with tanned skin and freckles.

‘This must be Diego’s type.’

When Siara sighed while looking in the mirror, Sophie laughed.

“Are you that happy? Looking into the mirror and all.”

“…About what?”

“Becoming the Prince’s wife! Thanks to you, we don’t have to investigate Marquis Marcel anymore, right? His Highness the Prince will pay off all our debts, so our estate will be safe!”

‘Would the Prince really pay off the debts?’

Prince Isaac wasn’t a fool and wouldn’t take a woman with commoner blood as his wife. It would only narrow his standing. From what she had briefly seen, unlike Diego, he seemed quite greedy.

Since his own blood was mixed with that of commoners, he would likely want to marry a noble with a prestigious reputation. And paying off debts? Not a chance.

But for Annie, this was nothing less than a means to escape her filthy household.

“When we reach the estate, I need to visit the information guild to see if they’ve gathered evidence.”

“Why? You don’t need to go anymore!”

“Your allowance.”

When Siara held out her palm, Sophie’s face contorted. She probably hadn’t expected to have her allowance taken again. She reluctantly handed over her money pouch while grumbling.

“But when will you introduce me to His Highness the Crown Prince? You keep taking my money!”

That stung. She couldn’t tell Sophie that her relationship with Diego had deteriorated because of the engagement to the Prince. Siara quickly changed the subject.

“He’s busy now… So, next time.”

“When is next time?”

“…There will be a party at the imperial palace soon, and we’ll get an invitation then.”

“Really? This will be my first imperial palace party!”

…It seemed she would need to write a letter to Diego asking him to host a party when they reached the estate. And she needed to make up with him about his sulking.

Sophie shook her legs excitedly. Siara slapped Sophie’s leg with her palm.

“Ouch!”

“They say it chases away good luck!”

* * *

When they arrived at the Duke’s castle, all the maids and servants stood in line to welcome them. The treatment was definitely different from before. The Duke and Duchess stood in the center of the greeting maids and servants. Their mouths were wide open.

‘They’re thrilled.’

The Duchess approached and grabbed Siara’s hand.

“Welcome home! Oh, about your room, we’ve moved you to a better place. Would you like to see it?”

She wondered where they had moved her from the maid’s storage room.

While the Duke and Duchess welcomed Sophie, a plump maid guided Siara.

“This way, please.”

The maid’s belly was swollen with pregnancy. Her waddling movement looked precarious. What was her name again?

“Mariam?”

“Yes, Miss Annie.”

“You look pregnant. Call another maid.”

“No, I want to guide you myself!”

She was the only maid in this household who had been on Annie’s side from the beginning. She had seemed timid before, but looking at her again, she appeared to have quite a bright personality.

“Congratulations on becoming the Prince’s wife.”

“…It hasn’t happened yet. I’m not sure if it will.”

Everyone thought optimistically, but Siara felt uneasy. Prince Isaac wouldn’t likely accept a Prince’s wife of commoner origin, and Diego had warned her too.

[…Enjoy your vacation. If you can.]

Those words lingered strangely. “If you can”? What did that mean?

However, all negative thoughts vanished because of the room Mariam showed her. Though not as large as Diego’s room, it was rather cozy and clean, which she liked.

“…This is nice.”

Looking around the neat room, Mariam’s eyes reddened.