“Ah, hello! My lady.”

Selize spotted Janet and jumped up from her seat. Rihanel, sitting across from her, merely turned his head casually.

“You’re here? Please sit.”

“Hello, Marchioness Monder. Lady Jasmine.”

Janet gave a slight bow and sat beside Rihanel. Panianna leaned forward, pretending to be very welcoming.

“Janet, were you surprised by our sudden visit? Sorry, I usually come to Elbareo every year. Don’t misunderstand, I had already promised to come before you got married. But I’ve also brought Selize with me, I hope that’s not uncomfortable for you?”

“Not at all.”

“Really? That’s a relief. Let’s have fun together. Oh, here comes the food.”

A servant was pushing a cart loaded with appetizers from over there. Panianna spoke to Selize in an excited voice.

“You know it too, right? The first appetizer served when you come to Reynes. The bruschetta topped with Unqua, the specialty of this place!”

Janet flinched momentarily at those words.

She couldn’t eat Unqua.

Unqua was a fruit named for resembling clouds, but Janet was allergic to it. Since childhood, even eating a little would cause her to suffer from high fever and body aches.

“I’m so looking forward to it. It’s different from what you eat in the capital. You have to eat it here, I tell you!”

“Yes, I’m looking forward to it too.”

Panianna stretched her neck, eagerly awaiting the food. Selize gave Panianna a fresh smile.

Janet fell into contemplation. She couldn’t eat Unqua. But if she said she couldn’t eat it, they would surely think she was ruining the atmosphere.

I knew it. I knew this would happen. The anticipated reactions already tickled Janet’s ears.

I wish I could look forward to this food like Lady Jasmine.

Janet couldn’t say anything and just moved her lips until the plate was placed in front of her.

“Huh? What’s this?”

But Panianna frowned at the plate placed in front of her. And she glared at the servant with a look suggesting there must be some mistake.

“Where’s the Unqua?”

“I’m sorry, Aunt. Unqua is the starting food served when one first arrives at Reynes.”

It was Rihanel who answered.

Janet looked up at him. Rihanel continued speaking without directing his gaze toward Janet.

“I forgot that I told them to prepare something different for dinner since Janet and I already ate it at lunch. I’ll tell them to bring it to your room as dessert after the meal.”

They had not had lunch here.

She couldn’t understand why he was lying. Could it be that he remembered? That she couldn’t eat that fruit.

“Hmm, alright. This looks delicious too.”

Fortunately, Panianna was quickly captivated by the food in front of her. The meal flowed back into a smooth atmosphere.

“Remember? That time we played charades with the people from Peldarene and the Sodamio kids. Ah, it was so funny.”

“I didn’t know describing a river would be so difficult.”

“And I didn’t know the second child of Sodamio was so flexible.”

People bloomed with laughter as they talked about games they had played during previous visits to the Reynes territory.

Amidst this, Janet listened attentively with her lips curved upward. Honestly, she had no idea what they were talking about, but when people laughed, she laughed along.

“And that play sponsored by House Jasmine back then. What was the title again?”

“The Tree in the Mirror.”

“Yes, yes, yes. Rihanel, you saw it too, right? The actor who played the male lead was quite good, wasn’t he?”

“Well, I’m not sure.”

This time, a conversation about plays began. When Rihanel didn’t agree with her statement, Panianna slightly wrinkled the bridge of her nose and abruptly threw a question at Janet.

“Janet, do you… like plays?”

This time, it was finally a conversation Janet could join. She opened her mouth in a somewhat brighter voice.

“I’ve seen a few.”

“Is that so? Which ones have you seen?”

“The ones performed by the Olbit troupe…”

“Hmm… troupe? Janet. No, no. Amateur performances are what give plays meaning and elegance. Those done professionally, how should I put it, they lack a certain class, don’t they?”

“Ah…”

“Our Janet, you should sponsor charity plays at Reynes too, could you prepare something like that? Let’s go watch some together. Hoho.”

Panianna, who had interrupted Janet’s words and laid out her own opinions, concluded with quite an affectionate tone. Janet forced a smile and nodded.

“Yes, I’ll…”

“What for? My wife will go with me. There’s no need for you to trouble yourself, Aunt.”

Even that was blocked by Rihanel. He placed his hand over Janet’s hand, as if telling her to keep quiet. His dry palm completely enveloped the back of her hand.

It was just her hand being held, yet somehow her entire body tensed up.

Janet closed her mouth.

“Hoho, is that so? So be it.”

Panianna smiled, but her discomfort was evident on her face. She seemed to think Rihanel was being protective of Janet.

But Janet knew that wasn’t Rihanel’s intention.

In other words, there would never come a day when Janet would prepare something like play sponsorship. Because she wasn’t truly a member of the Reynes family.

So there was clearly no need to go around watching amateur plays with Panianna.

An uncomfortable silence briefly enveloped the table.

“Oh right, I heard they’re holding a summer festival at Ners Square starting tomorrow. How about going to see it together?”

At that moment, Selize brightened the atmosphere with a cheerful voice. Her clear voice, full of vitality, had the power to make listeners nod in agreement.

“Yes, that sounds good. You two will go too, right? You must.”

“Ah… yes.”

Janet nodded in a daze. When she looked to the side, her eyes met Rihanel’s.

“Of course.”

Rihanel naturally shifted his gaze to Panianna, as if he had never done otherwise. It seemed like an illusion that he had been looking at her.

“I’m excited.”

Selize clasped her hands in front with a bright smile. Seeing her lovable appearance, Janet felt a strange feeling.

This bright, kind, and beautiful young lady, unlike Janet, would surely be loved by everyone. Would Rihanel see her that way too?

Moreover, they had times together that she didn’t know about.

She hated the indecent thoughts filling her mind. Janet couldn’t understand why she was so tormented over something that wasn’t hers. Her mind became complicated.

***

“Wow, look at this!”

Selize, wearing a white short-sleeved dress with green accents and a summer hat adorned with fancy ribbons, was truly radiant.

She was walking quite far ahead with Panianna. Even while leading the way, she frequently looked back. It seemed like she was trying to take care of the group, but also like she wanted to walk together.

Janet glanced at her side. Today, unlike in the capital where he wore sharply tailored clothes, Rihanel was wearing just a slightly loose shirt.

Panianna didn’t seem to like this attire much, but to Janet, it was appropriate for the hot weather. It gave the impression of being slightly relaxed, befitting someone on vacation.

And simultaneously, it evoked nostalgia in Janet.

In those old days, he used to wear clothes of this style a lot.

Just then, Selize looked back again. And she gave a slightly shy expression.

Seeing this, Janet said to Rihanel,

“Shall we walk with Lady Jasmine?”

“Be careful.”

Rihanel, who had opened his mouth at the same time Janet spoke, pointed downward with his chin in a dry voice.

There was uneven ground a few steps ahead. It was within Janet’s field of vision, so she was already aware of it.

But for a moment, she took it for granted that he would warn her like that, and then Janet felt a subtle emotion.

Warning and informing her about such trivial things was what Nel Siphren used to do for Janet Wilton in the past.

Janet’s heart lurched for a moment.

But Rihanel was looking ahead with no change in expression. He wasn’t even conscious of what he had said.

“……”

As expected. Janet gave a bitter smile.

In fact, this wasn’t the first time. Since Janet had come to live with him, Rihanel had acted like this a few times.

Telling her to be careful at the stairs, or moving aside food with scents she disliked at banquets.

But there was no significant meaning to it.

Habitual kindness.

His consciousness hated Janet, but the habit of being considerate toward her remained and occasionally surfaced.

It would be better if he just kept treating her coldly. Because these kinds of trivial things became fierce waves pushing Janet.

It was a warm and cruel reason.

“What did you say?”

Rihanel, who hadn’t heard Janet’s words as they overlapped, asked again.

Janet considered whether to repeat her earlier words. But realizing that such deliberation was foolish, she eventually repeated what she had said before.

“I said, shall we walk with Lady Jasmine?”

“What for? Are you uncomfortable with just the two of us?”

In Janet’s opinion, Rihanel would be more uncomfortable, but he blamed Janet instead.

“We came to the festival together. Walking like this defeats the purpose.”

“You certainly have a way with words.”

Rihanel gave a hollow laugh and strode forward.

That wasn’t meant to catch up so quickly.

Janet hastily took small steps. Thanks to her consistent walking practice, she now prided herself on walking quite well.

However, Rihanel’s steps were noticeably faster. As a result, she could only watch the three people walking together.

When Rihanel said something, Selize smiled brightly. She pointed somewhere, and Rihanel nodded kindly.

Janet’s steps slowed. This seemed like the right way to walk. Feeling strange about her own fluttering heart, Janet took a deep breath.

“My lady! Come quickly!”

Just then, Selize turned around and ran toward her. She linked arms with Janet and happily wrinkled the bridge of her nose.

“Ah… you could have walked ahead.”

“But I’ve been wanting to walk with you. I have something to ask you.”

Selize’s eyes sparkled shyly. Janet instinctively knew she would ask about Rihanel.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Can I call you ‘sister’?”

“……”

“Oh, is that not okay?”

Selize’s face showed visible disappointment. Janet hurriedly answered.

“No, please feel free.”

“Really? I’m so happy. I only have brothers, no sisters. Hehe. Please call me Selize too, sister.”

“Is that alright?”

“I insist!”