“Aisha.”

“…Mm. Mmm.”

“Aisha. Wake up and eat a little of this.”

When she finally managed to lift her heavy eyelids, she saw a head of dark hair. Aisha was about to call out for Daniel, but then, catching a glimpse of deep green eyes, she blinked in confusion.

“…Arthur?”

As her vision cleared, she realized it was her twin brother Arthur at her bedside. He was the last person she’d expected, and she squinted again to be sure it was really him. Noticing the puzzlement on her face, Arthur pressed his lips together and spoke.

“The older brothers went out—they had things to do. I stayed behind just for you… but what’s with that look? Don’t trust me?”

“You’re the one who always hates being around anyone.”

“Because it’s a hassle.”

Aisha was about to ask why he was here, but was stopped short by a fit of dry coughing. Her throat was so swollen and raw it hurt to breathe. At the sound of her cough, Arthur clicked his tongue and quickly handed her a glass of water. Aisha drained the glass in one go and managed to quell the cough.

“Eat this and take your medicine.”

Arthur placed a tray with a bowl of soup in front of her. The soup had cooled to just the right temperature, its aroma rising warmly. As Aisha reached for the spoon, she glanced at the basin of water and the clean cloth on the bedside table.

“Did you change the water cloth?”

“Daniel did it at dawn. I was only here for a few hours.”

Though his tone was blunt, Aisha smiled softly as she took a spoonful of soup and murmured her thanks.

“Thank you.”

Arthur hesitated at her gratitude, seeming to consider something for a moment before speaking again.

“…You didn’t tell the others what happened, did you.”

After coming back from the Lloyds, Aisha had fallen seriously ill in the middle of the night. She’d always been frail since childhood, so the whole family was beside themselves with worry. And since it had happened right after seeing Ian, Daniel had even threatened to storm over to Ian’s house and cause a scene.

“You even told Father that you don’t want to think about engagement or marriage for now… What did Ian say to you?”

He didn’t say it outright, but Arthur had guessed her illness had something to do with Ian. Aisha hesitated, then answered in a small voice, almost muttering.

“He said… he won’t get engaged to me.”

“….”

“He said the Lloyds and the Pardens are headed in different directions…”

There was more she could have said, but Aisha stopped there. There was a lump in her throat she couldn’t speak past. Arthur, folding his hands, watched her trembling shoulders, his face as calm as ever.

“Well… he’s not wrong. Not technically. But…”

“….”

“Did he really have to say it like that? Just the other day, he went into business with Father, and now suddenly they’re on different paths?”

His tone was as flat as his expression, but the upward twist at the end betrayed a hint of sarcasm—a nuance not lost on Aisha. Arthur pressed the spoon back into her hand and asked,

“So. Are you going to give up?”

“…I don’t know.”

“….”

“I know I should give up since he said he doesn’t want me… but it’s not that easy. I think I just need some time to think.”

Arthur’s brow furrowed slightly in frustration at his sister’s words. But a moment later, as if something had occurred to him, he simply nodded and schooled his features back into their usual, unreadable calm.

“Yeah. Taking some time to think isn’t a bad thing. Actually, that’s progress. You—when it comes to Ian, you never used to think at all. You’re not an empty acorn, you know. You can use your head for something—”

“Arthur!”

Aisha shot him a glare, ready to protest, but Arthur quickly stood up, making the tray rattle as if the soup bowl might topple over. Forced to stop, Aisha could only glare after him as he made his way to the door.

“Enough. Just finish your soup. I’ll go get your medicine.”

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sophia’s steps were lighter than usual. Behind her, a maid hurried to keep up, holding a parasol aloft, and cast a glance at her mistress’s beaming face before speaking up.

“You seem to be in a very good mood today, my lady.”

“It’s such nice weather. Look at that sky—so clear, not a speck of dust. Feels like everything unpleasant has just swept away.”

Normally, speaking to Sophia first meant a sharp retort was coming. If you didn’t speak, you’d get scolded for being dull. Either way, her difficult mistress seemed genuinely happy today—so much so that she was even humming a tune, something she normally called “common” and refused to do.

Relieved, the maid relaxed her grip on the parasol and wondered if something good had happened lately.

‘But nothing special’s happened… Is this just one of her moods?’

Whatever the reason, Sophia was all smiles as she strolled through the gallery. Even the knights and noble sons passing by blushed at the sight of her radiant face. As the Lloyds’ younger daughter, Sophia was every bit as dazzling as her famously handsome brother.

Sophia flashed a winning smile at the young men who greeted her and, inwardly, replayed the scene she’d eavesdropped on days before.

“For the reasons I just said, I intend to keep my distance from you. So don’t come looking for me again, and don’t expect anything from me, either.”

It had been in the small sitting room on the second floor of their house. She’d been napping in the adjoining room, the door slightly opened, and accidentally overheard her brother and Aisha’s conversation. Every word had been so satisfying to hear she couldn’t help but smile.

‘Her proud little nose must have been ground to dust.’

Her brother, Ian, had cut Aisha off far more coldly than she’d imagined—shutting down the engagement for good, and even telling Sophia herself to be treated with respect. All the irritation and resentment that had been bottled up inside her seemed to melt away in that instant.

“Lady Aisha…”

Sophia mimicked her brother’s formal address under her breath and let out a laugh. The maid trailing behind gave her a strange look, but lacked the courage to say anything.

Sophia, with her maid in tow, soon reached a garden and paused at the entrance to an arch covered in blooming roses. An attendant, noticing her, bowed deeply.

“May I see your invitation?”

Sophia lifted her hand with an elegant wave, and her maid quickly produced a lavishly decorated ticket from her pocket. After confirming it, the attendant gestured toward the arch and bowed again.

“Please, go right in.”

With her chin raised high, Sophia swept through the archway and into a small garden enclosed by manicured hedges. On the neatly trimmed lawn stood a marble fountain, surrounded by several tea tables laden with an assortment of sweets. At each table, groups of well-dressed ladies and noble daughters sat together, chatting animatedly.

Sophia paused, scanning the garden until she spotted her destination. Just then, one group—already seated—noticed her and waved her over. Sophia looked them over with a cool, haughty gaze, then strolled toward them, her every step radiating pride.

“Sophia, it’s been far too long!”

“We’ve missed seeing your face at our gatherings.”

As soon as Sophia arrived, all five girls in the group stood up in unison. The most prominent seat at the table was immediately cleared for her, and Sophia took it with practiced ease.

‘Honestly, why did I even bother coming? It’s just the same old crowd, all so trivial… Still, at least they’re better than those who are nobles in name only.’

Behind her pleasant smile was a thinly veiled disdain. Compared to the Lloyd marquisate, these young ladies’ families fell short in everything—honor, wealth, power. Sophia glanced at them like a true lady of the house.

“It’s been too long. I should’ve joined you all more often, but things have been hectic since we returned from our travels.”

“I heard you went all the way down to Rivarde, past Haran. They say it’s warm all year round. Was it lovely?”

“Haran’s a busy trading city, but Rivarde was nice too. I was a little worried, since it’s so rural—I thought I’d have trouble getting the things I needed, but there was no reason to worry at all.”

One girl finally brought up the trip to Rivarde, which Sophia had taken with Ian. The others, clearly waiting for the cue, jumped in.

“Warm weather and a peaceful seaside—just imagining it makes me feel refreshed.”

Sophia relished their envious stares as she casually fiddled with a sapphire ring she’d bought in Rivarde. The stone was deep in color, perfectly clear, and the jealousy in the other girls’ voices grew even stronger.

“It takes a full month by carriage just to get to Rivarde, doesn’t it?”

“I’ve heard you can’t truly enjoy life’s luxuries until you have a villa in Rivarde. I tried begging my father for one, but he detests the ocean—he won’t even consider it.”

“Well, from what I’ve heard, owning a villa in Rivarde these days is no small feat. Unless you’re exceptionally wealthy, it’s almost out of reach.”

“Rivarde might be out of the question, but I am planning a trip to Dabrang in the west. Not everyone even gets that far, so I suppose I should be grateful.”

Most of the conversation was meaningless chatter, but an undercurrent of rivalry and envy ran through it. None of that mattered to Sophia, though. She was seated at the very top of this little social pyramid. She sipped her tea and listened to the girls gossiping about Rivarde, quickly growing bored of the topic. With a tap of her finger on the table, she changed the mood. At her signal, everyone fell silent and looked at her.

“Let’s change the subject. Can someone fill me in on what’s been happening in the capital? I haven’t even been back a month, and I feel so out of the loop.”

“Well, aside from the charity party you attended, there really haven’t been any major events. It’s been terribly dull.”

Sophia’s eyes lit up when the charity party was mentioned, even if only for a moment.

Why hadn’t she thought of it sooner? The girls around her might not have come from distinguished families, but if there was one thing they were good at, it was spreading rumours. After all, good news deserved to be shared.

As she glanced at them, the feeling that coming here had been a waste quickly faded, and she started to scheme. A subtle malice flickered in her eyes as she opened her blue fan — chosen to match her sapphire ring — and hid her red lips behind it, revealing only her gaze.

“Oh, that’s right—the charity party! It was such a delightful event, just as one would hope from a gathering with a purpose. And I made a lovely new friend, Lady Loretta Fideloi.”