Published: July 28, 2025
That day was my eighteenth birthday. A grand party was being held at the Shadelan Family mansion.
A feast lined up in rows, with fine wine. Gentlemen all dressed up in their best attire... For a poor baronial household, quite a number of people had gathered.
But the star of this party was not me, Marie Shadelan. It belonged to my older sister, Anastasia.
“Oh, how wonderful! What a beautiful dress. Father, Mother, thank you so much!”
Anastasia twirled, her rose-pink skirt swirling around her. It truly was a magnificent party dress. Adorned with countless decorations in her golden hair, she looked every bit like a princess. So stunning and adorable that it was frustratingly perfect—there was nothing to criticize.
Meanwhile, I was wearing a gray one-piece dress with only the barest embroidery. Could this even be called a dress? Certainly not a fabric befitting the daughter of nobility, let alone the star of a party. My red hair was barely washed, tangled with knots from years of neglect, rough and messy like a stray dog... My parents sighed as they looked down at me.
“Endure it, Marie. We’re poor, so this is all we could prepare.”
“Yes, I’m sorry. Besides, it wouldn’t make sense to custom-make something for you, would it? Pretty dresses just wouldn’t suit you.”
... Hearing that, I had nothing to say.
“Marie, do you want to wear my dress? I have plenty more, so it’s no problem.”
My sister spoke kindly. She surely meant no harm. But I shook my head.
“I’m too tall to wear your clothes, Anastasia...”
“A little alteration and it’ll fit somehow.”
“Anastasia, Marie hates cute clothes,” our mother interjected. It wasn’t exactly that, but the truth was they didn’t suit me, and I felt embarrassed and reluctant.
I fell silent. Anastasia frowned but soon smiled brightly, bouncing on her heels like a young girl.
“That dress is lovely too. It’s mature and cool. It suits you well, Marie.”
“Thank you. You truly are very adorable, sister.”
That wasn’t flattery. Anastasia really was beautiful and incredibly popular.
We were children born of the same parents, yet nothing about us was alike.
Anastasia, the older sister; Marie, the younger. Anastasia with her fluffy golden hair, Marie with tangled red hair. Petite and girlish Anastasia, tall and boyish Marie. Outgoing and sociable Anastasia, prefering to read alone, Marie. Anastasia, whose every cute whim was granted, and Marie, who never dared complain to our parents.
Anastasia always shone brightly, but I was hopeless. Spending money on me was pointless, so I always wore the same shabby clothes.
That said, today I was wearing a new dress, simple though it was. I had even washed my hair with soap, so I should have looked a little better—but still...
Still, no one noticed me as the star of the party.
At the buffet hall, surrounded by guests saying “Happy birthday, young lady,” it was Anastasia who was celebrated. I beside her was completely ignored, like a maid.
When Anastasia tried to correct this, our parents somehow silenced her. They smiled and thanked the guests for coming.
A noble young man knelt before her.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Anastasia. As the rumors have said, you’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”
“Th-thank you very much.”
“Please, dance with me. I crossed the canal just for this.”
Ah, I realized.
This was not my party. It really was different.
From the start, it had belonged to Anastasia.