Published: July 28, 2025
At twenty years old, the time for Anastasia’s marriage presentation party had arrived... or perhaps it should be called a group matchmaking event.
The Shadelan Family has three children: my older sister, myself, and a younger brother who just turned six. Although we manage to maintain the appearance of nobility, we are a poverty-stricken baronial family on the brink of ruin. Before my brother inherits the title, they want to somehow marry off one of the daughters to a wealthy family or a great noble house to secure connections and rebuild our standing.
My birthday party was just a pretense. Both my parents and the guests were really there for Anastasia from the start.
I see. So that’s how it is.
Yes... I already knew.
I quietly slipped out of the party hall. Of course, no one tried to stop me.
“Ah…”
I wandered through the night garden. Passing by the pond, I glanced down at the water’s surface. Under the moonlight, I sighed at the reflection in the watery mirror.
My reflection... tall as a man, with a sharp chin and cold, slanted eyes. No matter how often I look, my face never shows any charm. Anastasia inherited the best features from our parents; I inherited the worst.
My skin was patchily sunburnt and dry, my nails stained with soot, and my red hair was a tangled mess.
I tightly gripped my gray dress.
Why was I born so hideous?
“—Excuse me, you there, young lady.”
“—!?”
Startled, I jumped and turned around.
There stood a man. I couldn’t make out his face clearly... he wore a strangely shaped silhouette of clothing. Without a word, he approached me while speaking.
“Are you a servant of the Shadelan Family? Sorry, I was invited to Marie Shadelan’s birthday party...”
From that, I understood his purpose. He must have entered from the gate on the road side and got lost in the hedge maze, unable to find the mansion entrance. This house was large, after all.
I pointed silently behind me. Though hidden in the arch’s shadow, the mansion wall was right there, and passing through the door would lead straight to the party hall. The guests, my parents, and Anastasia were inside.
Relieved, the man let out a breath.
“Thank you very much, young servant.”
“...You’re welcome.”
“Master, this lady is not a servant.”
A voice came from behind the man. Blending into the darkness was a woman dressed all in black. She must be his attendant.
“There are no maids of this age in the Shadelan Family. They manage their estate themselves, and the only servants are elderly women over sixty. Also, all guests today should be men.”
“I see. Then this lady must be...”
“The Shadelan children are the older sister, younger sister, and younger brother — three siblings. There are two young ladies. It must be one of them.”
“Ah, I understand. I apologize deeply. Please forgive me, young lady.”
The man bowed politely. His tied black hair slipped down smoothly like a bird’s tail.
Then he raised his face.
His eyes were strange. A bright green, sparkling like jewels even in the faint starlight...
I gasped.
“Are you from the Ipsandros Republic, by any chance?”
His eyes widened.
Yes, there’s no mistake. Silky black hair, tanned skin, and bright green eyes—only the people from that country have these traits to my knowledge.
He glanced back at his attendant once and asked, “Did I accidentally speak Ipssilk?” His attendant denied it, and he turned back to me.
“Ah, a mixed child. My mother was a refugee from Ipsandros. But even though I’m often asked if I’m from the east, no one has ever guessed the country by name before.”
He spoke in the Ipssilk tongue. Though it’s completely different from our language, I could understand it. I switched languages as well.
“Then those eyes are a gift from your mother, sir?”
“Oh, you can speak it too?”
“A little. As you heard, I only speak the common people’s language. I know there’s a noble tongue and a merchant’s language too, but...”
“That’s enough. Merchants also know the common tongue, and the noble language is impractical. Your speech is very beautiful.”