Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

Clatter, clatter, clatter—the carriage swayed along the same road as when we arrived.

Words wouldn’t come out. Still, unable to bear the silence any longer, I groaned and finally blurted out.

“...Lady Marie’s mother has lost her mind, hasn’t she...?”

Lady Mio remained silent. I muttered just to calm my own feelings.

“...Madam Chadelan believes the doll is Anastasia. Surely, it’s the shock of losing her daughter.”

“No. She’s sane.”

Lady Mio said firmly. Surprised, I asked again, and she kept staring out the window, speaking almost to herself.

“That doll wasn’t in Anastasia-sama’s room but placed on the lady’s bed. And it has never been taken out of that room even once. Cedric misunderstood because he’s never seen the real thing—he thought his sister had come back alive.”

...That reminds me. Even when the family went out earlier, “Anastasia” was left alone at home. Normally, she would have been taken along. If she’s never brought to the dining table or bath, Cedric, being only six, wouldn’t suspect their mother had lost her mind.

“So, then, it’s just playing with a doll?”

“I believe she understands that it’s not a real person.”

“So, Madam Chadelan doesn’t actually think the doll is her daughter?”

Lady Mio smiled.

“Yes. Nothing has changed since Anastasia-sama was alive.”

Oh, I see. I felt relieved. I’m not sure if it’s okay to say it’s “not strange” for an adult to talk to a doll like that, but it’s definitely better than I expected.

Finally, the tension in my shoulders eased. Lady Mio spoke gently to me.

“That doll was made very recently, most likely by Madam Chadelan herself. The hair is real human hair—a lock from the late Anastasia-sama.”

“Wha—!?”

“The base was purchased, but blonde human hair was attached. Normally, when making a wig from human hair, careful washing is required, but this was done roughly.”

“Wha, wha—do you mean she cut it from the body!?”

“…Given the hair length and the sand on it, that’s the only possible explanation…”

Lady Mio frowned. Oh, right. Anastasia was washed away with the carriage into the river and went missing. There’s no way a lock could have been taken from her remains.

Then maybe from someone else? There can’t be many with such beautiful blonde hair. But if it is Anastasia’s lock, how on earth did Madam Chadelan get it...?

Wait—no, that can’t be. I had a terrifying thought. No, it can’t be. They said Madam Chadelan doted on her eldest daughter. But then—

My thoughts spun in a circle, and I was confused. Next to me, Lady Mio whispered softly.

“...Good grief. I was hoping that if the information about Anastasia-sama’s survival was false, that would be enough…”

After murmuring that, she stood up in the cramped carriage. Leaning forward, she gave instructions to the coachman ahead.

“Before returning to the castle, there is one more person I want to see. They probably work in the central district, so please head there.”

“Who is it?”

“The true culprit. The one responsible for the ‘Anastasia Chadelan murder case.’”

Startled, the coachman instinctively pulled the reins. The horses stopped, and the carriage shook violently. I was thrown upside down inside. Lady Mio, surprisingly calm, said casually,

“Now that the mystery is solved, we can’t just ignore it. I’ve done some bad things so far. To avoid being the villain, we must at least clear Anastasia-sama’s regrets.”

“Mystery—you mean… Anastasia-sama was killed!?”

“I don’t yet know how intentional it was. We’ll find out more by asking him.”

Him? Who on earth? Among the people we've met, was there a suspicious man? Confused, I asked Lady Mio.

Anastasia Chadelan was killed. Only her hair and dress were returned to Madam Chadelan. Why? And by whom?

...Anastasia, the beautiful baron’s daughter who captured everyone’s hearts. Unlike her oppressed younger sister, her life should have been filled with happiness. Loved dearly by her parents, adorned with shining hair and dresses, a princess inside the mansion. Who took everything from her?