Betrothed to My Sister's Ex

Beyond the darkness, the Ivory Castle came into clear view.

From the swaying carriage window, I absentmindedly gazed at the passing scenery.

“...I really pushed through such a terrible selfishness, didn’t I...”

I muttered to myself with a sigh. Mio, the coachman, must have heard because she answered from her seat.

“I don’t think it was selfishness. After all, it’s master’s unrequited love from the start.”

Her usual cool tone was casual as always, but I could catch a trace of slight irritation in her voice.

“Mio, I’m sorry too...”

“It’s my job, so it doesn’t matter.”

“Mm... but I’m sorry... really sorry.”

I wasn’t the only one who should be apologizing.

The carriage rattled on, yet Granado Castle didn’t seem to get any smaller.

I had caused a great deal of trouble to all the residents there. Thomas, Tunic, Johan, Toppo, Ceri, Wolfgang, and even Lady Ryuu-Ryuu—all who had helped me so much, yet I left without even saying goodbye, neglecting my duties.

—Lady Marie, today’s hairstyle is so cute!—

I covered my ears against the fleeting auditory hallucination. I thought it had faded, but then another voice seeped in—Lord Cyrus’s hoarse voice.

—If only I could become a stronger man—

“...Why did Lord Cyrus say he was weak...?”

Even atop the rattling carriage, Mio never missed my mutterings.

“Because he actually is. He’s a coward.”

“C-Coward?”

“That’s disappointing. What was that about ‘I will definitely come to get her soon’? If you really meant that, you should have come right away. I never thought master was such a coward.”

It was usual for this maid to be harsh even with the lord of the castle, but today she was especially sharp. If she said so, it must be true...

...A coward... Courage. What kind of courage was that courage?

“What was Lord Cyrus afraid of...?”

The maid answered.

“Hurting you. He chose to stop your tears now rather than a happy future for you.”

“...Instead of a happy future, choosing the tears now...?”

“It’s like scrimping on short-term investment and giving up on future market growth. That’s unforgivable for a businessman. It’s so unlike master.”

The carriage moved slowly.

The gentle vibrations brought a strangely nostalgic comfort. I closed my eyes.

—Lord Cyrus knew. That I was lying.

All the pretty words I lined up were lies... I just wanted to hide the dark jealousy I had toward my elder sister. I just didn’t want him to hate me... but he saw right through it.

He understood and saved me because I was about to break.

Is that Lord Cyrus’s weakness? Despite hurting himself to tears, he still tried to protect me. Was that because he was a weak man?

I firmly rejected that thought.

No, that’s not it. The weak one is me. I’m the weakest of all, running away from being hurt myself rather than hurting others.

Ah, it was definitely the right decision to retreat. If I became his wife, I’d only be a burden...

At that moment, Lord Cyrus’s face flashed in my mind, muttering with a pained expression.

—I have never been so angry at my own powerlessness—

I clutched my chest.

I looked out the window to escape.

There lay the white walls of Granado Castle. The castle where I had happily spent time just this morning... a place I would never step foot in again. Soon it would disappear from sight. I loved that place so much because it was truly comfortable.

My chest and back felt icy and painful. Holding onto that pain, I pressed myself against the window.

—What is this pain? What am I afraid of...?

It was never really mine to begin with.

Yes, from the start, everything belonged to my sister.

When I was with the Shadelan Family, I never felt jealousy toward my sister. She was a distant admiration, not someone I wanted to imitate. I didn’t long for dresses, jewels, gentlemen’s ardent courtship, nor my parents’ embraces. I never thought about competing with her. I didn’t want anything or like anything at all—

...Huh? That’s strange.

I wondered.

Then why did I practice dancing so hard?