• Aries’ POV

Ever since my older sister became the duchess, my life changed drastically. Nobody invited me to tea parties even though I was certainly going to be adopted into the duke’s family. After all, my stepfather treated me like his own.

Nevertheless, as of the present, I was still a baron’s daughter. Moreover, I was shouldering a massive debt. Everyone had branded me a fallen aristocrat.

“Tch—! This is all Sofia’s fault—!”

I was unbearably angry.

What was more, at the unveiling party, His Highness Weiss was escorting my older sister for some reason. Not only that, she seemed very close with the second prince.

My fiancé, His Highness Wagner, was the third prince.

The sheer audacity of that woman!

My older sister was always trying to be better than me. What a sickening woman.

“Lady Aries.”

“What—!?”

Despite the fact that I had granted her a reply, the maid shrank. She acted as if I had bullied her or something.

I despised shallow women like her.

They were the type who’d appeal to a man’s protective instinct under the guise of weakness.

By the way, that maid had been chosen by Sofia.

“Milady, there’s a letter for you…”

Upon receiving the letter, I handed the frightened maid a notice of dismissal.

“Milady, I, I—…”

The maid abruptly shed tears.

It’d be entirely different if a cute girl like me were to cry. But she was just an ugly woman. Crying only made her uglier.

“So, can you pack your bags and leave?”

I heard that maids had difficulty continuing their line of work without letters of introduction.

That was exactly what I was going to do. I wasn’t going to write any for her.

Looking at how easily she’d shed tears, I was sure that as a maid, she’d try to seduce her next master. Therefore, preventing her from continuing in this line of work was wise.

“Let’s see, the sender wants to hold a tea party at the duke’s house.”

The letter came from a lady I was acquainted with. She was a viscount. For someone of her rank to suggest such a think to a duchess, she was out of line. However, that might be my chance to demonstrate how close I was with the duchess.

“The future where I become a member of the duke’s family—it can still come true.”

So far, my older sister was acting quite unlike herself. But no matter what kind of play she did, she was still the same old Sofia.

I had been engaged to His Highness Wagner. I was the better choice. Meanwhile, Sofia was the kind of woman anyone would ditch. If I were to become serious, I was sure that even His Highness Weiss would fall for me.

I was prettier than Sofia, after all.

Thus, I decided to start preparing for the tea party.

“Why are you holding a tea party without the permission of the duchess herself?”

The previous, shallow, maid had left the room in tears. In her place, another maid came into the room. But they were the same—they were both useless.

For a maid to question my decision…

“—How noisy! Don’t forget your position!”

As I thought, my older sister wouldn’t do as a duchess. None of her maids were properly disciplined. I had to inform her about that. Otherwise, these brazen maids would only bring her shame.

I was more befitting of the title of duke. After all, I was my father’s daughter.

At that time, I was clueless to everything. The world I believed in was collapsing.

***

On the day of the tea party.

“…”

What? What is the meaning of this?

“My, Lady Leones, it’s been a long time.”

“Lady Leones was invited, as well?”

“In truth, no. I asked Lucifer about the tea party and decided to invite myself. Of course, I’m aware of how uncouth that was.”

Lucifer Le Revel, a woman whose status was almost that of a commoner’s while her attitude was that of an aristocrat’s. She was also the one who proposed the tea party to me. Apparently, Lucifer had invited Leones.

Not only was Leones the daughter of the former marquis, she was also the fiancée of the crown prince of Liembourg. With her presence, I was no longer the figure with the highest authority.

Behind her stood a knight with silver hair and light blue eyes, Everhart Wishner. Despite being a man, he was beautiful with bright, porcelain, skin. Amongst the ladies, he was known for being soft-spoken and gentle.

He was the exclusive escort knight of His Highness Vitoselk.

“His Highness was worried and provided me with Sir Everhart.”

What’s that? Is she trying to gloat about how His Highness loves her?

As if the prince of the country could love someone like her. Despite being a woman, she engaged in barbaric activities such as swordsmanship. Moreover, she was the victor of a recent swordsmanship tournament.

But who cares? Isn’t she getting too carried away?

“His Highness must truly love Lady Leones. Oh, how I envy you.”

I had no choice but to be flattering.

“You’re such a lovely person to me.”

Not like I actually want to.

How long would that tea party last? So far, despite being the host, I was being treated like air.

I couldn’t talk to Leones. As a former marquis’ daughter, she should be below me in stature. After all, I’d eventually become the duke’s adopted daughter. However, as of the present, she was the crown princess. The hierarchical system in the aristocratic society was truly cumbersome and confusing.

I had to cater to her whims simply because she was the crown princess? Wasn’t she formerly a marquis’ daughter? Even though as a duke’s daughter, I was better than her…

…I don’t like this.

“May I join you?”

When I was frustrated, an even more frustrating existence butted into the tea party.

“Why, if it isn’t the Duchess of Lark.”

Leones immediately went to greet my older sister. Even though she ignored me.

“It’s been a long time, Lady Leones.”

After taking a look at the guests I had invited, my sister turned to me.

“Is there a problem…?”

Let me remind you of your position.

I stared at my sister in a frightened manner, acting as if she had always victimized me. Soon, my surroundings would misunderstand.

I shall let my sister know—

—how easy it is for me to pull the rug out from under her feet!

I shall paint her as a heartless person, one who wouldn’t reach out to this pitiful, orphaned, me. Then, my surroundings wouldn’t help but believe that she was mistreating me.

Truly, had my sister accepted me into the duke’s family, none of this would’ve happened.

Truly, what an idiot.

---

***T/N: Somehow, it’s possible for her to be this delusional.

Please also consider donating to my ko-fi! It’ll greatly support me in action, no matter the amount!
https://ko-fi.com/antoinettevanessa

<Previous chapter

Next chapter>