“I have nothing to say to you.”
So spoke Dan Hamilton, the head of the Hamilton family and Earl of Hamilton.
His ridiculous mustache might have been charming in a certain light, but his attitude was the absolute worst. His gaze suggested he viewed everyone but himself as either objects or insects.
Those ice-cold words were directed at his eldest daughter, Fuuka Hamilton. The mansion, bathed in morning light, was filled with a bone-chilling air.
“Yes, my apologies. Father.”
Fuuka merely repeated those words.
The daughter who had lost the competition for a politically advantageous engagement had run away from home.
It was a scandal unbecoming of the prestigious Hamilton family. Among the gossip-loving nobles of the royal capital, Fuuka’s disappearance was surely being discussed with great amusement.
“Get out. Starting today, your room is the shed in the garden.”
“Yes.”
“Do not speak to your sisters either.”
“Yes.”
“Do not think there is any place for you here after disgracing the family name. Honestly, this is what happens when you show mercy to a bastard child.”
Dan spat out the words.
That’s right.
Fuuka was the child born from Dan and his mistress.
Having no legitimate heir at the time, Dan had taken Fuuka in and raised her. But soon after, when his lawful wife bore him several daughters, Fuuka became nothing more than a ‘tool for political marriage’ in Dan’s eyes.
Even so, Fuuka had thought it was okay.
If she just kept trying hard enough.
If she became a better child than anyone else.
And if she became more excellent than anyone.
Then someday, perhaps her father, her mother, and her sisters would turn to look at her.
Because she had believed that.
“Dismissed. I am busy preparing for the joint venture with the Reinhardt family. I must be grateful that they haven’t withdrawn from the project even after your failure to secure the engagement with Lord Klaus.”
“…Yes.”
Fuuka, who had quietly left the room, was clenching her fist tightly.
–You’re amazing, Fuuka-chan. –Fuuka-chan knows everything, you’re such a hard worker! –…I love you, Fuuka-chan!
For just ten days.
The voices of her rival, the antagonist she had spent time with—Miyako’s voice—echoed in her head, refusing to fade.
Why, why? Why had she taken the hand that was offered to her then? Why had she become so captivated by that chestnut-brown hair? Why had she spent such happy days?
She should have been stronger.
Before she spent time with Miyako, before she met someone who accepted her for who she was, praised her, and said they loved her…
“…Miyako.”
I want to see her.
Even though she was the one who pushed her away, she desperately wanted to see that woman with the chestnut-brown hair.
But that was something she had discarded herself. To regret it now, to want to see her such a thing was something Fuuka’s pride would not allow.
How selfish of me, Fuuka thought, mocking herself as she headed towards her room… the shed.
The maids who saw her made no attempt to hide their hushed gossip.
One of the maids. Fuuka’s eyes lingered on one of them.
(Oh…? That’s…)
A line of red rashes was visible on her neck. Her complexion was poor, pale. She seemed to be sweating coldly. –She felt like she had seen similar rashes somewhere recently.
A bad feeling.
“You aren’t you feeling unwell?”
She couldn’t help but call out.
However.
“Ee-, n-no! I have to do the laundry!” “Me too, I was asked to clean the young lady’s room.”
Spoken to by Fuuka, they hastily scattered.
Like scattering spiderlings. Utterly, inexcusably rude.
(…It can’t be helped. I am now just a burden to the Hamilton family.)
Fuuka sighed deeply.
(I’m concerned about that maid’s condition earlier, but for now, I cannot take any conspicuous action.)
In silence, Fuuka walked on.
In the distance, she heard snickering, mocking laughter whether from the maids from before or her sisters, she didn’t know.
But. Anyway, she must not make waves.
(…That was my promise with Odina, after all.)
Meanwhile, at that time, in the Reinhardt residence.
“So, you’re telling me Miyako Florence is still nowhere to be found!?”
“Yes. My deepest apologies, Lord Klaus!!”
Odina bowed her head, tracing a beautiful arc. Thanks to her long career as an employee, her proficiency in bowing was exceptionally high. Her philosophy, as Odina Florence, was that if an apology could settle things, then she should just apologize for everything.
“We searched the Attica region tirelessly, without even taking time to sleep!”
Incidentally, that was a lie. Odina had been relaxing and stretching her wings at her family home in the Attica region.
“Her parents back home also say they’ve had no contact with Miyako!”
This was also a lie. To begin with, her parents believed Miyako was in the royal capital, properly undergoing bridal training, so Odina hadn’t brought any troublesome news to them.
“We only found Fuuka Hamilton, who is said to have enticed Miyako to flee the capital.”
Of course, this was also a lie.
…Or rather. This was precisely the promise Fuuka had made with Odina.
If it became known that she, Odina, had arbitrarily taken the Earl’s daughter, Fuuka, and they were still on the run. The Florence family’s position would become precarious.
She had begged Odina to explain that it was all the doing of the deranged Fuuka.
(I think this is a bit too risky, though…)
Depending on the circumstances, neither Fuuka nor her birth family, the Hamiltons, would get off unscathed.
Normally, if this report reached the ears of the Hamilton family head—Fuuka’s father—the best she could hope for would be disownment and exile from the capital. At worst, it was entirely possible she would be assassinated.
Even so, Fuuka had not yielded.
She probably couldn’t bear the thought of Miyako—the Miyako who had taught her what happiness was suffering even the slightest disadvantage.
(My little sister is quite the charmer, isn’t she…?)
Odina sighed.
“What’s that, sighing?” “No, my apologies. I was just thinking about something.” “Hmm…”
Klaus placed a finger on his chin, pondering something. He remained like that for a while, then spoke up as if struck by inspiration.
“That’s it!”
His perfectly smug face gave Odina, Klaus’s direct subordinate and covert agent, nothing but a bad feeling. Adhering to subordinate decorum, she addressed him.
“What is it, Master? Have you thought of something else utterly… ahem, ahem! Have you thought of something?”
“Ah! I frighten even myself.”
Klaus ran his hand through his blond hair and laughed lightly.
“To think even Lady Fuuka was so fixated on me!!! Despairing at not being able to unite with me, she took Miyako away!!!!”
His tone left no room for doubt.
Odina struggled not to let her inner thought, ‘Yep, this guy is hopeless,’ show on her face. I want to quit this job soon.
Though he was ridiculously pretentious, his facial features alone were still properly handsome and somewhat picturesque, which was irritating.
“–A, a groundbreaking interpretation. I am in awe.” “Umu… I cannot let this stand, my covert agent!” “What is it…”
Utterly fed up, Odina gave a half-hearted reply.
“Bring Fuuka Hamilton here!” “Yes, ye… huh, what?” “I said, bring Lady Fuuka to me.” “Well, I heard you, but why would you–”
According to the plan with Fuuka, she was supposed to feed false information to Klaus here, making him continue the search for Miyako. Naturally, Miyako would probably never be found. They had predicted that if it dragged on long enough, even Klaus would give up.
“Bring Fuuka here” was an unexpected response.
“I hear Earl Hamilton is a strict man. I’m sure Lady Fuuka must be feeling the pressure, yeah, I’m just that kind, you see.”
Klaus smirked.
He seemed to have taken an interest in Fuuka, whom he had once removed from the list of potential fiancées.
“–I myself will comfort Lady Fuuka. And while I’m at it, I’ll find out where Miyako is, too.” “Y-yes, sir.”
“I’ve had my share of fleeting romances. With my techniques, a sheltered girl like Lady Fuuka will be putty in my hands!”
Listening to his confident declaration, Odina thought:
Ugh, what is that? Even as a fellow woman, I’m totally put off.
–However.
As a dutiful employee, Odina would solemnly obey this order and head to the Hamilton residence.
The entrance to the Royal Capital. The Great Gate.
On top of that gate (・・), Miyako was standing.
“Thank you, Umi.”
‘Think nothing of it, nya~’
Umi, who had taken the form of a large, semi-transparent creature, somewhere between a cat and a tiger—the form of a pure Water Spirit.
Beside her stood Miyako.
The cityscape of the royal capital spread out below. Even though it had only been ten days, it felt like a very long time.
“On the way here, I didn’t see any carriage that looked like hers… Fuuka-chan should have already arrived in the capital.”
She took a deep, large breath.
A reckless recapture like last time wouldn’t do.
Wherever Fuuka was, she would go to meet her—head-on, honorably, with all her might.
If she was rejected, then so be it.
Because this was Miyako’s selfish desire.
The noble pretext of doing it for Fuuka-chan, who was being treated horribly in the Hamilton household, was just that—a pretext.
This was for Miyako’s own sake—the selfish wish of Miyako, who wanted to be happy with Fuuka.
Therefore, Fuuka had the right of refusal. It was sad, but true.
But precisely because of that, she wanted to see it through.
She wanted to tell Fuuka once more just how much she liked her.
Even if it didn’t bear fruit, she didn’t want to lie to herself.
Her former self, who had kept lying to herself, becoming a workaholic and dying from overwork.
She never wanted to experience that again.
“Alright… let’s go, Umi.”
‘…Nyaa.’
The great Water Spirit meowed, just like an ordinary cat.
As if to bless the small, precious resolve of her temporary master, Miyako.
“…U-um.”
Miyako, looking down at the royal capital below, spoke.
“Umi-san!! For now, I’d like to get down from here, is that okay!?”
–As expected, the Great Gate of the royal capital was far too high to climb down on her own.
The wind was blowing.