Chapter 154
“Diana, breathe slowly.”
The Grand Princess, whose gentle smile now was incomparable to the one she had worn before the Emperor, cupped Lady Elard’s cheeks.
Like a puppy reunited with its owner, Diana’s large eyes sparkled as she rested her face against the Grand Princess’s hands, obediently inhaling and exhaling as instructed.
Seeing such a meek expression on Diana’s face, the noble ladies who knew how cold and aloof she usually was were utterly shocked.
Had she not always been indifferent, no matter how much Princess Serphin showered her with kindness and favor?
If Serphin had not left with the delegation and had been here to witness this scene, one could only imagine how she might have reacted.
Among those watching, one person stood frozen.
‘How… how could this be…?’
Clara’s face turned deathly pale, unable to even compose her expression.
‘Why? Why did she have to come here?’
She should have just stayed locked up in the Grand Duke’s estate, never showing herself to the world!
Clara had long given up on the idea that she could take the Grand Princess’s place if only that girl never returned.
But she had never imagined Adriana would come to the Empire.
‘Even before entering the hall, I thought—no, I hoped it wasn’t true…’
She had dared to harbor the vile expectation that Adriana’s long absence meant she was frail or unsightly, just as she had subtly implied to others.
But the moment she laid eyes on her…
“…!”
Clara squeezed her eyes shut.
Adriana was so breathtakingly beautiful that she barely even noticed the stunning Grand Duke and his elegant wife beside her.
Her delicate, slender figure, flawless white skin, graceful jawline, and petite yet refined features bore a striking resemblance to the Grand Duchess.
Yet Clara knew at a glance…
Those gentle, slightly downturned eyes were unmistakably like Ascart’s.
Her fingernails dug into her palms, but her heart ached even more than her hands.
Biting her lip hard enough to draw blood, Clara glared at Adriana, who stood beside Diana, smiling so sweetly, as if everything in the world belonged to her.
Meanwhile, Clara felt utterly miserable.
Just as she was about to turn away, unwilling to look any longer, her gaze landed on Allen.
“Ah…”
She had thought she had no more room left to fall.
Until now, wherever they had been, Allen’s eyes had always found hers with ease.
But now, he was staring at Adriana, unable to look away—as if Clara didn’t even exist.
Suddenly, her vision blurred with heat.
“Clara! Where are you going?”
The Countess of Amber gasped and reached out to stop her, but Clara ignored her and rushed toward the banquet hall’s entrance.
Earlier, her mother had been greatly displeased that the Grand Princess had arrived in the Empire without informing them beforehand.
Even now, she was gritting her teeth, vowing to teach Adriana some manners for not coming to greet her first.
‘But is that even possible?’
Hadn’t Diana herself once said it?
Even among family, there were still differences in status.
Adriana was a high-ranking Grand Princess, while her mother was nothing more than a countess.
‘Besides… considering she hasn’t reached out even once, it’s clear she doesn’t acknowledge us as family at all.’
If her mother were to approach Adriana now, Clara could already imagine how utterly insignificant she would look standing beside her.
Today had already been humiliating enough.
With that thought, Clara fled the banquet hall.
***
‘…Clara?’
The gaze I had just felt was unlike any of the others I had received tonight, this one was filled with unmistakable hostility.
Instinctively, I turned my head and caught a glimpse of a brown-haired noble lady leaving the hall.
I immediately recognized her—Clara, my cousin.
And at that moment, I recalled what Ascart had told me before I came to the Empire.
⟨By the way, if you see Clara in the Empire… do your best to avoid her. She won’t welcome you.⟩
When I looked puzzled, Ascart had simply given me an awkward smile without explaining further.
I had already noticed how differently he treated Clara when we were at the Diapel Marquisate.
When I persistently questioned him about it, he finally let out a troubled sigh and confessed.
⟨That girl… she wanted everything that was yours. Me, our parents… even your place.⟩
⟨…⟩
⟨Once, she even told her nanny she wished she were the Grand Princess instead. That’s when I realized that she never wanted you to come back.⟩
I had also learned then that Clara’s mother, the Countess of Amber and our aunt, had often humiliated and shamed Ascart.
Hearing Ascart reluctantly open up about them had left me speechless.
But after a long silence, I finally responded.
⟨Still… she’s family. I won’t go out of my way to avoid her. Especially Clara… she was just a child back then.⟩
Of course, my first impression of Clara wasn’t exactly great.
I still remembered how, back in the palace, she had pitied me for being an orphan, making me feel wretched.
But there was a time when I had longed for family so much that I wished I had even distant relatives to call my own.
So pretending she didn’t exist didn’t sit right with me.
Besides…
‘I was envious of her, too.’
In my past life, I had envied Clara for being the granddaughter of the Marquis of Diapel.
Of course, I couldn’t understand why she had wanted to be the Grand Princess so badly, but I thought—just once—I could let it slide.
Perhaps, this was my way of showing mercy, not as the orphaned maid Lia, but as the Grand Princess Adriana.
Unaware of these complicated thoughts in my mind, Ascart had only sighed, exasperated.
⟨Well… maybe she’s changed after all these years.⟩
Even as he said it, he looked at me with concern, as if he feared Clara might try to harm me.
The idea of a sheltered noble girl like Clara being a real threat to me was almost amusing.
Still, I appreciated his worry and had reassured him with a smile, saying that Clara wouldn’t dare to be openly hostile toward me.
But now…
‘I didn’t expect her to be this obvious about it.’
If she was going to show such blatant animosity, then forming any sort of bond with her seemed impossible.
Just as I lightly shook my head at the thought, a voice called out.
“Sister?”
I had been staring at the banquet hall’s entrance for a while now, and Diana was looking at me curiously.
Snapping back to reality, I noticed that the Duke and Duchess of Elard had approached.
Their expressions were heavy with unspoken words, yet they hesitated to speak.
Realizing they were wary of the many eyes around us, I quickly moved my hand to cast a barrier.
While nobles were more likely than commoners to be born with mana, very few could actually wield aura or magic.
Unless they were exceptionally skilled, they wouldn’t be able to hear a word we said.
“You may speak freely now.”
Smiling as I spoke, the duke’s expression turned to one of surprise.
And then—
“Lia.”
The duchess, standing right in front of me, called my name in a trembling voice.
“When we parted, you were just a tiny child, but now… you’ve grown so much into a fine young lady.”
Her eyes glistened, on the verge of tears.
Seeing the duchess, my own eyes welled up with emotion.
I held back my tears and grasped her hands, whispering,
“My lady, please give me a hug when we go to the duchy. I’ve truly missed you.”
At my words, the duchess, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, smiled warmly.
Then, the duke abruptly spoke.
“Did you not eat properly even in Belus?”
“…Pardon?”
“How is it that you haven’t gained a single bit of weight and have only grown a little taller?”
The unexpected remark hit me hard, making me falter.
Compared to my past self, I had grown significantly…
‘Back then, I was the same height as 14-year-old Diana!’
Granted, Diana had always been tall for her age!
But in this life, I had managed to grow a whole head taller than Diana, a remarkable achievement.
Sure, I had inherited my mother’s petite frame and struggled to put on weight, but I was still fairly satisfied with my growth…
Yet now, I felt a little dejected, wondering if my thin frame still looked unsightly.
“You, honestly! If you’re happy to see her, just say so. Why bring up something unnecessary?”
“What? I was just…”
The duke, his face turning red, tried to argue, but the duchess was quicker.
“More importantly, are you just going to stand there? Aren’t you going to say hello?”
At her words, Allen and Jack, who had been standing stiffly like statues, flinched in unison.
“It’s been a while.”
I greeted Allen first with a bright smile, as he was closer.
Allen blinked blankly.
“Huh? No, uh, um…”
From the moment I had entered, he had seemed dazed, and now, he still looked utterly bewildered.
Frowning, he cautiously asked,
“So… you’re really… that ugly duckling?”
“What nonsense are you spouting, you idiot brother?!”
Before he could even finish speaking, Diana smacked Allen hard on the back. But Allen remained in a state of shock.
I, too, was caught off guard.
‘Come to think of it, Diana has always seen my true appearance, but Allen and Jack haven’t.’
Even the duke and duchess had seen my real face thanks to Raizel.
“Yes, it’s me. Do I look that strange?”
Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my cheek. Allen, looking at a loss for words, darted his eyes around awkwardly before blurting out,
“A-Are you… thirsty?”
“…What?”
“I-I-I’ll go get some juice!”
Before I could stop him, Allen vanished from sight, showing off his Swordmaster-level speed.
I had expected him to be overjoyed, but this reaction was… unexpected, leaving me with a strange feeling.
“…Jack, do I look unfamiliar to you too?”
I tried to hold it in, but I couldn’t help feeling a bit disappointed as I turned to Jack.
At my question, Jack hesitated before answering.
