Done By Sid/Alina
Chapter 14
“This… this is…”
Luna’s lips curved into a smile as she slowly unwrapped the gift, but her eyes betrayed the facade. Inside was a pair of intertwined bracelet sets, a trend among lovers, but these were embedded with luxurious gemstones worthy of a prince’s gift. Each piece was likely worth at least a thousand berks.
Count Marceline raised an eyebrow in confusion as he examined the expensive gift.
“Your Highness, I apologize, but Luna is not in a relationship at the moment…”
“However, when you last visited the palace, I heard you were exchanging letters with a literary-minded gentleman.”
“…Ah…”
It was a revelation that left Count Marceline unaware. Meanwhile, Luna’s face had turned pale. Though she tried to brush it off as modestly as possible, claiming she had simply received the gift from Xavier without revealing the truth, Count Marceline, as a father, needed to know his daughter’s suitor.
“Oh, Luna.”
After a brief pause, Count Marceline gently chided Luna with a smile.
“If you were involved with someone, you should have told me. You know I would have been surprised.”
“W-well, it’s just…”
“Aira, did you know about this?”
Count Marceline turned his gaze to Aira, who smiled subtly and replied with a soft sigh.
“Luna asked me to keep it a secret, Father. I couldn’t do otherwise.”
Aira’s acknowledgment of the relationship set off a shiver in Luna’s eyes. Just moments ago, Luna had declared her desire to stay with Count Marceline forever without being married off, but how did it feel to have her secret so thoroughly exposed? Receiving such a lavish gift from her one-sided love only heightened her discomfort.
Unable to contain her amusement, Aira suppressed a laugh at Luna’s twisted expression.
“Th-thank you, Your Highness.”
Even though refusing Xavier’s gift would be considered incredibly rude, Luna begrudgingly expressed her gratitude for the expensive present.
‘Let’s stir the pot now.’
With a bright expression, Aira turned to Luna.
“Even if you kept it a secret from me, you should have introduced him to Father. The one who loves and worries about you the most is your father. Seeing such a beautiful necklace, he must be quite an impressive person.”
“A necklace?”
“Yes, Luna’s emerald necklace.”
“Wait… wasn’t that the one Aira bought and then discarded?”
Count Marceline’s brow furrowed deeply, offering a scolding look. It didn’t take much to spot the lie when attention was given. It was foolish to try and cover up. Luna’s lips went pale as her face drained of color.
“Ah… b-but… Father, I… I was just… concerned about your worry.”
Seeing her flustered, Aira began gathering her things to leave. It was clear that Count Marceline would deal with the matter. She should step aside and allow father-daughter time for discussion.
“Your Highness, thank you for preparing such a lovely gift for Luna.”
“It’s natural to look after your sister.”
“Father, may I take His Highness for a short walk? I’d like to show him my Elberia garden. I’ve been tending to it with care.”
Count Marceline narrowed his eyes skeptically but, after a moment, stood and gave a respectful nod to Xavier.
“Alright. It’s not as impressive as the White Octaneus that Queen Julienne tends to, but the plants are cultivated with great devotion. Please show it to him.”
“Yes, Father.”
With Xavier’s arm linked in hers, Aira led him out of the dining room. Behind them, Count Marceline’s voice could be heard, asking Luna about her suitor.
**
‘Aira… you…’
Luna’s head felt as if it might explode. Unable to speak up properly, Count Marceline had a maid search her room for the emerald necklace. Usually, family names were engraved onto such fine jewelry.
“Count, here it is.”
A maid returned from Luna’s room with the necklace and handed it to Count Marceline.
Count Marceline carefully examined the gem-encrusted necklace with a serious expression.
“Luna, even if you’re embarrassed, lying like this is disappointing. I was ready to scold Aira for her extravagance after hearing she gave you a necklace she recently bought, but… this is absurd.”
“…Father…”
“To hide something like this… it may be from a less distinguished family than I had hoped. It must be quite concerning for you to keep even your father in the dark about it. However, if you plan to marry…”
He turned the gemstone around, searching for the family insignia.
“I will prepare a dowry as generous as Aira’s, if not more.”
For a brief moment, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.
Philips House. A family not affiliated with the royal court, yet a prominent noble house nonetheless. But there was a greater issue—there was no suitable young man from the family who could marry at this time.
“Luna…”
Seeing Count Marceline narrow his eyes, she knew she had no choice but to confess.
“I… I’m sorry, Father. My correspondence is with… Henrik Amstine, the Baron.”
At the mention of the name, Count Marceline’s expression shifted. Henrik Amstine, a common-born knight who had risen to the title of baron, was a married man—granted noble status through his marriage to a noblewoman.
“Repeat that.”
“But, I didn’t engage in an affair. We’re just friends…”
“Luna!! Do you intend to stain the name of Marceline like this? Corresponding with a married man and receiving gifts like this!”
Count Marceline’s thunderous anger poured down on her.
It was a justified fury. For a single, unmarried daughter to be involved with a married man was a disgrace not only to the family name but could severely impact Aira’s own marriage prospects.
From the moment Luna came to the Marceline estate at age ten, Count Marceline had never once been this angry with her.
“From now on, I’ll tell him not to send any more letters. Do you understand?”
Trembling, Luna dropped to her knees, her hands clasped in desperation, tears streaming down her face.
Yet her tears were not born from genuine remorse—her deep resentment toward Aira, who had exposed her secret, clouded her thoughts.
“I… I raised you wrong, Luna… This… this…”
Count Marceline’s face reflected pure shock, as if the gentle and bright daughter he once cherished had committed the gravest sin. He leaned his forehead into his hand, shaken.
Luna continued sobbing, but her cries were lost on the weight of her own bitterness.
“How… how could this happen…”
**
After seeing Xavier off, Aira let out a small sigh.
It was a tiresome ordeal, pretending to enjoy the garden with someone she loathed, all while maintaining a facade of kindness and care. Yet, despite the strain, Aira remained composed as she entered the Count’s study.
“Father.”
Aira entered the room with a radiant smile, her expression contrasting sharply with the anxious look on Count Marceline’s face.
She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. “Is something troubling you, Father?”
He let out a sigh that seemed to shake the very foundation of the room.
“I’ve been stabbed in the back, Aira.”
“Oh, what do you mean, Father?”
The heavy weight in his voice made his shame evident. His disappointment in Aira had always been a quiet ache—wishing she embodied half of Luna’s warmth and liveliness. Today, however, the truth was a blow too hard to endure.
He walked out of the dining room, leaving behind a sobbing Luna begging for forgiveness.
“Tell no one about this, Aira. I’ll have a letter sent to stop Luna from seeing him again today.”
“…Yes?”
“And until further notice, you’ll take care of the tasks Luna handled. Simple things that bring little benefit, but those allow her to bask in attention and favor—like managing the distribution of fine goods, or handling the new gems coming in.”
It was no secret why the maids fawned over Luna; her position allowed her to easily take credit for these menial yet rewarding tasks.
“Receiving such an expensive gift without reciprocating assures me of her intentions.”
“Ah…”
Aira lowered her brow slightly, suppressing her curiosity, and nodded.
“I’ll follow your orders, Father.”
Count Marceline gave a heavy nod, his gaze steady and trusting.
“Thank you, Aira.”
A cold smile lingered on her face, as if savoring the sweet triumph of taking what was meant to be hers.
