I Don’t Trust My Twin Sister

“Grandpa, I think I’m going to die.”

 

“Fortunately, no. You said you felt like you are going to die, but you aren’t dead yet. Okay, I’ve sorted out the documents for you to sign here, so please check them.”

 

Ian’s eyes rolled and he glanced at the documents piled up in the corner. His face became stained with frustration. He became the most pitiful and wronged person in the world and spoke out about the absurdity he was experiencing.

 

“Grandpa, do you think this makes sense? I’ve been struggling with the documents for two weeks and there’s still so many documents piled up like a mountain.”

 

“It’s all karma. As much as you’ve had a great time with Lady Aztain, aren’t you prepared for something like this to happen?”

 

“But that doesn’t mean you’re locked in the office for two weeks. Do you think I’m going to do this by paying my grandfather’s salary and paying the salaries of those below him? Aren’t you hiring people to prevent things like this from happening? But how come it is that work doesn’t decrease even if you hire more people? Shouldn’t we just cut it all off? Isn’t everyone just having fun?”

 

“Maybe so. But what are you going to do? The documents are already piled up. “It would be better to finish the paperwork quickly rather than complaining about the absurdity.”

 

Ian, who was looking at Deacon No’s face with a dissatisfied expression, put down the pen he was holding in his hand. He narrowed his brows to tell me that he was very angry right now. The butler, who was staring at Ian’s face, sighed.

 

“I can’t do this anymore. You’d better kill me, old man, that’s not what I came back for.”

 

“This is why you came back. Since you have been away for such a long time, the issues that were at a standstill are getting back on track. Please hold on just a little longer.”

 

Even in the voice of the butler, who was offering conciliatory measures as if comforting a child, Ian shook his head firmly. Just like a three-year-old child whining for candy, he kept repeating that he didn’t like this and that he didn’t like that. The 80-year-old butler, who was about to retire, sighed as he folded the wrinkles that were as old as his age. He pressed his eyebrows together, thinking that although he had served three generations of Grand Duke Berdian, this was the first time he had experienced such hardship. Then something came to mind and I tapped Ian’s desk.

 

“I’m not going to do anything today like this, so Grandpa is giving up…”

 

“I have something for you.”

 

“I don’t want to receive it. I know it’s a document anyway, so why should I throw it away?”

 

Despite his grumbling voice, Ian looked at the old butler with a coy look as he came up next to him and stared at the letter. The butler spread his hands and stepped back. Ian, wary of the snake-like butler, opened the letter and quickly looked at its contents. Ian bit her lip as he read the short letter, remembering her mentality, actions, manner of speaking, and voice. Butler Noh, who was watching the scene from behind, tilted his head. I often thought that Ian’s actions were like raindrops hitting a lake, not knowing where they would end up, but I never expected him to look so moved by a letter from her. The butler looked at him in confusion and raised his eyebrows.

 

“Where does it hurt?”

 

“…I’m touched. Don’t break the mood.”

 

“If you have time to impress, I’m sure you will process today’s documents satisfactorily as you said earlier, right?”

 

When I spoke as if I was subtly pressuring him, Ian turned his head. A smile bloomed on his face. Like someone missing a screw somewhere.

 

“…It looks like you’re hurting somewhere. I will call a priest.”

 

“Don’t be weird.”

 

Ian checked his letter once again and nodded his head. He immediately took the pen in his hand. The old butler, not knowing what the reason was, just quietly watched his sudden action.

Ian holds up a document with a bright smile, leisurely looking at the contents and making payment. The old butler quietly opened his mouth.

 

“Have you even been asked to go on a date?”

 

Ian’s hand, which had been moving for a while, suddenly stopped, and his head, which was fixed on his documents, moved slightly. There was no answer, but he was able to figure everything out with that one action. The butler sighed.

 

“What do you say, Lady Ajstain?”

 

“He said he wanted to go see the rape blossoms.”

 

Judging by the fact that he didn’t turn his face, he was probably smiling. The butler, who was nodding his head as he recalled the image of Ian he had seen, looked at the large map hanging on the wall and softly made a guess.

 

“Then it would be in the Sainte-Belle area.”

 

“There is the Ajstain family’s villa over there. I asked if you wanted to go together, so I guess that means we are together…”

 

I wondered what he would do if he really asked. The butler, who had even watched the nanny change Ian’s diaper, found it very unfamiliar to see the man preoccupied with something, grinning and tackling a task he hated so much. I remembered that when he was young, the former Archduke Verdian used every means possible to educate Ian.

 

“…I think it’s really amazing.”

 

“What?”

 

“The Lady Ajstain.”

 

“Oh, of course.”

 

Ian answered coolly and tugged at the corner of his mouth.

 

“Of course. I’m in love with the girl. Isn’t this basic?”

 

Butler Noh shook his head. The men of the Berdian family have been famous for their prowess for generations. His father, Archduke Pauline, also almost lived with his archduchess, Drisilla. I felt bad even when his feet touched the ground, so I carried him around every day. So, it wasn’t new for Ian to behave like that towards Lawrence. Who would say that he is from the Berdian family?

 

“What date does it say?”

 

“After I leave.”

 

“It’s right around the corner.”

 

“Huh.”

 

Ian put down the pen he was shaking and looked back at the butler. His eyes were filled with enthusiasm for the first time in a while. Ian opened his mouth to the butler with a confident face.

 

“I’m going to finish all the work in three days and then go on vacation, so bring all the documents.”

 

“Can you handle it?”

 

“What do you think of me? Don’t you just have to stay up all night to deal with everything?”

 

It was nice to see him full of confidence. The butler smiled and nodded his head.

 

“I’ll bring it to you. If there’s anything I can help you with, please call me anytime.”

 

The butler turned and left the room, contemplating how to keep Ian, who seemed so motivated, for three days. Even if you invest a week instead of three days, it’s still not enough… Well, how about anything? If you leave it alone, it’s clear that you won’t even touch it for a month, not a week. Once again, I felt deep gratitude for the greatness of Laurencia, who had breathed life into Ian with just one letter.

 

…Lady Ajstain should become the hostess of Berdian Territory as soon as possible… It was Butler Noh’s dream in his later years to bring the wedding even one day earlier.

 

* * *

 

The plain filled with rapeseed flowers located in the Sainte-Belle region was one of the most famous tourist destinations in the empire. Seeing the plain spread out almost like a single territory dyed yellow, anyone was mesmerized by the beauty, as if paint had been scattered. A place where the scent of rape flowers and the leisureliness of people mix, and the villa built there was one of the many villas owned by Ajstain. At times like this, I also realized how much wealth Ajstain possesses.

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

“This is my first time coming here. I only knew the location.”

 

I smiled back and looked around. The scenery was beautiful enough to be called a rape flower festival, and it seemed to be a treat for the eyes. I felt like the fatigue of the past two weeks had been purified a little. Moreover, it was the first vacation for the whole family. Honestly, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t excited.

 

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