“Lady Mirisa… I suppose she must’ve been hurt? Such a fragile child. How should I console her?”
Even though I might despise Lennox, that wasn’t the case with Lady Mirisa.
“Mirisa was born out of an affair. She knows that fact too.”
If she had directly heard about what her brother did, it’s certain she would’ve been deeply hurt.
As I was panicking, not knowing what to do, Lennox, seemingly oblivious to the situation, casually spoke up.
“Mirisa, you shouldn’t say such bad things. Calling someone a bastard.”
“Lady Mirisa, please calm down.”
I too, with a gentle smile, spoke to Lady Mirisa.
I didn’t like Lennox, but I had no desire to use a child for revenge against him.
Children should only hear good things, after all.
However, Mirisa, glancing at me, then shouted loudly at her brother. Her glaring eyes were a bonus.
“Don’t approach Lady Meldenik, you filthy adulterer!”
She firmly grasped my hand with her tiny, cotton-candy-like hands. Despite being so small and delicate, it was as if she was trying to protect and guard me.
“Let’s go, sister.”
“…Yes?”
Mirisa looked at me tearfully, her eyes pleading.
“Don’t stay with that trash, let’s go together!”
Even though we hadn’t known each other for long, Mirisa seemed to pity me. She wasn’t overly assertive, but she was a righteous girl with a strong backbone amidst her calmness.
‘No, Mirisa… there’s no need for you to protect me to this degree.’
“Sister, don’t be hurt by what that person said!”
“Can’t you see my expression, not having received even a single wound, baby?
“Don’t look so indifferent as if nothing’s wrong. Even though you’re sad inside…”
I’m not sad at all.
“…What?”
Is this how my true feelings get distorted?
“Mirisa, that woman hasn’t been hurt—”
I was about to agree with Lennox for the first time.
“Big brother, no, Duke Lennox Hesman.”
She was not the innocent child looking at me. The girl declared to her brother with blazing eyes.
“You have no right to say such things, you filthy scammer!”
There was no moment to correct the situation now.
Mirisa, not budging my hand, had dragged me toward the stationery store.
Her charisma was unlike that of a child.
I glanced briefly at Lennox, officially recognized by his sister as a public adulterer, his expression bewildered.
He stood frozen on the spot, unable to control his trembling pupils filled with anger.
Hey, Mirisa. I didn’t do anything yet?
Really didn’t scheme anything. But things turned out this way?
Although I felt this shouldn’t be happening, I slightly tasted the fun of the situation and ran towards the stationery shop holding Mirisa’s hand. We quickly reached the front of the store.
Mirisa yelled loudly, glancing at me opening the door to the stationery shop.
“From now on, I’ll prevent that bad person from ever approaching!”
I felt reassured.
Seeing Lennox’s shocked face earlier, I thought he truly might never approach me again.
It’s like solving a problem without lifting a finger.
‘I must soothe Mirisa’s wounded heart.’
Looking down at Mirisa, who was slightly gasping for breath, I opened the stationery shop door. I intended to calm her down with something tasty to eat.
“Please come in, Your Highness.”
With that, the door to the stationery shop opened with a jingle.
But inside, where I expected only Dominic, I saw Dominic, Cassian, Carat, and Axion.
…No, why are all these people gathered here? And why are they subtly avoiding my gaze?
Moreover, among them were piles of the slushies I had made. Grape flavor, orange flavor……
‘Did they come to eat slushies?’
I tried to smile at those who had become addicted to slushies without doing any work and introduced Mirisa to them.
But then, the girl spoke up defiantly.
“Sister! I will introduce you to a good husband material, so don’t worry at all!”
“……What?”
Maybe it was the small girl’s confident voice.
The expressions of the four men inside changed indescribably.
Mirisa fixed a fierce gaze inside the stationery shop as if she had secured her prey.
The men froze with various expressions – one surprised, one aghast, one curious, and one, Dominic, shocked.
Mirisa clenched her fist and emphasized her point once more.
“Someone who is handsome, well-mannered, and cool! I’ll pick for you right here, from this place!”
“Well, so-.”
“I’ll start right now!”
Mirisa was eager.
The already cramped round table became completely full as soon as Mirisa and I sat down.
Receiving mixed glances of shock and fear, or curiosity and fervor, my face felt like it was on fire.
However, little Lady Mirisa did not care about such stares. Methodically, she took out a notebook and a fountain pen from her bag and began her investigation.
“Carat and Axion are too hard, right?”
“… Well, yes?”
Is she really thinking about finding a potential husband?
At my somewhat bewildered answer, Mirisa’s eyes sparkled.
“Here, there’s only the handsome man and His Royal Highness the prince.”
Mirisa crossed her arms. She looked at Cassian and Dominic like a meticulous wedding planner.
Dominic, receiving Mirisa’s gaze, suddenly spoke.
“… What are you talking about?”
“Literally, looking for a husband. Someone handsome, gentle, cute, kind, and who only likes Lady Meldenik.”
Oh, it couldn’t be a more perfect condition. Even in the midst of my severe embarrassment, I found myself nodding in agreement.
“Being gentle is wonderful. It’s the greatest value.”
Dominic took the initiative as he looked at me.
“Hmm, as you know, I’m often told that I’m on the gentle side.”
“… Really? You?”
That’s news to me. Although Dominic is good at cleaning and cooking…
Isn’t he rather prickly and fierce?
Dominic whispered to me in a low voice, audible only to me.
“Why, you said being gentle is good.”
“This son of a… Did you want to have all the good things?”
I’ve felt this since before, but this sword, if we make it our enemy, it’ll be a big problem.
While I was admiring Dominic’s faster-than-a-sponge absorption ability, Mirisa started carefully writing down personal details.
“Okay. I’ll record it. What’s your name?”
“Call me Dominic.”
“Do… min… ic.”
Lady Mirisa scribbled Dominic’s name in her notebook crookedly. No matter how you look at it, those two seem to get along very well.
Muttering other personal details under her breath as she wrote, Mirisa raised her head again.
Her sharp gaze started wandering around here and there like a hyena once more.
And the first to speak among the Slush Family gathered around the round table was Carat.
His eyes were filled with curiosity, but he coolly asked, pretending to be indifferent as if he had absolutely no interest in the Slush, pushing the cup far away was just an added act.
“Hey, Mirisa. Why are you suddenly looking for a husband for Mel? What exactly is going on?”
“Carat. Listen. Something terrible has happened.”
As we were confused about whether to stop Mirisa or not, she eventually began to speak in a grave oratorical tone.
“Listen, everyone. The marriage and engagement vows are beautiful institutions created by His Majesty, aren’t they?”
“And then?”
“But Duke Hesman dared to betray that beauty.”
Duke Hesman, that’s your brother…
However, we all were captivated by Mirisa’s seriousness and began to listen to what she had to say.
Cassian suddenly spoke up.
“What are you talking about, Lady Mirisa?”
“My family’s Duke Hesman ignored the arranged engagement and committed adultery. With none other than Lady Meldenik’s sister, no less. He even claimed that a mental affair isn’t really an affair. The nerve of him.”
She emphasized this point four times.
If Lennox had been here, he would have been crushed to dust.
No, he probably already turned to dust after the scolding he received from my brother earlier.
But that’s none of my business. I quietly listened to Mirisa’s words, sipping my sweet slushie.
“So…”
The girl bit her lip again, then looked straight at me and continued.
“Sister, may I speak?”
“About what?”
“His misdeeds.”
Now he’s ‘that person.’ I’m pretty sure in Meldenik’s mind, Mirisa used to call Duke Hesman ‘brother.’
Anyhow, I just nodded my head. Watching Lennox’s reputation plummet always tasted sweet to me.
“That person also went on a trip with the sister of his fiancée. And not just that. He shamelessly said he would use Lady Mel!”
“Well, that’s true, but.”
Seeing me wipe the sweat off my forehead, Mirisa whispered as if she pitied me.
“Moreover, not satisfied with just committing adultery! He’s even trying to sabotage Lady Meldenik’s stationery store business!”
“He built that big general store right in front of it, didn’t he.”
“Exactly, I knew I didn’t like that guy!”
Axion pushed the chair back and stood up abruptly. Carat grimly sharpened his teeth.
“…Who’s that guy?”
Wasn’t Carat just a commoner? Can he disrespect nobility like this?
Dominic, who had been silent, spoke up quietly.
“I didn’t like it. I’ll have to kill him.”
“Dominic.”
I gestured to Dominic with my eyes, and with one glance, the once stubborn boy nodded.
But judging by his muttering to wait and see, it seemed like he was still harboring resentment.
Still, Dominic’s anger as our contractor was momentarily subdued…
Suddenly, Mirisa’s soft and chubby hand grabbed mine tightly.
“You didn’t do anything wrong, big sister.”
“…?”
“To prevent big sis from falling for a cheating man, I’ll work hard to promote our academy to the diligent students!”
It seems like we’ve gained enthusiastic customers after losing Lenox?
I awkwardly smiled and patted Mirisa’s head.
“A-and!”
Mirisa grabbed my hand firmly with a determined tone.
“Now, I’ll find someone good for you!”
It seemed like Mirisa was misunderstanding something.
As I recalled Meldenik’s misdeeds before possessing me, sweat trickled down my spine.
“Wouldn’t you feel betrayed when you find out about my misdeeds later?”
“Well, I haven’t done anything particularly good either…”
Mumbling excuses for later, Mirisa shook her head.
“Who in their right mind can endure when their partner is unfaithful? You can do whatever you want.”
It seems like Mirisa is stuck with no way out.
