The Duke Felicia family valued a free and open atmosphere. Compared to other high-ranking nobles who often emphasized a strict and rigid environment even within their families, the Felicia family was quite unique. However, even in the Felicia household, there was one rule that had to be strictly followed.
“…Uugh.”
Peonia, who hadn’t been able to sleep properly due to various recent events, was the last to arrive at the dining room. As soon as she saw someone who, by sheer coincidence, shared the same origin as her, she scowled.
“You’re late, Arsonist.” Orkis twisted his lips and greeted her with a rather affectionate morning greeting.
Peonia frowned.
“If you play with fire at night, you’ll wet your bed.”
“You must know that well. It seems like you’ve experienced it a lot.”
“How are you ever going to get married like that?”
“And what about you? Do you think you’ll be any better?”
The two siblings, who were bickering right from the morning, resembled each other so closely that even a stranger could immediately tell they were family. They detested this fact more than anything, and despite being all grown up, they continued to banter with each other as if they were still children.
“Kids.” The duchess, who had been quietly observing the childish sibling fight, finally spoke up. “Now, enough.”
Even as they grew older, the two remained unchanged and immediately fell silent at her words.
The two are exactly the same. Duke Felicia thought with a chuckle. No matter how much they grew, in his and his wife’s eyes, they were still young and immature. Of course, that only made them more endearing. However, he knew that if he voiced this sentiment, the children would find it utterly disgusting. Not wanting to ruin the pleasant morning, he kept his thoughts to himself.
Soon, breakfast was served. Freshly baked white bread, moist eggs cooked to preference, freshly squeezed fruit juice, and a green salad with a tangy dressing to whet the appetite. Small pats of butter were neatly arranged on a long, thin plate, accompanied by a variety of fruit jams.
“Peni.” The duke called his daughter while spreading butter on his bread. His swift and precise movements with the butter knife resembled the efficiency of a butcher at work.
“How are you feeling?” His question was filled with concern.
Peonia glanced at the duchess, who merely shrugged as if to say, ‘What can I do about your father’s endless worrying?’
“…It’s been almost a month.”
“But I’m still worried.”
“I’m really fine now.” Peonia lowered her gaze shyly. “Father, you worry too much.” Yet, she didn’t mind the concern. Feeling slightly better, Peonia took a bite of her salad, which tasted particularly good today.
“Just be careful always. You know how much your mother worries when you get hurt.”
“You’re the one who worries. I don’t.”
As if she didn’t care about her daughter’s well-being, the duchess’s response made the duke frown in dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, the bread in his hand was gently placed on her plate.
“Kis.” The duke’s tone was heavier as he called his son.
“Father, that…” Orkis hesitated. The nickname had become increasingly embarrassing and awkward as he grew older, yet he couldn’t bring himself to ask his father to stop using it. If he did, the duke might use the excuse of succession training to work him to the bone all night long. And the duchess would likely punish him with relentless drills and intense training sessions. So, Orkis quietly waited for his father’s words.
“Clear your schedule for the next month.”
“May I ask why?”
The unexpected instruction left Orkis puzzled. Peonia, who had been mocking her brother’s nickname, was equally surprised.
Duke Felicia was usually lenient with his children, except on a few topics. Limiting his son’s schedule like this was unusual—almost unprecedented.
“We’re going to start a joint project.” Duke Felicia said. “I want to entrust it to you.”
“Good luck with that,” Peonia sincerely encouraged him.
Orkis wondered how anyone could call his sister an ice-cold beauty. He was genuinely curious.
“A joint project?” The duchess was just as surprised. “I haven’t heard about this.” Although she distanced herself from the management of the family due to her duties as the head of the family’s knight order, she still kept herself informed through her husband. So, hearing about a business venture she wasn’t aware of caught her off guard.
“It was arranged hastily.” The duke explained as if making an excuse, trying to emphasize that he had been cautious in assessing its potential.
“Who are we partnering with?” Peonia asked. Considering her father’s cautious nature, the fact that he hadn’t mentioned the venture to her mother suggested that it was with someone he trusted implicitly. But the answer was unexpected.
“It’s a young lady from a certain family.”
At that moment, Orkis recalled a young lady from a few weeks ago. Light blue hair, a slender frame. A head that bowed before violence. Yet, she had eyes that shone sharply. She couldn’t be the business partner that his father talked about, but still, the only young lady who had recently left a vivid impression on Orkis was just one. Of course, Peonia’s friend was excluded.
“It’s not Lu, is it?” Sure enough, Peonia also seemed to have a similar thought and immediately mentioned her friend’s name.
“No, it’s not Lady Lunie.”
“If it were the Mars family, I would have heard about it too.”
“True.”
Peonia quickly agreed. Even thinking rationally, her friend and her father couldn’t possibly be good business partners. Their goals were too different.
“It’s a very rare opportunity.”
Though he didn’t reveal which family the young lady belonged to, the duke’s face was full of satisfaction. He looked like a predator who had just captured a very desirable prey.
“But considering her age, it seemed inappropriate for an old man like me to handle it. Besides, I already have a partner.”
At the duke’s words, the duchess subtly lifted the corners of her lips.
Cheesy. Orkis and Peonia thought the same thing for the first time in a while.
“That’s why I want you to take it on.”
“Understood.”
“She’ll be good company for you.”
“…”
The more Orkis heard, the more uneasy he felt. It felt like he was being pushed into a forced matchmaking.
“Come to think of it.” Noticing her son’s discomfort, the duchess smoothly changed the subject. “The trial is coming up soon, right?”
“You mean the forced inheritance trial.” The duke was more than happy to follow her lead, finding the topic intriguing as well.
“I heard you’re going to testify at the trial, Kis?”
“Yes.”
He had caught Count Vallidus in the act and would be testifying as a result.
“Peni, why don’t you go with him to get some fresh air?”
“I was planning to. Lu is also curious.”
“Carl will be testifying with you, right?”
“It’s surprising that a forced succession trial is actually happening. I thought it was just something that existed only in books.”
“The knights are also talking about it…”
The conversation between the mother and daughter was quite ordinary.
The scandal within the Count’s family had shocked society, and the forced succession trial, held for the first time in over 150 years, was a hot topic.
“…”
But Orkis’s pace slowed down as he ate. It was as if he had an uncomfortable pebble under his blanket that wouldn’t let him rest.
“…Kis.”
Duke Felicia, who had been watching him, called him out. Orkis composed his expression while the duke, for some reason, had an amused look on his face.
“It will be a good experience.”
Orkis frowned slightly.
What? What on earth is supposed to be a good experience?
But the duke didn’t specify whether he was talking about the business or the trial until the meal was over.
* * *
It was on the day of the trial. Even though it wasn’t a banquet, numerous carriages arrived at the entrance of the imperial palace. It was the first forced succession trial in 150 years. The plaintiff was an abused daughter, and the defendant was her abusive father. A daughter seeking her father’s title—a family conflict that was sure to attract attention.
…Interesting. This is going to be fun.
Seraphie was fully aware of how sensational and intriguing her situation was. As she arrived early in the plaintiff’s waiting room, she glanced out the window at the lively scene outside. Nobles dressed in elaborate attire laughed and chatted as they arrived to watch the trial.
Rather than watching, they’re here to observe. It was like they were on a field trip to the zoo. Seraphie let out a sigh that felt like her shoulders were drooping from exhaustion.
“Milady.” Marine approached her quickly. “Shall I close the curtains?”
“No, leave them.”
“But…”
“I think watching outside will help me feel more at ease.”
Seraphie smiled faintly. The noise they created actually helped calm her, constantly reminding her that this surreal situation was indeed real.
“Marine.”
“Yes, Milady!”
“How do I look?”
“Pure, delicate, and beautiful!”
Marine’s confident praise was genuine. Seraphie had been eating well and exercising regularly to maintain her health. Thanks to that, she had progressed from looking ‘sickly’ to simply ‘delicate.’
Seraphie felt proud of herself for the accomplishment. In her previous life, she had struggled to lose weight, and never did she imagine she would be fighting to gain weight in this life. In fact, the preparation for the trial was less difficult than this.
It’s good that I look fragile. Appearance is important in garnering sympathy.
I’ll enjoy myself fully with this face before returning to my original world. She had already vowed hundreds of times that once she secured the title of countess, she would engage in all sorts of debauchery.
“Lady Seraphie of the Count Vallidus family.”
At that moment, someone from outside called out for Seraphie. It was one of the palace officials who had escorted her here.
Ah, again.
The palace official’s eyes darted around uncomfortably as if searching for a place to rest his gaze, clearly uncomfortable with Seraphie’s neck exposed due to her short hair.
It’s just a neck. What’s the big deal? Who gets excited over seeing a neck? Seraphie stared at the official as if he were bizarre.
“The trial is about to begin.” The official cleared his throat as he spoke.
Seraphie nodded.
“Milady…”
“I’ll be back.”
Marine, who had been holding back tears, bit her lip and nodded. All the servants at the estate had vowed to follow Seraphie if she lost the trial. Seraphie thought they were being overly dramatic. But she also found their loyalty very comforting.
With Marine’s support behind her, Seraphie followed the official to the courtroom. As she walked, she recalled the contents of the public notice.
The forced succession trial was held in the imperial palace, where the emperor, who granted the titles, resided. Regardless of the outcome, because a title was at stake, the trial was overseen by the emperor. It was also open to public attendance.
Seraphie looked around the interior of the imperial palace in silence. The decorations were lavish, with ornate pottery and adornments displayed everywhere, which seemed at odds with the solemn atmosphere. Before long, Seraphie arrived at a massive door.
Where am I now?
The grand ivory-colored door reflected a soft pink hue under the bright lights. The door’s ornate decorations looked expensive, making her hesitant to touch anything. Two knights stood guard in front of the door. And Seraphie was familiar with them.
“Lady!”
Carl’s face was as pale as Seraphie’s hair. Dressed in his silver-gray knight uniform with his hair neatly swept back, he looked like he had transformed from a Golden Retriever to a German Shepherd.
“Have you been well?”
Seraphie greeted him with a brief nod. Her casual greeting left Carl gaping like a fish out of water.
“It’s been a while, Sir Felicia.”
Seraphie also greeted Orkis. Despite his meddlesome nature, he was at least someone she could hold a conversation with. However, even Orkis couldn’t hide his discomfort.
“What on earth….”
Just like Carl, Orkis had his hair slicked back, giving him a mature appearance that added a touch of gravity to his sharp features. His dark purple knight uniform also contributed to his serious demeanor.
“What on earth happened to you?”
“Don’t I look healthier?” Seraphie asked with a hopeful expression.
Orkis stared at her in disbelief and astonishment. “What happened to your hair?”
“Can’t you tell? I cut it.”
“Why did you do that? For a lady, long hair is—”
“Ah, not this again.”
Orkis had a knack for nagging, as she had noticed during their last encounter. Despite being depicted in the novel as someone who kept his distance from others and showed no interest in them, he always seemed ready to lecture her whenever they met. His appearance looked like someone who should be out hunting monsters in the snow-covered northern mountains, yet here he was, nagging her endlessly.
Not even my mom nagged me this much. At least, if Seraphie’s mom nagged once and Seraphie didn’t listen, she’d give up and call Seraphie a stubborn brat.
“I cut it to make soup with it, satisfied?”
“Your neck is completely exposed.”
“So is yours. I can see your neck even better.”
Seraphie growled as she dismissed Orkis’s nagging and signaled the official to open the door. It was clear she wanted to get into the courtroom and end this ordeal as quickly as possible. For some reason, the official seemed intimidated, but after a moment of hesitation, he finally complied.
In truth, Seraphie wasn’t in a position to issue orders to an official. But the official was so daunted by her bold demeanor, coupled with the fact that she was conversing with two of the Empire’s most famous knights, that he didn’t dare question her.
“Lady Seraphie of Count Vallidus has arrived.” The official announced her arrival through the slightly open door.
By the way, why are you two here?” Seraphie asked, trying to hide her nerves.
“We are your witnesses.”
Before the door fully opened, Orkis pulled out a handkerchief. It was dyed a deep navy blue, without any lace, but still appeared to be of fine quality.
“You are currently without a guardian. So, as we were present at the scene, we will be acting as your temporary guardians.”
“It’s an unusual situation,” Carl added an explanation.
“But why wasn’t I informed about this?”
“It was decided on short notice.”
Orkis explained that they had only been informed upon their arrival today. However, despite the title of ‘guardians,’ the only thing Orkis and Carl could do for Seraphie was to testify on her behalf.
“Wow, that’s reassuring,” Seraphie responded, though her voice lacked enthusiasm.
“…Honestly, I don’t think you have a chance of winning this trial.”
Seraphie shot him a glare. She had worked so hard to prepare for this trial, and here he was, raining on her parade. But Orkis ignored her glare as he deftly folded the handkerchief into a triangle.
“But you’re still planning to win, right?” Orkis then wrapped it around Seraphie’s neck.
Seraphie watched in stunned silence as his large arms wrapped around her, missing the perfect moment to scream in protest. Carl’s mouth fell open in shock. Regardless of their reactions, Orkis neatly tied the ends of the handkerchief.
Seraphie touched the handkerchief covering her neck. The ribbon tied near her collarbone was neat.
“Try to win.”
“…I will.”
Suddenly, she felt like she could actually do it. All it took was a simple handkerchief around her neck, but somehow, Seraphie felt as if she had the most reliable allies by her side.
“Confidence can lead to arrogance.”
“Ah, here we go with the nagging again…!”
With what didn’t feel like encouragement, Seraphie stepped through the wide-open door into the courtroom.
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