Episode 126

I gaped at the duke’s bombshell of a statement.

‘Just like that, all of a sudden…?’

Not once had there been even a hint of this while we were preparing for Josh’s birthday party.

Flustered, I looked around with trembling eyes.

As expected, the nobles were all murmuring among themselves.

Until now, the duke had refrained from publicly commenting on Josh’s improved health—or on me.

Because of that, I was better known for my work with salons and treatments for contagious skin diseases than for my healing powers.

Compared to my past life, I had definitely shed the image of being uselessly stuck to the duke’s household…

But the uptight, conservative nobles still liked to put me down by comparing me to Diana.

If you asked whether that made me upset or dissatisfied—

‘Not at all.’

Thanks to that, I had the freedom to run my business as I pleased and ended up becoming filthy rich.

If I had been like Diana, earning money through healing by aligning with the temple, I probably wouldn’t have lasted long.

Trying to launch new ventures with nobles who were already pouring donations into the temple would definitely have stirred up trouble.

And even if it worked, the temple and Marquis Barelotte would’ve taken everything from me anyway.

So honestly, I had no complaints about being seen as less capable than Diana.

“…Therefore, from this moment forward, any attack on Belze will be considered a challenge to Kallios.”

But the duke’s sudden declaration—was as shocking as a thunderclap, more than enough to completely change how people saw me.

What they thought was just a spare battery for Diana, meant only to prolong the second son’s life a little longer—

Was now being declared a vital and irreplaceable presence in House Kallios.

I couldn’t believe the day had come when everyone would realize that.

My heart stirred with anxiety and something else I couldn’t quite name.

Once again, I was overwhelmed by a strange mix of emotions.

Regardless of the crowd’s chatter, the duke abruptly raised his champagne glass high into the air.

“To Joshua’s health and Belze’s hard work.”

Then he downed the champagne in one gulp.

“To Kallios!”

“To Kallios!”

The nobles, who had been in a frenzy, eventually followed the duke’s lead and began gulping down their champagne one after another.

“Me too, me too!”

Watching the adults, Joshua picked up the glass in front of him and took big gulps.

Thankfully, it wasn’t alcohol but sweet grape juice.

As I fumbled for a handkerchief to wipe the sticky purple liquid smeared all over Joshua’s smiling mouth—

“You don’t look pleased, Belze.”

Suddenly, a low voice spoke from right beside me.

“Did my declaration not sit well with you?”

When I looked up, the duke, who had just been greeting the approaching guests, was now looking down at me.

His face was unreadable, but in those golden eyes, I could sense a trace of concern and warmth directed toward me.

I understood it now.

“Ah, no. It’s not that…”

I quickly shook my head at his question.

‘Not pleased’…?

That wasn’t it at all.

It was just—

“…Is this really okay?”

I murmured, my voice lacking confidence.

At that moment, I could feel not just the duke’s, but also Edwin’s and Josh’s gazes turning to me all at once.

The duke looked puzzled as he asked,

“What is?”

Everything.

I struggled to swallow the words that were pushing up my throat.

The duke’s official declaration had come too suddenly—out of nowhere.

And that made it frightening.

A lot of things had already changed from the original story, but now it felt like we’d passed a point of no return.

I was just a villainess fated to be killed off for getting in the female lead’s way—was it really okay for someone like me to be rising in status like this?

Could someone who had committed unforgivable sins against these people in her past life really deserve this kind of treatment?

Even though I was happy to be recognized, a part of me was overwhelmed with anxiety and fear.

I was scared I might ruin everything again.

“Joshua’s recovery wasn’t just because of me. Grandpa Gordon worked really hard too…”

“…”

“You’ve already done so much for me…”

“…”

“I never really wanted something like this…”

“Belze.”

I didn’t know what kind of expression I was supposed to wear.

As I mumbled with shaky eyes, not making much sense—

“Wait. Is this not about the adoption? Are you upset about that instead?”

Suddenly, the duke asked an even more shocking question than before.

I was momentarily dumbfounded.

“…What?”

“Now that I think about it, Marquis Barelotte is in the process of adopting the child he sponsors, isn’t he?”

He was talking about Diana.

The duke stroked his chin and continued.

“Actually, I’ve been preparing something too. I was going to surprise you with it today. But then…”

“Adoption is absolutely out of the question.”

That’s when it happened.

Out of nowhere, Edwin—who had been silent until now—cut off the duke and spoke up sharply.

“You’ve already received a formal statement of opposition from the majority of the elders and vassals, haven’t you? Why are you bringing up something that’s already been settled?”

He muttered irritably.

The duke, watching him, gave a wry smile and shrugged his shoulders.

“With opposition that fierce, what can I do?”

“Well, I’m in favor!”

Suddenly, Joshua threw his arms around me with a bright voice.

“I wish you were my real sister!”

“You don’t get a vote, so keep your mouth shut.”

Edwin shot his little brother a cold glare.

“Tch.”

Joshua puffed out his lower lip in a cute pout.

I looked back and forth between the two of them, tilting my head in confusion.

‘So Edwin doesn’t want me to be officially registered as part of House Kallios?’

To be fair, it made sense from his point of view.

A commoner orphan who had only ever been a hired hand, suddenly being elevated to equal status overnight?

No heir to a noble family would be thrilled about that.

Of course, I wasn’t exactly thrilled either.

‘Adoption, seriously…’

To think I might end up being called by the same last name as someone I had feelings for, as siblings.

The thought alone was horrifying.

I shivered and shook my head at the idea—when suddenly, something struck me.

‘Wait… the duke really was seriously considering adopting me?’

 

“My father was preparing for your formal registration as a birthday gift for your upcoming eighteenth.”

 

I remembered what Edwin had said to me before he died.

I’d thought it couldn’t be true—surely not—but now, hearing adoption being brought up again in this life, a wave of emotion surged up from my chest.

I didn’t want to become family with them.

But I wanted to stay by their side forever.

In this life, I wanted to protect them no matter what.

And if I couldn’t do that—then I’d rather be the only one who takes the fall and dies.

‘You’re listening, aren’t you, Saint Elea?’

Do you see what kind of resolve I’m living with, day after day, since coming back?

“…I will.”

Today again, I steeled my heart and told them all:

“I’ll do even better.”

“…”

“I’ll work harder to live up to your expectations!”

I might have tensed up too much—my pronunciation slipped a bit.

The duke gave a soft chuckle at that.

“You’re already doing more than enough, Belze.”

Pat.

A large hand gently rested atop my fluffy head.

“You’ve brought Joshua this far, made him this healthy. If anything, saying I support you officially isn’t even close to enough to repay the miracles you’ve brought to House Kallios.”

“…”

“So don’t feel pressured. Just do as you wish.”

“…”

“Just don’t forget—Kallios will always be behind you.”

At those words, something pinched and burned behind my nose.

“Duke…”

Just as I looked up at him with teary eyes—

“Adoption is not happening.”

Edwin once again shut everything down with a firm line.

And just like that, the emotional moment shattered into pieces.

‘Seriously?! Can you not read the room? I already know I’m not worthy, okay?!’

Burning with frustration, I turned and glared at the one who’d ruined the mood.

“Whoa! These are shoes!”

Suddenly, Joshua—who had apparently opened my gift box—held up one shoe in each hand and shouted joyfully.

“Sis! What are these?!”

“Uh, those are…”

Clink, clatter.

As Joshua bounced around, the jewelry hanging all over his body sparkled under the light.

Next to all those ridiculously expensive gems, my gift looked embarrassingly humble.

Hesitating, I finally mumbled the answer.

“They’re sneakers.”

“Sneakers?”

Joshua tilted his head, unfamiliar with the term.

“Yeah. You’ll be going outside more now, right? You can’t hurt your feet. These will hold your ankles nice and firm, even if you run around all day!”

“Really?”

At my explanation, Joshua immediately kicked off his current shoes and slipped into the sneakers I’d given him.

Then he started hopping around the penguin statue nearby.

“Whoa! These are super comfy! I’ve never worn shoes like this before! And the color matches my hair too!”

Thankfully, he seemed to love the sneakers. Beaming with joy, he ran over to me.

“Thank you, sis! You’re seriously the best!”

Relieved, I let out a small, bashful smile.

But just as I started to relax, he suddenly asked—

“By the way, sis. When’s your birthday?”

“Huh? My birthday…?”

“Yeah! We’ve never had a party for you, right?”

The unexpected question caught me off guard.

Because the truth was—I didn’t have a birthday.

The orphanage had used my admission date as my birth date, but that wasn’t the day I was truly born.

So in both my past life and this one, I had never once celebrated a birthday.

“Well, um…”

I fumbled, unsure how to respond to such a sudden question—

“Belze’s birthday is the Wednesday after next.”

A calm voice beside me answered out of nowhere.

Startled, I turned my head—and there was Edwin, face expressionless as always.

“The Wednesday after next?”

“Yeah. That’s the day Belze first came to our house. It’ll be the three-year anniversary.”

My eyes widened.

‘He remembered something like that…?’

I hadn’t even realized it myself—that the Wednesday after next marked my arrival here.

I’d been far too busy to keep track of a date like that.

Unlike my flustered self, Edwin calmly addressed his younger brother.

“She never had a party all this time because she was always focusing on you. So you better get her a proper gift.”

“Okay! Got it! Just wait, sis! I’m gonna get you the most super-duper awesome present ever!”

“Ah, so it’s already Belze’s birthday soon. I suppose I’ll have to prepare something too.”

“Wait, so her birthday’s after mine? Does that make me the big brother?”

Joshua tilted his head again, still shaky with numbers.

From Edwin to Joshua to the duke—they all accepted the idea of celebrating my birthday so naturally, like it had always been that way.

As if they understood exactly how I’d rejected my orphanage ‘birthday’ deep in my heart.

Joshua, alive and well, running around with joy—so unlike the original.

The duke and Edwin, smiling warmly, just like a real family.

And me, dressed nicely, standing beside them as if I belonged.

“Hhrrngh…”

I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Hwaaaahhhh!”

“W-What?! Why are you crying? Is it ‘cause I said I’m your big brother? Okay, okay! I’ll keep calling you sis!”

“What did I even say now? Seriously… are you crying again?”

“Hush now, Belze. In House Kallios, no matter what happens—we do not show tears…”

It was silly, and kind of embarrassing.

But just like that, Joshua’s 8th birthday party came to a close—with my tears marking the finale.

TL/N: poor Eddie wants her to be his wife TT Baby belze please understand our eddies’ heart TT