Chapter 5
From a young age, Eila had taken care of the household in place of her physically weak and tender-hearted mother.
‘Sometimes I’d crawl into bed and cry. There were so many things that required me to be cold-hearted.’
The household servants had turned against Eila when they learned she was fake precisely because she had been such a strict mistress.
‘Father surprisingly dislikes bitter tea and loves sweet cakes. So make sure to prepare refreshments accordingly.’
‘Brother Cedric prefers southern tea, and Brother Gerard is sensitive about tea temperature, so be careful when serving.’
‘Mother looks better in vivid, bold colors rather than the delicate pastel shades that are currently fashionable. So assist her properly when choosing clothes.’
‘I heard the newly appointed head maid is taking bribes. What’s going on here? Investigate everyone who gave her money.’
The things Eila had done for her family all this time might not have been particularly noticeable.
But they were equally important matters.
That’s why Callios had wanted Eila to teach Rosia before casting her out.
‘In the original story, I perfectly handled the handover.’
The foolish Eila had taught Rosia everything about managing the household with utmost dedication.
She had even prepared a perfect manual for the handover before leaving.
‘What Father was about to say earlier was probably asking me to help Rosia before leaving.’
But since Eila had preempted him, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Thinking this far, Eila curled up the corner of her mouth.
From now on, Father would be furious during every teatime, or whenever he saw the cunning, quick-witted servants of the mansion.
‘Experience for yourself how inconvenient daily life will become.’
Just before leaving the household, Eila went to see Cedric and Gerard.
Finding the two wasn’t difficult.
They had been family for nearly a dozen years.
She knew exactly where they would be at what time doing what.
‘They’re probably talking in the garden right now.’
After meals, the three of them would always gather together.
‘It’s just that I’ve been excluded since Rosia came.’
A bitter smile formed on Eila’s lips.
As expected, Gerard and Cedric were alone in the garden.
This was fortunate for Eila.
What she was about to propose could only be done when Rosia wasn’t present.
“Brothers.”
At Eila’s call, Gerard and Cedric turned their gaze.
Cedric frowned when he saw Eila’s attire.
“Eila, you’re really planning to leave.”
“I said I would, so I must. I came because I have one last thing to ask.”
“You have something to ask?”
“The paternity test artifact – could you use it just among us?”
The moment she spoke, Cedric glared at Eila with sharp eyes.
Apparently, her suggestion had greatly displeased him.
“You’re asking us to use the paternity test artifact just among us?”
“Yes, you never know. The results might have changed.”
It was a faint hope.
Using the paternity test artifact when Rosia was present would be meaningless.
‘Because Rosia is a skilled mage who can manipulate artifacts.’
But if they conducted the test without Rosia present, the proper results would surely come out.
If that happened, everything Eila was trying to do would become unnecessary.
‘No one would get hurt either.’
They could return to being the harmonious family they once were.
If only her brothers would show just this one bit of trust.
However, Cedric’s reaction was extremely cold.
“Is that really what you want to say right now?”
She had expected it, but his response was much sharper than anticipated.
“Just earlier you told Rosia to be confident? And now you want to retake the paternity test? What’s gotten into you?”
Eila’s eyes widened.
“I’ve changed?”
“Yes, you have no idea how worried Rosia is about you. Yet you come to us saying the results might have changed, trying to frame her…”
Unable to contain his anger, Cedric turned away and closed his mouth.
Seeing this, Gerard nodded in agreement.
“Right, even if we do it, it won’t change that Rosia is part of the Blanche family. Just accept it now, Eila. Don’t hold onto useless attachments.”
“……”
“I don’t think you deliberately deceived us either. So let’s stop here. Just live your life well from now on.”
Yes, she had expected this.
Being born under the fate of a regret-filled novel’s heroine, she hadn’t thought things would be resolved so easily.
To immediately execute Plan B, Eila bit her lower lip hard.
Fortunately, recalling the savings from her past life that had evaporated into nothing immediately made her feel gloomy.
“Right… I’m sorry, brothers.”
“Sorry?”
“You’re right. I should have considered Rosia’s feelings too… It was just so hard to accept my situation that I ended up saying nonsense. But… the thought of us no longer being family is just too sad…”
As she spoke, Eila covered her mouth.
Seeing this, Gerard, the eldest son, stiffened his expression.
Eila knew Gerard well. Outwardly stubborn and prickly, but inwardly very tender-hearted.
It was obvious he’d be restless seeing the normally aristocratic Eila bow her head so pitifully.
Eila tightly closed her eyes.
“But please know this much. I never intended to frame her.”
As she finished speaking, a single tear dropped from one eye.
She inwardly marveled at her own acting skills.
Having failed to convince her brothers with words, she had quite successfully acted the part of a hurt younger sister.
‘If this makes Gerard and Cedric feel burdened toward me, nothing could be better.’
As expected, Gerard felt his chest tighten.
‘Eila is crying… That proud girl.’
The sight of despondent Eila was enough to evoke guilt in him.
Certainly, their sister Eila would rather die than lie to frame someone.
“Eila, what I meant wasn’t that you’re no longer family…”
“No, you don’t need to comfort me. I understand my brothers’ feelings well. I’ll just focus on living my life from now on. That’s the right thing to do.”
Eila thought to herself.
Ugh, you idiots, just wait until you’re crying rivers of regret later.
‘I’ve seen your future in the original – you became complete wrecks after my death!’
Just because she wasn’t hurt by their actions didn’t mean they hadn’t done wrong.
In the original, Eila had been so shocked by their behavior that it led to her death.
Eila hoped they would regret it as bitterly as the karma they were accumulating.
Without hesitation, she turned away from Gerard who seemed about to say something more.
‘Ah, but I still have things to do.’
As she walked away, she didn’t forget to sway slightly as if overcome with loss.
At Callios’s summons, Gerard and Cedric headed to the study together.
The entire way, Gerard couldn’t shake Eila’s words from earlier:
“I understand my brothers’ feelings well. I’ll just focus on living my life from now on. That’s the right thing to do.”
Eila’s face as she said this had looked truly sad.
‘Should we have just done it?’
The thought came to him unbidden.
But then Rosia’s face surfaced in his mind, disrupting his thoughts.
With lifeless, hollow eyes, Gerard shook his head.
‘After all she’s suffered, I shouldn’t doubt her. No matter how pitiful Eila looked, Rosia is the one who deserves more sympathy.’
