Chapter 20

Early in the morning, Duke Lucanossa and Helene departed for their honeymoon.

The Queensguard family was also supposed to leave, but Count Queensguard called for Cynthia under the pretext of spending some family time.

“Cynthia, you handled those high-and-mighty princesses quite well. It seems they’ve all taken a liking to you.”

As the Dowager Duchess held the authority in the Lucanossa ducal family, Cynthia winning her favor was a good thing in the Count’s eyes.

After all, it would help Helene, who remained stiff and couldn’t fit in well.

‘She’s a child who knows how to win over the adults. She might be quite useful if sent into high society.’

It was a shame she didn’t have much time left for use though.

The Count was also aware that some of the servants he had sent were dead, but he didn’t bother to bring it up.

They had stupidly gotten caught selling off things from the residence, so it wasn’t even something worth questioning Cynthia about.

While eating some cookies served as refreshments, Cynthia said—

“The ladies? After actually talking with them, they seemed like lively and pleasant people.”

It was the complete opposite of Helene’s assessment.

Perhaps she’s just someone whose nature is like a flower garden and naturally likes people.

The Count gazed at the red diamond necklace hanging from Cynthia’s neck.

‘Princess Margarita was like that too. She even gave away a royal heirloom to a refugee woman in gratitude.’

True to the name “Queensguard”—the knightly house that protects the queen—the Count and Princess Margarita had known each other since childhood.

She was kind and innocent, unlike the infamous reputation of the Variessa royal family.

In other words, she was the perfect person to take advantage of.

“Yeah, I knew someone as capable as you would become the heir of the Queensguard House. Oh, that reminds me—my marriage has been arranged. It’s to the second prince of the neighboring empire. It’s a bit saddening to be marrying someone I don’t even know. I just wish he’s as gentlemanly and considerate as you.”

She wasn’t someone who could easily be won.

‘It was only after she had fallen and broken down that she became mine.’

His once pure feelings for the princess had twisted into desire over time.

Lost in thought, the Count clenched his hand tightly as if grasping onto something.

He looked at Cynthia with serious eyes as she took a bite of the large cookie.

“Cynthia, I’ll see you at the wedding. Just remember that if the marriage falls through, it’ll be the end for you.”

Even if Cynthia confessed she was a fake, the Count had plenty of ways to escape.

After all, there was no proof anywhere that she wasn’t the real one.

No matter what Cynthia did, he could just say, “She was homesick. She wanted to return to her family.”

“It won’t fall through. I get to live as the wife of a wealthy officer, doing no work and living comfortably, so what’s not to like about it?”

Cynthia smiled brightly as she came to this simple conclusion.

Carlos and Edford looked at her disapprovingly.

***

“Snow White, let’s keep in touch.”

Though she still maintained her dignified attitude and cold tone, the Dowager Duchess had, at some point, come up with a nickname for me.

I suppose I should be glad it wasn’t something like white sugar, flour, or rice.

“Yes, madam. Honestly, I’d love to come by every day. Now that I’m family too, please feel free to speak to me comfortably, like you do with Sister Helene.”

“Then I’ll assume we’ll be hosting tea parties every day after your wedding.”

The sharp-featured Madam Hills raised her chin and joked.

Madam Veraché, with her characteristically aloof expression, joined in.

“Let’s attend the Stargazing Sardine Festival together next spring. There’s a sardine cooking competition with famous chefs from around the world, and you could participate as a special judge.”

“Really? That sounds so fun! I’m already so excited at the thought of going!”

I wasn’t just saying it out of politeness, but because it sounded like it’d be insanely fun.

A sardine cooking competition? There’s no way I’d miss that. How can the world do something that fun behind my back?

With such an incredibly interesting topic, we should have at least chatted about it for an hour, but cruel Massera cut me off, politely saying it was time we take our leave.

“Meow.”

Just then, a plump cheese-colored cat approached and rubbed itself against Massera’s leg, wrapping its tail around him.

It was purring adorably, so I reached my hand out to pet it, but it easily avoided me.

Madam Veraché tilted her head in curiosity.

“That’s odd. It only acts like that toward people who give it food.”

Food? I hurriedly searched my pockets, but sadly all I had were peanut candies and a small pine cone.

From the smug look in Massera’s eyes, it seemed he hadn’t gone out to build a snowman when he disappeared for a bit yesterday, but to win over the cat in the garden.

“Father!”

I ran up to Count Queensguard, who was also preparing to leave, and smiled brightly.

At the word “Father,” the Count looked at me in surprise, then cleared his throat.

“Cindy, what’s wrong?”

“The next time I see you will be at my wedding, so I’ll miss you.”

At my convincingly heartfelt daughter act, the Count gave an awkward smile.

The Dowager Duchess, thinking he was conscious of the nearby onlookers, covered her mouth and chuckled.

“We’re all family here, so there’s no need to hold back. She is your precious youngest daughter, so I’m sure it must be hard to send her off to get married.”

“That’s true. Unlike the mature Helene, she still acts like a baby…”

The Count chuckled awkwardly and ruffled Cynthia’s hair.

On the ride back home, Massera didn’t say a single word.

He was always like that, but today felt a bit different…

He looked like someone who, before falling asleep, had stared up at the ceiling, gone over all the things that disappointed him, and finally made up his mind to slowly distance himself.

As usual, I tried to start a conversation with him.

“Do you like cats? It seems you didn’t go out to make a snowman, but went to feed the cat.”

“I don’t like them.”

He replied indifferently and opened a book.

But the title was “In-Depth Study of Cats.”

Not wanting to interrupt his reading, I said nothing more.

Instead, I peeked over to try and read with him, but he even turned his body away, as if that bothered him too.

‘So petty. Trying to win over the cat all by himself…’

With that, I made up my mind to ransack the study once I got back to the residence.

***

The ducal estate was not that far away, so the two arrived back in less than an hour.

But the residence was unusually crowded today.

Most of the people present were soldiers in sharp uniforms, and it turned out they had returned from a reconnaissance mission in a conflict zone to give their reports.

“Hello!”

They smiled in response as they saw Cynthia greeting them brightly.

But the moment they realized she was a descendant of the fallen Variessa royal family, their attitudes changed immediately.

“Disgusting royalty, what’s she smiling like that for?”

“You can tell she’s a clueless idiot who grew up tucked away in the countryside. She probably doesn’t even know what her family did to the people.”

‘What do I do…’

Seeing the soldiers’ cold reactions, Cynthia covered her mouth with her hand and looked troubled.

‘It looks like nobody’s too happy with that jerk of a brigadier general… I know people don’t usually like those in charge… but I guess I should at least treat them well.’

Until just a moment ago, she had been adored by the Dowager Duchess and other noble ladies, so she had momentarily forgotten her status as a despised royal.

Among them was an officer who gave her a particularly venomous stare.

‘Marriage? With a stupid woman like her?’