Rebecca’s head jerked to the side, sharply turning as if it would snap. Her tongue couldn’t utter a sound, too numb to even scream. However, as soon as she saw the person who had slapped her cheek, not only her tongue but her pupils as well had been filled with despair.
“S-sister?”
“Rebecca, how could you? How?!” Lania had tears welling up in her eyes, her anger unmasked. Though it may have seemed excessive, considering her usual emphasis on her family’s nobility, it was a reaction understandable enough to others. “Even if you lack any sense of dignity, how could you do such a thing? Playing a prank with our mother’s heirloom?”
Of course, it shouldn’t be done in front of others.
“The eldest daughter must have been quite shocked.”
“Mother.”
“These sisters are close but to see them like this———”
At this point, they were just putting on a show.
The slap on her cheek, which felt quite fake, must not have left a burning sensation. Before a hollow laugh could burst out, Lania’s teary eyes turned toward her as she pressed her cheek with her fingers.
“I don’t know how to apologize to you, Mother. It’s all my fault for spoiling Rebecca.”
“Sister! How could you do this to me?”
“Keep your mouth shut!”
Shocked and caught off guard, Rebecca belatedly grabbed her sister’s arm, but Lania forcefully shook her off. It was a vigorous motion, seemingly meant to demonstrate that she had nothing to do with Rebecca.
“It’s not even worth mentioning that I’m disappointed in you, sister.”
“Ah——-I… I…”
“How could you bring such shame to our family? You have no face to show our deceased father.”
Someone else bit their tongue out of sympathy as Lania’s tears rolled down her cheeks. Her blue eyes were full of anger and resentment as she looked at Rebecca who was holding her breath. “Mother, this is all my fault. So——-”
“Then, what do you think should I do?”
say it.
Showing kindness to her for the first time didn’t feel so bad. Moreover, it was satisfying to see her pitiful and wretched eyes flinch whenever they met Catherine’s.
“Oh, Mother.”
“Well, since you admit your fault, there’s nothing else to be done. Besides, there’s the family’s reputation to consider. It wouldn’t be right to let it slide after experiencing such disgrace as the Duchess.”
She hoped she didn’t look too foolish. She looked at Lania with gentle eyes, as if seeking her agreement. Instinctively, she realized that her words weren’t empty, and her tightly closed lips slightly trembled.
“If that’s truly what you want, Mother, then you should do as you please. Whether you punish or even exile Rebecca, I won’t intervene.”
“Indeed.”
Catherine knew it from the moment she slapped Rebecca’s cheek but seeing how cleanly Lania cut ties with her sister like this, she couldn’t help but admire her in some ways.
“Whatever you do, you have to follow. Of course, as an older sister, my heart hurts too… … .”
“Could it be worse than me as her mother?”
“…”
“Even though I’m approaching this with affection for my younger sibling, it still ended up like this. As someone who is officially the stepmother, wouldn’t you think that I am not at fault?”
As she shook her head and took Rania’s hand, her throat rang again. What kind of scheme was this now? Even if an unexpected heartwarming resolution seemed possible at the moment, Lania’s guard remained firmly in place. “But, Mother, however…”
“Since my eldest daughter, the princess, was entrusted with heavy duties instead of me, people’s judgment must have been clouded in an instant. This is why people must do their work, but I guess I trusted my eldest daughter too much.”
“That’s not it!”
“It is and I can’t ignore it anymore. I’ve seen it with my own eyes.”
“…”
With no strength left to even argue, Catherine stared down at Rebecca, who was as unyielding as ever. From proudly parading around in her extravagant dress at the ball into this pitiful state, her transformation was complete.
“Oh, sister! Sister, ugh!”
“Punishing the sisters alone would be too lenient, as I, too, am guilty of negligence. This incident occurred due to a misguided plan, and if we let it go this easily, His Majesty will surely understand.”
“Ah.”
“It’s an honor to be in your presence, Your Majesty.”
“…”
No. Rashid didn’t care much. She should just go ahead and do whatever she wanted. He wouldn’t leave her alone either. Interrupted before he could start a sentence, Rashid gently scratched his forehead. When she curtsied to express her gratitude, he didn’t add anything.
“Then, on behalf of the North, I will take back the work that my eldest daughter has been doing alone. She has done a good job preparing banquets, so I think she can just do it. I will be the one to meet with the vassals on behalf of the deceased lord, manage the finances, and take care of the overall business. I think what I’m asking for is pretty fair. ”Mother!”
“Of course, if you dislike it, there’s nothing to be done. But if necessary, to clear the accusation that the Duke’s family has defied royal authority, we will have to carefully consider your and Rebecca’s punishments and follow the approach you have taken——-”
“…”
What will she do now? Since Catherine had kindly handed over the power of decision-making to her stepdaughters, all that was left was to wait for Lania’s answer. In her heart, Catherine secretly hoped she would scream and shout like Rebecca or at least grab her by the collar, but a master was a master after all.
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