Chapter 2

“My baby~”

“Mother!”

Coincidentally when Anthea went out to greet Nadan, the countess had also just come back to the estate after an outing. Anthea immediately ran towards the countess for a hug. The countess, Hilda Leslie, naturally hugged Anthea as if this is a daily occurrence.

“Oh no, my baby. Your cheeks are all cold. How did you know I’d be coming back now?”

“Hah, she actually came to greet me.”

“Oh my, you’re here son. My baby was shining so brightly that I couldn’t see you.”

Hilda’s laugh was filled with mischievous. Hilda’s laughter made Anthea smile and she grabbed Hilda’s arm. Anthea’s loveliness was perceived to be very innocent.

“My baby, you can just greet your brother inside the house and you see him every day too. It would be really bad if you caught a cold.”

“But I was able to see mother because I came outside to greet brother.”

Hilda looked into Anthea’s pretty eyes that were filled with affection and tightly hugged Anthea, no longer able to restrain herself.

“Ha, you little cutie. Every word that comes out of your mouth is so lovely.”

It was a rather tight hug that made it difficult for Anthea to inhale but she didn’t show any discomfort, instead she snuggled her face onto Hilda’s chest.

“Hehe, mother. I really love you.”

“Me too, I love my An so much.”

The servants were already used to such a scene. Although the countess was only Anthea’s guardian, Anthea still lovingly called her mother without any hesitation while the countess called Anthea her baby and seemed to treasure her more than her own son.

“Let’s go inside, my baby.”

“Yes, mother.”

Anthea replied with adoration for the countess and the countess’s eyes were filled with affection.

Hilda’s original feelings of guilt and obligation to Anthea had gradually changed and grew into what it is now. The previous Anthea was accompanying her parents to the count’s estate on the count’s invitation. However, on their journey, there was an unfortunate accident. The count couple was filled with guilt because they believed they were the reason why I lost my parents, so as compensation, they offered to adopt me.

So far, the story has followed the novel’s plot.

Soon, the emperor will attempt to keep the duke in line by sending him a useless bride, so I will need to start changing my fate now. I will use this lowly viscount title to avoid my miserable future. (1)

Thankfully it was easy to reject the count couple’s offer to become their daughter. I made them believe that I could become their daughter without having to be adopted by having a cozy relationship with Nadan. And so, as Anthea had planned, the count couple held off on adopting her and just became her guardians.

I did pretty well.

All of Anthea’s actions so far were done to change the course of the story a bit, but because of this, the situation had changed quite a lot.

Originally, I wouldn’t have received the countess’s affection. Had I not received it though, I would’ve had a difficult time constantly smiling for five years in an attempt to win her affection, and my health would have deteriorated.

“Madam, the master has requested your presence.”

Hilda, who had held onto Anthea like she would continue to do so forever, slowly let Anthea go as the maid whispered in her ear.

“My baby, my husband is looking for me. I don’t know why he asked for me instead of coming to look for me but I’ll be right back. You two should go to the dining hall first.”

“Yes, mother. You have to quickly come back, okay?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t want my baby to starve.”

Anthea is way past the age of being called a baby, however, because of Anthea’s sickly body, she grew very slowly. So even though she is too old ‘baby’, her lovely appearance didn’t make it awkward to call her that.

Hilda held onto Anthea’s hand as if she didn’t want to leave, but then Anthea smiled lovingly in return which had caused Hilda’s heart to tighten.

Hilda watched as Anthea left, her light body gracefully walked away from her and Hilda let out a sigh.

“Since she’s so pretty, I can’t let her go outside where it’s dangerous.”

For better or worse, Anthea’s body was so weak that she rarely left the count’s estate. Also because of her parent’s accident when she was a child, Anthea doesn’t like riding carriages. Anthea has a lovely appearance and personality, but whenever Hilda thinks about the emotional trauma Anthea has, she smiles bitterly.

If only they didn’t invite Anthea’s parents to the count’s estate, then perhaps her parents wouldn’t have died.

Whenever Anthea’s parent’s death anniversary approaches, Anthea pretends that everything is fine. So whenever Hilda looks at the lovely yet pitiful Anthea, her heart painfully aches.

***

No matter how much we waited for the count couple, they didn’t come.

“It seems something has happened. I’ll send a maid to check on them.”

Nadan summoned for a maid but then a question popped into Anthea’s head.

At a time like this, would the count couple neglect their precious son and Anthea?

It may just be a meal but there has never been a time when the couple didn’t participate or notify beforehand that they couldn’t eat with them. It is also about time for that to happen. (2)

“No, brother. I’ll go get them.”

I didn’t want to miss the chance to eavesdrop, so I smiled brightly and stood up from my chair.

“Then let’s go together.”

Nadan placed his arm forward and Anthea immediately grabbed his arm.

Just because Nadan is here, it didn’t mean I couldn’t eavesdrop. If we get caught, Nadan is with me so maybe they’ll forgive us quicker. The servants smiled looking at Anthea and Nadan who resembled both siblings and lovers. (3)

Anthea headed towards the count’s office and noticed the door was slightly open and thought that this was her golden opportunity. Anthea let go of Nadan’s arm and quietly walked like a cat to the door. Nadan was puzzled by Anthea but just quietly followed behind her.

Anthea placed her ears close to the door to eavesdrop. Nadan was flustered seeing Anthea eavesdropping but smiled at the mischievous and cute Anthea. Nadan contemplated whether or not to stop Anthea from eavesdropping but then Anthea gestured Nadan to come closer.

He slowly went up to the door and eavesdropped with Anthea, the count couple’s conversation was very easy to hear.

“He may be a duke but this is far too rude. She has a fiance who grew up with her!”

“Sweetie. I told you many times, they’re not engaged.”

“We just didn’t hold an engagement ceremony because Anthea was too young then.”

“An may look young but remember she’ll be having her coming-of-age ceremony in a few months.”

“Ah, I know. We even prepared a location for her to get married after her coming-of-age ceremony. That’s if Anthea wants it of course.”

The count insisted more on the engagement than Hilda and held onto an expensive-looking paper in his hands.

They prepared a location for my marriage?

Anthea was truly surprised. She wasn’t surprised that the duke still sent her a marriage proposal even though she wasn’t adopted by the count.

This happened because she failed to break the course of the novel.

Rather she was surprised to find out that the count couple had already prepared a wedding location for her despite her always avoiding the question with a smile whenever the couple had asked.

Anthea turned to look at Nadan as he quietly coughed and his face turning red from hearing about Anthea’s future wedding location and coming-of-age ceremony. Anthea was still very curious so she put her ear even closer to the door. Although Nadan is very well-mannered and strict, he accepts all of Anthea’s schemes and complaints.

“But so what?! If you ask anyone in the world, they’ll agree our children are made for each other! They should have already been viewed as husband and wife at this point.”

The count said to Hilda with a dejected face while Hilda stood firmly on her feet.

The count, who usually had the demeanor of a typical civil servant, had completely disappeared and seemed very agitated. However, thanks to his agitated state, Hilda was able to calm herself down.

“Right. An is already my daughter and my daughter-in-law. Yet he dares to try to take her away from me. He better prepare his neck.”

“That’s right! How dare he try to touch my daughter!”

I’m not his daughter. I’m also not his adopted daughter, and yet the agitated count crossed the line and called me his daughter-in-law. I thought I knew the couple’s opinion of me but this was too much.

It was a great misjudgment. (4)

Anthea put her hand to her heart in an attempt to calm her beating heart.

The agitated count threw the paper he was holding to the ground. He had thrown it with all his strength and the paper landed near the door.

Anthea grabbed the paper and both Nadan and her read it. Anthea was shocked by its contents.

“I need to go to the palace immediately.”

“To the palace? Not to the ducal estate?”

“The emperor ordered it so I must ask him. How dare he try to offer our daughter to a barbarian when she already has a fiance. I need to ask him for his reasoning and I won’t back down until he tells me.”

I am only under his guardianship but his words were heavy as if he was talking about his own biological daughter.

“Then I shall help as well. My swordsmanship hasn’t gone rusty.”

The countess spoke of treason like it was a minuscule matter. She was also very upset, though I knew that she wouldn’t actually go to the imperial palace with her sword in hand. Hilda’s eyes seemed calm on the outside but within those calm eyes held an unstoppable fire.

My choice to prevent them from making me their actual daughter was more catastrophic than I originally thought. I was just confirming the fact Anthea would get married to the duke. I was treating the count couple like they were my parents to break the course of the story, but I have to stop them from getting swept up in the danger.

I had planned on coming back here after I got divorced, so I wouldn’t want them to kick me out when I come back.

“Mother, father.”

After a short silence, Hilda looked at Anthea with a kind smile and her agitation was nowhere to be seen.

“My baby, you should have started to eat before us… An!”

Hilda wanted to change the subject in case Anthea might have overheard, but Anthea had already begun to cry which flustered Hilda.

For Anthea, it was easy for her to produce those tears since she grew up receiving the couple’s goodwill and love. Anthea forced a smile as her lips and hands, that was on her chest, trembled.

She blinked slowly, to fill her eyes with tears. Those tears then fell from her eyes and straight down her cheeks.

TRANSLATOR NOTES:

1. Even though her parents died in an accident, her title is still ‘a viscount’s daughter.’

2. The marriage proposal between the Duke and Anthea.

3. SIBLINGS AND LOVERS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT…

4. She somewhat expected the count to ship her and her son but she didn’t expect them to be this invested.