Viscount Debussy chuckled and asked,

“Wouldn’t it be more proper to first find out the reason why she refuses to eat?”

The viscount turned to Conrad.

“Did the young lady mention anything that made her uncomfortable?”

“She did not say anything else.”

“Has there been anything troubling her lately?”

“Well, presumably the recent artificial monster attack is what unsettled her most.”

That was true.

Balzac’s abdomen had nearly been torn apart by the artificial monster, and Richmond and Joshua had been exposed to Madok.

“But don’t the three young lords have the most competent doctors in Astra attending to them? It’s not like they’d be displeased.”

“Yes.”

“So why then is she on a hunger strike...?”

Why would such a clever child stubbornly hold a hunger strike?

If her defiance upset the ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ duke, she’d face backlash.

Was it really so important for her to risk that?

As I pondered, the duke furrowed his brow.

“I will no longer tolerate such reckless behavior.”

Conrad was visibly flustered.

“Your Grace? Miss Erilot has never been stubborn over trivial matters before. Surely she must have a reason, so please—”

“Are you threatening me?”

“Y-Your Grace.”

“Where is she? I’ll go and set her straight myself!”

“I heard she is moving from the shrine to the ward... Your Grace! Your Grace—!”

Conrad tried to follow the duke as he burst through the door.

Viscount Debussy lightly waved his hand, stopping Conrad.

“Let him be.”

“Your Grace? But...!”

“He’s likely going to check if his granddaughter is nothing but skin and bones from skipping meals.”

“...Yes?”

Viscount Debussy chuckled.

‘He really can’t be straightforward.’

I dusted off my skirt and stood.

“Fin, Pipi. Let’s go.”

The swamp fairies fluttered around me.

I had named the elder sister fairy “Fin” and the younger one “Pipi.”

Erekka had not named the fairies, so they adored the names I gave them.

After the fairies slipped into my sleeve, I turned around.

“My lady.”

Vincent called to me.

I glanced at him, and he asked with a slightly troubled expression,

“Was my question uncomfortable for you?”

“If you ask if I dislike you, anyone would feel uncomfortable.”

“I felt like you were avoiding me... If I was rude, I apologize.”

I had made no mistakes this life.

‘Though I did in the last one.’

But I couldn’t say, “You toyed with me in my past life! That’s why I hate you!”

That would be advertising madness.

“No need to apologize.”

“Then, may I greet you sometimes?”

‘What’s gotten into him?’

The Vincent I knew was never one to make others uncomfortable.

He was quick to sense boundaries and never crossed them.

‘That was good...’

He never inserted uncomfortable or avoided topics into conversations.

Being with him was comforting, and his consideration made my heart flutter.

‘Looking back now, he probably knew everything about me because he was so perceptive.’

He must have known I couldn’t even meet his eyes, bowing deeply.

He must have known I agonized hundreds of times, waited all day for his reply after finally contacting him.

That I eagerly awaited our meetings...

He couldn’t not have known I liked him.

“My lady?”

“My lady, is something wrong?”

“Oh! No, I just had a sleepless night preparing for exams... I must look a bit rough, huh...?”

“Others would have regretted seeing you like this.”

“Oh, it really doesn’t look good... If you wait a moment, I’ll quickly change clothes—”

“No. I regret not realizing before now that you shine more in a relaxed state.”

A teasing smile.

But his teasing never made others uncomfortable... never mind.

‘It only makes his betrayal clearer.’

I glanced at Vincent.

“Why?”

“Yes?”

“Why do you have reason to greet me?”

“Isn’t wanting to be closer a reason?”

“Then why do you want to be close to me?”

I sighed deeply and looked up at him.

‘He’s still a boy but why is he so tall?’

He was only five years older but already as tall as an adult.

“There’s nothing you could do for me if you become close. Grandfather dislikes interference in other families’ affairs. Dragons... naturally no. The emperor would be very angry.”

“Hmm...”

“So don’t think you can benefit through me.”

“Does a relationship always have to be about benefit?”

Vincent looked genuinely bewildered.

“I watched the Western preliminary contest. I saw the Sun Society Colosseum incident as well.”

“...”

“I thought it was cool and wanted to be friends.”

“...”

Vincent scratched his neck and smiled awkwardly.

“Embarrassing as it is, I think that kind of contest is impressive.”

“That’s how boys that age are.”

It’s the age when admiration for strength is strongest.

Seventy percent of the people writing letters to Balzac are boys.

“But for those involved, it’s a matter of life or death.”

“...”

“Embarrassed as I am, I can’t contain my feelings. I’m sorry.”

I stared at Vincent.

‘That’s why I liked him.’

He could be embarrassed by things others did without shame.

In the first life, everyone hated me.

I understood why Astra hated me.

I caused all sorts of trouble insisting on hierarchy.

But the reason kids from other families hated me was simply that I was ‘a hated child.’

There must be a reason for being hated?

I just disliked it.

Others hated me, so I wanted to hate too.

...For reasons like that.

It was the same at the first party I met Vincent.

“You shamelessly came to this party too.”

“Exactly. If you knew how many people despise you, you’d probably behave.”

“Do you think Erilot Astra would be so considerate?”

While everyone was laughing at me, Vincent asked,

“Why do you hate Erilot Astra?”

“Eh? No, they say she harmed Astra...!”

“So it’s not direct harm, then.”

“Because of that accident, Lady Dalia was in a lot of trouble!”

“You weren’t troubled yourself, so you don’t need to be her spokesperson.”

He was the kind of person who could say no, even if everyone else said yes.

Someone unafraid of others’ opinions, doing what he thought was right.

Someone who worked for what was right.

Vincent smiled softly and said,

“I don’t want to admire strength, but other things. If I get closer, I could understand better.”

“...”

“Though it’s a personal wish to change the reasons for admiration, if it’s okay, would you give me a chance?”

“...Annoying.”

It was strange.

In the first life, I liked these aspects of Vincent, but this life, they annoyed me.

His eyes widened at my words.

I sighed, looking at empty space.

Then I looked straight at Vincent.

“I find Prince Edrope annoying like that.”

“...Yes?”

The first-life Vincent Edrope showed me the same through his actions.

I’m different.

I can work for ideals.

I can see essence.

So I thought he was truly such a person.

‘But he only pretended to be a good person and used me to get close to Dalia.’

If he were anyone else, I could have overcome it.

But because it was Vincent, I couldn’t.

‘If someone so good abandoned me, maybe I’m truly a bad person.’

—That’s the thought I had.

Vincent looked embarrassed.

“Could you tell me what part was unpleasant?”

“A personal feeling. I’ll be going now.”

You can’t say to someone about something that hasn’t happened yet, “You’re selfish at the decisive moment!”

‘That would just make me feel worse!’

Vincent grabbed my wrist.

“If I touched on a complex of yours—”

“What are you doing?”

A low voice like a boulder fell onto Vincent’s head.

I jumped and turned sideways.

Grandfather, Viscount Debussy, and Conrad were walking toward us.

Viscount Debussy eyed Vincent’s hand holding mine with a curious expression, saying “Oh...”

But grandfather and Conrad...

‘Yikes!’

They wore terrifying expressions.

Conrad looked as if watching a rogue touching a princess.

Grandfather looked like he was about to beat someone to death.

“What are you doing?”

Vincent said “Ah,” and quickly released my wrist.

Though startled and holding on briefly, he now wore a face realizing he had been terribly rude.

“I’m sorry.”

“I...”

Grandfather slowly approached us.

A gloomy aura shimmered around him.

It was so intense that every hair on my body stood on end.

“It disgusts me when people do wrong knowing they will have to apologize.”

‘This is bad!’

This was the same look he gave the head of the family who dared wage war against Astra a few years ago.

Of course, that family was now completely erased from the nobles’ registry.

‘Vincent came as a palace secretary. If something goes wrong, it could become a major political issue.’

I quickly grabbed grandfather’s arm with both hands.

“I said something rude. That’s why Secretary Edrope grabbed me to understand the context!”

“You don’t do rude things.”

That trust was nice but a bit awkward here...!

“My granddaughter never does anything rude or improper.”

Ah, so that was his arrogant meaning.

I quickly looked at Vincent.

‘At least say something!’

He just bowed his head deeply.

“I committed an unforgivable offense by touching the lady’s body without permission. I understand no excuse will be accepted. I will accept any punishment.”

Right.

That man doesn’t make excuses if he thinks it’s his fault.

‘This is going to be serious.’

“Grandfather, I admit I was very rude this time too. Please forgive Secretary Edrope for his mistake if you think of me.”

Grandfather stared at me with a desperate look.

Then sighed, as if resigned.

“Then for this matter, Secretary Edrope’s wrist—”

“—please do not break it, and forgive him.”

“If I do, I’ll—”

“—not pull his nails out, and forgive him, okay?”

He must have heard about the story of a prince’s wrist broken and nails pulled for touching a princess’s hem.

But I’m not a princess. Grabbing a wrist isn’t worthy of such punishment.

‘Especially since he’s a secretary. Hands are important.’

The palace is already red-eyed trying to keep me from using my dragon recklessly.

Who knows what they’ll do if they catch this?

Viscount Debussy agreed with me.

“If the lady says so, it seems there’s something between the two of you we don’t know.”

“...”

Grandfather still looked displeased at Vincent.

But his deadly intent softened.

‘Thank goodness.’

I quickly told Vincent.

“Go now.”

“But—”

“Staying only makes things harder for me.”

“...”

Vincent reluctantly bowed and left.

Only after I saw him turn the corner did I let out a deep sigh.

Then I looked at grandfather.

“Thank you for understanding.”

Being rude to a family’s child is tantamount to being rude to the family.

Grandfather cleared his throat and said.

“So... will you eat?”

“Huh?”

“I will tell them to prepare your favorite salmon sandwich...”

He cleared his throat several times.

“That’s difficult... I’m sorry, grandfather.”

That’s a different matter.

When I firmly shook my head, grandfather snapped.

“Why! You’re nothing but skin and bones, and now you choose to starve? Are you on some sort of diet or what?!”

The commotion drew the attention of cousins coming out of the shrine.

My aunts and uncles glanced here and there, possibly waiting for the cousins.

It was a bit embarrassing with all eyes on us... but I’d been waiting for this question.

With a very sorrowful face, I let my shoulders slump.

“I feel guilty because Milan oppa betrayed his father because of my persuasion... so I decided to fast in solidarity.”

Grandfather’s eyes went wide.

Viscount Debussy looked shocked and stared at me.

“Miss, the matter of young Lord Milan and Lady Canaria was a decision Your Grace reluctantly made to avoid setting a precedent.”

“I know... but I want to share the punishment.”

I looked up at grandfather sadly.

“I won’t eat from now on.”

“What?! Erilot!”

“I’ll become skin and bones and apologize to Milan oppa...”

“What?!”

Grandfather’s loud shout made the cousins flinch.

“Erilot, you really have guts...”

“If grandfather really gets angry...”

“I think this is Erilot’s mistake.”

Amid cousins whispering, grandfather shouted.

“No starving allowed─!!”

—And so it went.