Translator: Nox

Chapter 1

#001. Erasing Madeleine

“What kind of Magic did you use?”

It was the last day of the victory banquet. Sharp words poured onto Olivia without filter. Her father, Duke Madeleine, who stood facing her, spoke coldly as if to freeze everything.

“What did you whisper that made Grand Duke Bikander propose to you, the Crown Prince’s fiancée?”

Contempt flashed in the amethyst eyes looking down at Olivia.

“Just one thing. Are you so hopeless that you can’t even manage to become the Crown Princess Consort without causing trouble?”

As always. It was then that Olivia, who had been silently enduring the sharp accusations as usual, burst into laughter. The Duke raised his eyebrows as if displeased, but Olivia had no intention of stopping her laughter. Good heavens. To so perfectly end my lingering feelings like this. The Duke would never know. What was in my heart when I followed him out of the banquet hall. What my expectations, now shattered so miserably, were.

“Can’t you answer me right away?”

“If I tell you, will you believe me now?”

“What?”

A fierce gaze pierced Olivia as if to penetrate her. She had always endured that gaze. Someday, someday, those eyes would look at her kindly, would acknowledge that she was also her father’s daughter, she had never doubted it. There were times when she was happy just to see the Duke’s silver hair, the same color as her own, just to share the characteristics of House Madeleine. Not anymore. Her efforts ended here. At the end of her best, Olivia smiled wanly.

“Then I’ll tell you. I never whispered to the Grand Duke to ask for marriage, and it was the Crown Prince who ignored me, his fiancée, even after years of clinging, and made trouble by spending time intimately with Lady Etel.”

“Shut that mouth.”

“The one who brought me to the residence to send me as the Crown Prince’s fiancée instead of Esella was the Duke himself, right here,”

“Shut up!”

A fierce roar shook the night. The sound of startled birds flying away was loud. Duke Madeleine finally seemed to lose his reason and glared at Olivia. His purple eyes turned red as if blood vessels had burst.

“It’s because of you. You. If you, if you hadn’t come to my house, nothing would have happened! You made me unhappy. It’s all your fault. All of it.”

Rage, congealed in each syllable, was evident. The Duke gasped for breath. The hatred was so intense that there were times when she doubted herself, wondering if it really wasn’t her fault.

“Now, and back then too.”

“……”

“I really, didn’t do anything.”

“……”

“I’m not the one who made you unhappy.”

“Olivia Madeleine! How dare you!”

Despite the Duke’s thunderous anger, Olivia no longer lowered her head. It was a strange thing. The Duke, who had felt so large, was no longer frightening. It seemed like it was really time to end it.

“……You said you wanted to erase me, right?”

“If I could, I would erase you from my life.”

Though it was a memory from just a few days ago, the Duke’s voice, as he spat out those words, was clear. The words that had hurt as if her heart would fall out had become merely a tingling sensation in just a few days.

“I feel the same way. I, too, will now erase the Madeleine attached to me.”

Madeleine. The surname she had so desperately wanted. The family she had clung to with all her might, the family she had devoted her life to in unrequited love. And the family that had never looked back at her, her unrequited loves. Olivia smiled lightly at all those unrequited loves.

“Madeleine, everything. I will erase it.”

Silently, the relationship that only she had been holding onto snapped and fell.

“Olivia!!”

Along with the Duke’s roar, a flashing murderous intent came at her with all its might. Even in the face of the ominous energy that seemed to constrict her breathing, Olivia stood tall. That was the last thing Olivia wanted.

“That’s enough.”

At that moment, a single footstep intervened.

“If you pose any further threat to my precious lady, you will turn all of Bikander into an enemy. Duke.”

A composed voice warmly enveloped Olivia. The Duke gnashed his teeth and muttered lowly.

“……Grand Duke Bikander…… Your Highness.”

Olivia turned around. Hair as black as Abyssal raven feathers and eyes as red as sparkling rubies. A man so gorgeously handsome that it was hard to believe he was filled with murderous nicknames and called a Blood demon. The expressionless face, which seemed like it would never break, smiled sweetly the moment it met Olivia’s gaze. It was a strange thing. Neither the family she had tried so hard for, nor her fiancé, nor anyone else. No one had ever looked at Olivia like that.

“If you’re done with your business, I’d like the chance to escort my lady home now, you see.”

So gently. So sweetly. With the look that Olivia had so desperately wanted.

* * * In the early dawn of the Madeleine Dukedom, voices could be heard from the top of the stairs. It was the sound of Duke Madeleine announcing his departure for work.

“Did you sleep well?”

Taking advantage of the break in his conversation with his aide, Olivia greeted him. The Duke frowned. It was an expression she had seen for fourteen years, since she was six years old, but the pain that struck her heart never became familiar. A look worse than he gave to strangers. Olivia pretended not to notice and smiled brightly, offering him a tray. As on any other morning, there was vegetable juice on it.

“I made it with vegetables that are good for blood vessels.”

Before she could finish speaking, the Duke moved on. Sir Huxley, the aide who was following the Duke, lowered his head with an even more embarrassed expression and followed the Duke. Olivia watched his cold back and murmured the words she couldn’t bring herself to say. Have a good day. Father. She failed again today. Offering the vegetable juice she had been making for years, greeting him, calling him Father. But there was a chance she might succeed someday. That one expectation had been driving Olivia for fourteen years. Because that’s what her mother had said. If you do your best, that wish will surely come true someday. Olivia shrugged her shoulders and raised her head. A huge portrait hanging in the center of the first-floor hall caught her eye. Her father sitting in a chair, and his eldest son Conrad and second son Jade standing firmly on his right. The youngest, Esella, standing on the left and smiling brightly. Olivia smiled faintly as she looked at her own awkward figure standing next to Esella. The reason why her figure in that portrait looked so awkward was probably not just because of the distance. Silver hair and sparkling purple eyes that seemed to have been made by taking cool silver. Unlike the characteristics of the long-standing Madeleine, her eyes were green. In society, they called it a shameful green that resembled a wandering dancer, but Olivia liked her eyes. It was the only trace she had inherited from her mother. But she felt a little regretful. If she had purple eyes like Esella, would the way her family treated her be a little different? Envy flashed over Olivia’s green eyes as she looked at Esella in the portrait. But Olivia shook her head. Esella, who resembled the former Duchess, who was called the flower of society, shone brighter as the days went by. Just having the same eye color wouldn’t be enough to catch up with Esella. Above all, Esella was,

“Sister. Are you already up? Where’s Father?”

Because she was so kind and lovely. Still young at the age of seventeen, Esella rubbed her sleepy eyes and came down the stairs. Olivia spoke coldly on purpose.

“……He’s left for work.”

“I came right away as soon as I woke up. I’m late again today. But, Sister.”

Esella looked at the door with a disappointed expression and approached Olivia.

“I heard that there was a very unique and pretty flower arrangement at the Princess’s tea party this time. Did you hear about it? It’s a design that’s being shown for the first time, and when I heard about it, it seemed like I had seen it somewhere.”

Esella’s voice became subtle. The Princess often gave Olivia work to do. One of the tasks she was in charge of this time was the new flower arrangement. The flower arrangement that Olivia had been agonizing over for days became popular under the Princess’s name, as always. It seemed that the story had reached Esella, who never attended tea parties, because it was so popular.

“That, the one I saw in your room,”

“I received a few from the Princess in advance before the tea party. If you like it, I’ll send a few to your room.”

Olivia said dryly. As if the answer was different from what she had expected, the disappointment was evident on Esella’s face, but Olivia pretended not to notice.

“Thank you. Oh, and. A friend of mine named Veronia is holding a tea party today, would you like to go with me? She’s been bragging a lot about her cousin.”

Esella was looking at her with a very expectant face. Seeing her sparkling eyes and blushing face, the words she was about to cut off couldn’t come out.

“Uh, I’m.”

“Esella.”

A soft voice rose above Olivia’s voice. Esella’s eyes sparkled as she looked up the stairs. It was Conrad.

“Brother!”

Esella naturally ran to Conrad and hung on his neck. Conrad, who lightly hugged Esella and put her down, faced Olivia with cold eyes. Olivia knew better than anyone that those eyes were a warning. A warning not to be with Esella. Conrad asked kindly.

“What were you talking about?”

“Oh, I was asking Sister to go to Veronia’s tea party with me.”

“Is that so? But Olivia. Today is Wednesday, haven’t you left yet?”

“Oh, that’s right! It was today, wasn’t it? The Crown Prince must be waiting!”

Conrad naturally changed the subject. Esella nodded at the reason why she couldn’t ask any further.

“That’s right. Thank you. Brother.”

Conrad’s face twisted very slightly, but Olivia pretended not to notice. Olivia liked the title of brother. It felt like family. She liked that small connection.

“Then, Sister. Let’s definitely go together next time. I’ll be sure to ask you earlier next time!”

Esella looked at Olivia with a hint of regret and spoke. Olivia avoided her gaze. No matter how early she told her next time, she wouldn't be able to go with Esella.

“Wow. You didn't even ask me to go with you, Esella?”

“Tch. What's the point of going with you, Brother? Everyone will only look at you.”

Hahaha. Conrad laughed heartily. Esella, who was going up the stairs looking sulky, turned back to Olivia as if she had a sudden thought.

“Oh, right! Sister! Don't forget about dinner tonight, okay? Have a good time!”

Esella waved her hand energetically and ran up the stairs again. Conrad, who was walking after Esella, said in passing.

“……Just focus on your duty. Don't even think about approaching Esella.”

The sharp voice stabbed Olivia. Olivia, watching his back as he walked away as if nothing had happened, slowly inhaled and exhaled. It was her own way of suppressing her upset feelings since she first came to Madeleine at the age of six. Usually, everything disappeared with this. Even after coming up to her room, the accumulated upset feelings didn't disappear today. Olivia opened the drawer. Among the five stacked diaries, she took out the one she was currently using and smiled faintly.

“Ah, I've used it all up.”

Olivia muttered at the writing that filled the last page. As she was thinking of buying another one on the way home and putting the diary away, the first diary, which was particularly worn, caught her eye. Olivia opened the diary. - Today, I called Esella frivolously. I was told that it was absolutely not a noble attitude, so I must correct it. I must never do that again. - My table manners were not elegant. Father said he lost his appetite. I must never do that again. Keep thinking about it. Olivia. Don't make mistakes and keep doing your best. - Some of the letters were smudged, and the paper was wrinkled. But thanks to this diary, I was able to improve. I always wrote down the points I was criticized for and tried not to do them again. So, these marks were nothing. Olivia's hand stopped as she skimmed through the diary.

• Perhaps, the very fact that I came here... - It was the first diary she had written after much deliberation. Olivia bit the inside of her cheek at the unfinished sentence. She remembered when she was six years old, when her life had changed. It all started with her mother's death. * * * Turningbell, the street of vagrants and poverty. Olivia was born and lived there. With her beautiful mother. Rats the size of her arm appeared frequently, and she was grateful for just one loaf of bread a day. But Olivia was happy. Her mother's songs and dances made every situation magical. Happiness went out the door when Olivia was six years old. Her mother, who was going to work, collapsed. No medicine worked, and her mother continued to wither away. One day, her mother, who was staring at Olivia, took Olivia's hand. It wasn't her mother's hand. The hand that used to hold her with strong and gentle strength was so emaciated that it seemed like it would crumble even in Olivia's hand. She had been holding back for many days, but she couldn't hold back any longer, and Olivia burst into tears.

“Liv, my, baby. Why, are you crying. Huh?”

The voice that soothed her was broken. There was no trace of her mother, who used to sing in a canary-like voice. Although she was young, she had a kind of intuition. That is, she felt like she would never see her mother again. It seemed like her mother felt the same way.

“Liv. You have to listen carefully now. Baby.”

Olivia quickly stopped crying and sat next to her mother at the voice that spoke with strength after a long time.

“Yes.”

“Your father will come soon.”

“……Father is dead.”

“It was a lie. I'm sorry. Baby.”

“…….”

“I'm sorry. Liv.”

“No.”

Olivia shook her head. She didn't understand everything her mother was saying with her little head, but her mother didn't need to be sorry at all. She was happy enough with just her mother.

“Baby. There, will be, brothers, and, sisters, too. They might, be unfamiliar, with you. You know?”

Her mother gasped for breath and continued slowly.

“……If you do your best,”

“Everything will be achieved.”

Olivia replied. Her mother's eyes widened as if she had guessed correctly. That was her last smile. A few days later, in the morning, her mother no longer moved. In front of the house where she returned after a simple funeral, there was a carriage that did not match the street at all. The man standing next to the carriage looked down at Olivia. Olivia shrank her shoulders at the cold gaze.

“Judging by her hair color, she seems to be the daughter.”

The man clicked his tongue and held out his hand to Olivia. In the man's hand, he held the same thread bracelet that her mother had left as a keepsake.

“I came after receiving a letter. Let's go together.”