* * *
“Your Grace, may I come in?”
“…”
“What are you doing over there?”
Holding Rose tightly by the hand, the count started into the room, only to freeze when he spotted Kiers standing by the window. Was he watching the clouds? Unable to look away from whatever held his master’s rapt attention, the count cast aside his reservations and peeked past him from behind.
“Y-Your Grace?”
All the way up here, one could practically feel the sheer passion radiating from the woman standing behind a tree in a corner of the garden. Giddy with excitement, she stomped her feet, smothered a squeal with both hands, and then, tilting her head toward the sky, closed her eyes in profound bliss.
It certainly would have made for an amusing sight—were it not for the fact that she was soon to become the Grand Duchess.
“…Bella! It’s Bella! I want to go to Bella!”
“Rose.”
“Brother-in-law Grand Duke!”
Kiers finally tore his gaze away to look down at Rose, who was still holding the count’s hand. Seeing her immediately rap on the windowpane and bounce her shoulders at the sight of her sister, the corners of Kiers’s mouth tilted upward. But the count, left holding Rose’s newly freed hand, looked infinitely gloomier as he took in the scene below.
“W-Why is my lady acting so abruptly? Perhaps we ought to ask if something occurred…”
“Leave her be.”
“…Huh? But Rose knows. Why Bella’s doing that.”
Both men instantly turned their attention to the tiny voice, vibrating with eagerness to run outside. Kiers lowered himself to meet her at eye level.
“You know?”
“Yes. Bella told me last night.”
“…What did she say?”
“Hmm, what was it… She said she wanted to live because it’s fun? No, wait. While having fun?”
“…”
“But she said she didn’t know how. So I think she’s frustrated!”
‘Well, bye-bye everyone!’ With a flutter of her little hand, she scampered off, the spitting image of her older sister’s brazen charm. Patter-patter. As Rose vanished from sight, the count, who had been dying to chase after her, struggled to regain his dignity.
A moment later, down below, the future Grand Duchess scooped up the bounding little girl and spun her around in circles, her face brimming with laughter.
“…Your Grace, I cannot make head nor tail of it. Living while having fun, or living because it’s fun…”
“Does it need to be understood?”
Resting his hands on the sill, Kiers leaned his forehead close to the glass. Even by the cool northern window, the red eyes beneath his mask curved warmly as he looked down.
“We simply have to give her both.”
* * *
“Hmm-mm, now let’s see… Where might my land be?”
Spreading out the map, a terrible attempt at a whistle spilled out on its own. How could it not? Eat a good meal, and he promises me everything? And from that supposedly terrifying Beast, no less?
…Right. When the body opens up, the heart naturally follows. Well, even if it was in a dream, we did sleep together, after all.
Regardless, the moment I resolved to ‘adapt flexibly to the circumstances,’ I hit the jackpot. I supposed this was what people called an answered prayer. Only yesterday, I was praying that Cecil would be foolish, but looking at it now, the Grand Duke had joined the ranks of fools right along with her.
Is he an idiot? Who grants a wish like that?
“You’re far too thin.”
Recalling his words, my eyes naturally drifted down to my exposed wrists and arms beneath my dress sleeves. Even to me, they looked scrawny, though the truth was that I had only just realized it myself.
Well, of course I hadn't. No one had ever cared enough to notice.
Whether I ate or not, or how much food I managed to swallow, no one had ever paid attention. Even if they had noticed, in our dire straits where everyone struggled just to feed themselves, there was nothing to be done anyway. The only one who ever cared was little Rose, urging me to share whatever scrap she shoved into my mouth, so his offhand yet attentive attitude left me with quite a peculiar feeling.
“…Still an idiot, though.”
Pfft. Smothering my laughter against the back of my hand, I picked up a pen. This wasn't the time to ponder my emotional soft spots; it was time to search for where the gold was buried.
Being a side character was wonderfully convenient at times like this. A protagonist would probably spend an entire chapter agonizing and pacing the floor, fretting, ‘Can I really accept this?’ But a nobody like me settled the matter in a single breath.
Of course! Why not? If he’s giving it away, I take it, obviously. If he wants to hand it over because my arm is skinny, then I, having painstakingly maintained this skinny arm, am practically obligated to accept.
Still, the protagonist was the protagonist; I had to keep in mind that he might come to his senses at any moment. Urgency kicked in, but I kept humming as I scanned the map. First, for a plot of land to be suitable for a summer estate, the soil had to be fertile, and it usually bordered a lake.
However, they wouldn't want it too close to common settlements…
“Right, it has to be one of these.”
I drew large circles around three likely spots. Judging by the map, these had more than enough natural beauty to serve as sites for a villa. I would need to see them in person to be certain, but getting one of the three explicitly written into the contract would buy me some time.
“Bella!”
“Yes, my little darling!”
Poking her head up from across the table, Rose blinked her violet eyes. Far too short, she stood on tiptoe, gazing at the map with wide-eyed wonder.
“Is this the map that makes us rich?”
“Yep! Oh, Rose, come here for a second.”
Scooping Rose up, I set her right on top of the map. Because she was so tiny, sitting on her hands and knees across the massive paper made her look like a fairy traveling the world. Yes, my sweet Rose. Once your sister gets rich, I’ll send you everywhere, of course!
“Bella! The map is pretty!”
“Rose, come over this way for a moment.”
“Huh?”
After she had spent some time playfully crawling across the paper, I gathered her back into my arms. Once her squirming limbs settled, eager for more play, I gnawed on the inside of my cheek in slight suspense.
“Rose, do you happen to know where Lake Retina is?”
“Lake Retina?”
Resting a finger against her cheek, Rose tilted her head. I’m sorry, Rose, for being the clingy sister who asks things like this. But after the law books, I was truly curious about the limits of her abilities. Did she only memorize words, or did she retain everything like a photograph? I needed to know so I could plan her early education.
“Yeah. It’s right here!”
Without the slightest hesitation, Rose pointed straight to the lake tucked away in the corner of that gigantic map.
See?
Looking down into eyes clearer than the lake itself, I covered my mouth with one hand.
“You little genius monster!”
Hold on, wasn't there a three-card monte table around here somewhere? My grand resolution to provide her with an early education vanished in an instant, replaced by visions of Rose and me reigning as goddesses of the gambling den. Goodness, what was I thinking? Gold would be better than paper bills for cashing out, right? Right as I was mentally swimming through a vault of gold coins like a cartoon character, I caught Rose’s round, blinking eyes.
“…Bella?”
“No, Rose. Your sister would never make you do that. You’re destined to become the noble head of the Platinum Guild.”
“Oh, okay. Rose has to do that.”
The sheer innocence in her eyes brought a wave of solemn guilt crashing over me. Was this proof that blood ran thicker than water? After cursing our father to high heaven for gambling away his own daughters, here I was, entertaining thoughts I had no business having.
Pricked by guilt, I sat Rose on the desk and smoothed back her stray hair.
“Rose, you’re bored sitting here, aren't you? If I’d known, I would have brought a storybook.”
“Mm-hm, I want to hear a princess story.”
“Right. A story about a pretty princess just like our Rose… Wait, Rose. Do you not remember the fairy tales?”
“Huh?”
If this little baby could memorize complicated legal codes and intricate maps, there was no way she couldn't remember storybooks printed in giant letters. If she had an eidetic memory, she should have recalled every page she saw, yet Rose had always brought over those worn-out books to climb into my lap.
“You know, your favorite story about the red-haired princess and the blue dragon… Don't you remember? ‘Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess!’”
“Um… ‘Once upon a time, there lived a princess’… Hmm. I don't know. I don't really know. I’m sorry, Bella.”
“What are you sorry for? But you really don't remember, huh?”
Marveling for a moment, I rubbed my lips. Did she not memorize everything? I couldn't be entirely sure what was going on, but seeing Rose already squirming in boredom, I couldn't press her any further. Well, who cared? If she couldn't be the master, she could just be the deputy master!
I was going to be filthy rich anyway; Rose’s talents were merely a bonus. As long as our Rose could live the pampered life of a happy cat, genius or not didn't matter in the least. It was a slight pity that she might miss out on parachuting in as an overseas branch manager for the Platinum Guild to meet a handsome younger recruit… Wait, did she really need to meet one?
…Of course she did! Absolutely! With solemn resolve, I pumped both fists.
I couldn't fathom why I had suddenly felt that things were fine just as they were. Was it relief from escaping the mortal danger? Before another weak thought could take root, I gently took hold of Rose’s hair and painted a rosy future in my mind. Yes. No settling! I was on track to become the wealthiest divorcée in the entire empire!
“Bella, fix my ribbon again. It keeps falling down like this.”
“The ribbon?”
A few strands of platinum-blonde hair had already slipped back down over Rose’s forehead. The clip had lost its grip, so no matter how neatly I pinned it, it kept sliding loose. I started to pry it open by force, only to stop myself.
Right, what was I doing this for? I was going to be rich.
“Bella?”
“Toss it!”
Whoosh! I flung the ribbon over my shoulder, leaving Rose staring with wide eyes and an open mouth. The little thing looked utterly shocked, but I hardened my resolve.
