13. Something Overlaid (1)
Instead of groaning through the evening and night, a comfortable sleep finally came. And so, morning arrived. Ellensia's body felt as light as the brilliantly risen sun. It was thanks to taking the medicine properly and getting plenty of rest. But... the real reason her heart felt at ease was something else.
"Miss, are you feeling better now?"
"Yeah. I think I'm all better."
She had worried that her older sister might crumble under guilt. That she might break down from the fact that she had let her little sister get hurt. The anxiety of that had vanished. That was why.
"Whew. If only you knew how worried Miss Veronica and Miss Lucilla were."
"I know, right? They must have been so anxious, thinking you were seriously ill..."
They had been. Tremendously so.
Because I know my sister better than anyone.
Just not facing that fact made her mood so much lighter. Of course, there were concerns on the flip side.
"Miss, I've prepared your bath."
"Okay. I'll wash up right now."
Yesterday's events kept coming back to her, even right up until she fell asleep. Herself, struck down by the flu, and the duke who had let it go untreated. But beneath that lay a completely different truth. Thinking of it made her heart a little uneasy. For her, it had resolved in a way that was far too favorable. How was she supposed to accept this? But after bathing, she reached one conclusion.
"Hey, after you dry my hair, I'm going to see my sister."
"Miss Veronica? Should I let her know in advance?"
"Yeah, please do."
It was a small way to mend the rift between her sister, who had refused to eat breakfast together, and the duke. She saw it as her way of repaying the duke for covering up the truth.
Huh?
But... her hair wasn't drying properly. Now that she noticed, the maid's touch felt off somehow.
"Hey, your hair's all tangled up weirdly. Is this a new hairstyle?"
"Ah! S-sorry, miss."
Another maid standing right beside her saw it and gasped, immediately scolding her. As if to say, What the hell are you doing?
Are you insane? To the miss's hair...!
Her hair was a mess, enough to make her want to curse silently, but Ellensia was a kind mistress.
"It's fine. Everyone, don't get mad. Here, Esil. Redo it slowly."
"Ugh... Miss, I'm so sorry. I'll fix it right away."
Esil. Today, her complexion looked especially poor.
Thud.
The golden-haired girl closed her book. Her face was full of boredom. The book she'd left open was pushed aside entirely, not even advancing a few more pages from the bookmark.
"Ugh. This is so boring."
Page after page, how could it be this dull? Every time she tried to read, she just yawned. So many words, no pictures filling the pages at all. And she had to study them, memorize them all. Why was there so much to cram into her head? It just gave her a headache and zero fun. No wonder she was yawning from sheer sleepiness.
"Why do we even have to study?"
Why did she need to know this? Why learn it? What was it even for? Those thoughts always hit her every time she opened a book. And every time, the tutor's nagging echoed in her head like a hallucination.
-Sigh. Miss Lucilla, we covered this last lesson.
-Miss, how can you not know this? You promised to memorize it.
-You can nap when you nap, but focus when it's study time, miss. Okay?
"Ugh..."
She grimaced again at the voice that had drilled into her ears until they were calloused. Finally, unable to bear the stress, Lucilla got up from her seat entirely.
"Forget it. I don't wanna today. Skipping one day won't hurt, right?"
Whenever she skipped studying like this, the tutor always said the same thing. Skip one day, and you'll keep skipping. Once you get lazy, there's no stopping it. But she'd skipped a day here and there before, and nothing bad had happened. It was all lies. Besides, even if she hadn't skipped before, cramming it in wouldn't make it stick anyway. And now, what was one more skipped day?
Lucilla hopped lightly out of her chair. But her already sour mood from studying couldn't be fixed that easily. So, she needed something sweet.
"Maybe I'll have some pudding? Hehe."
Sweet. Soft. Melting gently in her mouth. Even all the nobles praised the pudding from Balcentia, and it had completely captured Lucilla's taste buds. Times like now, when her mood was all stuffy, called for that pudding.
Ting-a-ling. Ting-a-ling.
She rang the bell, and soon the door opened. But instead of a maid, someone else entered.
"Ellen sis!"
Someone even more welcome than a maid. Her proud second sister. Lucilla bounded out joyfully at the sight of Ellensia's face.
"Oh dear. Don't just come running out like that."
Her body reacted on instinct, rushing forward. Her little heart had pounded wildly at the sight of her flu-stricken sister bedridden. So seeing her healthy and coming to her room was pure delight. With a full-blown smile, Lucilla dove into her sister's arms, acting all spoiled.
"Aww, our Lucy's extra clingy today?"
"But she is, hehe."
What else could she do but admit what felt good? Hugging her sister and nuzzling her face, she felt Ellensia's gentle hand stroking her hair. The soft petting made her smile bloom again.
"You're really okay now? No more pain?"
"Yeah. Sis is fine now~."
"For real? Totally better?"
"If I wasn't, I couldn't have come to Lucy's room."
That put her heart at ease.
"Then sis, let's eat pudding to celebrate you getting better!"
To celebrate her full recovery. Who knew when she'd get to play with healthy Ellen sis again? She was just about to order pudding anyway. Eating together would extend their time nicely. Of course, Ellensia wasn't just a pushover of a sister.
"Hmm. That's a request sis can't grant."
"Huh? Why?"
"You weren't trying to skip studying for pudding again, were you?"
"Huh? N-no. I wasn't, nyaaang... Heh... Hehe."
Her wandering eyes screamed guilt. Sure enough, her super-perceptive sister pinched her cheek.
"Ow!"
"The book's right where you left it. Did you really study?"
"...N-no."
"And eating pudding from morning means you won't eat breakfast. Did sis say that's okay or not?"
"Um... Not okay."
The nagging continued relentlessly. The kind Lucilla hated most. But right now, it didn't annoy her. If it were anyone else, she'd hate it, but from her sisters? Not at all.
"So what do you say then?"
"...I did wrong."
Admitting her lie honestly, the pinching hand let go gently.
"Why did our Lucy do that?"
"Ugh... But it's so boring. So many words, no pictures... No fun. It just makes me grumpy, so I wanted pudding..."
The youngest sister mumbled her honest confession. Well, what was weird about that? Who liked studying as a kid? Etiquette, culture—who enjoyed that? Those thick books full of formulas and text? Hateful. So much to learn, no fun at all. Wanting to run around but forced to sit still? Stressful, sure. Ellensia could empathize; she'd been through it. But she was the big sister. She had to guide her along the right path.
But if I push too hard... sis will eat breakfast alone.
She didn't want that. That's why she'd come here first.
"How about a deal with sis? I'll teach you step by step today, and once you finish the promised pages, we play."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Pudding together. Of course."
"After breakfast! Right?"
Ellensia nodded at her spirited little sister.
"Right. After eating with Veronica sis too."
"Yeah! Hehe."
With solid backup secured, it was time to fetch their big sister.
"Miss, here's the material you requested. Where should I put it?"
"Over here, please?"
Now, Veronica had no time to breathe day after day. The path of learning had no end, but now she had to race down it faster. Freyvelric duties weren't overwhelming for her before. Most were handled through her mother's hands. Not just because she was the duchess. Not from the succession ritual. Her mother truly had exceptional skill.
And.
-Don't take on too much at first. Start slow, learn by observing the deep forest.
Because of her mother's advice. So Veronica's path of learning had been slower than expected. Only after her head had grown quite a bit did she start taking on bits of her mother's work. The permitted tasks were some rights within the ducal residence. Slowly. Very slowly. While easing into the path of learning.
But now the situation had changed completely. There was no longer a Rozalin in the ducal family. So who had to handle all that work? Who had to do what was essential to uphold the house? Especially since all ducal duties centered on the duke. She couldn't just sit idle. The slow carriage had to be abandoned; she had to grab the reins herself. Study, and study more. To lead the family properly. To one day claim all the family head's rights from that man with her head held high.
But... the cost of seizing the reins so quickly was harsh.
"...How am I supposed to handle this?"
It looked simple, but deciding was tough. Couldn't just process it blindly, nor waste it elsewhere—that would drain funds. Comparing to other matters only left her confused. So those thoughts kept creeping in.
If Mother were here, I'd ask her.
If her mother, who had slowly opened the path of learning, were here.
As she trudged this harsh path, a guest arrived.
Click.
A door cracked open just a sliver. Through it peeked brilliant golden hair.
"Sis, it's me."
"Lucy? What brings you so early in the morning..."
Looking again, it wasn't just Lucilla.
"I see."
Silver hair followed right after, making her chuckle. Of course—Lucilla wouldn't come alone.
"Ellen. You."
So she gave a tiny scolding.
Ellen. Don't indulge Lucy's study-skipping tantrums completely.
As the eldest, firm and clear. Don't give her excuses, her eyes conveyed. Ellensia boldly asked Lucilla.
"Oh? Veronica sis? I didn't do wrong. Lucy said she'd study with me later, right?"
"Yeah! Sis said she'd teach me good."
Ellensia signaled back with her eyes.
See? It's not indulging her study skip—it's a deal.
Eyes full of confidence.
"Whew. I can't win."
Veronica threw up her hands in defeat. She couldn't beat her sisters.
"So, what brings you both here?"
"Sis, let's go eat breakfast!"
"...Breakfast?"
"Yeah! Eat with sisses, then I study after! Hehe."
Hearing "breakfast" made Veronica hesitate. Normally, she'd flatly refuse. But...
She couldn't. Lucilla meant it innocently, but Veronica couldn't snap no just because of her mood. As usual, her gaze went to Ellensia.
"Ellen. You..."
She was probably the mastermind. Ellensia smiled softly, mouthing her reply.
Sis. He didn't do it on purpose.
...
The duke apologized, and you know it wasn't intentional. He got the medicine faster than anyone.
If there was real malice, he wouldn't have fetched the medicine. Maybe she'd overreacted. Ellensia added that.
"Sis? Not coming for breakfast?"
As the hesitation dragged, Lucilla's eager face dimmed. The little tug on her dress hem...
"No. Of course we're going. Come on, Lucy. Hold your sisses' hands?"
"Yeah!"
That restored Veronica's heart to normal.
Right. It wasn't intentional.
As Ellensia said, there was no malice. He was the one who brought the medicine fastest, who prioritized Ellensia's recovery above all. If he truly felt that way, his actions would have been the opposite. Veronica reflected a bit, wondering if she'd been too sensitive.