𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

“Ellen-sama, you look absolutely beautiful.”

“Thank you, Hanna.”

The pure white dress is designed with layers of thin lace and a long trailing hem. The collar, which opens softly around the collarbone, is like a large flower, skillfully covering my modest chest and exuding elegance. My chestnut-colored hair is loosely styled to frame my face.

“You look like a spirit of white flowers. When Samuel-sama sees you, he will fall in love with you all over again.”

“I hope so.”

“The bouquet is mainly composed of purple violets, the same color as Ellen-sama’s eyes.”

Right now, I am checking the size of my wedding dress for the wedding ceremony in two weeks. Samuel Colrain is my fiancé, decided by our fathers, but he is a kind fiancé who loves me.

“I will be a good wife. I intend to create a happy home for Samuel.”

“Ellen-sama. I’m truly happy for you.”

My maid, Hanna, has tears in her eyes. I can’t count how many times Hanna has saved me during tough times. I sincerely thank her.

After the final size check, I changed into comfortable clothes and headed to the forest next to the mansion with Hanna and my guard, Stephan.

Observing and studying flora and fauna is my hobby, which also has practical benefits. I sketch the plants and animals living in the forest, color them, and record the date and location. I also collect samples. I probably have about forty notebooks of these records.

Furthermore, I research and record their uses, and bind them together with colored plant drawings. The collection has become a small botanical guidebook.

The creatures of the forest have developed various ways to survive and prosper. That’s what’s interesting.

It’s about time for Samuel to come. When I was healed by the forest air and plants and was about to return, I chose a path that I usually don’t take, leading to a gazebo. I remembered that the fresh green ivy entwining the gazebo should be beautiful around this time.

I noticed voices when I caught a glimpse of the gazebo. I heard a woman’s voice on the verge of tears and a man’s voice whispering, and I stopped. I turned to my guard, Stephan, and spoke in a low voice.

“Is it a quarrel?”

“It seems so. What will you do?”

“Shall we go back? It would be awkward if we met.”

If there’s a quarrel here, it must be our servants. It would only be awkward if we met. I was about to quietly turn back when the woman’s desperate voice got a little louder.

“But I’m pregnant. What should I do, Samuel-sama?”

. . . What?

I couldn’t help but listen.

“Don’t cry, Melanie. I truly love you. But my family is in a difficult situation and can’t recover without the Bowen family’s support. However, of course, you should give birth to the child without worry. I’ll prepare a sunny, comfortable room for you and the child. Let’s continue to live there, loving each other.”

My head and body were getting colder and colder.

I thought I had misheard, but it was indeed Samuel’s voice. And the other voice was Melanie’s. She’s the second daughter of a baron, a friend of my father, and stays at our house only during the social season. She’s the same age as me, twenty.

“Really, Samuel-sama?”

“Of course. I love you, Melanie.”

Something inside me snapped. I forced my weak legs to move, quietly retraced my steps, and headed home. I was pathetic and miserable, and I couldn’t look at Stephan and Hanna following behind me.

So I didn’t notice that Stephan was glaring at Samuel with strong anger in his eyes. I found out about that much later.

(Pull yourself together. Do what you have to do. It’s not the time to cry or be depressed.)

While climbing the stairs, holding onto the railing with trembling hands, I returned to my room and called for the maid, Liz.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Liz. I have something I want to ask you.”

After a short conversation with just the two of us, I changed into my outdoor dress. Hanna looked worried. I finished changing and hurriedly got into the carriage.

“Ellen-sama, where are we going?”

I answered Stephan’s question briefly.

“To the D’Anjouzes’ house.”

“Understood.”

The carriage moved forward with Hanna, Stephan, and me. I felt rushed to act quickly.

The lady of the D’Anjouzes’ house is fond of me and loves gossip. And she doesn’t get along with Samuel’s family, the Count Colrain family. If I tell the lady what I just heard, she will surely spread the story to many of her acquaintances.

My father has been a close friend of Samuel’s father since their school days. My father is kind to me, but he might prioritize his long-standing friendship over his daughter. If I’m not careful,

“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙖 𝙬𝙞𝙛𝙚.”

He might say something like that.

I can’t stand having my life ruined for my father’s friendship. There’s not much time left until the wedding. I must play all the cards I can.

My mother always told me to marry someone I can trust and love. She was happy about the good relationship between Samuel and me during our engagement.

I wonder how she would react if she knew her daughter had been thoroughly insulted and betrayed.

The most frightening person in our house is my action-oriented mother. At worst, two lives could be lost. That would be too much to bear.

While preventing my life from going to hell, I must avoid having those two killed, and also stop their plans. It’s difficult, but I hope the move I’m about to make is the best one.

It’s rude to visit the D’Anjouzes family without prior notice, but I’ll bring a gift that more than makes up for the rudeness. Anyway, I must let them know that Samuel is at fault to escape from marrying him. I’ll spread it so widely that Otou-sama can’t oppose the cancellation of the engagement. 

Even so, I can’t believe I loved such a person. I feel sick thinking that I was considering building a happy home with such a man. And I will never forgive him.

As I rack my brain to plan what order to take action in, Hanna, sitting across from me, asks a question while rubbing her hands together.

“Ojou-sama, is it okay? Even if it’s to punish Samuel-sama, if you talk to Mrs. D’Anjouzes and it becomes a rumor, won’t your honor be equally damaged?”

“Hanna, imagine if I endure this and marry Samuel. The title of a wife who had her husband stolen from her before marriage will remain with me forever. If my name is going to be tarnished anyway, I’ll choose the option that protects my life. Huh? Why are you looking so surprised?”

“I’m surprised because you seem like a different person from the always calm Ojou-sama.”

“I see. I usually laugh off most things. But this time it’s different.”

If I call off the wedding two weeks in advance, I’ll be the talk of the social world for a while. But if I marry Samuel as it is, a hell that lasts until death awaits me. I’m confident that the day will never come when I can laugh off today’s events.

I must avoid the marriage by any means necessary.

・・・

『”ᴀᴡᴇʙsᴛᴏʀɪᴇs.ᴄᴏᴍ” – ᴅɪsᴄᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴀ ᴄᴀᴘᴛɪᴠᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴏғ ʟᴏᴠᴇ, ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴅᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇ, ᴡʜeʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴ ɪɴᴅᴜʟɢᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴄᴏʟʟᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛʀᴀɴsʟᴀᴛᴇᴅ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs ᴡɪᴛʜ “ᴅᴀɪʟʏ ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇs” ᴀɴᴅ ᴇxᴄʟᴜsɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴄᴄᴇss ᴛᴏ “ᴀᴅᴠᴀɴᴄᴇᴅ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs”.』

・・・