“Will the master be late coming home again today?”
I asked the maid.
“Ah, um… The master said he won’t be returning tonight… He, um, sent a message just a while ago…”
The maid stumbled over her words.
“He’s with her, isn’t he? I understand. You may rest now as well.”
“Goodnight, madam.”
The maid bowed and quietly left the room.
I picked up the teacup the maid had brought, walked to the window, and gazed out into the pitch-black night, murmuring to myself.
“I’ll have to grant him a divorce, won’t I?”
I brought the cup to my lips and took a sip. The warmth of the liquid spread through my body.
◇◇◇◇
My name is Kratis. I was born the eldest daughter of the Viscount Lufen family.
With light chestnut-brown hair and mint-green eyes, my looks and figure are average… but not too bad, I think. Probably. Hopefully.
Yet here I was, 21 years old and still unmarried, causing my parents endless worry.
In society, it was customary for men and women to be engaged or married by the age of 18.
My younger sister, Flone, had married her childhood friend, Cardi, two years ago, and they already had a son together. She was now pregnant with their second child.
Since the Viscount Lufen family had no sons, it was decided that one of Flone’s children would inherit the family estate.
Until then, my father would need to live a long and healthy life. As for me, I had planned to enter a convent in the future.
However, through an unexpected turn of events, I ended up marrying Lord Kernes, the 23-year-old second son of the Earl of Palermore, who was also unmarried (not that I’m one to talk).
Why had we both remained single beyond the ideal age for marriage?
As for me, I’d always had someone I loved.
That person was Cardi Yuanz, the son of an earl and my childhood friend—yes, my sister’s husband.
From the time we were children, Cardi, Flone, and I often played together as a trio.
I had once naively thought that I would marry him, and my sister could inherit the family by taking in a husband.
Looking back now, it was truly nothing more than a one-sided fantasy. After all, the person Cardi fell in love with was my sister.
I can’t remember exactly when I first noticed the warmth in Cardi’s gaze when he looked at Flone…
Nor can I remember when I realized that they both cherished each other deeply…
Caught between their feelings, I found myself in turmoil.
It was during this time of inner struggle that my mother suddenly collapsed.
Fortunately, my mother’s condition did not worsen, but she was forced to undergo a period of convalescence.
It was during this time that I resolved to marry off Cardi and Flone.
For the sake of my parents, and to put an end to my own lingering feelings.
“Life is unpredictable. While both of our parents are still healthy, I want them to see you in a wedding dress,” I told them.
Moved by my words, the two of them decided to get married.
Father and Mother looked so happy as they watched Flone in her bridal gown.
“This is for the best,” I whispered to myself, trying to convince my heart.
Afterward, my mother’s health completely recovered. Yet my parents made no active effort to find a suitor for me, who was already 19 years old at the time.
Perhaps, having already seen one daughter marry, they were reluctant to lose another so soon.
For my part, after Cardi married Flone, my desire for marriage disappeared entirely.
Marrying Cardi had been my dream for so long…
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