ORHML 06

Chapter 6

I never knew what it was like to have an older sister.

Because I didn’t have a family.

The fact that I needed to receive an apology must have meant the resentment ran deep.

Strangely, I could already tell it was bound to cause me trouble.

And yet, the meaning contained in the word family…

The depth of affection that could be born from such a thing… I had never once felt it in my life, so I suppose I was secretly hoping for it.

But I have to clear this game’s final quest and get out.

If I let myself waver because of some sister I hadn’t even met yet, that would just be ridiculous.

“Oh my!”

“Isn’t that Princess Gracie?”

“What nerve she has, showing up here!”

“Exactly!”

Cover your mouths when you speak, you vile creatures.

The garden was lined with women dressed in luxurious gowns. They called this the Secret Garden, but honestly, it wasn’t even as pretty as the garden I had. Still, there were lots of the same blue roses I had in mine. Maybe because we were twins, we liked the same flowers.

“Gracie! You came!”

…Insane.

When I saw Princess Gracie before, her face looked melted, so I wondered how a princess could be like that.

But my sister—she was stunningly beautiful.

“I didn’t think you’d come! I’m truly delighted!”

She held my hand tightly, and strangely, my heart began to race.

So this is my sister? Then why do we look nothing alike?

Our hair and eye colors were strikingly similar, but while my melted-looking face was grotesque, Keira’s face was so beautiful it matched perfectly with Clayton, like a painting.

“Twins, huh…”

“One of them looks like a monster.”

“Pfft, look at her, showing up in a mask.”

“If it were me, I’d lock myself in my room before walking around looking like that.”

“No shame at all!”

I told them in my head to cover their mouths when they talked—and they actually did, speaking behind their fans.

The way they laughed together, fanning themselves—how I wanted to rip those fans away and smack their smug lips with them. Slap, slap, you wicked mouths!

[ Keira Fletcher Gabriella Bastian
: First Princess of the Bastian Empire / Twin sister of Gracie Fletcher Gabriella Bastian.
Affection level uncheckable ▼ ]

So I could check my sister’s affection level too?

Curious, I pressed it.

[ ▼ This is related to the Mirror of Truth. Quest conditions are not fulfilled, so you cannot proceed. ]

Are you kidding me?

“Gracie!”

[ ▼ Keira Fletcher Gabriella Bastian is overjoyed by Princess Gracie’s visit. ]

“Yes, sister.”

She called me so warmly that my chest fluttered. I wasn’t used to being welcomed.

“It’s proper etiquette to leave your guard outside. Would you do that, please?”

“Ah… Yes. Sir Francis.”

I called Francis, and he bowed politely. But his expression was faintly uneasy, and somehow, that uneasiness spread to me too.

Still, with only women present, what danger could there be?

[ Quest Complete!
‘Player 2,’ for responding to Princess Keira’s invitation! Proceed with the following quest to check the affection level of the specified person.
→ Drink tea with Keira. ]

Well, that’s easy.

Even though people nearby were still whispering about me, it didn’t matter. I was used to it.

Say whatever you want—I don’t care.

But my sister’s warm hand was still holding mine.

Not many people had ever held my hand like this.

It made my chest feel tight, maybe even emotional.

I’d lived a hard life, and I never even got to fall in love… maybe that was a regret.

“Today’s tea party is to discuss our upcoming birthday banquet.”

“Oh, really? How long until our birthday?”

“One month.”

She offered me the seat beside her. As soon as I sat, she brushed some loose hair off my cheek and tucked it gently behind my ear. My face flushed instantly, my ears burning hot.

I wasn’t used to kindness, that must be why.

“Gracie.”

“Yes.”

I didn’t know what she was about to say, but as her lips moved shyly, I thought even that was beautiful. After hesitating, she finally spoke.

“Would you… like to come boating with me tomorrow?”

I’d only ever seen noble boat outings in pictures, so I had no idea how it worked. I knew even less about how nobles in this empire entertained themselves.

But somehow, it felt like it would be fine. Her gentle, smiling face looked so harmless.

“Alright.”

I couldn’t think of a reason to refuse.

“That makes me happy.”

Twins, huh.

Maybe if Princess Gracie’s face hadn’t been ruined, we really would have looked exactly alike. Identical twins often can’t be told apart.

Her snow-white hair looked like silk. Her rosy-pink eyes glittered like rubellite jewels. Her long, slender lips—without makeup—looked so tempting and beautiful.

At least our pale skin was the same. That resemblance made my heart itch in some strange way.

“Try this.”

The kinder she was to me, the more the hostile gazes around us softened.

“You two seem very close.”

“Yes, indeed. Our Gracie is just very shy.”

“…”

“I can’t tell you how happy I am that you came out here today.”

Her radiant smile… the more I looked at her, the prettier she became.

But wait—weren’t the Emperor’s men supposed to belong to the princess? Why were there two princesses? Are both of them main characters?

[ Trace amounts of the following impurity have been detected in Player 2’s tea: ▼
▼ Digitoxin. ]

…Idiot. I’d let my guard down again.

I glanced at the maids nearby. They lowered their eyes, feigning ignorance. Then I looked at my sister—she was smiling sweetly like an angel.

“Sister, drink this instead.”

I wanted to test it.

I casually swapped our teacups. Without hesitation, she smiled innocently and let me. Come to think of it, the teapot used for me was different. Only my tea was separate.

I sighed and waited for her to drink.

“Go on, drink.”

With a bright smile, she lifted the cup and drained it.

…What? Does she not know what’s in it?

I decided to wait for digitoxin’s symptoms.

“Gracie, how have you been lately? Tell your sister everything.”

“I’ve just been living. Yesterday I brought flowers to Duke de Lebois, but he drove me out.”

I answered flatly. Her brows furrowed into 八-shape with pity.

“Oh no… that must have hurt you.”

By now she should’ve had a headache. But nothing. No diarrhea, no nausea. No signs of vision loss either—though that would mean a severe dose. It was supposed to be trace amounts.

“Sister, how many fingers do you see?”

“Hmm? You mean your hand?”

Her pupils looked normal.

“Yes.”

“Five fingers. You’ve always had such pretty hands, Gracie.”

She was clearly prettier herself, yet she said that nonsense. Could she actually be having vision issues?

It seemed she really didn’t know what she drank. Otherwise, why would she switch cups so easily—and even finish mine?

“Your Highness!”

Suddenly, a woman in slightly different attire than the maids rushed to Keira’s ear and whispered something. Keira’s face darkened, but when our eyes met, she smiled sweetly again.

“Gracie, I need to step outside for a moment. Will you wait here?”

“…I suppose.”

“You can leave first if you’d like. But I do hope you’ll join me for tomorrow’s boating.”

Her hand stroked my cheek, then my hair. No matter how I looked, she seemed perfectly fine.

When her touch left me, I couldn’t help but gaze at her. She smiled at me again, then hurried off with the anxious maid urging her away.

Strangely, the warmth of her touch still lingered on my hair.

“Pfft!”

The young lady who’d hidden behind her fan earlier and whispered venom suddenly stood up.

[ Warning. Removing your mask will increase difficulty. ]

The sudden pop-up startled me, but I doubted anything serious would happen.

“Girls.”

The fan lady was calling to the others. They all stood up at once and started closing in on me.

Oh, please. I don’t know what childish game you’re planning, but—

Why are they carrying teacups?

Of course.

• Splash!

• Drip, drip!

• Pourrrr

• Plop, plop!

Too bad I’d worn a white dress. Now it bloomed with colors—red, blue, yellow—as the tea soaked in. Just from the smell, it felt like I was drowning in tea leaves.

“Oh, Your Highness! What a mistake!”

“Kyaa! I spilled mine too, what shall I do?”

“You’ll forgive us, won’t you, Princess?”

“My hand slipped, hohoho.”

The moment Keira left, this happened.

She was probably the ringleader.

But I couldn’t be sure.

‘Hey guys! She doesn’t have a mom!’

‘She grew up in an orphanage? Then why pretend otherwise?’

This is nothing. Absolutely nothing, you worthless brats.

I stood up and grabbed the nearest teacup—then flung its contents straight into the face of the fan girl.

“My mistake too.”