Chapter 6
Lady Lily Devlann was renowned as one of the most beautiful women in the capital.
When she first arrived in the capital, she was subjected to the jealousy and harassment of other noblewomen. However, as the beloved youngest daughter, she quickly learned how to win hearts in high society.
“Lily, you came.”
“It’s an honor to be invited like this.”
Countess Sohee Vlado was the daughter of a noble from the Eastern Continent.
Due to the Count’s considerable political power, people fawned over her in public, but the more conservative nobles quietly ostracized her. Since Lily herself was also subtly excluded, she became a good friend to Sohee.
“Did you not come with your sister today?”
“She overexerted herself because of me yesterday. Unlike me, my sister is quite delicate.”
Unlike the eldest sister, who had the presence of a general, the second sister, Freesia, didn’t enjoy socializing much.
Rose could probably knock out five grown men if she wanted to, so there was no worry there. But as Lily grew older, she found herself increasingly worried about Freesia, who had grown up like a delicate flower in a greenhouse.
“Actually, I think my sister is in love with Duke Cromford.”
“Lady Freesia? In love with the Duke?”
Since her sister’s bombshell confession in the carriage the day before, Lily had been in deep turmoil.
The whole reason Matthew, son of Marquis Napier, persistently followed the three sisters around was because he liked Freesia. But her clueless sister, oblivious to this, had boldly declared in front of Matthew that she would marry no one but the Duke of Cromford.
“What kind of person is he to cause this?”
Being a foreigner, Sohee didn’t know anything about the infamous Duke of Cromford.
Lily paused to think of the simplest way to describe him, then summed it up plainly:
“If I had to describe him… he’s ruthless.”
“Ruthless?”
The previous Duke of Cromford had many sons, but it was the third son, Wilfred, who inherited the title after a brutal succession war.
The process was so bloody that it was often described as a life-or-death battle. The most widely accepted belief was that it had been exceptionally fierce.
“There’s no way I’m letting my sister marry into that kind of family.”
It was chaos incarnate. Freesia, so delicate, wouldn’t survive in such a vicious household.
Watching Lily flare up with fire in her eyes at the mere mention of her sister, Sohee became curious.
“Does the Duke know about Lady Freesia’s feelings?”
“Of course not.”
She had probably heard some strange rumors and fallen for him on her own. But it was nothing more than a one-sided crush, with zero chance of becoming real.
“I want to help Matthew confess his feelings to my sister, no matter what!”
“Tell me everything. I’ll do my best to help too.”
Having married into a foreign land without a single friend, Sohee found joy in listening to Lily’s matchmaking plans. The entire day flew by as they eagerly plotted how to turn Matthew and Freesia’s childhood friendship into something more.
It was only before dinner that Lily finally returned home to the Devlann estate.
“Hmm? I smell brownies.”
Freesia must have baked brownies, but it was rare for the scent to linger this long.
Leaping from the carriage and running straight to the kitchen, Lily found Freesia sharing freshly baked brownies with the maids.
“Sister!”
“Did you have fun, Lily?”
If she could have one of Freesia’s brownies, she’d gladly skip dinner.
As she enjoyed the sweet chocolate taste her sister had handed her, Miléva called out from a distance.
“Young Lady.”
Miléva gestured for her to come somewhere quiet. Sensing something was up, Lily cautiously followed her to a corner.
“What’s going on?”
“Well…”
If hot-tempered Rose found out, it would turn the house upside down. So Miléva told Lily about what had happened earlier.
“A messenger from Duke Cromford came?”
“Yes. He brought a letter along with a shoe, but the young lady said she’d pretend she never saw it and sent him away.”
Indeed, Freesia had lost a shoe while wandering the Imperial Palace the day before—thanks to her terrible sense of direction.
It was already astonishing that the Duke had found and returned it, but sending a letter too?
What bothered Lily most was that her kind sister, who liked him, hadn’t even read the letter and sent it back.
“What did the letter say?”
“We don’t know either.”
Apparently, the messenger also brought a full tray of freshly baked brownies as thanks.
Freesia had returned a letter from her crush unread—this showed how dire the situation was.
“Don’t tell Rose about this.”
“But, young lady…”
“I’ll handle it somehow.”
Freesia, the gentle heart of the Devlann household, wasn’t flashy but deserved a loving and peaceful partner. It suited her far better than marrying the notorious Duke of Cromford.
Becoming the Duke’s wife would draw the eyes of the entire capital. That family was riddled with scandals, and Lily would rather die than let her sister suffer in such a house.
To prevent this from spiraling out of control, Lily decided it was best if she met the Duke herself and settled things.
I will protect my sister!
With that firm resolve, Lily looked wistfully at Freesia, who was smiling innocently, completely unaware of what was going on.
The next morning, Rose took the brownies Freesia had baked and went straight to the shop.
“Freesia’s brownies are the best in the world.”
“If you’re happy, I’m happy too.”
Rose seemed to be in a good mood, but even as she smiled, Freesia felt like crying inside.
Thanks to strict orders to keep their mouths shut, the servants hadn’t spilled the secret, so Rose still didn’t know what had happened.
As she racked her brain, Matthew unexpectedly arrived early that morning.
“My mother sent you a gift. She heard you lost a shoe.”
Marchioness Napier, Matthew’s mother, treated the three sisters—her friend’s daughters—like her own.
Usually, she doted more on flashy Rose or sweet Lily, but for some reason, she had always favored Freesia.
“Actually, I found the lost shoe.”
“You did?”
Freesia didn’t mention that Duke Cromford’s own messenger had returned it.
The new shoes, decorated with blue velvet and personally chosen by the wealthy Marchioness, were stunning at a glance.
“Please thank her for me.”
“She actually wants to see you soon.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to my sisters about visiting.”
She meant for all three of them to go together, thinking it would be nice. But for some reason, Matthew looked clearly disappointed.
Freesia tilted her head in confusion but was still very pleased with the new shoes.
“Oh, Matthew, you’re here?”
“Wait, you had plans with Lily?”
“Yup. We’re going on a date.”
“Lily!”
He hadn’t expected their relationship to be that far along.
If they married into the wealthy Napier family, dowry wouldn’t be a concern—which would ease Rose’s burden.
As Freesia smiled warmly, Matthew waved his hands in panic, denying everything.
“It’s not like that. Lily just needed someone to go out with her.”
“I can trust you to keep her safe. Have a good time.”
“Sister, don’t go out. Stay home no matter what.”
Sweet Lily kissed her sister’s cheek and, with a determined glint in her eye, grabbed Matthew’s wrist and pulled him away.
Seeing she had even arranged for a personal bodyguard, it was clear Lily was indeed very capable.
“Lily is so cute.”
“Miss Lily and Sir Matthew both said the same thing.”
“They said I’m cute?”
“Ah, no! It’s nothing…”
Miléva seemed like she wanted to say something but let out a sigh instead.
Since Lily had recovered from her depression, Freesia now had a lot of free time.
Like a parent whose child had grown up, she suddenly found her days oddly long and empty.
“Maybe I’ll read a book.”
Knowing Freesia loved books, Rose had built her an enormous library when they renovated the estate last year.
Of all the books, the sisters’ favorite author was Alster.
Even the sonnet Freesia had recited to comfort Rose had been inspired by one of Alster’s scenes, where the male lead consoles the crying heroine.
Sometimes brutal, sometimes sad, and sometimes deeply moving—their stories and delicate prose made all three sisters devoted fans. But strangely, the once-prolific author hadn’t published anything or even been heard from this year.
“Could they have actually died…?”
Even someone as shy as Freesia had always dreamed of meeting Alster in person.
With that lingering regret, she began rereading volume one once again.
“Miss!”
Around volume three, Miléva burst in, pale as a sheet—yet again.
It seemed another unwelcome visitor had arrived.
“Another messenger today?”
“The Duke himself has come.”
It seemed she was now reaping the consequences of turning him down.
Like a prisoner heading to the gallows, she clutched the hem of her crumpled dress tightly.
