Chapter 9
“No. I don’t want to hear it.”
“No, you must hear it. We are destined, Yvonne. His Majesty originally intended to match the Duke of Weekend’s daughter with me. Yvonne, you are the true daughter of the Duke of Weekend.”
Casey had found out too.
That was the only thought in Orte’s mind.
The Duke of Weekend had kept the fact that Orte was fake completely hidden. It would damage the family’s honor if it was revealed that they had mistaken a fake for the real daughter for decades.
Even though her trusted world had shattered, Orte calmed herself down.
She thought as long as Casey didn’t know, it would be fine.
But Casey already knew.
“Is… is that true? We were originally destined to marry?”
“Yes. We are fate.”
Casey’s firm words pierced Orte’s heart.
Fate.
For them, it might be a beautiful word for miracles. But for Orte, it had always been a cruel word.
“But… even so, I still can’t betray my sister…”
“I will explain everything to Lady Orte. Yvonne, you just need to stay by my side.”
“Casey…!”
Yvonne buried herself in his arms.
Long ago, when Orte had almost fallen and lost balance, Casey once held her arm—but quickly let go and stepped back. Now he was smiling brightly while embracing Yvonne.
There was no trace of the unpleasant expression he once showed Orte.
“I love you, Yvonne.”
“I love you too, Casey.”
Thud.
It felt like her heart sank into mud.
When her father pushed away her outstretched hand… when Ellen crushed her carefully prepared gift without care… when Clef cut her with sharp words—none of it hurt more than this.
That was when Orte realized.
Ah… in my life, there is truly no one who will love me.
Later
“…!”
Orte opened her eyes sharply without a sound.
Soon she realized it was a dream from the past and buried her face into the pillow.
“Disgusting…”
Just like last time, she felt suffocated.
Orte sat up.
She pulled open the tightly closed curtains. The dark night sky was visible. She didn’t know when she fell asleep again, but like before, she had woken up at dawn.
She didn’t think she could fall asleep again, but she still tried to lie down.
However, faint sounds reached her ears. Orte stood up and walked to the window. When she opened it, the sound became clearer.
Almost as if she was being drawn, Orte left her room.
She followed the sound to a small stable and opened the door.
“…White deer?”
Only after seeing a white deer chained by its neck did Orte fully wake up. She looked around and slowly approached it.
The white deer stood still, but it looked weak.
“Did you call me?”
The deer blinked its large eyes slowly.
Orte blinked back.
For a moment, she thought the pure white deer and the chain did not belong together.
“You wanted to escape too.”
The deer’s neck was covered in wounds from the chain.
“How did you get caught… you should have escaped and lived freely…”
Without thinking, Orte reached out.
Clang!
The deer moved and she pulled her hand back.
She looked at it again.
“…I’ll help you.”
Orte removed the chain from the deer’s neck. Then she opened the stable doors wide.
“Come here. You’re free now.”
The deer hesitated for a long time. Then it slowly stepped forward.
The first step was the hardest.
Once it realized it was no longer bound, the deer walked out confidently.
“Follow me. I’ll show you the way home.”
Orte led it toward the garden connected to the back mountain. The deer followed behind her.
When she stopped, the deer stood beside her.
“Go this way.”
She pointed to the only path without guards in the Duke of Weekend’s estate. The Saint drew power from nature, so she had to be close to it.
The garden was artificial, so the Duke created a path connecting it to the forest and hunting grounds.
And as promised to the Saint, no guards were placed there.
However, a barrier existed, allowing only animals and the Saint to pass.
Thud.
The deer gently rubbed its head against Orte’s cheek.
“…Is that your way of saying thanks?”
Orte touched the deer’s wounded neck carefully. The white fur made the wounds stand out painfully.
Just then—
“Are you freeing it?”
A sudden voice startled the deer, which ran toward the path. Orte reached out unconsciously but pulled back and turned.
It was Casey.
“…Who are you?”
Only after speaking did Orte realize her voice was calm.
The question was appropriate. She didn’t know him.
“I apologize for the late introduction. I am Casey, the Crown Prince’s knight.”
Hearing he didn’t introduce himself as the Third Prince, Orte flinched slightly but nodded.
“I see.”
“What is your name, Lady?”
“You already seem to know I’m a lady.”
Casey looked at her for a moment and bowed.
“That is correct. I apologize for my lack of manners.”
“…It’s fine.”
She wanted to grab him and scream at him, but more than that, she wanted to leave.
She forced herself to calm down and walked slowly.
“That white deer…”
“I believe it was caught by young master Ellen. It was supposed to be a birthday gift for the Duke of Weekend.”
“I see.”
“Is it alright to release it like this?”
“No, it probably isn’t.”
“You still released it knowing that?”
“Why?”
Casey pressed.
His persistence felt unfamiliar, so Orte met his eyes without realizing.
His red eyes were still beautiful—like burning warmth and cold jewels at the same time.
“…Because I wanted to.”
“Was it simply pity?”
“Sir Casey.”
Orte called his name.
“Do I need to explain myself to you?”
“…I apologize. I overstepped.”
She looked at the bowed Casey, then walked away.
Soon after, footsteps followed her.
Casey.
“You are barefoot.”
“….”
Orte did not answer.
“Lady.”
“….”
“Lady Orte.”
A wave of nausea rose in her.
Hearing that name from the past made Orte clutch her nightclothes and run.
Casey called after her, but she didn’t stop.
She ran until she reached her room and rushed into the bathroom.
With nothing in her stomach, she only retched air. She wiped her dry lips and calmed her breathing.
“Lady Orte.”
The voice overlapped with the past.
Orte looked out the large window at the moon.
‘God…’
Why did you let me live?
At first, she was grateful. She thought it was a chance.
But she never wanted this chance.
She had no will to live.
“Should I just die like this…”
“Would they be happy then…?”
Her cheek, struck by the Duke earlier, still stung. It had already healed, but it still felt hot.
Orte rubbed her cheek.
“…What am I…”
Why am I even alive right now? For what reason?
Unable to find an answer, Orte closed her eyes.
