Day 11, Morning: The Villainess’s Pride and the Heroine’s Determination

“I have nothing to say to you,” said Count Dan Hamilton, the current head of the Hamilton family.

His almost comical mustache could come across as charming from a certain angle, but his attitude was anything but. The look in his eyes revealed that he thought of everyone but himself as nothing more than rats. He directed these ice-cold words at Fuuka Hamilton. The morning light filled the mansion, but the air inside felt frigid.

“Yes. My humble apologies, Father.”

Fuuka repeated those words over and over.

His daughter had run away from home after failing in the struggle to find a partner for a political marriage. The gossip that followed was unbefitting of the venerable Hamilton family. The rumor-hungry nobles of the capital would have delighted themselves with talk of Fuuka’s flight.

“Get out. You can sleep in the garden shed from now on.”

“Understood.”

“And don’t talk to your sisters.”

“Understood.”

“You’ve disgraced our family name, so don’t think you have any home here... God help me, this is what I get for showing mercy to my bastard daughter,” said Dan, as though spitting the words out.

Yes, Fuuka was the child of Dan and his mistress. Having no heir at that point, Dan took Fuuka in and raised her. But soon afterwards, his legal wife bore him several other daughters, and Fuuka lost any value beyond being a tool for political marriage in Dan’s eyes.

Fuuka had been content with that, because she believed that if she could just work hard enough, be the best child—more capable than anyone else—then someday her father, mother, and sisters would take notice of her.

“Begone. I’m busy handling preparations for our joint project with the Reinhardts. They didn’t pull out after you fucked up your engagement with Klaus-sama. Be grateful.”

“...Understood.”

After exiting the room in silence, Fuuka clenched her fists.

You’re amazing, Fuuka-chan.

You know everything, Fuuka-chan; you work so hard.

...I love you, Fuuka-chan!

Although they only spent ten days together, her rival’s voice, Miyako’s voice, echoed through her head over and over.

Why, oh why, did I take her outstretched hand back then? Why did I let myself be taken in by her reddish-brown hair? Why did I spend those happy days with her? I’m supposed to be stronger than this. And I was... until I spent time with someone who accepted me, praised me, told me she loved me... with Miyako.

“...Miyako.”

I miss her. Fuuka missed the auburn-haired girl so much, but she was the one who cast her off. She threw it all away herself. Fuuka’s pride wouldn’t allow her to sink into regret about how she missed Miyako at this late hour.

I’m acting selfish, thought Fuuka, admonishing herself as she made for her room—the shed.

The maids watching made no effort to pretend they weren’t gossiping about her. Fuuka’s gaze landed on one of the maids in particular.

Hmm...? What’s that?

A red rash lined her neck. Her complexion was pale, and it looked like she had broken out into a cold sweat. Fuuka had a feeling she had seen that rash somewhere recently.

I don’t like this.

“You there... Do you feel ill at all?” she called out without thinking.

But...

“I-I shouldn’t... I have to go get the washing done!”

“Oh, they asked me to clean the young lady’s room,” said one of the others.

They dispersed the moment Fuuka called out to them. It was as though she had disturbed a spider’s nest.

My word, what rudeness... But I have to expect that, now that I’m the Hamilton family’s unwanted goods. Fuuka sighed deeply. I’m worried about that maid’s condition, but I mustn’t do anything to stand out right now.

Fuuka walked on in silence. She could hear the maids—or perhaps her sisters—mocking her in the distance.

But, at any rate, I mustn’t cause any trouble. That’s what I promised Odina-san.

***

Meanwhile, at the Reinhardt mansion.

“So you’re saying you couldn’t find Miyako Florence?!”

“Yes. My deepest apologies, Klaus-sama!!”

Odina lowered his head in a beautiful bow. After years of service, he was incredibly skilled at bowing his head. “If apologizing gets the job done, I’ll apologize for everything” was Odina Florence’s personal philosophy.

“But I did go without sleep searching every inch of the Atika region!”

That was a lie. Odina had lazed around at his family’s Atikan home.

“My parents haven’t heard from Miyako either!”

This too was a lie. Their parents still believed that Miyako was in the middle of preparing for a splendid wedding in the capital, and he didn’t want to spoil that.

“All I managed to do was find Fuuka Hamilton, who says she fled the capital after encouraging Miyako to do the same...”

Of course, this was another lie... Or rather, this was the main part of the promise between Fuuka and Odina. If it came out that Miyako had taken away the count’s daughter Fuuka of her own accord and was currently on the run, then the Florence family’s standing would be endangered.

Fuuka had lost her mind, and everything was her doing. That was the explanation Fuuka wanted Odina to give.

Although this seems pretty risky too...

Depending on how the situation developed, Fuuka and the rest of the Hamilton family might not emerge unscathed. In normal circumstances, if this report reached Fuuka’s father, the Hamilton family’s head, the best outcome would be Fuuka’s disinheritance and banishment. As a worst-case scenario, it was entirely possible that he would have Fuuka assassinated.

But Fuuka didn’t budge. She mustn’t have been able to stomach Miyako, the one who taught her what it meant to be happy, suffering even the slightest misfortune.

I have to say, my little sister is quite the player.

Odina heaved a sigh.

“What are you sighing for?”

“Oh, I beg your pardon. I got carried away with my thoughts.”

“Hmph.”

Klaus cupped his chin and pondered. He stayed like that for a little while, then he hit upon something and raised his voice.

“That’s it!”

Deeply unsettled by his master’s triumphant expression, but well-accustomed to his job, Klaus’s personal spy spoke.

“What is it, Klaus-sama? Have you come up with another hair-brained... Ahem! I mean, have you come up with something?”

“I have... I surprise even myself sometimes.”

Klaus smoothed his blond hair back with a smile.

“To think... Fuuka was head over heels for me as well! Unable to marry me, she got desperate and snatched Miyako away!!”

His voice oozed certainty.

Odina struggled to keep his inner thought of “there’s no hope for this one” from showing on his face. Just let me quit now.

Odina couldn’t stand that, in spite of all his master’s pretension, he had a good-looking face and struck a nice pose.

“That is a very... novel interpretation, my lord.”

“Hmm... We must do something. Spy!”

“What?”

Thoroughly fed up, Odina gave a half-hearted reply.

“Bring me Fuuka Hamilton!”

“Sure, sure... Er, huh?”

“Bring me Fuuka Hamilton, I said.”

“Yeah, I heard you, but why would you—”

In his and Fuuka’s plans, they had expected Klaus to try to continue the search for Miyako, whereupon Odina would feed him false information. Of course, he would never manage to find Miyako. They figured that if that dragged on, even Klaus would give up. “Bring me Fuuka” was an unexpected reaction.

“I hear Count Hamilton is quite the stern character. Fuuka must be feeling rather dejected right now. And I am a kind soul...”

Odina cracked a smile. It seemed like Klaus had a rekindled interest in Fuuka, the woman he rejected as a fiancée.

“I’ll comfort Fuuka myself. While I’m at it, I suppose I might as well find out where Miyako is from her too.”

“S-Sure...”

“I am quite the ladies’ man. A sheltered girl like Fuuka doesn’t stand a chance against my techniques.”

Faced with such a confident display, Odina thought, Whoa, get a load of yourself. I’m not a woman, but even I’m cringing at you.

But being a humble servant, Odina solemnly obeyed the order and departed for the Hamilton mansion.

***

At the entrance to the capital, there was a large gate. Miyako stood atop that gate.

“Thanks, Umi.”

“It was nyothing.”

Umi had transformed into the form of a cool-water spirit, a huge semi-transparent beast somewhere between a cat and a tiger. Miyako stood next to her. Beneath them sprawled the streets and houses of the capital.

It had only been ten days since she had left here with Fuuka, but it felt longer to Miyako.

“I didn’t see any carriages that could have had her onboard on our way here... so Fuuka-chan should be here already.”

She took a deep breath.

I can’t just waltz in and snatch her up like I did before. Wherever she is, I’ll do my utmost and go to get her fair and square.

And I don’t mind if she turns me down. After all, this is just me being selfish.

I’m doing all this for Fuuka-chan’s sake, after she was treated so horribly by the Hamilton family—That’s a fine pretext. But really, I’m doing it for my own selfish reasons. I want to be happy with Fuuka-chan. So Fuuka-chan has the right to refuse, although I’d be sad if she did.

But, that’s exactly why I want to see this through. I want to tell Fuuka-chan one more time just how much I love her. Even if nothing comes of it, I don’t want to lie to myself. There was a time I kept telling myself lies, got addicted to my job, and died from overwork. I never, ever want to go through that again.

“Okay... let’s go, Umi.”

“...Nyaa.”

The great water spirit meowed like an ordinary cat, as though giving her blessing to her temporary master’s small but precious determination.

“...Uh, ummm,” started Miyako after she looked down at the capital, “Umi-san!! First things first, I really would like to get down from here, if that’s okay?!”

The capital’s gate was far too high for Miyako to get down by herself.

The wind blew on.