I Don't Trust My Twin Sister

Several situations were assumed. One of those was Ersia stealing a dress that was thrown as a bait or a black woman, so she asked the designer, Sir Daryl, not to finish one side in case she tried to wear it without damaging it. In the end, the already finished dress was not in my hands, and I hung up only the unfinished dress. Also, only the door was locked and no security was set up. So she took the bait.

As a result, I heard it perfectly.

In fact, it was a long game. As Ersia gradually grew older, she secretly had the idea that she might have been gradually colored by Beralt. Thought it wasn’t too much. That’s why this decoy operation was necessary. But the dress was torn to pieces. In the end, Ercia herself had dug her own grave. I threw away my lingering regrets with my hand.

“It was a great speech, Roa. It’s just a pity that Ersia isn’t with us.”

While praising me, I smiled at my grandfather’s words of concern for Ersia. I did it after confirming that Elcia was not there. Grandfather, I’m alone in the spotlight.

“I saw you sitting there looking tired. I tried to tell you that you don’t have to come out if you’re tired, but you disappeared. I wanted to join you too, but I couldn’t keep the customers waiting. I’m sorry, Grandpa.”

“No. What’s wrong with you? Good job, good job. The speech, which I thought was lacking, was also very good. When did you become so skilled??”

“Huh, I secretly practiced.”

I mean when grandpa wasn’t there.

“Anyway, I’m really happy. You prepared another dress in advance.”

“I forgot that I had it because I was surprised. I always keep in mind what my grandfather said. Isn’t thinking about things in advance a virtue that the next owner of the Ajstain family should have?”

I approached my grandfather, who hesitated as he tried to stroke my hair, saying that I was doing a good job with a smile on his face. Today I had no used the perfume my grandfather hated.

“Shall we dance together?”

“Hmm? Shouldn’t you dance with your partner?

“…I called, but there was no reply. I’ve sent him several letters.”

“Huh, it’s an announcement soon, so I’ll write to him.”

At the coming-of-age ceremony, usually one partner was the escort. Considering that the average age of marriage among imperial aristocrats was 18, most of them introduce their fiancés at their coming-of-age ceremony. In the past, I also announced my engagement to Beralt around this time.

“I guess I’ll have to talk to him later, to be late even after receiving an offer from my precious granddaughter.”

“That is…”

He pursed his lips slightly, showing a puzzled expression. I never thought that Ian would hit the back of my head like this.

“Ask Sir Beralt…”

“Oh, no. He…!”

The moment I panicked and called my grandfather, I noticed that people’s attention was focused on one place. The moment he turned his head to follow them, his face frowned. There was Ersia, dancing gracefully in a dress she had chosen herself, not a dress she had previously picked out. And next to her was Beralt, dressed to the fullest.

“Why are those two people…?”

I heard my grandfather’s voice expressing doubt. The moment I saw the two of them together, my stomach started to churn again. Memories of that day come back again. As soon as the memory of being 28 years old, which I thought was a dream, was played in my head, the blood vessels throughout my body felt like it was going crazy. Anger, resentment, and countless incomprehensible emotions mixed together, and it seemed that nausea would explode at any moment.

“…This is how it came out.”

I grinded my teeth, yes, that would be it. She must have seen my speech somewhere. She must have seen my dress, and she must have been angry with me. The only way she could beat me again was to partner with the nicest man.

Whatever the case may be, Beralt was a man many women could not help but desire. The women around her disassembled and envied her for his appearance. Even though rumors spread about me and Beralt not too long ago, I couldn’t believe she, my younger sister, was taking that approach. On the outside, I smiled as if I was watching the happy sight, but on the inside I was bubbling.

I tried so hard, but in the end, I missed the most important part of the coming-of-age ceremony. No matter how hard I tried, I only saw a pair dancing beautifully, as if the main character was Ercia. I didn’t want to lose the lead role. To do that, you need a partner. A partner who would push those two away and make them the main characters of the stage would take all the attention away from Beralt, right…?!

I blinked. He didn’t even respond to my invitation, so why is he here?

I stared blankly. The partner I longed for appeared at the most ideal timing and reached out to me as if it had waited for me.

“It’s a bit late, but there must be no other partner besides me. Right, Miss Lawrence?”

At his embarrassed appearance, I just stared at him without answering. It wasn’t just me, my grandfather next to me also kept his mouth shut. In addition, the gazes that had reached Ersia and Beralt, who were doing a disgusting but splendid dance, returned this way. It had to be since the Grand Duke of Berdian did not attend any parties except for the periodic banquets held in the principality unless there was a special occasion.

A man who stole the hearts of many women, but that never paid attention to any woman. Because of that, the notoriety that he rather enjoys sodomy spread widely, but he was a man who did not explain anything about it. That’s why the hand that came to me now had a huge meaning.

“His Excellency the Grand Duke of Berdian.”

“Call me Ian, Miss Laurencia.”

The smile on his face was quite bright. It was hard to believe that he was a man struggling with debt. Well, no matter how much money it was, he was the head of one of only two ducal families in the empire.

“If you’re not going to take my hand, please refuse. I’m starting to feel ashamed.”

I looked at Ian, who spoke shamelessly without looking embarrassed at all, and managed my expression. I smiled brightly as if in response to his soft smile.

“I’ve been waiting for you, Ian.”

“Let’s go.”

Ian took my hand and asked my grandfather for his understanding, saying, “I’ll borrow your granddaughter for a while.”

I glanced at him as he moved to the center of the stage. Ian opened his mouth with his gaze fixed in front of him.

“Why do you look at me like that, Miss Laurencia?”

“You are surprisingly polite.”

He shrugged. The corners of his mouth twitched like a child playing a funny prank.

“Rather than that, call me Lawrence. You can treat me comfortably like last time. You’re older than me.”

It must be an illusion in my eyes that he twitched his eyebrows.

“What could be more comfortable than being polite to a lady?

Ian stopped in his position and turned his body toward me. Even though I was wearing high shoes, it dawned on me that he was quite tall. When I looked up blankly, he reached out so gently, grabbed my right hand, and pulled my waist. I was embarrassed for some reason as my upper body naturally swelled up.

“Are you embarrassed?”

“…Of course no.”

After replying with my embarrassed face, I slowly moved my body to the music. When he moved first, I seemed blunt to him, who was amused at seeing me slightly surprised, but even that, I just gently smiled as if I was having fun.

“You won’t be dragged around, right, Laurencia?”

“It’s easy to talk to you because you’re close.”

“Because attention is important. Other people think I’m very well-mannered.”

Puck, I wanted to reply that he wasn’t even funny, but strangely, my words didn’t come out nicely when I saw this guy. I didn’t like it or hate it, but it was really strange.

“Then nobody will know who you really are.”

“I’m fine with that though?”

He tilted his head. Why did he ask me that? He lowered his head leisurely. The distance naturally got closer and it seemed like their breath would reach.

“You left without answering last time. Didn’t you?”

“What?”

Even as they exchanged conversations, their bodies moved according to the rhythm. Even though it was a dance that could only be achieved after a long time together, both of them moved their bodies so skillfully. It’s because I’ve attended quite a few parties, but how can this guy dance so well?

“Those who seek the assets of the Ajstain family…”

“Ah.”

Then I looked at him, and I skipped the topic. I answered without hesitation.

“I’ll let you know when we get married.”

His eyebrows were raised slightly. It’s like moving your eyebrows every time you hear something you don’t like.

Ian immediately smiled and stretched out his hand to let me go, then pulled me back. It blew until the sound of breathing could be reached again. Ian glanced at me and opened his mouth again.

“Those two want to win, don’t they?”

I didn’t have to open my mouth on purpose since it was something Ian didn’t need to know. But he was quicker than I thought.

“One seems to be your younger sister, and the other is… Ah, yes, it’s the stupid Marquis I saw then.”

He gave a pleasant comment and soon changed his gaze.

“Hey, lady.”

“Lawrence.”

“Yes, Lawrence. Don’t you want to be the main character?”

My body flinched at his words. I lifted my head and met his sunken red eyes, which seemed to be black. This man…

“Use me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m useful no matter what.”

He was relaxed. There was no shaking in any of his words, actions, reactions, or facial expressions. Like someone who predicted everything.

“I need you too.”

“Me?”

“Huh.”

What else was he talking about? Suddenly, the music was running towards the end. It changed from a soft dance to a little quick and light step, but we didn’t have any hot feelings. We just looked at each other and spoke.

“Thank you in many ways for helping me. It helped prevent all the worst things from happening.”

“That’s a contract…”

“No one else would do that.”

That’s right. No everybody bet 100,000 gold coins on a contract.

“The Ajstain family dust.”

A whistling sound was heard.

“You know what? Lawrence really understands.”

“Thank you. You’re special too.”

This time, the topic changed.

“By the way, I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Have you sent an invitation?”

“I sent it. Didn’t you receive several copies of it in my own handwriting?”

His expression changed strangely. As if embarrassed and apologetic.

“It’s strange. You said you delivered it properly, but I was told that you delivered it to the elderly butler.”

“Did you really think I wouldn’t send it?”

“…I’m sorry. Perhaps Grandpa, the butler, mixed up the invitation with something else. I haven’t told him about our relationship yet. So he thought it wasn’t important.”

“Ha…”

There’s nothing crazy about it. I was dumbfounded and grabbed his collar tightly. He slowly turned his head away from his gaze.

“You must have been cursing inwardly?”

“The kind of Lady who curses at a person…”

“The one who doesn’t see a lady as a lady.”

“That sounds disheartening. My, it’s not like that.”

What did that mean? Was it a crest? I pouted my lips as I stared at him.

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Translator Note:

This chapter was more difficult that the media so sorry for any mistake you can find in it. The dialogue in special was really complicated to translate.