Chapter 1

It's a short story.

Thank you very much!

My name is Marca Perlsha.

I am the third daughter of a minor baron's family, and I am now fifteen years old.

I have a step-sister who is as pitiful as Cinderella.

"--- Drink this lukewarm tea?"

Pattering.

The tea poured from the tilted teacup splashed onto my step-sister's head, staining her clothes.

The culprit, needless to say, is my real sister, Lady Meltia.

When asked why the tea ended up on her head, it was because Lady Meltia had made my step-sister pick up a teaspoon that had fallen to the floor.

"… I am very sorry…"

Lady Liliane, my step-sister, apologized with a resigned look.

Lady Meltia, on the other hand, twisted her beautiful face and looked down on her.

--- It happens all the time.

I just want to read my book quietly, but today, as usual, the bullying of my step-sister continues.

I was enjoying a peaceful break in the baron's family's pride, the blooming greenhouse, but I closed my book with a sigh and swallowed the urge to sigh.

I had a bad feeling when Lady Meltia came, and as expected, it turned out to be a headache.

Lady Meltia and Lady Liliane are both eighteen years old.

Despite being adults, my sister still wastes drinks, food, and clothes, acting on her emotions, which makes me sigh.

Feeling uncomfortable being in the same space, I decide to leave the greenhouse.

Unfortunately, I have to pass by them to get outside, which is a bit of a problem.

"… You should change your clothes quickly."

I could have passed by without saying anything, but I couldn't stay silent when I saw Lady Liliane bowing her head in silence.

If I didn't say anything, Lady Meltia's bullying would never end, and more clothes or food would be wasted.

"… Yes …"

Lady Liliane answered while still looking down.

I never asked her to speak formally, but she always does, probably because of the bullying from my sister and mother, and now she speaks to me the same way.

She always hides her eyes behind her long bangs, and we never make eye contact.

It has been five years since Lady Liliane's mother died of illness and my mother married the baron.

And since the baron died in an accident two years ago, Lady Liliane's place in the household has become smaller and smaller.

After it was discovered that the baron had left debts, she was made to do chores, and her hands, which should be those of a lady, are rough.

"Oh, Marca, you're here. I didn't notice. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you. I don't want to drink lukewarm tea either."

"That's true. You're right, Marca."

Seeing my sister smile, I confirmed that her mood had improved and looked at Lady Liliane, who was still kneeling on the floor.

"Can't you stand up?"

How long does she plan to stay like that?

If she had stood up when I first spoke to her, she could have left this place quickly.

When I spoke to her again, she shuddered.

"… N-no. I will stand up now …"

She stood up, revealing her tired dress soaked in tea.

--- Sigh.

I will have to find more second-hand clothes again.

If I prepare new ones, my sister and mother will notice, so I always ask the town's second-hand shop to find clothes that are just the right amount of worn out.

I will have to ask the maid Ami to do some shopping after this…

I thought I could finally have a peaceful break after a long time.

But with the household matters piling up, I feel overwhelmed.

"Here, this. Wipe yourself properly before going back to the house."

"… Understood …"

I searched my pocket and handed her a handkerchief, which she quietly accepted, bowed, and left the room.

"Marca is so kind."

"Where?"

When my sister said that, I immediately responded with a puzzled look.

How could she think I am kind when I am completely ignored by Lady Liliane, who clearly dislikes me?

"It's nothing. Marca is happy as long as she can read books."

"That's true."

Despite her unfortunate personality, my sister understands me well.

I answered and slowly walked out of the greenhouse to avoid meeting Lady Liliane again.

---

"Are you back already, Miss Marca?"

"Yeah. The sisters came to the greenhouse today, so I ended my break early."

"… I see …"

Sebastian, the old butler with white hair, widened his eyes, but he seemed to understand everything.

"Can you ask Ami to get some more clothes?"

"Understood. I will give her the instructions."

Returning to my stepfather's study, I sat in the leather chair and resumed my work.

The documents on the desk are related to the businesses managed by the baron's family.

I have always loved reading, and for the past few years, I have been confined to this room, so my mother and Lady Meltia think I am here because they want to read books.

Lady Liliane probably thinks I am monopolizing the study to avoid bullying.

--- But that's not true.

I am very, very busy because I have been entrusted with the business management by my late stepfather.

I am so busy that I don't even have time to help Lady Liliane, who is being bullied, or to have a family meal.

However, if I told them that, it would only cause more trouble, so I keep it to myself.

At first, I had to go out to get work done, so the household was neglected.

I never thought that Lady Liliane would be bullied so much in my absence…

"Would you like some coffee?"

"Yeah. I would appreciate it if you could make it strong."

"Understood."

My mother, who became the lady of the Perlsha baron's household, seems to have thrown the management to Sebastian, but in reality, I am the one running the business.

Why am I doing this? The answer is simple: I became the third daughter of the baron's family for this very purpose.

When I was still a commoner,

I met my stepfather at the library I often visited.

Since I was always reading books alone, he approached me, and we became very close.

He asked me to become his adopted daughter and take over the management of his business, so I agreed on the condition that my mother and sister would come with me.

My mother thinks she was chosen by the baron, so she doesn't know about the contract I made with my stepfather.

Seeing Lady Liliane's current situation, it's clear that my mother and Lady Meltia are proud and troublesome, so I asked them to keep the contract a secret.

Now, I am working on various strategies to prevent my mother from bringing other men into the household and waiting until I turn sixteen and become the official head of the household.

"… It's been two years already."

After working on the documents for a while, I took a sip of the coffee Sebastian prepared and sighed.

Since Lady Liliane's mother fell ill, my stepfather's mental state had been unstable. He had to pay for expensive medical bills, and unfortunately, the business was also in trouble, leaving him with a large debt. It took some effort to turn things around, but now that the communication business I came up with is on track, there is no need to worry about money.

If they knew about the money, my mother and sister would cause trouble, so I am running the business under a fictitious name. It seems to be a common practice in noble society, so there should be no problem.

Well, if there is any problem, it would be that the business is going too well and I have too much work.

I want to hire more people, but since I am secretly running the business and the baron's family is supposed to be poor, I can't easily add more executives.

"Your birthday is coming up soon. I hope you can have a party without pretending to be sick this year…"

"I hope so too. I pray that nothing happens."

"… When you officially become the head of the baron's family, how will you announce it?"

Putting down my cup, I looked at Sebastian, who seemed worried.

He was my stepfather's confidant and is now my excellent butler, helping me with various tasks behind the scenes since I am not yet of age and cannot handle many procedures.

"I need to fulfill my promise to my stepfather before I become the head of the household."

Of course, becoming the head of the household is important, but I still have something I need to do.

---

"Congratulations, Liliane. You have found a wonderful husband."

"Marriage to a duke is a great honor. Fulfill your duties as a wife properly."

Their words and expressions were twisted.

Lady Meltia and my mother looked down on Lady Liliane with the kind of smile I dislike.

Lady Liliane's husband-to-be was a cruel and merciless man known as the "Monster Duke."

He would discard anyone he disliked, regardless of gender or age. His appearance was said to be otherworldly, and he always wore a mask.

When a letter suddenly arrived, my mother and Lady Meltia were delighted, thinking they could finally get rid of the troublemaker.

"… Yes. Thank you for everything …"

Lady Liliane accepted the engagement with the same resigned look, bowing her head as always.

Lady Liliane's wedding was very modest.

She left for the Gaillon Duke's household with only a few belongings and the maid Ami.

--- Yes, everything went according to my plan.

"Will it work out?"

After Lady Liliane left, Sebastian asked me as I returned to my work.

"Who knows. I can't be sure, but I did arrange for her to marry the most eligible bachelor among unmarried men, in terms of wealth, power, intelligence, military prowess, and appearance."

"… I never thought you would succeed in a deal with the Duke of Gaillon. You are truly remarkable, Miss Marca."

It was a gamble.

I entrusted Lady Liliane to a prime candidate I found through the information network I built with the communication business.

He is somewhat strict, but he doesn't hit people without reason, doesn't play around, and is of good character. Despite being called a monster, his true face is that of a handsome man, making him a perfect match for the beautiful Lady Liliane.

"This isn't a deal. I offered him the information he wanted in exchange for marrying Lady Liliane… The Duke, who doesn't know my true identity, must be confused."

"Still, the other party accepted the conditions, so it is impressive."

"… Thank you. But this is all I can do."

I smiled wryly at Sebastian's praise.

"I wish I could have arranged her marriage earlier."

If I had, at least Lady Liliane wouldn't have been hurt in this household.

She might have smiled at me like she used to.

"… Miss Marca has done enough. Managing the business is already a great burden, and you are also taking care of the household. You are working hard, even cutting down on your sleep."

"That's no excuse. I didn't stop the bullying."

I could have done better.

If I had given up on my mother and Lady Meltia, helping Lady Liliane would have been easy.

But I still loved my mother and sister enough to make the condition of joining the household.

If they had gotten along, there would have been no problems, but Lady Liliane was bullied beautifully.

Since I am not yet of age, there are many things I cannot do without my mother's name. Therefore, it is best to keep her and Lady Meltia at home.

I prepared Lady Liliane for balls and tea parties to fulfill my stepfather's promise, but she always came back with her head down.

I wanted to marry her to someone she truly loved, but now that I am about to become the head of the household, I had to arrange her marriage for political reasons.

"If I receive any information that Lady Liliane is being mistreated, I will have her divorced immediately. I will give her some money, claiming it is from my stepfather's inheritance."

"Understood."

Seeing Sebastian nod, I returned my gaze to the documents.

My birthday is coming up soon.

Then, I will pretend to have found the baron's hidden wealth, buy the communication business under a different name, and live a peaceful life in this household.

My mother and Lady Meltia are troublesome, but with money, they should be able to live without worries.

This is all I can do for my mother, who raised me by selling flowers, and my sister, who held me close on cold nights.

Thank you very much for reading!