Chapter 5

The next morning, Ortancia woke up and, despite her nervousness, made her way to the dining room.

(I have to somehow win my brother over...)

But how should I do it?

As she was pondering this, she noticed her father and stepbrother talking in the hallway.

(Ah, I’m not ready for this!)

She hadn’t expected to encounter them so early, so she hadn’t decided on a specific plan.

Just as she was about to turn around and retreat for a strategy session, her eyes met her father’s.

(Ah, Father! Don’t give me that warm smile!)

Since she had been spotted, it would look strange to run away.

Steeeling herself, Ortancia took a trembling step forward.

(Smile, smile...)

-- "Remember, Ortancia. No matter how annoying someone is, you must never lose your smile. A woman’s smile is a trap that makes the other person let their guard down."

The words her mother once told her flashed through her mind.

Ortancia, her cheeks twitching, forced a cute smile.

-- "When you meet new friends, greet them with a loud voice. That way, you’ll become friends quickly."

The kind smile of the orphanage teacher came to mind.

Feeling a sense of mission, Ortancia, who was flustered, opened her mouth to greet them.

"Good morning, Father. Bro--"

The moment her gaze shifted from her father to Gérard, Ortancia froze.

He was still giving her that cold, piercing look that could freeze anyone in their tracks.

(Starting with “Brother” is way too familiar! Isn’t that rude!? Uh, in this situation...)

Ortancia tried to hold back her tears and opened her mouth to Gérard.

"Good morning, Gérard-sama."

I’m being properly humble and keeping my distance, she thought.

But at that moment, Gérard’s eyes widened, and Ortancia felt as if a blizzard was raging around her.

The cold, freezing air made her smile instantly stiffen.

(Ah, it didn’t work!? Was it presumptuous for someone like me to even speak to him!?)

"Hmph"

Gérard snorted dismissively, then turned and walked away from Ortancia.

As he moved further away, she felt her body gradually warming up again.

(Thank goodness, I’m still alive... No, that’s not the point!!)

No matter how she thought about it, her favorability rating was at best zero, or even negative.

With no idea how to win Gérard over in this state, Ortancia felt utterly lost.

"Good morning, Ortancia. Did you sleep well last night?"

She nodded slightly at her father’s cheerful greeting, and he smiled a bit awkwardly.

"Don’t worry about Gérard. He’s just at a difficult age... He doesn’t dislike you at all."

Although her father tried to reassure her, Ortancia’s heart felt heavy.

(No, no, that look clearly means he thinks I’m less than a speck of dust. I’m starting to think that the best way to avoid losing favor is to avoid showing myself...)

But that would just repeat the mistakes of her first life.

As she trudged along, Ortancia let out a small sigh.

(I’m the daughter of Father’s mistress (for now), and it’s not even certain if I’m his biological child. From Gérard’s perspective, it’s impossible to accept a girl who suddenly appeared from an orphanage as a family member, let alone a member of the ducal family.)

Worse, her proactive greeting might have made her seem overly familiar and presumptuous, causing her favorability to plummet.

(Sigh, can I really make it work like this...?)

Feeling gloomy, Ortancia followed her father into the dining room.