I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

The next morning, Navier visited his uncle as soon as he woke up. Still, it was his first day there, so he thought he had to make a good impression. The moment he stood in front of his uncle’s study and raised his hand to knock.

 

Slap.

 

A familiar sound was heard.

 

Navier frowned unknowingly. He couldn’t help but know.

 

Every time his brother felt bad, upset, or bored, he did that to Navier, so Navier couldn’t help but know that sound. A familiar and unpleasant sensation came to his mind, so he stopped his hand for a while and stood still there, hearing the voice coming from inside.

 

“You bitch touched the money in the safe again.”

 

“…”

 

“You’re only going to do what I told you to do. This is already the second time. Remember, there is no next time.”

 

Navier pondered the situation that could be drawn from the conversation from within.

 

Is she a naughty maid by any chance? I heard the Count is someone without blood or tears, but I guess it was wrong.

 

For forgiving a maid who touched her master’s property twice. He thought the rumors were exaggerated.

 

Then, his uncle’s study room door opened, and a girl appeared.

 

Is her height about my nose? Her bright silver hair is coveted… wait, silver hair? That means…

 

The long, voluminous eyelashes moved, and the purple eyes beneath them looked up at him.

 

???

 

She wasn’t a maid. She must have been Arianne Bornes, the only daughter of his uncle. One of her cheeks was burning red.

 

“Get out of the way.”

 

Navier reflexively moved his body away from her cold eyes, which resembled her father. Arianne turned her gaze away and passed him.

 

“How could I not know? Damn it.”

 

Navier looked at her from behind, startled by the distant sound.

 

Did she really touch uncle’s money?

 

Not a misunderstanding or an illusion, but was she really trying to steal it? What’s the point? Why would a daughter of a wealthy family living in a splendid mansion like the imperial palace touch her father’s money? Wasn’t she supposed to have everything?

 

Navier thought she was indulging in luxury that even her parents couldn’t afford. That was probably why she secretly touched his father’s safe.

 

At their second meeting, she appeared to be a very modest woman. She acted like an elegant, noble lady to the point where Navier wondered if she was the same girl he had met the last time.

 

“This is your cousin. He will be living here together in the future, so know it.”

 

“Yes, Father.”

 

She answered obediently as if there was no disagreement with her father’s words. So Navier thought she accepted him. But at that moment, just from the first glance, he could feel a sharp gaze with hostility from her, but he intuited that he was mistaken. And then her bullying began.

 

“Don’t even think about being treated as my older brother. Stay out of my sight and live like a mouse.”

 

“You still haven’t finished accounting? Stupid.”

 

“Stupid. Dummy. Lazy idiot.”

 

Every time she saw him, she made fun of him for being an idiot with all kinds of curses, but Navier didn’t feel too bad. Was it because her bullying and provocations were weaker compared to what he had suffered from his brother? Rather, there were many times when he almost laughed at how proud she was when she bullied him.

 

What the heck, this little sister… is subtly lovely.

 

She had a bad personality, no laughter, and acted like a devil in this small castle, but Navier didn’t hate her. Rather, he just felt that she was cute.

 

Navier was accustomed to locking himself in his room all day without doing anything anyway, staring at the ceiling, and never met her except for occasional class by his uncle’s tutor. However, when he left his room, she appeared as if she had been waiting.

 

However, when she left the room, she appeared as if she had been waiting.

 

“You lazy idiot is still there?”

 

“Well, this is my home now.”

 

“Why is this your home! This is my home! You idiot can’t even tell if it’s real poop or chocolate.”

 

“Can’t you tell if it’s poop or chocolate just by smelling it?”

 

“Noisy!”

 

Navier deliberately provoked her further. It was because her reaction was interesting. How could he not bother her when she was so naive and spontaneous?

 

Arianne shouted. Her sparkling purple eyes looked as if she knew he was teasing her.

 

“This is my home until my father passed away!”

 

Then she swung back and huffed away.

 

At that moment, Navier realized. That he was the one who came to take her place. Arianne had to give up all this property and title just because she was a woman. Just like how he gave up everything and lived because he was the second son.

 

Navier saw himself in Arianne. He and Arianne were distinctly alike. He didn’t mean to take her place… but whatever his intentions were, the reality was cold.

 

“This… My little sister deserved to be angry.”

 

Was it because of comradeship? Navier, who understood Ariane’s innermost thoughts, decided. No matter what happened, he promised to be her real family that would always trust and protect her. But the road to becoming her family was never easy.

 

Navier looked down at the large, white cake in front of him and gulped.

 

I hope it wasn’t what I thought, right?

 

“What are you doing without eating?”

 

Oh my, does she want me to eat all this alone?

 

There were various ways to bully, but it was the first time in his life that he was bullied from eating until his stomach exploded, even though he had not eaten anything because he was not given food.

 

Raising his gaze and seeing Arianne’s twinkling eyes full of anticipation, Navier made his decision.

 

Let’s eat. Let’s eat a little bit.

 

And that day, Navier ate it all up. Although his stomach was bloated, it wasn’t to the point of getting sick.

 

“Whoa, that brat. It was a great torture.”

 

And the next day, Navier struggled to hide his embarrassment in front of the two-tiered cake. Arianne asked if he could eat this as well, and Navier, a little bit pissed off, ate all the whole ack.

 

He couldn’t sleep that night because of a stomach ache. No matter how delicious and precious the cake was, it was enough. He didn’t want to see a cake again. Still, it was meaningful that he won the match against her.

 

The very next day, Navier collapsed in front of the three-tiered cake. He met the catastrophe of a three-tiered cake before his stomachache of the previous day went away. He pushed them in with a single mind not to lose, but he got sick right away.

 

“Urgh. Urgh. Ah…”

 

It was so painful that he was out of his mind. It felt like someone was talking to him, but he couldn’t understand it. He just grabbed his stomach and crouched down, hoping and praying that the pain would go away.

 

Someone tried to touch him and gave him medicine, but he didn’t want to eat anything. It seemed he had fainted while holding his mouth shut.

 

He didn’t know how long it had been, but after a considerable amount of time, his pain started to subside. After a while, Navier came to his senses and gritted his teeth.

 

“That little brat. Let’s see.”

 

He just had to get up from his seat. Even if he told his uncle about that, his uncle would just scold her. And then, someone came into his room.

 

“Really, he’s not going to die, is he?”

 

“The patient’s condition is not so good that I can’t say anything for sure, Lady.”

 

“What? You’re saying something like this after receiving all the expensive medical expenses?”

 

“No one died of indigestion, so if you wait a little longer…”

 

“You’re like a quack. Madrenne! Get him out of here now! And bring another famous doctor in the capital!”

 

Navier’s stomach was hurting again at the loud shout.

 

This brat. What are you doing next to a sick person?

Still, her appearance of worrying about him quickly subsided his anger.

 

That’s right. Because we’re family. Likable or not, family eventually cares about each other. Even if she didn’t accept me as her family, didn’t I already decide to accept her as my family?

 

Navier scolded himself for being such an ugly brother that almost abandoned his family just because of a stomach ache.

 

And two days later, he appeared before Arianne with a smile. Looking at Arianne’s tired face, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. Her actions and words were mean, but he knew well that she always cared about the people around her.

 

The brat who is not honest.

 

If Arianne had known Navier’s mind, the road would have been wild, but at that time, she was just saying, “What kind of idiot are you?” Anyway, even Arianne gave up this much to Navier. Because she was tired of dealing with the hopeless idiot.

 

Navier decided to leave the mansion for their relationship. He told his uncle to find a separate residence. He occasionally stopped by the County to make sure Arianne was doing well. Every time he went, she used a lot of abusive and sarcastic remarks, but that still pleased him. Because he knew very well that she would answer everything he said, even though she looked annoyed and sick of him.

 

And it was the day he had visited for a long time.

 

“I thought you were dead because you never came, but you’re still alive.”

 

Arianne remembered his absence.

 

To Navier, Arianne was a cute, lovable little sister with a bad temper.

 

Then, one day, he heard the thunderous rumor in the dry sky.

 

“Arianne… is engaged?”

 

Nonsense.

 

Besides, her fiancé was Duke Kaien, famous for being the sword of the Empire and Iron-Blooded Man? Duke Kaien, who was rumored to like men, is now caring and loving her passionately?

 

Navier shuddered in despair and fear. Now he understood why everyone foamed their mouths when their sister had a lover.

 

He might be caring outside, but he could abuse her at home.

 

“That brat! He might be a bad guy!”

 

What if that filthy bastard even broke off their engagement!

 

“I have to live with her for the rest of my life!”

 

Well, maybe it’s not as bad as it is?

 

First, he had to know how the two, who had no connection at all, became lovers, and what led Arianne to enter the Duchy even before they married.

 

Navier found his uncle. But he couldn’t get any information from him. Judging from what the diamond mine was doing, he wondered if his uncle had sold Arianne to the Duke. That conclusion was reasonable enough as he already knew how his uncle treated her.

 

Can a woman sold for money be happy? Can she be loved completely?

 

After days of groaning at the raging anxiety and worry, Navier came to the Duchy. Although he may be a powerless and insignificant man, if his family is in danger, he should help them.

 

As soon as the Duchy’s door opened, Navier thought.

 

That brat. She has succeeded.