When My Enemies Began to Regret

Aloken squinted at his answer and put his hands behind his back. 

“I can’t believe you’re even made an appointment with Carl Andras just by talking about animals. Your skills are amazing.”

“Are you interested in him?”

“It’s not him, but Marquis of Andras.”

Aloken frowned at first as if he didn’t like it. However, as the conversation continued, his gaze changed to a different atmosphere.

“Fanora, I don’t know about the head of that family, but I’m putting in a lot of effort to recruit his third son. That’s why I know. It’s the same with that little guy. They’re hard to please.”

“…”

“But judging from the behavior of the red colt earlier, how friendly he was with you…”

A man who looked like a painting was looking at her. This should be a pleasure, but Fanora hated his gaze, which was as cold as a snake. Aloken whispered in her ear, persistently bent down as she dodged his gaze that made her shiver.

“I changed my mind.”

“What… What are you thinking?”

“Looking at your brilliant astrology skills, as well as your friendship with Andras, who is difficult to deal with…”

Slowly, he lowered his head to the side and began to look into my eyes. “I’m interested in you.”

Fanora spat out the words without thinking about them first in her head. “Throw away your interest.”

When Fanora refused with disgust, Aloken smiled and relaxed without saying anything.

“Lady, would you like to come to the central table? It is said that Madam is giving a toast.”

“I’m coming. Well, thank you for coming to the banquet today. I look forward to your preparations for the rest of the engagement ceremony.”

While they were talking, it was already the highlight of the banquet. It was the most important thing to do at the birthday banquet.

“…”

“…”

Elegant wheat-colored hair curled up like a snake’s tail, thin and small eyelashes, unlike Fanora’s. However, her cold expression alone made it hard to believe that they were a family.

Fanora, who faced her stepmother at the center table, greeted her with courtesy. Hanar looked down dryly at her and reluctantly lifted the glass. This was the first toast of the banquet. It was also the first congratulation Fanora heard at the age of 16.

“God, please take care of her well too for this year.”

When this word came out, thunderous applause poured out from around. It was the first big sound of congratulations Fanora had ever heard in ger life.

“Thank you, Mother.”

The louder the celebration, the vain she felt. The thunderous applause was a celebration she hadn’t received when she was really 16 years old. This was all fake.

“…”

When Fanora thought that the whole scene in the banquet hall was fake, she felt sick and eventually couldn’t get her hands on the food of her birthday banquet. Even now, she just felt angry and not happy at all.

She just wanted to close her enemies’ eyes as soon as possible and end her long sleepless sleep. 

* * *

After the banquet, Fanora felt exhausted from dealing with the two men. It took about half an hour to send back Aloken from where they were supposed to go to see the robes for their engagement ceremony. After that, a few more minutes passed by as Fanora made an appointment with Carl Andras to meet soon.

“I’m so tired.”

But her work for today wasn’t finished yet. As soon as the banquet was over, she heard her father calling for her and she had to move her steps to his office.

“Lady, you’re here.”

“Please ask my father if I can come in now.”

In Fanora’s childhood, she rarely talked to Bael. Before her engagement ceremony with Naverius, she had only one conversation with her father. So, it naturally made her happy when her father called for her on her 16th birthday in the past.

“Yes, Master tells Lady to come in.”

However, Bael had hrt sit down with his blunt character, held out a sheet of paper full of difficult words, and told her to take it.  There was not even a word to congratulate her on her birthday. Fanora, who was hurt by it, remembered that she left his office at a quick pace without asking what the document was.

“Did you call for me?”

“Sit down there.”

Fanora, who already knew what would happen, had already given up her hope. She just put on a half-dying look on her face.

“…?”

Bael Celsius was puzzled as he looked at Fanora’s expression when she entered the room. Still, he didn’t ask about his daughter’s well-being.

“Take it.”

Again, this scene flowed just like the past she remembered. Bael handed her a document bearing the family seal and told her to leave after receiving it.

“Is it my birthday present?”

However, Fanora opened her mouth rather than follow his orders. Pointing out the document of the transfer name of the sapphire mine, she asked him about it. Then her father answered. “What would it be if it wasn’t?”

But Fanora wasn’t overjoyed with the present.  First of all, the reason he gave this mine was to advertise to the society that he was such a good father. Second, this sapphire mine would be her, but it was not at her disposal.  In the future, Fanora lost the entire mine because she got scammed. Then what was Bael’s reaction?

He got angry and added more.

Fanora almost got kicked out of the mansion because of this mine. She cried and begged all three days, barely holding on. Of course, losing such a great fortune was a great reason to get mad. 

“…”

In fact, there was something she wanted more than this sapphire mine.  There was a time when she thought it was enough if Bael bought a small toy for her birthday and celebrated her birthday.

“Thank you, Count.”

It was all in the past now. She got up from her seat after a brief recollection of the past. But then…

“Did you just call me Count now?”

If it had been like usual, Bael would be buried in the papers and didn’t care whether she left or not. But he brought out a word that had never been brought before. He was bothered about the way Fanora called him.

“…”

So Fanora came up with a small excuse. 

“Yes, because I’m all grown up now.” The 21-year-old Fanora in her body spoke quietly. After that, she left the room without even looking at her father’s expression. 

* * *

7 days later.

A cream-colored bonnet that created shade on the face with a short brim. Wearing an expensive dress, with silk gloves the same color as it, Fanora finally reached the gate of that family mansion.

She arrived at the Marquis’s estate, which was on the border with other kingdoms. It was the day of the appointment to visit Carl after the birthday banquet. When she talked to Carl, who had come to her birthday banquet, that she wanted to talk to him soon, he replied,

“This is the home of Andras’s family…”

When Fanora turned her eyes, she could see the vast and beautiful estate that made Celsius’s mansion look like a toy. As she opened the first gate and entered, she noticed a large lake and a plaster statue carved out of the symbol of Andras’s family.

As expected, the Marquis family was wealthy.

Fanora clutching the parasol in her hand, knocked on the door of the mansion she had arrived at.

“Which family did you come from?”

“I’m Fanora from Count Celsius’s family. I’m here because I have an appointment with Carl Andras.”

“I understand. I will inform the young Master about Lady Fanora’s visit.”

However, the atmosphere here was somehow strange. The servant who had gone up to the mansion didn’t come back after a long time.

By the time she was contemplating whether it was daring for her to step into the Marquis’s estate or not, fortunately, her thought was in vain. A few minutes later.

“Young Master tells Lady to join him inside.”

Fanora was able to get in through a servant, who walked back quickly. However, the interior scenery that she encountered was surprisingly simple.

The surroundings were full of old-fashioned traditional-style furniture from Kingdom Kasius. When trade was booming these days, at least there should be one item imported from abroad, but there wasn’t something like that.

“Welcome! Lady Fanora Celsius.”

Soon after arriving in the parlor room, she heard an unfamiliar voice.

“Since the head of the family is away, it was inevitable for me to provide hospitality. Please excuse my rudeness.”

The owner of the voice had red hair as if to indicate that he inherited the Andras family blood. It didn’t take long to find out exactly who he was because of his strong personal characteristics. Big as a mountain, and even the scars like the constellations that fill his face. He was the second son of the Andras family and the older brother of Carl.

“My name is Carlos. Please have a seat. Would you like some drinks? We also have delicious cookies too.”

“Greetings.”

The parlor room was lined with sweets to entertain her. It must have been prepared when she was standing outside the mansion. Fanora sat down at her seat, sipping the drink he recommended.

The nobles of the Kasius Kingdom got used to the taste of tea brought in from other kingdoms. Still, it was unusual that they served fruit juice instead of tea to entertain guests.

Then they immediately started the conversation.

“Our territory is on the border area, so it’s rare for guests to come here. I got excited because it’s been a long time since someone visited.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes! Ah, do the cookies fit your taste? You might not like it because it’s made for Western’s people taste buds.”

“I like it because it’s light.”

“That’s a relief.”

By the way… Somehow the direction of their conversation went different than expected. Fanora imagined the second son of Andras’s family was not this kind of man.

She thought his personality would be tough as he also had a lot of achievements from fighting. At this rate, maybe it was kindness, not violence, that ran through Andras’s blood. That showed how much IFanora was being treated with great care.

Carlos, who had a large body, kept pushing cookies to her side and later brought out these words.

“Oh, look at me. I forget to ask because I’m happy that you’re enjoying the sweets. Uh… So, did you say you’re Lady Fanora from the Celsius family? What happened that the daughter of Celsius to come to our residence…?”

Fanora could feel how sloppy this man was to bring her into the mansion and asked belatedly the reason for her visit.

“That’s… I came here for an appointment with the third son, Sir Carl Andras. We already set the date, so I thought you already knew about it.”

“Carl? Lady have an appointment with him? Oh my, he should have told me that his friend would come!”

Just as he slapped his thigh and lamented, Fanora asked him, “Then where is Carl?”

“I’m sure he has forgotten about Lady Fanora’s visit. He  just went to the stableto groom the horse by himself. It’s not so far from here, so I’ll call him right away.”