Chapter 3
The Duke’s icy gaze settled on Ayla.
“But now that we’ve learned she isn’t my real daughter, shouldn’t that seat belong to Rosia?”
Rosia’s eyes widened in alarm.
“I-I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking… I never meant to take Lady Ayla’s place…”
Her shoulders trembled as if she’d only just realized she’d put Ayla in an awkward position.
Watching her, Kallios spoke gently.
“That was never Ayla’s seat to begin with. It’s yours. You’re the true daughter of House Blanche.”
Even after hearing his reassurance, Rosia still looked anxiously toward Ayla.
Ayla watched the entire performance in silence.
What an actress.
As if that was an innocent mistake. She knew exactly whose seat it was before she pointed it out.
The old me would’ve fallen for it without question.
Back then, I had no idea what kind of person Rosia really was.
In the original story, this was the moment that shattered Ayla.
“Move, Ayla.”
At Kallios’s command, her eyes had gone wide.
“F-Father…”
“Father? I am no longer your father.”
Those cold words drained every trace of color from her face.
“But… that’s always been my seat! How can you tell me to give it to her—”
“You still don’t understand your situation? The only daughter of House Blanche now is Rosia.”
“…”
“Your name will soon be erased from the family registry. Once that happens, you’ll be nothing more than a commoner.”
“Know your place.”
Ayla knew exactly what kind of man Kallios was.
He was a noble through and through.
The sort of aristocrat who could discard even the daughter he loved the moment she ceased to be useful.
Now that he thinks I’m not his blood… he’s already cut me off emotionally.
In the original novel, Ayla couldn’t accept that reality.
She stubbornly clung to her seat, believing that if she gave it up, she’d be thrown out of the Blanche family altogether.
And because of that, she endured even harsher insults.
Father hated her even more… and my so-called brothers drifted further toward Rosia.
Just as Kallios opened his mouth to reprimand her—
Ayla stood up without hesitation.
She wore the expression of someone desperately holding back tears.
“Here.”
She smiled faintly.
“You should sit here, Rosia.”
“L-Lady Ayla…”
“You’re right.”
“This is your seat.”
“I almost forgot.”
“Thanks to you, I remembered…”
“…that I’m no longer a member of House Blanche.”
For the briefest moment, Rosia’s expression stiffened.
She expected me to fight.
If I had, she’d have had an even easier time earning everyone’s sympathy.
But Rosia wasn’t an amateur.
She recovered instantly.
“I’m… really sorry.”
“What for?”
Ayla smiled warmly.
“You’ve done nothing wrong.”
“I’m fine.”
“I really am.”
She personally guided Rosia into the seat before quietly taking the lowest place at the table herself.
Giving up the seat had been surprisingly easy.
It wasn’t nearly as humiliating…
Or as heartbreaking…
…as she’d expected.
Everything she’d said to Rosia was true.
She genuinely didn’t care.
Besides…
The dumbfounded looks on everyone’s faces are pretty entertaining.
An awkward silence settled over the dining hall as the meal began.
Rosia merely poked at her food with a gloomy expression.
Unable to watch any longer, the second son, Kedrick, sliced up his veal steak and placed it onto her plate.
“Rosia.”
“Try some of this.”
“Thank you, Lord Kedrick.”
“I told you.”
He smiled.
“Call me ‘Brother.'”
“…Yes, Brother.”
“I’ll do that from now on.”
Kedrick looked at her thin frame with pity.
“Just how much have you suffered to become this skinny?”
Rosia smiled gently.
“It’s alright.”
“If someone had to go through hardship…”
“…I’m glad it was me.”
Everyone stared at her.
“Because thanks to that…”
“Lady Ayla was able to grow up surrounded by a warm, loving family.”
“Rosia…”
“How can you possibly think like that?” Kedrick murmured.
“You’re too kind.”
Rosia shook her head.
“I’d rather be the one who suffered.”
“I’m used to enduring difficult things.”
“But Lady Ayla…”
“She never would have survived a life like mine.”
Even while Rosia skillfully sowed discord between herself and the family—
Ayla remained completely focused on cutting her steak.
I’ll need plenty of energy if I’m going to deal with this manipulative little saint.
Watching Rosia only made everyone pity her more.
Soon even the eldest brother, Gerat, joined in.
“Rosia.”
“Drink something too.”
“Don’t rush your meal.”
“Thank you, Brother.”
“You don’t have to thank us every time.”
He smiled.
“This is simply what you’ll experience from now on.”
Rosia blinked in disbelief.
“R-Really?”
“Of course.”
“We’ll return everything that should have belonged to you.”
Because of the emotional manipulation magic clouding their judgment, the family’s hearts had already begun to tilt toward Rosia.
Ayla could see it plainly.
Maybe not as much as Father…
But my brothers resent me too.
They believed Ayla had stolen everything that rightfully belonged to Rosia.
That was why they treated her so coldly in Rosia’s presence.
That’s why they haven’t spoken a single word to me this entire meal.
The brothers who had once doted on her now directed every ounce of their attention toward Rosia instead.
Only one person kept glancing at Ayla with visible concern.
Irenne.
“Are you alright, Ayla?”
Ayla gave her a small smile.
“I’m fine.”
“So please don’t worry about me, Mother.”
“But, Ayla…”
“Mother.”
After dinner…
“Would you like to go look at dresses with me?”
Just then—
Perhaps displeased that Irenne’s attention remained on Ayla—
Rosia suddenly spoke.
“Mother…”
The Duchess immediately fell silent.
Unlike the rest of the family, even under the influence of the magic, she still couldn’t fully accept Rosia.
Knowing Rosia was her biological daughter…
…didn’t make her heart move.
Seeing that, emotion welled inside Ayla’s chest.
Mother knows.
The foolish men don’t…
But Mother knows instinctively.
I’m her real daughter.
In the original story, Irenne never truly accepted Rosia as her daughter until much later.
The years she’d spent raising Ayla simply couldn’t be erased.
Thinking about that made Ayla’s nose sting.
Rosia looked toward the silent Duchess and offered an adorably shy smile.
“I…”
“I’ve always dreamed of shopping with my mother…”
“…and eating cake together afterward.”
“…”
“I grew up in the slums.”
“So I’ve never gotten to do things like that.”
She smiled brightly.
“But now…”
“I’m so happy…”
“…because I finally have a mother.”
Gerat looked at Irenne earnestly.
“Mother.”
“Perhaps this would be a good opportunity.”
“Why not spend some time alone with Rosia?”
Kedrick grinned.
“Can I come too?”
“I’m more than ready to serve as Rosia’s personal pack mule.”
Ayla’s head snapped up.
She already knew exactly what happened next.
In the original story…
Mother refused Rosia’s request.
Not because she disliked her…
But because she was worried about hurting my feelings.
This…
This was where everything began to fall apart.
Later, after her brothers became completely obsessed with Rosia…
…their mother would suffer deeply because of it.
“Mother, why are you treating Rosia like this?”
“Your real daughter isn’t Ayla anymore—it’s Rosia!”
“Why do you keep hurting her?”
“I’m truly disappointed in you, Mother.”
