I was shorter and more petite than the other girls my age. My hair, which reached my chest, was brittle, and my sun-kissed skin leaned toward the dark side. It was a dead, jet-black brown, much like my eyes—large, yet slanted upward in a way that lent them a fierce, aggressive cast. My small nose was dusted with freckles and upturned, as if perpetually straining toward the sky. My lips were rough and small, prone to cracking and bleeding at the slightest provocation.
*An ugly dwarf.*
That was what the boys my age used to call me.
In sharp contrast, my third sister, Alicia, had been a beauty since childhood. She was roughly my height, yet possessed a soft, curvaceous figure and a full chest. Her waist-length hair was a glossy, light brown, the result of constant, pampered care. Because she avoided the harsh sunlight, her skin remained porcelain-pale. With those wide eyes, a perfectly straight nose, and plump, inviting lips, she was so alluring that even a ghost of a smile could captivate anyone.
Even to me, she was breathtaking. Her reputation as a beauty had spread far beyond our village, and the village lord’s son had been so smitten he’d actually proposed to her. In truth, every man in the vicinity was secretly in love with her, and because of that, even her nasty temperament was dismissed as a charming quirk.
Naturally, I became a topic of idle curiosity. People wondered about the older sister of the beautiful Alicia. If the younger one was that pretty, surely the older must be even more exquisite? Many who had seen Alicia would come looking for me, only for the sparkle of expectation in their eyes to die the moment they caught sight of my face. Some would openly scowl; others would curse. Being asked if we were truly sisters was a question I had heard far too often.
Vincent remained silent for a moment. He seemed to be imagining the servant who had dared to act impudently toward him.
*Would you also feel contempt if you could see me?* You might find me too unsightly to keep by your side, just like everyone else. Perhaps it is a blessing that he is blind; he does not have to look at this ugly face directly.
If, by some miracle, Vincent were to regain his sight, I would never want him to see me.
I don’t want to be hurt. It began with just the sound of our voices, and while my current lies were blurted out in a moment of confusion, it wasn’t so bad to let him keep misunderstanding. If there were just one person in my life who remembered me as someone pretty, I would be truly happy.
“You must be a beauty. I can’t imagine it, though.”
“I hear that often.”
I offered a bitter smile.
“A moment ago, you said you looked ordinary.”
“I said that out of courtesy.”
“You’re full of yourself.”
He shook his head and released the lock of hair he had been absently fiddling with. It seemed his curiosity was satisfied. I felt a surge of gratitude that he couldn’t see how my fingertips, still holding the book, were trembling.
“Master is handsome as well.”
“I know.”
“Ah, that’s a bit insufferable.”
As I voiced my honest thoughts, he raised the corners of his lips slightly. His emerald eyes held a faint, amused glint. *He… can smile like that, too.*
“You would be easy to find.”
*I wonder if that’s true. I am not the woman you have in your mind right now.*
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You would just have to tell someone to bring the smallest person here.”
The remark caught me off guard. The smallest person…
“I’m not that small.”
“You are.”
“Master is on the taller side.”
“You’re so small that you’d make a good substitute for a cane.”
“I told you, I’m not small.”
When I said that with a pout, he laughed again. His face, usually so rigid, was lit with genuine pleasure. I had only ever seen him hardened or frozen in fear, so seeing him laugh like this made it clear he was in a truly good mood. My own spirits lifted to match his, and before I knew it, I was laughing along.
“You are truly mean.”
“Not as mean as you.”
I wondered if we should have a contest to see who was worse.
“More importantly, the wind is picking up.”
“Don’t change the subject.”
“Ah, all right. Think whatever you wish.”
I declared my surrender and kicked my feet, restless. A gust of wind rushed by, carrying a light, ticklish sound of laughter on the breeze.
“The air is still chilly, so please tell me if you feel cold.”
“This is fine.”
He took a sip of his black tea and turned his head. I fixed my gaze back on the book, intending to resume reading where I had left off.
“I feel like walking.”
The words slipped out before I could check them. I looked up. Vincent still had his head turned to the side; the wind ruffled his hair. Today, he couldn’t seem to focus on reading, and I found myself just as distracted.
“Then, would you like to take a walk?”
“What?”
I set the book on the table and stood, reaching for his arm. He looked bewildered as I tugged him upward.
“Let’s go. For a walk.”
The forest was silent. As expected, there was no one around. Though located behind the annex, it wasn’t particularly deep—just raw, unmanaged nature. Fortunately, a clear path made it ideal for a stroll. Walking amidst the birdsong and the rustle of leaves, it felt as though we were embarking on an adventure.
“The weather is truly wonderful.”
“I suppose so.”
He gripped my hand tightly, trailing one step behind me. It felt awkward, walking hand-in-hand with a grown man, yet it also felt like escorting a younger sibling.
“Tell me if you get tired. I’ll carry you on my back.”
“I told you before, my legs aren’t injured.”
“Even so.”
Because he had spent so much time confined to his room, his stamina had plummeted. I kept his hand, slowing my pace to accommodate him. Ever since the incident with Ethan, he had begun to leave his bed. It was a small, incremental change, but a good one compared to his previous, stagnant existence.
*Swoosh.* The wind blew. I tilted my head back, savoring the cool, sharp sensation against my skin. The hair that had been veiling my face whipped back, and Vincent’s golden hair swayed softly in the breeze. The crunch of our footsteps on the forest floor echoed rhythmically.
“I think it would be good to come out like this sometimes.”
“Forget it.”
“Why?”
“It would be troublesome if we ran into someone.”
I supposed he was right. I couldn’t sense anyone nearby, but I kept my awareness sharp, scanning the trees.
“There’s no one here, but if someone comes, I’ll let you know immediately.”
“There won’t be anyone.”
“Is that so?”
“This is a place I used to frequent when I was young. With Ethan and Violet.”
“Um… I’ve been wondering for a while now. Who is Violet?”
Given the way he mentioned Ethan, I was curious. Since he seemed to be in a rare, good mood, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to ask.
“My fiancée.”
“Fiancée?!”
I was startled, though considering his station, it would have been stranger if he weren’t betrothed. I remembered Alicia, who would sneer at the village lord’s son for boasting he would cast aside his own fiancée to have her. Alicia had hated him because he was ugly, but he had mistakenly believed she was refusing him out of moral outrage.
*Yes, they must love each other.* That would explain the letters he sent—the worry, the care.
“She must love you very much, Master.”
“That’s not it.”
I had been moved, but he cut off the sentiment with brutal efficiency. I glanced at him sideways.
“It’s not?”
“No. So, if she happens to visit the mansion, send her away.”
“Why? You said she was your fiancée.”
“She doesn’t know I’ve gone blind.”
*Ah…* I had heard he was hiding it, but I never imagined he would conceal such a thing even from his future wife.
“If she finds out her fiancé has become a blind cripple, she’ll surely ask to break the engagement.”
“I doubt it.”
“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but our engagement wasn’t born of love. It was a business arrangement for our houses. If one side becomes useless, it is only natural for the contract to be dissolved.”
“…”
“I can’t hide it forever, but it’s better to delay it as long as possible.”
Between Ethan and this, everyone seemed to base their relationships on cold utility. I realized, with a heavy heart, that the lives of the nobility were rarely simple.
“I will keep that in mind.”
I nodded, though my curiosity lingered. His fiancée—what was she like? For some reason, I imagined a face as beautiful as a flower.
“And you don’t have to do this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“It’s because of our talk the other day, isn’t it? I’m telling you, you don’t need to comfort me.”
“……No, it’s not.”
Because he had pinpointed it so accurately, my response faltered. I tried to deflect, but it didn’t work. Truth be told, ever since his shocking confession, the atmosphere between us had grown stifling. I found myself walking on eggshells, and he had become even more taciturn. We were never a pair to engage in trivial small talk, but now, the air between us felt heavy and oppressive.
I had only wanted to cheer him up, but he had seen through my intentions with effortless ease.
“There’s no need to lie.”
“It’s really not that.”
“I’ll choose to believe you.”
He could have simply let it go. Instead, he chose to puncture my defense.
I pretended not to hear him and focused on the walk. He didn’t say anything further, either. In the quiet forest, the birds continued their melody, a sound that brought a strange, fleeting peace to my heart.
Then, in an instant, a gale tore through the trees. The tablecloth I had been carrying fluttered away in the breeze.
“Oh! Master, wait a moment!”
I dropped the basket I had been holding and let go of his hand. I could feel his startled movement behind me. Shouting for him to wait, I chased after the cloth. I thought I could catch it easily, but every time I reached out, it would drift just beyond my fingertips, cruelly dancing away. Before I knew it, I had wandered deep into the thicket.
The tablecloth finally caught on a low-hanging branch. Thinking this was my chance, I rushed forward—only for a large hand to appear from nowhere and snatch it up first.
There was someone else in the forest.
I hadn’t sensed a soul, yet a strange man stood before me. I froze. His brown hair tossed in the wind. He had his back to me, so I couldn’t see his face.
*Who is it? A servant?* I had never seen him before, but then again, there were many staff members I hadn’t met. Still, his posture and the aura he exuded felt far too elegant for a servant.
As I scanned his back in confusion, the man turned to face me. He was young, and just as I suspected, a complete stranger.