“Love doesn’t go the way you think, so don’t be sad.”

“Okay.”

“Still, looking at it this way, you really do look like my mother.”

I looked at Aster quietly. All of the family members of the Grand Duke had their own weaknesses about the Grand Duchess, my biological mother who gave birth to me. My mother who gave birth to me died after she was kidnapped.

I knew it. I only bit my lips.

“Sorry.”

“Why are you sorry?”

“I wonder if it’s brought back memories because of me…”

“I’d like to say not at all, but I can’t say that. Maybe that’s why I can’t fully embrace you.”

I dropped my head to the floor. I think I’d hate it too. In the end, if my mom hadn’t conceived me… she wouldn’t have been so wrong with my mom who gave birth to me.

“You look just like my father.”

“What?”

“The way you are now. The way he blames himself. You look just like him.”
I hurriedly raised my head to see my sister’s face, which had hardened all along.

“Ah…”

“Anyway, the reason I wanted to talk to you today was because I haven’t talked to you properly, so don’t think there might be other intentions.”

“You know, are you intentionally worried about me?”

I suddenly had a thought. Not just to talk, but for some reason, I wondered if she sent Harris back alone and called me up.

“…”

So I asked her, but her face became stiff in an instant, just like my dad.

“You know, you look just like your dad.”

“…That’s the most offensive thing I’ve ever heard.”
Oh, isn’t this it? Are you offended over this? I didn’t like being hated by my sister. I wanted to get along well, too.

I shook my head in a hurry.

“Oh, no! I take back what I just said! Uh… I mean.”
“…Okay, I’ve said everything I needed to say, so I’ll be going.”

However, her reaction wasn’t very different from before. My older sister, who had a stiff face for some reason, suddenly got up from her seat and walked to the place where Harris had disappeared earlier.

Surprised, I got up in a hurry and looked at my sister, but Aster never looked back. She just walked away.

“Ah…”

Then Cecilia came to me.

“My Lady?”

“Y-You know what, Cecilia? I think I’m hated. I think she hates me.”

Cecilia smiled and hugged me as I looked sullen.
“Why do you think she hates you?”

“Because she left with that expression…”

It was the first coldness I encountered. Harris was hostile to me, though the people on her side hated me. Aster was different.

“It’s the other way around.”

As I was sullen, Cecilia grinned and rubbed my head.

“What?”

“It’s because she’s shy.”

“Huh? Isn’t it because she didn’t like me?”
At my words, Cecilia smiled so brightly that I couldn’t see her eyes.

“Yes, it’s because she’s embarrassed to say you’re kind.”

“But…!”
“I’ve seen her since she was a child. I know how she feels just by looking at her face.”

At that, I opened my mouth wide.

“You’re probably very confused. She doesn’t want to show off to her younger siblings, but Lady Aster is still young, so don’t worry.”
“Ah…”

“Do you want to be friends with Lady Aster?’

“How did you know?”

“That’s what your eyes say. It’s like a dog waiting for its owner, but only after speaking with Lady Aster.”

Wow, Cecilia is so smart.

I almost let out an exclamation without realizing it.

“Come to me first. Then you’ll like it.”

“Is that okay?”
“Yes, it would be nice to prepare a gift or something.”
“Okay! I will. Let’s go back to the room! I’m going to go and make something for my sister!”

At that encouragement, Cecilia grinned and slowly walked.

“Even if you go, you have to bring flowers to put in your mom’s room.”
“Ah! Yes!”

Then I remembered the reason I came here today.

“Put me down. I will pick Mom’s flowers!”

“Yes, we should.”

Then we picked each flower to bring to my mom. I chose the freshest and prettiest flowers with the heart of telling my mother to wake up quickly.

After picking for a long time, I returned to my room.

“Mom, I’m here!”

It was just a greeting that I gave even though I knew she would not have woken up. It was a remark I said thinking that an answer would not be given.

I said it because I hated the loneliness the room felt after opening the door, but this time, the silence was broken and I got an answer.