Chapter 60
“How can you call yourself my older sister and still not know me properly? Just be honest, Elisa. You liked me because I was stupid and easy to manipulate.”
“Y-You…”
“You don’t know as much about me as you think. Not just you, our parents don’t know me either. But I’m different.”
Elisa was so shocked that even her tears stopped. Since they had been forced tears, they dried quickly and disappeared without a trace. Elaria held out her hand to Amanda.
“Amanda, could you give me a handkerchief?”
“Yes, here it is.”
After receiving it, she stepped closer and gently dabbed away the tear marks on Elisa’s face. She had no intention of letting herself be used for this, and she also did not want to become the subject of gossip among the palace attendants.
“Elaria…”
At her gentle manner, Elisa felt a flicker of hope. Believing her younger sister could not possibly have changed, she began to complain weakly.
“Mother and Father keep fighting, and they won’t even give me proper allowance anymore. There’s someone I need to meet, but I can’t because I don’t have money. So take care of it for me. You’re a duchess now, so you must have plenty of money.”
After confirming that the tear marks were gone, Elaria handed the handkerchief back to Amanda. Only then did she understand why Elisa had forced her way here to meet her.
Elisa had always lived beyond the baron family’s means. With eyes that had gone cold, Elaria spoke.
“You think I have a lot of money just because I’m a duchess?”
“Don’t tell me Lucian doesn’t provide for you? Isn’t it because you’re not attractive enough? If it were me, that wouldn’t have happened…”
She caught the greed in Elisa’s eyes when she once again called Lucian by name. Disgust swept through her stomach again. With the mischievous smile Noctis often wore, Elaria replied.
“If you were more attractive than me, then the proposal would have been sent to you.”
“Wh-What are you saying…!”
When Elisa tried to force out tears again, Elaria poked her cheek lightly and spoke in an even tone.
“I just wiped away your tear marks, so don’t try to cry again. If you don’t listen, I’ll have the servants send you straight home.”
“……”
Only then did Elisa realize that Elaria’s gaze was cold. It was a look she had never seen directed at her before.
“You know I’m a duchess, so why haven’t you paid your respects? Or do you not know how? How to greet a high noble who outranks you.”
“…What?”
“Did you not learn any etiquette? Our parents even hired a private tutor especially for you. Don’t tell me you don’t remember?”
The calmness of her instructive voice made it even more frightening. Elisa blinked her wide eyes slowly. Looking at her, Elaria continued.
“Older sister, when you hold out your hand asking for something, you should show proper courtesy first. I don’t feel like helping you until you greet me properly.”
“You—!”
Leaving the belatedly shouting Elisa behind, Elaria instructed Amanda to bring over the palace attendants standing nearby.
Ashamed that she had been momentarily intimidated by her younger sister, Elisa lashed out.
“You shameless thing! You cold-blooded girl who even ignores letters from your own family!”
In her agitation, Elisa did not even notice the attendants approaching. Elaria intended to return exactly what she had endured all her life.
“Why should I greet you, my own younger sister! Just because you’re a duchess, are you showing off? I didn’t think you were this kind of person. How pathetic!”
When the attendants’ line of sight fell upon her face, Elaria lowered the corners of her eyes. She could not cry on command like Elisa, but she knew very well how pitiful she looked when her eyes drooped.
“You can’t even give your sister some money? You can’t even do that much for your family?”
She spoke quietly, so that only Elisa could hear.
“My family now is only Lucian.”
“…You’re completely obsessed with a man!”
Elisa’s shrill voice echoed down the corridor. The attendants heard only her words. From a distance, it had seemed as though Lady Silvaris was being bullied, but up close, it was the duchess who appeared troubled.
Feeling sympathy for the duchess, who could not treat her own older sister harshly, the attendants understood why the duchess’s maid had brought them over. They spoke to the two of them.
“Duchess, His Majesty the Emperor will arrive shortly. Please proceed inside.”
Elisa, who had not realized the attendants were so close, startled and turned her head. Because she had been genuinely angry, her expression was badly twisted.
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