News of Lorein’s engagement being called off quickly spread throughout the Armeina estate.
The news that Carl had given up on the engagement and that the Sirius estate would unconditionally support Armeina was also shared.
Though the news came somewhat suddenly, it was not bad news for Armeina.
On the contrary, it was news to be welcomed with open arms.
Thanks to this, the atmosphere was one of unanimous welcome.
Except for one person.
“…Carl gave up on my sister?”
Ryuz, the younger sister, had often seen Carl Sirius visit the estate.
He was usually a very intellectual man with a sharp aura.
It seemed unlikely that he would give up the chance of engagement without any reason.
“And the support offered by the Sirius family is strange too.”
Ryuz, though still young, was a noble.
She knew well that such unfounded goodwill didn’t exist in the noble world.
If the conditions were unilaterally favorable, it must mean someone pressured them to act this way.
And as far as Ryuz knew, there was only one person around Sirius capable of applying such pressure.
“…Could it be that the teacher exerted his influence?”
She clicked her tongue lightly without realizing.
She felt bad for causing trouble for the teacher because of Armeina’s affairs.
She wondered if her sister had become that important to the teacher.
“Sigh, my sister…”
Ryuz did not wish for her sister Lorein to be unhappy.
Her sense of inferiority, long-held, was much diluted thanks to the teacher.
Now, she purely respected her as a fellow woman.
She hoped she would live the happy life she wanted.
But when it came to matters of men, the story was different.
Especially if the beloved teacher was involved, it was a serious issue.
-Click.
Ryuz clicked her teeth without realizing.
“…Even though she said marriage is a noble’s duty.”
Could it be that her sister was also targeting the teacher?
She had been uneasy about how much time they had been spending together lately.
She had been okay with it because her sister always said she would marry into another noble family.
She never thought they would become rivals.
But the current situation was the complete opposite.
It was the first time she had seen her sister make such a face at a man.
Anyone would mistake them for a loving couple.
“…Even though she’s older than the teacher.”
She recognized her sister’s charm, but still, a noble with a younger man?
Ryuz did not like her sister becoming a competitor.
Amy, being a chambermaid, was an exception.
She was tasked with relieving the teacher’s sexual desires, something Ryuz alone couldn’t handle.
And her sexual technique was acknowledged even by other women.
But her sister was a different case.
Emotionally, she refused to accept it.
Ryuz had spent her life being compared to her sister.
“I can suck the teacher’s dick better…”
At least Ryuz thought she could melt a man’s heart better than her cold sister.
And she was sure… she would be better at sex too.
She couldn’t even imagine her sister enduring embarrassment and shame for a man.
“…And yet, she was subtly wagging her tail.”
Or maybe she was simply using the teacher for her own happiness.
…That didn’t sit well with her either.
Just imagining her sister and the teacher exchanging passionate looks made her bite her lip in frustration.
“It’s okay. I’m the teacher’s one and only disciple and his favorite.”
It was while she was walking down the corridor with this slightly gloomy thought that she happened to run into Lorein coming from the opposite direction.
The sisters looked at each other for a moment without saying anything.
“…….”
“…….”
They had practically lived together all their lives.
Even that brief exchange was enough to tell a lot.
After observing Lorein for a moment, Ryuz noticed something.
‘Has sister…started to dress up?’
Lorein was never naturally interested in such things.
She considered makeup and buying nice clothes luxuries.
Yet, it was slightly annoying how she still maintained such good style.
‘But that…is clearly dressing up with intention.’
Suddenly, her sister started applying proper makeup.
The scent tickling her nose suggested she was even wearing perfume.
Looking closely, her face seemed prettier and more feminine.
This wasn’t just about dressing up.
It radiated the feminine allure and sensuality unique to a woman loved by a man.
‘Could it be……’
A slight feeling of discomfort rose within her.
It had been a long time since she felt this way, especially after getting close to the teacher.
Jealousy, the monster, was rearing its head in her heart again.
“Your face looks good, sister.”
“Eh? Oh, does it?”
Ryuz said with a faint smile.
“Yeah! You must be really happy about the engagement being canceled?”
“……”
“Usually, you say it’s our duty to sacrifice for the estate. But you didn’t really want to go, did you? I understand.”
Lorein couldn’t respond.
What Ryuz was saying was indeed a fact.
But it was difficult to agree readily.
It felt like she was being pointed out for prioritizing her happiness over the estate.
Or maybe this was an overreaction stemming from guilt.
“Actually, I used to think similarly to sister. That it wouldn’t matter who I married. But then I saw a truly wonderful man, and my thoughts changed.”
“A wonderful man?”
“Yeah! Our teacher.”
Ryuz said, beaming with a smile.
Lorein involuntarily furrowed her brows slightly.
Even though it was a very natural and obvious statement.
There was a feeling that it deeply resonated in her heart.
“…….Do you think Hyun-woo is such a wonderful man?”
“Of course! He’s handsome, good at magic, and even teaches well. He’s a truly amazing man.”
Ryuz covered her mouth exaggeratedly after saying that.
“Ah, sorry. You haven’t spent much time with the teacher, unlike me, who gets tutored every day. I didn’t consider that.”
The old Lorein would have let such comments slide.
Even against her sister’s blatant attacks, she would have been merely puzzled.
But why was it so hard now?
“It’s too difficult to just let the comment ‘You don’t know Hyun-woo well’ pass by.”
“…I know Hyun-woo quite well, too.”
“What? You, sister?”
“Because I’ve sparred with him in swordsmanship several times.”
“…But the teacher is a magician. The sword isn’t his specialty.”
“Huh, Ryuz, you’re naive about swords. There are things you can only understand by crossing swords. Should I say, a feeling of hearts connecting?”
Then she gave her a look as if she had seen something pitifully amusing.
“Of course, Ryuz, you’re still young, so it’s understandable you don’t see that far. To truly understand a man of great depth like Hyun-woo, you still need time.”
“Hmm~”
Their conversation paused there for a moment.
But they still looked at each other.
Their eyes were smiling, but there was not a hint of laughter on their lips.
Both radiating a cold air about them.
In that uneasy atmosphere, Lorein quietly thought.
‘…Something’s not right.’
She wondered what exactly was bothering her, then realized it was because Ryuz’s words might be true.
After all, Hyun-woo was fundamentally a magician.
Lorein, who knew nothing about magic, couldn’t confidently claim to fully understand him.
On the other hand, Ryuz was nominally Hyun-woo’s disciple.
‘The convention of master and disciple…’
Though she had learned swordsmanship, she wasn’t a disciple in that sense.
So their relationship was just that.
If Hyun-woo were to leave Armeina, their relationship would be nothing more than a brief physical entanglement.
In contrast, Ryuz still had the deep connection of being a disciple.
‘Something’s…annoying.’
Furthermore, Ryuz regularly received private lessons from Hyun-woo.
For a long time, it was just the two of them, in a small room, closely together.
‘……Isn’t that too risky?’
She hadn’t given it much thought before, but now it seemed indecent.
Who could say what might have happened between them?
It seemed implausible for two people in their prime to behave in such a manner.
The distance between crossed swords was far greater than sitting side by side at a desk.
As she reached that point in her thoughts, she began to dislike the entire situation.
Of course, it wasn’t just personal feelings.
It was an action stemming from a sense of responsibility as an older sister, responsible for her younger sister’s well-being.
…At least, that’s how Lorein justified it to herself.
“By the way, how long are you planning to continue those private lessons?”
“Uh, what?”
“I mean, until now, since Hyun-woo suggested it, I let it be. But isn’t it rude to keep learning from him without giving anything back?”
“……The teacher said he enjoys teaching me.”
“That’s what he would say to his student, wouldn’t he? Inside, he might find it troublesome.”
“……”
Sharp words she would never have said to her sister before.
But now, with Hyun-woo involved, they came out all too easily.
Lorein found herself unable to stop speaking.
She harbored emotions beyond what she had before.
“What if I talk to him about reducing or stopping the tutoring-”
“Shut up.”
Ryuz cut off Lorein’s words.
Their gazes clashed sharply.
“I’ll decide about my matters myself. Don’t interfere in our relationship as sisters.”
“…….So that’s why you’re still immature.”
The atmosphere between them became incomparably tenser than before.
A small spark could have ignited a fight at any moment.
“…What are you two doing?”
At that moment, someone else’s voice intervened between them.
It was Priscilla, their mother and the lady of the estate.
“Are you two fighting? In the middle of the corridor?”
“…….No, it’s not that.”
The sisters regained their composure and changed their tune.
They explained themselves to Priscilla, who was frowning, and eventually went their separate ways.
It wasn’t so much that they had made peace, but rather that it was problematic to show they were fighting over a man in front of Priscilla.
If they ended up being introduced to another man, the situation would become incredibly awkward.
Above all, they were worried about how Hyun-woo would perceive it.
Back in her room, Ryuz couldn’t control her racing heart.
It was the first time she had fought with her sister like this.
More than anything, the emotions and meanings revealed in Lorein’s words were vividly clear.
‘……That reaction…could it really be that sister feels the same?’
The vague sense of inferiority that had built up over time.
As they found themselves fighting over the same person, it turned into a complex emotion that filled her heart.
Feeling this, Ryuz bit her nails.
Determined not to lose the teacher to anyone this time.