Chapter 24

“A-Ariel? Why are you…?”

My words stammered, eventually losing their trail and crumbling away.

Ariel, who had stepped into the manor following the Winchester servant, let her gaze sweep across the surroundings. After leisurely surveying the mansion, she looked back at me—still blinking in bewilderment—and spoke.

“So, you’re using Winchester as your backing now?”

“……What?”

“Your speech has certainly gotten shorter.”

“It’s not that, this is—!”

“And you don’t even look the slightest bit happy to see me.”

‘Would you be happy? I thought I’d finally stopped our family’s ruin, only for another bomb to drop!’

Honestly, in my head, I’d already grabbed Ariel by the collar and shaken her ten times over, but I couldn’t act like that in a place with so many eyes watching. I forced the corners of my trembling mouth upward and replied.

“It’s not like that. I was just wondering how you got here, Sister…….”

“How else? I came because I was invited.”

“Invited? What invitation? Who invited you?”

‘Without even asking my permission!’

The mere sight of Ariel’s face caused my temper to flare up uncontrollably. Clicking her tongue at my reaction, Ariel looked back toward the doorway with a look of clear annoyance.

“Ah, there’s one more person besides me.”

Reflexively, my gaze followed hers. My jaw dropped the moment I identified the person walking in while dusting off his clothes.

“Man, this is so sorrowful I can’t even go outside……. Popo?”

“Lex?”

In an instant, a boy my age rushed over and pulled me into a tight embrace. I could only blink, unable to comprehend the situation.

Lexus Scorpion.

With hair as red as a blazing fire and bright yellow eyes, Lexus was a scorpion shifter and the heir to the Scorpion family—the wealthiest house in Anif.

As I hugged Lexus back while he rubbed his cheek against mine, whining about how much he missed me, I glared at Ariel, demanding an explanation.

“He said he’d come along since I was going to see you.”

As Ariel spoke, I noticed a new necklace hanging around her neck. Looking at the beaming Lexus, I could roughly guess what had happened.

‘So, she was swayed by a necklace and brought this human—no, this scorpion brat along.’

When Ariel turned her head away as if the explanation was over and it had nothing to do with her, the back of my neck grew stiff with tension.

‘Truly, someone with low blood pressure could be cured just by spending a week with Ariel.’

Just as I was wishing this was all a dream, a familiar voice drifted from behind me.

“My, you arrived much earlier than expected.”

I forced myself to pull away from the clinging Lexus and turned around. Seeing Lady Aria approaching with a benevolent smile, I pushed the confusing situation aside and hurried to make introductions.

“Good morning, Lady Aria. Um, well, this is my older sister, Ariel Fennec, and this is Lexus Scorpion, a scorpion shifter.”

“A scorpion shifter?”

“Yes, well, he’s the heir to the Scorpion family……”

‘Seriously, what was he thinking coming here?’

In a situation where only the Fennecs were clearly invited, I couldn’t find the words to explain Lex’s uninvited intrusion (though it was surely Ariel’s doing after taking a bribe), so I just glossed over it. It would have been impossible to explain further anyway.

“Sister, Lex. This is Lady Aria, Grand Duchess Winchester.”

Fortunately, Ariel had at least enough sense to offer a greeting while lightly holding her dress.

“Hello, Lady Aria. I am Ariel Fennec, the eldest daughter of the Fennec family.”

“It’s a pleasure, Miss Ariel. You arrived earlier than I anticipated.”

“We were able to arrive quickly thanks to the carriage you sent. Thank you, Lady Aria.”

“I’m glad it was of help.”

“Ah, my parents had some family business arise, so I came in their stead. They asked me to be sure to convey their gratitude for the invitation to Winchester, the Shield that protects the Empire.”

“I hope it’s nothing serious, Miss Ariel. And…….”

Lexus, who had been stuck to my side like glue, finally offered his greeting to Lady Aria.

“I am Lexus Scorpion. I heard you were hosting a party to celebrate Popo’s birthday, so I took the liberty of attending.”

“Hmm, ‘Popo’…… May I ask what your relationship is with Poblian?”

“We are partners who have promised each other a future.”

‘Is this guy completely insane?’

As I stood there speechless with my mouth agape, Lady Aria muttered with a peculiar expression.

“Partners who have promised each other a future…… I see.”

“That is correct.”

At Lady Aria’s expression, which seemed to be asking if the relationship Lexus described was true, I let out a deep sigh and added: “Well…… it’s not exactly a promise! There were talks, but I came to Faypren to fulfill the five-year contract. We decided to talk about what happens next in five years.”

“Don’t be so cold, Popo. After all, you’re the only one who can handle me.”

‘Please just shut up, Lex.’

I gritted my teeth and forced a smile at the chuckling Lexus. Lady Aria, who had been watching the two of us in silence, eventually let out a small laugh.

“I see. I think I have a general idea of how things are.”

‘I wonder if she really understands.’

Unlike Lady Aria, who seemed to have grasped the situation, my mind was a total mess. Lady Aria looked at me and smiled elegantly.

“I wanted to keep it a secret to surprise you, but since things have turned out like this, I suppose an explanation is in order.”

I nodded reflexively.

“Actually, to celebrate Poblian’s birthday in three days, I invited Poblian’s family from Anif to Winchester.”

“M-my family?”

“Of course, I received permission from His Majesty the Emperor, so you don’t need to worry.”

I couldn’t find any words for such an unprecedented situation. Lady Aria, looking at me warmly, continued.

“I didn’t expect a guest from the Scorpion family, but I cannot turn away a guest who has traveled so far to celebrate Poblian’s birthday. Please, both of you, feel at home and stay comfortably.”

“Thank you, Lady Aria.”

I finally understood the situation. Lady Aria had invited my parents to Winchester for my birthday in three days……

‘But of all things, family business came up so my parents couldn’t come, and Ariel and the uninvited Lexus showed up instead……?’

“Um, Lady Aria. Is it possible to return a birthday gift…?”

“Pardon?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

I swallowed the words I couldn’t bring myself to say and gave an awkward smile. Lady Aria watched my trembling lips and gave a slight smile of her own.

“You must have much to discuss, and here I am keeping you. We will have more chances to talk. Rendel will show you to your rooms. Now, both of you, get some rest.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Lady Aria gave a bright smile and turned away. Once she was out of sight, I hurried over to Ariel. I had a mountain of things to say, but one thing bothered me most.

“Sister, what did you mean earlier about family business?”

“I don’t know, do I?”

“What?”

“I said I don’t know. It just seemed like that’s what people say, so I just said it.”

‘Truly, this shifter…….’

Since Ariel was currently the only person who could give me news about the Fennec family, I suppressed my rising anger and said: “Don’t be like that, tell me properly…….”

“Hey, I’m really tired today, okay? Because of you, I had to travel all the way from distant Anif to Faypren.”

‘Who told you to come?’

Patience. I have to endure, Poblian. She is the only shifter who can give me news of the Fennecs.

“Sister, just talk to me for a moment and then you can rest…….”

“Then we can just talk later. If it’s something that can be handled in a moment, it must not be very important.”

The words “It would take less time to just tell me than it does to argue like this!” were at the tip of my tongue. Ignoring me as I barely held back my anger, Ariel snapped at Rendel, who had been quietly observing the scene.

“Aren’t you going to show me to the room?”

“……I will guide you.”

Despite Ariel’s irritated attitude, Rendel maintained a smile as he escorted her. Lexus, wrapping his arm around my shoulder from behind, said with a grin:

“Want me to tell you that, Popo?”

I reflexively turned my head toward the grinning Lexus. Startled by the sudden proximity, Lexus flinched.

“You know?”

“There isn’t a thing that happens in Anif that I don’t know about, Popo.”

A sense of foreboding rose within me at the sight of Lexus’s meaningful smile.

***

‘The party looks like it will be quite interesting.’

Recalling Poblian’s shell-shocked face when she saw the arrivals, a faint smile returned to Aria’s face. She found herself looking forward to the party in three days for a different reason.

“Mother.”

“Esteban?”

The corners of Aria’s mouth curved upward as she saw her son approaching her from the opposite direction. Ever since he had suggested sending Poblian back to Anif, Esteban’s expression had reverted to how it was before she came to Winchester. It pained Aria’s heart that Esteban felt he couldn’t afford to be selfish even when he had every right to be, all because of his rampages.

“Is something happening in the manor? It seems a bit noisy.”

Esteban’s gaze shifted toward the direction Aria had come from. Giving a quick glance over her shoulder, Aria replied with a bright smile.

“I invited the Fennec family for Poblian’s birthday party in three days.”

“Do you mean the Fennec couple?”

“Well, the Fennec couple couldn’t make it due to circumstances. So, I was told that Poblian’s sister, Miss Ariel, came in their stead.”

“Well, I’ll see them when I return to Anif anyway, so it doesn’t matter who comes…….”

“Ah, but an uninvited guest came along as well.”

When Aria clapped her hands together, cutting off Esteban’s words, his brow furrowed. Pretending not to notice his scowl, Aria continued.

“He said they were partners who have a promised future together.”