TSMMT Ch 19

Stargazing

[Alexa] "Sister, why are you so late!"

She spoke sharply. Fury consumed her because the maids dressed her in clothes she absolutely hated.

[Alexa] "Why did they make me wear such tacky clothes!"

A scream tore from her lips.

[Dianna] "Alexa, you must not take your anger out on others. At the very least, you should explain what you want."

Alexa pouted and turned away from Dianna’s gentle words. Her gaze shifted to Guiscard.

[Alexa] "Why did you bring that slave along again?"

[Dianna] "......"

[Alexa] "Sister, are you trying to make me mad on purpose?"

[Dianna] "You know that is not true."

Alexa opposed Dianna caring for Guiscard more than anyone else in the family.

Father remained constantly busy. Emil initially resented losing the boy who should have become his slave, but he ultimately obeyed due to 'Father's promise.'

Yet, one person refused to accept Father's decision: Alexa. Rage burned within her because someone stole her sister, and she openly showed her hostility toward Guiscard.

She has no mother, and she relies on me like one, so anxiety naturally consumes her.

Dianna placed her hand on Alexa’s forehead and breathed a sigh. The fever had completely vanished.

[Dianna] "Alexa. Once your health improves, let us visit our estate in the countryside."

[Alexa] "Huh?"

[Dianna] "We can stay together the entire time there. I worry that city life ruins your health."

[Alexa] "What are you talking about? I want to host tea parties just like Marcella."

[Dianna] "......"

[Alexa] "I must become a city lady. If I stay trapped in the countryside, people will call me a country girl."

[Dianna] "And what happens when you become a city lady?"

[Alexa] "Then I will marry a prince."

Alexa's ambition was undeniably grand.

[Alexa] "Sister, you will help me, right?"

Dianna forced a smile at the question.

[Dianna] "Of course. However, you must take your medicine and stay healthy. Instead of moping here, let us ask Father to buy you new clothes. Tailoring a banquet dress will be fun."

[Alexa] "Really?!"

Alexa, who longed to grow up, had sparkling eyes. She wrapped her arms around Dianna’s neck.

A smile graced Dianna's face. No matter what happened, it beat her family dying.

She knew the cold world all too well—a world where no one accepted her, where everyone treated her like an outcast, desperate to kill her.

It is fine. I can endure this much. A life without you was the real hell.

Dianna patted Alexa’s back. As she stood up, her body lost its balance. A lack of proper sleep caused it. Guiscard watched her.

---

The day promised misfortune from the very morning, and it delivered exactly that.

[Duke] "Show respect toward Mirva."

That wretched Mirva. Following Emil, Father now summoned Dianna to give her this quiet instruction.

[Dianna] "I showed her plenty of respect."

[Duke] "She manages the estate's affairs in your stead. How thankful you should be."

Did he summon me just to say this? Why does everyone defend Mirva? The men in this estate have a weakness for her. Is it because of her flashy beauty?

She fought to suppress her rising irritation.

[Dianna] "Father, I told you many times that I can handle it. You just refuse to give me a chance......"

[Duke] "You went too far over a mere necklace! No matter what, humiliating her in front of the maids was uncalled for!"

Dianna flinched.

Even though he knows she did it because of the necklace, he thinks nothing of it? Father does?

[Duke] "Just because you earned the Queen's gratitude and the Princess' favor doesn't give you the right to act so arrogantly. You still have a long way to go. You are nothing yet."

[Dianna] "......"

[Duke] "Women's squabbles are entirely pathetic anyway. Even if the Queen's wrath drove us out, it wouldn't have mattered to me."

It wouldn't have mattered?

Dianna knew her father's temperament all too well. He would have raged about the family disgrace. Since he determined to find fault either way, she stood helpless against the Duke's anger.

[Duke] "If the Brienne Ducal House can't handle that much, we should step down from our position as the leading duchy."

What on earth did Mirva do to convince Father? Dianna believed the Duke would never let it slide if he knew the truth of Mirva's actions. He would definitely explode with anger.

[Dianna] "Father, you said I am the mistress of this estate."

[Duke] "You are still too young."

[Dianna] "I helped the Princess and won the Queen's favor last time. I did that."

[Duke] "How many times must I repeat myself? Unless it leads to an engagement, it is entirely useless. You act far too recklessly based on mere words of praise. I didn't raise you to be so arrogant."

Her breath caught in her throat.

[Dianna] "Then do you want me to secure the engagement no matter what?"

The Duke offered no reply to her question. He desired to make Dianna the queen.

Will things really change if I engage myself to Ferdinand?

[Duke] "I know you work hard."

[Dianna] "......"

[Duke] "It will all belong to you eventually anyway. Learn to possess a gentler heart."

Dianna swallowed her deep disappointment. Father and Emil were the same. This matter held critical importance to her, yet they dismissed it carelessly because they escaped the consequences.

Leaving without a proper bow served as her ultimate revenge.

She closed the door and buried the emotions swelling within her. She faced Mirva standing right outside the door. The moment Mirva offered a brilliant smile, Dianna nearly lost her composure.

She wants to reassert her position. She came to enjoy the sight of my humiliation.

[Mirva] "My Lady. Have you perhaps cleared up your misunderstanding about me?"

Her sweet voice dripped with false gentleness. The surrounding maids focused their attention on the two of them.

[Dianna] "A misunderstanding? If you call your blatant mistake a 'misunderstanding,' are you implying my judgment failed?"

She knew she must yield to Mirva here, yet she refused to endure it.

[Dianna] "Arrogant creature."

She spat out the words and vanished. The maids standing behind Mirva cautiously watched her reaction.

[Mirva] "This wretched little brat."

Mirva ground her teeth and muttered. Duke Brienne would soon become occupied.

Just wait and see what happens then.

She gnashed her teeth in fury.

---

Guiscard searched his surroundings. Finding one small girl within the vast ducal estate posed a difficult challenge.

[Maid 1] "It looks like she finally surrendered to Lady Mirva."

[Maid 2] "And here I thought the young lady was someone special, but she is just a child after all."

[Maid 3] "She is only twelve years old. She stood no chance against Lady Mirva."

[Maid 4] "The young lady remains too immature to understand the adult world. After all, Lady Mirva is......"

The maids' giggles and mocking words echoed through the halls as they ridiculed Dianna.

[Maid 5] "The Duke scolded her today, so she must be incredibly depressed. I wonder where she went."

[Maid 6] "Indeed. I worry because the young lady possesses a fragile heart. She barely slept lately while nursing Lady Alexa......"

[Maid 7] "And the Master takes it for granted......"

The murmurs of a few soft-hearted maids spurred Guiscard to search for his master.

Just as the maids said, she was a foolish master. She remained completely oblivious to the dark realities of this estate. Without knowing the true nature of her surroundings, she struggled with all her might to protect a truth as fragile as thin ice.

How pathetic.

That girl definitely pitied me. She clearly wanted to feel a sense of superiority by looking at someone in a worse position than her own. Even though she despises a slave's touch. Even though she trapped herself in a miserable state just like mine.

Guiscard recalled Dianna’s expression from earlier today. He remembered her face when the Prince of Panborough grabbed her hand and shook it.

It was merely her hair, not even her hand. Yet she displayed such an averse reaction, all while pretending to be full of grace.

Dianna Brienne. She is undoubtedly weeping heavily right now.

Guiscard continued his relentless search for his master. He eventually reached a section of the estate devoid of streetlamps. This dark backyard served only the laborers. Night had fallen, cloaking the area in deep shadows.

Nevertheless, he inspected the area thoroughly. After wandering for a long time, he finally located the foolish girl.

Finding her proved easy enough. The moon shone brightly, and her hair radiated a brilliant shimmer. He stared at the girl with an exasperated expression.

The noble young lady lay down. She sprawled directly across a backless bench. Her once perfectly styled hair cascaded downward like a chaotic waterfall.

He initially thought she had fallen asleep, given her absolute stillness. The moonlight outlined her symmetric features in sharp, clean strokes. He approached the silent figure.

[Guiscard] "Are you here, My Lady?"

[Dianna] "Yes."

She blinked slowly, her silver-gray gaze unfocused.

[Guiscard] "What are you doing?"

[Dianna] "Stargazing."

He looked up at the sky. The absence of surrounding artificial light revealed a brilliant canopy of stars. Yet, a radiant moon dominated the sky beside them.

He shifted his gaze between the moonlit girl and the night sky.

[Guiscard] "Why are you doing this out here?"

She spoke with a blank expression.

[Dianna] "I like looking at the stars."

[Guiscard] "......"

[Dianna] "When my mother was alive, we used to come here together to watch the stars."

[Guiscard] "......"

[Dianna] "She told me stories of travelers who navigated by following the star fixed in the north."

[Guiscard] "......"

[Dianna] "Unlike me, those people must possess true freedom."

[Guiscard] "......"

[Dianna] "Ah, I apologize. This is not something I should say to you."

She offered a sincere apology and stood up.

[Dianna] "Were you searching for me?"

He offered no answer. A bitter expression settled on the girl's face.

[Dianna] "Right, it was the same back then. You came looking for me."

Back then? What timeline is she referring to?

While confusion filled his mind, she continued.

[Dianna] "Do you want to look too? It makes you feel better."

The smile on her pale face was profoundly sorrowful. Guiscard found himself completely unable to refuse her. Following her gesture, he lay down on the bench.

Having lived in perpetual darkness, he had stared at the moon and stars to the point of exhaustion. Just as he questioned why he engaged in such a foolish act—

[Dianna] "How is it? Beautiful, isn't it?"

Her face suddenly entered his field of vision. A mischievous smile danced on her lips, and because her silhouette blocked the moon, a golden aura illuminated her outline.

Guiscard could look at no stars. His focus locked entirely on the moon. More accurately, he stared at her hair, which perfectly mirrored the moonlight.

Right then, rain fell. He looked up in surprise, but the sky remained clear. The moment he recognized the true nature of the rain, Dianna swiftly raised her hand to cover his eyes.

A soft sob broke the silence. The sound carried such profound fragility that it felt as though it might shatter instantly.

As he attempted to move her hand away, she spoke.

[Dianna] "Don't move it, you fool. Weeping in front of you brings too much shame."

[Guiscard] "......"

[Dianna] "I know that even crying is a luxury for me."

The girl fell silent after those words. She merely sobbed quietly, her tears occasionally dripping down to wet his face.

Her trembling hand covered his eyes, and Guiscard lay motionless, listening only to her cries. He offered no consolation.

The night breeze blew coolly, carrying the familiar floral fragrance that always drifted from the weeping girl.

---

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