The following month, as expected, Alice complained of feeling unwell the day before her birthday party and it was cancelled.
The servants were used to it and quickly collected the venue's settings.
(Ahh, I thought so...)
Although Euphilia was fed up with this annual routine, she still came to appease Alice.
After this, Alice's bad reputation spreads, and it becomes a regular occurrence that she receives unreasonable orders to collect them. If that's the case, it would be better to do something about Alice, who is the cause of this, but her parents, who are lenient with Alice, don't even try.
"That's not fair, everyone is celebrating with you, Onee-sama! And getting all the presents! I'm suffering so much!"
As she said this, Alice cried and fussed in bed. Feeling sorry for her, her mother tried desperately to calm her down.
Elios didn't even visit on his birthday. Just the usual flowers and trendy hat.
Alice screams that it's unfair that she wants it.
Her blonde hair was all messed up, and her plump cheeks were bright red as she pleaded.
Apparently her parents couldn't bring themselves to ask her to give a present to her fiance from the duke family, so they kept sending Euphilia glances as if they wanted to say something.
"I want it! I want it! I want that hat!"
It wasn't the voice of a sick person. The voice was so loud it ripped through her eardrums, and her brother Bryce poked her, telling her to do something.
"It would be rude to give up your birthday present to Lord Elios."
It's a trendy hat, but it's not my hobby at all and I'm not interested in it.
Even Elios probably wouldn't remember a gift sent in his name, but it was a courtesy.
"Why not?! You've already received hats from other people! If Helios says you want one, will you give it to me?! You don't need a hat, do you?"
Not getting the response she wanted, Alice thrashed about in bed.
She's saying ridiculous things, but she doesn't realize it. In a way, Alice is a pitiful girl.
At home, she is showered with love and treated like a princess and a cute angel. However, outside the home, it is not the same. Due to her personality, she has few friends, and only has a few lower-ranking nobles as her entourage.
It's a vicious cycle in which parents pity their children and dote on them.
Euphilia tried to give them advice, but they wouldn't listen. Instead, her parents scolded her for being cold-hearted, so she gave up on admonishing them.
(I... I can't do this anymore)
Am I the one who is unreasonable?
Euphilia was exhausted by her family's complete inability to communicate.
There's no hope of marriage, but it might be better to get away from this family.
To the point where she could think like this, Euphilia's affection for her family had dried up.
The day after the commotion, Alice came all the way to the high school where Euphilia and Helios were, and asked for Euphilia's hat. Helios didn't seem to care about a birthday present he hadn't even picked out himself, and readily agreed.
At that moment, Alice's confident smile was burned into my memory.
(Even though she's my little sister, she's grown up to have a really unattractive personality.)
Euphilia had long since given up on trying to correct her sister's behavior.
He had scolded her in the past, but it only ended with Euphilia being treated like the bad guy. It was unreasonable.
They frown upon Elios, who tolerates tyranny over anyone other than their family, and Alice, who is greedy.
Having gotten her wish granted, Alice returned to the middle school building in high spirits. The next day, she went out wearing Euphilia's hat, showing off.
I'm not sure, I'm not going to get that hat back.
The dress she had brought with her hadn't been returned. Alice was a little shorter than Euphilia, but her figure was quite full, so it would be too big for her waist.
She'll get angry and take out her anger on the dress, ruining it.
It has already ruined several outfits, and she will not be able to go to the tea party she has been invited to, so she has to get a dress made, which she must do without letting Alice know, or she will start complaining again.
As a result of Alice choosing designs she didn't like, Euphilia's dresses naturally ended up being all plain and unremarkable.
"Oh, Euphilia. What's with that plain dress you're wearing? Seriously, even Helios is getting tired of you if you keep wearing things like that."
As I walked around the house in my plain dress, my mother, Sophia, sighed gloomily.
However, if Alice were to find her wearing a gorgeous dress, which girls her age like, she would immediately take it away from her. Sophia would naturally order her to "give it to her."
(And then I quickly forget about it.)
My mother just explains it all away because she's my sister.
Sophia, unaware of Euphilia's dry gaze, began her rambling lecture.
"Why don't you just study and act cute like Alice? They say you get tired of beautiful women after three days. A lady without charm is worthless."
"...very sorry"
If you express an opinion here, you're usually met with indignation and told, "That's why you're not cute."
All she could do was nod meekly. It was a given that Sophia would be strict with her older sister Euphilia, but dote on her younger sister Alice.
Alice is right, and everything Euphilia does is denied—that's the educational philosophy.
Euphilia somehow managed to avoid Sophia's nagging and was about to return to her room when she noticed her brother Bryce standing at the door.
The silver-haired, bespectacled young man was tall and thin, nervously adjusting his glasses several times. When he saw Euphilia, his red eyes narrowed as he approached her.
"Euphilia, why didn't you come to the hunting tournament the other day? It was hosted by the royal palace, right?"
"Lord Elios has asked me not to come because he will be escorting another woman due to family circumstances."
It's most likely an affair. What's more, he's completely underestimating Euphilia.
Elios was probably happy, unaware that Euphilia's favorability had hit rock bottom and her hate meter was building up - at least for now.
She is unaware of the rebellious spirit that grows within her fiancé, and believes she will remain modest and obedient.
Eliminating Helios is inevitable in Euphilia's plan for a happy life (a fun single life). It would be best to leave him alone for now and let him let his guard down.
Bryce, unaware of Euphilia's plan, was furious.
"Huh?! Is that why you retreated? Your fiance was flirting with a foolish looking woman, you know?!"
"I was told it was due to the circumstances of the Duke of Axel's family."
Euphilia's family was the Count of Harmonia, a family of lower rank compared to the Duke of Axel. With that family's name brandished, she had no choice but to back down.
It was extremely effective against Bryce, who was weak to authority. Even if it was a lie, no one could complain if he mentioned the name of the Duke of Axel.
Bryce is more sensible than his parents, and while he's just as fond of Alice, he'll back down if there's a good reason.
"Even Lord Helios would tell such a lie that would be obvious... Euphilia's face is well known even in the royal palace. They contacted us when they heard you hadn't arrived."
"Is something wrong?"
"Apparently, there are rumors that someone is being searched for in the royal palace. However, I haven't heard that it is a young woman. It seems that they are gathering noble ladies from all over the country."
Euphilia tilted her head slightly. It was the first time she had heard such a thing.
Bryce shrugged his shoulders in annoyance.
"The rumor is that it's Zane Lowe's 'mate search.' It's a major job that only happens once every few decades in Mistilteinn."
Even Euphilia, a noble, had heard of it.
The Kingdom of Mistilteinn is bordered by the Zainglow Empire to the north and the Medaile Empire to the south.
Both are great powers, but their relationship is strained. Maedaile in the south is a human supremacist, has strict hierarchy, and has a strong sense of elitism. It seems to look down on the small country of Mistilteinn, and is arrogant and eccentric. They have diplomatic relations, but the friendship is superficial.
Zanegro is a country of beastmen, but unlike Medaile, they are very considerate towards us.
Thanks to Zane Row, not only are the powerful monsters that live in the Zane Mountains prevented from entering the area, but rare resources such as medicinal herbs and minerals are also traded.
They are a friendly nation that keeps a close eye on Medaile to make sure he doesn't do anything inappropriate.
Mistilteinn also takes them into consideration and cooperates in times of emergency.
One of these is the search for someone. Guests from Zane Row come to search for a bride or groom, called a ban.
These guests are all nobles who would be considered royalty in Harmonia's terms, and Harmonia does its utmost to provide hospitality and support.
The family that produces a mate is given a huge dowry and gifts, so it is said that even a struggling family can recover - and to prevent anyone from being tempted by this and becoming too pushy, the process is carried out in secrecy until a mate is found.
However, it seems like this has no relevance to Euphilia, who has a fiancé.
"In that case, should I also go to the royal palace once?"
"Yes, Father has ordered me to go at once. Alice is already finished, so it's just you."
"I understand."
Euphilia nodded, and Blythe presented her with an invitation from the royal palace.
I guessed why Bryce had come instead of my father. If Alice had noticed, she would have thrown a tantrum and demanded to go to the royal palace even if it meant stealing the invitation, so we divided up the roles.
Receiving the letter with the royal wax seal, Euphilia entered the room.
(My mate...huh? My soulmate. I'm not meant to be with him.)
I check the invitation and vaguely think of Zane Grow.
A country formed by many beastmen with a different culture from Mistilteinn.
Many valuable medicinal herbs are imported from Zanelow. It is an interesting land, but there are also many powerful monsters, so relocating there was not realistic.
He reaches for an alchemy textbook. Most of the more difficult concoctions involve ingredients that can only be found in Zane Glow.
These are medicines that Euphilia had always wanted to try but had given up on.
Her family is not happy that Euphilia has such a deep knowledge beyond her studies as a young lady, but the reality is that without education, Euphilia would only be in poverty.
Euphilia had always been a last resort, and she couldn't be expected to provide any support after marriage.
So, even though Euphilia was struggling to do something about it on her own, why was she being treated like she was committing a crime?
With thoughts of a bleak future flashing through her mind, Euphilia sighed. Seeking a change of mood, she stepped out onto the balcony.
This is how things are now, now that we're engaged. I'm sure our newlywed life will be filled with grief.
(...Yeah, I guess we should abandon Lord Helios after all.)
In Euphilia's life, he is nothing but a money-eating jinx.
If Helios had been sincere with Euphilia up until now, he would have been happy to continue supporting her. However, such a person would have gotten a proper job and not cheated on her so many times.
Divorce was the only option. Euphilia had already been preparing for divorce before her marriage.
Suddenly, I looked outside through the gap in the curtains and noticed that it was dark.
(It's already night. The air is cold...)
It seemed he had been more troubled than I had thought. Time had passed. It must have been just before dusk when my brother arrived.
Euphilia sighed quietly, the night breeze stirring her silvery white hair, making it flutter softly.
As I gazed melancholy down at the garden, I heard the faint sound of flapping wings.
(A bird in the middle of the night? That's too big for a bat...)
Feeling suspicious, I looked up and saw an owl with the moonlit sky on its back, its wings spread wide.
Euphilia's eyes widened, not expecting to see an owl even though she wasn't in a forest.
The owl's already round eyes seemed to widen even more, as if it hadn't expected that someone was on the balcony.
Ignoring the startled Euphilia, the owl flapped its wings leisurely and flew into the night - crashing into the wall of the house.
The owl's previous gracefulness seemed a lie as it fell to the edge of the balcony with a thud.
(...Is he unconscious? Is he just concussed? Is his wing broken or something?)
After a moment of hesitation, Euphilia, worried, decided to carry the owl into her room.
I have some homemade medicine and potions. I should be able to treat him while he's still unconscious.
This is where the love pedal kicks in...