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I Hated It Even More
Prologue:
"Arabella!" cried the Marquis.
The voice was full of emotions that had never existed for a moment towards me.
My mother, the Marchioness of Renati, had already run and hugged the girl in a hurry.
"Oh baby, baby, ·······."
She cried and touched the cheek of a girl who was 'my sister'.
She'd never touched anything dirty in her life, never allowing even soot to get on her hands.
It was a scene that completely excluded me, as if I was a third party.
If I had shed tears together with them at that moment, would we have become a happy family?
But in the end, that's only a meaningless question.
I couldn't do that in the first place.
Chapter 1: The Lost Daughter
There is a tragedy in the Leonard family that all the Imperial nobles know of.
Arabella Renati.
When the child disappeared shortly after birth, people had expressed their worries, but deep down, no one really cared much about it.
Even though Arabella had been newly born and even the colour of her eyes was unknown, the Renati's still believed that they could find her.
But nothing went like everyone had expected.
The situation didn't go optimistically at all.
"Annita."
My mother would often call me, looking at me with strange eyes.
The words that came out after that had always been the same.
"...get out of my sight."
In the past, I would walk away slowly, hoping that she would change her mind, or even soften her words a little.
"While Annita lives among these fine things, how is our Arabella living??"
Those were the only kinds of words directed at me.
They couldn't completely abandon me for the sake of the family reputation, but in their minds, even loving the child they'd given birth to was a betrayal to the lost "Arabella".
In a sense, all this was laughable, really. It was just a sophistry to ease their minds.
One year...as a year passed, the atmosphere of the mansion only subsided into a never-ending quagmire.
And, just as the Marchioness was about to turn to stabilizers,
TL/N: Stabilizers as in drugs to help stabilize her mood.
I finally found their beloved lost daughter.
***
"You don't have a lighter colour?"
"The hallways are too slippery!"
"I'll prepare the carpet!"
In consideration for the girl who would most likely be intimidated by a sudden change in her environment, the mansion was refurbished with warm colors.
A girl with a tragic past, but at the same time, an innocent girl who knows how to laugh. A kind and pure heart…
Everyone in the mansion treated Arabella with great care.
However, nothing could match the affection of the Renati couple.
"Grand Duke Lacade himself is coming today, isn't he?"
Arabella had returned, and this time, she didn't interrupt tea time like she usually did. I found this rather strange.
"Yes, in the afternoon."
My answer to that was somewhat blunt.
She seemed to frown, but only for a moment.
The marchioness placed her hands on Arabella's shoulders and turned so that she was facing me.
"Then you'd better accompany Arabella."
I don't know exactly what expression I looked at Arabella with at the time, but her shoulders trembled as if she were in front of a ferocious beast.
This trembling was felt by the Marchioness, who had her hands on Arabella's shoulder. She patted her back and bent down, touching Arabella's cheek gently with her lips.
"Arabella has been educated well, but she doesn't have any experience in attending social events yet."
Ah, so that was why…
"So are you telling me that you want me to clean up after Arabella?"
TL/N: By "clean up", she means to cover for any mistakes Arabella makes at the social gathering.
"Annita!" The Marchioness cried.
Arabella hastily picked up her dress.
"I'm fine, mother."
"Arabella."
"Annita did nothing wrong, don't blame Annita."
I didn't remember ever giving her my name, nor did I know why she'd called me as if we were close.
"Annita just-"
Arabella's cheeks flushed.
No matter how much food and sweets she'd been fed, in this short period of time, she hadn't put on any weight at all.
"Will you come and drink tea with me next time?"
"Oh, my baby…" The Marchioness wiped tears from her eyes.
I wonder if Arabella had hoped that she, dressed in the expensive silk of the East and adorned with jewels, had touched my heart.
"You may."
"Thank you."
Despite my insincere reply, Arabella replied shyly with a smile.
The Marquis' wife whispered affectionately to Arabella, while giving me an icy look.
"My sweet Arabella, could you please head out first? I would like to talk with Annita for a moment."
"Yes, mother, I will head back to my bedroom."
"Already?"
"Yes, Countess Terin is about to come soon. I'm not very smart, so I'll have to prepare and study in advance."
"Arabella!"
It sounded like a scream.
"I didn't tell you before, but you're just learning everything a little late, and it'll just take a little more time, that's all. Annita is used to learning from a very young age."
This was rather amusing to watch, like a dramatic street play. It was as if they were their own world.
"Don't overwork yourself."
"......"
"And please, do stay healthy."
"Yes, mother." Arabella replied quietly, tears brimming.
Then, the Marchioness pursed her lips and finally turned to me.
"Let's talk later."
I wasn't planning on answering during our "talk" anyway. No matter what, nothing I say ever reaches the Marchioness' ears.
She carefully put one arm around Arabella's shoulders.
I didn't know what they were whispering about as they left the room, nor did I care.
And then, there was the sound of the door opening.
Turning and crossing the room, he uttered my name.
Aksian.
My friend, my betrothed.
And on top of that, the successor of Grand Duke Lacade.
There was no need of a basis for the sense of foreboding I felt.
***
The afternoon sun filled the reception room. Through the partially-opened window, a warm breeze filled the garden with the fragrance of roses.
Golden hair, a symbol of the royal family, shone under the sun.
It was then that the eyes looked up, turning to face me.
The gaze was piercing, sharp like a shard of ice.
"I've been busy lately...I'm sorry I kept refusing to visit."
At that moment, there was a sound.
Knock, knock.
Aksian smiled.
"Are you meeting anyone else besides me?"
TL/N: He's asking Annita if she has another guest, but also teasing her by asking her if she's seeing anyone else.
"No…"
Aksian shook his head playfully.
"That can't be true."
Knock, knock, knock.
The knocks persisted. I couldn't help but answer, now that it had been knocked twice.
And here I was hoping to meet Aksian in peace...
I'd thought that the Marchioness would interfere, but strangely, my position was secure. She hadn't even put Arabella in the middle of this. Typically, the appearance of another successor would mean a battle.
Yet~ I was wrong. I'd underestimated the Marquis and Marchioness' deep affection for Arabella.
Unable to wait any longer, the Marchioness spoke.
"Annita."
As I stood up, Aksian turned to me.
Even though he wasn't looking at me, he knew.
"Excuse me for a moment."
I stepped forward, taking longer strides than usual.
And, I knew myself that I wouldn't be able to bear the voice of the Marchioness again.
TL/N: She's nearing the end of her patience with her mother, the Marchioness.
Turn it. Pull it towards you and open the door.
"What took you so long?"
I walked a couple steps out of the reception room and closed the door behind me.
The Marchioness spoke without hiding her disapproval.
"Annita."
You shouldn't have done such a thing if you were going to give me a lecture.
"What brings you here?"
Actually, I didn't have to ask.
Even if you disregarded the conversation earlier, you could plainly see her intention just from the dress she'd brought.
When have I gotten a new dress?
Even though the dress wasn't completely finished, it still looked good when matched with long silver hair.
TL/N: The dress is for Arabella.
"Mother…"
To the Marchioness, Arabella was still a child, even though she was already 19 years old.
Arabella's eyes darted between the Marchioness and I anxiously. Her face had become paler than it'd been in the morning. At least she had this much tact..
And the Marchioness, on the other hand, who wasn't sensible, spoke calmly. No, it was more like she didn't need to be polite.
"I already told you. I thought it would be good for Arabella to have tea time with him."
"Oh, I see."
"Yes, so?"
"No."
"What?"
"I said no."
Could Aksian hear all this?
As this was the estate of a venerable marquis, the soundproofing here would be considerable, but on the other hand, Aksian was a gifted swordsman and knight who'd been trained in these types of things.
"You'd better go to the other reception room."
"No."
When I looked away, the Marchioness pursed her lips tightly.
"I shall talk to you regarding this matter."'
"I can't help it if you're going to do it in the hallway." The Marchioness flushed.
She still continued to put off all her own mistakes on me.
"You're always so impudent!"
"Oh, mother...."
Arabella timidly restrained her, but the Marchioness waved her off.
"Arabella, stay there. No, Annita needs to realise her place."
Realize? But I wasn't interested in realizing anything...
"I won't scold you for your way of speaking." She scowled at me.
"But, when will you ever consider the feelings of someone other than you?"
I couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh at those words.
"She is someone who had nothing at all before!"
"Are you talking about Arabella?"
"You should be calling her 'sister', ha, why are you so childish and immature?"
I was two years younger than Arabella, who mother always treated like a baby. Although, my height wasn't the tallest out of my peers.
Arabella, who'd lived in the slums, was in fact, taller than me.
"Don't be so cold to Arabella."
"I never was."
"Then what in the world is this behavior right now?"
"What exactly is the 'behavior' you're talking about?"
The Marchioness stopped.
"Are you talking about my refusal of your request to stick Arabella in the middle of a scheduled tea time, without asking for permission from the other party?"
"I…"
"Or do you mean my request that we talk in the parlor and not in the hallway?"
"Annita."
The Marchioness narrowed a fine brow at me.
"I am very disappointed in you."
It had been a long time since those words had been directed at me like a weapon.
TL/N: Because usually, her parents don't care about her at all, and ignore/neglect her.
"I know what mother and father feel guilty about Arabella."
That, at least, was understandable.
Even though she was born as the first daughter of a noble and prestigious family, for 19 years, Arabella had lived worse than most commoners.
Although it wasn't their fault, it wouldn't be unusual for parents to feel guilty for not being able to protect the child they loved so much.
I looked up.
"But, don't use me as a tool to erase your guilt."
TL/N: Periodttt. My queen just said that out loud :)
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[ What do you all think about Arabella? Right now, we're reserving judgement since she hasn't done anything too sus so far, but let's see... We're curious as to how this will all turn out...
Thank you as always for reading, please support us on NovelUpdates and be sure to support the original author! Join our Discord server to be notified of new updates! ~Asterlis Translations :) ]