I saw the look in her eyes...

Han Ji-hyuk, who was staring at me by the window, asked,

“Why?”

“...Nothing.”

For now, going to the completion ceremony was urgent.

At the ceremony hall.

By the time I arrived after changing clothes, the count’s congratulatory speech had already ended.

Only the orphans’ entrance into the newly completed orphanage remained.

‘At least I got here before it ended.’

Thank goodness.

“Miss Erilot!”

While catching my breath, Rumelisa called out to me.

She and the other young ladies approached.

“What happened? You weren’t here even during Count Eclipto’s speech, so we thought something had happened.”

“I stepped out briefly, and there was an accident.”

“Oh my! Are you okay—”

“An accident?!”

I was interrupted by Balzac, who approached quickly.

“It’s nothing serious. No one got hurt.”

“An accident, you say!”

Balzac widened his eyes as he questioned me.

If someone didn’t know, it would sound like a terrible accident had occurred.

I quickly waved my hand.

“The carriage had a problem.”

“Carriage?”

“It was just a wheel falling off, so don’t worry... Huh? Where are the other brothers?”

Rishimund and Joshua were missing.

Balzac said, “Ah.”

“They were selected ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) for the Western Army’s Reserve Wonhwa.”

‘Reserve Wonhwa?’

Surprised, I pulled Balzac to a place out of earshot.

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly that. They were chosen as soldiers for the Reserve Wonhwa and told to come train.”

In the Kalsoi Empire, there was a special rank called Wonhwa.

The imperial army was divided into five armies:

Eastern Army, representing the empire’s east,

Western Army, representing the west,

Southern Army,

Northern Army,

And the Central Army, the best among all.

“Wonhwa are the female leaders of each of these five armies.”

Each army selected their Wonhwa by holding a Reserve Wonhwa battle among noble families.

For example, the Western Army holds a Reserve Wonhwa battle to choose its Wonhwa.

Then, after approval by the royal palace, the chosen one officially becomes Wonhwa.

‘Since the Astra family is in the west...’

The fact that my brothers were chosen for the Western Reserve Wonhwa meant Grandfather wanted to make one of his granddaughters a Wonhwa.

“Who got chosen for the Reserve Wonhwa?”

“Not sure. But it’s probably Selene.”

That was true.

Only Selene had the capability to enter the Reserve Wonhwa among the granddaughters.

‘I’m too young.’

I furrowed my brows.

In my first life, the Western Reserve Wonhwa battle also happened around this time.

But Astra never participated.

‘Why now...?’

Balzac shrugged.

“No one knows. But they decided to throw in all the grandsons ranked seventh or below.”

“So they want to get the Wonhwa spot at all costs... But why?”

“That’s what everyone’s wondering, including relatives.”

Because of Aunt Bastina’s trouble, even though Selene was extremely capable—comparable to Rishimund—she hadn’t gotten many opportunities.

‘In the end, the only Wonhwa from our family was Dalia.’

While I was lost in thought, Balzac pulled out a communication stone.

Since it emitted a strong red light, it was an emergency signal.

Connecting it, a panicked voice spoke.

[Young Master, where are you!?]

It was Count Kronetz, Balzac’s guardian while my father was away.

Now he was Balzac’s assistant.

“I’m leaving.”

[Everyone else is gathered. Please hurry!]

“Got it.”

Balzac ended the call with a frown.

“This is so annoying.”

“You were also chosen as a soldier for the Reserve Wonhwa, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Go quickly. If you’re late, grandfather will be displeased.”

“Okay... If anything happens, contact me right away. I’m worried about you and Joshua.”

“Yeah.”

Balzac sighed deeply, looking tired.

Then he activated a Gaho stone to teleport and disappeared.

After finishing my talk with Balzac, I returned just as the orphans’ entrance was about to begin.

“Over here, Miss Erilot!”

Katherine smiled brightly, beckoning me.

After all the children entered, the ceremony ended.

Count Eclipto said he would host a feast for the children who attended.

It was a large feast with even clowns coming.

Of course, the children were excited.

Katherine smiled and said,

“You’ll be leaving after the feast, right? When will you go? If you’re heading to Hwangdo, you can ride with my carriage—”

Rumelisa frowned.

“You won’t be able to go with Rishimund just by doing that.”

“I know Rishimund isn’t here. I just thought it’d be fun to go with Miss Erilot!”

“Since when did you become interested in Miss Erilot?”

“I developed feelings during this trip to Eclipto. Is that a problem?”

“If you want to talk about Rishimund, it’s better to do it with others.”

“It has nothing to do with Rishimund!”

“Anyway, Miss Erilot will go with me.”

The two started bickering, and I awkwardly smiled.

“I’m planning to go to Astra Manor.”

“What?! Why?”

Katherine’s eyebrows drooped in disappointment.

Rumelisa, who had faster access to rumors, nodded.

“Because of the Western Reserve Wonhwa?”

“Yes.”

“I heard Selene Astra of Bastina Territory will become a Reserve Wonhwa. Is that right?”

“I guess I’ll find out when I visit the manor.”

“Are you also going to participate as a soldier?! Then I’ll go watch with the other young ladies!”

“Oh my. Miss Erilot as a soldier? I’ll come watch with the others too.”

There was a fuss that other young ladies and noble cadets would come watch.

I quickly waved my hand.

“I don’t think I can participate because I don’t have an offensive monster right now.”

That must be why Astra didn’t contact me either.

Katherine’s eyes went wide.

“But you have a dragon!”

Rumelisa gave a disdainful look.

“The Wonhwa battle is to test military command skills. Sending a dragon goes against that. Besides, moving a dragon requires royal palace permission.”

“Is that so?”

“Of course. If the dragon accidentally hurts civilians, it would be a disaster. One tail swipe could devastate the area.”

I gave an awkward laugh.

“Anyway, enjoy the feast. I have to prepare to leave, so I won’t be able to attend.”

“That’s a shame...”

“Yes...”

Rumelisa and Katherine looked disappointed.

While I was pondering how to slip away, I saw a familiar face.

‘Huh?’

Aquila stood at the orphanage gate, yawning widely.

Our eyes met as he rubbed his neck.

His eyes widened.

“Ah?”

I approached him.

“What are you doing here?”

“Work. I became a guard for the orphanage.”

Ah.

They must have hired guards so the orphans wouldn’t be taken by traffickers.

There are so many orphanages in Eclipto Territory that the lord’s soldiers alone probably can’t guard them all, so they must use mercenaries.

“So only the sisters are on the mountain?”

“No. Masa is organizing the completion ceremony, working for wages.”

“I see... So Mari is alone on the mountain?”

“Probably. Masa handles the work because Mari’s health isn’t good.”

My expression stiffened.

‘If she’s alone...’

I shuddered remembering the expression Mari had when I saw her through the window.

“Dangerous.”

“What?”

I hurried off running.

Aquila’s voice came from behind.

“What’s going on? Hey!”

“Come to the mountain!”

I shouted and ran behind the building, then used the Gaho stone to teleport to Mari and Masa’s house.

The sun was setting.

The mountain was eerily quiet.

I ran inside the house.

“Mari!”

I shouted, but she wasn’t there.

I quickly searched the house.

Bathroom, kitchen, attic on the second floor.

She wasn’t anywhere.

‘Where could she have gone...? Somewhere she could go!’

I took a deep breath.

And I recalled the cliff I saw on the way to the sisters’ cabin after the bear attack.

I ran toward the cliff, panting.

Then...

“What are you doing, you idiot!”

Mari, standing at the edge of the cliff with a pale face, flinched and looked at me.

I quickly grabbed Mari’s arm with both hands.

“Come here!”

“Let go, let go, hey!”

“Do you think Masa could live comfortably if you died here?!”

“...!”

Before the ceremony, I had seen the sisters through the window.

Masa hurriedly taking care of her sister.

And Mari looking at Masa with a dazed expression.

I know that expression.

It reminded me of myself and Yoo Hyemin from my first life when we were overwhelmed, in pain, and ready to face death.

It was a look of resignation.

Mari stiffened.

I quickly dragged Mari from the cliff.

Fortunately, since Mari wasn’t feeling well, she was weak and I was able to bring her safely to a secure place.

“What are you doing!”

She shouted, and I sighed.

“This is really...”

“Get lost! Stop bothering me...!”

“You want me to help you commit suicide?”

“I wasn’t thinking that! I was just watching the sunset.”

“You’re talking nonsense.”

I smacked Mari’s head hard.

She looked shocked.

“You actually like Masa, right? You feel sorry for your little sister who’s struggling taking care of you.”

“No! I hate Masa!”

“No... When I was struggling, my brothers looked at me with that kind of expression.”

“...”

“You really tried to push Masa away with your bad behavior, didn’t you?”

“...”

“Muscles tense up when it’s cold at night. So Masa would be needed more at night, but you kicked her out every night for a reason, didn’t you?”

“No, no!”

“You told her to go to Aquila! Hoping Aquila would take interest in your poor little sister.”

People think children are pure and don’t understand anything, but they do.

By age ten, they know how to think.

Sara Fog is like that too.

She pretends to be pitiful, pretends to be bullied by young ladies, to get attention from noble cadets.

Acting badly in front of someone you like is strange.

If you like someone, you want their favor, not their dislike.

Yet Mari threw tantrums and shouted in front of Aquila, making him fed up.

“You wanted to show that Masa is such a good kid.”

“No.”

“You tried to die today because I gave you money, right?”

“...”

“Masa is kind and would want to use that money to treat you. Before that, she wanted you to disappear.”

Mari bit her lip hard.

No matter how mature she tried to act, she was just a ten-year-old child.

A child afraid of death, afraid of being hated.

Mari shouted sharply.

“Don’t care! Get lost!”

How could I not care?

She might be Dalia.

And I’m not the kind of person who would do nothing when a child tries to die.

Mari pushed me hard.

Thanks to that, I fell on my butt, groaning and rubbing my back.

‘Is she really hurt?’

Earlier she was dragged along without trouble, so why is she so strong when pushing?

I glared at Mari and stood up.

Then I firmly dragged her toward the cabin.

“Let go! Can’t you hear me?!”

“If you die! I’ll feel guilty!”

“What...?”

“Children should be happy.”

“...”

“Especially good children.”

“I’m not good at all! Everyone knows when I go outside. I’m the mean sister who bullies poor Masa!”

“A truly mean sister wouldn’t say that.”

“...”

“And you did it because you cared: ‘Masa is such a good kid, so please protect her even if you disappear.’”

“...”

Mari’s strength faded slightly.

“No. I’m not. I’m not going to hurt Masa’s eyes—”

I stopped and looked at Mari.

“Are you really Masa’s twin?”

“...!”

Masa took a deep breath.

I put my hands on my hips and stared at Mari.

“I thought it over and over.”

“What...?”

“Why would a sister who decided to die for her little sister’s sake poke her eyes?”

“That, what are you saying?”

“You made the same scar on the same spot where you have the same wound. As if... to tell that Masa is you.”

“...!”

Mari’s face turned pale blue.

“That thought came to me.”

“What thought! Don’t have silly thoughts...!”

“Maybe someone might come looking for you.”

“...”

“You’re a good sister, so you wouldn’t do anything to harm Masa. So if Masa becomes you, wouldn’t that be a good chance?”

“No, no. It’s not true!”

“You’re a noble’s child, right?”

“...!”

“When your mother died, didn’t she tell you?”

“How do you know that...?”

“You and Masa were born to the same mother. That’s why you look so alike. But the father might be different.”

“...”

You tried to find your father but ended up failing.

So you decided to die so as not to be a burden to your sister.

But you didn’t want to lose even the slightest chance, so you made a scar on Masa.

‘In case your father comes looking for you, you want Masa to be recognized as you.’

So it’s a checkmate.

‘If one of the two is Dalia, it’s Mari.’