Let’s reconsider everything from the beginning.
The First Wife, Arte Ropelmanm, was only interested in her research. She had little interest in the servants assigned to her and even less in pursuing the love of the Grand Duke of the North, Daisy-kun.
After all, she already had a son and a daughter. Since her son was the rightful heir to the family name, she had no reason to see Nelliel as a threat, even if she were power-hungry.
That led me to two possibilities: either the servants had independently acted with ill intent, intercepting Nelliel’s letter.
Or an external force—hoping to sow discord within the Grand Duke’s household—had manipulated them into doing so.
But the more I thought about it, the less it made sense.
Arte and Daisy-kun’s relationship was stable precisely because there was no love in it. No matter how much someone tried to provoke them, there wouldn’t be any cracks in their relationship—unless, of course, Arte’s research funding ran out.
Furthermore, Nelliel had no access to the Grand Duke Family’s inner workings due to Daisy-kun’s cold treatment and strict orders. Her influence was limited to managing the kitchen and overseeing the mansion’s interior affairs.
Daisy-kun personally handled all significant matters. If the servants caused trouble, he could simply kick them out without hesitation.
In other words, even if the wives had an all-out fight where neither would back down, the core of the Grand Duke’s household would remain unscathed.A love drama wouldn’t⋯⋯ create division. Destroying the “romantic front” wouldn’t benefit anyone.
If someone really wanted to weaken the Grand Duke’s authority, they wouldn’t risk exposure by orchestrating something as trivial as a love letter incident⋯⋯ leaking information quietly would have been far more effective.
But that didn’t happen.
So⋯⋯ what if my fundamental assumption was wrong? What if there were no hidden forces trying to destabilize the Grand Duke’s family.
The one who stood to gain the most from this love letter incident was—
I threw open the door.
“⋯⋯Nelliel!”
“Heart? Weren’t you having tea with the First Wife? You’re back earlier than expe⋯⋯ah ah.”
Nelliel’s eyes flickered to the picture frame in my hands. Sitting gracefully on the bed, she gazed at me steadily.
Her expression slowly shifted. It bloomed.
She no longer looked like a fragile girl wounded by unrequited love. Instead, the sharp ambition of a woman seeking power within the Grand Duke’s household shone through.
That alone changed the atmosphere.
The mere act of revealing that expression was an admission of guilt. Suspicion had been cast, and she didn’t bother denying it. I clenched the picture frame tightly in my hand.
Why hadn’t I realized her true intentions sooner?
Part of it was because my processing power was inferior to the original. But more than that—
It was because I sympathized with her.
Her position as someone unrecognized as a true member of the Grand Duke’s family⋯⋯ overlapped with my own inability to ever become “the original.”
“⋯⋯Nelliel.”
“That’s right. Whatever you’re thinking right now, Heart, you’re right.”
She admitted it so easily. She knew that now, at the moment of confrontation, there was no escape.
Then, with a smile, Nelliel added,
“But maybe it’s no fun if I give in too quickly. I’ll play along for a little while.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Why are you making that face Heart? Are you⋯⋯ suspecting me by any chance? Why?”
There was no definitive proof.
But if I needed a reason to doubt her, there were a few moments that now seemed entirely different in hindsight.
Our first meeting. When Nelliel appeared before the servants who had been bullying me, they scattered without a single snide remark. If she truly had no power, would that have been possible?
And then there was the time she approached the Northern Warrior Order, casually asking if they needed oil for their weapons and armor.
Daisy-kun directly oversaw the Warrior Order, given their role in protecting the Grand Duke’s military power—especially with war approaching.
Looking back, it made perfect sense why he had drawn a clear line, warning her not to interfere.
In fact, approaching the Warrior Order at all was a blatant disregard for Daisy-kun’s authority.
Lastly…
“…Someone bold enough to enter Daisy-kun’s bedroom wouldn’t hesitate to deliver a letter themselves. Why go through someone else? Doesn’t that seem a little odd?”
“How about the excuse that I became extremely timid after suffering such an agonizing emotional wound?”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“Don’t make that face. Alright. I’ll admit it.”
Nelliel smiled.
“The Grand Duke of the North, Elvillion, was too perceptive. I was secretly impressed by how he treated me like a blade—keeping his distance, drawing lines as if to declare that he wouldn’t grant me even a sliver of power. I always wondered how he saw through my hunger for power.”
He had marked her as a threat.
Yet Nelliel didn’t back down. She began by gaining control over those within her reach—the servants.
Since the First Wife had no real interest in the household’s power structure and paid little attention to her own attendants, Nelliel was even able to sway Arte’s servants to her side.
“It was surprisingly easy to recruit them. About thirty percent of the First Wife’s servants are loyal to me.”
“Then… the intercepted letters case was—”
“Yes. I deliberately entrusted the letter delivery to Sophie, who was weak and easily manipulated, and instructed Emma to pressure her into stealing it. The entire situation was staged. Because⋯⋯ people love an underdog.”
She had orchestrated situations where she was mistreated to elicit sympathy.
That meant the servant who had urged Nelliel to return to her family home hadn’t been acting with any ulterior motive—but pure goodwill.
Nelliel had recognized that goodwill and still framed her as the culprit.
And that was⋯⋯.
“That’s right, Heart. It was all to become close friends with you. As long as I remained a pitiable person, I believed you would devote yourself to helping me. And you actually did.”
“You used me.”
“Actually⋯⋯ I knew your identity from the very beginning. It would be strange if I didn’t, wouldn’t it? You’ve made quite a name for yourself in the Empire’s social circles, after all. Black hair, red eyes, the name Heart⋯⋯hu hu.”
So from the very beginning—
“Yes. I deliberately ordered the servants to harass you. Then, I appeared at just the right moment to ‘rescue’ you.”
Even that had been staged.
Nelliel, who had been lying in wait for an opportunity within the Grand Duke’s household, had recognized the presence of “Heart”—someone rumored to be close to the Grand Duke—and set the stage accordingly.
She confessed everything, as though unburdening herself. As if she had already resigned herself to the truth being uncovered.
“But still⋯⋯ I did like you. Because you were sincere. Because you were kind to me. But now, everything is out in the open.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
“So, what will you do now? Are you going to tell Elvillion Julius?”
She spoke so brazenly, but when I forced myself to calm down and truly look at her, I could see it—beneath her words, beneath her expression.
Guilt.
And a quiet resolve.
There was no anger, no hatred. Perhaps this wasn’t just about seeking power for power’s sake.
I thought deeply.
===============================================================
The only real victim in this entire scheme was the servant who had been wrongfully imprisoned. Since the interrogation hadn’t even begun, I could still get her released before any real damage was done.
As for the fact that I had been used⋯⋯ I could live with that.
Unless Nelliel was planning to kill everyone in the Grand Duke Family⋯⋯ her only real crime was deception—manipulating people to secure her own power.
But it still hurt. Because I had trusted her. Because I had considered her a friend.
What should I do? Should I tell Daisy-kun and let him decide her punishment? Or should I simply warn her not to cross the line again?
⋯⋯No. There was something else I needed to consider first. There was still a missing piece in this puzzle.
The motive.
Power was just a means. I still didn’t know what Nelliel was truly trying to achieve.
⋯⋯Were there any clues?
Yes.
That moment when Nelliel had shown an unexpected flicker of remorse.
When I had shown her the family photo and given a vague explanation, she had been startled. She had even apologized. At the time, I had assumed she was simply sorry for the misunderstanding.
But what if there was something deeper?
Let’s think.
To the outside world, Duke Daisy was a man who had even hung his father’s corpse. A ruthless, cold-blooded person. Perhaps I was the only one who knew that, buried deep within him, there was still a fragment of warmth.
Right now, he was married to Neriel Brugne in a political alliance, maintaining a cooperative relationship with the Brugne family.
But what if the Grand Duke suddenly changed his mind?
Once the civil war in the North had ended and every noble house had been brought under the Grand Duke’s rule—once Elvillion held absolute power—what if he turned on the Brugne family, and charged them with treason?
Was Nelliel preparing for such a scenario?
She needed power. She needed influence within the Grand Duke’s household.
Because—
If the Grand Duke of the North ever raised his sword in vengeance, she might be able to stop her family from being sent to the gallows.
If all her schemes were, in truth, desperate attempts at survival…
Then I⋯⋯
===============================================================
Nelliel waited in silence for Heart’s answer.
She had always considered the possibility of being exposed. But as long as she wasn’t discovered⋯⋯ she gambled on it because the potential gains were enormous.
But now, it was all over.
The Grand Duke of the North seemed to care about that woman, Heart, more than anyone else. If she so much as whispered in his ear to drive Nelliel away, she would be cast out without question. Her future rested entirely on Heart’s next words.
And after a long wait, Heart finally spoke.
“I forgive you, Nelliel.”
“⋯⋯What?’
“I don’t think your actions were driven by malice. Your intentions were good… they just weren’t directed toward the Grand Duke’s family.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯.”
With that single statement, Nelliel realized that Heart had seen straight through her. That level of insight was chilling. There shouldn’t have been any clues—nothing concrete to give her away.
“I didn’t expect you to figure out that much.”
“It’s too late now. If I had been in my usual state, I would have seen through you from the very beginning. But fortunately… I don’t regret it. Thanks to that, we shared a lot of emotions, didn’t we?”
“What, are you⋯⋯”
“Friends grow closer the more they argue. I⋯⋯ experience can make us even closer friends.”
Nelliel’s breath caught.
Would she really forgive her?
Would she still consider her a friend, even after being deceived?
Relief washed over her—quickly followed by guilt. The carefully crafted, villainous mask she had worn for so long cracked, revealing nothing but a woman at a loss for what to do.
Heart was a good person.
Even though their bond had been a lie, hadn’t she still stood up to the First Wife for Nelliel’s love letter, despite having only known her for a few days?
But Nelliel had used her. That fact gnawed at her conscience. Still, everything she had done was for the Vergne family. For her family. She couldn’t afford to let guilt hold her back.
If she had realized what kind of person Heart was from the start, she would have abandoned her schemes entirely and approached her honestly. But the past couldn’t be changed.
Her family’s survival depended on her. This was no time to be sentimental.
If Heart was willing to forgive her, that meant another chance. A new opportunity. Heart was easily swayed by emotions—so she would focus on strengthening their bond, deepening their friendship, and securing indirect benefits through her.
If she could win Heart over, then the Grand Duke of the North would be more inclined to spare the Vergne family for her sake.
Yes. Let’s repent and ask Heart for forgiveness. And⋯⋯
“And my friend must be honest and kindhearted.”
“⋯⋯⋯⋯?”
“But since Nelliel is my friend, and that part of her won’t change… Then I’ll just have to change Nelliel. Right?”
“Pardon?”
Nelliel, lost in thought, blinked and looked up—only to find Heart smiling brightly, holding up the picture frame.
The portrait in the picture frame, which looked just like Heart, also seemed to be smiling down at Nelliel.
Wait.
Past memories flashed through Nelliel’s mind.
Heart delivering a dropkick. Heart cracking a servant’s head open with a picture frame.
That’s right.
She was a good person—definitely—but her methods were ruthless. Sometimes, she could even be… terrifyingly bold.
Then—
A chill ran down Nelliel’s spine as she suddenly foresaw her own future.
“Nelliel, I’ll be your Conscience Module, so let’s⋯⋯ find a way to win love purely, without manipulating others. There must be better ways to gain power, too.”
“Wait, hold on. You just said⋯⋯ you forgave me.”
“But will this picture frame forgive you? Don’t you think I need to hit you at least once to feel better? Now, clench your teeth.”
“Heart, w-was my apology insufficient? I can get down and beg if you want—wa—keuhyack!”
Whack ──!!
Heart slammed the picture frame over Nelliel’s head.
===============================================================
Nelliel’s desperate struggle to protect her family ended with my frame attack. (Duke Daisy was rather sad about the broken frame, but he forgave me when I promised to model for his next painting.)
With that, we restored harmony to the mansion.
Everyone worked together for the Grand Duke’s household, and in return, the Grand Duke would remember their dedication and reward them accordingly.
Wasn’t this the perfect outcome? A picture where both sisters-in-law and their brother-in-law could coexist happily?
At the heart of this whole incident was distrust. Tension had festered because no one trusted each other.
Daisy-kun had refused to grant Nelliel even the slightest trust, and Nelliel had acted out because she feared he would eventually turn against her family.
Of course⋯⋯ trust alone wasn’t a solution to everything. Even I had felt the sting of betrayal after being deceived by Nelliel.
But in the end—
You get betrayed regardless of whether you trust or not. If either path led to uncertainty, wouldn’t it be wiser to choose the one with greater potential?
That was why I forgave Nelliel.
She wasn’t a bad person. And if we could learn to rely on one another, perhaps we could all find happiness.
Though I was merely an outsider in the Grand Duke’s household, that was precisely why I took it upon myself to bring the people of this mansion together under the name of family.
“Heart, if you need more picture frames as blunt weapons, I’ll prepare some empty ones for you.”
That was for Daisy-kun, who had no real friends besides me.
“Heart, putting ice in coffee is a crime⋯⋯ if you don’t stop, I’m hitting you with the flask. I mean it!”
That was for Arte, who was so absorbed in her research that she paid little attention to family matters.
“⋯⋯Heart, there’s no need to stay by my side constantly. Not that I dislike it.”
And that was to ease Nelliel’s lingering anxiety about her family.
Though my time in the North might be brief before the original arrives, I wanted to leave something behind.
Something that would ensure I wasn’t forgotten.
Let’s carve our names into each other’s hearts.
Somewhere between love and friendship.
***
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