Chapter 3

 The next morning, for the first time, Karina skipped the family meal.

Now that she knew she had only a year left, the first thing that came to mind was what she didn’t want to do. And that was sitting through an uncomfortable breakfast, only to throw it all up again.

And yet, no one even comes to check on me.

By noon, her door remained firmly shut with no knocks, no inquiries.

A sudden wave of disappointment washed over her. She hadn’t even said she was sick, just that she wasn’t feeling up to eating this morning. But even so, she hadn’t expected it to be this quiet.

All the things she had ignored for so long began creeping back in, like an ebbing tide revealing what lay beneath.

Skipping breakfast, Karina took a bite of the apple her maid had brought her and sat down at her desk.

Now that she had decided to leave, her plans began falling into place with surprising ease.

Karina had never prepared for a trip before, but she figured that as long as she had enough money, she could go anywhere.

The most important thing was to leave without being noticed.

She gave herself a week to prepare. In that time, she would arrange transportation and gather the necessary supplies.

Holding a pen, Karina began writing on a piece of paper.

Exchange some gold coins for smaller denominations, A few changes of clothes, dried meat, water, and… Ah! The annulment agreement.

If her prediction was right, that man wouldn’t refuse divorce papers that conveniently rolled into his lap.

[Annulment agreement.]

Karina stared at the words written on the page.

Engagements and marriages decided in childhood were beyond her control. They were matters of family and duty.

But now that she was an adult, the decision to marry or to end it was hers alone.

[Medicine.]

She would have to visit the doctor once more.

She murmured the thought under her breath, adding it to her list.

The most urgent thing for her was securing medicine to endure the long journey.

Karina calmly wrote down the necessities in her notebook. After listing ten items, nothing else came to mind.

She paused for a long moment before finally setting down her pen.

Blowing gently on the paper to dry the ink, she then tore the page out and tucked it into her sleeve.

Since I only have a week to prepare, I should get the medicine in advance.

Having decided on her first destination, she rose from her seat.

She stuffed her worn-out purse, decorated with a bear’s face, full with the allowance she had been given, then changed into her outdoor clothes.

She hesitated for a moment about calling her maid but ultimately chose not to.

Perhaps it was because she had grown used to handling things alone, but she now found the presence of a maid somewhat uncomfortable.

Standing before the mirror, she carefully examined her reflection.

Her pale skin looked lifeless, and her dry lips were parched and devoid of color.

Her chestnut brown hair, an ordinary shade that made her appear gentle, looked unruly no matter how much she combed it.

The only feature that somewhat proved she was indeed of Leopold lineage was her deep blue eyes.

She considered her eyes the most beautiful among her otherwise unimpressive features.

But they were merely the best of what she had; compared to the rest of her family, even this was far from remarkable.

Her parents were stunningly beautiful.

Her elder brother, Enrich, had received countless love letters from noble ladies since childhood.

Her younger brother, Ferdinand, was lively and had many friends.

Even Abelia, despite her frail health, remained at the center of high society, drawing people to her effortlessly.

They were always at the center of everything.

By contrast, Karina was quiet, with unremarkable looks and few words to say.

Just an ordinary noble lady.

Had she been born into any other household, she might have led a decent life, made friends, and found happiness.

But the people around Karina shone too brightly.

Surrounded by those who knew how to radiate their own light, her presence faded into the background.

Karina quietly slipped out of her room.

Located in the farthest corner of the second floor, her room was quiet, rarely visited by the maids.

As she approached the central staircase, she spotted someone coming up.

A man with green hair, dressed in a crisp white coat. He’s Nocturne, the family doctor of Leopold estate.

She remained at the top of the stairs, waiting.

Sensing her gaze, he looked up.

"Lady Karina."

"Mm. It's been a while, Nocturne. What brings you here?"

"Ah, it's Lia's… No, I mean…"

He hesitated, rubbing his lips as if searching for the right words.

When Karina showed no reaction, he quickly continued.

"It's the day for Lady Abelia's health check-up."

His rounded eyes curved into a gentle smile.

Nocturne was a man of pleasant demeanor. Kind, eloquent, and was someone who knew how to return warmth to those who extended it to him.

Karina felt the stiffness in her back and forced herself to nod.

"I see. Go on in."

She didn’t want to engage in a long conversation with him.

Ironically, Nocturne was someone Karina had once held in her heart, during a fleeting moment when she allowed herself to dream sweetly.

But she had crushed that budding emotion herself, knowing full well that his gaze had always been directed solely at Abelia.

She had heard that he once had a younger sister who passed away at a young age.

Perhaps Abelia bore some resemblance to her, for Nocturne was exceptionally kind to her.

Shaking off her thoughts, Karina stepped past him, preparing to descend the stairs.

“You don’t look well. Are you all right?”

His deep green eyes, slightly narrowed in concern, met hers.

She nodded.

As if he’s ever cared before.

“I just didn’t sleep well.”

“You could have your check-up along with Lady Abelia.”

“I’m fine.”

Because she was Abelia’s older sister, Nocturne occasionally extended a certain level of courtesy toward her, but it never went beyond that.

A single offer, a single refusal, and that was the extent of his shallow kindness.

“Are you going out?”

“I have some errands to run.”

“Noc… Ah! Sister!”

A youthful girl peeked out from somewhere and immediately ran toward Karina, wrapping her arms around her.

Dangling precariously at the edge of the staircase, Karina hastily grabbed the railing while Nocturne swiftly reached out to steady her by the waist.

Karina’s eyes widened as she felt his arm around her.

Startled, she looked up at him, and Nocturne quickly withdrew his hand.

“It’s dangerous to cling to someone on the stairs.”

“Sorry, Nocturne. I was just so happy to see my sister.”

Abelia giggled playfully, nodding at Nocturne’s concerned voice.

“Sister, why didn’t you come to breakfast today?”

Abelia laughed as she asked, her voice light and cheerful.

Karina stiffened slightly as she looked down at Abelia, who had latched onto her and buried her face in her shoulder.

She forced a smile onto her lips and, as always, gently stroked Abelia’s back.

Abelia was undoubtedly lovable.

Yet, ironically, Karina disliked her.

And what frustrated and angered her the most was herself, for feeling that way.

“Sister, where are you going?”

“Just somewhere for a bit. But Abelia, you should be more careful on the stairs.”

"Hehe, I knew you'd catch me, sister."

Abelia, now grown and smiling affectionately, hadn't always been so forthcoming. There were times in the past when she had deliberately kept silent about her mistakes to avoid being scolded.

Of course, it was always Karina who ended up taking the blame and suffering the consequences.

At times, those memories resurfaced, and Karina had to smooth over her expression multiple times to keep her face from hardening.

"…Don't trust me like that."

Karina muttered in a low voice.

"Huh?"

At Abelia’s questioning tone, Karina flinched.

Lifting her gaze hastily, she saw Abelia still smiling angelically, as if she hadn’t quite heard her.

Behind her, Nocturne stood with an unreadable expression.

"It's nothing. I heard Nocturne came to check on your health. You should get your checkup. That way, you'll recover faster."

"Nocturne nags too much, and besides, I'm feeling much better! I want to go out with you instead, sister."

Abelia’s golden curls shimmered at Karina’s fingertips.

That beautiful wavy hair and that lovable personality, Karina had inherited neither.

"You can't. Otherwise, Nocturne’s trip here would have been for nothing."

"But I really wanted to…"

At least you have a future.

Swallowing back the words that had risen to her throat, Karina turned her head away.

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