That night, the Roussel estate was utterly silent, as though an all-night vigil were being held. When Ariel and Leila had gotten back, neither of them had said a word. An oppressive air gripped the room, and the concerned Gilbert, who had no idea what had happened, came over to check on them multiple times.
“What are we going to do?” Ariel asked softly.
Pressing her hand to her temple, Leila responded with a grim look on her face. “If I’d just stuffed Jeanette into a carriage before Claus showed up, everything would’ve worked out. But because you stopped me...!”
“Didn’t you hear what Lord Claus said, mother? He’d already warned Marquis Balladur. Even if you’d sent Jeanette off to his estate, she would’ve been turned away at the gate.”
“Then what am I supposed to do?! I don’t have the sort of money to pay him back! Or are you suggesting you’ll go to him in Jeanette’s place?!”
Ariel gasped at her mother’s words. Leila did the same.
“That’s right...” said the woman. “Will you go, Ariel?! Baron Roussel still hasn’t come back, but if he does, I can’t just tell him about the debt as soon as he walks through the door! So please, think of this as saving your mother! What do you say? A marquis outranks Claus too!”
Indeed, when it came to peerage, Marquis Balladur stood higher than Count Guivarch. But this would’ve only mattered if the marquis had been a respectable character for a woman to marry. One could only imagine what kind of terrible fate awaited Ariel if she married into House Balladur.
But I’m sure mother already knows that... Ariel cast her eyes down. She exhaled slowly, and then said, “All right. I’ll marry Marquis Balladur.”
“Thank you, Ariel! You’re such a good girl!” Leila cried with tears in her eyes, squeezing Ariel in her arms.
Ariel didn’t bother protesting and just closed her eyes. I had a feeling things would turn out like this from the start. It’s all because I joined mother in bullying Jeanette this whole time... Now, the time for payment has come.
Once it had been decided that Ariel would marry into House Balladur, the talks proceeded smoothly. Perhaps as a form of atonement, Leila asked Gilbert to arrange for a gorgeous wedding dress for Ariel. However, looking at it didn’t bring Ariel any joy.
There was no light in her eyes as she said, “Thank you, mother.” It was the best she could manage.
Somehow, this doesn’t feel like a marriage at all, she thought. When she was younger, she had pictured her future wedding according to her mother’s tales: full of flowers, lights, and sparkles. Yet in the present reality, she didn’t even know what her future husband looked like. He was old enough to be her father and was infamous for his insatiable lust. She couldn’t imagine a shiny future awaiting her at all.
The days passed in a gray blur, but that was actually a good thing. Everything would end once she was married. The marquis would play with her, and in the worst-case scenario, she might even lose her life.
But there’s no changing it now.
A tiny part of her had held a sliver of hope that perhaps Baron Roussel would return before the time of her repayment came. Yet no such miraculous solution appeared, and at last the day of her departure arrived.
On that same day, Jeanette and Claus were standing outside House Roussel’s gate, having come to see Ariel off. Leila was openly irritated by this, but Claus must’ve truly frightened her during the previous incident, because she kept quiet and opted for completely ignoring their presence. Recalling the way Claus had looked back then made even Ariel shiver. Leila, who’d been the direct recipient of his fury, likely couldn’t even look him in the eyes.
“Ariel, are you really sure about this? There’s still time. I can cover the debt,” Jeanette said with a worried expression as she tightly gripped Ariel’s hands.
“No, it’s fine. I wouldn’t be able to pay you back,” Ariel said. This was the conclusion she came to after thinking everything over many times. Because Jeanette was so kind, Ariel knew she wouldn’t complain even if Ariel couldn’t pay her back over the course of her life. But that would’ve been wrong. If you borrow something, you have to pay it back. The same goes for what my mother did.
On the other hand, Leila still felt resentment toward Jeanette. A look that screamed, “If you have that kind of money, just hand it over rather than lending it to us!” was written all over her face. But she wasn’t brave enough to express the thought out loud.
Of course, that was because the smiling Claus was standing by Jeanette’s side. The glance he had cast at Leila earlier wasn’t pleasant in the slightest. She must’ve known that if she tried to say anything, Claus would come after her mercilessly.
“Ariel... If anything happens, write me a letter! I’ll be waiting to hear from you!” Jeanette said, the tears in her eyes almost looking overblown.
Ariel giggled. It’d been a long time since she’d been able to laugh like this. “You really are good-natured until the very end, sister. Even though I bullied you so much...”
“That doesn’t count as bullying! To me, those were all rewards!”
“Rewards? I have no idea what you mean. Gross!” Ariel scoffed, making Jeanette moan in disappointment. Seeing that, Ariel giggled again.
This might be my last chance to meet with her... At that thought, her next words came to her easily. “I hope you and Lord Claus will be happy together. Not that I approve of your relationship or anything. It’s just that I’m about to become a marchioness, you know? I thought I ought to show you some grace, that’s all.”
“Ariel...” The teary Jeanette hung her head. “I was really happy when you stood up for me back then. Truth is, I’ve always wanted us to get along.”
Hearing that made Ariel remember the day when she had first met Jeanette. When Leila had first brought Ariel over to the Roussel estate, Jeanette had come flying out with a bright, hopeful smile on her face. For a second, Ariel had thought they’d get along, but one look at her mother had made her breath hitch. The way Leila had stared at the baron’s biological child had been unmistakably filled with hatred.
Her mother had then whispered to Ariel: “Listen. No matter what, you cannot lose to that girl. You’re much more beautiful than she is.”
This had been the first time Ariel had ever seen such a terrifying look on her mother’s face, and she could only nod in response. From that day, she had found herself thinking, Mother must be right. This girl is my enemy!
But looking back on it now, Ariel realized there had never been any reason for her to team up with her mother and be hostile toward Jeanette. If I’d just been a little stronger, maybe I could’ve become true sisters with her. They could’ve spent their days as children together, holding hands and laughing.
Such days would never come now. Yet Ariel couldn’t stop herself from picturing them for a moment. “Jeanette, I’m sorry. I...”
What should I say, after all this time? No matter what, it’ll all just sound like excuses...
Ariel wanted to continue, but the words got stuck in her throat.
Jeanette’s warm hands squeezed Ariel’s. “I still don’t think it’s too late, Ariel. So please, write to me! Every single day! And I’ll write to you too!”
Ariel glanced up, and Jeanette was smiling her usual, carefree, boundlessly cheerful smile. Her greenish-gray eyes gazed at Ariel warmly. She seemed to be saying, “It’s okay. I understand even if you don’t say it.”
“Every day?” Ariel repeated. “It’d be so vile to receive that many letters!”
“O-Oh, right! Sorry! Then once every two... No, how about once every three days?!” Jeanette proposed frantically.
“Once per week,” Ariel murmured. “That much I can do.”
“Really?!” Jeanette lit up.
Ariel cast her gaze aside as if to escape. “B-But it might be too much of a bother, so don’t expect anything!”
“Okay! I’ll be waiting all the time! But are you sure you won’t want to write every day?!”
“I’m sure,” Ariel replied, laughing. Jeanette truly never becomes discouraged.
At that moment, the coachman spoke up mildly. “If we don’t depart soon, it’ll be dark by the time we arrive.”
“All right... I’m coming,” said Ariel. The time was finally here. She freed her hands from Jeanette’s grasp and began climbing aboard the carriage.
“Ariel...” The one who called out to her this time was Leila. She looked troubled, and for some reason, she seemed on the verge of tears. Perhaps she was finally grappling with her guilt.
But to Ariel, it didn’t mean anything now. No matter how guilty her mother felt, it wouldn’t change the fact that she had sold off her daughter.
“Mother, sister. I’m off,” Ariel said simply, closing the carriage door. “Let’s go,” she told the driver.
As the vehicle began moving, Leila screamed Ariel’s name. However, Ariel didn’t respond and only continued facing forward in silence.