NIYTR 24

Chapter 24

Tessen Stern

The Marquis of Blossomweaver exchanged a brief glance with Edelweiss, silently indicating he had no intention of revealing the real reason.

“Then when that time comes, I’ll personally call you ‘Lady’ and apologize. After all, Duke Stern would then have the authority to demand it.”

“I’m your niece too. Don’t you think this is too cruel?”

Tears welled in Rosemary’s eyes, unable to suppress her frustration.

“You’ll never be my niece. Nor will the doors of Blossomweaver ever open for you.”

“…”

“It’s tiresome to keep arguing with a child like you. Just apologize to my daughter and let this end.”

The tears in Rosemary’s eyes vanished instantly.

“Why should I apologize?”

“For daring to belittle the heir of House Blossomweaver, for not changing your attitude even in my presence, and for mocking me as well.”

“…I won’t apologize.”

“I gave you a chance. You’re the one who threw it away. Don’t come biting your lip later, wishing you had taken it.”

As the Marquis turned to leave, Rosemary hurriedly grabbed his sleeve.

“What happens if I don’t apologize?”

“Then I suppose I’ll inform Duke Stern that, back when you stayed at Blossomweaver Manor, you ripped out the claws of my white ferret and file a claim now.”

That was the moment Edelweiss realized the true reason her uncle had always been so cold and distant toward Rosemary.

‘It was Rosemary who tore out the claws of the white ferret he raised?’

That ferret hadn’t lived its full lifespan and had died prematurely.

“I-I didn’t… I didn’t do that…”

“You think I’d bring it up without any evidence? I didn’t stay silent because I liked you. I stayed silent because I didn’t want my daughter to know the foul nature you hide.”

Because she knew how dearly he had raised that white ferret like his own child, Edelweiss felt a pang of guilt.

It had been her who brought Rosemary to the Marquisate of Blossomweaver when they were young.

‘All of this… he endured in silence because of me.’

The sound of Rosemary grinding her teeth was painfully audible.

“I-I was just… happy to see you. That’s why I acted so rudely, Lady Blossomweaver…”

In the end, she chose to swallow her pride rather than risk having the incident with the ferret’s claws revealed to Duke Stern.

“Now give a proper greeting to the Lady of Oberlin.”

“I-I apologize for the late greeting, Lady Edelweiss of House Blossomweaver…”

Rosemary kept her head bowed, unable to meet Edelweiss’s eyes.

“From now on, always greet my daughter like that when you see her. Edel, let’s skip the fitting for today and leave. Madame Teresa can take your measurements when she visits the manor.”

“…Yes.”

As soon as they left the private room—

CRASH!

A sharp noise followed by Rosemary’s furious scream rang in their ears.

“I don’t want to hear an apology from you. Edel, you don’t need to lower your shoulders to put someone like her in her place.”

“…Uncle.”

“I’ll always be here for you. You must carry yourself with pride as a Blossomweaver.”

When Edelweiss gave a careful nod, the Marquis looked pleased and exited Shubrets Atelier.

Upon arriving at the manor, a carriage bearing the crest of House Redian was parked out front.

“Young Lady, the Young Lord of House Stern is waiting in the drawing room.”

“…Brother?”

Tessen Stern had come.

“What is he here to say?”

The Redian estate was far enough that it would have taken a full night of travel—

Edelweiss realized he must have departed the moment he heard the news.

It was surprising, given that Tessen had never shown much care or affection toward her.

She had expected him to stay silent, as always.

Perhaps he had come because, as the heir of Stern, he couldn’t ignore the growing noise within the family.

“Edel, shall I go with you?”

The Marquis, seeing her hesitate, asked gently.

“…No. If he came all this way to see me, he’ll probably ask you to leave anyway.”

As she made her way to the drawing room, she recalled the words Tessen had said to her the last time they met—on the day she thought she might die.

‘You’ve disappointed me again. Crying won’t change what’s already happened. Stop making noise and be done with it.’

Inside the drawing room, she saw Tessen sitting upright.

His sleek black hair, as dark as night, shimmered softly as it brushed his shoulders.

Those violet eyes—cold and glacial—locked onto her.

‘I used to want to be just a little bit like him…’

Though she’d chopped her long hair because Rosemary had suggested it, in truth, it had been for Tessen.

Unlike Rosemary, who shared his violet eyes, Edelweiss resembled him in no way.

There had even been rumors that perhaps she and Rosemary had been switched—

That Rosemary, the illegitimate child, might be the true sibling.

To force some similarity, Edelweiss had kept a short hairstyle she didn’t even like.

“It was all meaningless.”

When she’d cut her hair to shoulder-length, Tessen had looked at her with nothing but indifference—

And walked right past.

“What are you doing here?”

“…What do you mean, what am I doing here?”

At Edelweiss’s question, Tessen’s usually composed brows furrowed harshly.

“You made a foolish decision while I was gone.”

“A foolish decision?”

“Giving up the name and all the authority of Stern to become Blossomweaver’s adopted daughter—if that’s not a foolish choice, what is?”

No—becoming Blossomweaver’s daughter wasn’t the foolish part.

It was the years of forcing herself to bend, to flatter, to suppress her emotions.

“Whether I live as a Stern or a Blossomweaver is my decision. What right do you have to meddle?”

“You’re my sister. And I’m your brother.”

How laughable. To bring up being her brother now.

“Don’t delude yourself just because I call you that. It’s only out of habit. We’re strangers now.”

Tessen had no right. He had turned his back long ago.

“If it weren’t for you… Mother wouldn’t have died.”

“I’m sorry, brother… What do I have to do for you to like me again?”

“Don’t even dream of something so pathetic.”

She’d run after him, again and again, even as he never once looked back.

Even when her ankle twisted in pain, or when blisters stung her feet—she never showed it.

“What—are you trying to protest now because I didn’t pay you enough attention?”

“…Protest?”

Her rising anger instantly cooled to emptiness.

Protest.

To Tessen, all her actions were nothing more than childish rebellion—

A spoiled plea for attention.

“How arrogant of you, Tessen Stern.”

“…What?”

“You think I gave up my title as the Lady of Stern just to get your attention? You’re not worth that much to me.”

That title—being the heir of Stern—had been Edelweiss’s pride.

She didn’t cast it aside lightly.

“Don’t belittle my decision—don’t talk about it like it meant nothing. I held onto my sanity all these years because I was the rightful heir. You have no right to diminish that weight.”

Even if it had been a decision made in the heat of the moment, she didn’t regret becoming a Blossomweaver.

She no longer had to see Duke Stern or Rosemary.

She had someone who would gladly attend her coming-of-age ceremony.

What she gained was worth too much to regret.

“Edelweiss.”

Tessen pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled deeply from his lungs.

When she used to beg him to play, he would ignore her until finally calling her name.

That name call was always a warning—enough.

But this time, Edelweiss didn’t flinch or tremble like she used to.

She only let out a mocking sneer, and it was he who faltered.

“What do you want from me? An apology? If I let you vent until you feel better, will that make you happy enough for you to go back to House Stern?”