“My sister is waiting for you here, Older Brother.”
“Jared—please say something kind.”
Led by Yeny and Grandmother Marte, Jared stood before Rena Daum’s room. A knight, presumably a guard, stood by the door and gave a small bow upon noticing Marte and the others.
Rena was currently under house arrest. The reason was obvious. It was because she had become involved in Annette’s scheme, though unknowingly. However, unlike Claire, who had no escape route, Rena had supportive grandparents and a father. She had confessed Annette’s plot and expressed her desire not to be involved.
Niklas, having already received information from Wahash, used Rena’s words as corroboration to verify the truthfulness of the information. For her grandparents, knowing that Rena’s engagement to Rex stemmed from her jealousy of Yeny, who was engaged to Jared, and her desire to win over her crush, they decided house arrest was sufficient punishment. Had she actively participated in Annette’s plot, her punishment would have been different.
“It’s been a while, Jared.”
“Not really.”
Jared entered the room alone. Rena, standing by the window, turned and offered a small smile. The usually assertive cousin, known for her sharp tongue, was nowhere to be found.
“That’s right. I saw you at Uncle’s mansion. I heard everything that happened afterward.”
“I heard too that Rena was not involved. Honestly, I’m relieved.”
“I also heard that you tried to help me, Jared, even though I was implicated. Thank you.”
Though slightly worried by Rena’s lack of spirit, she continued.
“I just spoke with Yeny and Olivier. I was foolish. If I had been more honest sooner, this wouldn’t have happened. Perhaps a different future was possible.”
Rena’s expression twisted with self-mockery. Jared found himself at a loss for words.
“When you and Uncle appeared that day, I told my Grandfather everything I knew about Aunt Annette’s plot. I asked him to stop her, to help me. Of course, it seemed he already knew without me saying anything. Because of my actions, I was judged to have been implicated, and my punishment was only house arrest.”
“You were implicated, weren’t you?”
“Are you sure?”
“Rena?”
“I knew Aunt Annette was planning for Rex to become the head of the family. I thought it was impossible, but I knew and did nothing. Honestly, I didn’t want to get involved in something so trivial, but my inaction despite knowing might have worsened the situation.”
What she said might be true, but there are no “what ifs” in this world. Jared couldn’t imagine, nor did he need to, what would have happened if Rena had informed her grandfather of Annette’s plot sooner. However, it was different for Rena. Rena regretted her inaction, knowing about the wrongdoing.
“Rena—it’s not your fault.”
“Hearing you say that makes me feel a little bit saved.”
“What will you do from now on, Rena?”
“I don’t know. Though I may have had little involvement, I was Rex’s fiancé. Well, I only said that to myself, but that’s why I am being forgiven like this. However, of course, I will accept my punishment. But Olivier and Yeny apparently interceded, so it will be virtually no punishment.”
Jared hadn’t expected that not only Yeny but Olivier as well would be concerned about Rena. He hoped that Rena and Yeny, whose sisterly relationship had reportedly soured due to his own engagement, could return to how they were in the past, and he felt relieved that Rena’s punishment was light. Jared had demanded punishment for Annette and the others because they had committed a crime. However, Rena was different. Although Claire and Rex had made mistakes because of their mother, Jared had never sought punishment for them. Likewise, Jared had not sought punishment for Rena. Of course, he understood that she was in a position where she should be punished. While acknowledging it might be lenient, he was genuinely happy that his cousin, whom he had known since childhood, would not be punished.
“I’ll likely be under house arrest for a while. After that—I’ll probably be married off somewhere.”
“…Is that so? That’s regrettable.”
“You know, Jared—I, I’ve always liked you.”
“I knew that.”
“—What?”
Jared’s calm response to the sudden confession surprised Rena instead.
“No way—how?”
“Well, I only realized it recently.”
Rena’s attitude had become noticeably different after her engagement to Olivier. When Yeny was decided to be a consort, their sisterly relationship soured, and her snide remarks towards him grew with each meeting. Gradually, he began to suspect—
Though he hadn’t been certain and had pretended not to notice, after this incident, Jared finally realized Rena’s feelings were directed at him.
“Then—”
“It’s embarrassing to say myself, but I’m not experienced in romance. I never had the luxury before. That’s why I couldn’t skillfully read hidden feelings. I apologize if I hurt you because of that. But—I love Olivier.”
Jared’s clear declaration of loving his fiancée shocked Rena. Fighting back tears, she asked in a trembling voice:
“What about Yeny?”
“I care deeply for her. She’s a dear younger sister who has always looked up to me. I want her to be happy. If I can make her happy, I want to. But Olivier is my number one.”
“Still, I’m truly envious of Yeny, who you care for so much.”
It was the unvarnished truth. Rena thought, *Why couldn’t I be honest until now?* Now, she could express her feelings without pretense, yet she couldn’t help but wonder why it was impossible before. Though she knew it was her own fault, she hated her past self enough to want to kill her. She had been childish. Selfish and self-centered. She couldn’t forgive herself.
“I loved you, Jared—and I’m sorry.”
She desperately held back tears, believing crying would be shameful. In fact, Olivier had offered to take Rena as a consort if Jared agreed. Perhaps it was out of pity for Rena, whose love had become twisted, or perhaps Olivier had some other reason. When asked why, he said the wishes of his grandmother and sister were major reasons, but Rena knew it wasn’t just that. She remembered Olivier’s face, even now speaking reluctantly. Olivier had chosen the path that would cause Jared less pain, not Rena. However, Rena had no intention of conveying this offer to Jared. If she did, he might accept out of pity. She didn’t want to become a consort out of pity; it would be too pathetic. It could also potentially disrupt Jared’s future relationships.
Telling herself this was punishment, she forced a smile, a love she couldn’t discard still in her heart. Her chest felt like it would burst, but if this pain was the punishment she deserved, then it was the natural outcome.
“Can we be close as family from now on?”
“You don’t need to ask. Jared and I have always been, and will always be, family.”
Fighting the pain in her chest, Rena desperately maintained her smile and extended her hand. The moment Jared’s hand clasped hers, her heart warmed, and the pain intensified.
“I’m sorry I can’t reciprocate your feelings. And thank you for falling in love with me.”
“It’s alright, it’s alright. It was my fault. But—”
“—I just want to keep my feelings of love in my heart. I don’t want to throw them away.”
“No, it’s nothing. Make Yeny and Olivier happy. Otherwise, I won’t forgive you.”
Thus ended Rena Daum’s long first love.
