While Jared and Tres were at the Mage Association, Olivier Alway visited the Alway Ducal Family main residence to see her younger sister, Emilia Alway.
“I heard that the matter concerning Master Jared’s family was quite difficult,” Emilia said.
“Yes, it was. But it was worth the trouble. Thanks to that, we were able to eliminate the root cause of Liz Murphy’s death and all threats to the Daum Barony and Alway Ducal Family.”
Though she said this, it wasn’t easy in reality. Her father and Jared’s grandfathers had acted behind her back, and it was only thanks to them that things turned out well. From Olivier’s perspective, with her fiancé’s mental state and her fight with Waalthe, the head of the family and Jared’s grandfather, she couldn’t remain calm. Most of all, she found it painful to simply wait for Jared’s battle to end, wondering why she couldn’t fight herself, why she wasn’t a magician.
“It seems you also had a difficult time, Older Sister. I can tell by looking at your face now.”
“It happened two weeks ago, yet it still feels like it was yesterday. Ever since he met me, Jared has always been in trouble and getting hurt. Sometimes I even wonder if I’m a jinx.”
Three months had passed since Jared and Olivier met. Still, only three months. Despite this, Jared had fought, been injured, and suffered many times. She fondly recalled the first time they met, how she had given him impossible conditions to make him dislike her and avoid their engagement. Yet, Jared had even managed to fulfill Olivier’s reckless condition of becoming a Court Mage. Of course, this came at the cost of him fighting and getting injured himself.
“I sometimes find myself thinking…”
“Older Sister?”
“Am I truly meant to be with Jared? Can I support him on my own?”
Emilia was speechless at her sister’s uncharacteristic display of weakness. There had been a time when Olivier’s mother, Hannelore, was targeted by Olivier’s mother, Cornelia, who was a consort. At that time, Olivier had grit her teeth, vowing not to show weakness, and trusted no one around her, including her father. The only exception was Trane Glasler, with whom she had grown up like sisters.
Before meeting Jared, Olivier was strong. She possessed a strength Emilia didn’t have, and Emilia envied her for it. Because of this, she had even conspired with her mother. But what about now? Her older sister, who was many years her senior, had lost her former strength. She wasn’t inherently a strong woman, but her circumstances had made her so. She had to be strong. This was partly due to Emilia and her mother, but Olivier no longer saw them as a threat.
Having someone to protect her and someone she loved was wonderful and enviable, but as a result, it had weakened Olivier Alway as a woman. Emilia thought it was good that her sister had become weaker, that she was able to become weaker. Her sister, who had been like a taut string for years, now seemed like a troubled girl. The way she agonized over the boy she loved for the first time even seemed cute.
Olivier’s worries were understandable. Since her engagement to Jared, one incident after another had occurred. While she might have been the catalyst, she was certainly not the cause.
“Please don’t say such disheartening things. Perhaps the reason you gave Rena Daum a chance to become Jared’s consort was due to your worries?”
“No, regarding Rena Daum, I was merely testing her.”
“In what way?”
“Yeny and Master Marte wished for Rena to be given a chance. They said she had longed for Jared for a long time and, unable to be honest, was unknowingly caught up in wicked deeds. I understand feeling sorry for her, but I didn’t sympathize. It would have been simple if she had just been honest. Of course, I know that’s difficult, but I question whether it was necessary to falsify her feelings until Jared was in trouble.”
Emilia murmured, “That’s true,” accepting Olivier’s words. Rena was Jared’s cousin and childhood friend. While Emilia didn’t know about their childhood, in recent years, Rena had been unable to be honest with the person she loved. Furthermore, she had declared she would become engaged to Jared’s younger brother, which resulted in her being caught up in wicked deeds.
Emilia believed it was a wise decision for Rena to realize the misdeeds of Annette Paggio, the consort of the Daum Barony, and seek help from her grandparents. However, this was a problem that preceded that. It was incomprehensible that she would act in a way that made her an enemy of the person she loved, despite her feelings for him. While there might have been other emotions besides her inability to be honest, it could only be said that she was digging her own grave.
“But you gave Rena-sama an opportunity, Older Sister?”
“Yes, that woman brilliantly seized the chance I gave her.”
“Um, she didn’t become a consort, did she?”
“No. If Rena had even hinted at becoming Jared’s consort to me, I would have crushed her with all my might.”
Emilia found herself questioning her sister, who gave her a chance yet planned to crush her if things went well. However, before Emilia could ask, Olivier continued.
“You see, I disliked Rena Daum from the moment I investigated her. While her sister Yeny honestly admired Jared, Rena couldn’t. That’s her own fault. So, just because she changed her ways and became honest, she should be forgiven for everything she’s done and be allowed to be with the man she loves? That’s unforgivable. Wouldn’t that be unfair to Yeny, who has admired Jared honestly for so long?”
While understanding the sentiment of wanting to give a reformed person a chance, Olivier might have given Rena more opportunities if Jared wasn’t involved. However, Rena’s desire was for Jared. Olivier couldn’t tolerate a conclusion where Rena, who couldn’t be honest and inadvertently sided with the enemy, would be united with Jared simply because she changed her ways. Like Yeny, she had squandered opportunities that had been available to her for years, perhaps since birth. Olivier would have gladly accepted Yeny, who had continued to love Jared and appeared at her mansion alone requesting to become a consort, but she rejected Rena, who couldn’t even convey her feelings properly without being prompted. Therefore, while she outwardly offered a chance, Olivier provoked Rena Daum’s pride. Her words implied, “Don’t get complacent.” As a result, Rena confessed her feelings to Jared, but she did not become his consort. She herself had brought her long-standing first love to an end. Olivier hadn’t overheard the conversation, nor had she heard it from Jared. But the fact that Rena did not become a consort was enough to satisfy Olivier.
“That’s right… Indeed, if Rena-sama were to become Jared-sama’s consort, it would be unfair to Yeny-san. She cherishes him so devotedly.”
Emilia recalled Yeny, whom Olivier had brought to visit several times. Her feelings for Jared were genuine. Emilia even thought at times that they might be deeper than Olivier’s. However, her feelings were not possessive, nor did she need to be the most important person. As long as Jared was happy, Yeny was happy.
Emilia also harbored feelings for Jared, but unlike the charming younger girls with whom he was deepening his friendships, she felt unable to sublimate her feelings. Olivier was likely the same. Yeny had her own feelings, Olivier had her own feelings, and Emilia’s feelings, though she knew they might not be realized, belonged only to her.
“Earlier, I thought you had weakened, Older Sister, but that was wrong. The difference between your strong and weak moments has simply grown larger. Your weakness undoubtedly stems from your anxieties and guilt towards Jared.” Looking at her sister’s attitude towards Rena, Emilia changed her mind, thinking Olivier hadn’t weakened. Olivier was both strong and weak. What she had been able to do by constantly forcing herself to be strong was now impossible. As one of the causes that had driven her to such circumstances, she could only wish for the happiness of her sister, who was regaining her weakness.
