Flower of Steel

As we got to the area where the carriages were waiting for us, the kiddos got up first. I was about to get up too until Rian held my hand to help as he always did. I held onto his hand as I got up. Right before the door closed, he spoke to me in a low voice.

“I hope you make up with your cousins.” He then closed the carriage door and brightly smiled. The sight seen over the window was so bright, like the warm sunlight of the spring, that it made my face blush.

I’m crazy. Why was I pushing a man like this away? But… I have to. I feel like I’ll be happier living as Officer Marina than as a duchess.

A bitter smile lingered on my lips, then slowly faded away. There were other matters at hand that were more important than Rian right now. I turned to my cousins who were in front of me. Yes. The kiddos look so similar that if they change clothes and cover their hair, it would be hard to differentiate them from each other.

“Lumi.”

Both flinched immediately at my call. My cousin with the dress tried to say something.

“Why aren’t you answering?”

My eyes, however, were looking at my other cousin who was wearing pants and a hat to cover their long hair. I was looking at Lumi, who was disguised as Jianne.

Act 3. All Tangled Up.

After returning to my room at my uncle’s mansion, I immediately jumped onto my bed. My mind was all mixed up with thoughts.

“I wasn’t trying to fool you. Father told us to keep it secret from everyone. I had to keep it a secret from you as well.”

The sound of begging in his voice made my heart flutter. Come to think of it. I was only able to become an officer because I was given a chance. I was raised under parents who believed there was nothing wrong with women being educated. I figured it was normal. But in general, most noble girls only had little education. In this society, it was normal for noble ladies to prefer becoming maids of the palace, which required less studying than becoming an officer, and most followed suit. In that society, it wasn’t strange for my uncle to disagree with Lumi taking up a sword as her career instead of a hobby.

“I’m sorry, sister. I found it more enjoyable to learn about drawing, writing poems or learning music than to practice swords, so I often changed places with my sister.”

Jianne also seemed to have hard times. It was hard to imagine an artist raised within a family of knights. That’s why he probably changed places with his sister Lumi to learn about the arts. Then was it all Lumi’s doing which made Jianne earn the reputation that he has?

“We didn’t do it recently because of physical differences… but we had no choice today. Illumina said there was a vicious aura around us.”

Its target was the Crown Prince. It wasn’t us, but Lumi said she couldn’t overlook the aura surrounding us.

“I wanted to protect my brother and my precious sister.”

“Ugh… that girl.”

She revealed an important secret for such petty reasons. I’m so soft on my cousins. I haven’t explained everything to them yet… I went after them for the truth when I still had my secrets tied up within me. It made me feel troubled. Do I have to tell them about this? I was getting mixed up when I heard a quick knock on the door.

“Marin, it’s me.”

I opened the door to find Lumi, Jianne, and Daisy standing there. As I became curious as to why that’s when Daisy spoke to me with a serious look.

“Milady. It’s an intruder. We have to get out of here.”