I Became the Black Swan Mother of the White Swan Princess

“Rebecca, I’ve said this several times, but that’s your job. Or, more accurately, the job you set yourself up for.”

Even as Rebecca grumbled, Lania was cold to the end.

At her subtle tone of warning, Rebecca chewed on the insides of her mouth.

The words ‘only you can do it’ could mean trust if you took it positively, but also ‘at least do that’ if you took it negatively.

“I told you to keep an eye on that woman properly. But you dare to make her think of escaping?”

“That’s because you harassed her too much. And I heard she wasn’t even escaping? That in the basket, there was nothing but dried fish jerky….”

“Shut up!”

Though Lania’s motto was to be calm and elegant, she fisted her hands and slammed them down onto the table.

Seeing this side of her elder sister for the first time, Rebecca conceded, unable to talk back any longer.

No matter how much sense she may lack, she had no idea what circumstances she would find herself in if she went out of her sister’s good graces.

Actually, it wasn’t only her circumstances in question.

Rebecca thought about her boyfriend, who had left the Northern Lands for quite a while now. When they would be able to meet again depended all on when her sister would call him back into the Northern Lands.

“Okay, fine. I’ll keep an eye on her really well now.”

“Rebecca, if that woman tries any funny tricks, do you think the aftermath will stop here?”

“That’s true, but she’s been stuck there nicely up until now. I’m not sure why she’s suddenly gone crazy and running amok now, but….”

“Gone crazy?”

That woman?

As if finding it ridiculous, Lania’s sneer was frightening.

This was usually the smile that she’d always hidden behind a fan, but in this place there was nobody she had to do that to.

Be it her muddle-headed, thoughtless younger sister, or the man standing at the door with bated breath.

“What are you doing? Not entering when you’ve arrived.”

“As expected of the lady.”

Ronin entered without the door making a single sound, his long robe dragging on the floor. Not knowing that he had come, Rebecca raised her head without thinking and came face to face with his pasty white face.

“Mmph.”

Just looking at him gave her the chills—she unconsciously rubbed her arms. Her sister sat there nonchalantly despite being in front of such a man, which Rebecca found scary more than impressive.

“Unfortunately, it seems the second lady does not find pleasure in my presence.”

“M-more than that…”

“Hm…. Perhaps the lady is still not over the incident from before….”

“No way! And how dare you speak so rudely!”

Rebecca squawked at Ronin when he tilted his head towards her. Held in contrast with his pale complexion, her reddened cheeks made her seem like the only person in this room who was still alive.

“….Rebecca, why haven’t you left yet?”

“I, I am!”

When her sister’s gaze coupled with an expression of annoyance at the noise was added, Rebecca opened the door and left like she was running away.

From the way her stomping footsteps rang all the way through the corridor, it appeared that her anger was not completely gone as of yet.

“The younger lady is always full of energy whenever I see her.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

“My, Lady Lania, you are the one especially full of energy today.”

“……”

His meaningfully smiling lips were peculiar. Rather than being red, they were tinted with more of a dark purple. With the corners of his lips climbing up so high, she could have hesitated, but Lania’s intention was to get to the point.

“And there? Did you go there?”

“Of course. It was a certain somebody’s order, after all.”

“……”

“I found it very cleanly cut, but as you had said, my lady, no magic was involved. If anyone could cut down a wired fence made of steel like that, then isn’t it obvious who it would’ve been?”

“But why would His Majesty!”

Lania bit her lip, her expression more complicated than it appeared.

“My headaches aren’t ending. I’m already at my wit’s end because of that woman Catherine, and now why His Majesty of all people…”