Oh, Dear Nemesis

fun fact from tl: they’re named after flowers

Kalmia turned around and headed for the mansion. Her bitten lips had turned white. The distantness she felt from having to erase the traces of Elois again. Her heart, however, welcomed her brother’s absence as a part of her. 

After arriving at the mansion, she tried hard to stay calm and her maid who was just passing by, spoke to her with a puzzled expression.

“Have you met the young master?”

Taking a deep breath, Kalmia shook her head slowly. The boy’s fate was unavoidable.

“No. I don’t know where he is.”

Kalmia’s grey eyes darkened.

And two hours later, a boy carrying a seriously injured Elois knocked on the front door of the Phlox family.

***

Count Phlox returned home early, ahead of schedule. It was thanks to someone who delivered the news about Elois quickly. Returning home early, he was relieved by the doctor’s diagnosis that Elois had overcome a dangerous crisis.

Then, Kalmia met the man who saved Elois and she was very surprised.

Everything had changed.

Everything Kalmia knew about her life had turned upside down because Elois didn’t die. Why? Apparently, Elois had an accident that she remembered. Elois fell off a horse on a rainy day and died in the accident. He should’ve died, and yet he survived.

And the man who saved him…

“We almost lost a valuable talent who inherited the Phlox’s name.”

“Words can’t express my gratitude. I owe you a huge debt, Duke of Matari. Thank you very much, Your Grace.”

At Count Phlox’s words, the boy who was standing opposite of him gave an adult-like smile. However, he was twelve years old.

Although he was the youngest member of the Matari Duchy, he was a boy who would overcome his brothers and rise as a successor in the future.

Kalmia’s eyes darkened.

Rudbeckia. Kalmia’s enemy from the future who she struggled a lot against until the end.

“Kalmia, come and say hello. He is the benefactor of the Phlox family.”

Kalmia, who had been standing still, took a step forward. Feeling Rudbeckia’s gaze on her, she lowered her eyes. Grasping the hem of her skirt, she prayed earnestly that she didn’t look hostile, and that she would be seen as a girl who had just met a handsome boy of her age.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Kalmia Phlox.”

There was no answer. Instead, Kalmia could feel his tenacious gaze. Kalmia endured the awkward silence and reluctantly raised her eyes. Glowing blue eyes stared at her face. Even his black hair and his youthful face belonged to just a child, but Kalmia was able to put a thirty year old Rudbeckia over it. He was a man who would vomit blood, but would not lose the power in his stare.

Often, the first person to see Elois would be surprised by how similar the twins looked when they met Kalmia as well. It seemed to be the same for Rudbeckia.

“Your Grace?”

After hearing Cout Phlox’s confused voice, Rudbeckia slowly parted his lips.

“Nice to meet you, Phlox.”

It was a very old-fashioned way of speaking for a twelve year old. Kalmia slid her chin down to hide her displeasure.

“Ah, yes.”

“I heard the news that the children of the Phlox family are twins, but it’s surprising seeing them. If it wasn’t for the clothes, one wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.”

He was so polite that it seemed unbelievable for his age. But remembering how arrogant and irritable he would be twenty years from now, Kalmia didn’t like his attitude at all. Rather, she even felt that he was a little too hypocritical, but Kalmia struggled to suppress her feelings.

The Rudbeckia standing in front of her was a twelve year old boy who was neither her nemesis, nor the heir to the Duke.

“It would have been better if we had met in another place, but in the current situation it’s unfortunate.”

“I know.”

If it were any other place, there would have been only situations where they would growl and grind their teeth at each other.

Kalmia, recalling her memories, nodded roughly and turned her attention away altogether.

Twenty years later, the guy who lost to her saved her brother this time. Kalmia had a completely different turning point because Rudbeckia saved Elois.

Why did he suddenly appear at this time?

Kalmia struggled to trace her memory, but she didn’t know why he did it. She had never met Rudbeckia until she had been appointed as the official successor. Of course, it didn’t make sense that Rudbeckia suddenly appeared now.

She was angry that she suddenly returned to the past, but the accident she thought was supposed to happen didn’t take place.

Will there be more surprises?

Kalmia was confused enough up until now.

“Master, I think Kalmia needs to rest. In fact, Kalmia has been sick this whole time, she only recovered today.”

“Ah, Storoni.”

It was Storoni who stepped forward as if he had read Kalmia’s desire to rest.

Count Phlox introduced him to Rudbeckia in a proud voice.

“This is the child I am teaching, Storoni.”

“Hello, my name is Storoni.”

Rudbeckia’s eyes lit up with interest at Storoni’s impeccable greeting.

tl/n: in korean, the way he introduced himself was very formal.

“Which family are you the son of?”

“…My apologies, but my family, Primula, has given up on their title.”