The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

76. A Story That Never Was (4)

It was a winter night with snow falling.

“Guests have arrived.”

“…….”

“Father said it’s an absolute promise that cannot be broken.”

From noble mtl dot com

Rebecca von Anastasia Grande put on a new dress, carefully following the butler’s lead to greet the guest.

The guest had come all the way to this remote place.

It seemed that the guest was from the southern region. While many outsiders had sent gifts, few had come in person. Therefore, Rebecca’s interest was piqued.

“…Who is it?”

“A person from Esperanza. You don’t have to be too scared.”

“I’m not scared.”

“I’ll take responsibility, miss.”

Tap… tap…

The new shoes, which I hadn’t worn in a long time, felt unfamiliar. I almost lost my balance several times, but the butler’s gaze was stern. I struggled to maintain my pace and stole glances at the butler.

There were many stairs, and the interior was complex.

The cold in the north was biting. Even a skilled magician would find it difficult to cast magic here.

That’s why, despite the accumulated magical knowledge, it was impossible to install an elevator here. Even if we made one, it would just become a useless decoration that would often break down.

I slowly grasped the railing and headed towards the room where the guest was waiting. The butler only opened the door and didn’t accompany me further. From here on, I had to go alone.

“…….”

I took a deep breath and approached the guest. My father was conversing with a man.

And there was another guest, around my age, sitting in a chair and fiddling with his watch.

That person seemed to be uncomfortable, as if he didn’t want to make eye contact with me. I found it strange, but I carefully approached my father.

“I’m here. Rebecca.”

“Yes, father.”

“Sit down over there.”

“…….”

I sat down. The table was filled with various refreshments, but I didn’t pay attention to them. The reason was the boy sitting across from me, who was openly showing his discontent.

The man who was talking to my father turned to look at me. He was a middle-aged man with a neat impression, black hair slicked back, and green eyes.

“You’re Rebecca, the Grand Duchess of Granada.”

“That’s not me, you’re talking about my sister.”

“…I apologize, I made a mistake. May I have the chance to correct myself?”

“Yes.”

I felt a gaze from the side, but I didn’t show any reaction. That was also part of the etiquette education I received at Granada.

Instead of scolding me, my father patted the shoulder of the boy sitting in front of him.

“This is Sion Esperanza, who will be your fiancé. Please greet him.”

“I’m Rebecca von Anastasia Granada.”

“Sion Esperanza… nice to meet you.”

There was no need to continue the conversation. The purpose was a strategic marriage, and emotions between the two families didn’t matter. It was just one of many stories that had been exchanged during the complicated negotiations between the two families.

My father, the Grand Duke of Granada, conversed with Duke Esperanza.

I couldn’t fully understand what my father was saying, but I knew that Duke Esperanza had come to the north for some reason.

Sion Esperanza didn’t speak. He just played with the watch on his left hand.

I also didn’t speak. There was no reason to. Emotions didn’t matter, and as a member of the Granada family, I had to do my duty.

However, seeing Sion Esperanza openly show his dislike towards me was annoying, even to a young girl like me.

That afternoon.

I followed the butler down to the dining hall. But before the butler opened the door, I carefully stopped him.

“Will we be having meals together for a while?”

“Yes. You will be staying at Granada for the next two weeks.”

“Does that boy dislike me? Is it really okay for us to be in the same place?”

“You can get along well, miss.”

…….

After a brief silence, the butler spoke as if to prompt.

“You’ll get married anyway, right? For now, it’s just… hiding behind a mask. Like Rebecca Agassi.”

“I’m not hiding.”

“You may not be, but Sion Esperanza might be different. You’re older, so it’s natural for you to take the lead and guide them.”

“Me first?”

“If you feel burdened, how about preparing a gift? For instance…….”

As always, there was no room for refusal. In the end, I had an uncomfortable dinner with Sion Esperanza.

Sion Esperanza didn’t say a word throughout the meal. Rebecca, sitting across from them, was the same.

For three days, the cold and icy atmosphere persisted.

Rebecca was used to it, but it seemed Sion Esperanza was not. They couldn’t bear the boredom and started wandering around.

On a snowy day, Rebecca saw Sion wandering around the mansion through the window.

Sion outside the window wandered around for a while, walking aimlessly. But no matter where they went, they eventually returned to the same spot.

Rebecca watched the scene for a while. Sion shouted something into the air for a moment, then finally sat down.

As the snow piled up on Sion’s black hair, making it turn white, Rebecca finally came down.

“You can’t just wander around. It’s complicated here, and you might get lost.”

“What’s with you.”

“Rebecca von Anastasia Grandeur.”

“I know that, but what are you doing here?”

Instead of answering, Rebecca held out their hand.

“Follow me.”

“Why should I.”

“If you stay here, you’ll freeze to death.”

It was a phrase that went beyond catching a cold, meaning to freeze to death.

Rebecca, who was born and raised in the north, was familiar with the climate, but it didn’t apply to Sion Esperanza, who was from the south. They might die even before catching a cold.

Sion Esperanza didn’t take Rebecca’s outstretched hand. They only gestured ahead.

Rebecca took the lead, and Sion followed. There was no need to check if they were following properly.

The sound of crunching snow echoed from behind, a sign that they were being followed.

The relationship, which had been cold and precarious like walking on thin ice, had finally reversed.

During the two weeks they spent at Grandeur, Rebecca told Sion stories about the north. Sion listened to Rebecca’s stories about the north.

“There are no people beyond the wall. Only demons live.”

“Is there a gate?”

Rebecca shook their head.

“There’s no gate in the north anymore. No matter who comes, they can’t go beyond the wall. Even if a gate appears, it can’t be opened.”

“Then……?”

“The land beyond the wall has become uninhabitable. Only demons live there. Grandeur is here, so the south is safe.”

Rebecca puffed out their chest slightly proudly. Sion searched for information, looking for articles related to Grandeur.

The article clearly stated, “The Guardian of the North – Grandeur.”

Just as Rebecca had said, the land beyond the wall had become a demon-infested realm, and the family that blocked the demons coming from there was indeed Grandeur.

That’s why the head of Grandeur had been granted the title of archduke. It had been passed down for a long time and would continue even after the passing of the Grandeur duke.

It was two days after Rebecca’s sister, Iana von Gaussfeldt Grandeur, returned.

After finishing her long schedule, Iana went straight to Rebecca’s room, a place where even servants couldn’t enter without permission. There, Rebecca and Zion were playing.

“What’s going on? Rebecca… who’s this?”

“This is my fiancé, Zion Esparanza.”

“What?!”

It was Rebecca, not Zion, who answered the question.

Iana’s expression twisted in surprise, as if she had seen something strange.

“What’s going on? Engaged? You’re getting married before me?!”

“Yes.”

“You’re going to get married before me? That’s ridiculous! Wait a minute… this can’t be.”

“If you keep causing a scene, you’ll get scolded.”

“This is absurd!”

Iana stormed out of the room, muttering to herself. Rebecca gazed at Iana’s back for a while before turning to Zion Esparanza again. Zion’s face had slightly brightened.

Two weeks was a short time. In the northern region where the sun set quickly, it felt even shorter.

The day Zion Esparanza would leave was approaching. If he left now, they wouldn’t know when they would meet again. It might not be until after they became adults.

“Take it.”

“What’s this?”

“It’s the Grandeur Ruby Necklace. It will help with magic recovery.”

Rebecca gave Zion, who had slow magic recovery, a remaining necklace as a gift. It was a gift that followed the servant’s suggestion.

“There are three more necklaces that look the same.”

Even so, Zion hesitated. After a moment of hesitation, Zion took out a small dagger from his pocket.

The dagger was not a suitable gift, so Zion eventually took off his own bracelet and exchanged it with the necklace. The effect was similar, but it felt awkward to receive it.

After Zion left, Rebecca looked at the bracelet on her left arm. She had worn it many times before, but this time, it felt different.

***

“Rebecca-nim, you have a guest. It’s someone from the West.”

“Your father is calling for you, Rebecca-nim.”

“Rebecca-nim… it’s a big deal!”

“I apologize, Rebecca-nim.”

“…From today on, you will live as the Grand Duchess of Grandeur. Your education will start today.”

A lot of time had passed. Zion Esparanza had been forgotten from memory, and the story of their engagement was no longer mentioned.

After a long time, Rebecca received an invitation to a ball hosted by Esparanza. It was an opportunity to meet Zion Esparanza again, whom she thought she would meet later.

Rebecca attended the ball with the Grand Duke of Grandeur.

Zion Esparanza had grown taller. So had Rebecca.

Even when Rebecca stood in front of Zion, Zion didn’t say a word. Rebecca thought he was being shy, just like when they first met.

Zion’s gaze was fixed on a blonde girl. However, the girl wasn’t looking at Zion. Rebecca glanced at her and spoke first.

“Zion Esparanza.”

“……”

“I didn’t think we’d meet again here.”

However, Sion ignored Rebecca, only occasionally exchanging a few words. There was nothing more than that.

As the dull time passed, people’s excitement began to rise. But for Rebecca, it was almost time to leave.

“It’s time to go, Rebecca.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Do you have anything to say to your fiancé before you leave?”

“…….”

At the peak of the ball, Rebecca approached Sion again, following her father’s orders to bid farewell. It was at that moment that Sion spoke up first.

“How long are you going to bother me?”

“Am I bothering you?”

“You’re doing this because of the engagement, aren’t you? When are you going to stop making excuses? You’re not saying anything, are you?”

“Even if nothing is said, it doesn’t mean it’s gone.”

“Huh?”

Sion got up from his seat, still not understanding Rebecca’s gaze. His face had turned red, unlike before.

“I’d rather die than marry someone like you.”

“Hey! Sion! What are you saying!”

Camil Esperance, who was nearby, tried to calm down the situation. But Sion Esperance pushed Camil away and stared straight at Rebecca.

“I’m speaking logically, for our own good. It’s the best way, don’t you think, Rebecca?”

“That’s not something I can decide.”

“Who do you like? Then what?”

Sion’s angry eyes swept around, then fixed on Rebecca’s arm. He forcibly grabbed the bracelet that was still on her wrist and pulled it off.

“There’s no way I’ll marry you. Not now, not in the future.”

He stomped on the bracelet and crushed it. The fragments of the broken bracelet scattered on the floor.

From noble mtl dot com

Rebecca watched, stunned, as Dian Esperance approached late.

–

Sion’s cheek turned red. He glared at Dian with an angry gaze.

But in the end, Sion didn’t say a word and left the ballroom with an angry face. Camil Esperance carefully followed behind him.

Even as Dian apologized, Rebecca stood still for a while, looking at the broken bracelet that Sion had crushed.

In the truest sense, it was a broken engagement.

***

“…Are you going to kill me?”

Rebecca was now on top of Sion, holding three swords against his neck.

The situation was so precarious that the blade was only 1cm away from his skin. But she couldn’t push it in any further.

“Rebecca…”

“…….”

The necklace that Sion had given her back then was still around his neck.

As Sion’s slowly outstretched hand touched his chin, Rebecca reflexively dropped the swords. The swords clattered to the floor.

There were many things she wanted to say.

How did it come to this, and why did it come to this?

There were many things she wanted to ask, and many urgent matters to attend to. But none of that mattered now.

The only thing she could think of now was that she had to end this before the ghost took control again.

Rebecca stumbled and got up. Sion Esperanza was staring at her. For a moment, her pupils enlarged, as if she had realized her own intentions.

“…It can’t be.”

As soon as Sion threw her body, Rebecca stumbled and ran out.