I Don’t Need Them Anymore — Abandoning the Family That Never Loved Me, I Find Happiness in a Neighboring Kingdom - Chapter 5

While I was packing with Nana and the others, my sister came to visit—perhaps because I hadn’t gone to see her. When I refused, saying I didn’t want to meet, she began crying outside my door.

“Dahlia, please forgive me. I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry. I never imagined you would be the one to sacrifice yourself.”

If those words were true, I couldn’t help but suspect my sister’s head was full of flowers.

So, this is the true nature of someone beloved by so many citizens. Even though we’d been together all this time, I hadn’t noticed.

I had no intention of engaging with her, but since we might never meet again anyway, I decided to ask the one thing that was bothering me.

“Sister, I want to ask you. Did you understand that someone had to marry Lord Edith?”

“Yes. But I thought it would be someone I didn’t know! I never imagined you would be my substitute!”

“Then why did you choose Loin as your partner? And are you saying it’s fine if a stranger becomes the sacrifice?”

In response to my questions, what came from my sister wasn’t an answer, but choked sobs.

So, she only thought about not wanting to be the wife herself. She never even considered that someone else would have to marry in her place.

Could my sister, who was raised being loved and pampered, really not think of something so obvious?

“Um… I have something I want to give you. sob!”

“No thank you.”

“Ugh, anyway please accept it. It’s for your benefit.”

Her sobbing made it hard to understand what she was saying, but I gathered she was telling me to accept it because it would benefit me.

“Lady Ramula, I’ll take it for you, so please return to your room.”

Just as I was growing irritated at the soldier’s presumptuous words, Nana spoke to me.

“Shall I handle this for you?”

“…Is something wrong?”

“I’m curious about what Lord Loin entrusted to Lady Ramula.”

“Fine. Please check it.”

“Thank you.”

Nana bowed slightly, then forcefully swung open one of the double doors that opened outward.

“Kyaa!”

After my sister’s scream, the soldier shouted.

“What are you doing?! That’s dangerous!”

“Please hand over what you received. I have Lady Dahlia’s permission to check it.”

“O… okay.”

Nana took something from the soldier, then immediately closed the door and locked it.

“Sob… sob… Dahlia, I’m truly sorry…”

“Lady Ramula has done nothing wrong. Please return to your room now.”

Though my sister was still weeping, she was persuaded by her maid to leave.

“Thank you, Nana. You saved me.”

“I’ve done nothing worthy of thanks.”

In Nana’s smiling hand was a white envelope. The seal wasn’t closed, and with my permission, Nana took out the stationery from inside.

“Is there a letter inside?”

“Yes. There’s something else in here too, but may I check this as well?”

“What are you checking?”

Peering into the envelope, I could see a small white packet.

“What is this?”

“Lady Dahlia, this might have something written about it. If you don’t mind, may I read the letter?”

“Since I’ll want to know the contents anyway, maybe I should read it myself.”

“Is that alright?”

“Yes.”

At that moment, I still had some naive hope lingering in my heart. But the moment I read the letter, the faint hope I’d felt for him vanished completely.

“Lady Dahlia, what did it say?”

Noticing the tears welling in my eyes, Nana asked, and instead of answering, I silently handed her the letter.

“Excuse me.”

Nana took the letter and read it. As she progressed, deep wrinkles formed between her eyebrows.

The content of Loin’s letter was this:

‘I believe I did what was best for the country. If Lady Ramula remains in this country, many people will be happy. There’s nothing more joyful than this. However, I love you, and I promised to protect you. If you love me, please trust me. Burn this letter and drink the enclosed powder by tomorrow. It’s powdered Tsubdo root.’

Tsubdo root is often used to poison someone.

His words of love are lies.

And I don’t want to be protected out of mere obligation.

“If I die, will I find peace?”

“Don’t say such foolish things!”

“But this must be poison! Loin is going this far to ask for my death!”

Nana looked at me with a severe expression.

“You should just ignore what a terrible person says.”

“Maybe, but…”

“May I take custody of this letter and the envelope’s contents?”

If I can’t use them anyway, there’s no point in keeping them.

“I don’t mind, but I think telling Father would be useless. He’d only be happy if I died and would just tell me to drink it, and any complaint to Loin would be suppressed. It might put you in danger, so don’t do anything foolish.”

“I won’t consult His Majesty, nor will I contact Lord Loin, so please don’t worry.”

Nana answered with a cheerful smile, but soon her eyebrows drooped.

“My apologies, but may I take my leave now?”

“Right now? What’s suddenly come up?”

“I want to investigate what’s inside.”

“Alright. But you’ll show your face tomorrow, won’t you? I want to say a proper goodbye.”

“Of course. And there’s no need for farewell greetings.”

What does she mean? Is Nana coming with me?

That would make me happy, but I doubt Father would allow it. It would be nice if the Rofeus Kingdom’s envoy said they’d take Nana too.

Perhaps because I fell silent with a serious expression, Nana asked with a worried look.

“Is something wrong?”

“No. I’m just happy if it’s not goodbye.”

“I’m happy too. Well then, Lady Dahlia, I’ll take my leave for today.”

I wonder how she plans to investigate. But since she’s not saying anything, it must mean she can’t tell me.

I’m afraid of being betrayed. But I want to trust Nana.

With these complicated feelings, I saw Nana off as she left the room.

Alone, I recalled what was written in Loin’s letter.

The feeling that dying would be better for everyone and the feeling that I don’t want to die wrestled within me.

Then, a knocking sound came, and another maid arrived in Nana’s place.

It seems they don’t intend to leave me alone.

If they care about me this much, I’ll try trusting Nana.

At that moment, it felt like an all-or-nothing gamble, but I would learn that God hadn’t abandoned me when morning came the next day.