The assailant had wrapped their arm around my neck from behind, squeezing tightly as if hanging from me. They seemed to be shorter than me, with thin arms, which only made it harder for me to move.
I leaned back, gasping for air, and managed to speak.
"M... Miss Marie, what do you intend to do?"
"Just talk."
"What will you say? If it's a conversation, I can listen as her maid."
"It's none of your business."
"Then, after dawn, through Lord Granado..."
"I already said it's none of your business! Now, let me see Marie!"
They must be planning to do something to me that they don't want the people in the castle to know about.
Who could be holding a grudge against me? I haven't done anything to make enemies. Could it be because of my engagement to Lord Cyrus? Perhaps a noble or merchant who wants Granado's privileges, or a girl who had feelings for Lord Cyrus and now harbors resentment. It's possible. In any case, it would be dangerous to claim to be Marie.
"... Miss Marie's room... First, go back to the main gate, it's near the first floor of the stone castle, the main floor."
"Don't lie. The countess's bedroom isn't in such a place."
"M... Marie Chaderan was bought from a poor baron's family. She doesn't receive the count's favor and stays in the servants' quarters."
I thought it was a rather weak excuse, but the assailant seemed to believe it easily. I clicked my tongue.
"I see... It would be troublesome with people around. ...There's no choice. I'll have to take you away while it's still dark."
Take me away!? So, their intention wasn't to hurt me but to use me as leverage to threaten Lord Cyrus. A rival of the Granado company or a noble's relation? I don't want to cause trouble for Lord Cyrus.
For a moment, I thought about taking my own life right here.
But I quickly reconsidered. He would never want that. Rather—what I should do in this situation is—
"Ah... h... Help! Someone—! Someone, come—!"
The assailant was startled and tightened their grip on my neck. As expected, they didn't use a knife. They don't want to hurt me.
I dropped to my knees and then jumped up, carrying the shorter assailant on my back.
The assailant's feet dangled in the air. My neck was even tighter, but my hands were free. I've been chopping wood for years, after all. I grabbed the assailant's arm with both hands and pulled with all my might.
"Ah? Ow!"
The assailant let out a surprisingly cute scream and fell to the ground. I didn't look back and ran. I hadn't learned any proper fighting techniques, but there were many stronger people in the Granado castle.
I ran towards the castle. Some of the servants should be nearby. There were incredibly strong maids and Lord Cyrus himself.
My job was to alert them to my predicament!
"Help!"
But before I reached the castle, my hair was grabbed. I stumbled from the pain and was pinned down.
"Stop making a fuss! I won't hurt Marie!"
While the assailant was on my back, I managed to turn my head to look at their face. The sun had almost risen, and it was quite bright. At the very least, I needed to remember their features as a dying message. So, I looked at their face. Their face...
...What?
"You don't want to mar such a beautiful face, do you? Just stay still... beautiful, face... face..."
The 'assailant's' voice grew weaker.
Under the deep hat, blue eyes widened. Long golden lashes blinked, and they looked puzzled.
The next moment, their body floated in the air.
"Wha? —Ah!"
"Lord Cyrus!"
The one who lifted the 'assailant' by the collar was the lord of Granado Castle himself. Lord Cyrus Granado is tall. He lifted the 'assailant' like a kitten, then bent his large body and threw them far away.
The person flew through the air in an arc. —They were about to hit the wall! But Mio caught them just in time. She frowned at the small 'assailant.'
"Light?"
Lord Cyrus, who had thrown them, seemed to share the same thought. He looked down at his right hand with a puzzled expression.
But then he immediately picked me up.
"Marie! Are you alright?"
"I'm... I'm fine, thank you..."
"Really, it's Marie!?"
While Mio twisted the 'assailant's' arms behind their back, they shouted. The hat had fallen off due to the throw. Seeing the exposed face, Lord Cyrus tilted his head.
"You're Arthur, right?"
"...No. My sister... Anastasia."
I confirmed.
Lord Cyrus made a puzzled sound.
"Anastasia!? Seriously... she's like that?"
He had seen her from a distance but never met her, so the change must have been even more jarring. Her appearance was completely different from my memory.
Her beautiful golden hair was cut short to her ears. The front and sides were unkempt, curly, and fluffy, like a golden ball of fluff. If it weren't for the glimpse of those blue eyes, I might not have recognized her.
Her clothes were similar to what Smith Norman wore. A large, loose shirt and overalls. It looked like a craftsman's work clothes, with many large pockets.
Overall, they were dirty. Not unclean, but probably not washed properly. Or maybe they got dirty as soon as they were washed. Her clothes, hair, and skin were dulled by dirt and paint.
She looked like a young apprentice craftsman. But her beautiful, angelic face with large blue eyes, a small nose, round lips, and plump cheeks remained unchanged.
It was Anastasia Chaderan.
"Mio, let go of my sister..."
"Stay away from Marie, big man!"
Sister shouted, glaring at Lord Cyrus, who was holding me, more than at the maid who was restraining her.
Lord Cyrus didn't lower his guard even after understanding it was her sister. He protected me while assessing the situation.
"I just woke up and was on my way to meet you. What happened? Why is Anastasia here?"
"She pretended to return to the capital and sneaked into the castle."
Mio said, still twisting her sister's arm.
"She was wearing the same clothes she had on before arriving at the castle. The story about changing clothes was a lie."
"I... I did think about changing, really."
Sister made a strange excuse.
"But then, I figured Norman would realize my true identity. I thought I could switch back to being a 'woman' after swapping places with Marie..."
"Switch places?"
"Switch places?"
Sister and I said simultaneously. She mumbled for a while but then glared at Lord Cyrus again.
"Ah, the count's fiancée should be me—I, I am the right choice. Please dissolve your engagement with Marie and marry me."
"Sister...!?"
Lord Cyrus signaled Mio. Once released, my sister rushed to me and pulled me away from Lord Cyrus.
The smaller sister shielded me with her back, standing in front of the large Lord Cyrus.
"Originally, you proposed to me. I deeply apologize for pretending to be dead and breaking the engagement without permission. But I never thought my sister would be a substitute. The Chaderan sisters look nothing alike...
—Lord Granado. I have returned. If you want a noble daughter to bear your children, I am sufficient, am I not?"
"...Yes, that's true, but—"
Lord Cyrus was at a loss, confused. I poked my sister's back.
"Um, sister. You don't really want to marry Lord Cyrus, do you...?"
"Of course not, a scumbag who buys women with money and power."
"Hey—"
Lord Cyrus narrowed his eyes. He crossed his arms, his large body expanding as he glared at Anastasia.
"I'm not like that. However, political marriages are a common form of marriage. They are alliances between families, usually decided by parents, not like buying a prostitute for pleasure."
"Then you're a piece of shit who thanks your parents for the woman they bought."
"Hey, hey—"
Mio muttered. Lord Cyrus raised an eyebrow.
"I'm telling you, I'm not like that. I don't keep women who don't want to be with me."
"Really? You threw me into a carriage without a word. My sister was kidnapped and imprisoned here right after I was 'accidentally killed'?"
"I didn't kidnap her or imprison her. There are many things I'm sorry for, but I can't be too forceful. I'm treating Marie well."
"Treating her well? Making her work until dawn and sleep in the servants' quarters!?"
"Ah, sister, that's a lie."
My voice was drowned out by Lord Cyrus's angry shout.
"I'm not forcing her to work! She's doing many things, but it's because Marie wants to. She seems more comfortable working hard than wearing fancy dresses—"
"Don't compare her to our parents, you scumbag! No one, not even a child, would believe that those rags are Marie's preference!"
"Wait, look, they're not rags anymore! She looks beautiful!"
"That's exactly what I'm saying, you pervert! Marie hates those frilly, flowy dresses!"
Hearing her loud assertion, I hiccuped.
Huh?
"Marie loves studying. She has no interest in romantic relationships with boys. She was fascinated by the culture of a foreign town more than the life of a noble. To force her into this—
I'm sorry, Marie. Because I ran away, you were burdened with a difficult role. I only just heard yesterday that you were the new fiancée. I'm sorry for always doing what I wanted. I'm sorry..."
"Um... sister... There seems to be a huge misunderstanding...?"
"I'm sorry. I'll grow my hair back, and I'll stop pretending to be a craftsman..."
Sister wiped her tears and turned to Lord Cyrus again.
"Lord, I won't run or hide anymore. Do with me as you please."
Lord Cyrus looked straight at her.
It wasn't the gaze of someone pitying a victim of a tragic accident or the look of someone cherishing a delicate beauty.
It was the stance of facing a mortal enemy, chest puffed out, ready to challenge.
"...I love Marie."
He said in a low voice. Sister responded.
"I love Marie more."
Lord Cyrus didn't back down.
"Marie also loves me."
"You're just deluding yourself."
"Who's deluding themselves? You seem to be deceived by your parents as well."
"No, Marie hates you."
"I'm trying to take care of her."
"Then why do you sleep in separate rooms? If you truly love each other, you should share a bedroom—"
"If I could, I would have done it long ago!"
Lord Cyrus shouted.
He clenched his fists tightly, facing me and my sister—right in the middle of the garden, where the morning dew sparkled. He asserted with all his might.
"If money and power could make things go my way, I would have kidnapped her on the first day! I would have destroyed the Chaderan family, skipped the proposal letter, letters to her parents, and the engagement ceremony, quit my job, and gone on a journey with Marie! I would have covered the floor of the room with rose petals, laid her on a fluffy bed, fed her sweet cakes, and kissed her every time she swallowed, every day, every day, every day, every day! From morning till night, I would never let her go, always, always, always holding her, holding her, holding her, holding her! But I don't want her to hate me, and I don't want her to feel even a little uncomfortable, and if I monopolize her, the servants will get angry, so I'm holding back, I'm already at my limit! It's only natural, if this isn't love, why would I buy a body pillow, you idiot—!"
...
I squatted down on the spot.
"..."
Anastasia stared at the count, wide-eyed.
Mio was holding her head in the distance.
This hopeless atmosphere lingered for a while...
The silence was broken by an outsider peeking out from the hedge.
"Yay, you're having fun! Can I join in?"
Lord Cyrus, as if just realizing, held his head and squatted down.