Aunt
Shepherd’s Point of View
A while after breaking off the engagement with the Felt family, I was told that I would be charged with marriage fraud, but I refused to pay any compensation.
Why should I have to pay that kind of money?
I haven’t done anything wrong, and I haven’t deceived anyone; they are just delusional.
But it was after being demoted from the Viscount’s family to the Baron’s family.
“What have you done?!”
“Elder Sister!”
“An envoy from the Capital was sent to our house… What a disgrace.”
My Aunt suddenly barged into our house and started hurling abusive language at us.
“Thanks to you, our family has also been disgraced… asking us to pay the compensation in your place is no joke.”
“But I haven’t done anything wrong.”
“It’s pointless to talk to you. They even said they would seize the territory’s land if there’s not enough to seize in the Capital… They plan to seize everything except the plot of land, carriages, and horses that Father left us there.”
“That’s outrageous…”
“This mansion will be seized as well.”
They have no right to do as they please with someone else’s home!
“Elder Sister, this is…”
“Shepherd is unable to inherit it. As a special measure, I’lll take over the place, so please leave within a month.”
“Elder Sister is taking it over? That’s…”
“I am at least qualified to do so. But even if I inherit this territory, I’ll only be burdened with debt.”
How can she make decisions about everything like this? How arrogant can she be?
This territory is already mine.
Such arbitrariness should not be tolerated.
Yet my Aunt, with a deeply annoyed expression, uttered cruel words.
“I will sell everything that can be sold. And then, I’ll sever ties with you.”
“That’s so cruel.”
“Aunt! How could you…”
“You have always been embarrassed by the commoner noble in the family, weren’t you? You have always said so. If you wanted to sever ties, this is the perfect opportunity.”
“That was… just a joke.”
“That’s right. Why bring it up now?”
She brings up past events and is a vindictive woman.
That was just a joke.
It’s terrible that she still holds onto it.
“What about insulting my daughter at social gatherings? Was that also a joke?”
“That… yes. That was just a bit of banter over drinks…”
It’s not a big deal.
It was a drunken joke from three years ago.
“Because of that, my daughter’s engagement was canceled. You ridiculed her at that time… I will never forgive you.”
“Aunt!”
“This mansion will be demolished. And I won’t leave you alone both like this.”
My Aunt’s eyes were dead serious.
“Wait, Elder Sister.”
“We’re not sisters anymore. In a month, I’ll demolish this mansion and sell the plot of land.”
It’s insane that a little joke can’t be forgiven.
“I’ve tolerated your reckless behavior so far, in consideration of Diaz. But I can’t bear it anymore.”
“Elder Sister!”
Even here, Diaz.
Why.
Why did that man go this far?
I couldn’t accept it.
But at a ball I was invited to by a friend after a long time, I realized that the situation was more serious than we thought.