~Chapter 4~
“No, I—!”
She had drawn too much attention. The nanny standing behind Nina glared at Camilla, her face flushed with fury. Camilla was about to refuse, but—
“So, Nina, do you like this young lady?”
“Yes, Mother! I want to play with her!”
Camilla’s hands trembled as the Baroness approached, her gaze icy as she looked down at Nina’s small hand gripping Camilla’s.
“A future lady of the house, yet you spend your days scheming how to play… A drastic remedy is in order.”
And to Camilla’s astonishment, the Baroness’s “drastic remedy” was something she could never have imagined.
“By the Baroness’s orders, you will join Miss Nina’s lessons in decorum from today.”
Lessons in refinement—such words belonged only to the world of noble ladies. In the mountain valley, such things were beyond imagination.
The nanny, grumbling all the while, led Camilla to Nina’s side.
“Don’t go thinking you’re to be treated as our young lady’s equal. Can you even read?”
“Yes!”
“Tch. No doubt your skills are worthless, but it’s better than nothing.”
Her mother had taught her to read and write, along with everything about poison. Though those lessons had been harsh, this was an entirely different world.
“You know, I always wanted an older sister! Here, this is a present!”
“Th-thank you.”
Nina offered her a sweet wrapped in bright paper—a gift unlike any Camilla had ever received. Her heart warmed, and she wondered if she might really come to like Nina.
Soon, Madame Milliam, the governess, entered, glanced at the two girls, and nodded.
“Turn to page thirty-two.”
There was only one book, so Camilla listened, peering over Nina’s shoulder.
Madame Milliam spoke of the proper way to hold utensils, how to greet with a fan, and the finer points of noble decorum. Camilla’s eyes sparkled with interest at the unfamiliar lessons.
Nina listened with a dazed expression, sometimes nodding off, and each time, Camilla gently nudged her awake.
How adorable.
“Now, let us have a test on today’s lesson.”
Nina pouted, but quickly accepted the quill and parchment.
“What about you, Sister?”
“It’s not necessary for her.”
“That’s unfair!”
Camilla was disappointed as well, but there was nothing she could do. She silently recited the answers to the questions Nina struggled with.
The salad knife goes on the outermost edge.
Covering your mouth with a fan means you have nothing to say.
Though she’d learned these things only today, it was clear her little sister had no gift for study. Madame Milliam squinted as she checked Nina’s work.
“You missed five.”
“Hehe.”
Nina grinned, but Madame Milliam produced a slender rod from her pocket.
She turned to Camilla and whispered,
“What are you waiting for? Come forward.”
“Huh?”
Both girls stared wide-eyed as the governess pointed at Camilla with the tip of her rod.
“Miss Camilla will take the punishment for each of Miss Nina’s mistakes.”
“But Sister… It was never like that before!”
“By order of the Baroness. Step up to the platform.”
At a glance from the governess, Camilla felt her blood run cold.
“If you refuse, you cannot join the lessons. Leave now, if you wish.”
No—she couldn’t throw away this precious chance.
“…I understand.”
If she gave up now, she’d lose everything, so Camilla steeled herself.
And so, she endured the blows meant for Nina. Her nails dug crescent marks into her palms.
“Sister, I’m so sorry…”
After the lesson, Nina sniffled and promised to study harder. Though it was Camilla who bore the pain, Nina was the one in tears. Camilla shook her head.
“I’m your sister—it’s all right. But you must study harder from now on.”
“…Okay!”
But, unfortunately, Nina’s abilities did not improve. She had no talent for study, and the beatings only grew harsher. Before her wounds could heal, new blows would land, until Camilla’s legs could scarcely bear her.
That night, aching with pain, Camilla finally drifted to sleep.
Click.
Who’s there?
She shut her eyes, holding her breath. Then she heard the soft, familiar footsteps.
Sniffles, the shuffling of small feet.
Nina?
“Sister, I’m sorry…”
A tiny hand touched her throbbing calf, the cool touch of ointment spreading across her bruised skin.
Nina, still sniffling, turned and quietly left, the door shutting softly behind her.
The scent of medicine.
It was a salve made from herbs to draw out bruises. Camilla smiled faintly and closed her eyes.
No matter how hard things became, having a little sister like this made it bearable. It was certainly more rewarding than merely tasting food for poison.
That’s what she told herself.
But even endurance has its limits.
Her personal maid, Yuli, began to treat her more and more carelessly.
“Hey, isn’t this the dress you wore yesterday?”
“…Are you complaining to me? I’m the one who took your beatings for you!”
“S-sorry.”
“You really never do anything, do you?”
Not knowing how to command a servant, Camilla shrank as Yuli grew more brazen.
That day, after Yuli’s sharp words and another round of beatings for Nina’s mistakes, Camilla limped back toward her room. Nina approached her, shy and hopeful.
“Sister, will you eat with me tonight? I asked the kitchen to prepare food that’s good for your wounds!”
Camilla wanted to tell her not to bother and to focus on her lessons, but bit her tongue.
She doesn’t do it on purpose.
Neither Nina’s mistakes nor Camilla’s punishments were intentional.
“I want to eat with you, Sister. I’ll ask Mother if it’s all right…”
But the moment Nina mentioned the Baroness’s permission, Camilla could no longer hold back.
“I always eat alone before the family meal. It’s the same food, so what does it matter?”
Nina’s eyes widened.
Ah, that’s right.
Nina didn’t know that Camilla’s job was to taste for poison first.
Camilla hadn’t meant to reveal it, but the hint slipped out.
Nina tilted her head.
“So you always get to eat first, when it’s the hottest and tastiest? I’m jealous!”
Ah.
“No! It’s not like that!”
All the sorrow she’d suppressed suddenly burst forth. Nina, startled by Camilla’s sharp tone, stumbled and fell to the ground.
Seeing her like that, Camilla’s heart sank.
“Nina, are you—”
“How dare you!”
The nanny ran to Nina, pulling her up and slapping Camilla hard across the face.
Her mind went blank. More than the pain, what filled her thoughts was the image of an adult shielding Nina from her.
“How dare a bastard like you!”
“Don’t, Nanny! It wasn’t Sister’s fault!”
Nina tried to stop her, but the nanny comforted Nina, then strode over and hissed in Camilla’s ear.
“The Baroness has been considering discarding you for your utter uselessness. But to raise your hand to our young lady? You’re finished.”
All the emotions Camilla had tried so hard to hold back came pouring out.
Drip.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. Nina stared at her, round-eyed, but Camilla turned away and fled.
Mother!
Running to her room, Camilla called out for her mother again and again.
Mother, why did you sell me?
This place was hell.
She hated her mother, who had sold her for a chest of gold coins. She despised this place, where she’d be cast out if she couldn’t prove her worth. Anything was better than this—she would rather leave on her own.
“Hey, tester!—Wait, what happened to your face?”
Ares, waiting in her room, was ignored as Camilla began packing. She kicked off the stiff shoes she’d been issued and put on her own leather ones.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you?”
“Let go.”
“What, are you planning to leave the house?”
Ares caught her arm as she stepped into the hallway.
“Did you do something to get kicked out? I thought you were playing sister with that airheaded girl.”
“Let go. I’m done. If someone needs to prove their worth, let it be you.”
She had nowhere to go, but leaving herself seemed less wretched.
“Are… are you crying?”
Camilla shook off his hand and started down the stairs, but Ares grabbed her hard by the shoulder.
“Hey! Don’t you dare ignore me!”
He shoved her, and she felt herself lifted from the ground, the world spinning. She thought she glimpsed Ares’s startled face—
Thud.
Darkness fell.
And in that darkness, Camilla found a book.
The Downfall of Nina
The very ruinous romance fantasy she had read in her previous life.
