The Kind Older Sister Is No More

At Noel’s words, Irene lifted her head. Immediately it was like the colours of Autumn. Deep brown met green. Irene blushed, feeling flustered at how close they were, and quickly diverted her eyes from his. Although she had met Noel a few times before, even being so bold as to stop him, it was truly her first time seeing his handsome features so close.

Irene’s experience with men had only been her cheating fiancé - Boris. Thus, her impression of them had been desperate and fleeting. The first time they had met was the exact situation Irene had found herself in. They had met at night. It was rushed and dark. The second time too, she, unfortunately, could not pay attention to his face because her eyes were so swollen from crying. Now that she was looking more closely at him, Irene caught herself thinking - Noel is really...handsome.

  Noel had soft hair, blonde hair with a silver overtone. He had deep dark brown eyes, which women could lose themselves staring at - Irene certainly almost did. His skin was clear without blemishes, and Noel had defined facial structures. He was also quite tall, so Irene had to raise her head a little bit to make eye contact with him. Observing him more, his shoulders were firm and broad, and his neck looked smooth. She was sure, underneath his clothing, concealed strong and taught muscles.

Suddenly Noel coughed. Irene flushed. She could not believe her thoughts at a time like this! I’m not going to get married just because of his face. A ‘face’ was not sufficient for marriage.

  Suddenly Irene remembered what one of the women had said at the ball. Noel was very handsome like the rumour, but he was just a good-looking illegitimate child in the rumour, nothing more or less. Everyone was sure that Noel wouldn’t inherit the dukedom, so they ignored him. There were also people who openly criticised him.

  “Miss?”

  “I wish that I could help you too, Duke.”

  “What?”

     Irene stared silently at Noel, and when Noel asked him, Irene suddenly said those words. Noel seemed puzzled by Irene’s sudden and unexpected remarks. Irene was also startled by her own words, she was just thinking it in her mind, but when Noel suddenly asked her, she unconsciously spoke that.

  However, Irene had no intention of retracting those words. She knew that she had said that out of the blue, but she had meant every word.

  “We need to help each other, but I’m the one who is always receiving help from you. You comforted me in our last meetings, and you also helped me with Boris...”

  “Ah, that’s what you mean.”

  As if Noel understood what Irene’s said, he nodded his head.

  “You don’t have to worry about that. Rather than thinking that I did that for you, I think of that as a stepping stone to achieve my goal.”

  “What’s the goal?”

  “To marry you and inherit the dukedom.”

  Noel’s soft expression turned firm as he said that. Just as her family was Irene’s weakness, Noel’s weakness was the dukedom. However, that motivated Noel more to show other people the image of him inheriting the dukedom. But of course, Noel’s grandfather did not recognise his decision to marry Irene. That was the only obstacle blocking Noel from his goal.

  Irene stared at Noel. Currently, she could not guess what was on Noel’s mind, but at least she knew what Noel must be feeling now.

  Being subject to that… It must be miserable.

  Irene felt it several times a day. It was a thorn that would suddenly pop into her mind even though she tried hard to forget it. It was a constant struggle. 

  “Looking at your situation, we need to speed things up. But it is not easy to break my grandfather’s will, so it will take a little longer. Until then, will you…”

  “I will.”

  “...?”

  When Irene felt Noel hesitate to ask her, she immediately answered him. Noel seemed surprised by Irene’s answer, which made her ears feel hot. Irene was ashamed enough, but she plucked up her courage and asked.

  “Can’t I meet him?”

  “What do you mean….”

  Noel, who was flustered and had yet to understand what Irene meant fully, asked her. Irene, who managed to gain a little more courage, said this time in a more determined voice.

  “The Grand Duke of Kristen.”

  “...”

  “Your grandfather.”