“Huh…”

Deep inside the Lord’s Castle of Rhapsody.

There was a woman who had just put down a stack of documents she had been examining while letting out a heavy sigh.

Estelle Bertina Fernandez.

She held the true power of the Rhapsody Region, burdened with countless tasks to handle today, working through them with her usual speed.

However,

Recently, she found herself having to pause her work due to sudden memories popping up in her mind.

It was the persistent image of someone whom she couldn’t seem to shake since returning from Bohemia…

Thoughts of her fiancé, Santana Andreas.

“Really… Why am I, a capable woman, letting this man occupy my mind? Our relationship is merely formal. It’s just a contract engagement…”

Each time his image flashed before her, she chastised herself by recalling the nature of their arrangement.

Yet, the more she tried to dismiss it, the tighter the knot in her heart seemed to become.

The more she coldly observed the situation, the more desperate and overwhelming the feelings grew.

It was at this moment that she found herself questioning this reality.

-Knock Knock Knock

“Sister!”

“Oh, Lord.”

Hearing her younger brother’s voice, Estelle rose with a smile to greet him.

“What’s going on at this hour, Lord? What about your studies?”

“I finished my studies for today, sister. Have you finished your work?”

“Yes, just finished.”

To be honest, there were still a few things left, but they could easily be postponed until tomorrow without any major issue.

With that, Estelle embraced her younger brother tightly as always.

Her very young brother, with almost a 20-year age gap.

To her, he felt more like a son than just a little brother, and her role had indeed been that way.

Ever since their parents passed away, he remained the only blood relation she had in this world, always needing her help.

Looking at him, Estelle made another effort to steady her wavering heart.

‘…Right… Everything is for this child. My relationship with that Santana man is only for this child. I can’t keep worrying over such trivial matters…’

While thinking this, Estelle hugged her brother Johan a little tighter.

At that moment, Johan, who had been looking up at her, began to show a hint of doubt on his face.

“…? Sister? Are you worried about something?”

“…Huh? Ah… No… There’s nothing like that. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just… you don’t seem quite yourself today.”

“…”

At her brother’s remark, Estelle felt a rush of embarrassment, wondering if her feelings had shown on her face.

Seeing this, young Lord Johan spoke with a hint of concern.

“Is something bothering you? If so, please tell me. I’m a lord, you know? I can fix whatever you’re worried about.”

His innocent attempt to be helpful felt to Estelle like a little boy trying to take on grown-up responsibilities, and she could only accept it with a smile.

However…

Despite the fact that he couldn’t really be of any help, Estelle couldn’t help but feel a little warmed by her brother’s adorable demeanor.

“…Haha, is that so? Since you’ve said it that much, I suppose I can’t keep silent, can I?”

In that light-hearted mood of watching her brother’s antics, she began to share her thoughts with ease.

“Lord, do you remember when I got engaged to the heir of Bohemia not long ago?”

“Yes. That’s the one with that Santana fellow, right?”

“That’s right. It’s Santana. Truth be told, I can’t stop thinking about him these days… I don’t really know why, though. I haven’t seen him that much. And yet, he occupies my thoughts.”

There was no special significance behind it, but Estelle decided to be honest, thinking of it as a slight release of her pent-up feelings.

In response to her words, young Lord Johan looked up at her with wide eyes as if he didn’t quite understand what she was saying.

This was the reaction Estelle had somewhat anticipated, and she simply smiled at her brother’s round eyes.

However…

“Are you perhaps really fond of that Santana fellow?”

“…What?”

Her brother’s sudden remark took her by surprise.

Seeing her reaction, Johan spoke in his innocent, boyish voice.

“Well, because I do think about you when you’re not around, and I miss you. I really like you, sister. So maybe you’re fond of that Santana guy, too?”

“!… Well, that…”

Caught off guard by this unexpected implication from her little brother, Estelle felt a revelation hit her like a lightning bolt.

*

After Johan left…

For days, Estelle experienced a whirlwind of emotions.

It was because of her brother’s words that she became acutely aware of her true feelings.

Her feelings towards Santana Andreas were indeed that of affection.

“I… I like him? Me, Estelle, actually… liking that Santana fellow?”

When she finally recognized this feeling…

Her initial instinct was to deny it.

“No… No way… No matter how I think about it, that can’t be true. How could I have such feelings for someone I’ve barely met? Ah, but if Johan is right… could it really be so?”

The more she denied it, the clearer the feelings for him became.

She began to quietly feel disappointed in herself.

“Really? Am I, of all people, so easily swayed by someone? How pathetic… How did someone like me let this happen so easily…”

It felt like a blow to her self-esteem.

After all, she believed herself to be different from ordinary women.

Always calm and composed, she prided herself on her ability to assess any situation, never swayed except when it came to her brother.

But the situation she was currently in was shaking her pride to its core, morphing her emotion into frustration and a hint of anger.

And after some time passed,

She began to reach a certain compromise with her current feelings.

“…No… But thinking about it, isn’t this kind of natural? Even if it started as a contract, I am his fiancée after all. Besides, it’s hard to find a man with his capabilities…”

However, this compromise only led to gloom taking root in her heart.

She easily understood the reason Santana insisted on a contractual arrangement.

He had no real interest in her.

What he truly desired was merely a strategic alliance with the Rhapsody Region for Bohemia’s benefit, with no intention of forming any deeper relationship with her.

“That I should develop feelings for someone like him… Just when I thought my life couldn’t possibly get worse, this happens…”

Feeling down about the current state, Estelle sank into her melancholy.

However… her despair didn’t last long.

Even though her ‘love’ began on a complicated note, Estelle was not someone who would wallow in despair.

“Right… I can’t deny that I have feelings for him. So now, all I have to do is actively pursue this, right? I’m Estelle, the woman who holds the true power of the Rhapsody Region. There’s no way I can struggle to win a man’s heart!”

With that resolution, Estelle completely accepted her feelings and decided to actively pursue them.

Right after making up her mind, she began to devise plans in her head to achieve her goals, and she had plenty of methods to draw upon.

With insight into the continent’s political landscape that surpassed most power players, Estelle could clearly see the swirling conflicts surrounding Bohemia and the Heretic Forces.

As she thought about how to bond her relationship with Santana beyond mere contractual ties, ideas began to form.

“Just you wait, Santana Andreas… I will definitely turn your heart into mine!”