His firm body line was fragile, and the cheeks that had risen nicely were hollow.

Dania’s lips trembled at the same time. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at Seidrick.

“Why… even you?”

“Yes.”

Seidrick muttered sarcastically.

Now he was tired of having such a grudge. Why does it have to be him? Why does it have to be his family?

The thought had already flowed away.

It was Seidrick’s goal to just get through this situation.

“……therefore.”

Dania swallows her hot saliva.

Tears mixed with rainwater wet Dania. It’s tough.

Everything, nothing was easy.

“When are you leaving?”

Seidrick raised his head. The sound of rain falling to the black umbrella was heard over and over again. He wished those raindrops would wash everything away.

Alyssa’s pain.

Her sadness too.

Everything else.

Seidrick licked his lips.

Time passed, and there was only one month left for Seidrick. The doctor asserted that he could not delay it any further.

He said that there are limits to what can be tolerated with drugs.

“About a month left…”

“Ha.”

Dania clenched her teeth.

Dania’s chin trembled as she closed her eyes tightly. When this happens, Dania loses options. There was only one way she could go.

“…..·I’ll think about it.”

Dania answered briefly. She had to talk to Caradella and couldn’t get out of her own will. Seidrick nodded his head. As it was a habit, he pulled out a cigar he had been biting and bit it. Unable to light the fire, Seidrick stared at the end of the cigar.

“Alright, thank you.”

Seidrick was doing his best for Alyssa in his own way. He did his best not to leave her alone.

‘Who else was there after that?”

Shit.

Seidrick chewed the cigar. He becomes bitter at the thought that no one will fight like Cambridge.

People would prefer to push Alyssa into the royal family.

***

There was good news, though.

After a long time, Juliana brought the mansion to life.

“A new family portrait arrived today. Finally, a portrait of our entire family.”

With a sad expression, Juliana swept the portrait that once again occupied one wall with her hand.

Alyssa and Ophelia stood side by side and looked at the portrait.

As Juliana said, it was a portrait with everyone in it.

The grown Kendrick, Seidrick, and Ophelia.

Juliana and the deceased Duke.

And Kaihan and Alyssa.

Alyssa bit her lip.

A family portrait.

It was something she had never had in her life. To belong to a particular group, give and receive affection, and safely be protected within a huge fence.

Alyssa became one of them.

Her heart was pounding.

“…Alyssa?”

“No, just because it’s so pretty.”

“Hmm? This a family portrait? I’m hideous…”

Ophelia groaned a little. Alyssa shook her head.

“It’s stunning. Really.”

“Alyssa has a lot of tears. You’ll cry over something like this. By the way, Kaihan came out the ugliest. Did he originally look like that?”

“The new bride who is about to get married should not say it for the new groom.”

Seidrick laughed as if he couldn’t win and ruffled Ophelia’s head.

Fortunately, Ophelia and Kaihan’s wedding was rescheduled before Seidrick left. It was thanks to Kaihan’s family taking into consideration Seidrick’s situation. Although it is urgent, it was decided that it would be unreasonable to have a grand wedding in the country’s current state, so they decided to hold it lightly.

So the wedding was confirmed for the following Monday.

Seidrick said he was lucky to be able to see Ophelia get married.

Alyssa took turns looking at Ophelia and Seidrick.

‘……I’m really happy.’

He cares for his younger sister like that, so if he hadn’t been able to see it, he might have been sad for a long time because he’s a very different person from Norfe and Kruno.

They were equally selfish not only to Alyssa but also to Vanessa. They were ungrateful people who did not make any concessions and only focused on their interests.

That doesn’t mean Vanessa is a better person.

Anyway, seeing Seidrick, who was different from them, used to make a part of her heart bitter.

Alyssa thought she didn’t enjoy anything.

Because of her miserable childhood, she sometimes raised her head in sorrow.

“Ah.”

Alyssa’s and Seidrick’s eyes met.

Seidrick’s eyes gently drew an arc.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

Alyssa read the shape of Seidrick’s mouth. She shook her head as if nothing had happened, but Alyssa couldn’t take her eyes off Seidrick and Ophelia.

Did he notice such a feeling?

The hesitant Seidrick placed his hand on Alyssa’s head.

Alyssa’s face reddened at the touch of his slowly moving hand.

‘Ah… .’

What to do.

Alyssa squeezed her eyes shut.

This is…

She’s really not used to this.