I Don’t Want to Be a Lady

“Where are you coming to see me?”

To my cold question, the man smiled and replied to me.

“Nice to see you again too, little Sister.”

I glared intently at the handsome silver-haired man who looked just like me. It was fortunate that he only resembled my hair, not my face at all. Unlike me, he was a lazy, pathetic idiot with droopy eyes and spicy words. Madrenne referred to him as a lazy, mean yet innocent handsome man, but it was clear that he was an idiot anyway.

“I told you not to call me your little sister, you idiot.”

“Then, shall I call you as Duchess?”

“Shut up.”

The man lowered his eyebrows as if he was hurt by my words, but the corners of his mouth were raised. Far from being hurt, it was obvious that he was rather enjoying this situation.

“Oh my gosh… How could you talk so harshly to someone who has come because he is worried that someone might have been threatened?”

“Hmph. Am I the one to be threatened with?”

Where did he get such nonsense thoughts?

“Yes? I was talking about Duke Kaien though?” he said that and smiled with his eyes.

I stared at him fiercely.

I’m telling you, this man is my sworn enemy.

This man’s name is Navier Develun. He was the second son of Baron Develun, the older brother of Count Bornes. The man who would inherit Count Borness in the not-too-distant future.

Baron Develun had two sons. The eldest son, Roland, and the second son, Navier. Roland ignored Naverius as the eldest son with a guaranteed future to succeed the Baron. Naverius was a petty and profligate fool. But their position changed completely when Count Bornes had only a daughter and didn’t have a successor.

As the eldest son, Rolan, unfortunately, had to succeed the Baron. On the other hand, his younger brother, who had short education and lived a selfish life, would be the successor of Count Bornes with a higher title and wealth.

Navier had been running away from his house for a long time because of the fact that he got a stomach ache whenever his older brother attacked and scolded him with resentment. The only place he could go was Borness County. However, there was no way I would have welcomed him as he had come to take my place.

I tormented him in many ways, forcing him to get out on his own. It started with light swear words. And it gradually developed into physical harassment. But despite all the torment, he didn’t budge. 

It was me who eventually gave up on him, who laughed at all that I had done to push him away. Still, it was fortunate that he had the sense to ask Count Borne to set up a separate residence for him. He was an idiot who would come to me from time to time, scratching his belly while talking about trivial things.

“Haa. So why are you here?”

I sat down in front of him and asked impatiently.

Navier slowly lifted the teacup with his lazy fingers and said, “I came to see how great the famous Duke Kaien is.”

As expected, he came here for a reason.

I sighed lowly and asked, glancing at him. “What about him? Did he say anything after I left?”

Even though I knew he wouldn’t be like that, I couldn’t help and ask about it. Then.

“Well? When I went there a few days ago, I heard something about the mine, but I didn’t know what he was talking about.”

That’s right. As expected, useless expectations. 

Realizing that it was a futile expectation, my mouth felt bitter as if I had chewed bitter medicine. How could he not have any feelings about letting go of his one and only daughter getting married? I felt disappointed and quite unpleasant that he only cared about the mine, which was my ransom.

“Why are you still sitting? Don’t you want to leave now?”

In the end, the blame was directed at another person. Despite my continued harassment, Navier slowly savored his tea.

“Fortunately, the duchy doesn’t serve cakes.”

Startled. I paused.

Just like me, Navier couldn’t eat cake. He was traumatized for different reasons.

I fanned myself, pretending not to hear, then said, “If you’re done with your business, go away. Your stupidity kicks out when we’re together.”

I’ve always called him an idiot, but I knew he was clever. However, I thought he was not normal as he kept hovering around me even after I treated him badly. People won’t notice that he’s being tormented as he keeps smiling so much.

Giggle. Navier, who smiled lightly, put down his teacup and stood up from his seat.

“Please be gentle with Duke Kaien.”

Making eye contact with me, Navier winked and walked toward the door of the parlor room. Then he stopped as if he had remembered something and said, “Oh, by the way, happy birthday, little Sister.”

Creak. The sound of the door being closed could be heard.

I sat still and licked my lips.

“I’m not your sister, you idiot.”

I really don’t like him. Still, I was rather glad that he would inherit the title and property of my father. That stupid, gullible-looking man would have wiped out all the fortune my father had earned in just one year.

“If I can’t have it, it’s better to just disappear.”

As Navier left the parlor room, he looked carefully at the back of the man who seemed to be the butler guiding him as if waiting. Again, it was a formal and polite attitude that was usually given only to high-ranking nobles. But they used that to him, an uninvited guest.

‘In a place like this, at least she won’t be subjected to such a terrible thing.’

Arianne was being treated by her father as nothing more than a thing. At the County, she was nothing more than a poor bird that was trapped in a fancy cage. Suppose she lived in a place that provided even the bare minimum of courtesy and formality. In that case, she might be treated like a human and get freedom.  Navier was a little relieved at that thought.

He recalled the day when he first visited Bornes County. He recklessly ran away from his house and wandered around for a week. Then he ran out of money and had no one to help him. It had been a long time since he had left his gang with whom he had once hung out as soon as he learned that he would succeed the Bornes family. After all, he had only one place to go.

“My name is Navier Develun. I have come to see my uncle.”

The man who looked up and down at him turned around and walked without saying a word. Then he stopped and spoke harshly without looking back.

“Why aren’t you following me?”

“Ah, yes.”

The cold atmosphere blew. It was to the point where he was glad that he didn’t get kicked out right away.

Navier followed him and looked through the mansion. Indeed, it was a splendid feast of gold, whether it was true that the words ‘wealthiest person’ in the capital.

But he didn’t admire it. What should he say? Was it because he felt awkward, as if he was wearing clothes that didn’t fit his body? And strangely, he couldn’t feel the warmth, just like a place where no one lived there.

“Master, the second son of the Develun family, has come to visit you.”

“Tell him to come in.”

A loud, heavy voice came from beyond the door. The butler opened the door and told Naverius to go in with a glance. Naverius felt some sort of discomfort from his attitude, but he wasn’t stupid enough to make a fuss about it.

Count Bornes looked the same, just like the last time he saw him when he was young. He asked without taking his eyes off the papers piled up on the desk.

“Why are you coming here again?”

“…pardon?”

‘Again? It’s definitely my first-time visiting uncle.’

“I got tired of seeing your older brother come and complain. So why are you here again?”

“…”

He was speechless. Navier seemed to know without even asking what his brother was complaining about when he came all the way here. He must have said that he should be the one who inherited this family because his stupid little brother didn’t deserve it. Just like what he always told him.

When Navier said nothing, Count Borness raised his head. His keen eyes hardened Navier’s body as if he had faced a poisonous snake. Navier could read a momentary but disappointment flashing through his uncle’s eyes.

‘I can’t get kicked out of being stupid. I have nowhere else to go but here.’

If he had gone back home, he could have died at the hands of his brother one day. Because only when he died could his brother inherit this family. Just a few days ago, he ran out of home to live after hearing his brother’s conversation with his father.

“I would rather just kill that idiot. Then I will inherit all the property.”

“That’s true. If that happens, there will be no other blood relatives besides you.”

Navier doubted his ears that time. He was still a child. He wasn’t born because he wanted to be born as the second son. He grew up without learning, wearing, and eating just because he was the second son of a poor baron.

His parents taught, dressed, and fed only his brother as if they should, and he had to grow up hearing the words that he had to give up everything for his brother. The reason was because his brother was the eldest son to succeed in his family.

Navier had no will to live. He was just living because he was born. His life was always being compared to his brother, but he had lived without many complaints. But now he was trying to make up for his life, as it should be.

At that moment, strangely, he became obsessed with living. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to survive somehow. Even though he wanted to do something to his family, he thought that it would be unfair for him to die like that.

‘That’s right. I will live.’

Navier managed to move the tail of his motionless eyes.

A smile with his eyes was his weapon. A precious inheritance from his deceased mother. Then his uncle’s expression changed.

“I want to stay here.”

Navier said, looking into his uncle’s eyes. One corner of his uncle’s mouth drooped.

“Give him a room.”

On that day, Navier became a member of the Bornes family.