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Chapter 37
Ugh, that gave me chills. Why do people even like this kind of thing?
Tiago spoke.
“Why do people like these stone statues?”
What the—did he just read my mind? That’s exactly what I was just thinking.
I was a little surprised, but I kept a straight face and answered.
“I guess it’s because people think it’s beautiful. No matter what happened in the process, they admire the final result if it looks good.”
Tiago gave me a small smile.
“Delphine, you’ve got a bit of a cold side, huh?”
“Cold? I’d just say realistic.”
Tiago laughed at my reply, and my face instantly turned red.
Seriously, whenever I’m around him, I end up saying things I normally wouldn’t. I need to be careful.
He seemed light-hearted but had depth. People like him—who joke around and talk freely—can easily make others lower their guard. And when that happens, you end up saying too much.
“Delphine, happy birthday.”
Tiago took out a necklace from inside his jacket. No jewelry box, no wrapping—just the necklace itself. That somehow fit Tiago’s style perfectly.
He held it up to my eye level. At the end of the silver chain was a large, diamond-like gem that sparkled beautifully.
“It’s called a mermaid’s tear.”
“Mermaid’s tear? Don’t tell me this gem has a sad backstory too?”
“Unfortunately, yes. This gem is literally a mermaid’s tear. Most mermaids never cry in their entire lives. When a mermaid cries… it means death. In dangerous situations, they’d rather die than cry.”
“Then why did this mermaid cry?”
Tiago’s face twisted in pain for a moment.
Wait… he can make a face like that?
“She had to part ways with someone she truly loved. It was a love that could never happen. And at the moment of goodbye… the mermaid chose death. That tear turned into a gem, and it was given to her beloved as a gift.”
“……”
Tiago clearly didn’t want to talk about it anymore. I stopped asking and quietly looked at the mermaid’s tear.
Now that I knew the story, it seemed to shine even brighter—almost beautifully tragic.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Delphine, have you ever experienced a time when someone else’s misfortune turned out to be your blessing?”
It was an unexpected question. But… yes, I had.
Even now, isn’t that the case? Me becoming Delphine—it must be a huge misfortune for the real Delphine. And for Charlie and Leo, too. But for me, it’s a second chance. A stroke of luck.
So many thoughts filled my mind, but I didn’t say anything.
Tiago… he’s deeper than I thought. And he asks some really tough questions.
……
No, no! Get a grip! This is exactly what smooth-talking flirts do. They’re experts at charming people.
I cleared my throat and straightened my face. Tiago really had a way of putting people under a spell just by talking.
This fox of a man. Stay sharp, Delphine.
“I haven’t. But thank you for the gift.”
“That pearl necklace you’re wearing suits your dress more today, so I won’t make you change it.”
He was looking at the pearl necklace Frederic gave me. I nodded and held out my hand to accept the mermaid’s tear.
“Does this necklace have some magical energy too? Like, will it protect me or something?”
Tiago answered,
“It does. But the power it holds is different from the pearl necklace. The pearl protected you from wraiths—beings not of this world. It shields you from invisible, spiritual forces.”
“……”
“The mermaid’s tear is different. It protects you from mermaid magic.”
I gave him a confused look.
Tiago chuckled at my expression, clearly amused, and continued.
“When we say ‘mermaid magic,’ the most common form is black magic. Every form of black magic we know today—humans originally learned it from mermaids.”
“So mermaids are heavy users of black magic? Are they just… bad creatures?”
“Haha. I never thought of it that way. But mermaids have existed long before humans did. Some scholars say mermaids are the oldest and most intelligent lifeforms in the world.”
“So if the oldest creature is evil… maybe being evil is what helped them survive.”
Tiago shrugged and grinned.
“One thing is for sure: this mermaid’s tear will protect you from black magic. One of the main types of black magic is curses. If someone tries to curse you, this necklace will block it completely.”
“Curses, huh…”
I examined the necklace again, wondering—who would ever try to curse me?
“Delphine, keep this necklace safe. And if you ever feel strange—like sudden dizziness or pain without reason—put it on. Those could be signs of a curse.”
I clutched the necklace tightly and thanked him.
“Thanks, Tiago. When’s your birthday?”
“My birthday?”
Tiago looked a bit caught off guard.
“I don’t have one. I vaguely remember my parents celebrating when I was little… but I don’t remember the exact day anymore.”
“So… no birthday cake?”
“I just live like every day is my birthday. And I don’t really eat cake.”
“Oh…”
“Delphine, don’t feel pressured by the gift. You don’t need to give me anything in return.”
“……”
I held the mermaid’s tear tightly in my hand.
Then Tiago reached out with one hand.
“We can at least shake hands, right?”
“Well… sure.”
I reluctantly shook his hand. His hand was firm and warm. It was so covered in calluses that there was barely any soft skin left. I could tell just how hard his life had been.
Tiago let go, looking a little sad.
“Delphine, I’m setting sail again tomorrow. It’s a long trip this time—might take one or two months before I’m back. But I’ll come see you as soon as I return.”
One or two months? That’s a long time.
We were just starting to get closer… My first reaction to his words was disappointment.
Why do I feel that way about him…?
I slowly nodded.
“I see… Have a safe trip.”
“The mermaid’s tear will protect you, Delphine. Take care.”
Tiago smiled warmly. I avoided his eyes so he wouldn’t see how disappointed I was and just nodded again.
* * *
“Who was that man?”
My mom’s sharp voice echoed through the now-empty banquet hall. She was slowly coming down the main staircase from the second floor.
I quickly hid the necklace and replied.
“His name is Tiago.”
You already asked that earlier… when everyone was still here.
My mom had a habit of pretending not to remember people she thought were beneath her. It was her way of acting superior.
“Delphine, we have a lot to talk about.”
She was going to bring up the marriage again, of course.
I stared at her as she approached from behind the mermaid statue. People like her—like my mom, this family, and Leo—only cared about the statue’s beauty, not the truth or history behind it.
In that sense, Leo fits this family perfectly. Too bad I’m the one who became Delphine. I’m not playing along with their games.
“Delphine, why…”
Mom lowered her voice and scolded me once she reached my side.
“Why do you always hang out with low-level people? Okay, fine, a baron is still acceptable. But that man? He’s not even connected to us in any way. Since you started working at that baron’s house, you’ve gotten way too comfortable around people below us. I’m worried.”
Unbelievable.
One corner of my mouth lifted in disbelief.
Wow. It’s seriously hard to have even a normal conversation with her.
“Mom, what was that today? The marriage announcement?”
“Oh, I have a lot to say about that. The wedding will be on your birthday next year. And we’ll hold it at Leo’s estate.”
“……”
Everything was already decided. It was my marriage, but I had no say in it at all. I didn’t even argue—I just let her keep talking.
“Do you even realize how lucky you are that Leo forgave you? A girl like you could never get into a house like Marbo again. Especially in Shairo—he’s the only duke’s son around. Sure, he has a bunch of half-siblings, but still. As the eldest and legitimate heir, Leo is the best choice.”
“……”
“I was really worried, you know. First, you started working for the Frederic family. Then Charlie came back. What if Leo went back to Charlie? That would’ve ruined everything. Not that he had many choices—there are only two duke’s daughters around: you and Charlie.”
“……”
“Everyone knew Leo liked Charlie, right? I was so worried about what would happen to you. And what would happen to our family. If we lost the Marbo family, we’d have to settle for some rich but low-status earl’s family. Ugh.”
“……”
She kept talking nonstop.
But the more she spoke, the clearer everything became. Just how little I mattered in this family.
To them, I’m just a golden goose. The one who’ll marry rich and save the Flerain name.
I already knew that… but hearing her say it so bluntly still stung.
My mouth tasted bitter. I opened it slowly and told her,
“I’m not marrying Leo.”
She glanced at me and replied, totally unfazed,
“I figured you’d say that.”
“……”
