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CHAPTER 02
“My Younger Brother Is Not Allowed, Your Grace – ”
* * *
This is not a dream.
She realized that three hours after leaving the waiting room.
If it’s not a dream… then what is this?
Daphne shook her head violently, trying to clear her tangled thoughts. But in the end, did it matter what this moment was?
I can’t let Samuel die! Never—never let him be dragged into that horrible fate again!
Even if it meant she herself would burn to death along with the oath.
I have to protect Samuel.
There was no time.
Soon, people from the ducal household would arrive at this house, and Samuel would be taken straight to the duchy—forced to become the new young duke’s retainer.
“I have to send Samuel away.”
But how?
No matter what, Samuel would insist on attending their father’s funeral in the duchy.
He loved his family; no amount of persuasion would stop him.
For now, there’s no avoiding Samuel going to the duchy.
If she forcibly stopped him, he might recklessly run there himself.
…So I’ll send him somewhere else right after the funeral.
If only Daphne remained as the sole Sutton in the duchy, the ducal family would have no choice but to take her as the retainer instead.
And if she perfectly fulfilled her role, they would not bother pursuing Samuel.
As long as the remaining five years of the oath were fulfilled, that would be enough.
* * *
“Is it really okay for us to travel alone? We don’t even know much about the ducal family.”
In the third-class carriage of the slow train heading to the ducal territory of Clotmore, Samuel asked worriedly.
It was a natural concern.
The oath of loyalty had only five years remaining.
Their father had believed he would be the last bearer of that duty.
So he had carefully ensured his children would never become entangled with the ducal family.
He wanted them to be free after his death.
Samuel had even seen the Duke of Sloane’s face for the first time only after their father passed.
Daphne, in her previous life, had never even seen his face properly.
Sometimes his photograph appeared in newspapers, but printed in low-quality black and white, it was impossible to recognize him clearly.
His older brother… I saw him often enough. Well, they’re siblings, so maybe they look alike.
Daphne forced a smile and looked at Samuel.
He was holding a large paper bag of bread prepared by Mrs. Page.
“Of course it’s fine! Hup!”
Acting cheerful, Daphne lifted a large trunk. It was too heavy to place on the luggage rack in one go, so she set it down on a seat for now.
“I can do it… You can’t even lift it properly, sister.”
“I can’t let something like this be carried by someone as delicate as you.”
“At least let me help you.”
“Listen to your sister! You’re on bread duty. Stay put.”
She gave him a strict look.
Samuel, who had been about to stand up, sulked and sat back down, holding only the bread bag.
Watching him, Daphne couldn’t help but chuckle.
He had always been like that—so thin and pale, yet always trying to help her whenever she was in trouble.
Even now at fifteen, he was still just a slender boy.
“Hup!”
With a grunt, she lifted the trunk again.
Just as the edge neared the luggage rack, she realized she was slightly too short. She stood on her toes and managed to hook it onto the edge.
But then—
A passenger brushing past her bumped into her back, and the trunk slipped.
“Ah!”
It began to fall toward her face.
“Daphne!”
Samuel screamed.
Daphne squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for impact.
“…?”
Silence.
She opened her eyes carefully.
The trunk was still there—but it didn’t feel heavy at all.
Then it moved on its own, lifting upward onto the rack.
“…?”
Clink.
Once it settled securely, Daphne realized something.
It hadn’t moved by itself.
A large hand wearing black leather gloves had lifted it for her.
She slowly turned around.
Standing there was a young gentleman.
About twenty years old.
For some reason, he looked familiar—but she was sure it was just her imagination.
All the nobles she knew in the capital were people she had met through her father, and none of them would be riding third class.
She stared at him.
When their eyes met, he smiled politely.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes… thank you.”
“I’m glad.”
Daphne briefly considered offering him some of Mrs. Page’s bread as thanks.
But he tipped his hat slightly and disappeared into the crowd, moving into another carriage.
“…He’s gone.”
She sat down with a hint of disappointment.
“Saved by a kind stranger. That could’ve been bad.”
“I told you I could help…”
Samuel muttered in a slightly sulky tone.
Daphne narrowed her eyes.
“Don’t even think about it. You’re too small.”
“I’m not that different from you, sister.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Besides, anyone would struggle with a bag that heavy. What’s even in there?”
“Nothing much. Just essentials.”
“What kind?”
“Your winter shoes, for starters.”
“Why are my shoes in your bag?”
Samuel protested, but Daphne calmly listed off the contents while counting on her fingers.
“Your boots, raincoat, seasonal clothes, formal wear for banquets, and…”
Everything she listed belonged to Samuel.
He was speechless.
“…Why didn’t you just pack my pillow too?”
“Hey! What do you take your sister for?”
She lightly smacked his arm.
“Of course I packed it. Along with your favorite knee blanket.”
“….”
“If you get cold on the train, tell me. Got it?”
“Uh… yeah.”
Samuel nodded awkwardly.
Daphne patted his head.
“You’re treating me like a child more than usual today.”
“What are you talking about? You’re fifteen. Of course you’re a child.”
“You’re only seventeen yourself, you know.”
“I’m not exactly a normal seventeen-year-old.”
She glanced around cautiously.
An elderly man sat opposite them, already asleep before the train even departed.
“Listen carefully, Samuel.”
She lowered her voice so quietly no one else could hear.
“From now on, you do exactly what your sister tells you. Understand? This is all for me. You’ll listen, right?”
Daphne had decided she would never say “this is for you.”
So that Samuel would not blame himself later—when she eventually burned along with the oath.
“Actually, I’ve always wanted to become the duke’s retainer like Father.”
“…What?”
“So even if you wanted that dream, it doesn’t matter. The eldest of the Sutton family is me. You must follow my will.”
“Wait, sister—”
Samuel tried to protest, but Daphne continued.
“I will become the duke’s retainer. Not you.”
“Look, I understand how you feel, but the ducal family won’t allow that.”
Retainers were always chosen by gender matching the duke.
Female Suttons served female dukes, male Suttons served male dukes.
It wasn’t written in the oath, but this unspoken rule had never been broken in 500 years.
“It doesn’t matter. There are only five years left anyway. So, Samuel—”
She grabbed his hand.
“We don’t know them, and they don’t know our faces either.”
“Daphne.”
“You will attend the funeral. But I will be the only one sitting in the family section.”
“That’s impossible.”
“I won’t let you be seen by the ducal family. I’ll say you never even came.”
Just then—
The gentleman who had helped her earlier returned and approached them again, looking slightly troubled.
