Fakes Don’t Want To Be Real Chapter 16

Chapter 16

 

＊＊＊
Back in her room, Psychke lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Then, out of nowhere, she heard a polite knock, followed by a voice that had no business being there.

 

“Psychke, are you inside?”

 

She doubted her ears.

Only after the visitor called her name a second time did she rise and open the door.

 

“I heard you’d returned. So you were here.”

 

It was spoken in a relatively gentle tone, but Psychke bit down hard on her lip. She could not bring herself to utter even a hollow ‘Father.’

The Duke of Silkisia’s expression twisted faintly at her reaction.

 

Letting him inside, Psychke muttered unwillingly, “What do you need?”

“We meet after so long, and you don’t even say you’re glad to see me?”

“I hope you’ve been well.”

 

For him, it had been a long time but for Psychke, who had returned through time itself, it had been far too soon.

Especially when their last encounter had ended with her unjust death.

 

The duke let out a long breath, “Hm.”

 

Unlike the past, when she had strained to please him, Psychke now wouldn’t even meet his gaze. He realized something was seriously wrong.

His expression slipped for a moment before he smoothed it away.

 

“Very well. Have you been well, then?”

“Yes.”

 

She had no desire to exchange pleasantries. Psychke answered curtly, glancing toward the bed to signal her fatigue and wish for him to leave.

The duke’s brow twitched in irritation.

He tried to maintain his composure, but the trembling at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.

 

“There will be a party in the garden shortly as a celebration for Lillian’s return. Everyone in the estate will attend, so make sure you do as well.”

“My apologies but I am feeling unwell”

“Surely you can show your face, at least.”

“I’m afraid not, as even moving is difficult.”

 

She cut him off so decisively it bordered on discourtesy.

 

“I’ll congratulate Lillian separately. I couldn’t even prepare a gift, so—”

“Psychke.”

 

The duke interrupted in a chastising tone and paused, clearly expecting her to look at him which she didn’t do.

He stared at her impassively, as though trying to see straight through her thoughts.

 

Then, suddenly, he smiled gently and spoke in a soft voice,  “I really want you to come.”

 

The tone was as mild as a spring breeze yet Psychke felt her breath catch in her throat.

Something was going very wrong.

 

＊＊＊

“Oh my… goodness.”

“How shameless. Does she know where she is?”

 

Seasonal flowers, multicolored balloons, sweet music, fragrant dishes.

The moment Psychke stepped into the beautifully decorated garden, dozens of gazes stabbed into her like daggers, accompanied by sharp whispers.

She ignored them all and moved forward.

Her mind was filled with the Duke of Silkisia’s words and behavior from moments earlier.

 

‘Why?’

 

Not once since adopting her had he ever spoken to her kindly.

Even his rare praise had been tossed out as one would toss scraps to a beggar.

And yet,

 

[‘I really want you to come.’]

 

He had coaxed her gently, as if soothing a sulking daughter, asking her to attend Lillian’s welcome party.

And so she had come. Not because she felt any familial affection, nor because she wished to obey her adoptive father.

But because the conversation she had overheard earlier troubled her, and because the duke, who had once ignored her entirely, had changed so abruptly.

She was deeply uneasy about what he might be planning.

 

“Psychke, you came!”

 

Pulled from her thoughts by a clear voice, she saw Lillian smiling brightly at her.

Lillian’s beautiful silver hair was adorned with pins crafted from costly jewels. Pearls and diamonds gleamed against her pale ears and neck. Her soft pink dress, reminiscent of spring blossoms, rippled gracefully with every movement.

 

‘She was always extravagant, but today she’s especially so.’

 

Standing beside her in simple attire, Psychke couldn’t help thinking it was as if the difference between the real and the fake were being displayed in full.

 

Lillian chirped in a light, soprano tone, “I thought you wouldn’t come. I’m so happy you did.”

“So I can make you shine even more?”

“… What?”

 

It seemed her emotions were more twisted than she realized. The feelings she had forced down slipped out.

Watching a crack form on Lillian’s innocent expression, a bitter laugh escaped her.

Psychke quickly reshaped it into a smile meant for celebration.

 

“I’m happy you’re back too. Truly.”

 

‘If you hadn’t returned, I would have spent my life begging for love I’d never receive.’

 

As Lillian searched her face, as if gauging her sincerity, Psychke kept smiling. Her mood was foul, yet she kept smiling perhaps because it felt like she’d finally landed a blow on someone who always played innocent, or perhaps because of the strange things the head of the house had said about Lillian.

Yzhar and Lenox approached after noticing Psychke belatedly.

 

“Are you picking on my sister again?”

“Did you greet Father? You’ve been going out far too often lately, exercise restraint.”

 

What an absurd statement.

Psychke let their words slide past her ears and drank her wine, red as blood.

Then, thump, thump, the sound of feet striking a platform rang out, followed by the booming voice of the duke.

 

“Today is a joyous day.”

 

He spoke at length about how could he not rejoice, when a daughter he thought dead had returned alive but Psychke didn’t listen.

She’d heard this speech before her regression and knew exactly what would come next.

Though the true lady had returned, the Silkisia name granted to Psychke would not be revoked.

But she would no longer act as a Silkisia.

Even within the estate, she would not be allowed the title of duchess.

Just recalling it made her chest ache.

 

‘I shouldn’t have come.’

 

She drained her glass, ignoring the pain.

And just as she lowered it from her lips, a voice like a bolt from the blue struck her ears.

 

“Though Lillian has returned, we must not forget that Psychke is also a rightful member of the House of Silkisia.”

 

It was different from what she remembered and Psychke looked up at the duke. Everyone stared at the same spot in stubbed belief, cold silence fell over the garden.

 

The duke swept his gaze across them, then locked eyes with Psychke and pronounced, “Psychke Silkisia. As Lillian’s elder sister and the first lady, set an example worthy of your position. I expect that much of you.”

 

Silent shock rippled through the garden.

Clatter.

A dropped wineglass shattered, heralding a violent upheaval.

＊＊＊

The welcome party ended shortly thereafter.

Before everyone’s eyes, the duke acknowledged that Psychke still bore the name of Silkisia.

Worse, by calling her ‘Lillian’s elder sister,’ he subtly implied that even as the fake lady, Psychke stood above Lillian in rank which made the two girls pale.

Lenox gaped, his mouth opening and closing soundlessly while Yzhar stiffened, glaring at the duke.

With the host family in such disarray, the rest of the guests hardly needed explanation.

The banquet ended in confusion and the duke left immediately after the closing remarks.

Yzhar, his expression dark throughout the party, followed him and demanded answers.

 

“You’re saying Lillian is the younger sister of some child who wandered back from who knows where? She is your blood, my sister! This is absurd!”

 

His voice echoed hollowly through the empty corridor.

The duke stopped.

The benevolent father’s mask he’d worn all evening vanished as he glared at his son. Then, without warning, swung his fist.

Flesh collided with flesh. Yzhar’s head snapped to the side.

 

“I told you to keep a close watch on Psychke.”

“…”

“She’s changed. The child who followed Silkisia, who followed me more than anyone, has changed!”

 

Grinding his teeth, he recalled the adopted daughter he had met before the party.

The eyes that once begged endlessly for affection were gone. The fearful, cautious gestures, the anxious voice had vanished without a trace.

He had suspected something when Lillian returned, but he hadn’t realized it was this severe like a disaster has swept their house.

 

Swallowing the blood pooling in his mouth, Yzhar replied, “I’m sorry.”

 

As usual, his father had devoted an unsettling amount of effort to Psychke.

After adopting her, he pretended indifference, isolating her from others, then raised her as if brainwashing her, telling her that the family was all she had left.

The duke had never been generous with affection toward his children.

That was why Yzhar had never believed she was merely a substitute for Lillian.

He didn’t know why his father had brought in such a useless thing, but assumed there must be a reaso and followed his will.

Now that matters had reached this point, the doubt he had long buried resurfaced.

 

‘What is Psychke, that he would invest so much in a mere adoptee?’

 

“Since when?” the duke demanded. “Since when did she change?”

“It seems to have started the day Lillian returned.”

 

Yes. That day, Psychke had been unmistakably strange. Everything, starting from her tone and gesture seemed as though she had let go of everything. She was indifferent, empty, and resigned.

He had thought she’d simply matured but now, he wasn’t so sure.

Perhaps she had realized that once the real one returned, there was no place left for the fake, no matter how much it struggled.

 

“Lillian… Lillian…”

 

After murmuring his daughter’s name dozens of times, the duke frowned.

He let out a long, weary breath, covered his eyes with one hand, and tilted his head back.

 

“What has she been doing lately?”

“If you mean Lillian, she’s been receiving instruction in what a duchess should know—”

“I mean Psychke! I hear she’s grown close to some private soldier.”

“… Yes. We intend to find an excuse and send him away before it goes any further. Aside from that, nothing notable, except that she’s been meeting the Duke of Lestir more often.”

“That guy, Verndia?” The Duke of Silkisia laughed coldly, “So she plans to leave Silkisia for Lestir. Foolish, he won’t take her in.”

“I’ll assign watchers.”

“You idiot. She’s a better swordsman than you. Do you intend to let her know she’s being watched?”

 

Forced to confront his long-buried inferiority, Yzhar clenched his fists. Veins bulged along the back of his hand, and his well-trained shoulders trembled.

The duke clicked his tongue in disgust.

 

“Do whatever it takes to turn her heart back. Make her understand that a lowly adoptee has nowhere to belong but Silkisia. Do you understand?”

“I will remember.”

 

Psychke was an adoptee and Lillian lacked awareness as the daughter of the house while Lenox was still young and not particularly bright. The future of Silkisia rested solely on Yzhar, and even he was unreliable.

With a deeply dissatisfied expression, the duke left, sighing heavily.

Left alone, Yzhar stood in the corridor for a long time, head bowed, his expression unreadable.

 

—

 

TL: I mean, I can’t understand why Lokan wanted Psychke to stay at Silkisia but never offering affection? I crave violence, really…