Fakes Don’t Want To Be Real Chapter 5

Chapter 5

 

Several days passed.

 

“Honestly, there’s not a shred of refinement in her. I truly wonder what His Grace saw in her to bring her here.”

 

Once again today, Psychke was doused with water while strolling through the garden. The gardener had seen her coming but still deliberately sprayed the water anyway.

Since the first incident, she had spent every waking moment suppressing her power, so frost did not form in her hair this time but she returned to her room at once.

The moment she arrived, she was coolly advised by the old butler that spilling water in the corridor could ruin the expensive carpets and that she should be more careful.

 

“So you don’t think the fault lies in the judgment of the one who brought in someone so lacking in manners?”

 

She replied lightly.

The servant’s face flushed red, then pale, as he realized he had inadvertently insulted the head of the household.

Muttering under his breath, he stormed out and slammed the door behind him.

 

Bang.

 

“Who’s the one without manners, exactly?”

 

Psychke calmly dried her wet hair, changed her clothes, and sat down at her desk. Pulling out the paper hidden in the drawer for her plans for the future, Psychke skimmed through it.

She had been splashed with water and insulted, yet at this moment, she felt inexplicably pleased.

At last, the name of the ore that had eluded her came back to her.

 

‘It was moonstone.’

 

It was a low-grade mana stone formed when inferior magic ore absorbed the light of the full moon. It had no commercial value.

Its muted hue had once made it popular for jewelry, but these days it held no appeal among noble ladies.

 

‘Its durability is weak, but I’m not planning to fight with it directly.’

 

Dungeon-dwelling monsters were generally vulnerable to light. However even though moonstone holds light, was too fragile to be used as a weapon.

In practice, it was far more efficient to wield enchanted swords or hire mages.

 

‘As long as I can wound them, the rest is easy.’

 

There was no need for an elaborate strategy.  She can just grind the moonstone, coat an ordinary blade with it, and simply cut through the monsters’ hides.

Unlike their tough outer skin, their inner flesh was vulnerable to cold.

And the territory of Lestir, where they appeared, was among the coldest regions in the Empire.

Leave them wounded, and they would collapse on their own.

 

‘They’re not even real mana stones. Low-grade ones like these should be easy to find in the Lestir ducal house.’

 

To Verndia, who owned dozens of mana stone mines, moonstone would be less than gravel underfoot.

 

‘The others can be handled that way but Asum is the problem.’

 

A mage-type monster said to possess intelligence comparable to a young child. It always appeared at the rear of high-ranking monsters, enhancing their regeneration and casting healing magic.

Even if the others were wounded with moonstone, Asum would simply heal them.

Which meant it had to be dealt with first or at the very least, its attention had to be diverted so it couldn’t cast spells.

 

‘Its weakness is women and jewels, wasn’t it?’

 

She had a rough idea of how to handle it. But was that really the only way?

Psychke tapped the margin of the paper with the tip of her quill, lost in thought. A spreading blot of black ink stained the blank page.

That was when she heard a knock.

The only person who would knock on her door, so conscious of reputation and appearances was none other Yzhar.

Assuming it was him again, Psychke spoke before the visitor could identify themselves.

 

“Come in.”

 

The door opened.

As expected, the person who entered had gleaming silver hair.

But unlike Yzhar, their eyes were not black but blue ones.

 

“Um… Psychke.”

 

Lillian stood there, fidgeting and blushing shyly. Behind her, Lenox and Melissa stood like escort knights.

 

‘Lillian?’

 

It would be a lie to say Psychke wasn’t taken aback.

Before her regression, Lillian had never come to her like this. Psychke had gone out of her way to avoid her, so why now?

The situation overlapped unsettlingly with the poisoned necklace incident. She recalled the duke barging in, glaring at her, with two knights standing behind him.

A chill ran down her spine, and her hair prickled as Psyche tightened her grip on the quill.

 

“What brings you here…?”

 

Perhaps because the meeting was so unexpected, her voice came out harsh, metallic.

Lilian twisted a lock of hair around her finger and spoke gently.

 

“I came to ask you a favor.”

“A favor?”

“I’m receiving lessons from wonderful people, but they said it would be best to learn what’s expected of a duke’s daughter from the person herself.”

 

Lillian had gone missing at the age of three.

After her return, she had been taught etiquette and conduct befitting a noble lady.

Psychke understood what Lilian meant but still asked, hoping she was mistaken.

 

“The person herself?”

“You took my sister’s place all this time, so they want you to teach her what she need to know.”

 

Lenox thumped his chest impatiently as he snapped.  If he truly saw her as a person with feelings, could he speak like that?

Psychke was left speechless. Meanwhile, Lillian pressed her index fingers together and murmured timidly.

 

“It’s fine now since you’re handling things, but soon they’ll all be my responsibilities. I don’t want to make mistakes.”

“I haven’t really done anything.”

 

It wasn’t reluctance, but it was the truth. Psychke had been a duke’s daughter in name only but she was treated worse than the household servants.

Psychke had always been the unacknowledged, foolish impostor yet shamelessly clinging to the family like a parasite.

So instead of attending social gatherings, she stayed indoors, reading books and training with a sword.

Because she wanted recognition, and to stand proudly beside them one day.

There was no need to tell any of that to the real duke’s daughter. Because a genuine object and a counterfeit never start from the same line.

“Tch. What did I expect from you?”

 

Lenox clicked his tongue, as if her words were pathetic.

He never once realized that Psychke had quietly fed information before every council meeting.

 

“I knew it. Let’s go, Sister. This was a waste of time. She can’t do anything.”

 

She wished they would simply leave, but Lilian hesitated, as if she still had something to say.

When Psyche looked at her, Lillian cupped her flushed cheeks and giggled like a girl.

 

“Um… what kind of person is Duke Verndia?”

“… What?”

“I heard people saying he’ll be my fiancé soon.”

 

Once again, Psychke was at a loss for words while Lilian let out a small squeal, clearly embarrassed just thinking about it.

 

“They say he’s a little scary, but very impressive. What do you think? Is he really that wonderful?”

“… Yes.”

“Kyaah!”

 

In her previous life, Lilian had asked the maids these questions. Psychke didn’t know why she was asking her this time.

Was it because Psychke had welcomed her back kindly, so she assumed they were close?

 

‘She wasn’t this naïve.’

 

Seeing Lillian loved had always hurt too much, so Psychke had deliberately avoided her. They hadn’t met often, but certain memories were seared into her mind. Lillian occasionally smug at her as if Psychke was a beggar

 

‘As if she were showing off.’

 

Whatever her intent, Psychke didn’t want to continue this conversation.

She decided to give the answers Lilian wanted just to end this pointless, exhausting exchange as quickly as possible.

 

“I heard noble engagements can be arranged without ever meeting. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Then that could happen to me too, right?”

“Yes.”

“Hey, answer properly.” Lenox cut in sharply.

 

Psychke glanced at him indifferently, then let out a shallow breath and amended her reply.

 

“It’s possible.”

“Oh… But I don’t like that.”

 

As if important, Lillian fiddled with her lips, thinking deep.

Then, as if struck by an idea, she looked up at Psychke with a bright smile.

 

“Then next time you meet the duke, could you invite me too?”

“Well…”

 

Under normal circumstances, Psychke might have agreed but her next meeting with Verndia was to sign an annulment contract. If it were discovered that she had betrayed the head of the household and sided with him, things would become troublesome.

When Psychke hesitated for the first time, Lillian misread it and waved her hands hurriedly.

 

“I don’t mean I want to take what’s yours. I just want to meet him as his future fiancée!”

“May I ask the duke first and let you know? His opinion matters too.”

“Oh, right.”

 

Lillian stuck out her tongue shyly, as if that possibility had never crossed her mind.

Psyche watched Lillian’s action with blurry eyes, then clutched her forehead and staggered, overcome by a sudden headache.

It was excruciating like ice was filling her entire body. She twisted so hard she nearly fell over the chair, but thanks to Lillian’s catch, she was unharmed.

She twisted so violently she nearly toppled over with the chair, but Lilian caught her in time.

 

“Psychke!”

 

Lillian screamed in shock only for it to be swallowed by a dismissive voice.

 

“She’s just acting out to get attention. Don’t worry about it, Sister. If you ignore her, she’ll get tired and go back to normal. Let’s go.”

 

Lenox cast Psychke a careless glance and pulled Lillian toward the door.

Melissa, realizing she had forgotten her duty of bringing tea each morning, looked momentarily flustered.

But that was all.

Her expression smoothed over in an instant as she hurried after Lillian and Lenox.

The door closed with a heavy thud and no one was left beside Psychke as she struggled in pain.