Are you truly seeking a partner who consistently puts their ailing cousin before everything else, even ahead of their commitment to you as a fiancée?

Are you truly seeking a partner who consistently puts their ailing cousin before everything else, even ahead of their commitment to you as a fiancée ?

 

Author: Kotonoha

Japanese Name:いつも病弱の従妹を優先する婚約者なんて、必要かしら？

Plot:"My sincere apologies, Ophelia. Unfortunately, Azalea isn't in the best of health today, so we must cancel our scheduled date. This tale revolves around a man who intentionally neglects his fiancée due to his cousin's illness, leading to unforeseen repercussions stemming from her own actions."

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Are you truly seeking a partner who consistently puts their ailing cousin before everything else, even ahead of their commitment to you as a fiancée ?

After a considerable period has passed, my fiancé, the son of Count Dio Fernando, apologized, stating that Azalea was feeling unwell and thus our date needed to be canceled. Along with his apology, he offered the popular pudding from the royal capital. As he spoke, his silver hair swayed in the breeze while his apologetic furrowed eyebrows contrasted with his Cobalt blue eyes, which seemed eager to depart.

"Thank you," I replied, and he assured me that he would make it up to me in the future.

Dio-sama then turned his back on me mid-sentence and opened the carriage door. As I gazed at him with exasperation, wondering if he was eager to return home so early, my attention was drawn to a larger box with the same logo as the one he had given me before.

"Goodbye..." I muttered as he seemed oblivious to my words. Letting out a sigh, I found myself once again in the company of the concerned maid, Sara, who rushed over with lowered eyebrows.
"It's happened so many times, regardless of how much he worries about his cousin. I do find his concern for sickly Azalea admirable, but it's becoming too harsh," I remarked, shaking my head as if to show my nonchalance. I offered a wry smile to Sara, who appeared furious on my behalf.

"It's a popular pudding from the royal capital," I explained.

"That's precisely why I'm even more upset. Because, Ophelia..."

"Alright, I understand," I interrupted. Sara reluctantly accepted the box that I had half-forcibly handed to her. I reassured her that there was nothing wrong with the food and encouraged her to enjoy it.

Telling Sara to take a break, I returned to my room alone.
**********

At the age of ten, my engagement to Dio-sama was arranged. In our country, engagements are often decided after assessing mutual compatibility, leading many to become engaged at around the age of ten. While political and aristocratic reasons play a part, the importance of compatibility between children is also valued.

Dio and I used to be close friends, but that was three years ago when we were fifteen and about to enter school. During one of my regular visits to Fernando's house, I was introduced to a girl with stunning features. Her hair resembled honey with its transparent white sparkle, and her large purple eyes captivated attention. She appeared like an exquisitely crafted doll.

In contrast, I had ordinary brown fluffy hair and brown eyes. As a girl of the same grade, I was taller, and my eyes seemed to project strength. Standing beside me was a woman whose eyes bore a resemblance to Dio-sama's father, and she smiled warmly at me.
"I'm Dio's fiancée, Ophelia. I am your aunt, Dio's father's sister. I got married in a neighboring country, but my husband passed away due to illness, so I will be living here from now on. This is my daughter, Azalea. She has a delicate constitution and tends to fall asleep, but please do get along with her."

"Absolutely, I understand. It's a pleasure to meet you, Azalea-san."

"Nice to meet you too, Miss Ophelia."

Azalea, who was the same age as me, had a beaming smile that resembled an angel. Even as a woman, I couldn't help but feel fond of her. Even if Dio were to blush next to me, I couldn't blame him. We spent time together when Azalea was feeling well."
However, ever since I started attending school, my schedule has become busy, resulting in a decrease in my visits to Earl Fernando's residence. Consequently, I meet Azalea less frequently as she is often unwell and unable to come to school.

Dio-sama, who lives in the same household as Azalea, sees her every day, and whenever he mentions her name, an unpleasant feeling gnaws at my chest. My suspicions were soon confirmed, as Dio-sama began to prioritize Azalea over me, as if it were only natural to do so. Even if he made promises to go shopping or invited me to the theater, they would be broken if Azalea's health worsened, and I would be increasingly neglected.

※※

"I'm sorry, Ophelia. Azalea's health has deteriorated, so I'm going to return home now. I apologize, but I promise to make it up to you..."
I find myself furrowing my eyebrows at the repetitive line that I've heard countless times.

"When are you going to make it up to me? Today is my eighteenth birthday, and it won't come again. Yet, you're going to Azalea?"
Clutching the edges of my newly purchased bright green dress, I felt like a clown for choosing something I had thought would be perfect for early summer. My anger intensified as I had been invited to a trendy theater, but now Azalea was confined to her bed due to sickness, leaving me feeling conflicted and alone.

"Can't you just let it go? She's been unwell since morning," Dio-sama pleaded.

"Do you intend to abandon me?"

Unable to contain my emotions, I found myself overwhelmed by everything I had endured until now. I had always known about Azalea's delicate health, which had kept me from expressing my true feelings, but deep down, I resented it all. Nevertheless...

"I'm disappointed that Ophelia's heart is so narrow," Dio-sama responded coldly.

"No!"

"She's unwell. Your birthday can always be celebrated. Besides, I brought you roses, presents, and sweets." As I presented the gifts one after another, Dio-sama regarded me with disdain.
"Azalea genuinely cares about you, Ophelia. Instead of getting treats for herself, she always asks me to bring them for you. That's why I brought them today," Dio-sama explained.

"So, everything until now has been for Azalea's sake..."

"That's correct. I want you to learn from her kind-heartedness."

His cold words hit me like a blow, leaving me breathless and unable to respond. The tone alone was shocking, and the realization that I had been deceived added to the overwhelming feeling. The gift Dio-sama had given me as an apology was actually something Azalea had asked him to bring. This realization left me immobilized even after Dio-sama had departed.

The next day, as the doctor left my room, Sarah gently wiped the sweat from my forehead.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm feeling much better now."
"I should have stopped you," I gently said, touching Sara's arm as she let her shoulders droop. She glanced tearfully at me, trying to hide her heavy breathing.

"What happened? I heard you collapsed, so I hurried over, but was it just because you overate?" Dio-sama's sudden words made me turn towards the door, where he stood with the butler who had been guiding him. Apparently, he had overheard our conversation when the doctor opened the door, and the butler looked apologetic as he bowed his head over Dio-sama's shoulder.

"It's embarrassing to eat so much that you make yourself sick."

"Dio-sama, that's too harsh," I interjected, holding back Sara, who wanted to speak before me, and meeting Dio-sama's irritated gaze from my place on the bed.

"I thought you were faking illness to get my attention, but you ate too much. Azalea's body is weak, and she can't handle eating like that."
Dio, who was supposed to come to visit me, mentioned Azalea's name, and a cold sensation gripped my heart. I tried to suppress the slight trembling of my hands and held my breath, anticipating his explanation.

"So, Dio-sama brought me sweets because of Azalea?"

"Yes, that's right. Azalea doesn't get out much, but she hears about trendy sweets from her maids and expresses a desire to try them. So, I buy them and give them to her." I couldn't recall ever hearing this from him before. His cobalt blue eyes, which used to resemble the clear sea, now appeared cloudy. Was he always like this? It felt like meeting him for the first time.

"Azalea was coughing this morning, so I'm worried and going home. Don't bother calling me for trivial matters." Sara and the butler seemed taken aback by Dio-sama's words. They must have been concerned about me, prompting them to reach out to Dio-sama. However, I didn't feel guilty about it, as I considered it a natural thing to do.

As I watched him leave, it felt like the fog in front of me was lifting. Until now, I had been looking at him through the lens of "first love." Perhaps it was time to let go of those cherished memories and embrace reality.
*********
"Are you feeling alright, Azalea?" I asked, placing my hand gently on her cheeks, which were flushed with anxiety.

"Yes, it's almost time for school, right?"

"Don't worry, I'll be back right after class."

After briefly touching Azalea's cold hands, I left the room. Outside, I ran into Aunt Erna.

"I'm heading out now," I informed her.

"Oh, the trendy chocolates have arrived. Maybe you can enjoy them with Azalea when you come back," Aunt Erna suggested.

"Yes, I'll do that."

Her fleeting smile reminded me of Azalea. With my father gone to the territory, only three of us remained in the townhouse – Aunt Erna, Azalea, and myself. Feeling the need to be strong for the two of them who seemed vulnerable, I understood what my father meant about having something to protect. Each time he received their gratitude for his kindness, he grew stronger and more confident as a man. Being with Azalea brought him joy. And when I realize how much I can't live without her, I am determined to protect her.
In contrast, my feelings for Ophelia seemed to diminish. She possessed a strong and independent nature, intelligence, and quick wit, performing tasks flawlessly. Whenever I was with Ophelia, it felt as though she didn't need me.

However, I had no intention of breaking up with Ophelia and marrying Azalea. Ophelia was exceptional and befitting of the title of Countess of Fernando. Her dignified and transparent beauty set her apart from her sisters. Despite sensing her inferiority complex, I loved Ophelia deeply. That's why I wanted her to get along with her cousin, Azalea.

The idea struck me, and I realized that Ophelia was feeling jealous. The thought of Ophelia being affected by my words and actions filled me with a sense of superiority, boosting my ego. As a result, I began to distance myself from Ophelia even more. I canceled dates and tea parties, even on days when Azalea felt well. Observing Ophelia's saddened expression made me feel reassured of her love for me.
After several months of such occurrences, I started receiving frequent letters from my father, who was in charge of the territory. It seemed that Viscount Dunbar, Ophelia's father, had become aware of my actions and words, as the letters mentioned taking care of my fiancée, Ophelia. However, I disregarded his words and crumpled up the letters, tossing them into the trash.

I didn't mean to imply that I would never marry Ophelia. The Dunbar family's territory was known for mass-producing wheat and held more financial power compared to our Earl Fernando family, which faced difficulties due to declining mining volume each year. To venture into new business endeavors, the financial strength of Viscount Dunbar was crucial.

Despite this, one day, the letters suddenly stopped. The final letter was particularly thick, with two places that required my signature. It arrived at a time when Azalea was suffering from a high fever, and I was nursing her alongside Aunt Elna. Aunt Elna suggested that I shouldn't worry about Azalea and urged me to review it thoroughly, but I dismissed it, thinking it wasn't a big deal. Consequently, I signed the documents without giving them much thought.
It has been a month since I received the thick letter. Since then, I haven't received any letters or invitations from Ophelia or her father. The past month was filled with the busyness of exams leading up to graduation, so I didn't think much about Ophelia's silence.

With the exams successfully completed, the only event left in my three years of school life was the graduation party.

※※

A week before the graduation ceremony, I noticed a dress that had arrived, and I couldn't comprehend its significance. In my confusion, I hastily called for Sara.

"Sara, I received a dress from Dio-sama. Moreover, the dress is the same cobalt blue as his eyes."

"That's peculiar. I wonder what's going on. Have you seen Earl Fernando's son recently?"

"No, not since then."

"Strange. Lady Ophelia wouldn't waste her time like that."

Sara seemed puzzled, but neither of us had any answers. There were things I couldn't comprehend, but I didn't feel like probing further, so I stashed them away in the back of my closet.On the day of the graduation party, the focus in this country was more on enjoying the event with friends rather than having the fiancé pick you up at home. Some people didn't have fiancés, and even if they did, meeting with them could be arranged anytime. Instead, it was common for friends who might not be able to see each other again to participate together.

I was having a great time chatting with a close friend, reminiscing about our memories when suddenly Dio appeared at the venue with Azalea. They seemed to have noticed me and approached.

However, as Dio got closer, I noticed the displeasure on his face, which made me decide to address Azalea instead.

"Azalea, it's been a while. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm doing much better now. The medicine Ophelia recommended worked wonders, allowing me to come out like this. Thank you," she replied.

The peaceful atmosphere between Azalea and me seemed to baffle Dio, who observed us intently.

"The medicine Ophelia recommended? But you two haven't seen each other in almost three years," Dio questioned, blinking his eyes as he looked at both of us.

"It's true that we hardly met during that time, but she visited my residence a few months ago, and we've been exchanging letters for a while," Azalea clarified.
"What did you say!?" Dio's startled expression showed his surprise. Perhaps they assumed that Azalea and I were on bad terms.

Azalea, with her angelic smile and calm personality, was quite different from my strong-minded nature. However, when we first met, we became friends. Despite Dio canceling our dates due to his concerns about Azalea's health, she would send me letters of apology. In those letters, she would ask me to deliver sweets, which might seem offensive to some, but it was her way of showing genuine care for me. Even though she couldn't go out often, Azalea filled her days by reading and embroidering when she felt well.

"I never felt jealous of Azalea or hated her," I responded. I couldn't understand what Dio was trying to convey.

"Then why aren't you wearing the dress I gave you?" Dio pointed at my dress and raised his voice, causing a scene that embarrassed the people around us.
 However, I couldn't fathom why he was so angry about it.
"Excuse me, Ophelia, there seems to be some commotion. Are you alright?" Raymond Kurtran pushed through the crowd, his blond hair, bright red eyes, and well-groomed appearance catching everyone's attention. Today, his beauty overwhelmed me, and I still wasn't used to being around him.

"It's nothing, Raymond-sama," I replied.

"I see, well then, that's good. Being engaged for the first time, I find myself worrying without even realizing it," he said, giving me a faint smile before kissing the back of my hand. This gesture made my face flush with color.

"Hehe, just as it was written in the letter, you really do love her," Azalea chimed in.

"Eh, Ms. Azalea, I would love to know the contents of that letter," Raymond inquired.

"Raymond-sama, please don't pry into my conversations with my female friends," I responded, feeling a bit impatient.

Azalea smiled like an angel, looking up at me mischievously.

"Oh, I wish I could tell you. Do you ever find yourself at a loss for words when people talk about falling in love at first sight or meeting someone wonderful for the first time?"

Her giggling smile seemed a bit devilish today. As I put my hand on my cheek and glanced at Raymond, he scratched his cheek bashfully.
"Haha, did you write something like that? Perhaps it was bothersome," I chuckled nervously.

"Oh, come on. Just by reading the letter, I couldn't help but think that you were in love," Azalea teased.

"Azalea, please don't say any more!" I pleaded, feeling a sense of embarrassment.

While I was lost in thought, I suddenly noticed Dio-sama's furious gaze from a few steps away.

"Ophelia, what the hell is this?" Dio-sama demanded.

Our eyes met, and I felt utterly confused. Before I could respond, Dio-sama forcefully grabbed my arm. However, Raymond-sama intervened from behind, supporting me and pulling Dio-sama's arm away.

"Don't be violent!"

"What? How dare you put your hand on someone's fiancée! Release her!" Dio-sama retorted angrily.

A soft, bell-like voice interjected into the tense situation. "Wait a minute, Dio. Are you misunderstanding something? Your engagement with Ophelia was annulled a month ago."

"What? What do you mean?" Dio-sama was taken aback.

"What I mean is... didn't you receive a document from Uncle Fernando? My mother knew its contents in advance, so she advised you to 'read the document carefully.'"
"No way, that thick letter..." Dio's complexion grew worse as he processed the information. Perhaps he had signed the letter without thoroughly reading it? Although I doubted that, I couldn't deny the fact that the engagement had been annulled.

"As Azalea said, we broke off our engagement a month ago," I reaffirmed.

"This is outrageous! You can't just break off an engagement without a valid reason. Sure, I may have prioritized the sickly Azalea over Ophelia, but I wasn't cheating on you. That's why you can't break the engagement."

"No, that can't be the reason."

"Then...!"

"The reason is that I almost died because of you."

"Huh? ...dying, you say." Dio appeared puzzled, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

"Dio, let me apologize again for that matter. Even though you claim not to know, it's alright," Raymond interjected, trying to mediate the situation.

"It's fine, really. As Azalea mentioned, you simply bought the sweets she wanted to eat. You are not at fault," I reassured Dio.

"What on earth are you talking about? What does this have to do with sweets? And I never put poison in anything!" Dio protested, looking both exasperated and bewildered.
"As expected, I didn't think you would do that. Besides, Sara and the other servants who ate it with me said the sweets were delicious. But, yes, you could say that the sweets were poisonous to me."

"That's why I got sick..."

"I did tell you that I'm allergic and can't eat eggs."

"Eh?"

You appear surprised, but I did inform you about my allergy. Cookies can only be consumed without eggs, and pudding is absolutely off-limits. I used to enjoy jelly and bavarois. I recall discussing this when we first got engaged, but I wonder if you've forgotten since meeting Azalea.

"The reason I fell ill the day after my birthday was because I ate the chocolate fondant you gave me. It was a rare treat and looked like plain chocolate, so I didn't think it contained eggs. I always double-check before eating, but that time, I was upset and consumed it without verifying. As a result, I suffered severe hives and a swollen throat, and I couldn't breathe."

"Dio-sama, who arrived when the doctor, who had been attending to me through the night, had left, didn't show any kindness. On the contrary, he left with harsh words."

"In contrast, Azalea learned about my egg allergy for the first time and still came all the way to apologize to me despite her own painful condition."
"Endangering your fiancée's life is a valid reason to break off the engagement. My father was furious, and Earl Fernando offered his apologies. However, considering the relationship between our families, the engagement wasn't immediately canceled. But your father, unable to tolerate your behavior towards me, went to see Earl Fernando and decided to call off the engagement."

"Azalea, why didn't you tell me when we were living together?"

"I didn't think you didn't know about it. I assumed that the reason you didn't bring up the annulment was because you didn't want to discuss it, so I let it be... Also, I'm not sure if I should mention it now, but my mother has always been worried that Dio was prioritizing me, despite my frail health. Since the medicine I've been taking has been effective, we're planning to leave the house soon."

"What! Where are you going?"

"We're going back to the neighboring country. I have relatives on my father's side there, and they've offered to lend us an unused mansion. Besides, the medicine I've been using is from that neighboring country, making it more accessible there."
The medicine I recommended to Azalea was produced by Raymond-sama's brother, who is conducting medical research in the neighboring country. Raymond-sama hails from a long line of pharmacists, and he came here as an exchange student for a year to study.I had a strong desire to find a cure for Azalea's illness, so I researched new medicines not only in our country but also in neighboring nations. Three months ago, I discovered that Raymond-sama's older brother, who was studying abroad at our school, had developed a new medicine in a neighboring country. A friend introduced me to him, and upon learning about Azalea's condition, Raymond-sama immediately arranged for the medicine to be sent. However, it took two months for the medicine to finally arrive.

During this time, I contemplated breaking off the engagement. Meanwhile, my father had discussions with Raymond-sama, who came to our mansion, and they seemed to have formed a strong connection. Unbeknownst to me, things progressed swiftly, and as the engagement was annulled, a new engagement was arranged between Raymond-sama and me. When I inquired about the reasons Dio-sama liked Raymond, he mentioned that it was because Raymond-sama seemed to care for me, though I couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind it.

During my consultations with Raymond-sama about Azalea's condition, I found him to be kind and knowledgeable about medicine, which left a positive impression on me. After graduating from the academy, my plan is to follow Raymond-sama to the neighboring country. I feel somewhat apprehensive about living in an unfamiliar country, but knowing that Azalea will be there too provides some comfort.

As I shared these revelations with Dio-sama, he appeared stunned, and I realized there was nothing more to say because the matter had already been settled. However, Azalea seemed to approach Dio-sama with a different perspective and closed her round eyes.

"I've always wondered why Dio-sama prioritized me over his fiancée Ophelia. I never asked for that."

"That's because... It's only natural to worry when someone you care about has a delicate health condition."
"Is that really all there is to it? It seemed to me that visiting a physically weak girl was a way for you to affirm yourself and gain self-confidence."

"Well, that may be true, but Azalea is genuinely sickly."

"Yes, but I don't want you to pity me just because I'm unwell and unable to go to school. Ophelia treated me as an equal. She praised my embroidery and shared her thoughts on books with me. I appreciate Dio-sama's concern, but I didn't appreciate the pitying looks he directed at me."

As I looked at Azalea, I couldn't help but admire her strength. Despite her illness, she managed to complete her school assignments from her sickbed and graduate successfully. I felt proud to call her my friend.

"Ophelia, I'm truly glad to have met you."

"The feeling is mutual."

Dio-sama appeared shocked as we both chuckled. I leaned closer to Azalea's ear and whispered, "By the way, I heard that Earl Fernando, who was furious about this misunderstanding, decided to pass the title to his second son."

"Oh, you know about that? The annulment paperwork was included in the document Dio signed."

"But he didn't realize it was a document to annul the engagement."

We exchanged knowing glances at Raymond-sama's words. However, I didn't want to further embarrass Dio in front of everyone, so I decided not to discuss it further at the moment. Someone will inform him later. At least it doesn't concern me anymore now that the engagement is over.
"By the way," Raymond-sama said with a sweet voice as he wrapped his hand around my waist, turning us to face each other.

"I get jealous if you get too close with Azalea."

"Eh, Azalea is a woman?"

"But I want to be your number one."

"Come on now."

My heart raced as his beautiful face came closer and closer. I reached out to Azalea for help, but she just waved her hand and walked away. Ah, she must have recovered enough to walk, but now isn't the time for that.

"Raymond-sama, you're too close."

"I think this is an appropriate distance for a fiancé."

"I don't think so."

"You're being mean, Ophelia."

He pulled me even closer, and his warm breath tickled my earlobe.

"I love you, Ophelia. Catch up to my feelings quickly."

"... I'm getting there, little by little."
As I answered with a bright red face, he softly planted his lips on my cheek. I had a feeling that I would soon fall in love with him.

(Thank you for reading until the end.
In the end, this story reminds us that we should cherish the most important things in life.)