A Backfired Scheme
“Hello, Isabel.”
“Sister.”
Isabel looked Canna up and down.
“You look pretty today. Isn’t that dress one of El Andwa’s?”
“Is it?”
“You really didn’t know?”
“No, I don’t pay much attention to those things. Kallen gave it to me as a gift.”
Isabel’s eyes darkened further.
Countless young ladies stood in line for a chance to wear an El Andwa dress, and Isabel had been one of them.
‘Kallen oppa brought it straight to her.’
Without Canna, that dress would have been hers.
The thought twisted her insides with rage.
‘Everything should be mine.’
She knew exactly why Kallen had turned away.
Because of Canna. Because he had learned that Isabel tormented Lucy on Canna’s account.
That was why his heart had changed.
‘So now it’s your turn, sister.’
If Canna harassed her and Kallen witnessed it, everything would return to how it should be.
Isabel deliberately issued her command in an arrogant tone.
“What are you doing? Stop blocking the path and move aside, sister.”
The Canna of late never yielded easily. She wouldn’t simply step aside.
‘Huh?’
Yet unexpectedly, Canna was retreating.
No, she couldn’t be this obedient!
“They say even cold water has its upper and lower levels.”
Isabel rattled off whatever came to mind.
“If the time comes to distinguish between upper and lower, you would be the lower one, sister.”
Hoping to provoke Canna’s anger, she spat the words out viciously.
“No matter that we are sisters, your unclear birth doesn’t change, does it? So when it’s time to retreat, please do so.”
Canna simply listened. She couldn’t fathom why the girl was suddenly picking a fight.
‘What is her goal?’
It was such an obvious, childish provocation. The slander was so crude it was embarrassing to hear.
‘Isabel really. Is she surprisingly weak at verbal sparring?’
It was tiresome. She considered simply nodding along and ignoring her, but—
“If it’s not something you can continue, don’t start it in the first place.”
Her mother’s words suddenly crossed her mind.
Though it was incredibly bothersome, Canna decided to engage Isabel.
“I don’t understand what you mean. My birth is unclear? What exactly are you saying? I am the biological daughter of Alexandro Addis, His Grace the Duke of Addis.”
“To be precise, you’re a bastard. I am the legitimate daughter.”
When Canna took the bait, Isabel pounced with glee.
“Well, and did we even share the same blood? From what I see, sister doesn’t resemble Father at all.”
She stared at Canna as if dissecting her.
“You don’t look like him in the slightest.”
“……”
“If a stranger saw Father and you together, they would never guess you were father and daughter.”
Having said it aloud, it sounded rather convincing.
She had simply blurted out whatever came to mind, but wasn’t it true?
‘Yes, now that I think about it, Canna and Father share no resemblance whatsoever.’
Black hair, black eyes. Skin so pale it seemed almost translucent. Double eyelids that looked painted on, thick lashes, thin arched brows.
Lips red as if stained with flower petals, unusually plump, and especially that teardrop mole beneath her right eye—so enviably charming.
In contrast, Isabel herself, Father, Orsini, and Kallen all shared an entirely different impression.
Skin with a light tan, sharp single eyelids like honed blades. Short lashes, thick brows, and strong facial lines.
Both were undoubtedly beautiful, yet they belonged to completely different categories.
There was not a single similar feature.
‘Yes, it really is strange. How can there be absolutely no resemblance?’
The Addis family were descendants of holy knights, and their blood was said to be exceptionally strong.
No matter who they married, the Addis traits always stood out prominently.
Even Lucy had been born with Father’s green eyes and almond-shaped gaze.
“You should refrain from such remarks, Isabel. That is tantamount to doubting Father and, by extension, tarnishing the Addis family name.”
Canna sighed and attempted to walk past her.
But at that moment, Isabel swiftly twisted her body and slammed her shoulder hard into Canna’s.
“……!”
The force was so monstrous that Canna was sent staggering backward from a single blow.
One step, two steps, three steps. As she stumbled back—
Canna caught sight of Isabel’s face.
A face already arranged into the perfect expression of the wronged victim: aggrieved, shocked, and fully prepared to appear hurt.
In that instant, Canna understood Isabel’s intention perfectly.
“Kyaaak!”
In the next moment, Isabel toppled backward onto the bridge.
Canna felt the nearby nobles’ gazes snap toward them. Fully aware of those stares, Isabel rolled dramatically across the bridge, scraping her elbow raw in the process.
It hurt. But she had to endure.
‘The skin needs to tear and bleed. Only then will Kallen oppa get angry. He has to see that sister wounded me…’
Splash!
“Kyaaaaaaaaaak!”
“S-someone fell in!”
……Huh?
Isabel blinked, still sprawled on the ground.
What was that sound?
Something had fallen in……
Then she sensed many people rushing over. Isabel quickly contorted her face into an expression of agony and began to groan.
Finally, people were coming to help her!
But.
‘Why… why are they passing me?’
The footsteps continued right past her, heading for the end of the bridge.
She had been ignored.
She had fallen and rolled on the bridge, yet everyone disregarded her and kept going.
Isabel lifted her head in a complete daze.
A crowd had gathered at the edge of the bridge, staring down at the pond where violent ripples spread and bubbles rose to the surface.
‘It can’t be.’
At that moment, a nobleman shouted urgently.
“The Duchess of Valentino has fallen into the pond!”
‘Was that too harsh?’
Pretending to be shoved, Canna had thrown herself into the pond and now allowed her body to sink obediently.
‘No. To crush Isabel’s spirit, this much is necessary.’
It was clear the girl had planned to frame her. Therefore, Canna had decided to counter with an even larger accusation.
‘Well, it’s understandable that Isabel would be jealous.’
Bubbles rose around her.
She thought calmly as she exhaled them. She could fully understand the motive that had driven Isabel to commit such an impudent and clumsy act.
She must have believed everything Kallen gave should belong to her.
However, Canna intended to leave Kallen alone for the time being. Which meant Isabel’s jealousy would continue.
Therefore, no matter how tiresome, it was best to nip the bud before it could grow.
‘She tried to cosplay as the victim, but if you’re going to do it, at least do it properly.’
Just as Canna had.
Having chosen to become the proper victim, she now planned to remain unconscious until someone rescued her.
‘Of course I know how to swim.’
A noblewoman fallen into a pond. One who supposedly could not swim. That version would appear far more pitiful.
Splash!
A violent spray of water erupted. A strong arm wrapped tightly around her waist and pulled her upward.
“Pwah!”
Breaking the surface, Canna gasped harshly. She immediately went limp, pretending to have fainted.
‘Face, grow pale.’
When an accident occurred, people instinctively viewed the one who suffered more as the victim.
Isabel had fallen on the bridge. Canna had fallen from the bridge. Moreover, she had fainted. To anyone watching, she was clearly the victim.
“My goodness, what on earth happened!”
“How did she fall into the pond?”
“It looked like she was speaking with Lady Isabel Addis.”
“Don’t tell me Lady Addis pushed her?”
“Shh, be quiet!”
The murmuring voices flowed exactly as Canna had anticipated.
‘Naive Isabel. If you’re going to do something, do it right. What did you hope to accomplish by simply falling over?’
Canna leaned against her rescuer in perfect comfort. She would remain like this for a while and wake sometime this evening.
Then, as if he had realized late and come running, Kallen’s urgent voice drew near.
“Sister! What in the world happened!”
“Sir Kallen. The Duchess of Valentino has fallen into the pond.”
“The physician will arrive shortly, so please don’t worry.”
“It appears she met with misfortune while conversing with Lady Isabel Addis.”
Among the flood of words, one sentence struck Kallen’s ears like a whip. He fixed his gaze on the young noblewoman who had spoken.
It was Lady Kalena Mersi, daughter of the Marquis.
“What did you just say, my lady?”