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Duke Radziwill
skillfully controlled Candice, who was starved for affection, using his
daughter and Candice's mother, Rina, as a shield.
（Is Ojiisama planning to bring up
Okaa-sama as a bargaining chip again, I wonder. Even though Okaa-sama dies before
we meet, why did he stubbornly refuse to let me meet her?）
Then, Candice thought of a certain thing.
It was her usual magic words for avoiding the death penalty.
（I have been trying my best for
Okaa-sama's sake up until now, but if I do the exact opposite, it means I don't
need to try my best anymore!）
Right now, Candice retains the memories up until her
head was cut off by her father, Valentin.
Assuming the time she was executed was her first life, right
now is her second time.
Although she was five years old, various manners, behaviors,
and how to use a rapier were ingrained in her head along with her memories.
（I will not let Ojiisama do as he
pleases anymore. My life belongs to me!）
Deciding to try standing up to him using the wisdom she
currently possessed, Candice began walking toward Duke Radziwill.
「Good day, Ojiisama.」
When Candice gave a half-hearted greeting as usual, Duke
Radziwill made a bitter face while touching his splendid beard.
Around this time, Candice would ignore the
instructors sent by Duke Radziwill without listening to what they said.
Therefore, she was supposed to only know superficial
manners.
Even so, Jeanne, Eva, and Rose had
found it strange that she was teaching manners to Arthur, but there was
probably no need to go out of her way to show them off in front of Duke
Radziwill.
Leaning back arrogantly while sitting on the sofa as usual,
she stuffed her cheeks with the cookies placed in front of her.
The manners drilled into her by the instructors in her first
life were proving useful, but it was fine to remain incapable of them for now.
「Candice…… you are the same as ever. I heard you have not been
taking lessons from the instructors.」
「Ojiisama. What is your business
here?」
「Since you said your health was poor,
I became worried. Besides, because you didn't say you wanted to see me as
usual, I went out of my way to come check on you!」
「……Is that so.」
With his large palm, Duke Radziwill patted Candice's
head as usual.
「Candice, listen to me. I have prepared first-rate instructors for
you. You will be busy starting tomorrow! You will polish yourself and this time
I will make you into a splendid lady.」
「……!」
「Just as I promised before, if you
try your best, I will let you meet your mother, Rina.」
「…………」
「What is wrong? As long as you
perfectly master your manners, you will be able to meet your mother, you know.」
Candice
looked at Duke Radziwill with a smile floating on her face.
He seemed to find it strange that her reaction was so weak
toward a topic she would normally jump at immediately.
All Candice knew was a portrait of her mother.
Later on, she obtains a golden pendant as a memento of her
mother, but she doesn't even know if she truly wore it.
（Because…… I have never met Okaa-sama
even once.）
However, because she was at Duke Radziwill's beck and
call and firmly believed what he said at the time, she thought it was her
mother's and wore it constantly until Candice died.
Even facing him like this, anger toward Duke Radziwill
didn't well up as much as she thought it would.
Perhaps it was because she had already given up on her
connection with her mother, Rina.
Once, as if it were a reward, a letter was handed to Candice
supposedly from Rina.
『Candice, I love you.』
While hugging that written letter tightly forever and ever, Candice
had answered the unreasonable demands continually issued by Duke Radziwill,
but now even that was suspicious.
Candice
had cherished her connection with her mother, but it was different now.
Besides, isn't it unknown if her mother truly wrote it?
She no longer wants to do something like clinging to things
she cannot see.
（If you think I will do as you please, you are gravely mistaken……!）
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