Category: The Villainous Older Sister Who Loves Her Younger Sister Aims for the Guillotine

52: Noble Young Lady Behavior Befitting Excitement for the Coming of Spring

The end of winter in Eustasia arrives with the coming of rain. It rarely rains during the long winter months; all precipitation falls as snow.

The rain had completely melted the snow in the garden, and the subsequent sunny weather dried everything, creating a pleasant warmth that hinted at the arrival of spring.

My beloved sister, the ducal lady and first in line to inherit the Vanderwaals title, was lying sprawled out in a corner of the garden.

Drawn by the spring-like air, I, too, had ventured outside.

So, I understood how she felt.

I observed her closely.

Eyes closed, a soft smile on her lips. Leticia, basking in the sunlight, sprawled out on the grass that had faded during the winter and was now beginning to regain its color with the approach of spring, was adorable.

However, as behavior befitting a ducal lady, it was… questionable.

“—Ahem.”

At my exaggerated cough, Leticia’s eyes fluttered open.

“…Huh? Elder Sister Adelheid? Oh, this is embarrassing.”

Good.

I was glad she felt embarrassed.

Leticia jumped up and brushed off the dead grass clinging to her clothes. She also removed the bits of grass stuck to her blonde hair, so different from my silver locks, brushing them away with her hand and picking them off with her fingers.

Her movements were practiced; she certainly didn’t look like someone experiencing lying on grass for the first time.

However, I decided not to pursue it.

But as the head of the ducal family, I had to say something.

“Leticia, it goes without saying, but always conduct yourself in a manner befitting a ducal lady.”

“Yes…”

My sister looked downcast.

I wanted to hug her and comfort her, saying, “Just be more careful next time.”

…I even wanted to clear the area and lie down with her.

However, that wouldn’t be ‘behavior befitting a villainous sister.’

This world was a stage for a story.

The story of the romance simulation game, [Moonlight Liberium], was progressing mostly according to the scenario.

Therefore, I shouldn’t do anything that would suggest closeness between my sister and me.

I should be disliked, as the villain.

However, going too far wasn’t good either.

It would be troublesome if she was driven to run away.

It would also be troublesome if she sought solace from the [Capture Targets] at this point.

At the very least, it would strain the scenario.

“Frolicking in the garden and lying on the grass… That’s unacceptable behavior for any noble lady, let alone a ducal lady.”

So, I made an effort to be as sarcastic and mean-spirited as possible.

While I liked that side of her, not everyone in the world shared my preferences.

Leticia, who had been listening with a serious expression, nodded once and then said,

“…Then, Elder Sister, could you please tell me what ‘noble young lady behavior befitting excitement for the coming of spring’ looks like?”

“Huh?”

That was an unexpected question.

I had a feeling this would disrupt the scenario.

I racked my brain.

Help me, Ciel—no, wait, I could do this.

“…Strolling through nature, admiring the flowers in the flowerbeds, picking wildflowers… perhaps?”

Fortunately, my Ciel-trained brain was able to come up with a plausible answer, even to a question most ducal family heads would probably never face.

“I understand.”

Leticia nodded, her serious expression unchanged.

I was relieved that she understood.

Then, her face breaking into a bright smile, she wrapped her arm around mine, pressing her chest against me.

What did she understand, exactly?

“…What do you think you’re doing?”

“Let’s stroll through the garden and admire the flowers, like proper noble ladies.”

Come on, brain, you can do this.

However, this time, I couldn’t find the words.

Instead of words, I felt a tug on my arm.

My sister was assertive.

“…You need to behave properly at the next ‘tea party.’”

The royal ‘tea party.’

The introduction to the next [Event]…

“Yes, Elder Sister. Please, by all means, instill proper noble lady behavior in your unworthy younger sister.”

The phrase “there’s a way to say things” came to mind.

Why was she so assertive?

Was it because she grew up in the “back alley”?

But I considered myself quite assertive as the head of the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals.”

However, it seemed that was only true against those who were intimidated by my position.

I had been losing confidence ever since I found my half-sister.

Leticia stopped walking.

I, still linked arm in arm with her, stopped as well.

“Oh, there’s a bench here?”

There was a wooden bench where she was looking.

A sturdy one, with no warped or crooked boards. Its legs, armrests, and metal fittings were decorated with ivy carvings and perched bird statues; a well-crafted, high-quality piece.

“Oh… they probably put it away in storage for the winter. There’s no point leaving it out in the garden when it snows.”

“I see.”

My sister nodded.

And then she glanced at me.

“…May I sit down? Is that acceptable noble lady behavior?”

“Yes.”

My sister released my arm and eagerly headed for the bench.

…I briefly considered smashing the bench to pieces.

No, the bench was innocent.

However, the pure joy she found in simply sitting on an ordinary bench in the garden pricked at my heart.

“Elder Sister, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing, really…”

I couldn’t tell her that I felt like the bench had stolen my sister.

…I wondered what kind of face Leticia would make if I said that.

Would she be bewildered, or would she laugh?

Leticia patted the space next to her on the bench.

What was that gesture?

I tried to keep my expression neutral, but perhaps my surprise showed, because my sister smiled and explained the meaning of her mysterious gesture.

“Let’s sit together.”

I was suddenly faced with a choice.

No, wait… was this… appropriate?

Was it noble lady-like? —That wasn’t a problem.

It was just two sisters sitting together on a bench.

Would it affect the scenario? —I had a feeling it would.

But I also had a feeling it wouldn’t be a significant impact. I was starting to feel that way.

――There were times when you couldn’t afford to hesitate.

Resolutely, I sat down next to Leticia, maintaining as much grace as possible.

My sister shifted slightly.

I briefly thought I had sat too close.

Then, she moved even closer, our knees almost touching.

And she leaned against me, our shoulders touching.

I froze.

Why… was she getting closer?

However, aside from the fact that I was the nuisance, the ‘villainous sister’ in [Moonlight Liberium], and she was the ‘protagonist,’ there was nothing wrong with this, so I couldn’t object too strongly.

But her leaning against me, resting her head on my shoulder, was… hard to ignore.

“Leticia…”

As I spoke, I turned to look at her, and our eyes met at a much closer distance than I had expected.

My heart skipped a beat, and I lost my train of thought. She smiled gently.

“I feel… safe next to Elder Sister.”

What was I about to say?

My mind went blank.

Leticia closed her eyes, and I closed my mouth.

A moment later, Leticia’s body relaxed completely.

She had fallen asleep.

How could she fall asleep in this situation?

I briefly felt a pang of fondness, thinking she must be constantly on guard.

And then, a surge of irritation: Shouldn’t she be on guard in front of her mean older sister?

I was always strict with her. Or at least, I tried to be.

I was also mean to her. Or at least, I was supposed to be.

Supposed to be, but…

Even though I was following the scenario, carrying out the mean-spirited events…

“…So inconsiderate.”

I murmured, then swallowed the rest of my words.

There were feelings I couldn’t express.

…In the next event, I was ‘supposed’ to be mean to my sister.

So, well.

Just this once…

…didn’t the ‘protagonist’ need some rest?

Didn’t the ‘villainous sister’ deserve a moment to recharge?

That’s what I thought.

――Later, Ciel, apparently on patrol, saw me with my shoulder supporting a sleeping Leticia. I had completely missed the opportunity to wake her.

We exchanged a look, and I silently pleaded for help.

She nodded, her expression as composed as ever.

Reliable, as always.

As expected of the Vanderwaals’ head maid and assistant head of the family.

However, she left, for some reason.

She returned a moment later, carrying a blanket. Again, for some reason.

Then, with a graceful flourish, she draped the blanket over Leticia and me.

I tried to convey my frustration with my eyes, but Ciel simply smiled faintly, as if to say, “I understand everything,” bowed her head, and turned to leave.

No, that wasn’t it. Not at all.

Side Story: “Leticia’s Pocket Watch” / Production Log

T/n: T/N: I’ll add everything the author mentions.

Author Brief Notes

• This side story is similar to an activity report or afterword. It documents the creation of an in-story item, but the story’s characters don’t appear.

• Because this uses photographs, it’s not intended for formats that don’t support images, such as vertical-writing PDFs.

• In that case, please imagine the photos based on the context of the writing.

• I take liberties in these production logs. Please bear with me.

Greetings, I’m Mizuki Aoi. This is the first production log for “The Villainous Sister Who Loves Her Younger Sister Aims for the Guillotine.”

This side story documents the process of creating props and other small items that appear in the story. I’ll share photos of the finished product, along with photos of each step of the process, from design to completion.

I believe this format will be especially enjoyable for those who appreciate DIY, crafts, and budget-friendly projects.

While this is the first time I’m doing this for this story, chapters in my previous work, “Lord Of Disease,” with “/Production Log” in the subtitle followed a similar format.

The same applies to the spin-off series, “Essay on Self-Publishing a Novel (Grimoire) on a Low Budget with a Hardcover and Leather Binding… Well, Cloth Binding Resembling Leather: ‘Lord Of Disease’ / Production Log (with photos).”

So, what I made this time is “Leticia’s Pocket Watch.”

While it only appears in the first chapter, it’s a matching item for the sisters and a key element in their meeting, making it fairly important.

A lot happened during the production process, so I’m not sure if this is the official design, even though I, the author, made it.

Anyway, I did a location shoot, so here are some photos.

Photo Gallery

The pocket watch closed. The Vanderwaals family crest, the little gecko, turned out cute.

Here’s the size. It fits perfectly in the palm of my hand.

It’s 5.5cm in diameter, which is a bit large for a pocket watch, isn’t it?

Since it’s for a woman, I wanted to make it a little smaller. However, a larger size looks better in photos, so it’s a dilemma.

Incidentally, the size of small items like watches is also a tricky issue in illustrations.

Depending on the composition, simply making it larger makes it stand out… but it loses realism…

Haven’t you seen the White Rabbit (including anthropomorphic versions) in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” sometimes carrying a huge pocket watch? It’s like that.

Here it is open.

I really like gears. So, I hope their appeal comes across.

…These gears don’t actually mesh or move, so true gear enthusiasts might scold me, but I like them not just for their mechanics, but also for their design…

By the way, the hands are stopped at about 10:03 PM, which happens to be my usual update time.

Tilting it slightly, the crystal reflects the scenery.

This is a park on a mountain, so the trees and sky are beautiful.

The crystal is actually removable, giving a clear view of the internal mechanism.

This isn’t a real watch, by the way.

A close-up of the gecko. It has the weighty feel of rusted metal!

It’s not actually metal, though.

Among the shadows and dappled sunlight created by the trees.

So calming. I could just stare at it forever.

By the way, the piece of wood behind it is driftwood I picked up and washed for the photoshoot. The pocket watch can’t stand up on its own…

On a wooden deck.

The deep shadows cast by the wall create a beautiful contrast between light and shadow, making it a great spot for photos.

The things in the foreground are those seeds that spin when you drop them from a height.

Just because. (?)

Opening the lid to reveal the inner workings beneath the crystal is always a thrill, and I can lose track of time just changing the angle and taking photos.

The scenery reflected in the crystal, blending with the gears and hands, adds to the effect.

…Oh, the seeds are gone.

I just realized I completely forgot I was going to play with them after the photoshoot…

When a cloud covers the sun, the light weakens, and I have to stop shooting, but the subtle change in lighting seems to enhance the clouds and sky reflected in the crystal.

Gently placing it on a leaf.

Ah, I love how the gears are visible through the contrast of the trees and sky…

My brain is starting to melt. Hang in there, brain.

From a slightly higher vantage point, like an observation deck, with the mountains in the background.

While it’s tiring to constantly adjust the position for the changing light, it’s worth it when I get a good shot.

I often go up and down this observation deck.

The stairs… the stairs are steep…

Why I can’t do everything in one go is a mystery. It’s probably because the schedule manager in my mind is slacking off.

Some say such a position never existed in the first place.

Removing the crystal again to look at the internal mechanism.

Just looking at the multi-layered structure of the hands, face, metal fittings, and gears is restorative.

My SAN value might be increasing.

…By the way, the reason there are several photos without the crystal is that the inside fogged up.

I had to remove it and wipe it clean to continue shooting.

The design makes removing the crystal a matter of luck.

What if I couldn’t remove it?

…I would have about 100 fewer photos from this shoot.

And far fewer photos with the lid open.

It’s fun, no matter how many photos I take.

Strange. Is it a bug?

……………

…………

…

A few more photos. (14 photos)

I hate those “Excuse me, do you have a moment?” sales pitches, but seeing myself doing something similar makes me think humans are weak creatures.

Production Log

“What do I want to create?” is an important question in any creative endeavor.

While there’s a strong mental aspect, in DIY, for example, if you want to build a step stool to reach something high, using weak materials could lead to a serious accident.

Similarly, the construction must be sturdy.

However, if it’s just a decorative stand for something light, a cardboard box is fine. It depends on the purpose.

…What about me?

――I want to make things that come to mind.

I want to try out new techniques.

I want to expand my repertoire of skills.

I want to experiment with different materials.

――I just want to create something, regardless of logic or reason!

…The fact that my creative motivation isn’t “to make life easier” or even “because I want this” makes me seem like a mad scientist.

Just to be clear, this is about crafting, which is separate from writing the main story.

Probably.

Anyway, the budget for this project is 200 yen.

Two hundred yen.

While I enjoy making things, my priorities are: 1. writing, 2. illustrating, 3. crafting.

And my biggest expense is probably illustration (tablet and other peripherals).

All of that impacts the budget for my crafting projects.

If I had a bigger budget, things might have been easier… or perhaps even more difficult.

But there’s a certain enjoyment in working with a limited budget.

――As a matter of principle, I like low-budget projects.

Upgrading by increasing the budget is more scalable than downgrading by reducing the budget.

And, more importantly, a low budget lowers the barrier to entry, making people think, “Maybe I could try that too.”

So, if reading this makes you think, “I can make something like that even on a low budget,” and inspires you to create something, I would be very happy.

Now, let’s delve into the production process, starting with the design phase.

…Feel free to learn from my mistakes.

Basic Design

I start by sketching a rough design and refining it.

I arrange the elements on graph paper…

Designing the face, gears, hands, and so on, trying to make it look good…

Is that level of detail really necessary?

…Unfortunately, there’s no one to ask.

I’m using both 1cm and 1mm graph paper, so the face is a little under 4cm in diameter.

I add a few more parts and print it on A4 copy paper.

For the gears, I use the combined version as the blueprint and the separated versions as the actual parts.

The hands are for reference.

The multiple gears and faces are spares.

These spares will save me later.

Due to design changes or simply messing up the cutting… spares are important.

The part that looks like a lid is a remnant of a discarded design.

…There are things people can do, and things they can’t…

Clock Hands

So easy!

Just cut out the shapes from 0.5mm thick black cardstock, following the blueprint.

…“Just” that.

Easy to say, hard to do.

Do I have too much faith in myself?

Or am I simply unaware of my own limitations?

There’s no way I can cut with this level of precision; this design is ridiculous… This is the design phase: try your best, and then stare blankly ahead, utterly defeated.

(Maybe not)

I give up and redesign.

I compromise by making the hands larger and changing the design.

The top is the actual size printout. The bottom is the cut-out parts.

They’re much bigger now…

But I tried my best.

Even these are about 1cm…

I drew guidelines with a mechanical pencil and painstakingly cut them out with a craft knife.

If there’s a trick, it’s… to use a sharp blade.

I try to keep mine sharp.

They’re supposed to be replaceable blades, but I don’t remember ever replacing them.

Gears

So easy!

Just cut out the shapes from 0.5mm thick black cardstock, following the blueprint.

…“Just” that. (Déjà vu)

This time, I managed to stick to the design…

Here are the parts cut out after gluing the printout onto the cardstock.

Some parts are left uncut because they will be hidden.

This is for efficiency and to maintain structural integrity.

The larger gears are 14mm, and the smaller ones are 12mm.

This is madness.

…I considered using gear-shaped charms (metal parts for accessories).

But I didn’t have any.

And my favorite craft stores and 100-yen shops didn’t have them either…

As for online stores, the shape or size wasn’t right, or the price was too high (the cheap ones came in huge quantities).

So I gave up on buying them and decided to make my own.

After finishing the gears, I went to a 100-yen shop, and they had some amazing gear charms in stock.

Oh.

Oh…

There’s the issue of thickness…

Painting them, blissfully unaware of the tragedy (or comedy?) that awaits.

I just squeeze black acrylic paint onto some baking paper, dab it with a small piece of melamine sponge, and then dab it onto the parts.

This is my favorite painting method; as you can see in the photo, painting black and then gold gives it a metallic look.

Like antique gold or tarnished brass. Love it.

If you want silver instead of gold, you can paint silver over black. The part with the holes (the face?) is painted silver over black.

The hands are just black acrylic paint, also applied with a melamine sponge.

Paint is not included in the budget for this project.

I might factor it in if I use a large quantity…

I like the melamine sponge method because it uses less paint than a solid coat, while still giving it a nice texture.

And not using a brush means I don’t have to clean a brush.

Crystal

Step 1: Buy a thermometer/hygrometer from a 100-yen shop.

Step 2: Remove the crystal from the hygrometer.

Done!

So easy.

…No hidden pitfalls.

The design is based on this crystal.

It cost half of my budget: 100 yen. (excluding tax)

Assembling the Gears

Here’s the back.

I try to stick to the original design, but I also make adjustments…

I changed a few things—the angles, positions—because I thought it looked better this way.

I use a glue stick for adhesion.

While I’m a bit concerned about the strength, it’s very easy to use, so I trust it. That’s what glue sticks are for.

Holding it with tweezers and shining a light through it.

Yes, this sparks joy.

In a standalone creative environment, the trick is to make things that motivate you.

That being said, a lot has happened in the meantime…

Actually, more than a year passed between painting and assembly…

I properly stored the finished parts, so I was able to complete it without any problems.

Next, I’ll glue on the hands.

And during that year, I lost the hands from the hygrometer, which I was planning to use.

So, I need to improvise a base for the hands.

I was planning to make it a working clock, at least sometimes.

But no matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find them…

…More moving parts mean more chances for things to go wrong. Fine, I’ll give up.

Leticia’s pocket watch officially has stopped hands, so they don’t need to move. I tell myself that.

In a standalone creative environment, accepting design changes in the name of flexibility is also important.

The face cut out and the hands glued on.

I added a piece of round cardstock to create some height.

The trusty glue stick comes in handy again.

Exterior

The material for the metallic-looking exterior of this pocket watch…

…is mainly clay.

Nothing strange about that. It’s a perfectly normal material.

It’s just that this is the first time I’m using clay for a craft.

When I first opened this clay, I thought,

“Have I found… my crafting soulmate…?”

It was wonderful.

Lightweight, smooth, non-sticky. And it held its shape well.

I was excited to have found such a great material.

And after I finished working with it, I thought,

“I don’t want to touch clay for a while…”

I’ll explain later, but it wasn’t a bad clay…

It was my fault for not testing it properly before incorporating it into the design, trying to save money…

This clay also cost half of my budget, 100 yen. (excluding tax), same as the crystal.

While I have about 70% of the clay left, I don’t know what I’ll use it for.

Since the budget for this project is based on the materials purchased, not the amount used, the next project using this clay will start at zero yen.

I cut out and assemble the cardstock like this.

I don’t even know what kind of cardstock this is.

I have a stash of tissue boxes and snack boxes, so it cost zero yen.

As you can see from the spring, this pocket watch initially had moving parts… (the thing at the top that looks like a crown is a bead).

After some… adjustments, it still moves a little when you press it.

I think the mechanism design was sound.

It was just that I didn’t have the materials, tools, equipment, or skill to assemble it as designed…

Furthermore, due to remnants of the original mechanism and design changes, the structure was very unstable.

……………

…………

…

…Hot glue! Bring me the hot glue gun!

Hot glue fixes everything!!

Hot glue is one of my most trusted materials.

Thanks to hot glue, I was able to maintain structural integrity even with the drastic design changes!

As a self-proclaimed hot glue evangelist, I’ll explain how to use hot glue and a hot glue gun while showing you how to make the gecko on the lid.

This is an adhesive where you insert a glue stick (not visible in the photo) into a glue gun (top of photo) and pull the trigger to dispense and shape the glue.

The part near the ‘muzzle’ heats up, and the glue comes out.

You can create shapes by squeezing it onto baking paper… but…

Even I have to admit, shaping it is incredibly difficult.

It’s so small that even the slightest tremor in my hand affects it, and I can’t hold my breath for too long.

The trick is to control the recoil with slow, shallow breaths, and instead of using the trigger, to push the glue stick from the back, millimeter by millimeter.

Even so, I messed up the legs several times, even in the photo, and had to peel them off and redo them before attaching the body.

…The level of perfection depends on how many retakes you’re willing to do.

Also, after dispensing a certain amount, the glue gun cools down, so it’s important to take breaks and wait for it to heat up again.

The body was made by squeezing the trigger…

…but I couldn’t bend it that way. (Sharp turns are difficult)

So, I forcefully bent it.

While hot glue fully hardens in about 10-20 seconds, it can be melted again with heat.

I pressed the tip of the hot glue gun against the body, melting and almost severing it to bend it, and then added a bit more glue to fill the gap.

I also added more glue to the head.

I trimmed the head, tail, etc., with a craft knife, and the base was complete.

The clay is also finished in the photo.

…Since both my hands were occupied, I didn’t take any photos while wrestling with the clay.

I also have no memories of that process other than wanting to cry.

The back.

The lid is especially rough, because I gave up on making it perfect and just made it larger, trimming the edges with scissors to shape it.

It was more like ‘reshaping’ than shaping.

The clay is lightweight, becomes quite sturdy when dry, easy to cut with scissors… it has many good qualities.

However, it dries incredibly fast, and if you add water to slow down the drying process, it becomes a gooey mess. After adjusting the water content so it wouldn’t stick to my hands, just when I thought I could finally start shaping it, it would dry out again, incredibly fast… Screams internally.

I covered the rough edges with hot glue. Squeezing out an appropriate amount, I pressed it against baking paper to create a flat surface.

I also trimmed this with scissors. The photo is before trimming.

Hot glue can be cut with scissors or a cutter after it hardens. (Spreading the good word)

Next, I was going to place this on baking paper on a hot plate (not for food) and melt the gecko onto it.

…That was the plan.

Apply… heat…?

Then what would happen to the hot glue I just applied…?

It would melt.

Yes, it would melt.

……………

…………

…

How… foolish…

Being able to acknowledge your weaknesses, your foolishness, your powerlessness… that’s crafting…

(Maybe)

Now.

I had to attach the gecko…

I could still do it as originally planned…

If I was willing to accept the disastrous results… (I wasn’t)

…A burner.

Bring me a burner (for cooking) and a gas canister (for cooking)!

Burn it.

Burn it! Fire solves everything!!

Crafting makes it easy to acquire dangerous ideas.

(Really depends on the person)

I heated the air above the gecko and lightly touched its legs, tail, and head with the flame, one by one.

Too little heat, and it wouldn’t stick. Too much, and it would melt.

The tail drooped, the head tilted, and the legs melted and stuck together. …All that hard work… ruined…

While thinking, This wasn’t the experience I wanted, a voice in my head said, “Be happy. This is what you wanted. You wanted to ‘expand your repertoire of skills,’ didn’t you?”

Experiences… can’t be chosen.

Done… somehow…

The gecko’s hands are a little squished because this part was incredibly difficult…

…I don’t know how it would have turned out if I had used the hot plate.

I also added hinges to both the lid and the body.

The hinges are homemade, made of paper.

Just wrap a toothpick with black paper (0.1mm thick). Easy.

The loop for the chain? That’s paper-wrapped wire and hot glue. Just squeeze out some glue, and it looks surprisingly good.

Painting

Learning metallic painting techniques expands your artistic possibilities.

This is also done by dabbing paint with a melamine sponge.

I let it dry for about 30 minutes, sometimes a little longer.

Set a timer and do something else while you wait.

Now, the procedure…

Ideally, it would go like this:

Ideal Painting Procedure

1. Dab with black acrylic paint. (base coat)

2. Dab with silver acrylic paint. (add a silver sheen)

3. Dab with diluted black acrylic paint. (darken slightly)

4. Dab with water-based varnish (walnut). (seal and add a rusty look)

5. Apply nail top coat. (seal and add shine)

The final result depends on whether the top coat is glossy or matte.

If you want a matte finish, rub it with a cloth.

You can stop at step 4, or use water-based varnish (clear) for the final coat.

Since I’m planning a location shoot, I want a durable finish.

Actual Painting Procedure

1. Dab with a mix of 7 parts silver metallic paint and 3 parts black metallic paint. (Panics, thinking, Is it too dark…?)

2. Dab with silver acrylic paint. (add a silver sheen)

3. On a whim, tries to draw patterns with a black permanent marker. (Regrets it immediately)

4. Dab with a mix of 7 parts silver metallic paint and 3 parts black metallic paint. (covers up the mistake and starts over)

5. Dab with silver acrylic paint. (Feels relieved that it’s finally going according to plan)

6. Dab with diluted black acrylic paint. (darken slightly)

7. Dab with water-based varnish (walnut). (seal and add a rusty look)

8. Apply nail top coat. (seal and add shine)

9. The top coat melts, and the botched permanent marker lines reappear. (Huh?)

…Uh, what?

What just happened?

I could understand if it were just the metallic paint, but the acrylic paint too? Melting? What?

To recover from this failure… I need to find the cause…

Perhaps… the top coat is old…

You can adjust the consistency of old top coat by adding thinner.

I added thinner… too much thinner… because I wanted a thin coat…

…Did it become remover instead of top coat…?

I’ll start over.

I have another bottle of old, thickened top coat.

I’ll mix them to adjust the consistency.

(Foreshadowing)

The base coat isn’t completely dissolved.

(Famous last words)

1. Dab with a mix of 7 parts silver metallic paint and 3 parts black metallic paint. (Starts over again, with renewed determination)

11-13. Applies top coat, following the same procedure. (Prepares for the inevitable)

1. The repainted surface melts again. (Redeems the foreshadowing)

…Ah, yes, I see.

I was foolish to cling to a failed plan…

16+. Does the best she can with the remaining paint. (Memory hazy. Probably the same procedure)

20? 30? Applies water-based varnish (clear). (seal and add shine)

Finally finished painting.

I have some progress photos…

But from the point where the paint started melting, the number of photos is clearly less than the number of coats applied, so I must have given up on documenting it.

…I don’t remember how many coats of each I applied.

But I think next time, I can achieve a similar look and durability with half the steps.

The tense moment of removing the masking tape.

The face was masked the entire time I was working with the clay and paint, so I could only imagine the finished product in my mind. This ‘reveal’ is always nerve-wracking.

The crystal is safe. I breathe a sigh of relief.

Peeling off the tape to reveal a clean surface is satisfying.

Finally, I use a glue stick to attach the toothpick core, which I painted along with everything else, to the hinges.

Finished!

Congratulations!

Take a moment to appreciate the finished product. Admire your handiwork.

In my case, I do a location shoot, organize the photos, and write up the production log.

All this experience for just 200 yen! Low-budget crafting is fun!

…Expensive… a very expensive lesson…

That’s how I feel right now…

This is how it usually goes.

I remember the struggles… I think…

…But creating things is fun… isn’t it?

Some people say that looking back, everything was enjoyable, but that’s not the case for me at all.

The difficult parts… remain difficult, even if the passage of time dulls the sharp edges.

That should apply to creating things as well, but…

The insane design that placed all the responsibility on me, the arduous process, the unsuitable materials, the terrible mistakes… even as I document all of this, engraving it in my memory so I don’t repeat the same mistakes…

…when I hold the ‘finished product’ in my hand, the only word I can think of to describe the entire experience is “fun.”

Some might call it mental contamination, or a psychological defense mechanism.

Well, anyway.

I hope that you, having read this far, will spare a thought for the matching pocket watch, somewhere in a distant world, that sparked the bond between two sisters—the other half of the pair, now missing its chain, rusted, its hands stopped.

――The next chapter will return to the main story, the beginning of Volume 2.

Also, in the previous afterword, I wrote, “I plan to have a resolution in the second volume,” but I’ve officially added a third volume.

I’ll leave it to your imagination to figure out the reason for this ‘design change.’

50: A Place of Comfort

I didn’t know how Leticia’s mother made a living.

Therefore, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that she worked at a brothel.

While there was no comparing which was ‘worse’—a father frequenting such establishments or a mother working in one—either way, if it were true, it would be incredibly awkward as half-sisters.

“I… also have dealings with such establishments. And I believe… I understand the circumstances of those who work there.”

I was in a position of power, the one who did the utilizing.

I would probably never truly understand them.

Just as they would probably never truly understand the weight on the shoulders of the Vanderwaals family head.

But I couldn’t be so detached as to be unmoved by their circumstances.

“So… even if your mother worked in a profession you might not approve of, there’s no need to be ashamed.”

I considered being mean.

However, even a seemingly heartless ‘villainous sister’ had her limits.

We had both lost our mothers, and our fathers.

I loved my mother, and I was sure Leticia did too.

If I did anything to tarnish that, my sins would be beyond even the guillotine’s judgment.

“Leticia, I don’t know what your mother did. I’ll be honest. When I decided to bring you into the family, I investigated both you and your mother. But I found nothing. That’s all there is to it.”

I couldn’t find any trace.

“Is that so… I wonder what Mother did…”

“…I don’t know. There’s no way to tell.”

There was no way to confirm it now.

When I learned of my sister’s existence, I searched through the remaining family documents.

However, my father hadn’t left any records about Leticia or her mother.

The passage of time had veiled everything in the mists of the past.

However, I had another hypothesis.

…I suspected Leticia’s mother might have been one of the Vanderwaals’ “shadows.”

Perhaps she had been working undercover in the “back alley,” quietly and inconspicuously—for the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals.”

There was no comparing which was ‘worse’—a father having an affair with a prostitute or a father having an affair with one of his subordinates.

As a daughter, I wanted to take issue with the former, and as the head of the family, I wanted to take issue with the latter.

Either way, it seemed that even my father, who I had always seen as cold, strict, dignified, and worthy of both fear and respect, had his secrets.

Leticia spoke.

“What if…”

But then she stopped.

“…What if?”

I prompted her.

She hesitated, then looked at me intently.

Her blue eyes, the same color as mine, were filled with anxiety.

“What if… the investigation… had found something? Would you… still have acknowledged me… as a Vanderwaals relative?”

I answered immediately.

“—No.”

“…Big Sister.”

“Call me ‘Elder Sister.’”

This exchange was becoming routine.

“…I don’t like you.”

It was a lie—but also partly true.

…I wanted her to stop messing with the gears of fate with her cuteness.

And I wanted her to follow the [Official Scenario] a little more closely. She was the protagonist, after all.

Leticia looked downcast, but I pretended not to notice and continued,

“I can’t imagine what Father was thinking.”

I sighed, my breath misting in the cold air.

The lack of records meant he was guilty in his daughter’s eyes.

…Even if there were records, explaining the circumstances behind his relationship with Leticia’s mother, I would still be angry. As his daughter, he would probably be guilty no matter what.

If Leticia had been my full sister…

If we had grown up together in the same mansion, if I could have showered her with affection…

How happy I would have been.

Perhaps I would have grown up a little more… normally.

But that past didn’t exist.

Such shared experiences weren’t allowed between my sister and me.

Even so.

“Even so, we are sisters, connected by blood.”

“…Elder Sister.”

“Make yourself useful.”

I smiled as sarcastically as possible.

Balance was important.

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

As her older sister, I felt like I could forgive my father’s sins.

Because he had left such an adorable sister in this world.

I had a feeling that, whether or not my mother forgave him, she would have loved Leticia.

――Even though there was no such scenario.

All three of our parents were gone, taking their secrets with them.

I, too, would probably die with secrets of my own.

“We’re… a strange pair of sisters, aren’t we?”

Fate had made us sisters.

She would be gifted with happiness, and I would be sent to the guillotine.

I could accept that.

Because my death had meaning.

“…Yes, we are.”

Leticia gave a wry smile.

That smile also had its own unique charm, and I wanted to hug her.

“—Achoo!”

Leticia sneezed.

Even her sneezes were cute, but I urged her towards the mansion.

“Come on, let’s go back inside. You can take a bath after that.”

“Yes, Elder Sister.”

We talked as we unwrapped our mufflers.

While I was holding back on my meanness, we seemed like normal sisters.

The next [Official Event] I would be involved in was in spring.

While it seemed like we had plenty of time, considering the density of events, there weren’t many left.

From now on, the story would be woven between my sister and the [Capture Targets]. The villainous sister was just a spice, not invited to the main romance.

She had apparently used her ‘freedom of action,’ in her own unique way, to visit the Royal Castle on the first day.

While I wasn’t worried about Prince Konrad or Knight Commander Felix, whose favorability seemed high, I was concerned about Chief Physician Louis, whose scenes I had stolen. However, it seemed she had interacted with him to thank him, and they had talked afterward. I tried to subtly inquire about the topic of their conversation, but she wouldn’t tell me.

According to Leticia, it was “various things.”

I wanted to know what those ‘various things’ were.

In any case, she was surely accumulating [Individual Events].

However, she didn’t seem to be pursuing any particular person at the moment.

The romance was still a free-for-all.

I removed my gloves and flexed my hands, which were stiff from gripping the shovel.

Leticia did the same…

…and then she took my hand.

Our slightly sweaty hands touched.

“…Leticia, what are you—”

“Let’s go home, Big Sister Adelheid.”

Home.

…Had this mansion become my sister’s ‘home’?

Had it become a place of comfort for her, who had lost her mother, lived alone in a single room of a dilapidated, almost abandoned house without even glass windows, a house that would likely collapse under the weight of snow, and worked jobs a noble lady would never do, surviving tenaciously?

Had it…?

I decided not to pull away from Leticia’s hand as she tugged me along.

After all, the future was predetermined.

I wouldn’t let anyone change the ending.

Not even myself.

I had less than a year left.

So, until spring…

…wasn’t it within the performer’s discretion to spend the intermission like this?

As I opened the front door, Leticia looked back at me.

She was wearing a soft smile.

Seeing that smile, I felt like everything—past and future—was worth it.

As we walked down the hallway, hand in hand, Leticia stopped, as if she had thought of something.

She turned to me with a mischievous smile.

“By the way, since we’re here, why don’t we take a bath together?”

“Go bathe by yourself.”

I wished she would stop tempting me.

My sister laughed brightly again and pulled my hand.

< Volume 1 End >

49. Shoveling Snow

As I took the snow shovel from Leticia and began working, the tense atmosphere eased.

It was hard work, after all. They must have decided that even the head of the family was another pair of hands.

Some of the commuting servants, having braved the snow, gradually arrived, but those who lived further away were still absent.

The shared carriage wouldn’t be running in this snow. It was best not to expect them.

We prioritized clearing the area around the entrance, in case of visitors, and the paths to the firewood and food storage.

I left the main road in front of the mansion to the other servants.

While I wasn’t ashamed of it, shoveling snow myself wasn’t exactly the image I wanted to project, especially not outside the mansion. It was fine for the servants within the mansion to see me like this.

Of course, I trusted that none of our servants would be foolish enough to gossip about such a thing.

Our family, being a ducal house, offered good wages and decent treatment, but we were still known as the “Coldhearted Vanderwaals.”

…I was starting to wonder if Leticia truly understood that.

“Well, this should be enough. —Let’s stop shoveling snow for now. We have other duties within the mansion.”

I plunged the shovel into the snow and declared an end to the snow-shoveling.

Everyone was sweating and breathing heavily.

I clapped my gloved hands together, brushing off the snow.

Leticia’s forehead was beaded with sweat, and her cheeks were flushed a delicate red.

She was cute even when flushed.

While I was also tired, I tried to maintain a cool composure.

“Everyone, you’ve worked hard. I’m sure you’re all sweaty. You’re permitted to use the bath. Go in order of seniority.”

A wave of surprise rippled through the servants.

“Also, inform the kitchen staff to upgrade today’s meals. They can prepare whatever they like, except alcohol.”

A subdued, but unmistakable cheer went up.

Good, good.

“However, don’t get too carried away. Remember that this isn’t a holiday. Whether there will be a ‘next time’ depends on your behavior today.”

I didn’t forget to add a warning.

“—Ciel, I leave the arrangements to you. See to everything.”

“Yes, Lady Adelheid.”

Ciel bowed impeccably.

…How was she not sweating?

And she was in her usual maid uniform.

She seemed capable of surviving even in the harshest winter regions of Eustasia, all by herself.

“Lady Adelheid, is it alright for the other servants to bathe first? They can clean the bath while they’re at it.”

“I’ll leave it to you. I can bathe later.”

Ciel bowed again, then joined the other servants, giving detailed instructions as they entered the mansion.

Leticia and I were left alone.

It felt… strange to enter the mansion with ‘everyone else.’

“Haa…”

Leticia sighed.

She clutched the front of her sweater and fanned herself.

While it didn’t reveal any skin, the gesture made my heart skip a beat.

Noticing my gaze, she smiled.

“That was a good workout.”

“Yes, I suppose it was.”

I nodded.

Physical activity sometimes helped clear my mind, and now was one of those times.

Perhaps it was because I had a lot on my mind lately.

Leticia, despite her exhaustion, was still smiling brightly.

“…Leticia, you’re energetic.”

My sister tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“Huh? I’m exhausted.”

“You don’t seem…”

“Well, if I don’t shovel snow properly, I won’t have anywhere to sleep tomorrow, will I?”

“Huh?”

“The house I used to live in would probably collapse if we didn’t clear the snow off the roof. It was practically abandoned.”

…No, I’m sorry, Ciel, but I don’t think I could handle living in exile.

I didn’t have that kind of resilience.

After all, what I had undergone was ‘training.’

For Leticia, it had been ‘life.’ Fundamentally different.

“Besides, shoveling snow was a well-paying job. It was temporary, so it was first-come, first-served, but brothels paid especially well, so it was a popular job.”

“L-Leticia.”

That wasn’t something a noble lady should be talking about.

Due to the nature of my work, I knew the madam of a certain high-class brothel and could even bypass the usual procedures…

“The ladies there were so kind. They’d say, ‘Come see us if you’re ever struggling to make ends meet when you’re older.’”

Was that kindness?

Or recruitment?

If Leticia worked at a ‘brothel,’ I would become a regular… no, I would probably shower her with bags of gold coins and become her patron.

…Perhaps.

Just a possibility, but…

Perhaps even Leticia’s mother—

“…Maybe… that’s what Mother did…”

“…………”

I was speechless, unable to find a response.