After I finished getting ready I headed downstairs and found Yves standing in the foyer with his arms crossed, posture relaxed, but eyes as sharp as always.

  I hesitated only a moment before deciding to say goodbye. It would’ve been awkward to just pass him by after we locked eyes—because, unlike Yvon, I actually had manners.

  “We’ll be off now,” I said politely. “Have a great day!”

  Just as I was about to leave, Yves’s voice stopped me.

  “Is it true that you willingly accepted the arrangement?”

  I turned to him, surprised by his sudden question.

  “Yes, I did. What about it?”

  He looked puzzled, “No reason. It’s just… out of character for you.”

  Oh? That’s rich coming from someone who barely knows me despite growing up beside me.

  “Mom and Dad told me about how it’s been decided that you and Lev will carry out the agreement between our families and that you both were kept in the dark until things were finalized. Knowing you, I expected you’d kick up a fuss when you found out.”

  You know, for someone who’s supposed to be smart he sure says dumb things.

  “Yves, anyone in my situation could’ve easily griped about it right then and there but I wasn’t in any position to. I’m not just an ordinary citizen of this empire.”

  “I’m an Oryx. A noblewoman from the family that governs the county of Sunglen,” I added. “I have to think of our people before my self-interest. And what did you say? I Kick up a fuss? I rarely even share my opinion in this house, or anywhere for that matter. I just stay quiet in the background letting you all do your thing, so where did you even get that idea?”

  He sighed, “You’re still playing that card? I know you act like a gentle squirrel when I’m around but you and I both know you only act that way when Mom, Dad, and I are around. Come on, can’t you be honest with me now? It’s not like I don’t know about machinations. And before you ask how I know, who do you think Yvonne’s confided in after being at the receiving end of them?”

  Machinations. Oh, that’s adorable.

  Yves approached me and caressed my cheek while looking at me as though I was some furpaw to be pitied.

  “I know you want me to see you as a nice little girl, but I’d rather see the truth. Though don’t get me wrong, I’m not proud of bratty attitude and want nothing more than for you to change it, it doesn’t mean I won’t love you. Yvette… You’re my sister, and I’ll love you no matter what and I want you to be the best version of yourself. Which is why I’m glad to finally see you thinking more maturely and not selfishly. Yvonne would be proud of your growth, I know I am.”

  That would’ve been so sweet if it weren’t for all the wrongs he just said. I know he meant it as a compliment, I was offended. His tone was condescending which made my skin itch, but knowing him—and just how much like Mom he was, tunnel-visioned—he probably didn’t mean any harm.

  “Though this probably is far from how you envisioned getting married, this might be for the best.”

  I’m curious, dear brother of mine. Pray tell, what kind of explanation would you give me as to how being used as a political pawn was ‘for the best’ for me?

  “Lev is a good man. You won’t find a better prospective husband in Vreqiseon than him,” he said. “Our parents made a good decision when they matched you with him. You both come from prominent backgrounds and have each had academic achievements which speaks volumes about your intellects. I can’t help but see how well you’d match.”

  I can feel a jab coming.

  “You know as well as I that the Nieges were looking forward to the union between Lev and Yvonne and that they were disappointed when it didn’t happen,” he said. “Now that you’re Lev’s fiancée and that the wedding is only *five weeks away there’s something you have to remember…”

  Here it comes…

  “You are not Yvonne.”

  There it is. The infamous comment.

  He continued, “I see what you’re doing. The way you talk, the way you move—it’s all a shadow of her. But you’re not Yvonne, Yvette. You were never her, and you will never be her. You don’t have her wits or talents and you don't have to match it. You can’t be her because you’re you. You have your strengths so work on those.”

  Jab. Jab. Jab.

  I am well aware that I wasn’t my precious older sister. I’d rather be a furpaw than be like or be even similar to that monster!

  Yves’ constant comparisons have always irked me but as usual, I just bit my tongue and forced a smile, one that I have practiced in the mirror over and over again and one that only Yvon could see through.

  Not wanting to see his face a second longer, I excused myself.

  “I’ll keep that in mind, once again have a great day.”

  ?

  As the carriage rattled down the cobbled street, I gazed out the window watching people go about their day.

  “What’s with the glum look?” Yvon asked. “You’re ugly enough as it is.”

  Irked, I threw a pillow at his face. He talks as though he can’t pass off as me if he had long hair and wore a dress!

  “Talk,” he demanded, his tone shifting. “What’s gotten you annoyed?”

  I sighed and answered, “It’s nothing, I just ran into Yves.”

  “If it were nothing, you’d be asleep for the ride and not aloofly watching the scenery,” he said. “What happened?”

  “I really can’t hide anything from you, can I?”

  He smirked and replied, “No, you can’t. Now out with it”

  “On my way out, I ran into Yves and had a small conversation with him much to my dismay, and do you know what he said? He told me that he expected that I’d kick up a fuss when I found out what our parents planned behind my back.”

  “You? Kick up a fuss? As in, throw a tantrum?” Yvon said, raising his eyebrows. “I’d actually pay to see that! But let me guess, his reasoning was spurred on by their darling Yvonne.”

  I just tilted my head and raised my shoulders, a gesture that he was right.

  He looked out the window and saw a banner of our older sister and her husband hanging from the town hall. If it was up to me I’d set that thing ablaze.

  “I just don’t understand,” he said. “She’s got the looks, she’s got the brain, she’s the empire’s ‘golden girl’. So why isn’t that enough?”

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  He clenched his fists and continued, speaking low but full of emotion, “Why does she have to put us down and break us just to place herself on a pedestal?”

  I went to his side and leaned on his shoulder, “I don’t know Iy and I don’t think we’ll ever get an answer to that. I for one, stopped trying to make sense of her actions when she pushed you off the balcony.”

  “Enough with the bad memories all right?” he said while playing with my cheeks. “Let’s just focus on our task at hand: bringing him to our side of the board.”

  “Enough talk about the venobra, alright?” after saying that, he smothered my face with his hand.

  “Hey!”

  “Get some sleep, Yvie. When we get to the restaurant, we have our work cut out for us.”

  “Don’t remind me, I’m already wracking my brain as to how we’re going to bring him to our side,” I muttered.

  “Leave that to me,” he said, “Don’t forget, you play with the circumstances while I play with the players.”

  ?

  The moment we arrived at our family’s restaurant, Yves and I were greeted warmly by the staff and quickly headed to the kitchen with our attendants—Toini and Eugen—trailing closely behind.

  This restaurant—Savodure—serves as the foundation of our family’s conglomerate, the very first business the Oryxes have ever established, long before we were nobles. Fun fact, it goes 8 generations back and was established a little over 240 years ago.

  Our grandfather—the former count—is currently the chairman of the conglomerate, succeeding our grandmother. After she passed away, he stepped down from governing Sunglen and became the chairman to protect her work.

  Yvon and I were fond of the restaurant—not because it was prestigious, but because it was one of the few places where we truly belonged. Our grandparents were the first people who made us feel loved. In a family where we’re often overlooked, they have been our anchors. That’s why when we found out that grandmother chose Yvon to inherit the restaurant he cried himself to sleep feeling grateful that he had something to remember her by, a piece of her legacy.

  As we entered the kitchen, Yvon jumped excitedly and examined the new oven that had just been installed like a child who got a new toy.

  He busied himself with preparing a *Gryphkin à l'Fraise filling the kitchen with the enticing aroma. I watched quietly as he cooked, seeing how tranquil he looked. It reminded me of the days when grandmother was teaching us how to make her famous *Lumifin à la Firefruit.

  Ever since she died, Yvon changed. Only those who knew him well would notice how he had become more dissembling.

  She was a big part of our lives but I think he changed mostly because she died protecting us from that horrible accident.

  Whenever I try to talk to him about that day he turns pale and silent, I don’t remember much of what happened, the doctor says it’s my brain’s way of protecting me, blocking the traumatic event from my mind. Seeing how my subconscious and my brother reacted to the incident, I don’t press further.

  Once he was finished cooking he plated the dish and presented it, “And voila! Gryphkin à l'Fraise courtesy of your favorite chef.”

  “Oh sorry, that spot belongs to Grams,” I said. “But you come close second!”

  “Fair enough,” he replied and fed me the dish.

  “Mmmm! Delicious!” I exclaimed.

  “Toini, Eugen,” Yvon called, “Come have a taste!”

  Toini approached smiling but Eugen stood his ground and had a disapproving look on his face. Both of them have known our family for years but you could see how different their interactions with the two of us were.

  “Is there something wrong?” Yvon asked.

  “Apologies, young master,” said Eugen. “But I must decline. Please pay me no attention.”

  “Decline?” Yvon repeated, tilting his head. “Strange, I don’t recall asking.”

  Then he crossed his arms and added, “Besides, I can’t exactly pay you no attention when disapproval is painted all across your face. So why don’t you do us both a favor and tell us what’s on your mind?”

  “No, young master,” said Eugen, “I do not wish to offend you and the Young Miss on my first day as her attendant. I apologize for not controlling my emotions, however, I would greatly appreciate it if you choose not to push this topic further.”

  Yvon leaned on the table with a smirk on his lips.

  Sigh. Great. Part two of Yvon’s theatrics.

  “Don’t worry, I don’t bite! It's better to be honest after all, right? Come on, Eugen.”

  And knowing my brother…

  He’ll get the outcome he wants.

  Eugen came from an aristocratic family in eastern Vreqiseon, at the age of sixteen he ventured to the capital to become a doctor under the sponsorship of our family. Their hometown was heavily affected by the recent war and his family lost their livelihood causing them to start from scratch. Eugen begged our parents to have him work while studying to help support their family.

  He first began as Dad’s attendant, learning from Alfred—Dad’s main attendant—and then became Yvonne’s attendant up until her wedding. He took a month off from work timing it with his school break and only came back yesterday and was assigned to become my attendant.

  It was our Dad’s idea spurred on by none other than Yvonne who wrote to him saying that she wanted Eugen to watch over her beloved younger siblings.

  Still teasing Eugen—who was visibly agitated—Yvon continued, “How hard is it to tell us what’s on your mind?”

  “Wait… I just realized… Did you say that you didn’t want to offend us?” Yvon mused, tapping a finger against his lips. “Now that’s interesting. Why would accepting food offend us? Unless… Could it be? Do… you think we poisoned it?”

  Eugen remained silent but there was an obvious flinch. Come on, don’t make this any more easy for this prick of a brother of mine. You’ve basically given him more arrows to shoot at you.

  “Ah,” Yvon grinned. “That’s it, isn’t it? Eugen, I’m not just offended. I’m hurt. Do you truly believe my dear sister and I are so heartless?”

  “I want to poke my eye out,” I muttered.

  “You and me both, young miss,” said Toini who too was getting cringed out by my brother’s over-the-top dramatics.

  “You wound me, I didn’t think someone chosen to be my sister’s attendant would hold such a low opinion of us,” the more words he said, the more I wanted to smack his head, but part of me wanted to see how far he was willing to take this farce and I want to hit that part of me right now for forcing me to see whatever this is.

  “Then again” Yvon continued, “I suppose it’s only natural. After all, you were so close to our beloved older sister. Dear, sweet, darling Yvonne… It must’ve been painful when she left for the palace, hm?”

  “I imagine it must’ve been worse,” he went on, eyes glistening with amusement, “Seeing as how you volunteered to be Yvette’s attendant, she must’ve trusted you to look after us in her absence! Funny, isn’t it? You were always right there by her side, and yet, in the ned, she left you behind to watch… what was it that I heard you call us in the stables… Ah yes… monsters.”

  “Oh dear,” Yvon sighed, resting his chin on his palm. “You look like you want to say something, Eugen. So go on then, let it out! What truly is on your mind?”

  And then, what Yvon was waiting for happened.

  Eugen snapped.

  Clicking his tongue, Eugen glared at us as he exclaimed, “Honestly! I was politely asking you to refrain from pressing this any further! I need this job to help my family!”

  He was fuming mad while Yvon was looking very amused.

  What did I tell you? My brother gets the outcome he wants.

  “Do you honestly expect me to eat something you are offering when just two months ago Young Miss Yvette’s attendant got food poisoned by you two right after she told you her intention of quitting her job to follow her radiance to the palace?! You’re lucky she survived otherwise you two would’ve been murderers! I don’t understand how someone as kind as her radiance is related to you monsters!”

  Eugen covered his mouth after saying all that, shocked at what came out of his mouth.

  Yvon whistled and clapped as he approached Eugen who was trembling in fear. He probably thought Yvon was going to reprimand him but my brother just laughed and patted his shoulder, “See, isn't it good to let that off your chest? Quite the opinion of us you have there.”

  Smiling like a madman, Yvon continued, “Murders and monsters, huh? Tell me, how long have you been sponsored by our family for your studies again?”

  Still trembling, Eugen stuttered, “F-Five years, Y-Young Master.”

  “That long, huh? I've heard you're one of the top students in your class. Well, keep up the good work! My little sister and I are going to need your medical expertise. Huh? Why are you shaking?”

  “Probably because he’s afraid you’d fire him,” I answered.

  “What for? I just asked him what he was thinking about. Don't worry, you'll still be working with me and this brat for many years to come! So why don’t we go for a little walk?”

  Confused, Eugen asked, "I beg y-your pardon?"

  I shook my head and went ahead of them. Hitting Yvon’s head, I said, “I'd prefer it if you didn't call me a brat.”

  MORE ABOUT THE WORLD OF ACE IN THE HOLE

  seven weeks in a single month, 56 days in a month, and an extra one month each season as a sort of preparation from one season to another.

  ACE IN THE HOLE GLOSSARY

  Food and Drinks

  Gryphkin à l'Fraise - A decadent dish featuring tender gryphkin, slow-roasted to perfection and glazed with a rich, tangy fraise reduction. The sweet and slightly tart sauce, made from crushed fire-kissed fraise and a hint of spiced nectar, caramelizes over the crispy golden skin, creating a harmonious balance of flavors. Often served with roasted root vegetables and a side of sweetened grains, this dish is a favorite at grand feasts and noble banquets. (similar to duck à l'orange)

  Lumifin à la Firefruit - A vibrant seafood delicacy showcasing the delicate, flaky flesh of lumifin, a luminous deep-sea fish known for its buttery texture. Fried to a crisp golden brown, the fish is then coated in a luscious firefruit sauce, which blends the perfect harmony of sweetness and tanginess with a subtle spicy kick. The dish is often accompanied by steamed greens and fragrant rice, making it a comforting yet bold favorite in coastal regions. (similar to sweet and sour fish)