My Stepmother and Stepsisters Aren't Wicked

Miya Nakamura lived a humble but happy life with her beloved mother. But when her mother passes away, Miya is taken in by the prestigious Kounokura family. Expecting rejection as the child of a mistress, Miya prepares for the worst. Instead, she's welcomed with open arms by her caring stepsisters, who pamper her with affection and even transform her father's study into a room of her own.

Still adjusting to life in the Kounokura household, Miya is told to greet the family's guardian. Expecting a fearsome soldier, she's stunned to meet Gungnir: a tiny, fluffy dog. Instantly charmed, Miya soon learns he lost his bark because of a tragic past. As she uncovers his story, she finds painful parallels with her own.

Miya is struggling to keep up with her studies under Marika's guidance, but grows discouraged when her hard work doesn't pay off. To cheer her up, Marika opens up about her own past, helping Miya realize she's not alone. Just as the mood begins to lift, Arisa arrives to insist it's time for a break. But on their way to enjoy some tea on the terrace, a loud crash suddenly echoes from the garden…

A month after joining the Kounokura family, Miya wants to find a way to repay their kindness. She offers to help when Marika and the others receive new clothes, but somehow ends up picking out outfits for herself too. But Miya decides to focus on the plan to repay them, and starts turning down Marika and Arisa's invitations to focus on the plan, leaving them to think she's avoiding them.