《Youngest Lady in Contract》 Chapter 0 *italicized with ¡® ¡® are her(Emilie/Elisabeth) thoughts ¡°Let go of me!¡± ¡°Be quiet! You must have stolen precious pieces of clothing, I¡¯ll send you to a good place if you behave properly.¡± The robbers said while giggling. Young Emilie, who was caught by them, struggled desperately. But for adult men, the girl¡¯s continuous struggling was only as itchy as a feather. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal those clothes! This is all mine!¡± Emilie shouted in a fit of anger. ¡®It was all mine¡­.!¡¯ The princess¡¯ seat, my father¡¯s love and honor were all mine! But now there¡¯s nothing left. ¡°You look pretty crying, too. You¡¯ll sell at a very high price.¡± One of the robbers laughed at Emilie, who was shedding tears. ¡®Not a simple robber, but a human trafficker?¡¯ Anxiety and fear rose in Emilie¡¯s heart. There was no way to escape the clutches of these men with the body of a young girl. ¡®My father won¡¯t save me.¡¯ Thinking of my father made me feel sad. If I were to be sold like this, there would be only a terrible future waiting. It was then that a strange voice was heard in the dark. ¡°Get your hands off my daughter.¡± Emilie, holding her breath, looked at the man walking out of the dark. Not one, but two. There was one more voice besides the main character¡¯s. ¡°Is this girl the daughter you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see (it)?¡± The man answered the robber coldly. The robber flinched at the ice field-like cold voice. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ The two men¡¯s faces were faintly visible under the moonlight. The man who seemed to be the main character of the voice looked young. He had a face that made him look ¡®handsome¡¯ even in this urgent situation. If it weren¡¯t for the cold gaze he would¡¯ve looked better. Beside him was a man who looked younger. He had a dazzling smile that did not fit the situation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry now. Your father and brother are here.¡± The younger looking man said. ¡®Father, and brother¡­?¡¯ Emilie was embarrassed. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen them before¡­.?¡¯ What is happening? Chapter 1 Princess of Cabezo, Emilie Cabezo, was set to die. The decision was made a day after returning to the age of 12. She died from the poison her father gave her. The reason was that she had tarnished the reputation of the family. ¡®All my life I¡¯ve only wanted love from my father. But my father gave me poison instead of love.¡¯ ¡°Miss Emilie, have breakfast.¡± Emilie, lost in thought, raised her head. The maid came in and set the table. The dish smelled unpleasant. ¡®It¡¯s all cold food.¡¯ Emilie at this time ate alone in her room. It was her father¡¯s punishment. ¡®What did I do wrong?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember that. She was punished so often. All the reasons were trivial. The crime of visiting a guest when he was in a bad mood, of being unnecessarily kind to a customer, of knowing more than her (half)younger sister, Polia, etc. ¡®I can¡¯t remember every single one of those ridiculous reasons.¡¯ Perhaps this punishment was also given for a ridiculous reason. ¡°What are you doing and not eating?¡± The maid asked bluntly. She was hoping Emilie would eat quickly. That way, she¡¯ll clean it up quickly. Emilie was struck with a look of annoyance. ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat, so get rid of it.¡± ¡°Then tell me in advance. I shouldn¡¯t have bothered you.¡± The maid said nervously. ¡°I¡¯m going to go down to the dining room and eat there today.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± The maid was startled. Emilie rose from her seat, unconcerned. ¡°You can¡¯t! The Duke is angry!¡± The frightened maid desperately blocked Emilie and tried to stop her. Emilie pushed through the door pretending she didn¡¯t hear it. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you, Miss!¡± At last the maid finally caught Emilie¡¯s arm. ¡°Then you shouldn¡¯t have brought me that kind of food.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been eating them well in the meantime.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only been watching how long you¡¯ll be doing this.¡± Emilie lashed out at the maid¡¯s hand. The maid stood dazed with fright. The employees looked down on Emilie, who was hated by Duke Cabezo. The Duke of Cabezo only liked Polia, Emilie¡¯s half sister. When Emilie appeared at the dining room, the Duke of Cabezo opened his mouth in amazement. However, he frowned as he had been interrupted on his cozy time with Polia. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A cold voice that a father says to his daughter was unbelievable. Emilie¡¯s heart throbbed. ¡®Get a hold of yourself, Emilie. He¡¯s the one who killed you before returning back.¡¯ No matter how much attention you crave, he¡¯ll never give it. I didn¡¯t want to be hurt anymore because of this kind of person. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m here to eat to breakfast.¡± ¡°Here? I haven¡¯t forgiven you yet. You tried to take away Polia¡¯s stuff, but you didn¡¯t reflect.¡± Upon hearing that, Emilie remembered why she was being punished. Emilie recently lost a ring, a keepsake of her late mother. But then Polia showed up with the ring. Polia stole the ring and refused to return it. It wasn¡¯t Emilie but Polia who took the item. ¡°That ring is my ring. It¡¯s the ring my mother bought for me.¡± ¡°Your biological mother is already a dead person! Whatever she bought it belongs to me, the master of this family. If I give it to Polia, it¡¯ll be hers.¡± My father said harshly. Emilie¡¯s heart was throbbing. ¡®It¡¯s okay to talk nonsense about me, but I can¡¯t stand it when my mother¡¯s being looked down.¡¯ Polia, who was rolling her eyes, spoke in a charming voice. ¡°Father, I¡¯m fine. Please forgive my sister. Sis! Sit here next to me!¡± It was a perfect performance. Emilie ignored Polia and said to the Duke Cabezo. ¡°The food that comes up to my room is of poor quality. It¡¯s mostly cold and there were rotten vegetables a while ago.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to eat what I¡¯m giving you, and you¡¯re complaining about the side dishes now?¡± ¡°I understand the difficulties in the kitchen. They can just set up one at a time, but because of me, we put food in the dining room and food in my room. The quality of the food can¡¯t help but decrease because it¡¯s hard. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to have a meal in the dining room for the kitchen staff.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± The Duke Cabezo fumed. But his thin logic could not refute Emilie¡¯s words. All he did was stare at his 12-year-old daughter and hope that she would step down in fear. But it was strange. ¡®Why don¡¯t you say you¡¯ve done wrong?¡¯ [Father¡¯s thought] Normally, Emilie will ask for forgiveness from the Duke Cabezo but he cleared his throat. Now Emilie sat proudly at the table, instead of begging for forgiveness. When the kitchen staff served the tableware and food, they even ate it deliciously. In the meantime, Emilie has never given the Duke Cabezo a single look. As Emilie¡¯s attitude was different from usual, the Duke Cabezo¡¯s attitude changed. He didn¡¯t shout and get angry, he just stared at Emilie. The sight made Polia sick. ¡®She¡¯s really going to eat with us from now on.¡¯ [Polia¡¯s thought] I just managed to kick her out of the table! The Duke Cabezo had to be in-charge fully. Emilie had to be a thorough loner in this family. Polia pushed the bowl of vegetable soup to Emilie. ¡°Sister, try this, too. It¡¯s really delici¡­ Kyaak!¡± Polia spilled the soup on Emilie, pretending that it was a mistake. Emilie¡¯s white clothes turned red. ¡°Uh, sister! I¡¯m so sorry! I just wanted you to eat something delicious, but¡­¡± Polia wore a tearful look. Emilie looked alternately at the dirty clothes and Polia. ¡°Mistakes could be made. Emilie, go change your clothes.¡± The Duke Cabezo said. Polia smiled inwardly. It was easier to kick out the good and innocent Emilie than eat the cold soup. Emilie rose from her seat in a gentle manner. Then the glass of juice was knocked down naturally. Chwak! (t/n: tf, idk rlly know this sfx sorry) The yellow juice drenched Polia¡¯s clothes. ¡°Kyaa! Sister, what are you doing!¡± ¡°Oh my, I¡¯m sorry. I was in a hurry to get out of the way early in case it smelled. Let¡¯s go up there together and change.¡± Emilie cheerfully said. *** After the meal, the Duke Cabezo went out only with Polia. Emilie was used to it because it happened all the time. Of course, the 12-year-old Emilie before was very upset. ¡®Now I know how comfortable it is for the two of you gone.¡¯ The duchy without the two was at peace. Emilie took a walk in the garden to organize her thoughts. In the garden, large, colorful flowers and big trees were mixed in uncoordinated fashion. It was made by Polia¡¯s biological mother. ¡®Originally, my mother was the one who created the garden.¡¯ It was a garden envied by society. But as soon as my stepmother became the new Duchess, she pushed the garden away. It wasn¡¯t just the garden. Everything that was related to Emilie¡¯s biological mother, and everything that was Emilie¡¯s, has been changed to her stepmother¡¯s and Polia¡¯s. ¡®I was fine. All I wanted was my stepmother¡¯s love.¡¯ Such a girl was thirsty for affection. Because she lost her biological mother and her father was not close to her. However, her stepmother, who was from a brothel, kept Emilie in check who threatened Polia¡¯s position. She was kind and at the same time, when no one was there, she pinched and hit her. She also cleverly criticized and insulted her in public. And eventually that happened. A few years ago, on a mountain where they went on a family outing, the stepmother secretly called Emilie out. Emilie was happy like flying in the sky. This is because Emilie¡¯s stepmother, who had always abused her when there was no one, showed her favor in the absence of others for the first time. Emilie¡¯s little heart throbbed. She was excited and happy. The stepmother took Emilie¡¯s hand and climbed up to the cliff. It was strange for her stepmother to squeeze Emilie¡¯s hand and approach the edge of the cliff, but she was so happy that Emilie followed her nicely. The stepmother laughed at Emilie who was waving her hands excitedly. She fell toward the cliff as if she had waited as Emilie¡¯s hand brushed past against her body. Emilie reached desperately for her stepmother and grabbed her. But *the bitch cried out with a cold face. (t/n: oops wrong trans) The stepmother shook off Emilie¡¯s hand and crashed down the cliff with a piercing scream. Chapter 2 Her father, Polia, and employees from Cabezo Duchy, who saw it with their eyes, all thought that Emilie pushed her stepmother down the cliff because she was jealous. Is it because of the sacrifice of a mother? Polia grew up to be a true princess who was recognized by her father. Emilie, on the other hand, grew up to be a half-hearted princess with a terrible stigma. ¡®I believed that I could be loved someday if I showed my father and Polia my sincerity.¡¯ The vain faith continued until Emilie died at the age of eighteen, drinking the poison her father gave her. ¡®I was destined to be sick and not live long, but it doesn¡¯t mean I should drink poison and die.¡¯ Is it a good thing or a bad thing. When she opened her eyes after drinking poison as she lost her breath, Emilie was back in the form of a 12-year-old little girl. It didn¡¯t take long to tell whether it was a dream or a reality. The father¡¯s cold treatment on a young girl was appallingly realistic. ¡®Did God give me another chance?¡¯ Then why did he give it to her? ¡®Revenge? You want me to look into the future and take this family?¡¯ Emilie looked at the garden and the mansion. Although she lived there for 18 years, it was a place where she couldn¡¯t get along. ¡®I don¡¯t want to stay in this house, I don¡¯t want to change everything.¡¯ No lingering feelings remained here. I wanted to leave here and start anew rather than spend my time avenging myself. ¡®Let¡¯s leave.¡¯ (t/n: just noticed i put go instead of leave in the tl-ed webtoon) Emilie made a resolution. ¡®The [incident] will happen tomorrow. Let¡¯s take it as an opportunity.¡¯ *** After returning from her outing, Polia lay down in bed. The maids who were moving the mountain of gifts were frightened. ¡°Miss! The dress is wrinkled!¡± ¡°If it¡¯s wrinkled, why don¡¯t you guys just straighten it out again?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a sensitive fabric, the wrinkles don¡¯t straighten out well.¡± ¡°You have to take care of that. My father gives you money, and you can¡¯t solve that?¡± Polia said bluntly. The maids sighed. ¡®When the new Duchess was alive she wasn¡¯t like this.¡¯ When Polia¡¯s biological mother was alive, she was responsible for managing her image. So the employees thought Polia was a nice and lovely child, even though she was a little bit bad-headed. However, when she no longer had a mother to manage her image, Polia¡¯s eccentric personality was revealed one after another. ¡°I¡¯m tired so get out of here, except for Seri.¡± Except for Seri, a maid close to Polia, she kicked everyone out of the room. ¡°Miss, you must be happy that the Duke has bought you many gifts.¡± Seri said. ¡°This always happens. But he heard I had a hard time because of Emilie today, and he bought me more.¡± Seri gave Polia a look of hope. Usually, masters were bound to throw small things to their right-hand when they received so many gifts. ¡°What¡¯s that, that look in your eyes?¡± But Polia threw tantrums instead of presents. ¡°You¡¯re not coveting my gifts, are you?¡± ¡°Oh, no. How can I covet your things?¡± ¡°That¡¯s more like it. If you wanted mine, I was going to hit you with a whip.¡± Polia chuckled. Seri had goosebumps. ¡°But speaking of Emilie. I can¡¯t help it.¡± Polia murmured. ¡°You said you were going to have [that incident] tomorrow anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got everything ready, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve got the cinnamon syrup.¡± Seri said. Polia intended to have her own dog Vel attack Emilie tomorrow. Vel hated cinnamon. So she planned to secretly sneak the cinnamon syrup in Emilie¡¯s clothes and get her attacked by Vel. ¡°I have to scold her. It¡¯s better if it goes wrong because she¡¯s bitten by Vel.¡± Polia chuckled and laughed. *** The next morning. Emilie gazed at the dress that had been laid. Employees used to help their lady dress up. But it was an exception for Emilie. ¡®It¡¯s easier for me with no one helping either.¡¯ All the employees of this house were on the side of the Duke Cabezo and Polia anyway. Emilie looked at the dress. ¡°There¡¯s no wrinkle at all today?¡± The dresses that the employees gave were usually wrinkled or stained. In severe cases, they were torn. But this dress was as fresh as it had been bought yesterday. Emilie buried her face in the dress and took a deep breath. There was a faint smell of cinnamon syrup. ¡°¡­..¡± Emilie wore her dress like a person who couldn¡¯t smell anything. ¡°Sister!¡± Then Polia¡¯s voice was heard outside. Looking out the window, Polia was playing with Vel in the garden. ¡°Come down and let¡¯s play together!¡± Polia said naively. ¡°Hurry down, sister! Vel wants to play with sister!¡± Emilie knew what would happen if she did so. ¡°Hang on. I¡¯ll be right down.¡± Emilie went out into the garden. A growl was heard. Vel drooled and glared at Emilie. ¡°Polia.¡± Emilie approached Vel with trembling steps. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sister?¡± ¡°Be nice to Vel. He¡¯s too old to live long.¡± (t/n: not rlly sure of the gender) ¡°Are you talking badly now, sister?¡± But in fact, Vel hasn¡¯t been around for more than a year. When the old and sick Vel was unable to walk, Polia turned away from him. Only Emilie stood by Vel. Vel, who hated Emilie because of his loyalty to his master, died in Emilie¡¯s arms at the last minute. ¡°Grrrrr¡­.!¡± Now Vel is baring his teeth towards Emilie. ¡°Sister, would you please pat the Vel for me? Vel likes to be loved.¡± Polia smiled frivolously. As soon as Emilie came near, Polia let go of the leash she was holding. Vel rushed at Emilie as if she had been waiting. ¡°Woof! Woof Woof! Emilie turned around and started to run. Vel followed Emilie close behind her back. ¡®There¡¯s land outside the garden that hasn¡¯t been repaired yet. There¡¯s a steep slope there. The trees are so thick that they will not know who will fall and die.¡± Emilie ran for it. ¡°Woof Woof!¡± When Vel was about to bite Emilie, Emilie slipped down the slope. ¡°Ackk!¡± The slipping body was scratched on the rough floor. Emilie clenched her teeth. ¡°Grrr¡­¡± She could hear Vel crying above her. Vel looked down at Emilie and went somewhere else. Emilie crouched under the slope. ¡°Miss Emilie! Where are you?¡± The employees¡¯ voices searching for Emilie were heard from above. Emilie, in her previous life, heard that sound and clenched her teeth and crawled up the slope. But the only thing waiting for Emilie, who was covered in wounds, was blame. Her father, Duke Ferdinand Cabezo, shouted to his wounded 12-year-old daughter. Emilie shut herself up in her room and cried. She was so sad that her heart was going to get torn. It was too harsh for a 12-year-old girl. ¡®This time, I will disappear as much as you like.¡¯ Emilie in the present life didn¡¯t want to cry again because of her father. ¡®If I go out there, I can get out of the duchy.¡¯ Emilie walked out of the duchy along the narrow path. ¡®I¡¯m going to take the carriage and go far away. I should go somewhere they don¡¯t know and pretend to be an orphan. And let¡¯s stay in the monastery until I become an adult.¡¯ I brought my savings even though it was a small sum. It was a trip to the monastery. ¡®Then I¡¯ll fall ill as is and die peacefully at eighteen. At least I¡¯m not going to die by the hands of my own father.¡¯ So Emilie didn¡¯t change her cinnamon syrupy dress. She let Vel go after her then deliberately rolled on the slope. It took her all day to get to where the carriage was to run away from people¡¯s eyes. ¡®It¡¯s hard, but it¡¯s a familiar road, so no problem.¡¯ But I forgot for a moment that the moonlit road was too dangerous for a young girl to walk on alone. A black shadow appeared behind Emilie¡¯s back. ¡°I see you¡¯ve stolen precious clothes, I¡¯ll send you to a good place if you behave.¡± The robbers, who were loitering along the street, did not miss their prey. Emilie couldn¡¯t escape. ¡®Is this life ending this terrible again?¡¯ I also shed tears at the thought of losing everything and facing a disastrous end. Not because I was afraid, but because of the false accusation. ¡°You look pretty crying, too. You¡¯ll sell at a very high price.¡± At that moment I thought it¡¯s (her life) over. ¡°Take your hands off my daughter.¡± The first voice came from the darkness. Emilie looked at the men with her wet eyes. There were two handsome men with blue hair under the moonlight. (t/n: the promo didn¡¯t highlight the blue hair.. sad) ¡°Is this girl the daughter you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you see (it)?¡± The robbers looked alternately at Emilie and at the two men. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You, rich guy, have blue hair, and this kid has blond hair. It¡¯s totally different.¡± ¡°You have no eyes. You think that beauty is not hereditary?¡± ¡°What, what?¡± The robbers were puzzled. ¡®Who are those people? I don¡¯t know them.¡¯ It was the same for Emilie who was puzzled too. Even her tears went dry. ¡°No matter how much your family has, it¡¯s ours as long as it¡¯s in our hands. I can¡¯t give it back for free.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Asked the man who introduced himself as Emilie¡¯s ¡®father¡¯. ¡°I was originally going to sell her off as a maid. Of course, if we¡¯re lucky, we could sell her more expensive elsewhere. Keuk keuk (sound of laughing).¡± The robber¡¯s voice became gloomy. ¡°So I¡¯d like you to pay that price.¡± ¡°How much is ¡®that price¡¯? 100,000 derions? 200,000 derions?¡± 100,000 derrions were enough to buy the country¡¯s finest mansion. The robbers were surprised by the shocking proposal and chatted among themselves. Before she knew it, Emilie, whose tears were dry, looked at the men quietly. Then the young man who made eye contact with Emilie suddenly smiled. ¡®You, you smiled?¡¯ It was an incredibly friendly smile. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with him. Is he smiling at me?¡¯ Emilie couldn¡¯t believe that someone was smiling at her so sweetly. Even her biological father had never looked at Emilie like that. ¡°Give us 300,000 derions.¡± Said the robbers, who had been talking for a long time. Emilie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ I remembered hearing that it took 300,000 derions to build the emperor¡¯s new palace. It was a lot of money. However, the men didn¡¯t even blink. ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s the fun of spending money.¡± The man called ¡®father¡¯ took out a pouch and threw it in front of the robbers. The robbers pushed Emilie away and hurriedly opened the pouch. ¡°It¡¯s really 300,000 derions!¡± Emilie, who had fallen, gazed at the robbers, had no idea what to do. Then a warm hand was placed on Emilie¡¯s shoulder. When she looked up, she was on the father¡¯s side. Then Emilie¡¯s body suddenly floated up. ¡°Ah!¡± The blue-eyed man hugged Emilie. Emilie unwittingly fell into the man¡¯s arms. ¡®It¡¯s comfy.¡¯ Emilie had never been hugged by her own father. However, the arms of the adult man, whom she was seeing for the first time, that embraced her were strangely comfortable. ¡°Have you seen enough money?¡± The young man asked the robbers. ¡°Of course. Hahaha. That was a good deal!¡± ¡°Use as much as you like on your way to hell.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Emilie, who was leaning in his arms, was shocked. Emilie¡¯s eyes, with her head raised, were blindfolded by the man on the father¡¯s side. ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Whoosh, the sound of a sword cutting through the air. The sound of cries and falls of robbers were heard one after another. It happened in a flash. ¡®What happened? What did you do?¡¯ The man turned around with Emilie in his arms. ¡°Father, let¡¯s go.¡± Said the young man, putting the sword back into the sheath. ¡®Did this man kill all the robbers?¡¯ Emilie, who was trying to look back, was caught by the young man on her father¡¯s side. ¡°You can¡¯t look.¡± The man climbed up the horse with Emilie in his arms. It was a light movement like walking on a cloud even when he climbed up with a girl. The young man also got on the horse next to them. The young man smiled affectionately at the frightened young Emilie. ¡°Forget everything that¡¯s ever happened. It¡¯s all just a nightmare.¡± Chapter 3 NOTE: the dialogues with ¡® ¡® are thoughts; ¡®italicized¡¯ are Emilie¡¯s thoughts (this format is for her only) while I will put (_) for others¡­.. the POV¡¯s are sometimes random so I hope this helps. The names of the men who saved Emilie are Victoire Daughtry and Damon Daughtry. As expected, it was a father-son relationship. ¡®Those names, I¡¯ve heard them somewhere¡­¡¯ I was curious, but I don¡¯t know who to ask. ¡°Don¡¯t you like peaches?¡± ¡°I really like it.¡± ¡°But why aren¡¯t you eating? It doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± ¡°The type to eat less?¡± This is because Damon Daughtry, the young man in front of her, asked rapid fire questions without giving her a chance to. When I was asked with a soft smile, as if cream melted in my mouth, I couldn¡¯t help but answer. ¡°I usually eat this much.¡± ¡°Usually?¡± Damon looked again at the little girl sitting in front of him. A figure smaller than her peers and a frail-looking complexion. At first glance, she looks like a rich lady, but if you look closely, she looks like a child in danger of falling apart at any moment¡¯s notice. ¡°There is a reason why Emilie is so skinny.¡± Said Damon as he patted Emilie¡¯s head. But as soon as Damon touched her, Emilie hunched over her shoulders in surprise. ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Damon quickly withdrew his hand. (D) ¡®This child, she¡¯s scared. I just patted her head.¡¯ It was clear that the male adult did not have a good memory. Especially when one¡¯s hands are touching. (D) ¡®No way.¡¯ Damon was horrified by the terrible idea of passing through his head at the moment. (D) ¡®This child was hit.¡¯ Emilie, who doesn¡¯t know what Damon was thinking, was awfully anxious to see his face darken. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was rude because I wasn¡¯t used to someone patting my head.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s my fault. Anyone would be surprised if a stranger suddenly stroked her head. I made you uncomfortable. Sorry.¡± Emilie was startled. ¡®He apologized to me.¡¯ He even feels ashamed, saying, ¡®I made you uncomfortable.¡¯ When she lived back at the Cabezo duchy, she always had a hard time. Her father and her half-sister, Polia, were laughing amicably while Emilie was out of place. No one cared whether Emilie was uncomfortable or not. Something like when she tried to eat something, it kept getting stuck in her throat. Emilie, who was hungry for her father¡¯s affection that was long gone. The Duke Cabezo, who smiled brightly when he opened his mouth, immediately became icy cold. ¡®Even if I wait until the conversation between the two is over, he doesn¡¯t even look at me once!¡¯ I wanted to say that. Look at me too. However, the Duke Cabezo made a bitter remark in exchange for a chance. My father used to say that with a sick face. But father knew. The day her stepmother fell from the cliff and died, Emilie was in tears and grieved. But the father grabbed the crying little Emilie by the collar and shook her. The eyes were not the eyes of a father looking at his child. The eyes were eyes glaring at his life-long enemy. Emilie pleaded her innocence desperately. But no one believed her. Not a single person in her previous life until she died. He was ashamed that his young daughter killed his stepmother, so he prevented rumors from spreading. But internally, Emilie was the devil who killed his beloved wife. Polia always grinned at the depressed Emilie. This is because Polia kept lying in front of people. Maybe a needle fell off only from Emilie¡¯s clothes, or she had a stomach ache alone when they drank tea together. Emilie had no choice but to correct that it was not. Slap! But Duke Cabezo slapped Emilie on the cheek instead of listening to her. *** ¡°Emilie, Emilie?¡± Damon¡¯s voice brought Emilie into reality. (D) ¡®What is she thinking about.¡¯ Damon looked closely at the little girl, who seemed as if she would pass out at any moment. It was only for a moment that she was lost in thought, breathing like she had just awakened from a terrible nightmare. Emilie¡¯s little heart rattled up and down. It looks like it¡¯s going to break down. I¡¯ll have to do something for you. (D) ¡°You can eat as much as you like here as you like without looking around.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Go on.¡± Damon pushed Emilie¡¯s plate to her instead of asking what she was thinking. Seeing Damon smiling affectionately, Emilie¡¯s eyes were burning. A kind word heard from a stranger who doesn¡¯t even know her. Emilie was hurt to the point of tears. ¡°Thank you for saving me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that.¡± Damon said softly. ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Emilie asked carefully. Damon was still smiling, but he was silent. ¡®Why did you save someone like me?¡¯ She wondered. What value did she have to be saved, who was not even loved by her family. Unlike Emilie, who doesn¡¯t know who they are, they already knew Emilie¡¯s name and family. I knew Emilie was Emilie, so I saved her for a reason. (D) ¡®But nobody likes me¡­¡­¡¯ Emilie¡¯s big eyes trembled with Damon in them. ¡°Do you want to go home?¡± Emilie was frightened by Damon¡¯s words. ¡°Ah, no!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not sending you if you don¡¯t want to.¡± Damon was not surprised when the child said she didn¡¯t want to go home. He also knows how Emilie is treated at home. She couldn¡¯t understand even more. Why did you bring a daughter who can¡¯t even be loved by her own father? Damon¡¯s eyes folded half-moon when he saw an innocent look that couldn¡¯t hide his doubts. ¡°I see what you¡¯re curious about.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right that we saved you for the price.¡± Damon, who seemed to be pondering for a moment, said his real intention too easily. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Emilie asked, full of caution. ¡°We just need you to get along at our house.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emilie asked back in surprise. Damon nodded vigorously. Then he served peach with cheesecake and chocolate next to the half-empty scone. ¡°Eat this first. I¡¯m going to *check you out.¡± Damon said. It was with a smile that made her forget her doubts. (*t/n: something like check her condition) *** Emilie was free after eating until she was full. After taking a bath before going to bed, her body became tired quickly. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s still a child¡¯s body¡­¡­¡¯ I had no choice but to be tired after going through something like this today. Emilie lay on her soft bed with a thick blanket. They were willing to give up a well-built room big enough to sleep for Emilie. The room with the lights off was as wide as the room in Cabezo¡¯s mansion. ¡®What is this place? Who is he, and why did he save me?¡¯ I knew there wouldn¡¯t be a solution even if I thought about it, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking. Since I can¡¯t do research with a child¡¯s body, I had more thoughts. Contrary to expectations, she was treated with extreme care, but she continued to be anxious. ¡®Isn¡¯t this a kidnapping in a way? Besides, he¡¯s feeding me a lot. What are you trying to do with fattening me up?¡¯ Is he a pervert? Or is he trying to eat me? If that¡¯s not it then is it a sacrifice to God? ¡°Oh, no!¡± Emilie jumped up from her seat. Whatever the reason, it was true that those men were suspicious. No matter how handsome your smile is, what¡¯s suspicious is still suspicious. ¡®If the purpose is not impure, that¡¯s even more strange.¡¯ Emilie went out on the balcony. The door opened easily. The curtains fluttered as the cold night wind swept in. I looked down. Second floor. A distant height for a 12-year-old girl. ¡®If you jump, you¡¯ll break something.¡¯ Emilie clasped the balcony railing. It was then. Someone grabbed Emilie¡¯s shoulder in a hurry. ¡°Careful.¡± The boy¡¯s voice that came before his face. ¡°If you fall, you¡¯ll die.¡± A blue-haired boy was soon seen. It was a handsome boy who seemed to have reduced the two men who brought Emilie. ¡°Who are¡­ you?¡± The face alone hinted at the identity, but Emilie asked to confirm. Then the boy frowned. ¡®What, what? I was just asking!¡¯ I had an ominous hunch that the two men¡¯s faces were similar, but their personalities seemed to be the opposite. ¡°You don¡¯t have to know who I am.¡± ¡°Why?¡± As expected, a crooked answer came back. Emilie asked back with boldness. Surprised for a moment, the boy soon returned to his cold face. ¡°Because you have to get out of this house.¡± ¡®You¡¯re bringing me as you please and drive me out as you please?¡¯ Emilie didn¡¯t mean to stay here long either. But at first glance, it hurt to hear it from this boy when she didn¡¯t deserve it. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Victoire and Damon told you, but you¡¯d better get out of the house right now.¡± Emilie frowned. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± When the time came, she would run away, but now she didn¡¯t want to give the boy the answer he wanted. The boy seemed embarrassed when the little girl inflated her cheeks and heated up. ¡°You¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°Anyway, I won¡¯t go. I like it here.¡± ¡°Why do you like it here? In here¡­¡± ¡°I eat, drink, sleep, and no one notices.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± The boy looked down at Emilie with a smooth look. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Is what he seemed to say with his look. But his eyes seemed a little bit sad, or is it my illusion. ¡°You have to get out anyway.¡± It was an illusion. ¡°Because I¡¯ll make sure to kick you out.¡± The boy said so and turned around. Emilie was dumbfounded. ¡®What the, that kid.¡¯ It was the moment Emilie was sticking her tongue out against the boy¡¯s back. The boy turned around suddenly. Emilie hastily covered her mouth with her hands, but the boy seemed to have seen it all. He spoke with a puzzled expression on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t go out the balcony. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emilie asked back. But the boy closed the door and suddenly disappeared. Like he wasn¡¯t here from the start. ¡®Was I dreaming?¡¯ But the dirty feeling the boy gave me was vivid. Such feelings could not be felt in a dream. Emilie was confused. ¡®It¡¯s weird. It¡¯s really weird. This place is so weird!¡¯ Men who pretended to be her father and brother as they like, people who treat her with extreme care when she was obviously kidnapped. And then a young boy comes at night and says ¡®Get out¡¯ to her. Emilie couldn¡¯t believe it was all in one night. She ended up staying up all night. Chapter 4 Victoire and Damon, who kidnapped(?) Emilie, were like people from the sea. Light blue hair that shone like water under the sunlight, dark blue colored eyes like the deep sea. (t/n: the raw also has that question mark) Victoire¡¯s deep blue eyes looked at Emilie piercingly. (V) ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± (E) ¡°Yes.¡± (V) ¡°I see.¡± Victoire then whispered to Damon, sitting on the seat next to him. ¡°I don¡¯t think she slept well.¡± ¡®What? You just said to me!¡¯ ¡°Because I¡¯m sleeping in a strange place.¡± Damon smiled and said: ¡°Eat properly and get a good night¡¯s sleep. Right now you¡¯re like a kid who¡¯s been beaten up somewhere.¡± Damon said, pushing the steak dish forward to Emilie. ¡®That¡¯s because it is a kid who¡¯s been abused somewhere.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t even drink a cup of water in front of the table. When I tried to eat alone because I felt uncomfortable eating with my father and Polia, Polia vehemently opposed it. At first glance, it seemed like an attitude for Emilie. However, the real intention was different. Polia brought Emilie to the table in order to show their father¡¯s affection towards her and alienate Emilie. Polia especially liked the way Emilie took the blame of their father¡¯s anger. ¡®It¡¯s ironic that someone else¡¯s table is more comfortable.¡¯ Of course, this table wasn¡¯t completely comfortable either. She was under silent pressure because of the piled up mountain of food. ¡®You brought all these for me to eat, right?¡¯ Emilie looked at the ¡®pile¡¯ of food with astonished eyes, Damon said: ¡°Our Count Daughtry lives quite lavishly, though if you were a princess, you would be able to eat this much food at a feast, but you¡¯re this surprised.¡± ¡°No matter how noble you¡­are?¡± Emilie¡¯s previous memories flashed into her mind when she was about to answer Damon¡¯s words. ¡®I remember!¡¯ Count Daughtry, Victoire Daughtry. A young man who looks like he¡¯s in his early 30s. However, he is actually in his 30s. Even though he was a young man, he always had the profoundness of being a Count during his time. ¡®Rising noble Count Daughtry!¡¯ The countryside¡¯s fallen nobleman suddenly found a gemstone mine one day. It was a huge success for families to invest on the basis of their earnings. In a flash, the fortune earned quickly developed into nobility. People looked down on Count Daughtry, but envied their impressive wealth after the Emperor. ¡®Damon Daughtry is Lord Daughtry.¡¯ A gentle young man who took after his father but does not resemble his cold-looking face. Rumor has it that he was a handsome gentleman in society. He¡¯s probably about eighteen now. ¡®If that¡¯s the case then the boy last night¡­¡¯ Sir Daughtry, Dylan Daughtry. The second and youngest son of Count Daughtry and a man who was received well by the young ladies of society. It¡¯s clearly him. ¡®You mean, Young Daughtry was that rude?¡¯ In addition, he¡¯s absent when all family members are present in the dinner room. Emilie felt the highest in the system, as if she had been steaming under the guise. (t/n: this is the raw form, not too sure about this cos my friends a bit busy to trans it for me; ???? ?? ???? ??? ??? ?? ??? ?????.) ¡°Why are you blushing and all pale by yourself?¡± Victoire tilted his head at Emilie. Emilie calmed her mind by tapping her two cheeks ¡®tap tap¡¯ with her small hands. ¡°Damon. You have another brother, right?¡± (Da) ¡°Yeah, how did you know?¡± ¡°He came to my room last night.¡± (V) ¡°You¡¯ve already met? That¡¯s fast.¡± Victoire said, looking straight at Emilie. (V) ¡°Everything he says is nonsense, so you don¡¯t have to listen to it.¡± It was as if he knew what his son had said last night. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Emilie carefully asked. ¡°Princess Cabezo. Emilie.¡± Victoire answered without hesitation. ¡°But why aren¡¯t you sending me home?¡± Emilie¡¯s heart pounded as she asked. I had to hear the answer, but if the answer was, ¡®I see. I¡¯ll send you home,¡¯ then things would get messy. Emilie¡¯s small hands trembled with tension under the table. ¡°I saved you, so you¡¯re mine.¡± But Victoire¡¯s answer was unexpected. It was more brazen than expected. ¡°Child trafficking is prohibited under Imperial law!¡± ¡°Brainy.¡± (t/n: one of the trans that popped up was smartass lmao) ¡°I know (that much)!¡± ¡°So, do you want to go home?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Emilie was speechless. ¡®This man¡­.how much do you know?¡¯ Victoire poked a piece of steak with a fork and stuck it out to Emilie¡¯s mouth. ¡°Eat for now. It¡¯s meal time.¡± Emilie did not let her guard down, but she bit the pieces of steak because she couldn¡¯t resist. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s delicious!¡¯ The stars twinkled right before my eyes. The steak melted gently in my mouth. It was my first time tasting the sauce. I have never felt this taste even while living in the duchy all my life. ¡®I couldn¡¯t afford to taste it.¡¯ Victoire¡¯s mouth rose slightly as he watched young Emilie eat steak with twinkles in her eyes. ¡®It¡¯s like feeding a chick.¡¯ The child thought it couldn¡¯t be helped, but she was strangely pleased in her heart. *** After the meal, Victoire presented Emilie with a dress. It was a luxurious purple cloth embroidered with jewelry pieces that shine like the stars. ¡®This the Imperial designer Tolle¡¯s dress you know!¡¯ Not only the dress, but also the accessories and shoes were a set. Tolle is a designer who supplied clothes to the Imperial family. So now her dress was a price worth the call. Even as a set, the price will be beyond one¡¯s imagination. ¡®Why are you giving me something so precious? What even am I.¡¯ As Emilie looked only at the dress, Victoire said: ¡°You want me to put it on you?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s not it!¡± Emilie exclaimed in fright. ¡°If not, wear it quickly.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± As Emilie continued to hesitate, this time Damon said: ¡°You can¡¯t keep wearing that kind of clothes. There¡¯s no young girl in the Daughtry house, so don¡¯t feel pressured to wear it.¡± Only then did Emilie look at the clothes she was wearing. The dress I wore last night was ruined. What I¡¯m wearing now was a dress that an employee with a young daughter lent me in a hurry. It was old and the size did not fit. ¡®It¡¯s more of a nuisance if I keep it on.¡¯ ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll dress prettily.¡± Convinced, Emilie greeted and received the dress. ¡°You don¡¯t have to dress pretty. Just wear it well.¡± Victoire said and left the room as if he had finished his work. ¡°Here, Marian will help you get dressed.¡± Said Damon, who was left behind the dining room. Beside him, a middle-aged woman bowed her head. ¡°Call me Marian, my Lady.¡± Marian approached with a smile. She was a middle-aged woman with plump cheeks and a good look. ¡°She¡¯s going to help you not only with your clothes but also with many things in the future. You can trust her because her *mouth is heavy.¡± (*someone who speaks only a little or is very quiet.) Damon spoke in a meaningful way. Soon Damon left the room, and only Marian stayed and helped Emilie dress up. Strangely enough, the clothes fit perfectly as if they were custom-made. ¡°Oh, my. You look great in it Miss. You must have worn a lot of Tolle¡¯s clothes since you were the daughter of a precious house, right?¡± The word ¡®daughter of a precious house¡¯ naturally flowed out of her mouth. Marian also seemed to have a rough idea of Emilie¡¯s identity. ¡®How far do the people in this family know about me?¡¯ And why are they naturally accepting this situation as if their lips were pieced together? (t/n: raw form is this; ?? ?? ? which says kissed so i did some research) I recalled the memory of Count Daughtry that I knew before returning back to the past, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything suspicious. Emilie responded kindly to Marian¡¯s question, turning her head around. ¡°No. It¡¯s my first time seeing such a nice dress. Thank you so much.¡± Marian¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®Princess, I heard she¡¯s Princess Cabezo.¡¯ The young girl showed no arrogant attitude that is usually associated with a princess. She was so cute as she put her hands together like a doll and responded gently. Moreover, the chubby cheeks, which swell with every word she says, were so cute that she wanted to poke them once. ¡®No, you can¡¯t. No matter how cute she is, this kid has Cabezo blood.¡¯ Marian came to her senses and had a business-like smile. ¡°Really? Your father must have been a very frugal man. Nowadays, no daughter of any noble homes hates Tolle¡¯s clothes.¡± At Marian¡¯s words, Emilie¡¯s face was numb. ¡®Polia wore it, but I didn¡¯t.¡¯ Emilie was an ordinary girl. An ordinary girl who wants to wear pretty clothes that others wear. But when she said, ¡®I want to wear Tolle¡¯s clothes,¡¯ her father was furious. But that night, my father visited Tolle¡¯s boutique. And ordered ten dresses. ¡®Everything is in the size of Polia.¡¯ ¡­was what my father said. But what my father said was not true. From the moment she was born, Polia grew up without lacking anything while under the protection of her mother. Polia has a garage full of anything. But Polia¡¯s mother always changes Polia¡¯s expensive clothes and Emilie¡¯s shabby clothes when she goes in front of their father. She used to talk subtly as if Emilie was a ¡®crying child if she didn¡¯t wear expensive clothes¡¯. *** Originally, there were two Ducal families in the Empire. The Cabezo family and the Leschine family, which laid the foundation for the founding of the Empire. However, the Leschine family was driven to ruin by treason, which made the Cabezo family the only Duke of the Empire. Naturally, its power seemed to pierce the sky. The stepmother, who had been wandering around brothels, caught the very eye of the Duke of Cabezo, laundered her identity and even became the Duchess. ¡®Why did she hate me so much when she had everything.¡¯ And why should she have given up all that and jumped off the cliff herself? ¡®Even if I didn¡¯t die, there were many ways to push me out and make Polia the only princess.¡¯ Emilie still couldn¡¯t understand her stepmother¡¯s behavior. Emilie was hated by her father, as her stepmother intended. However, the ploy to keep Emilie hated was enough to keep her alive. When Polia¡¯s mother died, and Polia wore her expensive clothes to her heart¡¯s content, she was still a frugal and unselfish child to her father. Polia knew how to take after her mother and win her father¡¯s heart. Every action of Polia came so affectionately and lovingly to the father who felt sorry for his daughter who had already lost her mother. If Emilie had done the same thing, her father wouldn¡¯t have liked it so much. ¡®I¡¯m not going back.¡¯ Emilie made another vow. ¡°Now step out, Miss.¡± Said Marian, who tied Emilie¡¯s back ribbon tightly. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°The two are waiting in the sitting room. Let¡¯s go out and show them.¡± ¡°They¡¯re waiting for me?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. Who else would they wait for if it weren¡¯t for Miss?¡± Emilie was embarrassed. There are two men waiting, who she thought were done with their tasks and left. She couldn¡¯t understand that they were waiting to see Emilie in a dress. Emilie went out to the drawing room where Victoire and Damon waited in a dazed mood. At the sound of the door opening, the eyes of the two men sitting on the sofa turned to Emilie at the same time. Chapter 5 Emilie shyly blushed with shame. Wearing the mysterious purple dress, Emilie looked lovely like a little fairy. Even the white cheeks that looked subdued looked transparent in harmony with the purple dress, and the child¡¯s unique red-tinted hands and bare ankles were as cute as a doll¡¯s. ¡®I should thank you for giving me clothes as a gift.¡¯ Emilie held her skirt with both of her hands and bowed down. When the doll-like cute girl grabbed her skirt with her little hands and greeted them maturely, Damon closed his mouth with his hand without even realizing it. ¡®So, so cute.¡¯ One of the purple shoe¡¯s nose that peeped forward was shockingly cute. ¡°It suits you well.¡± Victoire briefly said, instead of Damon, who can¡¯t say anything with his mouth shut. ¡°Thank you.¡± Emilie answered politely while blushing. ¡°See. I told you it¡¯d look good on you.¡± Damon said excitedly. He was so proud of his own eyes that he had no idea what to do. ¡°Damon, you and I don¡¯t know much about girls¡¯ clothes. You were just lucky.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a father who doesn¡¯t know children well. You work outside every day and you don¡¯t have your attention at home. I can¡¯t help but know their tastes because I¡¯m at home taking care of my chores and Dylan.¡± Damon and Victoire were bickering at one another. ¡®It¡¯s like husband and wife.¡¯ Emilie smiled while she covered her mouth with her small fist. Then Emilie suddenly realized that there was no real ¡®Countess¡¯ in the house. ¡®Oh, right. Count Daughtry¡¯s wife died early. Count Daughtry met his new wife long after.¡¯ So Damon, the eldest son, seemed to be taking care of the house and doing what the Countess should do. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk while you¡¯re in new clothes.¡± ¡°Sounds good. Father!¡± When Damon answered, Victoire stopped him. ¡°No, not you, but me and Emilie alone.¡± The Daughtry mansion resembles the Count. Above the clean, white walls, a clear blue roof rose like a painting. There was also a large lake in front of the mansion, beyond which vast gardens and forests were spread out. ¡®I¡¯m also a princess, so I¡¯m not very interested in the scale.¡¯ The atmosphere here was different from that of old-fashioned duchy. The duchy was always in a tight and tense atmosphere, perhaps because of father. Everything was of the finest quality, but it was a prison-like place where even the luxurious atmosphere felt difficult. However, even the sound of birds singing freely were here, perhaps because of the mood. ¡®Except that we¡¯ve been walking without saying anything for half an hour.¡¯ Emilie looked up to Victoire. In fact, Victoire seemed to be fine to the long silence. ¡®Shall I ask you first?¡¯ I had a lot of questions. Why do you keep me here even though you know who I am? Why did your son do that last night? But if I say anything wrong, it really seemed like you were going to return me home. It was worse than death. Even Victoire had a lot of thoughts. He had a reason to keep Emilie. No matter how much she hated her home right now, Emilie was still a child. He didn¡¯t know when she would change her mind and cry to let her go home. ¡®How can I make you feel attached to this place? Do you want me to buy you more dresses like the one you¡¯re wearing today? It suits you very well. Damon, it¡¯s been a long time since you¡¯ve shown your sense for beauty.¡¯ Victoire looked down at Emilie again. From the top, I could see a large ribbon behind her back, which I couldn¡¯t see from the front. The ribbon, which clung to the quiet girl¡¯s back, shakes up and down whenever the girl moves, seemed to amplify the little girl¡¯s loveliness. ¡®Were girls at this age are supposed to be like this¡­is that weird?¡¯ Victoire thought, looking at Emilie¡¯s chubby hands swinging from side to side. Overall, she was thin and small, but her cheeks, hands, and feet were chubby like a baby¡¯s. In addition, she was pinkish-colored like a peach, making Victoire¡¯s chest twitch whenever she made small movements. Victoire didn¡¯t know that the twitching in his chest was due to ¡®cuteness,¡¯ and he just thought it was weird. ¡®I don¡¯t think Damon or Dylan did this when they were kids.¡¯ Victoire looked at the distant sky for no reason. ¡°You two, what are you doing right now?¡± It was then. Someone strode up from the other side. ¡®That¡¯s¡­!¡¯ I couldn¡¯t forget this voice and face. It was youngest Daughtry, Dylan. He looked more handsome like a sculpture from a bright spot. It was not that he had a high reputation in society for nothing. The problem now was that he¡¯s approaching with a very dangerous look on his face. Feeling the fearsome energy, Victoire hurriedly held Emilie in his arms. ¡°What are you doing? Put her down right now!¡± Dylan, who saw it, shouted in agitation. Emilie was surprised too. ¡°Calm down, Dylan.¡± ¡°What calm are you talking about?¡± Aside from being surprised, Dylan¡¯s energy was enormous, so Emilie leaned awkwardly in Victoire¡¯s arms without realizing it herself. Dylan was strangely furious. ¡®Do you hate me so much?¡¯ Dylan shot Emilie a cold look. Emilie flinched as if he had found out her innermost thoughts. Dylan yelled at Victoire again. ¡°What are you trying to do to a girl who doesn¡¯t know anything?¡± What are you talking about? Emilie rolled her eyes at Dylan¡¯s totally unexpected remarks. That was simply a different story from last night¡¯s ¡®get out¡¯. There was something Emilie didn¡¯t know. Emilie pricked up her ears and held her breath. ¡°Dylan. This is for everyone.¡± ¡°Send her back right away!¡± However, when Dylan said, ¡®Send her back,¡¯ Emilie¡¯s brain, which had been running calmly, became a mess. All her thoughts were gone, and her head shook like an earthquake. ¡®How could you send me back to the Duke of Cabezo after I managed to run away?¡¯ That¡¯s what Emilie was most afraid of. I was no longer curious about what Dylan said. Only the fear of going back to that hellhole seized Emilie. ¡°No!¡± Cried Emilie. The two men were surprised at that moment and looked at Emilie at the same time. It was an incredibly desperate cry that came from a small, young body. ¡°I, I don¡¯t want to go home.¡± Emilie said while in tears. ¡°Ah, uh, cry¡­ crying? You¡¯re crying?¡± Dylan stammered in embarrassment. Emilie, looking resentful at Dylan, buried her face in Victoire¡¯s arms. ¡°Don¡¯t send me home. Please?¡± Emilie, who had always been hanging on awkwardly even when hugging, was held in Victoire¡¯s arms. Embarrassed, Victoire soon patted Emilie on the back naturally. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll have to have a conversation with that bad guy. Can you be with Mrs. Marian for a moment?¡± Victoire handed Emilie over to Marian. Marian walked away from the two men while holding Emilie in her arms. ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t worry. His Grace will do whatever you want.¡± said Marian, wiping away Emilie¡¯s tears. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Why is Count Daughtry doing what I want? How come?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Marian looked back helplessly. There, Victoire and Dylan were arguing about something. When Emilie also looked at the place, Marian hurriedly covered the two men. ¡°It¡¯s because His Grace, the Count, does charity work for young children. He¡¯s the one who saves children in crisis.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was an excuse hard to believe. No matter how young Emilie looked, she was still 12 years old. In addition, the mental age is an adult. ¡®But I¡¯ll have to pretend that I believe it.¡¯ It was unlikely that Marian would answer anyway. It wasn¡¯t even clear how far she knew as an employee. Anyway, the most important thing right now was not to be returned to the Cabezo. ¡°I clearly told you! No!¡± From a distance, Dylan¡¯s yell was heard. It was an angry voice that made Marian look back in surprise. Emilie, too, saw Dylan turn around and walk away through the narrow space. Dylan walked away in a fit of anger. ¡®What¡¯s making him so angry?¡¯ Emilie¡¯s eyes followed Dylan¡¯s figure. But that didn¡¯t last long. Victoire came up to say: ¡°Emilie, you won¡¯t be going back to where you used to live.¡± Emilie¡¯s head, which had been complicated with every word, was filled with happiness. Dylan¡¯s angry face, his agitated voice, was forgotten like a lie and she felt at ease. Emilie was so happy that she couldn¡¯t answer. But with her expression alone, Victoire could read Emilie¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Your Grace, I¡¯ll take the lady back to her room.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll take her there myself.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Victoire extended his arm to Marian. He meant he would hold Emilie. ¡®I know you have to win this child¡¯s heart, but I can¡¯t believe His Grace would be doing this.¡¯ Marian tilted her head as she handed Emilie over to Victoire. He was an awkward master to the child. He was even awkward with his son, Dylan. But he had to do this to win Emilie¡¯s heart. Her master¡¯s efforts were remarkable. But Marian¡¯s thoughts and Victoire¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡®You¡¯re not leaning like you did before.¡¯ Victoire looked down at Emilie¡¯s round head and body, which he hugged awkwardly, to keep her from falling. When Emilie burst into tears and hugged him, Victoire felt great. A child¡¯s warm body temperature, her small presence while hanging on to him, and a heart that was surprisingly small but beating sharply. It was only for a while, but it was still vivid. It felt sweet like someone poured sugar into his mouth. ¡®I wish you would hug me like that again.¡¯ It left a bad taste. *** Since then, Victoire and Damon have not appeared before Emilie¡¯s eyes for more than a week. They left their mansion to settle the ¡®very important thing¡¯ that Emilie was not told. Before he left, Damon said: ¡°I¡¯ll be back with father for a few days because of something important, so get along with Dylan.¡± ¡®Getting along with Dylan. As expected, it¡¯s impossible.¡¯ Sometimes, every time I bump into Dylan, ¡°Piss off.¡± ¡°Get out of this house right now.¡± We just had a quarrel. I couldn¡¯t get along with such a person after all. ¡®I¡¯m so tired.¡¯ Emilie laid on the soft bed. All I did today was play with dolls, complete puzzles, eat snacks, take a bath, and take a walk, but I was so tired. ¡®I¡¯m so tired because I can¡¯t figure out what these people are up to.¡¯ Count Daughtry will not be safe if he was found to be keeping the princess at his own home. What¡¯s the point of keeping Emilie up to that risk? Marian smiled sweetly at Emilie, but sometimes she looked at her with a cold gaze. Emilie guessed Victoire or Damon wouldn¡¯t be so different from her. Anyway, Emilie was eating and sleeping well in this house and gaining weight little by little. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were sparkling. It hadn¡¯t been a few weeks but she was changing from when she was Princess Cabezo to a different one. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t get used to this place. I have to run away one day.¡¯ Emilie looked towards the balcony. Suddenly I remembered what Dylan said. ¡®You always say piss off then curse and worry.¡¯ Emilie bounced as she went out to the balcony. She looked from above the balcony and measured the height down to the ground. ¡®Hmm, I¡¯ll make a rope out of the curtains and throw it down then it¡¯ll reach the ground. I can climb down with it and run away.¡¯ Emilie grinned and turned around. ¡°Hik!¡± And then her eyes met Dylan, who was looking at her with a scary expression. Chapter 6 ¡°I told you not to go out because the balcony is dangerous.¡± Dylan¡¯s voice was cold. ¡®Why does he only show up when I¡¯m on the balcony?¡¯ ¡°If you fall down out here, you might die. Don¡¯t you know how small and weak you are?¡± Dylan grabbed Emilie¡¯s arm and came into the room. Emilie¡¯s arms, held under his palm, were so thin that Dylan¡¯s forehead was crumpled. (Dy) Too weak. If something goes wrong, she might break. The father of such a child¡­ ¡°Why are you doing this when you hate me?¡± Dylan turned his head to Emilie¡¯s defiant voice. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Why do you keep telling me not to go out to the balcony when you tell me to piss off?¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°If I just fall out of the balcony, won¡¯t I disappear from your sight?¡± Dylan was bewildered by Emilie¡¯s bold and straightforward remarks. ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Dylan raised his voice frustratedly. When Emilie flinched, Dylan had a ¡®Darn it!¡¯ look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for yelling at you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve always been told to piss off, so I don¡¯t mind this much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± ¡°No.¡± Emilie said in a dead voice. ¡°I told you to get out of here¡­..phew.¡± Dylan didn¡¯t know what to do, so disheveled his hair out of control. His blue hair flowed down like the sea. A moment later, he said with determined eyes: ¡°Victoire and Damon are trying to take advantage of you.¡± Unlike Dylan, who speaks with great determination, Emilie was not shaken at all. I knew. That they kept me for whatever reason as I have a purpose. Unless I was an idiot, I wouldn¡¯t notice that. ¡®If you¡¯re trying to kick me out with these words, you¡¯re mistaken.¡¯ But with the next words that followed, even Emilie could not help but swallow her surprised breath. ¡°Victoire is not Count Daughtry.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°We¡¯re bloodlines of the Duke of Leschine.¡± Dylan¡¯s loud voice became like a stone and hit Emilie¡¯s head with a ¡®wham!¡¯ ¡®Are you trying to get rid of me with that nonsense?¡¯ Emilie¡¯s eyes shook like waves. The Duke of Leschine was already exiled decades ago for treason. ¡®It was our Duke of Cabezo who revealed the fact that the Duke of Leschine had attempted treason.¡¯ Unlike the aristocratic and arrogant Duke of Cabezo, the Duke of Leschine was highly respected. He was the first to open a food warehouse to people during the famine and not leave anybody in times of national crisis. The news of the treason of the Duke of Leschine surprised many people, aristocrats and ordinary people. Even now, few people even believed that it was a set-up made by the Duke of Cabezo. But these people are the blood of the Duke of Leshchine. ¡°How can I believe that?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve probably seen it, too. The [Heart of Olga].¡± Dylan¡¯s remark made Emilie feel chilly at that moment. [Heart of Olga]. It was a name that Emilie heard before her death in her previous life. The treasure and power of the family to be restored someday. The [Heart of Olga] was the continent¡¯s best magic stone that governs life and death. It was literally made from the heart of Olga, an ancient wizard. But the [Heart of Olga] was split in half and lost its power, and the Duke of Cabezo and the Duke of Leschine kept half each. What the Duke of Cabezo had was called [Trikol] and what the Duke of Leschine had was called [Trium.] ¡®But [Trium] disappeared along with the fall of the Duke of Leschine.¡¯ Dylan spoke more confidently when he realized Emilie was agitated. ¡°Trikol and Trium are originally one. So when the full moon comes up, they cry for their other half.¡± Emilie opened her mouth in surprise. It was a fact that no one would have known it unless they had seen the [Heart of Olga]. It¡¯s a secret story. Emilie had heard the cry of [Trikol] in the basement when she ran out of the room in a nightmare as a child. ¡®It was a creepy sound. Dylan heard that terrible sound too? How?¡¯ Dylan grinned as he read the question in Emilie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Because [Trium] is in our house.¡± Emilie looked at Dylan without a word. Her mouth was open, but no sound came out of her throat. ¡®You might have heard rumors somewhere. Or maybe it¡¯s the swindlers who got [Trium]. No, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important anyway!¡¯ Emilie finally opened her mouth. ¡°The reason you kidnapped me is because you want to kill me and get revenge on my family?¡± The Duke of Leschine was exterminated because of the Duke of Cabezo, so it would make sense that they kept Emilie for revenge. Dylan laughed it off. ¡°No way. How can a fool take revenge on a hated child?¡± Dylan hit the nail on the head. Emilie spaced out as if she had been hit. ¡°You¡¯re disappointed that you won¡¯t be killed?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it, but¡­.why did you bring a child who¡¯s not loved?¡± ¡°Even if you disappear, the Duke of Cabezo will not find you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Emilie felt a sharp thorn piercing her chest. ¡®I thought of that, but¡­but still I was slightly expecting it¡­¡¯ Emilie asked in a quivering voice: ¡°Is my father¡­.looking for me?¡± ¡°In the beginning, they did. But they quit in two days. And then officially announced that you were dead.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Shocked, Emilie stumbled. Dylan was surprised then hurriedly assisted Emilie. ¡°Emilie, can you stand?¡± ¡°Ah, no. I¡¯m so dizzy.¡± Dylan, who turned pale, held Emilie and sat her on the sofa. Emilie¡¯s chest tightened, she breathed in and out and repeated. It was dark in front of me. It was much more shocking than when Dylan said he was the blood of the Leschine family, or when he spoke of the [Heart of Olga.] ¡®Yes, that¡¯s right. My father is that kind of person. In my previous life, you poisoned me with your own hands.¡¯ I understood it through my head, but I couldn¡¯t stop my eyes from getting red. Emilie was only twelve years old. But ever since she was 12 years old, his father had been wanting Emilie to die. ¡®I didn¡¯t know that, and I¡­ was struggling to receive my father¡¯s love until I died at 18.¡¯ I¡¯m his daughter too¡­ and I¡¯m also my father¡¯s child¡­.. Emilie¡¯s round cheeks trembled. Dylan¡¯s head had gone cold. Emilie¡¯s complexion became pale, her small hands turned blue. He¡¯s never seen a child so distressed. (Dy) ¡®Why don¡¯t you curse and get angry? Why are you grieving alone and not cursing them?¡¯ It was sad that the little girl, who seemed to be hugging him, was piling up all the sorrow inside her. Emilie¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Are you crying?¡± ¡°Ah, no.¡± Emilie turned her head to hide her flushed face. Dylan looked quietly at the little girl who was holding back her tears. (Dy) ¡®You can cry in times like this¡­¡¯ The boy wrinkled his eyes. (Dy) ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡¯ It was for this child¡¯s sake, but it was too much to handle. But soon Dylan made up his mind. A young girl struggling to hide her tears from her small eyes. Dylan knew what Victoire was up to for this girl. He didn¡¯t want to see this child¡¯s blood. For that, he had to be more harsh. After a long time, Emilie, whose eyes became as red as that of a rabbit, looked up at Dylan. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me to go home now.¡± She was speaking in a determined manner, but her eyes were soaked. Emilie seemed to think she didn¡¯t have any luck at all. Dylan answered deliberately, pretending he didn¡¯t know. ¡°I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe. This place is not safe.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Emilie didn¡¯t answer. Dylan said frustratedly: ¡°You idiot. Victoire, my father, just wants your blood.¡± ¡°My blood?¡± Emilie, who asked back, soon realized the meaning behind that word. In the early days of the Empire, the First Emperor took advantage of the division and ascended to the throne when the Leschine family and the Cabezo family fought to take the [Heart of Olga]. Then he tried to remove the [Heart of Olga], which had the power to threaten the throne. But the [Heart of Olga] was too powerful to get rid of. Even if all the sorcerers of the Empire were mobilized, the only thing they could do was break them in half and seal its power. Later, the Cabezos and Leschines acquired the [Heart of Olga] one by one. Then they tried every possible way to have a complete [Heart of Olga]. A wizard known as Olga¡¯s descendant managed to find a way. In other words, the whole of [Heart of Olga] can only be obtained by sacrificing the family member of the other family. The Leschine family and Cabezo family, who are hostile to each other, have named the most important members of the other family to sacrifice. It was a good thing for the emperor. In the end, the [Heart of Olga] was a magic that could never be one. ¡®The two families later conspired to point out the most useless figures in each family, but the Emperor secretly sent someone to assassinate them.¡¯ Moreover, it was revealed that the two families were building a chance to betray each other, and ever since then, they have not held hands. ¡®Then Victoire will point me out and kill me with his own hands.¡¯ Emilie finally understood the suspicious behavior of these people. For them, Emilie was the most important ¡®sacrifice¡¯ of all. ¡°Victoire just wants to have a complete [Heart of Olga] using your blood.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s using you to get revenge on the Cabezo family by taking advantage of the power of the [Heart of Olga.] ¡° Emilie thought of Victoire, who was holding her in his arms. Emilie clung awkwardly and he gave her a warm pat on the back. I think he smiled small. ¡°But all you want from me is blood?¡¯ ¡°Run away, Emilie. Let me help you.¡± Dylan said desperately. What should I do in this situation? The answer was not difficult. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean. It¡¯s too hard.¡± Emilie deliberately said stupidly like a child who knew nothing. Dylan frowned, baffled. ¡°Dylan doesn¡¯t want revenge?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to use innocent children to take revenge.¡± That¡¯s why Dylan has told Emilie several times to get out of the house every time they meet. Emilie was, in fact, strangely calm when she realized that. It was so sad when my father didn¡¯t find me, but now I¡¯m cool-headed when I learned that Victoire wants my own blood. ¡°Emilie.¡± Dylan sighed deeply. ¡°Now Victoire and Damon went looking for a way to enter you in the family register. They¡¯ll be back tomorrow.¡± ¡°Enter in the family register?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re going to put you in as a formal daughter. Of course they¡¯ll have your identity washed before you go in.¡± ¡°Why?¡± If you need a sacrifice, you can kill them right now. ¡°[Trikol] is still in the Cabezo duchy. I need a way to keep you safe until I steal [Trikol].¡± If you get your hands on [Trikol], then you will be pointed out as the receiving end of the Leschine family by the Duke of Cabezo. And those who are pointed out are sacrificed. This would be their plan. Chapter 7 It¡¯s really a bloody revenge.¡¯ At that moment Dylan held his face close to Emilie. Dylan¡¯s eyes were silvery, unlike Victoire and Damon. The moment she faced the beautiful silvery eyes, Emilie stood firm. ¡°Keep in mind. Tomorrow Victoire will ask you, ¡®Will you be my daughter?¡¯ It¡¯s a formal procedure before you enter.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Say no. Then I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Believe me, Emilie.¡± Emilie couldn¡¯t answer. But this time, Dylan didn¡¯t force an answer either. Before leaving the room, Dylan nervously looked back several times. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go out to the balcony!¡± Emilie grinned, pretending she didn¡¯t know. But what she really wanted to say was this. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t die in your father¡¯s hands.¡¯ Since early morning, the mansion has been bustling. Victoire and Damon have arrived. They were accompanied by the priests who would be witnesses of the entry. ¡°They¡¯ve always wanted to have a pretty daughter.¡± Marian said, tying Emilie¡¯s golden hair. ¡°Is that so?¡± In the mirror, 12-year-old Emilie was an innocent and naive little girl. But inside, Emilie¡¯s eighteen. Emilie, who had already died once, would not be fooled by Marian¡¯s sweet words. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted a caring father.¡± But this one was sincere. Emilie grinned at Marian in the mirror. Somehow, it was a sad smile. The hall was crowded with people. Victoire and several employees, including the priests and the butler. And Dylan. Dylan was chasing Emilie with persistent eyes. Emilie smiled reassuringly towards him and approached Victoire and Damon. ¡°Emilie, did you hear from Marian what day it is today?¡± Victoire asked with a kind face. It was an act. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the day Your Grace will make my wish come true.¡± Dylan¡¯s face turned blue with Emilie¡¯s innocent voice. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed with the entry as soon as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Dylan rushed to cut off Victoire who was speaking. All eyes were on Dylan. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ve explained enough to her? Once it¡¯s done, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± ¡°Of course, Dylan.¡± Damon calmly answered. ¡°What will happen if this child¡¯s father discovered that she¡¯s still alive?¡± ¡°If you were worried about that, do you think we¡¯d be here now?¡± Damon spoke affectionately to his little brother who knew nothing. But there was a different sense of pressure in the words said than usual Damon. The priest intervened and spoke with a gentle face: ¡°I heard the little girl was abused by her parents. Such parents are as good as dead even if they are alive.¡±1 ¡°But¡­!¡± ¡°If you really care about this child, follow Your Grace¡¯s opinion, young master. This girl won¡¯t be happy even if she goes back.¡± Dylan just shook his head while trying to say something. ¡°You are all so hopeless.¡± Dylan, who grabbed his head, made eye contact with Emilie. ¡°Emilie, you didn¡¯t forget what I said, did you?¡± ¡°I like it here.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to go back.¡± Emilie watched Dylan¡¯s face darkened and crumple with defeat. Perhaps in this house, that boy is the one who thinks the most in this house. ¡®Sorry, Dylan.¡¯ But Emilie had no choice but to do this. Last night, after Dylan went back, Emilie was up pondering all night. ¡®These people need me. So I¡¯ll do my best to protect you until the day you sacrifice me.¡¯ As Dylan said before, even if you run away you won¡¯t be able to grow as safe as you are in this family. On the first day of her recklessly fleeing, Emilie painfully felt her life threatened by the hands of robbers. A little girl left alone cannot survive. ¡°I won¡¯t regret it. I¡¯m confident.¡± Dylan flinched. It was a voice filled with determination and certain to belong to a little girl. Moreover, Emilie¡¯s two eyes that were looking at him were not her usual young, innocent eyes. It was the eyes of a woman who had experienced death and came back to life. However, Dylan who could not have known its meaning, had no choice but to turn his head in despair without knowing why. ¡°Truly, you all do as you please. Have it your way!¡± Dylan cried out as he came back to his senses. He bit his lower lip and turned around then left the hall. The door closed with a bang! As it closed with a sound, Damon looked at Emilie. ¡°He¡¯s telling us to do as we please, so I guess Dylan agreed. Emilie, how about you?¡± Emilie stared at Victoire silently. ¡°Will you be my daughter, Emilie?¡± Asked Victoire. Blue hair and blue eyes. It was a short time, but even her father, whom she had known her whole life, had not given her things like they did. The hugging arms were friendly and warm. ¡®And they want my blood.¡¯ In any case, she already died once. To her, these men are saying, ¡®You can be comfortably protected in the Count¡¯s mansion.¡¯ ¡®Until the time comes when they need my blood.¡¯ Maybe my father will find out before that. But if I¡¯m lucky, I can grow up comfortably up until I¡¯m 18 and then get sick and die quietly before they want my blood. ¡®All I want is to live at ease and in peace without suffering from my father anymore.¡¯ It was a game worth betting on. ¡°Yes.¡± Victoire smiled brightly at Emilie¡¯s words. It was a sincere smile. Emilie, for the first time, saw that this man could have such a bright expression. ¡®It pleased him a little.¡¯ ¡°Your Grace, please sign here.¡± The priest held out a thick scroll. Victoire signed without delay. Emilie also signed small and clumsily next to him. ¡®Is that it.¡¯ When Emilie stared with her puzzled eyes, Victoire held Emilie in his arms. ¡°Now it¡¯s done. You are now my daughter.¡± ¡°Congratulations, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Congratulations.¡± The priests and employees celebrated in unison. Later, the priest smoothly read a series of ceremonial [Vows of Entry]. The vow was made in the presence of God swearing to form a family bond that will last a lifetime, that¡¯s what it was about. So no one listened.1 ¡°Father, you have to give her a new name too.¡± Said Damon. ¡°You can¡¯t use your old name anymore. Your name¡­ Elisabeth is nice.¡± Victoire¡¯s voice, who pronounced [Elisabeth], trembled a little. ¡°Eli¡­sabeth?¡± ¡°Yes. From now on, your name is Elisabeth Daughtry. Do you like it?¡± Somehow, it¡¯s a pretty name. At least it sounded better than [Emilie]. ¡°Yes, I like it!¡± Victoire held Emilie, Elisabeth rather, tightly in his arms. ¡®If you want my blood, feel free to use me. I¡¯m going to use you, too.¡¯ Elisabeth closed her eyes with her face covered in Victoire¡¯s chest. ¡®After all, I am an [Impure Blood] that can¡¯t bring the Heart of Olga together.¡¯ *** Emilie Cabezo died at 18 in her previous life. When the ¡®unknown¡¯ disease broke out, Emilie thought she was going to die of it. But Emilie died after drinking the poison her father gave her. The reason was that the honor of the family was tainted. ¡®I¡¯m not going to die so miserable this time.¡¯ Elisabeth thought, stamping her feet on the swing. It was a very childish play while having such a serious thought. The swing that was for the bored Elisabeth was hung from a large tree by Victoire. It was a little strange. That someone does something for her. She didn¡¯t even say she wanted it, but when he saw Elisabeth bored, he gave her a swing as a first gift. ¡®I¡¯m not used to this kind of treatment.¡¯ I know you¡¯re being nice to me for me to be of use to you. Nevertheless, I am grateful. And a little happy. ¡®Am I allowed to feel this feeling?¡¯ But one should enjoy it when they can. Elisabeth can¡¯t give what Victoire wants anyway, so the moment she gets caught, it¡¯s over. ¡®If they find out I¡¯m an [Impure Blood], I don¡¯t know what an angry Victoire will do. Of course there is a higher chance of dying before I get caught.¡¯ ¡®Trikol¡¯ won¡¯t get into the hands of Victoire. It was not only Victoire who was aiming for it but also the Emperor¡¯s. It was mentioned that when it became whole, it was powerful enough to aim for the throne. So the Duke of Cabezo kept the ¡®Trikol¡¯ hidden deep underground. ¡®Trikol¡¯ is a mysteriously shining blue mana stone. It was the size of a thumbnail. However, it will turn red when it comes into contact with someone who could make it one. In other words, it turns red when they meet a member of the family of Cabezo or of Leschine. So if the ¡®Trikol¡¯ turns red, it means that the person is the enemy blood of the Cabezos or Leschines. (t/n: not sure about this part) As soon as Emilie and Polia were born, they were recognized as part of the Cabezo bloodline in front of the ¡®Trikol.¡¯ Using this, the Duke of Cabezo boasted of the power of a family that possessed a mysterious mana stone. Every coming-of-age ceremony, they showed a red ¡®Trikol¡¯ in front of many people. On the day of Emilie¡¯s coming-of-age ceremony, ¡®Trikol¡¯ was also unveiled in front of countless people. And as soon as Emilie touched ¡®Trikol¡¯, it was dyed black. It was the same fact that the Cabezo family was disgraced in front of countless people, whether ¡®Trikol¡¯ rejected the Cabezo family blood or Emilie was not the Duke¡¯s blood. Emilie could not forget her father¡¯s eyes staring at her in contempt. And then Polia that ran out at that moment. Polia pushed Emilie hard and touched the ¡®Trikol.¡¯ Then the black-colored ¡®Trikol¡¯ turned bright red. At that moment, Emilie¡¯s status as Princess Cabezo was pronounced dead. Emilie was then confined to the tower of the Duke of Cabezo. It was the tower where the guilty men were trapped. The employees who brought food to the tower openly despised Emilie. It wasn¡¯t until a month later that the tower¡¯s door opened. The one who opened the door was the father she missed the most. And the father, whom she had hoped for, offered a small bottle with a cold face. Emilie asked back in a hurry, getting sick. ¡®Impure blood.¡¯ It meant a person with dirty blood that ¡®Trikol¡¯ refused. Chapter 8 It¡¯s purpose was to make sure no one would be sacrificed in order to prevent the Heart of Olga from being one. So far, there have been only two people with ¡®impure blood.¡¯ A woman born between stepmother and son and a man who tried to kill his father. Then father burst out laughing. Her father shouted. Emilie, who was extremely skinny, crouched in fear. The father came up to the shaking Emilie and grabbed her by the collar. <¡­¡­> The father¡¯s hand let go of her. Emilie collapsed helplessly. In the meantime, Emilie didn¡¯t miss the small bottle her father gave her. Emilie knew what would come next. Emilie closed her eyes tightly. But nothing happened. Emilie could not believe her father did not hit her. Emilie, who raised her head in question, was startled. Her father was looking at Emilie with a calm face. Whenever he saw Emilie, he always had a distorted expression, as if he just saw something terrible, but now his face was terrifyingly calm. His daughter begged him, but he refused to answer. It was affirmative. Her father said so and left the tower. Emilie trembled and gazed at the small bottle. She could no longer deny the identity of the bottled liquid. It was poison. This is what her father had been hoping for Emilie for a long time. May she disappear from his sight, leave them forever. Tears streaked down Emilie¡¯s cheeks. Her lifelong desire for her father¡¯s affection was finally rewarded. ¡®Why in the world did I¡­.for what¡­¡¯ Why did she struggle all her life trying to be loved by a man who would eventually come to kill her? The belated regret ran hotly down on her cheeks. She wanted to turn everything back. But it¡¯s already too late. There was nowhere to run. Emilie opened the bottle with trembling hands. ¡®If I could be born again¡­I wouldn¡¯t beg that man for love. I want to live for myself then¡­just once¡­¡¯2 *** On the first day of her return. Elisabeth went to see the Trikol hidden in the basement of the Duke of Cabezo. She visited like she was bewitched by something. Since her father hid Trikol in a place where no one knew about for a few years, Elisabeth would not have seen Trikol until that day. When she touched the Trikol, there were smoke-filled clouds and the color turned horribly dark. ¡®As expected¡­.¡¯ He said it was dyed red when she was born, but since when has she become an ¡®impure blood¡¯ that cannot unite the Heart of Olga? Why the hell did she become ¡®impure blood¡¯? Anyway, in conclusion, Elisabeth knew this but tricked Victoire. ¡®Since Victoire tried to use a child for revenge, so I¡¯m just returning it back.¡¯ Elisabeth stamped her feet vigorously. The swing moved gently back and forth. Despite the serious situation, she let out a hum for some reason. ¡®It¡¯s just a chair that moves back and forth but it¡¯s so much fun.¡¯ Elisabeth had never been on a proper swing. The swing in the Cabezo family garden was for ornamental purposes. Elisabeth got injured several times when she was a child, she fell while trying to ride the creaky swing. But her father¡­ ¡­gave her a cold warning. Then her father fixed the swing after Polia said she wanted to ride it. Of course, even after fixing the swing, it was not Elisabeth¡¯s turn to ride the swing. At first, Elisabeth, who had no idea, was on the swing, and Polia, in a fit of anger, pushed Elisabeth down. As she fell, Elisabeth¡¯s arms were stamped on the stone and blood was everywhere. The stepmother, who appeared late, seemed to like it for some reason instead of being surprised to see her blood flowing. She rushed Elisabeth into the room. Her father, who returned home in the evening, had no idea that Elisabeth was hurt because he was paying attention to Polia who suddenly appeared with a bandage on her arm. In order to hide Elisabeth¡¯s injury, her stepmother and Polia played an act. ¡°Oh my, why is she riding the swing so hard?¡± One of the Count¡¯s employees murmured while passing by. The adopted little lady was riding the swing with a fierce spirit. The girl¡¯s eyes were glaring showing how concentrated she was. ¡°I guess the rumor is true that he adopted a child of a distant relative. I heard that the relative died from illness while living a poor life because he wasted all their family wealth.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it would be my first time riding such a good swing. The Count, His Grace, has a good heart. Taking a child who has lost her parents.¡± ¡°Is that all? Whatever the little lady uses is the best. Her room was even redecorated.¡± ¡°He must be happy to have a cute and pretty daughter while raising two sons.¡± The employees whispered as they passed by. *** There was silence on the table. Even the eve of a typhoon would seem to be noisy. Elisabeth chewed a piece of meat while looking at Victoire and Dylan¡¯s eyes. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s delicious¡­ I want to eat faster, but I¡¯m aware of their eyes.¡¯ Elisabeth wanted to eat like Damon, who showed a vigorous appetite as if he had lost his senses. When I was in the Cabezo family, I followed strict etiquette since I was an ignored (forgotten) child. I thought I had to. But I thought I¡¯d be more like a child here. ¡®But from the very start, I¡¯ve had this kind of ambush.¡¯ Victoire and Dylan were unbelievably cold towards each other as father and son. Even though Victoire was the same, Dylan was a child of Victoire and he was very young, but his spirits were no joke. ¡®The men in this family are out of the ordinary.¡¯ Come to think of it, Emilie¡¯s father was always sensitive and angry, but he wasn¡¯t a strong man. ¡®It¡¯s because of the halo of the Duke of Cabezo showing a bold front.¡¯ Thanks to all this, Elisabeth was crouching among these incredible men. ¡°Uh, cough!¡± Eventually, I drank water and swallowed the wrong way. ¡°Elisabeth, are you all right?¡± ¡°Hang in there, can you breathe properly?¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong? She¡¯s about to collapse!¡± Victoire, Damon and Dylan screamed at the same time. Elisabeth looked around with her eyes wide open. ¡°Cough!¡± She coughed up again. ¡°Call the physician right now!¡± ¡°Calm down and breathe, Elisabeth!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there something wrong with the food?¡± ¡®It¡¯s not about food, it¡¯s because of you guys¡­¡­¡¯ It was these men who really needed to calm down. Elisabeth quickly said before they started to make a bigger fuss. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Cough! I¡¯ve been drinking water and I swallowed the Cough! wrong way!¡±1 The three men, however, turned pale at the appearance of Elisabeth coughing repeatedly. ¡®Why are you making such a fuss?¡¯ It was so embarrassing. ¡®Are you doing this because the child you¡¯re going to use should be healthy?¡¯ Perhaps that was the most convincing. ¡®As raising pigs is to eat, you¡¯re raising me to use!¡¯ At that moment. Victoire put his hand on Elisabeth¡¯s red forehead. Elisabeth¡¯s eyes grew round. ¡°You¡¯re eating good food in such a comfortable atmosphere, why would you swallow wrong?¡± Victoire tilted his head, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s not a comfortable atmosphere.¡± Damon hit the nail on the head. ¡°Why? Because we¡¯re both cold and not saying anything?¡± ¡°Is that a problem?¡± Dylan and Victoire said. ¡®Wow, I knew it.¡¯ Elisabeth was embarrassed. Damon laughed in amazement. ¡°Does this look like a normal mealtime?¡± At Damon¡¯s question, Victoire tilted his head again. They always used to dine like this on thin ice. ¡°Excuse me, by the way.¡± The three men¡¯s eyes all turned to Elisabeth in unison whose small voice interrupted them. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ But if we don¡¯t change the subject like this, these guys, it seems like it won¡¯t end. Elisabeth asked, as innocent as possible. ¡°Why does Dylan talk impolitely to the Count?¡± ¡°You see, Dylan, that kid¡¯s a rude bastard.¡± ¡°Victoire¡¯s a jerk.¡± At the same time, it was a flurry of answers. ¡®They¡¯re not even kids.¡¯ In the end, Elisabeth couldn¡¯t resist and bursted out laughing. The child¡¯s unique innocent laughter resounded. The two men opened their eyes wide with astonishment that someone laughed at their sincere answer. (V) ¡°Why are you laughing, Elisabeth?¡± (Dy) ¡°You think this is funny?¡± ¡°You two look so childish.¡± Elisabeth¡¯s innocent voice struck the *pit of the stomach of the two men. Damon also giggled. (t/n: literally says solar plexus; idk maybe they got butterflies in their stomach??) ¡°It¡¯s nice to be on friendly terms.¡± Said Elisabeth, who laughed for a long time. The voice was so serious for a child that Victoire even *smiled. ¡°Oh, you *laughed!¡± (t/n: re-read this again and again but this is the only way i can interpret it¡­ maybe she mistook his smile as laugh?) Elisabeth said, jumping with joy. ¡°Is my laugh something you should be so happy about?¡± Asked Victoire, puzzled. ¡°Of course. I love it when someone laughs because of me.¡±1 And at the dinner table! It was unimaginable before. Laughter has always been shared between father and Polia. She was always hoping. May someone be able to please you, just as the father does to Polia. But now this unexpectedly happened. ¡°Dylan, you heard Elisabeth, right? You have to get along with Father from now on.¡± ¡°What bullshit are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± Dylan shoots at Damon. ¡°Just now, Dylan, you said something bad.¡± Said Elisabeth. Dylan said ¡®Ha?¡¯ sounding shocked. ¡°You should understand, Elisabeth. Dylan lived apart from his family when he was young so he¡¯s very crooked. So he¡¯s still in that shape.¡± ¡°Really? Dylan?¡±+ ¡°There are so many stories that we can¡¯t tell even among the rich.¡± Victoire calmly dissed his son. Chapter 9 ¡®Is it because of our family?¡¯ Dylan said he was the blood of the Duke of Leschine. The downfall of the Duke of Leschine was caused by the Duke of Cabezo. It is known that no one survived. However, there were people who could not find their bodies because the Imperial Army attacked the residence of Duke Leschine and drowned during the battle. If they had survived, they would have fled and scattered. It didn¡¯t make sense to say that the father and son broke up in the process. ¡°Dylan was awkward with me and couldn¡¯t even talk to me at first. If that was the case then I asked him to call me by my name if he was going to do that, and he¡¯s been so excited since then calling me ¡®Victoire, Victoire¡¯.¡± ¡°Stop it, Victoire.¡± ¡°Look at that.¡± Elisabeth looked at Dylan with her eyes wide open, deliberately surprised. It¡¯s like, ¡®How can a¡­. beast like that¡­.¡¯. There was a look of criticism. ¡°Elisabeth, what¡¯s that look in your eyes?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Elisabeth bowed her head. Victoire laughed out loud at how cute it looked. ¡®He laughed again.¡¯ Elisabeth looked up carefully at the smiling Victoire. It was purely good that someone was happy because of her. ¡®Even my biological father didn¡¯t laugh because of me.¡¯ It was true that even if the man was someone who wanted to take advantage of her, she felt good. ¡®Yeah, because good is good.¡¯ Elisabeth ate dinner that evening without leaving any food behind. Marian, who combed Elisabeth¡¯s hair, was surprised to see that Elisabeth laughed alone and then became sullen. ¡®Is she hurt somewhere?¡¯ But whenever she smiled, she looked perfectly healthy. ¡®Does it make your mind unstable when you¡¯re in an unfamiliar place?¡¯ Marian anxiously asked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Miss?¡± ¡°Ah, no. No, nothing happened.¡± Elisabeth answered with surprise. ¡®How did you know something happened?¡¯ Elisabeth was very embarrassed. She didn¡¯t seem to know that Marian could read her expressions on her face. ¡®Miss does not seem to want to talk.¡¯ Marian seemed to feel sad for no reason. Even so, Marian felt bitter that she still can¡¯t open her heart even though she has been feeding and washing Elisabeth, taking care of her bed, washing her face in the morning, and doing her best. ¡®She hasn¡¯t gotten close to me yet, so it can¡¯t be helped. She¡¯s a shy little girl.¡¯ ¡°Your Grace laughed because of me today.¡± Marian was stunned and stopped combing. Elisabeth looked up at Marian with her eyes full of joy. ¡®His Grace laughed? Please hurry and ask me why.¡¯ It seemed that was what the young eyes were urging so much that Marian held back her laughter as it was about to come out. ¡®As expected, babies are babies. I can¡¯t help it.¡¯ ¡°Why did His Grace laugh? He doesn¡¯t look like he laughs.¡± ¡°I told His Grace that it¡¯s nice to be on friendly terms with Dylan. So he laughed.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Marian, who Elisabeth asked her with a thud, had asked Elisabeth back, was genuinely surprised at Elisabeth¡¯s answer. ¡®His Grace only laughed about it?¡¯ I couldn¡¯t believe it. Victoire never laughed even when the business was very successful, or when the sarcastic nobles ended up talking to him one more time. ¡®He didn¡¯t even laugh when he reunited with his own son, who had been separated from him for about a decade.¡¯ And you just laughed when she told you to get along with your own son? ¡°But I¡¯m also worried about some things.¡± All of a sudden, Elisabeth became glum. ¡°Pardon?¡± Marian struggled to follow with the child¡¯s mood swings. ¡°His Grace and Dylan are as cold as winter towards each other. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re usually close, but I¡¯m worried that I might have made them feel more awkward.¡± ¡°Those two are always like that.¡± Said Marian as if it was not a big deal. ¡°What? They always eat like that? Like enemies?¡± ¡°Hohoho. Enemies. It¡¯s just a little awkward father-son relationship.¡± If the father-son relationship was that awkward, the father-son relationship would soon be cut off. ¡°Besides, did you hear that today was exceptionally bright weather?¡± ¡°It was exceptionally bright? That can¡¯t be right. It wasn¡¯t that bad.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because Miss doesn¡¯t know those two well yet.¡± Marian neatly explained. ¡®That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know much about those two men.¡¯ And Damon, too. But the three men knew very well about Elisabeth, or Emilie. They knew about her from their first unfortunate encounter which was strange. ¡®How could he have shown up there?¡¯ Just a step before being sold to a robber, Victoire and Damon appeared and saved her. Now that you think about it, it seems that they¡¯ve been watching Elisabeth for a long time. Something like a ¡®premeditated approach.¡¯ ¡°Right, Miss. It¡¯s all done. Now you can go to bed after eating evening snacks.¡± Said Marian. Elisabeth, who was lost in thought, had eyes of a rabbit. ¡°I can have evening snacks again?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve always had it. Refreshingly.¡± ¡°But I ate a lot of dinner today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just chocolate pudding. You can eat it all.¡± Marian smiled brightly and brought the prepared snack. ¡®Ha. You really think I¡¯m a pig?¡¯ ¡°How is it, is it delicious?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Elisabeth was surprised to see herself eating the pudding. A small hand held the spoon intently with its palm. It was absurd. ¡®You¡¯re getting used to this luxurious lifestyle.¡¯ If it had been luxurious, the Duke would have been formidable, but she couldn¡¯t feel it. Because the luxury didn¡¯t exist for her. Rather, it felt like shackles to her. Elisabeth asked naturally while she ate pudding. ¡°I heard His Grace and Dylan didn¡¯t live together in the first place?¡± ¡°Did you hear from His Grace today?¡± Marian¡¯s expression grew strange. ¡®Did you even talk about that?¡¯ Elisabeth continued, pretending not to see the change in Marian¡¯s expression. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why Dylan feels awkward with His Grace.¡± ¡°Young Master Dylan was not feeling well, so he was a little far away for recuperation.¡± Elisabeth instinctively felt that Marian was telling a made-up story. Elisabeth hid her innermost thoughts and asked again. ¡°Until when did he recuperate?¡± ¡°Until he¡¯s about Miss¡¯ age.¡± ¡°About the same age as me?¡± ¡°Yes, until 12. Master Dylan was small back then, but he¡¯s already 16. He made his social debut this year. It was very successful.¡± Marian twirled the story around. ¡®Marian has a heavy mouth. It won¡¯t be easy to figure out something.¡¯ Marian couldn¡¯t hide her all-knowing expression, but she defended herself with her mouth. ¡®How did Victoire survive and give birth to Damon and Dylan?¡¯ At the time of the disappearance of the Duke of Leschine, Victoire was young, too. Luckily, he was put on the list of dead people whose bodies were not found and fled, hiding his identity. ¡®That¡¯s how he lived the life of a fugitive, and then you gave birth to Damon and Dylan. It wasn¡¯t possible for a fugitive to take Dylan with him, so he would have lived apart for a while.¡¯ How could Victoire, who had to live apart from his children after losing everything, now reappear as Count Daughtry? ¡®Did he sign a contract with the devil?¡¯ The more I know about these men, the more I wonder. Their story was as deep and dark as a well with an unknown end. On the other hand, I felt sorry for him. ¡®It must have been a tough life.¡¯ My chest felt pricked. ¡®If these people are really framed¡­¡¯ Just imagining it made my head dizzy. Is this what we call guilt? Elisabeth did nothing. However, I felt guilty just because I was the blood of Cabezo. ¡®How was it in my previous life?¡¯ Elisabeth tried to recollect her memory. In her memory, Count Daughtry were a family of upstarts who appeared like a comet in the social world. People looked down on Count Daughtry, who went into central society by spending money. Even though they picked up the money and ate it. And while cursing like that, once they meet Count Daughtry and the Young Daughtry, everyone would be overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the Daughtrys and fascinated by their looks. ¡®Especially Polia.¡¯ Polia adored the youngest Daughtry. To the point of almost losing one¡¯s reason. ¡®Daughtry, no, did the Leschines get their revenge after I died?¡¯ Perhaps it would have been possible if Dylan had used Polia. ¡®I don¡¯t like that.¡¯ Elisabeth felt bad when she imagined Dylan stuck with Polia. ¡®Let¡¯s stop thinking about that.¡¯ Elisabeth buried herself in the bed. She did not want to think of neither Polia nor her father anymore. Now she is Elisabeth Daughtry. The Daughtry¡¯s youngest daughter, Elisabeth Daughtry. Elisabeth raised her head up and looked at Marian. ¡°It¡¯s not too late, is it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Miss.¡± Marian said with a big smile on her face. The smile was intended to reassure Elisabeth. However, the face of Elisabeth whom she just met was so cute that Marian herself unwittingly felt sincere without knowing. ¡®I try not to laugh with all my heart, but I still smile when I see that round cheek.¡¯ Elisabeth had a strange charm. So, even though that child was the blood of a cruel Cabezo, I wanted to take care of one more. It would be fair to say that children usually don¡¯t eat snacks. But Elisabeth would force herself to eat another bite. ¡®Is it because she¡¯s smaller and thinner than her peers?¡¯ Early in the morning, Marian¡¯s chest tickled as the cute girl looked nervously and desperately at her with her swollen baby face. In addition, Elisabeth, with a large ribbon on her head, looked like a small doll. Elisabeth looked into the mirror filled with anxiety. ¡®It looks like a clown with a ribbon on it, but it can¡¯t be helped. I can get along well here if I can look good to the Daughtrys.¡¯ Elisabeth took Marian¡¯s hand and walked out of the room. Her gentle steps were heading towards Victoire¡¯s office. For God¡¯s sake, hoping that this is a good idea, Elisabeth¡¯s hand carefully pushed the office door. ¡°Your Grace?¡± A soft voice was heard. Victoire, who was organizing the documents, raised his head. Through the crack in the door, a cute little girl appeared. ¡°Elisa¡­¡± Victoire couldn¡¯t make out a word. The first thing that came into his eyes was a large moving ribbon. Soon, he saw Elisabeth with a red ribbon. A small and lovely child walked towards him with her short legs like a doll. ¡°You¡¯re still here! I was nervous because I thought you would leave early just like yesterday.¡± These days, Elisabeth hasn¡¯t missed a morning greeting to Victoire. However, Elisabeth overslept and missed this morning¡¯s greeting. It¡¯s been on her mind the whole time. ¡°Who did that to your head?¡± ¡°It looks weird?¡± Elisabeth asked sullenly. ¡°Something like that.¡± Victoire said seriously. Chapter 10 ¡®Oh, as expected¡­ It was too much.¡¯ Elisabeth drooped her eyes in disappointment. Victoire opened his eyes wide as the little girl¡¯s cheeks were filled with anxiety. He never dreamed that Elisabeth would be disappointed by his answer. He added words in a haste. ¡°It¡¯s like a doll, not a person.¡± Victoire said, genuinely perplexed. He has raised a child, too. However, it was the first time he felt this way, even though he thought Damon and Dylan were handsome just like him. Damon and Dylan don¡¯t wear ribbons, and boys¡¯ clothes are all similar in color and detail. So he said, ¡®Something like that.¡¯ He could only express it up to that extent. He simply organized his feelings. ¡®People shouldn¡¯t be like dolls.¡¯ ¡°Then from now on, I won¡¯t do it in the future.¡± But Elisabeth, who was even more disappointed at what Victoire added, spoke in a sullen tone. Victoire was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to not do it in the future. Because it¡¯s cute.¡± The desperate Victoire expressed his feelings again simply. ¡®Even if you¡¯re like a doll, you¡¯ll be fine if you¡¯re cute.¡¯ ¡°Hehe. That¡¯s a relief. I chose it!¡± Elisabeth proudly said. Victoire nodded his head. As if it was telling her that she did well, Elisabeth gained confidence. ¡®Actually, I was worried because it was my first time doing something like this.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t even dream of it when I was in the duchy of Cabezo. ¡®I¡¯m glad the reaction wasn¡¯t that bad.¡¯ She ran in front of Victoire. ¡°Are you coming back early today?¡± That was impossible. Victoire has always been buried in countless things. Because of that, he felt like this child was feeling a little lonely. ¡®You ask me if I will come back early every time.¡¯ In the past, he completely forgot the thought of the mansion while he was working. There was no expectation that anyone would wait for him. But now he remembered this child was waiting for him even when he was working. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve become attached to me so quickly. It¡¯s a little pitiful.¡¯ He knew the past of the abused child. It is also true that he used it. Is it because of that? Nowadays, there was a strange feeling that he had never felt that blossomed in Victoire¡¯s heart. For now, VIctoire defined it as ¡®sympathy.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll try to come home soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting! I won¡¯t sleep.¡± ¡°You must sleep. That¡¯s how you¡¯ll grow big.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do as Your Grace says.¡± The child was easily convinced. It¡¯s not like he made a point, but she listened well. She was such a good child. Victoire stroked Elisabeth¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the evening, Your Grace.¡± Elisabeth bowed politely and left the office. Elisabeth left the office with such regards. Knowing that Victoire was busy every morning, she didn¡¯t even bother. ¡®I don¡¯t mind hanging on a little longer.¡¯ Victoire felt bummed. Harry, an aide who had been watching the scene from the beginning, asked with a puzzled look. ¡°Your Grace, what kind of¡­ acting is that?¡± ¡°Acting?¡± Victoire asked back coldly. It was a return to his original brusque way of speaking. ¡®You¡¯re playing a sweet father to make the child believe in you.¡¯ Harry reached a conclusion, believing that Victoire was ashamed of himself. ¡°Don¡¯t say weird things. There¡¯s one thing you have to do, Harry.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you see the ribbon Elisabeth wore?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If you have a ribbon similar to that, get everything.¡± ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Harry tilted his head and looked at the serious face Victoire. ¡°Are you trying to give it to Young Lady Elisabeth as a gift?¡± ¡°No, not exactly like that. It¡¯s because I¡¯m curious, so stop talking and go get it.¡± There¡¯s no way Victoire himself will be wearing a ribbon just because he¡¯s curious. ¡®You can be honest with me and say that you¡¯re just trying to give it to her as a gift.¡¯ Harry shrugged his shoulders. *** It didn¡¯t take long for the news of Count Daughtry¡¯s adoption of a child of a distant relative spread to the social circle. This is because Count Daughtry, who appears in society like a comet and subject to both scandal and envy at the same time, was the favorite topic of noblemen. However, no one had ever seen the daughter except for the Count¡¯s closest aides. ¡°At this point, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s going to reveal a little bit about her, but how bad is she that he¡¯s hiding it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a story that she¡¯s so pretty that he doesn¡¯t want her to be kidnapped.¡± Rumors about the youngest daughter of Count Daughtry, Elisabeth Daughtry, varied. But when it became known that Elisabeth was a poor relative¡¯s daughter, the rumor spread to a worse side. ¡®A brute girl who doesn¡¯t even know basic manners,¡¯ or ¡®She was so stupid that even the best teachers gave up and ran away.¡¯ Anyway, thanks to those powerful rumors, no word emerged that ¡®Young Lady Elisabeth Daughtry¡¯ looked exactly like the late ¡®Princess Emilie Cabezo,¡¯ who died not long ago. Elisabeth never went out of the Count¡¯s mansion nor did she meet anyone visiting the Count. Sometimes people visit the mansion for business, but Elisabeth was not introduced. ¡®That¡¯s why I keep circling inside!¡¯ Elisabeth wandered about in the huge mansion. Like Count Daughtry, who had nothing but money, there were many rare things inside the mansion. ¡®There was even one statue standing indifferently in the garden that came from a treasure ship that sank 500 years ago.¡¯ Even if I stole that statue right now, I could live comfortably the rest of my life. ¡®It¡¯s a problem because I can¡¯t steal that heavy thing.¡¯ But there must be a treasure somewhere in this house that fits in the tiny hand of a 12-year-old girl! The little thief wannabe diligently explored the mansion today. Elisabeth¡¯s sharp eyes, which had been honed out by her hardships in life as a princess, searched the mansion for something worth the money. ¡°Huh?¡± Elisabeth¡¯s foot caught a piece of paper while she was walking in the garden. Elisabeth picked up the paper. ¡°Chanson monastery, a place that safely entrusts a child with nowhere to go?¡± It was a monastery blurb. ¡°Why the hell is this thing here?¡± Elisabeth tilted her head. Another piece of paper fluttered over Elisabeth¡¯s head on her way back to the mansion. ¡°Perfect place for children with secrets to hide, the Forest Academy?¡± This time, it was an academy promotional statement. Elisabeth looked up. There was nothing. ¡°Something¡¯s weird.¡± That¡¯s not the end of it. Inside the room, above the bed were plentiful of promotional statements about foster mothers and nuns who cared for children who had nowhere to go. ¡°This, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± There was only one person who would do this. The one who told me to piss off whenever I saw him. ¡®I¡¯m going to get back at you.¡¯ I¡¯m glad that I¡¯m bored. Elisabeth¡¯s eyes gleamed. *** Near the high walls of the Count¡¯s mansion, there were plenty of mysteriously large trees. Looking out there, I could believe there was a botanical garden built by wizards. But there was only one tree in that garden. It was impossible to imagine the inside of the mansion when looking from the outside, while inside the mansion was designed to give a panoramic view of the garden. If there are many trees, they block the view. Underneath the tree, Dylan sat while leaning back. He was reading under the shade of a tree. <¡¯The Heart of Olga¡¯ and the Two Families> It was a book that I read countless times because of Victoire¡¯s pressure. Since I was young, I have been reading so many books that I was sick of it and threw up. ¡®Why did I suddenly want to read this damn book.¡¯ A girl came into Dylan¡¯s mind as he turned the pages. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s because of that little kid?¡¯ Elisabeth Daughtry. She was a girl who might change their fate. ¡®But I don¡¯t want to make her a sacrificial lamb.¡¯ The thought of seeing Elisabeth¡¯s blood made me feel dirty. ¡®She¡¯s also small.¡¯ Maybe he¡¯s too young to understand, as Victoire and Damon said. The pain of those whose families were destroyed and have lost them. Nevertheless, what is clear now was that Victoire was out of his mind. No, it¡¯s not just now. From the moment we first met, Victoire was not normal. The strange man who came to visit the young Dylan looked a lot like Dylan. Dylan knew at first sight that he was his father. It was so nice that he wanted to laugh out loud. He might have cried if he had given him a warm hug. But his father¡¯s eyes, which he had seen for the first time ever since he was born, were not directed towards Dylan. He glanced at Dylan and turned his head right away. The whole mind of Victoire was only in the recovery and revenge of the family. Despite the fact that his youngest son that he had never seen ever since he was a baby was in front of his eyes, Victoire did not give a single look at his son. Dylan could not feel any affection, or even human feelings, from him. The first words that Victoire said to the young Dylan were not that he was sorry or that he missed him. It was a story about the family. About why we were living like this. Therefore, we must succeed in revenge with our lives at risk. It was too harsh for a young boy who was so excited to meet his father. ¡®I thought he was no ordinary person ever since he said he was going to wash my identity and get revenge.¡¯ Dylan thought with a cynical face. Tuk. Something flew onto Dylan¡¯s head and hit him while he was thinking. ¡°Huh?¡± Dylan frowned, knitting his brows. Something fell nearby again before he could even recognize the identity of what just brushed his head. ¡°What the, this one.¡± Dylan¡¯s gray eyes widened as he unintentionally picked up what had fallen on the ground. ¡°This is¡­!¡± *** Elisabeth flew a butterfly-shaped piece of paper out of the balcony. All the signs Dylan had brought became great butterflies and flew freely in the sky. ¡®It¡¯s more fun than I thought?¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± At that moment, the visit was accompanied with a loud crash. Elisabeth turned her head, her shoulders shivered. Dylan stood there panting. ¡®I was expecting it but it¡¯s a little scary.¡¯ Dylan clenched his teeth when he saw paper butterflies lying on the floor. ¡°I will clean it up later. And the ones I¡¯ve flown out there.¡± Elisabeth said calmly. Dylan¡¯s eyes grew more ferocious. ¡°That¡¯s not the problem.¡± ¡°Ah! Can I not do this?¡± Elisabeth asked naively. Though it was entirely on purpose, the attitude seemed to have made Dylan more angry. Dylan facepalmed his face in disbelief. ¡°Have you read it?¡± ¡°Elisabeth, who has never learned, does not know how to read.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! You¡¯re a princess¡­.!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Elisabeth. Elisabeth Daughtry.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Dylan¡¯s younger sister. Am I not?¡± Chapter 11 Elisabeth¡¯s ¡®I¡¯ll cry if you say no¡¯ face looked at Dylan with an aggressive gaze. Dylan¡¯s face at that moment, which had been frowning, seemed as if his eyes were melting. He could not look straight at Elisabeth¡¯s face and turned his head. ¡°Elisabeth, my offer is still the same.¡± ¡°Dylan doesn¡¯t want me to be his sister? Is that why you keep trying to drive me out?¡± Elisabeth asked, slightly sullen. Dylan raised his head, saying, ¡®That¡¯s¡­!¡¯ and turned his gaze away when he saw Elisabeth¡¯s very hurt face. ¡®Oh, come on.¡¯ Dylan was flustered. He didn¡¯t know what to do because Elisabeth was sad. Elisabeth wondered. ¡®I thought you¡¯d tell me to piss off straight like you did before?¡¯ When emotional acting worked better than expected, Elisabeth decided to take a step further. ¡°I have explained enough before. The reason why you shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± ¡°I like it here. Don¡¯t kick me out. No matter how much you don¡¯t like me¡­¡± ¡°What, what are you saying?¡± Dylan put on a serious look. Elisabeth opened her eyes wide because he was almost furious. ¡°Dylan, I was hated back in my old house, and I¡¯m an orphan when I go outside, so it¡¯s dangerous everywhere. This is the safest place.¡± ¡°Eli¡­¡± ¡°I thought it would be great to have a loving brother because I was only hated in the old house.¡± Dylan softly looked at Elisabeth with his mouth shut. Brother, older brother. What a really strange word. The moment he heard it, his heart turned soft. ¡°Do as you please.¡± Dylan flipped around, not wanting her to see his heart softening. ¡°Dylan!¡± As Elisabeth followed, Dylan turned his head slightly and looked at her. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡± ¡°Why!¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy because I have to pick up all the paper butterflies you threw.¡± ¡°That¡¯s for me to pick up.¡± ¡°It¡¯s right for me to do it because I¡¯m the one who brought it. Don¡¯t come out and stay in the room.¡± ¡°But still¡­¡± Dylan sighed and approached Elisabeth. Then he pressed down with his palm the head of the little girl who was looking up. ¡°Ouch.¡± ¡°Some nobles will visit the mansion soon. Stay in the room and behave so you won¡¯t get noticed.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Elisabeth answered obediently. I heard from Marian and she knew. The Count¡¯s young lady, whose face is the same as the dead Princess Cabezo, had to hide. ¡°And the balcony¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t go out because it¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°You listen well.¡± Dylan giggled. ¡®Oh, he laughed!¡¯ Elisabeth, who was surprised at the image, unconsciously smiled at Dylan. Then Dylan, who was smiling, suddenly turned into a strange face. ¡°I¡¯m going out.¡± Then he ran out of the room and left. ¡°What the. Is it that bad that I smile?¡± Elisabet pouted her lips and glared at the closed door. *** It was all because of money that the aristocrats who despised Count Daughtry began to look for him on their own feet. The news that Marquis Dalton made a fortune after he invested in Count Daughtry¡¯s business spread throughout the Empire. Some say that even if you don¡¯t invest, you will be able to make money once you share a conversation with Count Daughtry, who is a genius when it comes to money. ¡°Hmm, everybody knows that face.¡± Elisabeth secretly looked out through a small window. Two aristocrats were walking with their sons in the garden. Count Raizen, his son Thomas Raizen, Marquis Orell, and his son Tyce Orell. Elisabeth searched her memories before her return. ¡®The Count Raizen was a bat.¡¯ He was famous for sticking here and there. In good terms, it is called the art of living. Thanks to that, Count Raizen has been able to expand his fortune. The Marquis of Orell was the right-hand man of the Duke of Cabezo. And his son, Tyce Orell, and daughter, Dalina Orell, became the subordinates of Polia, just like their father. ¡®Those were the faces I didn¡¯t want to see again.¡¯ I thought it was fortunate that I was hiding. ¡°You brought your children here who are the same age as Dylan to make friends with him for connections, right?¡± As soon as he made his debut in high society, Dylan quickly became the center of the social world. Ability and good looks that remind you of your father, Victoire. Even if you don¡¯t say a word, you¡¯re overwhelmed by the atmosphere. ¡®It¡¯s strange that everyone doesn¡¯t like it.¡¯ Dylan didn¡¯t really seem to like anyone. Maybe he didn¡¯t like the excessive attention. Only Emilie, who neglected high society because she was distracted by her father¡¯s favor, was not interested in Dylan. Suddenly, a memory popped up before her return. One day, Polia announced. Dylan was Polia¡¯s ¡®favorite person¡¯. When she mentioned Dylan Daughtry¡¯s name, Emilie finally found out about him. When events of the past came to mind, Elisabeth became anxious. ¡®Then will I meet Polia again someday? No, I doubt it.¡¯ In the end, she is a daughter who exists to offer her ¡®blood¡¯ anyway. Maybe in the future, she¡¯ll be hidden inside the Daughtry mansion. Then suddenly the curtains in front of me closed. ¡°Elisabeth. You shouldn¡¯t let people discover you.¡± It was Damon who closed the window curtains. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean for you to apologize.¡± Damon smiled affectionately. ¡°I understand because you¡¯re very curious. But you have to be careful. Because if anyone sees you, they might get jealous.¡± ¡°What?¡± Damon pressed Elisabeth¡¯s cheek slightly. The chubby baby fat has gone in. ¡°This¡­ is this a punishment?¡± Elisabeth asked, puzzled. ¡°Punishment, you say? Haha¡­¡± Damon laughed loudly. I¡¯ve seen him smile a lot, but this is the first time I¡¯ve heard him laugh this loud. ¡°Our youngest sister has a side that is not like a child who grew up to be precious.¡± Damon casually referred to Elisabeth ¡®our youngest sister.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t strange that he could boldly say these things easily. However, Elisabeth, who has lived only by taking responsibility as the eldest daughter, felt odd with the expression ¡®our youngest sister¡¯. ¡°Gentle and kind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not gentle and kind, it¡¯s just foolish.¡± Damon¡¯s eyes widened at Elisabeth¡¯s words. ¡°Why do you say that? It breaks my heart.¡± Damon turned around and asked Marian without expression. ¡°Who said Elisabeth was a fool?¡± ¡°No! No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Elisabeth answered quickly instead of Marian. ¡®It¡¯s just because was a fool in my previous life.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t say that. It was because the sincerity in my heart was broken without realizing it. Damon couldn¡¯t shake off his worried face. ¡®I¡¯ said something useless.¡¯ Instead of telling the truth, Elisabeth grinned. ¡°Damon, how wealthy is our house? I¡¯m curious.¡± It was a childish question. ¡®Shame on me for asking this kind of question!¡¯ Thanks to Elisabeth¡¯s shame, Damon forgot his earlier worries and had a playful look. ¡°Call me *older brother and I¡¯ll let you know.¡± (in korean its ¡®orabeoni¡¯.) ¡°Yes?¡± Elisabeth startledly asked. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s not it! I¡¯m just embarrassed.¡± Elisabeth¡¯s round cheeks flushed. Damon smiled, not knowing what to do at the cuteness. ¡°Okay. Call me that when you feel comfortable.¡± ¡°Thank you, Damon.¡± Damon was friendly, though too friendly. ¡®You¡¯re with Victoire who¡¯s just trying to use me.¡¯ He was warm and considerate enough to believe that this kindness was real. ¡®It¡¯s a good thing Dylan was behaving differently.¡¯ Because of Dylan, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m really going to like this house. Should I thank him for that? ¡°How wealthy is our house?¡± Damon, unaware of Elisabeth¡¯s pace, embraced Elisabeth in a flash and sat her on the sofa. Then he sat himself beside Elisabeth. ¡°We just earn as much as others earn.¡± ¡°Gee, that¡¯s not true. Young Master.¡± Marian, who had remained still until now, booed. ¡°You¡¯re still one of the five wealthiest men in the Empire. If you add hidden wealth, you¡¯ll have more than the Duke of Cabezo, the number one family in the Empire.¡± ¡®The number one family in the Empire? I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Elisabeth laughed inwardly. ¡®People think the Duke of Cabezo has a fortune, but it¡¯s all rotten inside.¡¯ The Duke of Cabezo had a lot of things. But it was piled up on top of a sand castle. No matter how high the foundation of the castle was, it was only for a moment then it¡¯ll collapse. The Duke of Cabezo was on the verge of collapse. No one has properly managed the vast wealth. The only thing he could do was to block the bank from collapsing what our ancestors had built up with the background of the family. Later, Emilie took charge of the family¡¯s budget affairs and struggled to straighten out the mess. In the process, she kicked out officials who were involved with various corruption cases. ¡®Because that person is a close friend of Polia¡¯s, I was later humiliated.¡¯ The Cabezo family had strangely large amounts of money leaking from the inside. And the place where the money flowed eventually leads to one. Before she died, Emilie was tracking the stream. ¡®If I¡¯d tracked it down a little bit more, I would have known who was stealing the money.¡¯ Emilie died after failing to reveal the truth. Anyway, if Emilie hadn¡¯t fixed it at that time, the Duke¡¯s finances would have been left alone as it crumbles to dust. ¡®Now¡­ I¡¯ll tell him to take care of it.¡¯ Elisabeth inflated her cheeks. *** Three signatures have been signed into the contract. ¡°Then I¡¯ll trust the Count.¡± The Marquis of Orell reached out his hand. Victoire held their hands together. ¡°It¡¯s because making money is what I do best.¡± ¡°Haha. Count Daughtry has no hesitation in his speech!¡± Count Raizen pretended to give a hearty laugh. However, both eyes were constantly going back and forth between the Marquis and Victoire, who were constantly on the lookout. ¡°I heard that Sir Damon has great business skills because he resembles his father, he¡¯s going to be big soon.¡± The flattered Damon, who could see through Count Raizen, smiled kindly. ¡°Sir Dylan is very intelligent because he looks like the Count.¡± Said the Marquis of Orell. ¡°He¡¯s still lacking.¡± ¡°There¡¯s already a lot of talk about him being the number one groom in society.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious about this. The youngest daughter of this great Count Daughtry and the sister of Sir Dylan.¡± Count Raizen said. Victoire¡¯s eyes grew sharp at that moment. Chapter 12 ¡°Everyone¡¯s wondering. When we all meet, the mysterious Daughtry talks about his youngest daughter.¡± The Marquis of Orell also chipped in. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long after she lost her parents and changed her environment, so it¡¯s not time to go out yet. She¡¯s having a hard time adjusting.¡± Damon spoke in a friendly but clear tone. ¡°Obviously, she¡¯ll become the number one prospective bride for Dylan once she goes public. Haha.¡± Victoire glared at Count Raizen, who was making silly remarks. Count Raizen shut his mouth tight. ¡°I heard she¡¯s a daughter of a distant relative, but how far? It¡¯s because it¡¯s not the first time that a relative of the wealthy Count Daughtry lived and died.¡± Marquis of Orell asked meaningfully. ¡°She was a distant relative who I didn¡¯t know existed. I was accidentally contacted by people asking me where to leave the child.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t such a distant relative practically a stranger? When she grows up, Sir Dylan and your youngest daughter can get married. First-class bride and groom! Hahaha!¡± ¡°Count Raizen!¡± The Marquis of Orell frightfully said. Count Raizen, who was making too many silly remarks, trembled and shrinked his body. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing though.¡± Count Raizen opened his mouth again to lighten up the atmosphere. Victoire, Damon, and Marquis Orell all had faces that say: ¡®Let¡¯s see what nonsense it is this time.¡¯ At the same time, they all looked at Count Raizen. ¡°You suddenly got a little girl, so it¡¯s a happy occasion, isn¡¯t it? She must be very lovely.¡± ¡®Lovely?¡¯ An image came to Victoire¡¯s mind for a moment while I was laughing at Count Raizen¡¯s words. Elisabeth looked up with a naive face. Elisabeth, who puts out her round face through the crack in the door every morning. Elisabeth who was approaching with a smile. His heart was pounding. ¡°You must be happy to think about it. You¡¯re full of smiles.¡± The voice of Marquis Orell brought back Victoire. ¡°No. There¡¯s a lot of things to worry about since the kid¡¯s coming in. There are many new things to teach.¡± Victoire stiffly said on purpose. ¡°But it¡¯s good to have a daughter. The Duke of Cabezo lost his daughter around the same time.¡± Marquis Orell said quietly. ¡°But His Excellency, the Duke, wasn¡¯t very sad isn¡¯t he?¡± Count Raizen spoke again. ¡°It was strange. Usually when you lose your daughter, you¡¯re desperate to find her, right? But after announcing her death so early, she was treating his first daughter as if he never had one in the first place.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure His Excellency has a reason. Let¡¯s not say anything carelessly.¡± The Marquis of Orell coldly responded. At that moment, Victoire lost his cool. ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t you be sad about your daughter¡¯s death?¡¯ Victoire clenched his fist. ¡®I knew the Duke of Cabezo was a family with no blood or tears, but that¡¯s really hard to bear.¡¯ Damon wrapped the Victoire¡¯s clenched fist in his palm to calm him down. Only then did Victoire realize that he was furious. ¡®Why am I so mad about this? In conclusion, it was beneficial to us.¡¯ Victoire was confused. He has always controlled his emotions. It was because he wanted to put emotions in a place where he could only pour them out. ¡®A place that deserves to pour out emotion¡¯ is the family¡¯s revenge. So far he¡¯s been doing well. That¡¯s why it was unbecoming of him to become so agitated. ¡®I think I need to change the subject.¡¯ He quickly brought up his business story with a stiff expression on his face. *** ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Four eyes rolled around in the drawing room and noticed. But Dylan, who actually led the silence, seemed indifferent. ¡°Uh, Sir Dylan. Is there something bothering you?¡± Thomas Raizen, who seemed to be the most uncomfortable, asked cautiously. ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°You¡¯re arrogant too. Sir Dylan.¡± Tyce Orell sarcastically remarked. Dylan only gave him one glance, and did not respond. Tyce Orell seemed to be fuming in his head and developed a fever. He was from a well-known Marquis family, and Dylan was from a Count family with nothing but money. Naturally, Dylan had to bow to him first. But Dylan didn¡¯t even face Tyce Orell, let alone bow. On top of that, Dylan¡¯s reputation, which is famous in the social world, is so high that he could not even compare with himself thus he felt inferior. ¡°It¡¯s understandable. Your popularity is skyrocketing these days.¡± Thomas said. Tyce glared at Thomas. But Thomas, who was more tactless than his father, was just innocent. ¡°Everyone says so. The Duke¡¯s lady¡¯s feelings are going to be towards Dylan.¡± ¡°Why would Polia marry a son of a Count?¡± Tyce screamed. ¡°So noisy.¡± Dylan turned his head around and looked out of the window. ¡°What? Noisy?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not polite to come to someone else¡¯s house and make loud noises.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave! What does Father even want me to do with this guy!¡± Tyce left the drawing room like he had been waiting. Dylan didn¡¯t care whether he did. Tyce, who always swarms like a child and yells at his own will, was too bothersome. ¡®If you¡¯re a decent, cute little girl like Elisabeth, you can be stubborn.¡¯ Dylan¡¯s heart fluttered as he thought casually of Elisabeth. ¡®What do you mean it¡¯s okay? Not even him. I have to get her out of here.¡¯ ¡°Tyce Orell, man. Just where is he even going. There¡¯s nothing to do if you go out there.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Sir Dylan? Oh, maybe he went looking for the youngest daughter, the hidden Daughtry?¡± Dylan¡¯s face instantly went blank with Thomas¡¯ nonsense. Thomas again said anything without any sense, but if it were Tyce, there was a good chance he would do such a polite and reckless thing. The son of Marquis of Orell is so arrogant that he does not know how to be afraid of heaven. ¡®That jerk, I have to stop him from going to Elisabeth¡¯s room.¡¯ Dylan stormed out of his seat. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go together!¡± Thomas, who was left alone, scurried out following Dylan. *** Elisabeth lay on her bed and stamped her feet. ¡®I¡¯m so bored.¡¯ Marian had left the room briefly, saying she was bringing puzzle toys for the bored Elisabeth. ¡®Puzzle toys. Looks like a baby.¡¯ Of course, Elisabeth Daughtry is a child, but this soul inside her body was eighteen years old. Besides, it hurts my pride, ¡®It¡¯s honestly fun.¡¯ The play was so much fun for the 12-year-old Elisabeth, who had never played childish games or played with toys when she was young. In addition, Victoire¡­ ¡­bought toys carelessly. Every time he bought toys in the same manner and I had picked them up, they were all expensive and rare. There was no place to put toys in the room, so I had to make a separate toy room. ¡®I¡¯m thankful, but¡­..¡¯ The days of hiding like this will continue. Little baby toys will never comfort Elisabeth. ¡®I can¡¯t wait for a puzzle for a 12-year-old every time.¡¯ It occurred to me that I should prepare something to enjoy this confinement situation, not this confinement. ¡®Shall I ask Victoire?¡¯ Victoire may do her a favor out of guilt because he has to use Elisabeth. But if Dylan finds out¡­ ¡®He¡¯s already driving me out and he thinks I¡¯m an annoying child.¡¯ To put it bluntly, it was Dylan, not Victoire or Damon, who really cared for Elisabeth. Victoire and Damon were kind and affectionate. They were giving Elisabeth everything she needed right now and took care of her without saying anything. But Dylan was the only one who tried to help Elisabeth not to be exploited. It would have been better if you were just a little nicer. ¡®I might really hate you a little bit.¡¯ Is it necessary to say ¡®piss off¡¯? Damon¡¯s such a nice guy. It¡¯s just that for me, that¡¯s too much. Of course, from Dylan¡¯s point of view, it was frustrating to see a child being used like a fool. ¡®Rather, he doesn¡¯t even know I¡¯m using Victoire.¡¯ Anyway, I couldn¡¯t keep bumping into Dylan for many of the days ahead as I stay here. ¡®I have no intention of leaving this house. So I have to win Dylan¡¯s heart somehow.¡¯ As a younger sister, she had to be less annoying even if she was not recognized. ¡®How to do that? I¡¯ll have to listen to you first, right?¡¯ That¡¯s why Elisabeth didn¡¯t take a step outside the room, even though she was sore and about to die. ¡®No one¡¯s coming to this room until they go back. Ah, so bored.¡¯ Elisabeth couldn¡¯t bear the boredom and rolled over the bed. Elisabeth, who was rolling around for two rows on the bed, immediately fell down to the floor.. ¡°Oww¡­¡± No matter how bored you are, what kind of childish behavior is this? ¡®I didn¡¯t do this when I was Emilie back then.¡¯ Being treated like a child, I felt that my mental age was also young. But I didn¡¯t hate it that much. It was rather good. ¡®No one would say anything if I acted like a child.¡¯ Her biological father was always displeased with the fact that 5-year-old Emilie had perfectly mastered etiquette. He frowned, let alone rejoiced, when the etiquette teacher praised Emilie until her mouth was dry. Then he persistently finds faults. It was Emilie¡¯s stepmother who gave her a teacher. Although she was always labeled as incompetent, Emilie learned perfectly from such teachers. The teachers were thrilled to have a disciple as remarkable as Emilie under the same novice. ¡®Even though it was not in my father¡¯s eyes.¡¯ Her father, who was strict about everything to Emilie, loved Polia even when running barefoot around the house. He was always smiling as if he could not bear it because he was so lovely. ¡®Why did he hate me so much? Why didn¡¯t you believe me? You could have trusted your daughter for once.¡¯ In my previous life, I was going crazy wanting to know why. If I fixed the reason on my own, I might be loved by my father. But the more I tried, the more father pushed Emilie away. But now I was just literally ¡®curious.¡¯ Because it was a behavior that I didn¡¯t understand. Elisabeth blinked under the rolled blanket. ¡®It¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s forget it all. RIght now I¡¯m¡­¡¯ Bang! And then. There was a harsh opening of the door. ¡®Is it Dylan?¡¯ Elisabeth poked her head out of the blanket. But the man who stepped on the carpet was a face she didn¡¯t want to meet. ¡®Tyce Orell? Why is he here?¡¯ Elisabeth quickly put her face back into the blanket. ¡°What? I think it¡¯s a girl¡¯s room. Why isn¡¯t anyone here?¡± Tyce wanted to play a trick on Dylan. That¡¯s why he was looking for the Daughtry¡¯s youngest daughter that was hidden tightly. ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯s a stupid and ugly child but she¡¯s hiding it. I¡¯m going to spread rumors about you in society, and I¡¯m going to talk about you all the time!¡¯ Tyce looked around the room with a grumpy face. He was sure Daughtry had their youngest daughter in this room. This was the most plausible ¡®youngest daughter¡¯ room that Tyce finally found after sneaking in secretly from room to room. ¡°They sure made it pretty.¡± The room was luxurious and charming. I felt extremely concerned for Tyce, whose eyes had no one to look at. In addition, the room was filled with cute dolls and toy sculptures. There are even models of monkeys that move when the spring is closed, or dolls of girls that light up with magic stones embedded in their eyes. There were many expensive and precious toys that even Tyce could not easily have. ¡®That upstart subject¡­!¡¯ Tyce gnawed his teeth in jealousy. Chapter 13 Even the furniture had rounded corners so that the little girl wouldn¡¯t get hurt by a bump. On the ceiling was a painting of baby angels running around, next to it was the signature and name of the most famous painter at the side. Also, the bed, surrounded by canopy, which was too wide to use alone. And the bedding¡­ was invisible. ¡°Where¡¯s the blanket? Oho.¡± Tyce found a blanket rolled by the bedside. And he also found fingers sticking out of the crevice in the blanket. ¡°Hey. Daughtry¡¯s youngest daughter.¡± The blanket rolled up and down. Tyce laughed. ¡°Show me your face. How beautiful are you that your father and your older brother are hiding you like that? Or are you as ugly as the rumor goes?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Oh well. You¡¯ve grown up poor, so you¡¯ve got no manners and you¡¯ve got nothing to show. That¡¯s why you¡¯re hiding, right?¡± Tyce got closer and closer. Elisabeth held her breath. ¡®Sir Tyce knows Emilie¡¯s face. I¡¯ll get caught right away.¡¯ Elisabeth clenched her small fist. She was going to give him a blow and run away. ¡°Let¡¯s look at your face¡­ Aah!¡± It was when Tyce was about to lift the blanket. Tyce rolled on the floor before Elisabeth could even shake her fist. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡®Did I have the power to hit people?¡¯ Elisabeth raised her head. Dylan was fuming while kicking Tyce. Pok! Tyce¡¯s scream was heard while landing with a thud. ¡°Ah! What, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What are you just doing? Why did you come into someone¡¯s room as you please!¡± ¡°I, I was wondering what your younger sister, uh, looked like. Can¡¯t we see her?¡± ¡°No!¡± Dylan kicked Tyce again. She heard a louder sound this time. Tyce shrieked with pain. Dylan gave his eyes a boost to Elisabeth, who was staring in amazement. Elisabeth quickly hid her face under the blanket. ¡°How, how dare a subject like the Count¡¯s son, a, attack the Marquis¡¯ son?¡± ¡°Get up. I¡¯m going to ask Marquis Orell if he taught his son that he could go into other people¡¯s rooms freely.¡± ¡°Hey. That¡¯s not it. Hey.¡± Dylan dragged Tyce¡¯s neck out of Elisabeth¡¯s room. Elisabeth crawled out of the blanket only after the door was closed and everywhere was quiet. ¡°Phew.¡± I almost got caught. It would have been a real disaster if it wasn¡¯t for Dylan. When I touched my chest with my hands, my heart was still pounding. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face, Tyce?¡± Marquis of Orell yelled. Tyce¡¯s cheeks were swollen as if they had been stung by wasps. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s, well I fell down.¡± ¡°Fell¡­ down?¡± The Marquis asked back as if he could not believe it. Dylan watched the scene while feigning innocence. After leaving Elisabeth¡¯s room, Dylan took Tyce to a quiet place and beat him up. Tyce, who was bluffing, was also scared and was busy begging when Dylan punched him properly. ¡°Boys are too tough, aren¡¯t they? Our Thomas fell down and got hurt like that.¡± ¡°Father, I never did.¡± Count Raizen intervened without notice again. Orell had a hard time, but he kept his mouth shut because he couldn¡¯t question him further there. *** Victoire, Damon and Dylan stood side by side and watched the carriages leave the mansion. The sunset glowed red as if burning two carriages. ¡°Dylan.¡± ¡°Victoire.¡± Victoire and Dylan called out to each other at the same time. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you first.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll tell you first.¡± They were stubborn, no matter who was first. ¡°Dylan, you hit Sir Tyce right?¡± Damon quickly took the lead through the crack. Dylan frowned, dissatisfied. ¡°I tried not to kill him.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, my brother.¡± Damon said in a tone not admirable at all. ¡°Why did you hit him?¡± Victoire asked. ¡°Because that bastard has entered Elisabeth¡¯s room as he pleased.¡± ¡°What?¡± Victoire then said after pondering for a moment. ¡°Good job.¡± ¡°Father!¡± Damon was furious. (Damon) ¡°He used violence, but what do you mean he did well. Besides, the opponent is the Marquis of Orell. There¡¯s nothing good about showing antipathy already.¡± (V) ¡°He sneaked into Elisabeth¡¯s room, so he should get hit.¡± (Damon) ¡°That¡¯s not how children¡¯s education works, Father.¡± (V) ¡°You and I don¡¯t match in the education viewpoints. It would be better to separate at this point.¡± Dylan, who was staring at the pathetic sight of his bickering and father and brother, then said. ¡°Victoire, you¡¯re messing up the false rumor about Elisabeth, so now they¡¯re looking down on Elisabeth.¡± The two men looked at Dylan at the same time. Victoire looked bitter when he realized what Dylan meant. (V) ¡°The rumor is for Elisabeth. A poor, lousy, and lowly child. No one will ever think of Princess Emilie Cabezo after hearing this rumor.¡± (Dy) ¡°Even though Elisabeth is despised? Even though a bunch of nasty guys like Tyce Orell, look at Elisabeth like a little puppy?¡± (V) ¡°The first thing I do is to protect Elisabeth.¡± (Dy) ¡°Like hell you¡¯re protecting her. You¡¯re just using her.¡± A sharp silence fell between the two men. ¡°Give Elisabeth a tutor. Top-of-the-line. And then spread the word out.¡± ¡°No. What if the tutor finds out who she is?¡± Damon has dried Dylan. (Dy) ¡°Then call your aunt.¡± The Aunt he was referring to was Baroness Terran, Victoire¡¯s sister. She lived under the cloak of her identity like Victoire, then married her husband in the north. ¡°My sister hates the blood of the Duke of Cabezo. Much more than us. It could be more dangerous for Elisabeth. You don¡¯t know this either?¡± Dylan closed his eyes tightly. Victoire calmly watched his young son as he seriously worried. ¡°Then I¡¯ll teach her.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Am I not a decent tutor? If it is rumored that I¡¯m teaching her myself, then everyone can¡¯t ignore Elisabeth.¡± ¡°A kid like you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that young. You don¡¯t even know my social reputation.¡± By Dylan¡¯s sharp remarks, Victoire confirmed with silence. ¡°If we teach her ourselves, it means we¡¯re treating them like family, so they won¡¯t look down on Elisabeth anymore.¡± ¡°Dylan, aren¡¯t you just busy taking lessons in the Knights of the Dalton?¡± Damon said far from the topic. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that.¡± ¡°What a spoiled brat, Dylan.¡± Victoire said in a mixed tone. ¡°What bullshit are you talking about?¡± ¡°Did you forget what Elisabeth said? ¡®Get along with each other¡¯ is what she said.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Dylan was disgusted. He left, he didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. Watching Dylan move as he stomped his feet, Victoire¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Look, Father. That¡¯s not how children¡¯s education works.¡± Damon sighed deeply. *** The mansion where the people left was calm as if a storm had passed by. Elisabeth strode down the quiet corridor. She was on the way to Dylan¡¯s room. ¡®I should say thank you.¡¯ I owe Dylan one today. I don¡¯t have any presents for him, but I wanted to convey my heart. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m constantly in debt to Dylan.¡¯ Dylan is the one who tries to kick me out, and also the one taking care of me. He always tells me to get out of the way and always comes to save me from danger. ¡®So when I think of Dylan, I feel weird.¡¯ I want to hate you, but I can¡¯t hate you. I want to like you, but it¡¯s hard. It was a complex emotion that could not be easily defined even by the heart of eighteen. Dylan¡¯s room was on top of the mansion. The three-story Daughtry mansion was young-looking and bright. It mainly used high-quality yet high-colored materials, and the architecture style also followed the latest forms. Some people laughed at him, calling him ¡®nouveau riche¡¯, but someone even built a villa after Daughtry and mimicked the mansion. Even inside the mansion, the third floor, where this Daughtry¡¯s at the top, had a different atmosphere. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s dark.¡¯ Unlike the second floor, where Victoire, Elisabeth and Damon¡¯s rooms are located, the third floor had a room or study for the family¡¯s collection. Dylan¡¯s room was the only room on the floor where a person ate and slept. Victoire had said this about the layout of the room. Though not affectionate, he was a father who quietly listened to his son. The third floor was as quiet as a mouse. Elisabeth carefully approached Dylan¡¯s room. Then she took a deep breath and knocked. ¡°¡­..¡± Knock, knock ¡°¡­..¡± Knock knock! There was no answer. ¡®Marian surely said Dylan was in his room right now?¡¯ Are you ignoring me on purpose? That¡¯s a possibility. Elisabeth inflated her cheeks. Then clenched her little fist. It was that moment when she was about to strike her fist. ¡°What is it?¡± The door opened and Dylan put out his face. ¡°Uh, uh¡­.!¡± ¡°That fist, are you trying to swing it at me?¡± ¡°Nope, no!¡± Elisabeth quickly hid her fist behind her back. Dylan went into the room first, expressionless. Elisabeth followed behind in a hurry. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Dylan¡¯s expression was unsettling. I was always unlucky, but he seemed colder than usual. Elisabeth opened her mouth, hesitating a little. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Dylan asked back as if he didn¡¯t know. Dylan was quick-witted, so there was no way he didn¡¯t know. It was intentional to ask back. Elisabeth said, swallowing her suspicion. ¡°You saved me from Sir Tyce.¡± Dylan stared at Elisabeth. ¡®What¡¯s that, your I-don¡¯t-like-this look?¡¯ ¡°If you¡¯re grateful, get out of this house.¡± It was a familiar word. But something was strange to think that it was a beginning again. Dylan¡¯s gray eyes were sitting heavily. ¡®Why did you come here¡­¡¯ Dylan shut his eyes once and opened them. ¡®It won¡¯t leave my head.¡¯ The figure of Elisabeth, who was crouching and trembling, kept flickering. I was angry why I couldn¡¯t beat Tyce Orell more. I was angry at myself for not being able to stop the situation. I thought it might happen one day, but when I saw it, my eyes turned upside down. Chapter 14 Does this little child Elisabeth, who stands before him now, know that she¡¯s looking up at him with a puzzled look? Do you have any idea how dangerous he was? And how much I worried about you¡­ ¡®If this happens again, I might not be able to protect you.¡¯ The thought made my heart burst. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I almost got caught by Tyce Orell today.¡± It wasn¡¯t long before the little girl said cautiously. There was a little bit of sadness in her tiny voice, which made Dylan snap again. ¡°What are you sorry for?¡± So Dylan unknowingly raised his voice. ¡°Tyce Orell, that impudent bastard came into your room as he pleased.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°If he¡¯d touched you, I wouldn¡¯t have let him go!¡± Elisabeth¡¯s eyes shook. ¡®Why are you so¡­.¡¯ You¡¯re getting angry. You¡¯re not annoyed, but really angry. ¡®No way, for me¡­?¡¯ Something hot spread through Elisabeth¡¯s heart as she looked at the distorted face of Dylan. ¡°But I¡¯m still sorry.¡± ¡°I told you, don¡¯t say you¡¯re sorry.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave you if you say that, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Dylan¡¯s face, distorted by Elisabeth¡¯s blunt words, was blank. ¡®Sorry, Dylan.¡¯ Dylan¡¯s face soon hardened cold. However, his feelings were not as intense as before. It was like ¡®I knew it.¡¯ ¡°I hate it. That you¡¯re my sister.¡± Then he vented out, grumpily. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You keep bothering and bothering me.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± I had nothing to say. She said she would try, but her existence itself bothered him. ¡°Those bastards, they don¡¯t pay attention. But I thought I was going crazy because it kept bothering me today. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll come near you, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll do something.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°If I were you, I would have said I¡¯d leave first, even if I were scared. But you¡¯re also you.¡± It was so true that Elisabeth had nothing more to say. Still, when she refused to say she would leave stubbornly, Dylan frowned his forehead as he was frustrated. ¡°You think I¡¯m going to keep protecting you just because you do, because you¡¯re still here? Do you think I¡¯ll help you when you¡¯re in danger? Are you always looking at me and expecting me to magically show up when you need me?¡± Dylan spewed out his words like a shotgun. There was a lot of inconsistency in the words of the person who magically appeared and rescued her when she was in danger. ¡°I, I don¡¯t expect that.¡± Elisabeth panicked and stuttered in her speech. ¡°I won¡¯t expect that, so please don¡¯t hate me.¡± Elisabeth sincerely added the words. I should be more careful from now on. So I shouldn¡¯t bother Dylan. At that moment, Dylan turned pale. ¡°You, I don¡¯t hate you!¡± Then he shouted. He rushed to Elisabeth and grabbed her by the shoulder. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ Dylan sighed as he agonized over what to do. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. Understand?¡± He looked seriously troubled. He seemed to have misunderstood that Elisabeth was deeply hurt by his hatred. When she saw that, it made Elisabeth playful. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Dylan was restless when Elisabeth bowed as she pretended to be hurt. ¡°Ah really, what¡¯s wrong with you. What am I supposed to do?¡± Dylan turned back, looked back, came here and there, and did not know what to do. ¡®You¡¯re embarrassed for someone who told me to get out easily like eating?¡¯ Elisabeth swallowed the laughter that was about to come out. Then Dylan, who came back and forth and came to Elisabeth¡¯s face again, holding her in his arms as if he had made up his mind. ¡®Oh¡­?¡¯ Elisabeth looked up in surprise. He is very careful and hugs his little sister, who is heartbroken. Dylan¡¯s hand patted Elisabeth¡¯s shoulder gently. It was strange. ¡®It¡¯s as comfortable as Victoire¡¯s. Is it because they have the same blood?¡¯ At that moment Dylan bowed his head. Elisabeth quickly rubbed her face on Dylan¡¯s chest. It was so that we didn¡¯t make eye contact, but Dylan smelled good. ¡°I don¡¯t hate you. It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t want us to meet like this.¡± Dylan said. It was quite a grown-up remark, so my heart was moved. ¡®Sixteen is old enough to say this.¡¯ Twelve-year-old Elisabeth looked up again at sixteen-year-old Dylan. ¡®I don¡¯t hate you either.¡¯ Elisabeth whispered in her heart. Dylan, I think he¡¯s a better boy than I thought. *** Until late at night, Elisabeth could not sleep. In Dylan¡¯s arms, she behaved like a baby. He would have hugged her to soothe her, but she pretended to be heartbroken, and tears really came out. ¡®Dylan¡¯s clothes were wet with my tears.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know why I cried. ¡®But I felt like I could cry a little bit.¡¯ She learned that tears should be endured. That¡¯s because her father always said she was a princess. So when Emilie fell down and cried, her father kept her in a room as punishment instead of soothing her. I remember crouching in the dark room and hearing the laughter of my father and Polia coming from outside. ¡®I was so forced to be a princess that I didn¡¯t seem like a child.¡¯ Perhaps Elisabeth was being rewarded for it now. ¡°Elisabeth.¡± I could hear the door open in the dark and I could hear the voice of Victoire. Elisabeth, who was sitting on the bed, was startled. Victoire lit a candle that had been extinguished and walked to Elisabeth. ¡°Your Grace.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing well in a dark room alone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of darkness.¡± Elisabeth said with a grin. ¡°It¡¯s not like a child.¡± Victoire seemed rather worried. ¡®Oh, you¡¯re not happy.¡¯ That was unexpected. I thought everyone liked a mature child. Daughtry seemed to prefer the immature young child. They were strange people. ¡°What brings you here, Your Grace?¡± Elisabeth changed the subject. ¡°Today, I heard from Dylan.¡± ¡®Which one are you talking about?¡¯ Tyce¡¯s doing? Or the one with me being a baby in Dylan¡¯s arms? ¡®I don¡¯t like the second one. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Victoire stroked the head of the nervous Elisabeth. ¡°You¡¯re very surprised by Sir Tyce, aren¡¯t you?¡± It¡¯s the first one. That¡¯s a relief. ¡°Dylan saved me.¡± Elisabeth said with a big smile. ¡°But why are your eyes swollen?¡± Asked Victoire. Elisabeth gave a moment of ¡®huk¡¯. It was only a peek, but I thought it was so obvious. ¡°Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be in danger again.¡± Victoire¡¯s voice was serious. Somehow it seemed bitter. ¡®You brought me here to put me in danger.¡¯ In Elisabeth¡¯s head there was a string of murmur of words that could not be said. I don¡¯t know why you want to keep my own blood and say things like that as if you¡¯re being sincere. ¡®If my soul hadn¡¯t been eighteen, I would have been deceived.¡¯ Elisabeth in her previous life was a young girl thirsty for affection. She pretended to be tired because she didn¡¯t want to feel any more strange feelings in her chest. ¡°Oh, I interrupted your sleep.¡± Victoire said, embarrassed. Elisabeth did not say no, but mimicked the tired look. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you alone. Sweet dreams.¡± ¡°Yes. Your Grace too.¡± Victoire didn¡¯t get up right away and hesitated. When Elisabeth looked at him with question marks in her eyes, he left the room quietly. *** Carefully closing Elisabeth¡¯s door, Victoire said to Marian: ¡°When Elisabeth tosses and turns in her sleep, light up the incense I gave her. It¡¯s a scent that makes you sleep well.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If she has a nightmare, wake her up right away and comfort her.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Give her warm milk when you put her to sleep again. It¡¯ll warm her stomach and make her feel drowsy.¡± ¡°Master.¡± Marian softly called Victoire. The stiff face of Victoire was loosened up by the voice. ¡°I¡¯ll keep those in mind. Have a good night¡¯s rest.¡± Marian smiled at such a master. As if not to worry. ¡°Then I¡¯ll believe Mrs. Marian.¡± Victoire patted Marian on the shoulder with relief and went back. Marian stared at the tightly closed door of Elisabeth, looking at the back of the changed Victoire. The master seemed to be gradually becoming a father. *** ¡°What? Dylan will teach me?¡± The next day, Elisabeth heard the shocking news. Damon laughed, as if he knew I would be surprised. ¡°I¡¯ve decided to pretend. There¡¯s nothing Dylan can do to bother you.¡± Then he admonished her affectionately, and suddenly Elisabeth thought that if she smiled with that face, there would be no woman or man who wouldn¡¯t come over. ¡°Pretending to be?¡± But for now, Elisabeth did not fall for it. Because the contents of what Damon said was absurd. ¡®Dylan¡¯s young, and it¡¯s weird to teach me, and it¡¯s weird to say it¡¯s teaching, but it¡¯s not really true.¡¯ Of course, Sir Dylan, the one who Polia fell in love with in her previous life, was a well-versed young man in swordsmanship as well as learning. The young ladies followed the young man and wanted to be taught. ¡®Sir Dylan, who¡¯s the most arrogant, beat them all.¡¯ Among those who wanted to be taught by Dylan in their previous lives was Polia. Of course she was rejected. The Duke of Cabezo threatened like this, but nothing happened because of Polia, who was afraid of being hated by Dylan. Anyway, that¡¯s what happened in my previous life. ¡°If he decides to teach, he really has to teach me. This is foul play.¡± Elisabeth said, giving her eyes strength. Damon tilted his head in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired when you¡¯re with a bad-tempered kid like Dylan?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­!¡± Damon¡¯s relentless criticism left Elisabeth speechless. ¡°But I¡¯m not tired though.¡± ¡°You admit his personality is bad.¡± Damon smiled as if he had met a comrade. ¡°Elisabeth, you already excel without learning. Maybe you should teach Dylan.¡± Damon¡¯s words included the premise that Elisabeth, a ¡®Cabezo Princess,¡¯ had already been taught enough as a princess. However, Elisabeth did not like the remark, which touched the dead girl, Emilie. Chapter 15 ¡°I¡¯m a child of a distant relative of the Count, who couldn¡¯t eat and learn and grew up poor. I¡¯m not outstanding at all.¡± ¡°Why is our youngest child so childish today?¡± Damon, who was embarrassed for a moment, smiled and quickly hugged Elisabeth and sat her on his lap. ¡®Do I look childish?¡¯ If a 12-year-old girl comes out this obstinate, she¡¯ll look like a baby girl from her older brother¡¯s point of view. But from Elisabeth¡¯s point of view, it was enough. Elisabeth opened her mouth with a desire to refute. ¡°Can¡¯t I be childish?¡± But what came out of my mouth was really ¡®childish¡¯. Surprised by her tongue, Elisabeth looked up at Damon with her round eyes. ¡°You¡¯re always welcome.¡± Damon answered without a hit of any hesitation. Unknowingly, the tail of Elisabeth¡¯s mouth went up. ¡®Why do I act like a child here?¡¯ Does everyone treat me like a baby when I have the body of a baby? ¡®These people don¡¯t really like me, they would just use me.¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking about, Elisabeth.¡± Damon asked. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Your expression looks weird.¡± ¡°My expression?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you see it like that?¡± ¡°I always watch you with interest.¡± I was ashamed to say so. ¡°Just¡­ I wonder why you¡¯re so nice to me.¡± ¡°Why are we so nice?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really your youngest sister.¡± Damon frowned slightly between his eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re really my youngest sister. You¡¯ve been officially admitted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡®I shouldn¡¯t say I know your intentions.¡¯ Dylan told her, but Damon didn¡¯t know Elisabeth knew their secrets. I just thought I was stuck here naively because I was a child abused and raised at home. ¡°I¡¯m announcing that Dylan teaches you to let others know that you have a good education and that our family cares about you. That way, others will respect you more.¡± Damon said, persuading her. ¡°Though this adult situation may still feel difficult for you, don¡¯t think too complicated, Elisabeth. We¡¯ll take care of everything.¡± Elisabeth nodded. I was not completely convinced, but now I thought it would be better to move on like this. ¡®Why am I so agitated when I¡¯m using these people anyway?¡¯ Damon is friendly. To the point of tears sometimes. He was a warm and handsome brother anyone would¡¯ve wanted. She may have a different heart inside, but it was the same with Elisabeth. ¡®I just have to enjoy this until the time comes.¡¯ It¡¯s the kindness I never dreamed of having before. I wanted to enjoy it for a while, even if it¡¯s fake. *** Dylan was combing the horse¡¯s hair in the stable. There was a separate stable for acquaintances, but Dylan took care of his favorite horse. The name of the horse is Sonya. It was a well-groomed horse with silk like gloss on its dark fur. But Sonya was strange today. She kept stamping her feet and making huffing noises. ¡®Somebody¡¯s here.¡¯ Sonya was a sensitive horse that rarely stood by anyone¡¯s side except for her owner, Dylan. Dylan looked back. Beyond the fence, he could see blond hair sticking out. ¡°¡­..¡± Dylan turned his head pretending he hadn¡¯t seen it. The blonde hair was there until Dylan finished brushing Sonya and then quickly disappeared as Dylan tried to get out. However, as soon as he left the stable, he could immediately check out the blond hair that sprang up by the tree. ¡°Pfft.¡± Dylan laughed unconsciously and was surprised then turned to a serious face. Dylan made quick steps. Then, the sound of a short and quick steps from behind became urgent. Dylan walked faster again, not knowing that the tails of his mouth was going up. He heard a gasp behind him. And then, he heard the sound of a fall. ¡°Ouch!¡± Dylan turned around in surprise. Elisabeth fell on the ground. Dylan rushed to Elisabeth. ¡°You idiot, you fell!¡± Elisabeth laughed at Dylan, who was lifting her up. ¡°You¡¯re laughing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Phew.¡± Dylan brushed Elisabeth¡¯s dirty clothes off with his hands. ¡°Why are you following me, again and again.¡± ¡°I want to be friends.¡± ¡°You and I are a few years apart, but you want to become close.¡± How old is that? She¡¯s twelve and he¡¯s sixteen. Of course, four years would seem like a big difference for the 16-year-old, but it didn¡¯t mean much to Elisabeth, who has already lived two lives. ¡®You¡¯re still like a kid in times like this.¡¯ Elisabeth wanted to tease the ¡®kid¡¯, who was taller than her, but she held it in. ¡°Dylan speaks informally to his father, so we can be friendly too.¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Dylan was hit right on the mark. ¡®I need to get closer to Dylan to grow up smoothly here. I can¡¯t live long after being told to get out.¡¯ Since he said he ¡®does not hate¡¯ me with his own mouth, Dylan will not attack me otherwise except for ¡®piss off¡¯. But it was still not enough. ¡®People get friendly when they see each other for a long time.¡¯ On the surface, Dylan was her ¡®teacher.¡¯ It was an excellent excuse to stick together. ¡°Why do we have to be friendly?¡± But that excuse didn¡¯t work for Dylan. ¡°You don¡¯t hate me?¡± Dylan asked dumbfoundedly. Elisabeth felt that now was the time to appeal to him. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t hate you!¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisabeth showed her whole acting skills with 18 years of her life. Dylan could not hide his embarrassment when Elisabeth spoke in a sparkling way. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just like that. Dylan said he didn¡¯t hate me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s so¡­ You bother me so much.¡± ¡°Is that a bad thing? I¡¯m concerned about Dylan, too. I keep wanting to play together with you and miss you.¡± Asked Elisabeth, tilting her head. Dylan dodged his gaze in embarrassment. ¡°Uh¡­ stop following me anyway. Because it bothers me.¡± ¡°Is it because you care? My tutor, I just decided to talk.¡± ¡°How did you know that?¡± Dylan asked in amazement. ¡°Damon told me.¡± ¡°Funny jerk. You told me I shouldn¡¯t be teaching family, and now you¡¯ve been talking about it everywhere.¡± You don¡¯t call your father by his name. You don¡¯t call your older brother a ¡®jerk¡¯. It was dismissable that Damon had a dirty personality. ¡°There¡¯s a reason I decided not to really teach you. You¡¯re going to leave this house anyway, so I don¡¯t have to teach you.¡± That tone again. Elisabeth was furious. ¡°I¡¯m not going out!¡± ¡°Tch. Copy that.¡± Dylan turned around with his tongue. ¡®Oh, you don¡¯t nag more than usual.¡¯ It was Dylan who would normally have been whining for 200 characters about why I should ¡®get out¡¯ of this house. A positive thought flashed through Elisabeth¡¯s mind that somehow she could get closer. Elisabeth followed Dylan, who was ahead, with hasty steps. *** ¡°Oh, oh no!¡± Elisabeth exclaimed, running down the hall. ¡°Stay a little more strong, Miss! Your Grace¡¯s office is coming up!¡± The following Marie was also in a hurry. Yesterday, Elisabeth went too far in chasing Dylan all day. ¡®Is it because of the mood? Dylan seemed to have wandered around more that day.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know Dylan was so active inside the house. Thanks to him, I got to visit around every corner of the mansion that I had never seen before. ¡®I didn¡¯t know there was such a big waterfall in the garden woods.¡¯ The waterfall was also seen while chasing Dylan. I don¡¯t know why Dylan went there all of a sudden. Dylan¡­ Next, he went to a flower garden full of yellow flowers. After spending a long time in the flower bed, Elisabeth made a flower crown, bracelets, rings, and all that could be made. The only pain of the day was the failure to crown Dylan with a flower crown. ¡®I feel like I¡¯ve been playing hard.¡¯ Thanks to the hard work of the day, Elisabeth overslept. As usual, it happened at a time when Victoire had already left the mansion. ¡®You can¡¯t skip the morning call! It seems like you¡¯ve become a little more comfortable and neglected that part!¡¯ Elisabeth hurriedly opened the office, forgetting to knock. ¡°You¡¯ve come?¡± A voice was heard welcoming Elisabeth before all the doors were opened. Victoire was sitting at his desk. Elisabeth nodded with a red face as she ran. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m late.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. Today¡¯s a late day anyway.¡± Standing next to him, Harry looked at Victoire with a look of ¡®Don¡¯t lie.¡¯ ¡°Come here, Elisabeth. Your face is red from running.¡± Elisabeth sat on the chair dedicated to Elisabeth, which at some point occupied a space in the office. ¡°I thought you¡¯ve already left and I was worried.¡± Elisabeth said while squeezing her chest with her hand and took a breath. The figure was similar to a small sparrow, so a gentle smile spread around Victoire¡¯s mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, it¡¯s okay to skip greeting for a day.¡± ¡°No! I feel sad every morning if I don¡¯t see the face of Victoire.¡± The tail of Victoire¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°What did you do yesterday Elisabeth, for you to oversleep?¡± Asked Victoire. ¡°I was pretty busy yesterday.¡± I¡¯ve been very busy following Dylan around all day. ¡°You¡¯ve played hard. What did you do?¡± ¡°I saw the waterfall in the garden woods.¡± I was chasing Dylan, of course, and that was by chance. ¡°I also played in the flower garden in the back!¡± I was chasing Dylan. Elisabeth smiled happily. ¡°You must have had a lot of fun.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Play hard in the future, Elisabeth. There are more things to see in the mansion than you thought. If there¡¯s anything you want, tell me. I¡¯ll buy you anything if it¡¯s a toy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Elisabeth smiled brightly. I didn¡¯t need a toy or anything, and I was purely happy that someone told me, ¡®I¡¯ll do anything for you.¡¯ My father, the Duke of Cabezo always said this if she wanted something. When I was young, I thought one was being hard on their children so that they wouldn¡¯t grow up spoiled. ¡®But if that¡¯s the case, why was it different for Polia?¡¯ She wanted to hear this from her father too. But her seat was always in the dark, behind her father and Polia. But now she was listening to what she had hoped for. To this man who adopted her to take advantage of her himself. Chapter 16 ¡°Elisabeth, you are so easily pleased.¡± Victoire anxiously said. ¡°Because Your Grace is good to me. I¡¯m so happy.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t laugh at anyone like that for being nice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who laughs at anyone. Right?¡± When Elisabeth smiled brightly at his aide Harry, she sought consent. Victoire narrowed the middle of his forehead. ¡°Smile like that only to family, Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Dylan¡¯s rude so you don¡¯t have to laugh if you don¡¯t want to. Damon¡¯s a little naughty, so you can ignore him if you want. But make sure to smile at me. Don¡¯t do it to others.¡± Victoire looked serious. Elisabeth nodded in a daze. *** A man with brown hair came across the garden of the Daughtry mansion with his son. He greeted his friend, Victoire and his son Damon, whom he¡¯d be meeting. ¡°Long time no see, Marquis Dalton. How long has it been since you¡¯ve been to Daugtry¡¯s mansion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t remember. You¡¯ve got a precious youngest daughter, and you¡¯re not letting anyone anywhere near the mansion.¡± ¡°When did I do that?¡± (Damon) ¡°Don¡¯t lie in front of your son, father.¡± Victoire glared at Damon, who spoke the truth. ¡°Damon wasn¡¯t easy either. When I asked if I could go and play at his home, he laughed and stared at me as if he was going to kill me.¡± Jeremy, the son of Marquis Dalton, said obnoxiously. ¡°I was just laughing because you said some crazy shit, Jeremy.¡± Damon laughed lightly at Jeremy¡¯s provocation, whose age was near Dylan¡¯s. ¡°Your Grace, Damon!¡± They could hear the voice of a young girl in the distance. At the same time, Marquis Dalton and Jeremy witnessed an amazing sight. Victoire, who is famous for his bluntness, and Damon, who couldn¡¯t smile with his eyes even when he did, smiled as if they had found a golden mine at the same time. ¡°Elisabeth, you came just in time.¡± ¡°I heard you called.¡± ¡°I have someone to introduce.¡± The girl who appeared with Marian was Elisabeth. She was excited from the morning to hear that she would meet outsiders for the first time since becoming Elisabeth. Marian said this in the morning: ¡°His Grace the Marquis of Dalton was a great help to our Count when he was in trouble. He¡¯s trustworthy and important, so I¡¯ll make you look the prettiest.¡± Marian was also excited to dress young Elisabeth in this outfit and put on her accessories. Eventually, Elisabeth, wearing a blue dress and a white ribbon, was as lovely as a doll with fair cheeks. ¡°Hello. I¡¯m Elisabeth Daughtry.¡± Just 12 years old. The little girl greeted the Marquis Dalton and Jeremy with impeccable manners. The eyes of the two grew bigger. ¡°You¡¯re far different from rumors, Elisabeth.¡± Marquis Dalton said with an interesting face. Elisabeth grinned. ¡°Because rumors are supposed to spread like the wind that doesn¡¯t know where it came from.¡± At the words of the little girl, Marquis Dalton laughed. Elisabeth¡¯s eyes were wide open. ¡®Why are you laughing?¡¯ All the people around her were looking down at Elisabeth with pleased eyes. ¡°You must have a hard time hiding such a cute, clever child, Victoire. If Elisabeth were my daughter, I would spread rumors all over the Empire. Saying that this is my child.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Dalton.¡± Victoire scolded Marquis Dalton. ¡°If Dalton is the type to show off the more he loves, then Daughtry is the type to cherish and protect the more he loves.¡± Marquis Dalton said. ¡®Victoire and the Marquis of Dalton seem very close.¡¯ Elisabeth thought as she looked at the Marquis patting Victoire on the shoulder and Victoire stepping on the feet of Marquis Dalton. ¡®They said Marquis Dalton was trustworthy. So do you know Count Daughtry is actually a descendant of the Duke of Leschine?¡¯ People with secrets cannot get close unless the secrets are shared. ¡®What kind of relationship do the two families have?¡¯ I lived facing them every day, but Daughtry were people with a lot of questions. However, there was a limit to the child¡¯s body when trying to find out secretly. ¡°Elisabeth is perfect, but she lacks one.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± At the words of Marquis Dalton, Victoire asked coldly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you still call your father ¡®Your Grace¡¯. That father will be disappointed.¡± Elisabeth was embarrassed. Father? ¡®Victoire has a purpose, that¡¯s why he¡¯s keeping me. Why would he want to hear that from me?¡¯ I was afraid that Victoire would be offended by that remark. ¡°That is a bit of a problem.¡± Elisabeth was astonished by the affirmation of Victoire. ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Elisabeth asked with her cheeks red. ¡°It was said that it was not necessary to call me ¡®Father¡¯, and it seemed that there was no need to. You don¡¯t have to worry about it too much.¡± Victoire quickly explained himself as if he was embarrassed after he had spoken. ¡®What is it? You want me to call you father or not?¡¯ Elisabeth, who was in disarray, rolled her big eyes in confusion. Then Damon deliberately stepped in with a ¡®hahaha¡¯ laugh. ¡°How can Elisabeth do that already when Dylan hasn¡¯t even called him father yet?¡± (V) ¡°Dylan, he¡¯s always got no manners.¡± ¡°You never asked Dylan to call you ¡®father¡¯. Hahaha.¡± Damon patted the still Jeremy on the back. ¡°Hahahaha, Damon is right. Hahaha. He¡¯ll do it when the time comes!¡± Jeremy also started to laugh loudly with Damon. ¡°Hmm, is that so.¡± Victoire nodded earnestly. ¡°But where is Dylan?¡± Jeremy asked quickly as the mood seemed to change. ¡°Ah, Dylan¡¯s in the mansion.¡± Damon said. (J) ¡°His friend¡¯s here and he won¡¯t even come out?¡± ¡°Dylan¡¯s been a little sensitive lately.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s sensitive, Damon?¡± As soon as Damon¡¯s words came to an end, Dylan yelled out. Dylan strode up with a cold face when he came out. ¡°Don¡¯t keep talking nonsense, Damon.¡± ¡°You see? He¡¯s sensitive these days.¡± Damon said with a grin. ¡°Dylan, you¡¯ve been practicing swordsmanship a lot, haven¡¯t you?¡± Marquis Dalton asked. He said he was a teacher, but when he was dealing with Dylan, he was tougher than when he was dealing with others. ¡°Yes. Your Grace.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the funniest disciple since Damon. I¡¯ll be looking forward to it today.¡± Damon whispered to Elisabeth as she looked at the figure interestingly. ¡°Dalton is in charge of my brother¡¯s knight class. Originally, we should learn by being a servant of the Marquis, but since our family¡¯s situation is unique, the Marquis comes here.¡± The Cabezo family, the previous house of Elisabeth, also had many reserve knights, or servants, as operatives. The noble boys stayed in the duchy and trained as knights. ¡®Sometimes they gave me flowers.¡¯ Not long after, of course, all the flowers were directed at Polia. Knights who were sympathetic to Emilie turned their backs on her after her mother died. So Emilie was very rare to go to the knights¡¯ drill hall. The only time she came by the knights was when she was cleaning up after Polia. It was Emilie¡¯s job to keep up with Polia, who was unable to tell the time and place. Polia was free from all the discipline and laws of the family. But that didn¡¯t mean that the problems she had left would disappear on her own. She needed someone to patch it up and clean it up. Her father only adored Polia, but left her troublesome accidents to others. Eventually, all the hard and troublesome things became Emilie¡¯s. So in her previous life, Emilie lived with these words in her mouth. Of course, Polia did not accept Emilie¡¯s point. Polia picked up a sword with a sneaky smile. Polia swung the sword like she touched a toy. But contrary to Polia¡¯s will, Polia¡¯s body was swayed by the weight of the sword. It was dangerous. If you leave it as it is, Polia will get hurt. And their father will scold Emilie for not protecting her properly. She took the sword from Polia¡¯s hand. At that moment, Polia tilted and fell to her side. Polia, who was getting angry, suddenly bowed her head. It was ominous. When a knight of the Duke of Cabezo arrived, he ran down to help Polia. Polia burst into tears. Then she looked up at Emilie, standing with a sword, with a poor face. Before Emilie could explain, the knight suddenly yelled. His face was filled with unbelievable disgust and scorn for the princess. What he witnessed was only a momentary moment. That alone could not grasp the complete picture of the situation. But a man believed only what he wanted to believe. The same was true of this knight. From the moment he entered, Emilie was an ugly villain and Polia was a good underdog. Then the door of the hall opened and the knights came in. Polia began to cry aloud as if she had been waiting for this moment. Emilie looked around in embarrassment. But already everyone was looking at her with contempt. The outright hostility of the knights poured upon her. That night her father locked Emilie¡¯s door and beat her. *** ¡°Miss, what have you been thinking about since a while ago?¡± ¡°¡­¡­Ah. Marian.¡± The eyes of Elisabeth, who was sitting absentmindedly against the window frame, returned a gleam of light. ¡®Memories of a terrible past life.¡¯ When can I forget my bad relationship with Polia? When can I forget the nightmare my father gave me? ¡®I don¡¯t have any lingering feelings about the love that I didn¡¯t get anymore.¡¯ But the terrible nightmares of 18 years were not easily forgotten. Even in happy moments, the memories used to pop up. Chapter 17 ¡°Miss, you don¡¯t look very well. Please come here.¡± Marian held pale Elisabeth tightly in her arms. Elisabeth leaned over Marian¡¯s ample bosom. It was like a mother¡¯s arms that she lost when she was very young. ¡®Now I¡¯m in such a comfortable place. Please forget the old memories.¡¯ It was ironic to find comfort in the midst of people trying to exploit her, but it was clear that she was safe now. Because no one bothers or blames Elisabeth anymore. ¡°You sometimes make a face that seems like you have nightmares even when you¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°Do I?¡± ¡°Yes. Do you know how my heart feels every time you do that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying you should be sorry. I¡¯m telling you to forget all your nightmares. Because this Marian will always be by your side.¡± Marian took Elisabeth off her arms for a moment and looked at the little girl¡¯s baby face. And then she smiled warmly like a mother. Elisabeth was a little teary, as the face seemed to say ¡®be reassured¡¯ once again. Elisabeth laughed after Marian¡¯s smile so as not to cry. It was a rather quick smile, but she felt much better. At first, it was Marian who drew a clear line and treated Elisabeth. Suddenly, when she turned his head, she looked at Elisabeth with cold eyes. But as time went by, Marian took care of Elisabeth as if she were really a mother. Her eyes, which she casually met, were filled with warmth instead of coldness. She thought it was just a feeling, but Elisabeth wanted to lean on Marian once in a while to see if she was infected with her warmth. ¡®I know nothing about Mrs. Marian.¡¯ But unlike the Daughtry men, who were like iron walls, she could ask Marian this and that. ¡°How did Mrs. Marian come to work here?¡± ¡°His Grace, Count Daughtry took me off the street after I lost my husband. I was a Viscount¡¯s wife, but it was only a title. After my husband¡¯s funeral, I didn¡¯t have any money left. If it weren¡¯t for His Grace, I might have starved to death.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. If it weren¡¯t for His Grace, then I wouldn¡¯t have met Mrs. Marian.¡± ¡°If I hadn¡¯t met Miss, my life would have been boring, but I¡¯m glad. I thought I was getting old without a family, but it¡¯s like I met a beautiful daughter.¡± Embracing herself in Marian¡¯s arms, Elisabeth looked out the window again. ¡°But Miss is very well-behaved.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes. Usually kids like to go out on the balcony and run around, but Miss just quietly looks out the window.¡± Elisabeth felt a prick in her conscience. ¡®Because it¡¯s all about a strict brother.¡¯ She couldn¡¯t bear to say that. ¡°Because the balcony is dangerous.¡± ¡°You¡¯re well aware.¡± Marian said delightedly. ¡°But what¡¯s Dylan doing with the Marquis Dalton?¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing sword training. Marquis Dalton is an excellent swordsman.¡± ¡°If he can¡¯t be a seed, can¡¯t he learn from his father, the Count?¡± ¡°The Count is educating the whole of knighthood in etiquette. He¡¯s especially good at horseback riding.¡± ¡°Wow, so he¡¯s a good rider?¡± ¡°Please ask him to give you a ride.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± Elisabeth asked, cautiously expressing her expectations. ¡°Of course. He¡¯ll love it.¡± Marian gave Elisabeth a small pat on the back. Victoire will not only love it, but will prepare the horse right away like he had been waiting. Marian suddenly realized that Elisabeth was looking out again. ¡®She¡¯s been looking out whenever she has time. Do you want to play outside?¡¯ It¡¯s understandable because she always stays in the mansion. Moreover, Marquis Dalton was the first outsider she met since she was adopted. It was natural for a little girl to be curious. ¡°Miss, do you want to go see Young Master Dylan¡¯s swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Can I? Won¡¯t I get in trouble?¡± ¡°Who would dare scold you?¡± ¡°I used to grow up in a lot of trouble.¡± ¡°Where does our Miss get scolded for being in trouble?¡± ¡°I get scolded for eating, I get scolded for sleeping, I get scolded for studying, I get scolded for playing¡­ Hmm, just everything.¡± Elisabeth was depressed. Marian hugged Elisabeth tightly. ¡°Eup! Marian, I¡¯m out of breath!¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Miss.¡± Marian let Elisabeth go. Elisabeth found Marian¡¯s eyes slightly wet. ¡®Oh? Are you crying?¡¯ ¡°Marian, why¡­¡± ¡°Miss! Let¡¯s go to Master Damon!¡± ¡°What? All of a sudden?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure His Grace won¡¯t allow me to watch the swordsmanship training because they¡¯re dangerous. So you should ask Master Damon.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just looking around. Is it dangerous?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be surprised to see it. Ho ho.¡± Marian smiled expectantly. Elisabeth tilted her head. In her previous life, she has seen many official trials of Cabezo family knights. Knights used to show dizzying glitzy skills with weapons. But even so, there was no way that anyone who only watched from afar would get hurt. ¡®Just how great are you trying to show me?¡¯ *** Damon, who was looking at a book in the study, looked up and glanced at Elisabeth and Marian. ¡°You want to see the sword fight?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯d like to see if Dylan¡¯s doing well.¡± ¡°Dylan would be so nervous if you were watching.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He¡¯s bothered about you.¡± Elisabeth knew. He even got mad at her for worrying how much she cared about it. ¡®Would he hate it if I went to see it?¡¯ Elisabeth didn¡¯t want to go against Dylan¡¯s temper. To get along well here, she had to get along with Dylan, so she shouldn¡¯t do anything he dislikes. ¡®Except for telling me to get out, I have to listen carefully. Well¡­ we should go back to the room.¡¯ Damon¡¯s eyes grew bigger as Elisabeth became sullen. ¡°Elisabeth. You don¡¯t have to mind Dylan doing that. If he bothers you, I¡¯ll beat him¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not allowed!¡± Then he¡¯ll end up hating her even more without an answer! Elisabeth said it urgently, Damon laughed it off. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it anyway. If you come to see him for a while from afar, Dylan won¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Miss. Go outside to get some fresh air. The drill hall is over the mansion, so it¡¯s a different atmosphere.¡± ¡°Over the mansion?¡± Elisabeth¡¯s eyes trembled with anticipation. There was a big forest right next to the mansion. It meant that there was a drill hall there. It was the first time she had gone out of the mansion since she came here. This sweet temptation was beyond Elisabeth¡¯s control. ¡°I¡¯m just looking at it from afar.¡± Elisabeth said, unable to conceal her excitement. *** The roaring sword struck sharply in the air. If you look closely, the two swords did not actually touch. The silver and yellow auras on the sword were bumping into each other, giving off energy. The silver aura and the yellow aura, which struck one after another, were getting weaker and weaker and the light was getting weaker. Marquis Dalton, with his arms crossed, was watching the swordsmanship battle between the two boys, who were determined to win. ¡®As expected of the Leschine family.¡¯ Despite his son Jeremy¡¯s overwhelming loss, Marquis Dalton did not show signs of breakdown. On the contrary, he seemed amused. ¡°Ugh!¡± In the end Jeremy, who failed to overcome Dylan¡¯s energy, backed away. Dylan aimed the sword at Jeremy with a face that was free of disturbance. ¡°Stop, stop! I lost!¡± Jeremy raised his hands. Only then did Dylan pull the sword. ¡°This jerk, if I didn¡¯t declare defeat, weren¡¯t you just trying to kill me?¡± ¡°You usually do a good job, Jeremy.¡± ¡°How can father side with him!¡± Jeremy cried out. Marquis Dalton approached his son. Jeremy flinched as the atmosphere was unusual. Marquis Dalton snatched his son¡¯s sword without a word. ¡°Dylan. How about a revenge match for my son?¡± ¡°You mean, the Marquis is going to fight me?¡± Marquis Dalton nodded. ¡°But that¡¯s not a good thing, Father. No matter how much Dylan goes against father, he¡¯ll get seriously hurt¡­!¡± Dylan fixed his sword without any trouble. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to have spirit.¡± Marquis Dalton pushed the dazed Jeremy back. ¡°No, but this is¡­¡± Before Jeremy could finish talking, two swords collided with a sharp sound. Along with him came a gentle sweep of the two swords. ¡®Dylan, you¡¯re going to get in trouble.¡¯ Jeremy thought. Auras could be used with a little talent plus effort. However, how to deal with the auras was a whole area of talent. It was a job that could only be done by a top-level swordsman who managed auras as a knight. Marquis Dalton was among the best of all. (J) ¡®He could lose a little, why are you doing something you haven¡¯t done? Dylan¡¯s only sixteen!¡¯ Marquis Dalton was not letting Dylan go. The brownish aura of Marquis Dalton was dark, unlike their usual teaching days. Dylan was pushed back the more he swung the sword. Cheng! Once again, two swords struck. Dylan¡¯s sword is cracked. ¡°Dylan, don¡¯t strike and accept defeat.¡± Marquis Dalton said with a smile. Dylan clenched his teeth. At that moment the silver roared. Dalton¡¯s eyes also grew bigger. ¡°Ahh!¡± A tremendous amount of strength came from Dylan. At the same time, Dylan¡¯s sword was shattered. Dylan couldn¡¯t overcome his strength and fell backwards. The Marquis Dalton also took a backward step. ¡°Ooh, wow¡­¡± Jeremy opened his mouth. Marquis Dalton pulled up his flowing bangs and laughed with a ¡®Ha¡¯. ¡°I have lost, Your Grace.¡± Dylan stood up, unable to hide his anger. ¡°Well done, Dylan.¡± Marquis Dalton said. Dylan breathed heavily. ¡°But it¡¯s still clumsy. You¡¯re still a rough stone. You have to refine your own potential, Dylan.¡± ¡°Please continue to teach us a lot, Your Grace.¡± The eyes of the competitive boy looked at Marquis Dalton. ¡°By the way, Dylan. You¡¯ve changed the way you used the sword.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°No. I can feel it clearly. It¡¯s like¡­¡± Dylan, who was still out of breath, looked at the Marquis. ¡°Is there something you want to protect?¡± Dylan¡¯s face which was full of competition spirit before disappeared and relaxed. Soon, he returned to his usual cold face, but Marquis Dalton did not miss the change in the moment he was caught. ¡°There¡¯s nothing like that to me.¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that¡¯s changed in your environment.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Elisabeth. Your younger sister.¡± Dylan¡¯s hand grasped the broken sword tightly. ¡°That kid¡­ ¡° ¡°I heard your father and Damon brought her. For the sake of your family.¡± ¡°That kid¡¯s not my younger sister.¡± Dylan¡¯s cold voice interrupted Marquis Dalton¡¯s words. ¡°Elisabeth is now legally a ¡®Daughtry¡¯. Of course, she can¡¯t be a Leschine.¡± ¡°No, whatever her last name is, she will never be my sister again. And she won¡¯t have anything to do for this family. So don¡¯t talk about her¡­¡± Just then, a rustling sound was in the corner of the drill hall. Chapter 18 All three people¡¯s heads headed toward there. Damon and Marian stood in a perplexed face. ¡°Since when have you been standing there¡­!¡± Dylan was speechless. It was seen that a small shadow quickly disappeared between the two. ¡°Elisabeth?¡± Dylan shouted in fright. But Elisabeth did not look back and ran over to the forest surrounding the drill hall. ¡°Miss!¡± Marian hurried after Elisabeth. ¡°That fool! How dangerous the forest is!¡± ¡°You said hurtful things, so she ran away Dylan.¡± Damon said with a frown. ¡°What?¡± ¡° ¡®That kid¡¯s not my younger sister. She will never be my sister again.¡¯ How could she not be hurt by these words?¡± Dylan¡¯s face turned pale as he followed Damon¡¯s words. ¡°Damn it!¡± Dylan ran towards where Elisabeth had disappeared. ¡°You said you aren¡¯t her brother, but what you¡¯re doing is exactly like a brother?¡± Marquis Dalton spoke, dumbfounded. ¡°Elisabeth!¡± Sunlight seeped through the tall trees. Dylan stepped on the shaky tree shadow and ran away. There was a big forest on the west side outside the mansion of Count Daughtry. The official name was ¡®Yousef Forest¡¯, but people called it the ¡®Forest Of No Morning¡¯. Even during the day, it was dark and the ground was damp, making it difficult to walk. Where there were no people, dangerous beasts would tend to live. The ¡®Forest Of No Morning¡¯ was a place where the law was followed very faithfully. Daughtry deliberately built a drill hall in the middle of the forest. The forest acts as a shield so that no one can access the drill hall. A magic circle was drawn around the drill hall area to completely block the threat of beasts. In other words, it meant that the forest was very dangerous when one was out of the drill hall. ¡°Young Master Dylan!¡± Marian approached Dylan, almost falling over. ¡°Marian! Where did Elisabeth go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see her. No matter how hard I look!¡± Marian said, beating her chest out of frustration. ¡°I¡¯ll find Elisabeth. Because it¡¯s dangerous, Marian should go back to the drill hall and stay with Damon.¡± ¡°How can I leave the Miss.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn while knowing about this forest. Go back now!¡± Dylan said emphatically. He is a very young master, but at times like this she couldn¡¯t resist him. ¡°Young Master, you must bring Miss Elisabeth safe and sound.¡± ¡°I understand, Marian.¡± ¡°Miss just came here because she wanted to see the Young Master.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Marian kept looking back and disappeared into the drill hall. Dylan stared blankly at Marian and came to his senses late. ¡®I need to find Elisabeth quickly.¡¯ Dylan ran back into the forest. ¡°Elisabeth, where are you? Answer me! It¡¯s dangerous here!¡± Elisabeth, Elisabeth, Lisabeth, Sabeth¡­ Dylan¡¯s voice filled the forest. As the sound subsided, only the sound of leaves bumping against the wind and the sound of insects crying was heard in the forest. ¡®This is terrible.¡¯ Dylan found this silence terrible. If there was something that had happened to Elisabeth in between, that¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t bear it if it was this quiet. ¡°Come here, please! It¡¯s dangerous to be alone! Elisabeth!¡± Dylan shouted with all his might. Without even knowing it himself, a silvery aura rose around Dylan. *** ¡°Phew, it¡¯s hard. The floor is all muddy.¡± Elisabeth, who had been running away for a long time, flopped beside the fallen tree. Her face was red as a ruby. Running out of breath was the first reason, but also because she was embarrassed. ¡®Why would you say in front of people?¡¯ The hotness flared up on my face back again. I knew Dylan didn¡¯t think of me as his sister. But talking about it openly in front of many people was different. ¡®I didn¡¯t know what to say to that, and I ran all the way here to see Dylan.¡¯ I was so ashamed that I couldn¡¯t bear it. And a part of my heart ached. When Dylan said that, the surprised Elisabeth made her presence known with a rustle. The moment she thought ¡®I got caught,¡¯ she had no confidence in facing him straight. So she ran recklessly. Embarrassed and ashamed¡­ and sad. ¡®So mean, Dylan.¡¯ Elisabeth gathered her knees and buried her face. The feeling of being denied by someone has already been tiresome. So I thought it wouldn¡¯t be sad to be denied by someone here. ¡®Isn¡¯t it more selfish of me to want to be treated as a real sister?¡¯ Suddenly, I had this thought. We were in a kind of contractual relationship. A contractual family relationship built upon each other¡¯s needs. Besides, Dylan didn¡¯t even agree to this contract. ¡®No wonder Dylan doesn¡¯t think of me as his sister. Let¡¯s stop being sad like a child. You¡¯re not really going to be the youngest daughter of the Daughtry family, are you?¡¯ Elisabeth raised her head. Her face was puffy again. It was then. ¡°Elisabeth!¡± Elisabeth, Elisabeth¡­ Dylan¡¯s voice echoed through the forest. ¡°Dylan?¡± Elisabeth sprang from her seat with her eyes wide open. ¡°Eli¡­!¡± Not far away, silver was blazing. The boy, who was desperately looking for someone, made eye contact with Elisabeth. At that moment, the intense silver light surrounding Dylan faded. Dylan ran to Elisabeth. ¡°Are you crazy? Do you know how dangerous this place is?¡± Dylan shouted wildly in agitation. Anyone could tell he was half out of his mind. Elisabeth asked, with a slight tilt of her head: ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°What am I doing here! I came looking for you! Do you know how worried I was!¡± Dylan grabbed Elisabeth by the shoulder. It was a hand that didn¡¯t need strength, but it was hot. Elisabeth opened her eyes wide. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You said I wasn¡¯t your younger sister.¡± Elisabeth, who inadvertently said her true intentions, muttered an ¡®Oops.¡¯ ¡®Crazy!¡¯ I said, ¡®Let¡¯s stop being sad like a child,¡¯ but I just made a huge last-minute remark. Knowing his guilt, Dylan stammered in contemplation. ¡°I¡¯m going to pick you up because you were gone¡­.¡± ¡°Then- then let¡¯s go. ¡° Elisabeth said in a hurry. The ¡®last-minute remark¡¯ that she couldn¡¯t believe came from her own mouth was making her crazy. Dylan was briefly taken aback by Elisabeth¡¯s ever-more determined attitude. But soon he regained consciousness and grabbed Elisabeth¡¯s hand. Elisabeth was embarrassed and even shook off her hand. Elisabeth and Dylan¡¯s eyes met awkwardly in the air. ¡°I- I can go alone.¡± It was even more embarrassing than when I heard Dylan¡¯s on the drill hall earlier. Elisabeth wanted to get out of this embarrassing situation quickly. But in Dylan¡¯s eyes, Elisabeth right now¡­ ¡­.seemed to declare that. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to say that.¡¯ Dylan looked anxiously at Elisabeth, who closed her heart like a wounded kitten. ¡°How can a child like you be alone? You don¡¯t even know the way here. So I¡¯m going to¡­ ¡° ¡°I- I said I got it ! Let¡¯s go. ¡° Elisabeth jerked back because she could not see Dylan¡¯s face in addition to the rising sense of shame. Then she often walked ahead of Dylan, who seemed to move a little. Dylan hurried after Elisabeth and said: ¡°Why are you suddenly angry?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry!¡± Why does a person¡¯s voice get louder when he or she is embarrassed? Elisabeth regretted once more. ¡°Let¡¯s- let¡¯s just go back quickly.¡± ¡°Because of what I said in the drill hall earlier¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Elisabeth, who had been stabbed to the point, desperately denied it. ¡°Sometimes people need to know how to pretend, but I¡¯m sorry I said it too right.¡± ¡®You apologized for something, but the way was weird?¡¯ There was a sound of something being ¡®snipped¡¯ from inside Elisabeth. ¡° ¡®Too right¡¯ you say, what are you saying. I¡¯m a Daughtry, too!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you what that means.¡± ¡°How can you say that in front of other people? Not your younger sister you say!¡± The agitated Elisabeth choked up. When I came here, I felt here that I was the type of person who got excited and cried when it felt unfair. It was very disgraceful. ¡°Elisabeth.¡± And this boy in front of her eyes was weak against Elisabeth¡¯s tears. Dylan, who was stunned as if he had been hit by a blow, approached her. Elisabeth swallowed the tears that were about to come out and stepped back. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going alone.¡± Elisabeth often ran forward. Dylan sighed and slowly chased after Elisabeth. However, no matter how slow Dylan went, it was faster than Elisabeth¡¯s frequent steps. Elisabeth glanced back and frowned at Dylan standing right behind her back. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re going slow. Hurry up.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± Elisabeth often roared with all her might. It was an incredibly powerful gesture that he could not believe it was a girl who had just been crying. Looking at the small back, Dylan seemed to be laughing even in this situation. When Elisabeth turned around in a strange mood, Dylan hurriedly covered the tails of his mouth with his hand. ¡°You¡¯re¡­laughing?¡± ¡°When did I ever laugh?¡± Dylan answered, avoiding her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so mean.¡± ¡°Elisabeth.¡± Dylan called low. Elisabeth spoke indifferently. ¡°His Grace is not wrong. It¡¯s really bad luck.¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Elisabeth asked bluntly. Dylan hugged Elisabeth at a tremendous speed and hid her behind him. Only then could Elisabeth see the thing while behind his back. Under the dark shade of a tree, the eyes of the wild beasts shone. Elisabeth held onto Dylan¡¯s hem without even realizing it. Dylan wrapped the terrified hands of Elisabeth. ¡°Turn around, close your eyes, and shut your ears.¡± ¡°I, I will.¡± Elisabeth became a good girl and did what Dylan told her to do. Dylan looked back for a moment at the frightened little child and turned his head. Dylan¡¯s eyes towards the beasts were completely different from when he was looking towards Elisabeth. The beasts growled while approaching. Dylan took out his sword. The beasts hesitated as the sword began to shine silver. However, when the beast who appears to be the head moves forward with a stomp, other beasts also start to approach. Chapter 19 ¡®Make sure not to let a single one come near Elisabeth.¡¯ Dylan swung his sword at the approaching beasts to create a siege. Aura has been amplified to an enormous size. Every single stroke of Dylan¡¯s sword brought down all the beasts within the radius. ¡°Grrrhh!¡± When the chief beast saw his fallen colleagues, he roared and ran. Dylan realized the direction he was heading towards was Elisabeth, and he threw himself. As Dylan¡¯s sword cut the beast¡¯s neck, the beast¡¯s sharp claws pierced Dylan¡¯s arm. ¡°Ugh!¡± Elisabeth¡¯s eyes, which were tightly closed as she sat, suddenly opened. ¡°Dylan?¡± Elisabeth sprang to her feet and looked back. On the bodies of countless beasts, Dylan stood holding on to his bleeding arm. ¡°Dylan!¡± Elisabeth ran to Dylan. Dylan held out his good arm to stop Elisabeth. ¡°It stinks of blood. Don¡¯t come.¡± ¡°Is the smell the problem? You¡¯re hurt. You¡¯re bleeding.¡± ¡°This wound is nothing. You stay put.¡± But Elisabeth didn¡¯t care and approached Dylan. He was pretending to be fine but seemed to have lost his strength. She couldn¡¯t stand to see Dylan like this. When Dylan realized that Elisabeth¡¯s golden eyes looked at his arms, he hid his arms behind his back. Then Elisabeth pulled her head out and struggled to see Dylan¡¯s arm. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Why are you hiding it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look because it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± ¡°Why is that embarrassing? You got hurt trying to save me.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t!¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried. Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Elisabeth walked right behind Dylan. Elisabeth¡¯s eyes quickly grew bigger when she saw the blood on Dylan¡¯s wound. ¡°Dylan¡¯s arm, because of me¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cry. One might think I¡¯m always making you cry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for today, but¡­ huk.¡± Elisabeth¡¯s tears dripped over Dylan¡¯s wound. ¡°Stop looking.¡± Dylan brought Elisabeth forward with his unharmed arm. ¡°It¡¯s just a little scratch. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°Lies.¡± Elisabeth was about to burst into tears again. Dylan got hurt because she acted like a child. I wanted to get along with him, but I kept getting out of touch with him. It was unbearable. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°No¡­. hupp¡­.. I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°Really, don¡¯t cry, please.¡± ¡°Hupp¡­.No¡­. hupp¡­ not.¡± ¡°Look.¡± Dylan shook his injured arm deliberately. ¡°Oh, no! You¡¯re gonna get more hurt!¡± Elisabeth leaped from the ground. Dylan was playful and moved his arms more violently. ¡°Dylan! Don¡¯t!¡± Elisabeth screamed. At that moment, Dylan realized something was wrong and slowly lowered his arm. Then he rolled up the hem of his blood-soaked garment. ¡°¡­.¡± Dylan¡¯s arm was intact with blood on it. Elisabeth opened her eyes round and looked alternately at Dylan¡¯s face and arms. ¡°Did you¡­ deceive me?¡± ¡°N-no!¡± ¡°You¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not true. Look, there¡¯s blood! I was really stabbed by the claws before. It hurt so much.¡± ¡°You said this was nothing! I¡¯m sure it¡¯s because you¡¯re joking, right? How did you come up with the blood? The blood of beasts was on it, right?¡± ¡°I was trying to comfort you because you were crying. Actually, it really hurt?¡± Dylan cried out in resentment. ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t get hurt anyway.¡± Elisabeth said with a sigh of relief. ¡°I was hurt.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s say you did.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Dylan was mad with resentment, but Elisabeth had a bright face before he knew it. When she checked Dylan¡¯s good arm, she grinned. ¡®The wound healed suddenly.¡¯ It was really incomprehensible even for Dylan. However, as Elisabeth was smiling with tears in her eyes, he thought it was okay. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m really mistaken.¡¯ Dylan looked at his arm again. It was clean without a scratch. ¡°Now let¡¯s go back. Everybody¡¯s gonna be worried!¡± ¡°Did you make this fuss knowing that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of Dylan.¡± Elisabeth pouted her mouth. Dylan looked up at the sky. The darkened sky was seen between the thick branches and leaves. ¡®It¡¯s too late.¡¯ Dylan gave Elisabeth a big hug. Suddenly Elisabeth, held in Dylan¡¯s arms, opened her eyes like a rabbit. ¡°You¡¯re slow and I¡¯m burnt out, so if we keep going like this, we¡¯ll be chased by a beast again.¡± ¡°Do you have to say that? I knew that.¡± Elisabeth was held tightly in Dylan¡¯s arms, depressed. ¡®That¡¯s a realistic rabbit.¡¯ Dylan cherished Elisabeth in his arms and began to speed up and run. The whole place began to recede with the advent of darkness. The sound of trees swaying and the sound of owls crying over the darkness. The cold wind brought by evening and the roaring roots of trees that may turn into traps at any time. And the cries of a wild beast somewhere else. The darkened forest seemed to have no intention of hiding all this anymore. Elisabeth was terrified and hung on to Dylan even more. The little tremors of the girl were delivered to Dylan. Dylan felt strange as Elisabeth leaned heavily in his arms. A pleasant aroma came from the small soft Elisabeth. Above all, it was the warmth of the girl that made him feel strange. Marquis Dalton¡¯s voice echoed in Dylan¡¯s head. When Elisabeth disappeared into the woods, when he found out she was in danger, Dylan felt his heart was wearing out. When the beast appeared and threatened Elisabeth, Dylan thought he would save Elisabeth because he could do whatever it was. I¡¯ve never felt that way before in my life. ¡®Can I send this kid away? Will I be able to bear it if this child even disappears before my eyes?¡¯ Not anymore. No, it¡¯s been like that for a long time. I couldn¡¯t send Elisabeth. I wish this child was next to me. I tried not to admit it, but it was now a limit. Dylan couldn¡¯t deny the words of Marquis Dalton at this moment. ¡°Don¡¯t be frightened.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You have me.¡± ¡°But Dylan¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this brother will protect you.¡± (t/n: he called himself ¡®oppa¡¯) Like a lie, Elisabeth¡¯s tremors stopped. Dylan hugged Elisabeth more tightly. Elisabeth also leaned on Dylan gently. ¡®There¡¯s no turning back now.¡¯ He was beginning to see the drill hall over the forest. ¡®I admit it.¡¯ Dylan accelerated his pace toward the moonlit drill hall. ¡®I have to protect this child forever now.¡¯ He was always afraid to be like this. To have entered someone¡¯s heart and that someone becomes unbearably precious. But Dylan now realizes that the idea is wrong. He didn¡¯t hate having something precious. *** I was lucky. That there is a child neglected by the Duke of Cabezo. The fact that the kid rolled in front of Victoire¡¯s feet. Everything was lucky. God gave Leschine bad luck and Daughtry good luck. Through the misfortunes of a little girl. For Victoire, it was a routine to monitor every move of the Duke of Cabezo. To avenge, you had to know your enemy. To destroy the red castle by targeting both the advantages and weaknesses of Cabezo, the overflowing and the deficiencies. Ferdinand Cabezo, the Duke of Cabezo, who owns a vast expanse of land, was a worse human being than Victoire thought. Like his father, who brought down the Duke of Leschine, he was mean and greedy, but he was not good at learning, martial arts, and calculation in any way. His wife, Filena Cabezo, on the other hand, was too much for her husband. The failure of Ferdinand¡¯s business, fraud and gambling money, and the reputation of the Cabezo family was still high thanks to Filena. But far from thanking his wife, Ferdinand was jealous of her. Ferdinand, who was tightly united with the inferiority complex, used to release his pent-up desire for control in the brothels. It was Diana, Ferdinand¡¯s concubine, whom I met then. Diana knew how to please Ferdinand. She licked his feet to please Ferdinand¡¯s moods, even though she was being coy. At the same time that Emilie, the daughter of Filena, was born, Ferdinand was with Diana. A year later, Polia was born. Since she was a child, Polia has known how to please Ferdinand like Diana. Emilie, on the other hand, grew up to be a girl who looked like Filena who knows her dignity. And knowing dignity was the beginning of misfortune for Emilie. One day the Marquis of Dalton gave Victoire some surprising news. Less than a year later, however, it turned out that Dalton¡¯s ideas were too naive. The prostitute Diana was transformed into a fallen aristocrat and entered the ranks of the Duke of Cabezo. With his daughter, Polia. Chapter 20 People think it was after Diana¡¯s death that Emilie Cabezo began to be abused at home, but Victoire, who was monitoring the Duke of Cabezo, knew that was not true. Ever since Diana became the Duchess, Emilie has since been bullied. Around that time, Victoire gradually expanded his business. There was nothing more certain than money to approach the greedy Ferdinand. It was around that time that the existence of the abused child Emilie appeared as a variable. ¡®The Duke of Cabezo is not only destroying our innocent family, but also harassing a little girl.¡¯ I thought maybe I could use the child. The hated child will crave affection because her mind will be weakened. I thought it would be easy if I saved her a little bit. But even a neglected child, a princess is a princess. If you try to approach in a hurry, you¡¯ll mess things up. Slowly and with great effort, this child will one day open the gates of Cabezo¡¯s. ¡®And get some blood.¡¯ But it was a plan that I always thought would be achieved in the distant future. I didn¡¯t expect the girl to show up in front of me. ¡°Miss! Miss Emilie!¡± The girl, chased by the dog, deliberately rolled down the slope. Then she hid herself down the street and waited for the people looking for her to disappear. She left the duchy. ¡®Is she running away from home?¡¯ As he watched Emilie sneak out of the duchy, Victoire thought: It was not strange to run away from such a house. Emilie had been a perfect stranger in the Cabezo duchy ever since her stepmother died. The rumor that Emilie had killed her stepmother had already been widespread in society by his other daughter, Polia, although the Duke of Cabezo stopped her from spreading the rumors. Polia showed tears in front of people whenever she had time, saying she wanted to see her mother sacrificed by her sister. And the Duke of Cabezo was infatuated with his poor daughter, Polia. The only thing Emilie could get in the house was abuse. Victoire watched Emilie closely, who was fleeing from the Cabezo duchy. ¡°Father, look at that.¡± Damon said, who was accompanying Victoire. Robbers were chasing after the girl. Soon they tried to kidnap the girl. ¡°What should we do, Fa¡­ther?¡± Damon, who found no one sitting next to him, jumped up from his seat. Victoire, who was just beside Damon, was already in front of the robbers. In addition¡­ ¡°Get your hands off my daughter.¡± ¡­he was even talking nonsense. Not only the robber, but also the little girl¡­ ¡®What is he talking about?¡¯ ¡­looked at Victoire with their eyes. Damon was a little ashamed of his father for the first time in his life. Victoire brought the little girl to the mansion of Daughtry. Even Damon, who followed whatever he said¡­ ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± ¡­told Victoire this. Dylan¡¯s particularly opposed. ¡°You¡¯re saying we should make her a sacrifice for revenge? Are you crazy? She¡¯s only 12 years old!¡± Dylan¡¯s protest seemed ridiculous for Victoire. That child doesn¡¯t know. How unjust and disastrous the Leschines have fallen. ¡®That¡¯s why you can say those things like that.¡¯ Damon ended up on the side of Victoire. His eldest son was always on his side. ¡®Of course, the second is always on the side of others.¡¯ Victoire had entered Elisabeth despite Dylan¡¯s opposition. It was very successful. It was successful and odd. The girl burying into his arms was quite different from Victoire¡¯s expectations. ¡°I like it here!¡± The moment I saw the face of a child smiling without knowing anything, my heart was pounding. ¡®Is being a Cabezo an instinctive rejection of blood?¡¯ But the rumbling was not disgusting. Rather, I felt as good as the wind blowing on a good afternoon. ¡®Is that guilt then? Me? Does Victoire feel guilty to a Cabezo?¡¯ Eventually, Victoire gave up looking for the answer to the rumble. He had a lot of other answers to find. So Elisabeth Daughtry became the youngest daughter of Victoire Daughtry. ¡®She¡¯s a poor kid, so I should be nice to her.¡¯ Victoire was going to do his best for Elisabeth until [that day] came. That was the least thing to do as a human being. But Elisabeth did her best for him more than Victoire. ¡°Did you sleep well last night? I was scolded because I wanted to see you by morning.¡± The little child came to greet him every morning. ¡°I saw you yesterday evening. Did you miss me again?¡± ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t see you in my dreams.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve seen you in my dreams.¡¯ Victoire always had nightmares before he adopted Elisabeth. But not long ago, the little girl began to appear in his dream, leaving the place of a nightmare. There was nothing much about the dream. A small shadow often runs through the garden, and Elisabeth looks back with a bright smile. I looked into my arms and saw that it was Elisabeth. I heard a small voice in my ear, so I turned my head, and the girl smiled brightly and¡­ ¡°Dad!¡± ¡­.called me. Even though it was a dream with little content, when he woke up, Victoire always lay in bed enjoying the lingering imagery of the dream. When he had nightmares, he would jump out of bed as if he were running away. Things have changed. Something was changing. Victoire, who stroked Elisabeth¡¯s head, suddenly felt a chill. ¡®Are you feeling like a father with a real daughter?¡¯ Victoire was displeased at the moment that he, with his life-long mission of ¡®revenge,¡¯ was intoxicated by this emotional play. So he tried to let Elisabeth go. ¡°I¡­ but I want to read a book.¡± But when Elisabeth looked up with her eyes wide open, he would forget the idea of sending her away. ¡°Book?¡± ¡°Yes. There¡¯s a big study in the mansion.¡± ¡°All right. It¡¯s not that hard. Tell me if you want anything else.¡± That afternoon Victoire immediately organized a room for art storage and created a study for Elisabeth. The walls were decorated with bright primary colors and a lot of lights were attached. The bookshelf was filled with picture books for a young girl to see. ¡°Elisabeth, do you like it?¡± Victoire asked triumphantly. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± But Elisabeth¡¯s response was not as expected. I was so happy that I thought it was basic to run into my arms and hug me and maybe call me ¡®Dad¡¯ without realizing it. ¡®Is this kind of lame?¡¯ Victoire reflected on himself. ¡®As expected, the scale of a princess¡­¡¯ If I go to the Imperial Palace this time, I¡¯ll have to look around the princess¡¯ study. If I make a better study than that, I might see Elisabeth smiling. ¡°Umm, by the way.¡± ¡°I know. This study is rather simple. I haven¡¯t even shown you the real thing yet. Until then, please be satisfied with this little shabby study. I¡¯ll soon make you a study as good as the Imperial Library.¡± ¡°What? This study is really pretty. I¡¯ve never had anything so good.¡± Elisabeth then said with her eyes glistening. ¡°I just want to go to your study.¡± The following words came as a surprise. ¡°In my study?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s not fun because it¡¯s dark and difficult. Dylan even hates the study because it looks just like me.¡± Victoire¡¯s study was different from Elisabeth¡¯s. There were only dull books on the dreary bookshelf. It was full of ancient books covering the history of the family and books that made him feel sick. ¡®Why would she want to see such a boring study?¡¯ ¡°Pft. Dylan is mean.¡± Elisabeth laughed. ¡°I¡¯m saying that it resembles Your Grace, so I want to see it more.¡± ¡°Are you serious? You might regret it.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m curious about the adult world.¡± Elisabeth answered with a sly voice. The adult world. Victoire laughed his head off. ¡°Do- don¡¯t laugh at me.¡± ¡°No, I laughed because it was cute.¡± ¡°What?¡± Elisabeth was perplexed by the word ¡®cute,¡¯ and she was at a loss. The girl didn¡¯t seem to know it was cuter. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the keys to my study. You can go and see whenever you want.¡± ¡°Thank you. Really!¡± Elisabeth leaped from her place. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so happy. What if you¡¯re disappointed.¡¯ Victoire was half happy and half worried. ¡°You¡¯re not going to meet your expectations. It¡¯s a very boring place.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m excited just to see your study!¡± That afternoon, a key to the study with a cute teddy bear-shaped ring was delivered to Elisabeth¡¯s room. Elisabeth may not know, but the key to the study was something neither Damon nor Dylan had received it. The study was open, but having a key was different. It¡¯s about getting recognition from the family. ¡®I wish Elisabeth could understand this deep meaning of mine.¡¯ But Elisabeth was still too young for that. Since that day, Elisabeth has been locked up in Victoire¡¯s study. After morning greetings, they would go to the study together, holding Victoire¡¯s hand with her adorable hand. After letting Elisabeth into his study, Victoire left the mansion to work. ¡°Your Excellency, is it okay not to meet you?¡± ¡°You can say hello in the study. Just the two of us.¡± ¡°Only two of us! It feels very special. I wanted to do something special with you.¡± Elisabeth smiled shyly. Victoire instinctively realized that Elisabeth wanted to do something special with him as her ¡®Father.¡¯ Still, Elisabeth could not hide her wounded face when she talked about her biological father. But it was getting better. Now you don¡¯t cry, you smile and talk. ¡®But you haven¡¯t called me Father yet. You¡¯ll be embarrassed.¡¯ Victoire was upset but pretended to be okay. Victoire prepared to get on the carriage prepared with Damon. ¡°Um, what¡¯s going on today?¡± Damon suddenly looked back and said. Dylan was standing poorly with his legs. (V) ¡°Dylan, what¡¯s going on today, you¡¯re a spoiled child who never came out to see us off.¡± Victoire¡­ ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not sad that you don¡¯t see me off.¡± ¡­asked face to face. ¡°About Elisabeth. Is that okay?¡± Victoire¡¯s eyebrows twisted. These days, Dylan has become more involved in Elisabeth¡¯s affairs. Before, most of the stories were about ¡®send her out,¡¯ but these days, the topics have become diverse. Don¡¯t make Elisabeth a picky eater, she has nightmares a lot, shouldn¡¯t you invite a singer who sings lullaby, and so on. ¡°What about Elisabeth?¡± Victoire asked back seriously. ¡°You know, a child stays in the study all day. Isn¡¯t that an emotional issue?¡± ¡°I guess it¡¯s because she likes reading.¡± ¡°A 12-year-old girl likes books like¡¾The Bloody History of the Empire¡¿and¡¾The Rise of the Cruel Religious War¡¿?¡± Chapter 21 ¡°Elisabeth is smarter than her peers. I tested it with Dalton a few days ago, and she has the knowledge of an 18 year-old. She¡¯s good at playing musical instruments, and it¡¯s special considering she was a princess.¡± Victoire said, puffing his pride by himself. ¡®It¡¯s really nice that a kid like her is my daughter¡­.no, she¡¯s not my real daughter.¡¯ Victoire came to his senses in amazement at his own thoughts. Elisabeth is a cute and lovely child. The big, clear eyes and the sweet, cute voice that looked up always tickled my mind. However, Elisabeth is a child who kept her mouth shut and smiled like a submissive doll. There was a clear assertiveness without causing trouble. The more I knew about this child, the less I could understand why she was hated. But that¡¯s it. ¡®One day she¡¯ll be a child that will be used to achieve its purpose.¡¯ You shouldn¡¯t give your heart. (t/n: fyi, victoire¡¯s talking to himself) I was so immersed in the soft feelings that I felt for the first time in my barren life that I even thought nonsense, but I should not cross the line anymore. ¡®She¡¯s an orphan, but she¡¯s the blood of the Cabezo.¡¯ Victoire has settled his mind. ¡®Being nice to the child is just a minimum conscience for a child who will one day be sacrificed.¡¯ *** ¡°How was your day, Your Grace? I¡¯ve had a long day waiting for you.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Upon returning home, Victoire entered the mansion, greeting Elisabeth. When Elisabeth came to the office, saying she had something to say, he sent her back. However, it was Victoire himself that was shaken even when he turned her away. Elisabeth was only a very small and young child, and that made him extremely agitated. ¡®But was it too much for a kid like her?¡¯ She was already shunned by her parents once. If she had been ostracized by himself, she would have been irrevocably hurt. ¡°Your Grace, the investors earlier¡­¡± Victoire jumped out of his seat like he could not hear what his aide Harry was saying. ¡°Your Grace? Your Grace! Where are you going?¡± Victoire ran frantically to the study. ¡°Eli¡­.!¡± Victoire, who opened the door, was unable to speak. Among the tall books, Elisabeth was fast asleep. With a thick book in her arms as if it were a teddy bear. ¡°Your Grace, why are you here¡­¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Victoire sent out the following aide Harry and closed the study quietly. Victoire approached Elisabeth, wary of the sound of his footsteps. The red sunset, which came through the long window of the study, shone on Elisabeth. The girl was like a little angel. The sound of breathing coming out of her mouth felt like it was not real. ¡®She¡¯s still so cute when she¡¯s asleep, she must have been incredibly lovely when she was a baby.¡¯ The sleeping baby Elisabeth must have smelled like a fragrant baby. Suddenly, Victoire felt sorry that he had not seen this child grow up. I wish we had met earlier. ¡®What book were you reading?¡¯ Victoire, who lowered his gaze, flinched. ¡¾Noble Families of the Empire: Focused on the Duke of Leschine¡¿ ¡®Why is this¡­? It was one of the books designated as forbidden books after the Duke of Leschine was disgraced and destroyed. ¡®Does she know that we are the blood of Duke Leschine? That can¡¯t be true.¡¯ The only people who knew that Count Daughtry was actually the blood of the Leschine family and his closest aides, including the Empire¡¯s Marquis Dalton. This little girl could not have known the secret. Victoire looked at other books piled up around him. ¡¾The Rise and Fall of a Family¡¿,¡¾The History of the Empire¡¿,¡¾The Second Duke¡¿,¡¾The Handbook of Aristocrats¡¿, and so on. They were similar books. ¡®These are similar kinds of books. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen it because I¡¯m only interested in the Leschine family. Are you interested in this field because you were a princess? Hmm. Maybe.¡¯ Victoire nodded his head. ¡®But for a 12-year-old, this is too difficult to read.¡¯ What Dylan said made sense. ¡®Elisabeth should play a little more than be in her study.¡¯ Victoire thought he was just like a father who had a real young daughter. ¡®I have to stay away from this child.¡¯ Even if I stay away from your body, you won¡¯t leave my mind. Strangely enough, it keeps digging into my heart. I hope this child¡¯s every step of the way is cared for and she grows up to be more upright, better, and happier. *** From the next day on, Elisabeth was restricted from entering the study. ¡°You mean she has to play for more than five hours a day to get to the study? What a fresh set of rules.¡± Damon, who was sitting on the couch in the sitting room, said with a smile. Victoire glanced at his smiling son. (V) ¡°A kid has to be a kid.¡± (Damon) ¡°Elisabeth is cute, but she is definitely a bit mature. I¡¯m good at everything, but I¡¯m not good at playing. Marian said that too. It¡¯s a pity to keep looking at me.¡± That¡¯s what Victoire is feeling, too. ¡°I think Marian has changed a bit, too, Father.¡± ¡°Marian is still loyal.¡± ¡°Marian¡¯s loyalty is unquestioned. But these days, Marian is really worried about Elisabeth. When Elisabeth got lost in the woods with Dylan, she cried as if the sky had fallen down.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Marian was not simply Elisabeth¡¯s maid. She is the right-hand man of the Leschines, who was assigned to monitor Elisabeth. ¡°Marian¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to exclude her from Elisabeth¡¯s maids, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make her a nanny for Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Damon asked back in embarrassment. ¡°To wash Elisabeth¡¯s identity more thoroughly, she¡¯ll need a nanny who has raised her since she was a child.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a concept that she couldn¡¯t eat or learn because she was poor.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s a nobleman, so she should have a nanny.¡± ¡°Father, you know this is a little too much, right?¡± Victoire glared at Damon. ¡°Marian came to our mansion holding Elisabeth, who is about to starve to death. It was windy and rainy that day. We accepted her because we thought it would be dangerous to leave it as it is.¡± (t/n: this is the made up story for eli¡¯s adoption) ¡°I don¡¯t know if Elisabeth knows much about Father¡¯s devotion.¡± Damon said cynically. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Damon shrugged. ¡°She was depressed because she was restricted from entering the study without knowing Father¡¯s mind.¡± Victoire has become serious. Elisabeth is depressed? He struggled to say. ¡°Call Marian to the drawing room.¡± Marian, who was called in by Victoire, appeared in the drawing room. Her expression was cold. ¡°What did you call me for, Your Grace?¡± ¡°Is Elisabeth shocked by her restricted access to the study?¡± The cold face of Marian was replaced by surprise. ¡°Your Grace knows that?¡± ¡°Damon told me.¡± ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t mind if you knew.¡± ¡°Why did you think I would?¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s not your real daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a little¡­ ¡° Victoire, who tried to say, ¡®She¡¯s sad,¡¯ shut his mouth. He should not have crossed the line. Elisabeth was not his daughter, but also a Cabezo, a child to be used. How many times has he vowed to stay away from the child? ¡°Your Grace. I dare say. Please be nicer to the young lady.¡± But Marian shattered her pledge. This faithful servant who has never dared to go back from her master¡¯s words. ¡°You can¡¯t keep her forever anyway. So please, until [that day].¡± Marian meant it. Victoire should have been angry. He had to scold her for becoming emotional in the face of revenge. Strangely, however, Victoire was not displeased. It was rather reassuring. It was reassuring that there was such a kind nanny beside Elisabeth. ¡°Marian.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± ¡°I want you to be Elisabeth¡¯s nanny from now on.¡± ¡°Yes? What do you mean?¡± Marian asked with a puzzled look. ¡°No matter how good Elisabeth is, she¡¯s still a nobleman. If she doesn¡¯t have a nanny who raised her since birth, it can be suspected by others.¡± ¡°Am I supposed to be young lady Elisabeth¡¯s nanny for a more perfect performance?¡± When Victoire nodded, Marian¡¯s face hardened. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, there are many other employees who can act better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone can take care of Elisabeth more sincerely than Mrs. Marian.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Marian¡¯s face, frozen by what Victoire said, melted like snow. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to protect Elisabeth even more perfectly. Mrs. Marian is the right person for the role. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Victoire was still expressionless, but Marian felt that face somehow looked friendly. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no one like Mrs. Marian. Don¡¯t hesitate to accept it.¡± ¡°Tha-thank you. Your Grace.¡± Marian bowed her head with a thrilled face. ¡°But where is Elisabeth now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s playing hard to get to the study. She¡¯s still a little clumsy.¡± Victoire rose from his seat. Marian, whose complexion was revealed, guided Victoire to Elisabeth. Elisabeth was often hanging around in her own playground built in the garden. Next to the swing was a small fountain, and Elisabeth was circling around the fountain in a pink-colored horse. Victoire gazed at the figure in the distance delightfully. But the smile was also brief, and Victoire¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Why does she keep spinning?¡± ¡°Young lady doesn¡¯t know how to play. She has never played before.¡± Victoire looked at Elisabeth again. Elisabeth was riding enthusiastically on her horse. Her eyes were full of enthusiasm. Her cheeks were puffy and eager, but she was not enjoying the game, but was doing it like a task. ¡®How do the damned Cabezos raise a child?¡¯ His heart became heavy. I thought my emotions were dry, but I was angry at the thought of Elisabeth¡¯s past. ¡®It may simply be that.¡¯ The more I see her like that, the more I want to be nice to her. I want to see that kid smile. Maybe it¡¯s simply because of the rage against the Cabezos. ¡°Hey, what are you doing alone?¡± Then suddenly Dylan appeared before Elisabeth. ¡°I¡¯m playing. So I can go to the study room.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re playing then just play, why are you playing to go to the study? Is that fun to you?¡± ¡°Umm, more than you think?¡± Elisabeth thought seriously and answered. ¡®You must be having fun, though.¡¯ Victoire¡¯s face brightened a little while eavesdropping on the conversation between the two children. ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll push the swing.¡± Dylan hugged Elisabeth and sat her on the swing. Then he started pushing from behind. ¡°Ah, ahh! It¡¯s too fast!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. You¡¯re not going to fall.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too high!¡± Elisabeth was screaming and laughing like she was having fun. Victoire nodded as he watched Dylan wrap himself around Elisabeth with an aura to protect her from any possible injury. ¡®Pretty good.¡¯ Somehow he was pleased. ¡°Your Grace, aren¡¯t you going to visit the young lady?¡± Marian asked. Victoire shook his head and went back into the mansion. He will continue to distance himself from Elisabeth. Don¡¯t fall too deep into that child. Chapter 22 The little boy was rushing about in the burning mansion. ¡°*Young-sik! Here!¡± (*what sons of nobles are called) The gray-haired old man grabbed the boy. ¡°Marquis Dalton!¡± When an old man called the Marquis Dalton pushed the wall, a secret passage appeared. The two rushed for the secret passage. ¡°Catch them! The children are gone!¡± The sounds of the knights yelling diminished through the crack in the closing wall door. ¡°Marquis Dalton, uh, what happened? Why did the Emperor¡¯s knights raid our mansion? Traitor, what else is that?¡± ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. Don¡¯t worry, Young-sik.¡± The Duke of Leschine only sent a letter to his daughter, who was married abroad. But the letter, which disappeared in the middle and reappeared in the hands of the Duke of Cabezo, was fabricated as evidence of treason. The little boy couldn¡¯t understand what it meant yet. Dalton looked down sadly at the boy in fear and confusion. He has been a rival to the Duke of Leschine since childhood, but has recognized and respected each other. ¡®I know Leschine better than anyone. He¡¯s not the one who will attempt treason.¡¯ Dalton swallowed his tears and ran down the aisle with the boy. ¡°Here you are, you rat bastards! I¡¯ve been waiting!¡± At the end of the passage, a man with a torch revealed a mean face. It was the Duke of Cabezo. When did they come all the way here? Dalton hid the boy behind his back. ¡°Haha. It¡¯s no use hiding! The last blood of Leschine¡¯s blood will be dedicated to our Cabezo!¡± The Duke of Cabezo lifted the sword. Then came running towards the boy and the Marquis Dalton. ¡°No!¡± It was then. Someone held the screaming boy¡¯s hand tight. Very warm hands. The boy looked around. A girl smaller than himself held his hand tightly. ¡°It¡¯s all right, Your Grace. I¡¯ll protect you in your dream. So stop waking up from a bad dream.¡± Victoire slowly opened his eyes. Under the bluish light of the moonlight at dawn, a tiny silhouette of Elisabeth was seen. I thought it had died down, but it was a nightmare that came back. A nightmare like a bad disease not long after he intentionally turned a blind eye to Elisabeth. The last day of the Duke of Leschine. ¡°Did you have a bad dream?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Forget it all.¡± He had to tell Elisabeth to go back to her room. But Victoire couldn¡¯t push out the tiny body temperature with his hands tightly attached. Victoire needed it now. Instead of pushing Elisabeth away, he smiled softly. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Elisabeth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± Elisabeth, who bravely comforted Victoire, returned as a young girl and shrugged. ¡°Is the night scary?¡± ¡°No.¡± Elisabeth gave more strength to her hand, attached to Victoire¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s all a dream.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°When I wake up, I¡¯m afraid Your Grace is gone.¡± ¡°Elisabeth.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even want to see me these days, so it¡¯s all just an illusion.¡± ¡°Elisabeth, come here.¡± Victoire raised himself and opened his arms toward Elisabeth. Elisabeth was surprised and only stood still, with her big eyes wide open. Victoire gave Elisabeth a gentle hug. ¡®Ah¡­.¡¯ He could feel the heart of the girl who came into his arms. A presence smaller than his fist spread throughout Victoire¡¯s body. When he was hugged, he could feel his heart beating fast and slowly stabilizing. It was a very lovely beat. This was really force majeure. He couldn¡¯t push this girl out anymore. ¡°It¡¯s not a dream.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a dream then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m your father.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°You can rest assured.¡± Instead of giving a vague answer, Elisabeth put her head down in the arms of Victoire. On that day, a new dream arose in the life of a barren Victoire who had lived with only revenge as his destiny. ¡®I hope that someday Elisabeth will really call me [Dad].¡¯ *** A key with a teddy bear shaped ring went into the keyhole in the study. Elisabeth crept through the open door of the study and went inside. ¡®I had a really hard time playing today, too.¡¯ Today, Dylan made me a golden pinwheel. Of course, the pinwheel didn¡¯t turn because it was a day without a single wind. When Elisabeth was disappointed, Dylan used an aura to spin the pinwheel wildly. Later, the artificial wind that the aura created was so strong that all the grass around her was swept away. Dylan grumbled and cleaned the garden. ¡®It was fun!¡¯ But all that was just for access to the study. Victoire and Mrs. Marian always said, ¡®Do it right, have fun, and play a lot,¡¯ but that¡¯s far from it. ¡®It¡¯s all just for the study.¡¯ Elisabeth laughed and took out a book without hesitation. ¡¾The Secret History of the Empire¡¿ This book was classified as a third-rate gossip book. However, the book¡¯s 345 pages contained conspiracy theories about the families of Cabezo and Leschine, which were not covered in any book. Of course I had to pass through a lot of crap to get to page 345. ¡®I seriously wrote down the fact that the current emperor was the crown prince and that the northern part of the empire had a door to hell. Who made up the story that if you give your life, [Trikol] will grant you a wish? If he knew that, the Duke of Cabezo would have used it already.¡¯ It was such a third-rate book that it did not seem to be designated as a taboo. Conspiracy theories about the Cabezos and Leschines were also likely to be less credible. Still, it was worth reading. It¡¯s better to know than not to know. ¡®It¡¯s the most detailed book I¡¯ve ever read in the study.¡¯ From the beginning, Elisabeth was allowed to enter the study to learn about the two families, Leschine and Cabezo. Elisabeth only knew that Leschine was a family that collapsed after plotting treason. But the Daughtry¡¯s thought Leschine was framed by Cabezo. Elisabeth read the rest of the parts that she had read until yesterday. Elisabeth turned over the pages. < In the 601st year of Imperial rule, the Leschine family was destroyed by the discovery of a letter asking a Titan Dukedom to serve as a rebel. However, there is a rumor that the letter was forged by the Duke of Cabezo. It was to take over the [Heart of Olga]. However, with the fall of the Duke of Leschine, the [Trium] has disappeared. The most likely theory is that Emperor Friedrich, who feared that the Duke of Cabezo would get the [Heart of Olga], stole the [Trium], but nothing has been officially revealed. > The fall of the Leschine was in Elisabeth¡¯s grandfather¡¯s time. At that time, Victoire would have been a young boy like herself. ¡®Any book is all about gossip. I want to know something more accurate. I thought there¡¯d be evidence of that in Victoire¡¯s study.¡¯ Elisabeth looked round the high and wide study. Knock, Knock Then someone knocked on the door of the study. ¡°Who is it?¡± Elisabeth asked. The door opened slightly and Marian stuck out her head. ¡°Miss, how long are you going to keep reading? Come out and have a snack.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± ¡°In the middle of growing up, you have to feed even if you¡¯re not hungry.¡± Marian came into the study and held Elisabeth in her arms. ¡°Ah! Mrs. Marian! Let me down, I¡¯m 12 years old! It¡¯s heavy for Mrs. Marian.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ a little true.¡± Marian smiled embarrassedly and put Elisabeth down. ¡°I wanted to hug you too, because His Grace and the young masters hug you so brightly.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m really good at walking.¡± ¡°If you had come when you were a little younger, I would have carried you around every day. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t.¡± Elisabeth smiled and took Marian¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some snacks!¡± ¡°I prepared a delicious peach tart and chocolate cake. Look forward to it.¡± Elisabeth walked down the hall with light steps, holding Marian¡¯s hand. ¡°The Miss looks happy. Is something going on?¡± A passing employee asked Marian. ¡°I¡¯m going to eat peach tart and chocolate cake!¡± Elisabeth replied instead. He could not hide his smile as his employer was cute with her boastful way of speaking. Employees would always gaze at Elisabeth with a warm look as they walked around the mansion. Elisabeth was like a cute little squirrel that appeared in a dreary, dark mansion. The expression of those who had been rigid with her existence began to unravel. It was the same for Elisabeth that this mansion brightened up. ¡®I like it here.¡¯ People were kind to Elisabeth. Elisabeth always smiled at everyone. She generously shared her heart with those who gave her affection. When she was Emilie Cabezo, no matter how hard she tried, everyone was cold. Her father disapproved of everything Emilie did. Emilie sent desserts for the employees who finished an event, but Polia put the medicine in the middle, causing all the employees to have stomach aches and become her public enemies. That¡¯s why Elisabeth¡¯s small smile on her face was so precious. ¡®People here may have other plans, but I just want to like them now. Let¡¯s enjoy this moment until we¡¯re all grown up.¡¯ Elisabeth¡¯s mind was also relieved because of Dylan¡¯s work not long ago. ¡®It¡¯s funny that oppa was protecting me.¡¯ (i¡¯ll be using oppa[older brother] and orabeoni[elder brother] from now on.) When Elisabeth thought of that time, she laughed. Sixteen year-old Dylan spoke quite maturely. Since then, he has not even said get out. ¡®I don¡¯t know how lucky that is.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t say anything, but every time I was told to go out, the inner wound was no joke. ¡°Elisabeth!¡± A familiar voice was heard from outside. Elisabeth held her head out of the window. ¡°How are you? Long time no see!¡± Jeremy Dalton smiled brightly and waved. ¡°I saw you yesterday. How has it been a while?¡± ¡°Of course. I missed you so much I thought I was dying! A day seemed like a year.¡± Jeremy was a friend of Dylan¡¯s, but he had a different personality from Dylan. Everyone was friendly and active. There was so much playfulness that Elisabeth would burst out laughing once a minute when she talked to him. ¡°Come down. Let¡¯s play!¡± Jeremy was a sixteen-year-old boy and liked to hang out with Elisabeth, a twelve-year-old girl. Elisabeth went down to the garden where Jeremy was often waiting. ¡°I¡¯m playing with you instead because Dylan won¡¯t play.¡± ¡°You come here so often that Dylan doesn¡¯t play with you.¡± ¡°Aing. That¡¯s too much. You know much I love Dylan.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± Elisabeth asked with her golden eyes wide open. Jeremy laughed at it, holding his stomach. ¡°Puhahaha. Do you really believe that?¡± ¡°What. You shouldn¡¯t play with love.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Then what are you going to give me as an apology?¡± Elisabeth asked graciously. Jeremy, who had his eyes wide open, soon realized that Elisabeth was playing a prank and bowed his head, pretending to be troubled. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll make you a grass flute as an apology.¡± Jeremy tore off a few leaves of grass in the garden and folded them around to create a plausible flute shape. ¡°Wow. Does this really make a sound?¡± ¡°Of course. Listen.¡± Jeremy blew the grass flute. It was small and clumsy, but clearly there was a ¡®Ppoo-Ppoo-¡¯ sound. Elisabeth rumbled and laughed. Jeremy looked at Elisabeth, bewildered. ¡°Is this so funny?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a lot of fun. I want to blow it, too!¡± Jeremy gave Elisabeth the grass flute. Chapter 23 ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re so happy about this. It¡¯s amazing.¡± Elisabeth blew the grass flute regardless of the ¡®Ppoo-ppoo¡¯ sound. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Two people turned their heads. Dylan stood in the distance with a disapproving look. ¡°Look at this guy? You hid when I asked you to come out and play and you¡¯re here because of Elisabeth?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, so don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s really nonsense.¡± Elisabeth took Dylan¡¯s answer seriously. ¡®Dylan can¡¯t be here because of me. He¡¯s here because his friend is here.¡¯ Jeremy looked alternately at Elisabeth and Dylan and laughed with a ¡®Pft¡¯. ¡°Dylan, play with her.¡± ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know how to play too.¡± ¡°Elisabeth. He¡¯s talking nonsense again.¡± Elisabeth shook her head resolutely. ¡°No. Play with Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Dylan sounded dumbfounded. Jeremy didn¡¯t put up with it this time and laughed ¡®Puhaha¡¯. *** ¡®Ppoo-Ppoo-oo-¡® One could hear the sound of the grass flute all day long in the garden of the mansion. After Jeremy had gone back, Elisabeth continued to sing the grass flute he had made for her. When she came to meet Victoire and Damon, who had returned home, she was with the grass flute. ¡°What¡¯s that, Elisabeth?¡± Damon asked, not missing the grass flute in Elisabeth¡¯s hand. ¡®I thought you¡¯d recognize it Damon.¡¯ Rejoicing at Damon¡¯s meticulousness, Elisabeth held the flute high as she boasted. ¡°It¡¯s a flute made by Jeremy oppa.¡± Dylan¡¯s expression suddenly rotted. It was Dylan who has been waiting for a change of heart for some time. ¡®Look at that? Are you jealous that Elisabeth called Jeremy oppa?¡¯ Damon sensed Dylan¡¯s change and swallowed a laugh. ¡°Give it a try.¡± Said Victoire with curious eyes. Elisabeth blew the grass flute like she had been waiting for this chance. ¡®Ppoo-ppoo-oo¡¯ ¡°What a god-given, beautiful performance¡­¡± ¡°So noisy.¡± Victoire was speechless. Damon looked at Dylan with a shocked face. Elisabeth looked at Dylan in surprise, too. ¡®Why is he so mean? Are you jealous?¡¯ Elisabeth turned to eye the empty-handed Dylan. ¡®Cause you¡¯re the only one who doesn¡¯t have a grass flute?¡¯ It was a reasonable deduction. ¡°That jerk Jeremy, he¡¯ll never come again.¡± Dylan¡¯s inability to hide his displeasure to the end further supported the speculation. *** Elisabeth, who just had dinner, came out to the garden with Marian, holding a lantern. Then, they collected the fresh-looking leaves of grass. ¡°What are you going to do with this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to make a full flute and give it to Dylan. Dylan was jealous of my grass flute earlier.¡± ¡°Jealousy? Young master Dylan? Grass flute?¡± Marian asked back as if she could not believe it. She couldn¡¯t believe Dylan was jealous, nor could she even believe that the reason for jealousy was the grass flute. Elisabeth nodded with conviction. ¡°Isn¡¯t that really childish?¡± Elisabeth shook her head. ¡°I think Jeremy did this earlier.¡± Elisabeth made a pretty good full flute shape. But when she blew it into her mouth, there was no sound. ¡°That¡¯s strange? I¡¯m sure he made it like this.¡± ¡°What are you doing dangerously at night?¡± Then Dylan¡¯s voice was heard from behind her back. ¡®How does Dylan know where I am and shows up every time? I¡¯ve even put up a guard.¡¯ Elisabeth looked at him with surprise. ¡°Young master, it¡¯s inside the mansion. There are also bright lanterns. It¡¯s not dangerous.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s still in danger. What if she steps on the wrong foot and falls down? What if she never wakes up?¡± ¡°Ho-ho, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s like the young master who answered like that.¡± Marian chuckled. Dylan, who didn¡¯t understand his feelings, looked at Marian frustratedly. Elisabeth, who had been squatting, rose from her seat and offered Dylan a grass flute that looked only plausible. ¡°I was making a grass flute for Dylan.¡± ¡°For me?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it all before. Dylan¡¯s jealous of my grass flute.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dylan was dumbfounded. He was a man who would not be jealous even if Tyce Orell boasted of a sword made of dragon bones. But he can¡¯t believe she thinks he¡¯s jealous because of the grass flute. ¡®What do you think of me?¡¯ After this long, he thought Elisabeth would recognize him as a pretty cool, dashing oppa. Dylan was deeply hurt. But as soon as he saw Elisabeth¡¯s little hand-held grass flute, his expression unwittingly loosened gently. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d love it.¡± (Dy) I don¡¯t like it. Dylan brutally disassembled the grass flute that Elisabeth gave him. ¡°Huh? What are you doing?! I worked hard on it!¡± Dylan began to make a new grass flute out of the disintegrated grass leaves without answering. The grass flute he made was more elaborate than Jeremy made. Besides,¡­ ¡®Poo-Poo-oo-oo¡¯ ¡­.the sound was deeper and more beautiful. Elisabeth gazed at Dylan, enchanted. ¡°Wow, the sound is different. What happened?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s because I¡¯m better at making it.¡± ¡°But why were you jealous before? You¡¯re so good at making it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Dylan¡¯s face suddenly turned red. ¡°I, I don¡¯t get jealous!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie. You looked jealous in front of His Grace earlier, so I was upset. That¡¯s a bad thing. I told you to get along with His Grace.¡± ¡°That was¡­¡± Dylan mumbled at a loss of words. Elisabeth tilted her head. Dylan turned his head away. ¡°Thanks for the grass flute, anyway.¡± ¡°What? Yes.¡± Dylan grabbed the grass flute and went back into the mansion. Marian, with a bewildered expression, said: ¡°Isn¡¯t that the grass flute young master Dylan made himself?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But why did he thank you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®That¡¯s weird. I just really don¡¯t understand boys.¡¯ *** The atmosphere of the mansion has been cluttered since morning. Elisabeth, too, sat in front of the mirror with a nervous look. ¡®I¡¯ve never felt so uncomfortable here. But it can¡¯t be helped, so I have to endure it.¡¯ Elisabeth clasped her small hands together. Her white hands trembled. Marian, who was combing Elisabeth¡¯s hair but kept looking at her face, sighed. She looked very nervous, too. Marian said seriously: ¡°You have to be extra careful. I won¡¯t be away from you for a moment today, but don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°Okay, I fully understand what you mean.¡± Elisabeth grinned. The awkwardly raised smile made Marian feel even more sorry. ¡®I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment. But I¡¯m not as happy as I expected because she¡¯s having a hard time.¡¯ Marian looked out the window. She had been a faithful and loyal servant of the Leschine family, and had lived on the happiness of the Leschines who saved her. And finally, today, the Duke of Cabezo visits this mansion. On the surface, it was a business investment visit, but on the unofficial occasion, it was finally the day the Leschines threw their first bait at Cabezos. ¡®It¡¯s natural to bring him in for revenge, but I¡¯m heartbroken because of Miss Elisabeth.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a problem hiding Elisabeth from their sight. I was worried about the scars Elisabeth would have because of their presence. Marian thought she wanted to hug the shivering little back. *** A fancy brown carriage has entered the Count Daughtry¡¯s estate. The blue eagle glistened on the top of the carriage. It was a symbol of the Duke of Cabezo. The carriage stopped. It was the Duke of Cabezo, Ferdinand and his daughter, Polia Cabezo who got off the stopped carriage. The red-haired Polia resembled the Duke of Cabezo, who looked thin and older, but looked much brighter and more poisonous. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting, Duke.¡± ¡°Long time no see. Count Daughtry.¡± Much later than the appointed time, the Duke of Cabezo spoke haughtily. It was intentional not to apologize. His late hour was clearly intended to be dominance. Victoire looked like he was deceived by the attitude, but he did not show it. ¡°This is my son, Damon. And next to him is Dylan.¡± ¡°I know them well because they¡¯re well-known for being the most suitable bride grooms. This is my daughter, Polia Cabezo. Polia, say hello.¡± But there was no answer from Polia. ¡°Polia?¡± Count Cabezo looked at his daughter. ¡°Yes¡­ Father¡­¡± Polia was gazing at Dylan, entranced. It was a face that looked like one fell in love. *** ¡°So our Cabezo duchy will invest in Count Daughtry¡¯s gold mine business¡­ Hmm.¡± The Duke of Cabezo coughed in vain. But Polia didn¡¯t notice and was just staring at Dylan. She looked completely out of her mind. ¡°If it¡¯s an investment by the Duke Cabezo, it¡¯s a great pleasure.¡± ¡°I thought so too.¡± When Damon pulled up his flag, the Duke of Cabezo quickly regained his strength and spoke proudly. ¡°By the way, the Duke really cares about his daughter.¡± Victoire said meaningfully. The Duke of Cabezo nodded without hesitation. ¡°Who doesn¡¯t love his own child? Besides, Polia looks so much like me. Smart and quick-witted. She has a good heart like her late mother. There¡¯s no reason not to like her.¡± ¡®That thing?¡¯ Dylan snorted at Polia, who was staring at him stupidly. He couldn¡¯t tell from what point of view was she smart and quick-witted. ¡®At the level of the Duke of Cabezo, that might seem smart.¡¯ Dylan was sarcastic inside. Polia thought Dylan¡¯s snorting sound was a pleasant smile that he made when she saw her, and smiled broadly with a ¡®Hehe¡¯. ¡°No matter how much I cherish her, this is the first time I have ever accompanied my young daughter to a place like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that I want my daughter to learn a lot from an early age. She¡¯s a smart kid, so she learns very quickly.¡± The Duke of Cabezo boasted. ¡®Well. Looks worse when compared to our Elisabeth.¡¯ Victoire stared at the Duke and Polia of Cabezo with a sharp glance. Polia was still staring at Dylan, unable to grasp the atmosphere. Of course, a young girl couldn¡¯t have been as good at grasping the atmosphere in a place like this as adults. So Polia was just an ordinary girl. Completely ordinary. ¡®But why did the Duke of Cabezo favor this child?¡¯ The more I looked at it, the more I could not understand why the Duke of Cabezo favored Polia. It was too much to think of simply because of Polia¡¯s dead mother. ¡°There are rumors in society that Sir Dylan is also an outstanding figure in the social world. Speaking of which, why don¡¯t you train Sir Dylan with the Cabezo family¡¯s knights?¡± Said the Duke of Cabezo. It was a sudden offer. Victoire tried not to look serious. Chapter 24 ¡°Well. Dylan¡¯s already getting a good education at home. Also, he¡¯s old enough to be a squire.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to come in as a squire. There are many great knights in the Duke of Cabezo, so if you come straight in as an apprentice, you¡¯ll get a good education.¡± That was nonsense. The purpose of bringing Dylan into the Cabezo duchy was obviously to subordinate Count Daughtry to Duke Cabezo. ¡°You¡¯ll get not only knight training, but also liberal arts education. Polia¡¯s teacher is commendable.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Dylan, who had been silent, said coldly. ¡°Sir Dylan, this is a great opportunity for you too.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I¡¯m satisfied with the education I¡¯m getting.¡± ¡°You still don¡¯t know how the world works. You don¡¯t have the professionalism like your father or brother.¡± Duke Cabezo said with a sneer. Of course, Dylan¡¯s road to ¡®professionalism¡¯ like Count Daughtry was being defamed. ¡°I respect my son¡¯s idea.¡± Victoire said calmly. The Duke of Cabezo shook his head. It was a blatant disregard. He shut his mouth and patted his daughter on the shoulder who was still staring at Dylan stupidly. ¡°But, but where¡¯s the young lady Daughtry?¡± Polia spoke as if she had come to her senses belatedly. ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around that she is hidden and doesn¡¯t show up.¡± Polia spoke stiffly, as if she was speaking a memorized line. Perhaps Duke Cabezo made her talk. ¡°My daughter is still adjusting to her new life, Princess.¡± ¡°Still? She must be slow to adapt.¡± At that moment, the top of the table became frigid. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, I want to help.¡± ¡°Polia, you don¡¯t have to help everyone.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s my duty to help others if I am a princess. Besides, I¡¯m the only princess in the Empire. I¡¯m supposed to be a model for everyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re good-hearted, my daughter.¡± Duke Cabezo stroked Polia¡¯s head affectionately. ¡°Look at this child. She¡¯s like me, so she¡¯s very responsible. And she¡¯s as kind as my dead wife. How can I not spare my child?¡± Victoire, Damon and Dylan were dumbfounded by this stupid play. Duke Cabezo then spoke. ¡°People who I don¡¯t know have been making bad rumors about Lady Daughtry, but now they¡¯ve heard a lot of good things. I am especially very curious to hear that Marquis Dalton and Sir Dalton say that Lady Daughtry is really cute.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a particularly cute and clever daughter.¡± Victoire answered quickly. Dylan looked at Victoire in bewilderment. (Dy) ¡®Isn¡¯t it Victoire who deliberately started the rumor to protect Elisabeth? What¡¯s wrong with him. What a dimwit.¡¯ ¡°Particularly cute and clever? I really want to be friends with her.¡± Polia said. It was a voice full of jealousy. ¡°No matter how cute and clever they are, there will still be the unique rusticness of a poor-grown child, and I want to lead her well as a princess.¡± As if she was not praising the other girl in front of her, Polia discredited the young lady of Daughtry, whom she had never seen before. Damon smiled kindly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel that much pressure just because you¡¯re a princess. My youngest sister is growing up very well.¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m the only princess of the Duke Cabezo and the only princess of the Empire. It¡¯s natural to help a poor child.¡± Dylan was annoyed by Polia¡¯s constant emphasis on ¡®the only princess.¡¯ Moreover, it was ridiculous for Duke Cabezo to just listen as if it were natural. ¡°It¡¯s late, but I¡¯m sorry about Lady Emilie.¡± Dylan said coldly. It was a provocation on purpose. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped because human life depends on heaven.¡± Duke Cabezo replied but he answered without his face changing. ¡®How could he do that when his daughter is dead?¡¯ I knew roughly how Elisabeth was treated by the Duke of Cabezo. However, I couldn¡¯t stand but be angry when I met him in front of my eyes. But Dylan was able to resist the rising anger because of concerns that permeated at one side of his heart. ¡®Elisabeth would have a hard time just having this man here.¡¯ Victoire had no choice but to contact Duke Cabezo because he had to approach the Duke of Cabezo to get revenge himself. It was unexpected that he even brought Polia. However, it would be difficult for young Elisabeth to understand, and even if she did, she would be agitated. ¡°Father¡­¡± Polia called Duke Cabezo and whispered something. The Duke of Cabezo stared at Dylan with wary eyes. ¡°Count Daughtry. I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°A favor. If there¡¯s anything you want, please tell me.¡± ¡°My daughter must be very pleased with the Daughtry mansion. I¡¯d like you to introduce her around.¡± Victoire¡¯s expression hardened at the moment. However, he replied with a smile, thinking he should only need to not bring her near Elisabeth¡¯s room and introduce her around. ¡°That would be welcome. Let my son Damon introduce you.¡± ¡°No.¡± Polia cut in urgently. ¡°Sir Dylan, please show me!¡± Dylan looked at Polia with cold eyes. *** Elisabeth was blankly putting the puzzle together. It was one of the puzzles that Victoire bought her when she¡¯s bored. ¡°Oh, miss! Wake up!¡± Marian, who was bringing tea and snacks, smiled and said. Elisabeth looked closely at the puzzle only then. It was a puzzle with a unicorn drawing, and the front legs of the unicorn were set instead of horns. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve done it more than ten times, and you¡¯re wrong, were you having any other thoughts?¡± Marian knew nothing about it. ¡°When you have a lot of thoughts, take a cup of tea and take a breather, miss.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Marian.¡± Elisabeth drank the sweet, strawberry-scented tea. She felt a little out of her mind, but still feeling unreal. ¡®My father is in this house. Just like Polia is.¡¯ I thought I had erased a lot of my abused past while I was mentally being healed in the Daughtry mansion. But when I thought of my father and Polia being in the same space, I couldn¡¯t get my head together. Even a moment¡¯s gasping felt as if someone was stealing her soul, her thoughts bounced back to her father and Polia. There was nothing but horrible things and frustrations there, but I kept thinking about them like I was tempted. ¡®There¡¯s no more sadness or regret for not being loved by my own father.¡¯ I have received enough kindness here. ¡®But¡­ still, my heart is beating fast.¡¯ Elisabeth was unaware that it was a trauma. She couldn¡¯t easily forget it because she suffered from it until she died in her previous life. Without knowing this, however, she was in pain while thinking about them. ¡®Will I ever get involved with father or Polia again?¡¯ Elisabeth was terrified even though she thought it wouldn¡¯t happen. A father who hated her enough to kill her, and Polia who took everything from her. ¡®What if Polia takes away precious things from me again this time?¡¯ Victoire, Damon, Marian¡­ and Dylan. It was funny to think of them as precious, but it was also them who came to mind again then she shook her head. In this life, I didn¡¯t want to be robbed of my life. ¡°Miss. Would you like to go to the window and get some fresh air? And warm sunshine.¡± As Elisabeth¡¯s complexion got worse and worse, Marian said that. Elisabeth found calm by looking at the sunlight and the swaying leaves that permeated the window. It was so peaceful and beautiful outside. There was nothing pushing her back or even threatening her. ¡®Let¡¯s be relieved, Elisabeth. These people are different from my father. They won¡¯t abuse their youngest daughter like my father did, and they won¡¯t fall for Polia easily.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing?¡± Elisabeth, looking for stability in her mind, doubted her ears. ¡°Young master Dylan!¡± At Marian¡¯s cry, Elisabeth looked back. Dylan was approaching. ¡°Oh, what happened? You should be with His Grace and Damon together.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a while. I have to go again.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I was just thinking of you.¡± Dylan sighed at the dark face of Elisabeth. It was as expected. The child was fighting her past alone. With this little body and young face. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Nothing. What were you doing?¡± ¡°I was just looking out the window. I¡¯m so bored.¡± Marian brought another chair near the window so Dylan could sit face to face with Elisabeth. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a cup of tea, young master Dylan.¡± Then Marian left the room for a while. It was reassuring to have Dylan there even if she was away. ¡°I¡¯m about to go, but what Mrs. Marian is doing is useless.¡± ¡°Mrs. Marian is doing this for Dylan. When that happens, just say ¡®thank you¡¯.¡± ¡°You¡¯re even lecturing me now?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then you should learn.¡± Dylan smiled. Elisabeth had already returned to her usual form and was chattering briskly. He felt much relieved. ¡°Are you watching something funny out there?¡± ¡°Just everything. The sun and the wind are so nice.¡± Elisabeth put her head out of the window and breathed heavily in the outside air. The warmth of this mansion warmed Elisabeth¡¯s chilly heart. ¡®I¡¯m glad Dylan¡¯s here.¡¯ Elisabeth smiled and closed her eyes. Dylan looked at Elisabeth with such fond eyes. Then they heard a rustle under the window. The moment she looked down casually, Elisabeth saw what she should not see. ¡°Fath¡­¡± The Duke of Cabezo, who felt the presence, raised his head. Dylan quickly held Elisabeth and dragged her down the window. Tremble, a little tremor filled Dylan¡¯s arms. ¡°I heard something?¡± Duke Cabezo looked persistently at the window, as if something was strange. He came slowly to see the window better. ¡°Father!¡± It was then. Polia ran to Duke Cabezo with a bright face. The Duke of Cabezo held the running Polia in his arms without hesitation. ¡°Polia. Have you finished your tour of the mansion?¡± ¡°Yes. Sir Damon introduced me well. But I wanted to be introduced by Sir Dylan, it¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Hmph. Forget that bastard. How dare he refuse a princess¡¯ request? My one and only daughter¡¯s favor!¡± Dylan felt Elisabeth in his arms flinching loudly. He gave Elisabeth a hug with more strength. ¡°Isn¡¯t he playing hard to get for a reason? There¡¯s no one in the world who hates princesses.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that asshole anyway. Why did he bring up Emilie¡¯s story?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s a little slow-witted. I almost died of heartache because he suddenly brought up Emilie¡¯s story.¡± ¡°That hurts my heart. Whenever you say such a thing, this father¡¯s heart bleeds.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have happened if Emilie hadn¡¯t bothered an innocent puppy, but I¡¯m so sad to think about it again.¡± ¡°She asked for it. I can¡¯t believe there was such an ugly and wicked child in our Cabezo duchy.¡± ¡°My late mother must be taking good care of Emilie in heaven.¡± ¡°What do you mean Emily is being watched by Diana? The child who crazily pushed her mother with jealousy. It¡¯s creepy to think now how one thought of killing someone at that young age.¡± ¡°It would have been nice if she had told the truth and apologized before she died, but I was a little upset that she insisted she didn¡¯t kill mother until the end.¡± ¡°Forget it all now, Polia. Emilie died and paid for her sins.¡± ¡°I understand, Father. Let¡¯s stop talking about bad things. Polia is so happy to be on a date alone with father after a long time.¡± ¡°Oh, yes, my daughter. I¡¯m glad that the sinister matter is gone and it¡¯s just you and me.¡± Polia linked her arms to the Duke of Cabezo¡¯s. Duke Cabezo laughed and disappeared with Polia. ¡°Sob¡­¡± I could hear the small sob in my arms. ¡°Elisabeth.¡± Dylan clenched his teeth. ¡®I don¡¯t care if you swear at me. But I can¡¯t stand it when it¡¯s hurting Elisabeth.¡¯ I wanted to run out right away and kick that ugly father and daughter out. I wanted to get revenge on those stupid and insensitive people who were so cruel as to shake their teeth. But for now, the crying Elisabeth came first. I couldn¡¯t leave this child behind. When the body temperature of Elisabeth, who was trembling and crying, was felt, sorrow came in and anger melted away. Dylan hugged Elisabeth more tightly. Chapter 25 ¡°Dylan.¡± The crying Elisabeth¡¯s voice was then heard. ¡°I think I¡¯m very lucky.¡± The following words were unthinkable. ¡°I have a good father and two older brothers in such a nice house. I don¡¯t know how lucky I am.¡± The voice that was trying hard to hold back the sadness was painful. ¡°That¡¯s right. Where¡¯s the lucky kid like you? You got lots of love from Victoire, Damon cherishes you and I¡­¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°I like you.¡± The cries which had been flowing from Elisabeth ceased. Elisabeth looked up at Dylan with a wet face. ¡°Really?¡± As if it was something incredible, the small, round face dyed in pink asked. Dylan was suddenly stifled by an unknown hot, ticklish feeling. ¡®How can that person hate you? When you¡¯re this lovely.¡¯ Dylan wanted to ask. He wanted to scream and ask anyone. But instead of asking, he hugged Elisabeth again. This time, like holding petals, very cozy. Preciously. ¡°Then I will contact you again.¡± The Duke of Cabezo reached out his hand. Victoire shook hands with him. Old and thin, but never troubled, the soft hand hit Victoire¡¯s rough hands. ¡®Disgusting.¡¯ Victoire managed to resist wanting to spit at Cabezo¡¯s veins at any moment. ¡°But where¡¯s Sir Dylan? Why doesn¡¯t he come to see us off?¡± Polia asked while looking around. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s with the youngest by now.¡± ¡°You mean the newly adopted youngest kid?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Polia¡¯s expression was bluntly distorted by Damon¡¯s words. It was very rude, but Duke Cabezo didn¡¯t blame his daughter. ¡°It makes no sense not to come out to see us off just to be with his youngest sister, especially when the Duke and Princess Cabezo are going.¡± ¡°Their relationship is special.¡± Damon said, smiling to the end. But the tone was sharp. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Polia. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Duke Cabezo pulled Polia¡¯s hand. ¡°I understand, Father.¡± Polia climbed into the carriage with her mouth pouting. Looking away at the carriage, Victoire clenched his fist. ¡°Good patience, Father.¡± ¡°Dirty Cabezos. Someday, I¡¯ll skin them and put them in the river.¡± A deep cry of anger flowed out of Victoire¡¯s mouth. Damon stared at his father¡¯s bloodshot eyes with a darkened face. Victoire¡¯s dead father, the Duke of Leschine, used to write letters to his eldest sister who was married to the Kingdom of Titan. She was a great aunt to Victoire. Victoire still clearly remembers the day when his father wrote her his last regards. Even the ink smudged the letter paper because he was playing around. ¡®The Duke of Cabezo¡¯s evidence was the letter sent out that contained the proof was different, and there was no ink smudge.¡¯ It was a letter fabricated by the Duke of Cabezo by mimicking the handwriting of the Duke of Leschine. ¡®My aunt didn¡¯t even have the power to send a soldier to plot a rebellion.¡¯ But luckily at the time, the Titan Kingdom was really preparing for war with the Empire. Fortunately, it did not go to war thanks to the foreknowledge. But the Duke of Leschine helplessly became the sacrificial lamb between them. The furious emperor believed in the slander, and the Duke of Leschine never had a chance to explain. Only Victoire and his sister, Baroness Terran, managed to save their lives thanks to Marquis Dalton¡¯s father. Even Victoire¡¯s aunt, who had been married to Titan Kingdom, was heartbroken to hear this news and killed herself, and so the Duke of Leschine was literally shattered. Marquis Dalton, Victoire, and Baroness Terran and his wife lost their footing while running away. Thanks to him, Victoire lived his life as a dead man. He couldn¡¯t settle down because he was afraid that his identity would be revealed even after he got married. The young Dylan also had to stay away for a while, left in the care of others. Meanwhile, he managed to buy the name of Count Daughtry, a family that collapsed in the countryside. All the time until he came to this occasion, and again to face the Duke of Cabezo, was painful for him. ¡®I¡¯ll make everyone pay back a few times.¡¯ Blood formed in the hands of Victoire, who clenched his fist. *** ¡°This is¡­ What is it?¡± The Duke of Cabezo asked after looking for a long time at a piece of paper with a childish sentence written in clumsy handwriting. ¡°Polia wrote a poem for father!¡± In front of the Duke of Cabezo, a girl dressed in fancy and luxurious clothes said with a big smile. Her name is Polia Cabezo. The only ¡®present¡¯ child of the Duke of Cabezo. Polia¡¯s face with paper was full of expectations. ¡°Oh, poetry? It was poetry. It¡¯s a poem.¡± The Duke of Cabezo said, embarrassed. I never imagined that this strange writing would be poetry. The sentences were like children¡¯s pranks, and the handwriting was developed like that of a five-year-old child. He was eleven years old and a child, but when he studied literature, he could write a poem or two. Furthermore, the tutors assigned to Polia were all expensive teachers from the Advanced Academy. ¡®That¡¯s odd. Diana wasn¡¯t brilliant, but she wrote poetry.¡¯ The Duke of Cabezo had no way of knowing that Polia¡¯s mother, Diana, had always been paying for a man¡¯s poetry, or had stolen the poems of an unnamed wandering poet on the street. ¡®Emilie¡¯s been writing poetry since she was nine.¡¯ Emilie¡¯s poetry was so complete that it was unbelievable it was written by a child. It was just like her mother, Filena, who excelled at anything and choked the Duke of Cabezo. So it was by ill luck. The woman who always showed herself a cold face. A duchess would spend money and obey, the duchess was a woman who was just saying what was right to him as a duchess. ¡°Hahaha. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve received a poem from a woman.¡± On the other hand, Polia made him feel at home. The humor of Diana, who always made him laugh, was similar. Watching Polia didn¡¯t give him a headache, and he didn¡¯t have to think much. Because she always took care of him and entertained him. ¡®The poem is childish, but childlike and cute. The handwriting is a bit serious, but she can learn it.¡¯ The Duke of Cabezo was satisfied. She didn¡¯t seem to have any writing skills, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®You¡¯re the only princess in the Empire, but you don¡¯t have any writing skills.¡¯ She¡¯s the daughter of Duke Cabezo! ¡°Thank you. Polia. I will send you a piece of art that I bought at the auction not long ago.¡± ¡°No, Father. I didn¡¯t write a poem in exchange for anything. I¡¯m just happy if my father smiles.¡± ¡°Take it. It¡¯s this father¡¯s feelings.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father. I¡¯m so glad to meet my father!¡± Polia was speaking with emotion and suddenly began to sniff. The Duke of Cabezo was not surprised. At this timing every time, Polia began to cry. ¡°You don¡¯t know how hard it was to live in the slums with my mother. Polia was so happy that father came to save me and my mother.¡± Polia used to bring up old stories every time the Duke of Cabezo did something good. In fact, it hasn¡¯t been long since Polia lived outside the duchy. When Polia was born, he hurriedly washed Diana¡¯s identity and put her in the open. ¡®How thirsty are you for my affection do you even remember what happened when you were a kid?¡¯ But the Duke of Cabezo passed Polia¡¯s contradictions insignificant. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a decent princess now? Stop and forget what happened then.¡± ¡°Father, you should always love Polia as you do now.¡± ¡°Do you have to say that? Don¡¯t worry. You¡¯re my only daughter.¡± Polia ran and fell into the arms of the Duke of Cabezo. ¡°My daughter, stop crying. You have to smile now.¡± Duke Cabezo¡¯s hand patted Polia¡¯s back. Polia crept out of the Duke of Cabezo¡¯s arms. Then she smiled coldly. Polia learned a lot from her mother. What to do to survive. A few years ago that night, Polia still vividly remembered that her mother Diana had secretly called her room. Polia felt like the sky was falling. Diana had a chronic disease in her difficult life. The disease, which she thought had been cured by entering into the duchy as she lived in abundance, recurred. Diana pressed her crying daughter hard. Polia knew. Because Diana always told that in her ears more than enough. With Emilie, whose biological mother was a high-ranking aristocrat, Polia will always be placed in the back. So they have to hold on to the Duke of Cabezo tightly. And in the end¡­ Diana said grimly. Polia nodded. A few days later, Diana suggested a family outing. Polia watched Diana, holding Emilie¡¯s hand, climbing up the high hill, while she was held in the arms of Duke Cabezo. And the sight of her mother falling down the cliff pretending to be pushed by Emilie¡¯s hands¡­.. She could only look. Emilie clearly understood what her mother meant. She crushed Emilie ahead of her soon-to-be-dead life. Polia cried out to Emilie, who ran down the cliff in tears. Polia carried out her mother¡¯s will exactly. She didn¡¯t let her mother down. She removed Emilie, who was a thorn in her side. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect you to die that easily.¡¯ As long as Emilie was there, no matter how much she was loved by her father, she always had to be the second. With the legitimacy of blood, everything would have been compared to Emilie. No matter how much she washes her identity, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Diana was a prostitute. When Emilie died, Polia could be a princess completely. ¡®Now it¡¯s all mine. Emilie¡¯s room, her clothes, her jewels, her place as the princess, and father too!¡¯ *** Edith, sitting in front of Duke Cabezo, looked very uncomfortable. She was a senior graduate of the Imperial Academy and the youngest senior teacher at the Academy. (i¡¯m not sure about the gender but i¡¯ll change it if it becomes clear/ if edith shows up in the future chapters) From a few years ago, she was teaching the Cabezo princesses once a week. ¡®When Emilie was there, she didn¡¯t seem uncomfortable, but ever since she taught Polia, she has always been like that.¡¯ When she was teaching Emilie, Edith would rather step up and ask for a meeting with the Duke of Cabezo. The conversation was mainly about how well Emilie was following and creative in class, so it was about how happy she was teaching in class. She was busy bragging about her great pupil in front of the Duke, but the story for the Duke of Cabezo was so boring. ¡®What do you mean you know about Emilie? It¡¯s just that she ran into her mother.¡¯ When I think of my ex-wife, Filena, who was just like Emilie when she was a child, my frustration soared. It was due to the inferiority complex, but the Duke of Cabezo would never admit it. But now the situation of Duke Cabezo and Edith had changed completely. ¡°I received a poem written by Polia today. Thanks to your good teaching, I¡¯m getting a poem from my daughter.¡± ¡°Princess Emilie had already given her poetry to the Duke when she was nine.¡± ¡°Did she?¡± Duke Cabezo answered absentmindedly. ¡°But as a father, my daughter¡¯s poetry is good, but I thought it wouldn¡¯t be for everyone.¡± ¡°I understand what you are trying to say. You mean Princess Polia¡¯s writing skills seem to be lacking, don¡¯t you think so?¡± Edith spoke directly hinting she knew everything. Duke Cabezo suddenly had an idea of shame. Such bizarre writing, as for himself, may look pretty in affection, but it wasn¡¯t like that for Edith. It was too substandard for a poem written by a princess with a high-quality education. It was obvious that she was laughing at him and his daughter inside. ¡®I¡¯ve never felt this way when we were talking about Emilie¡¯s studies.¡¯ Not only Edith, but everyone in society knew Emilie¡¯s academic excellence. The Duke of Cabezo gave little response, even though they praised Emilie until she was salivating. To be honest, however, it was true that he was so proud of himself that his shoulders soared because he was human. ¡®That¡¯s so obvious because I can¡¯t get used to the assessment Polia¡¯s getting right now.¡¯ In society these days, when there were stories of their children¡¯s studies, everyone was busy watching the Duke of Cabezo. Polia¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t only with ¡®poetry¡¯. Whether she was neither motivated nor capable, there was nothing that stood out either. ¡°Your Excellency, frankly speaking, it¡¯s beyond my ability to educate Princess Polia.¡± The Duke of Cabezo, who was in bitter thought, looked at Edith in astonishment. Chapter 26 ¡°What does that mean? Aren¡¯t you a senior teacher in the Imperial Academy? If you can¡¯t educate her, who will educate her?¡± ¡°I do not know that, but I also felt self-depreciated for the first time in my life by educating Princess Polia. I do not want to have any more painful classes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡­¡± ¡°Yes. I would like to quit tutoring.¡± It sounded like a bolt from the blue. It was only a matter of time before Edith¡¯s resignation, not to mention Polia¡¯s public evaluation, but also the reputation of the Cabezo family would fall to the ground. ¡°I¡¯ll give you as much money as you like.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about money. This is a matter of my pride as a teacher. I¡¯ll do a good job in keeping my mouth shut.¡± It wasn¡¯t something that could be solved if Edith stayed quiet. It¡¯s about the rumors. Just as rumors spread that Emilie had killed her stepmother, no matter how much the Duke of Cabezo stopped the rumor, this fact will soon spread out into society and make a laughing stock out of Duke Cabezo. The Duke of Cabezo tried somehow to seize Edith, but Edith was too stubborn. She eventually left the Duke behind and left the Cabezo duchy. ¡°Sooobbbbss! It¡¯s clear that I was ignored because of my bad background! If I had an aristocratic mother like Emilie, would Edith leave me?¡± When Polia heard that Edith had quit being her teacher, she immediately ran to Duke Cabezo and sobbed. The Duke of Cabezo was already troubled and his head was about to burst when she cried. ¡®Emilie didn¡¯t blame anyone when she was young, but she seemed to please me, but Polia¡¯s crying and making a fuss again and again.¡¯ These days, the Duke of Cabezo has become more and more unknowingly reminded of Emilie. ¡°You don¡¯t think Edith would have made a fool of you? She said that she had to quit because she suddenly got busy with her work. Then this father will call Edith back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it! Edith will despise me if she comes back! Ugh! My mother died, and now I only have my father!¡± The Duke of Cabezo¡¯s clothes were wet with tears from Polia, who cried helplessly. ¡®This is some costly clothes.¡¯ The Duke of Cabezo was a little irritated. ¡°I see, Polia. Stop crying and calm down.¡± Duke Cabezo grabbed Polia by the shoulder and pushed her away. Edith was both a teacher and a radical thinker. She also called for the abolition of discrimination against statuses. Such Edith could not have quit teaching because of Polia¡¯s mother status. If she had, she would have quit a long time ago. The Duke thought Polia firmly misunderstood. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯m worried. Soon, I have to go to His Majesty the Emperor soon, and who will educate her in court etiquette?¡¯ This was not the first time Polia entered the palace. In other words, she also received several training sessions on court etiquette. However, she has not learned proper manners since then. When we entered the palace in the past, Emilie was next to me, so she took care of Polia whenever she made a mistake or had an accident. ¡®But now she¡¯s gone.¡¯ I was afraid that Polia would bring disgrace again. I was worried about not taking her to His Majesty the Emperor, but if I don¡¯t she will be in a frenzy, asking if it is because of her mother¡¯s status. Duke Cabezo grasped the throbbing head. There was no answer at all. ¡°Ah, I cried so much that my eyes hurt.¡± Polia said while rubbing her swollen eyes. The maid Seri glanced at Polia. Even though her owner is young, she thinks her acting skills are excellent. Seri is the personal servant girl of Polia. Soon, after Polia first came to this mansion, she assisted Polia in the distance. Seri carefully opened Polia¡¯s door. It was once Emilie¡¯s room. Everything that was Emilie¡¯s, as well as in the room, has now become Polia¡¯s. Polia went into the room quietly, found Emilie¡¯s favorite vase, and threw it away. The vase broke into pieces with the sound of ¡®crash!¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m really unlucky in everything that is related to her!¡± Polia clenched her teeth and gritted as she cried. ¡°Edith, that stupid thing quit being my teacher?¡± ¡°Mi, miss. Calm down.¡± ¡°I am calm!¡± Polia pushed roughly the arm of Seri, who was soothing her. Seri fell down with a ¡®thud¡¯ on the floor and got up quickly. For the little delay in getting up, there was another shriek from the little master. ¡°Emilie, I feel so relieved that she¡¯s gone! How much more would you have bothered me like this if you were still alive? Don¡¯t you think so, Seri?¡± ¡°Of, of course, miss.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s wrong with your face?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Seri, whose complexion was dark due to the pain of falling, was startled and asked back. ¡°You don¡¯t look like you like me!¡± Polia pulled Seri¡¯s hair tight. ¡°Aah! Aack! Miss, I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Be quiet! What if your scream leaks out?¡± ¡°Ugh, hik¡­!¡± Seri covered her mouth with both hands until Polia was relieved. Polia let go of Seri¡¯s head only after she tore it open. The tearful Seri looked at Polia in fear. Polia sneered at Seri and pointed to a large box placed on one side of the room. ¡°Get in there, now!¡± Seri crouched down in the box as if it was a familiar thing. Polia closed the lid off with a ¡®bang¡¯. Seri curled up in the dark. Tears rolled down her cheeks. ¡®It¡¯s been wrong from the start. Something¡¯s wrong.¡¯ Everyone in the family said it would be nice for Seri to be Polia¡¯s personal servant. Although Polia is a bad-tempered master, she thought that she would take good care of her and herself. But it wasn¡¯t the case. The only thing Seri received more than others were the wounds all over her body. It was so painful, but she couldn¡¯t quit, let alone expose. Seri already had too many weaknesses for Polia. Seri regretted her past of choosing Polia between Emilie and Polia. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have held Miss Polia¡¯s hand then¡­¡¯ But it is too late to correct regrets. It was her, Seri, who buried the cinnamon syrup on Emilie¡¯s skirt. Emilie had adored Polia even though she couldn¡¯t speak well. It was so cute when a child with a white face touched a baby¡¯s smaller cheek as if it were a precious jewel and giggled. The employees were amazed that the little child recognized their younger sibling. Strangely, however, the new duchess pinched and wounded her little daughter, who she gave birth to in her belly, on the day Emilie visits Polia. Then she went to the Duke of Cabezo. Duke Cabezo had no choice but to ask. Then the Duchess would weep like she was waiting for that moment, and lie that Emilie did those. The men the Duchess spoke of to the Duke of Cabezo were the closest associates of the previous Duchess who had taken care of Emilie since she was a child. They had devoted their entire lives to the Duke of Cabezo, but at the first lie of the new Duchess, they fell out of the family like dead leaves. But even the Duke of Cabezo didn¡¯t scold Emilie from the start. However, as this continued to happen, she eventually began to make a loud noise to Emilie. Emilie, who was too young, couldn¡¯t make a proper explanation. In the end, the two princesses had to be separated from each other since they were young. When Emilie was able to speak and give orders to her employees at her own will, the little sweet girl began to send gifts to her beloved sister. It was years after that. Emilie sent a dress to Polia as her present. After receiving the gift, Polia, who had been to the Duchess¡¯ room, ordered Seri with determination. ¡°Seri, get me a sharp needle.¡± Seri, who was older than Emily and Polia, and has been serving in the nobility since childhood, knew what it meant. But still, Seri got the needle quietly. The duchy was under the power of the Duchess, and luckily, her very daughter was Polia. Knowing it was a bad thing, but beneficial, Seri agreed with Polia. Polia grinned and put the needle in the gifted dress. Then she went to see the Duke of Cabezo, as her mother did. ¡°Father, look at this. My sister gave me a dress as a gift!¡± ¡°You mean Emilie? She¡¯s liked you since she was a kid. Although, it was a little wrong with the way it was. Now she must have matured as she grew older.¡± ¡°Father, look. Isn¡¯t the dress really pretty? I¡¯ve never seen anything so pretty! Sister is like an angel¡­ Kyaa!¡± Polia, who was wearing a dress and twirling around, screamed. At the same time, a needle fell on the floor from the dress. ¡°Polia! Are you alright? No, you¡¯re bleeding¡± ¡°Ugh, ah, Father¡­¡± Polia¡¯s hand was pricked by a needle and bled. The Duke of Cabezo¡¯s face turned white. ¡°Father, why did the needle fall from the dress sister gave me as a gift?¡± When Polia was burrowed with poor looks, the Duke of Cabezo¡¯s reason flew away. ¡°Get Emilie in here now!¡± The first thing the Duke of Cabezo did to Emilie was not to question her, ¡®Did you do it?¡¯. He slapped Emilie in the face without a hitch. It was heartbreaking to see a little soft girl fall like a petal to her father¡¯s fierce violence. ¡°Did you put a needle in her dress? How could you do such a cruel thing?¡± ¡°What? Father, what needle. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard of that!¡± ¡°Look with your eyes! Polia got stabbed with a needle in the dress you sent her! That poor little thing even had blood on her hands!¡± ¡°It, it wasn¡¯t me!¡± ¡°So who did? The needle comes out of the dress you sent her as a gift, so who else is it? Seri, you tell me.¡± The Duke of Cabezo¡¯s fierce eyes turned to Seri. Seri¡¯s whole body hardened with fear. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know anything. I just dressed Miss Polia in the dress the Miss sent her as a gift.¡± ¡°Father, don¡¯t scold my sister too much!¡± Fearing that Seri would be caught, Polia rushed in as she spoke with a shudder. She ran to her father and clasped his hand. ¡°I would have hated a poor kid who lived in the slums when she suddenly showed up as a younger sister. I understand sister.¡± ¡°No, Polia! I¡¯ve never seen you like that. Why do you think like that?¡± Emilie pleaded pitifully. Polia looked at Emilie and shed a drop of false tears. ¡°Sister, I believe you. I trust my sister¡¯s heart. But that doesn¡¯t mean sister can cover up your own fault.¡± Then she burst into tears in the arms of the Duke of Cabezo. After ordering his employees to take Emilie out, Duke Cabezo held Polia¡¯s swollen face in his arms while in tears. ¡°Polia, I¡¯ll buy you again a dress. Don¡¯t ever get a gift from Emilie again. That kid has been jealous of you since you were a kid. She may do evil again.¡± ¡°Father, I still like Emilie. I want to get along with my sister.¡± ¡°Who do you take after so much that you¡¯re so tender-hearted? If you keep doing this, isn¡¯t this father the one you¡¯re stepping on?¡± ¡°Father¡­!¡± Seri looked with wonder at Polia, who gave the Duke of Cabezo a surprise kiss on the cheek. ¡°Hoho, this child. Do you like your father so much?¡± The Duke of Cabezo laughed for the first time. ¡®But I feel a little sorry for Miss Emilie¡­¡­¡¯ Seri looked towards the door that she had closed. But she soon turned her head away. ¡®You¡¯re an employee, who cares about who. Well, Emilie¡¯s a princess. She eats and lives much better than I do as I work and struggle. Let¡¯s just worry about my future.¡¯ Seri didn¡¯t know Emilie would really die. Chapter 27 Emilie was punished by the Duke of Cabezo. She went alone in a deserted mansion where no one believed her. Instead, Polia¡¯s imposing days increased as time passed by. The first thing Polia did as soon as Emilie¡¯s probation day came was to visit her. Emilie, who always looked kind, looked so determined that day that she couldn¡¯t believe she was a young girl. ¡°Why did you lie, Polia?¡± Seri admired Emilie, who had spoken bluntly. If it were her, he would not have been able to speak so calmly, whether she was discouraged or angry. Polia, on the other hand, laughed at Emilie with a twisted attitude while relying on her father and mother on her back. ¡°Because I really hate you.¡± Seri thought that even the answer was too Polia. ¡°I knew you didn¡¯t like me.¡± ¡°You know? Our mom said you wouldn¡¯t know, but she¡¯s not tactful.¡± ¡°But I wanted to be nice to you. I gave you a present because I wanted to change your mind and get along well as sisters. But why did you lie like that?¡± Polia¡¯s eyes distorted ferociously. ¡°You want to get along well with me as a sister? Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You must have given me that cheap dress because you felt sorry for me!¡± Emilie¡¯s present was a designer dress that Polia had never even heard of. The fabric is also far inferior to the luxurious one she wears all the time. ¡°I¡¯m the same princess as you. Don¡¯t take pity on me, you arrogant thing!¡± Polia screamed at the top of her lungs. Emilie¡¯s face turned white as a sick man. ¡°The dress is the most expensive and best thing I¡¯ve ever had. At the same time, it was my favorite. It was a new one I never wore.¡± ¡°You want me to believe that a princess wears this? My father buys me a palace designer¡¯s outfit, and you barely wear it?¡± Polia doubtfully asked. Emilie turned white as she had been greatly shocked by the remark. Emilie¡¯s dress was always under her stepmother¡¯s care. Her father never stepped up to Emilie and gave her a dress or anything. But Polia got a royal designer¡¯s clothes as a gift that no one can wear even if they have money. Besides, she didn¡¯t even know that! Looking at Emilie¡¯s face, Polia belatedly grasped the situation. The displeasure vanished like a lie. Polia screamed with laughter. ¡°What, really? I guess my father doesn¡¯t care much about you! I can¡¯t believe you call it the best dress. You sympathized with me on that subject? Oh, what a disaster!¡± Seri still can¡¯t forget Emilie¡¯s back, who was trudging away with her drooping shoulders. Polia didn¡¯t stop there. She went to the Duke of Cabezo and set her up again. Since then, the favoritism of the Duke has intensified. Emilie, on the other hand, lost her gown like a man who gave up everything. But if she had quit at that point, Seri wouldn¡¯t have been trapped in this box now. ¡°Seri.¡± A gloomy voice came from outside the box. Seri wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand. She will be punished again if she gets caught crying. The lid of the box opened. Seri crouched and fearfully faced her young master¡¯s face. Polia looked down at Seri, who was so terrified of her, like she was having fun. ¡°Have you reflected on yourself a lot?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Miss. I¡¯m so sorry. I won¡¯t offend you again.¡± ¡°Certainly, Seri. You¡¯re already on the same boat with me. You can¡¯t complain to employees like this anymore, can you? You¡¯re the one who got the snacks Emilie gave to her employees and got the stomach ache medicine.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s because you made me do it!¡± ¡°Will people really believe that?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Especially when my father doesn¡¯t trust anyone but me? Hoho.¡± The sound of Polia¡¯s laughter gave Seri goosebumps. ¡°If you listen to me, you¡¯ll be able to eat and live well for the rest of your life.¡± Polia have always said this after bullying Seri. It was what Polia learned from her mother that after the severe reprimanding, a carrot and stick approach. She didn¡¯t know that, but Seri had to answer like this. ¡°Miss. I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Come out.¡± Polia said. Seri crawled out of the box. ¡°Get ready to send a tea time invitation.¡± ¡°To whom are you sending it to?¡± Seri asked, even though she knew it, out of courtesy. These days there was only one person for Polia to send out an invitation. ¡°The lady of the Daughtry family.¡± ¡°But the lady has never appeared and seen in public. Besides, there¡¯s no reply to the invitation given to Sir Daughtry.¡± ¡°Send it! Princess Cabezo is inviting her, I¡¯ll see how long you won¡¯t show up!¡± Polia shouted. If the Duke of Cabezo finds out, it will hurt his pride and won¡¯t let her do it, but Polia had no intention of quitting. She wanted to call out the spoiled younger sister because the invitations she sent to Dylan kept being ignored. ¡®I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t see the princess off just to see your sister. How is that possible? You should have said hello to the princess first if you were a newly admitted Count¡¯s subject. I¡¯ll fix that habit of vulgarity firmly.¡¯ Polia had never dreamed that the letters arranged to Elisabeth would reach Dylan before it could reach her. *** Deep wrinkles formed on the forehead of Duke Cabezo, who was reviewing the documents. The butler, Chris, looked as if he knew this would happen. ¡°These days, budget spending has been strange. Polia¡¯s budget spending is too much.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Princess Polia uses that much. Everything is double-checked.¡± ¡°These items are luxury items that Polia doesn¡¯t use. These luxuries have always been billed for Emilie. Even if I didn¡¯t let her buy it, the weak-hearted Polia ran to beg me to buy it.¡± The Duke of Cabezo was nervous. Usually, Duke Cabezo was not interested in such small budget details, but he had to speak out because he was noticeably suspicious these days. In the meantime, he could not have known that Seri, who had been ordered by Polia, had fabricated her claims as Emilie¡¯s. Even the butler Chris, who had no interest in the breakdown of the budget and had no ability to manage it, with Duke Cabezo had no choice but to be deceived. But now that Emilie had disappeared, there was no one to pin down for Polia¡¯s luxuries. ¡®So hold on for a while until I have a way out.¡¯ Chris took after his father and cursed the stupid and emotional Polia inside. ¡°Your Excellency, would you like me to cut back on luxuries in the history of Miss Polia¡¯s claims?¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯ll buy it if she wants.¡± The Duke of Cabezo said so, but he had a stiff face. It was not unusual for her to be such a high-maintenance princess. Aristocrats were the virtue of spending more than making money. In the past, Emilie bought it and he resented it, but if Polia bought it, the Duke of Cabezo was willing to spend as much money as she wanted. But it was really strange that items that had always been billed for Emilie¡¯s history now became Polia¡¯s. ¡®Surely¡­. No, it¡¯s not.¡¯ Unless he was a fool, questions had to arise. But the Duke of Cabezo struggled to erase the speculation from his head. His daughter Polia couldn¡¯t have done that. However, it was no coincidence that he had been having a hard time and suffering from insomnia since Emilie¡¯s death. *** ¡°What is this?¡± Elisabeth looked at Jeremy¡¯s yellow fruit with sparkling eyes. It looked like a potato, but it smelled like a sweet potato. The surface was so full of moisture like it was throbbing and would burst when touched. ¡°Hainas. It¡¯s a very delicious fruit, and it¡¯s a snack for the common people.¡± ¡°A snack?¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably the first time you¡¯ve heard of it because poor common people enjoy it. But true gourmets enjoy hainas.¡± Jeremy said with pride. He was so cute when he was flattered that Elisabeth decided to please him. ¡°It smells really good! Can I try it?¡± ¡°Of cour¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± It was that moment Jeremy and Elisabeth¡¯s hand, holding a hainas, were about to meet in the air. Dylan snatched the hainas. ¡°Dylan! What are you doing?¡± ¡°I was going to eat it!¡± Undaunted by the cries of the two, Dylan smelled the hainas with a bump. ¡°As expected, it¡¯s sweet. This is bad for you.¡± Dylan tried to throw away the hainas. ¡°No!¡± Elisabeth clung desperately to Dylan¡¯s arm. ¡°Elisabeth, this is very unhealthy.¡± ¡°Hey, Dylan! Will eating one make her die?¡± ¡°How can I guarantee that she won¡¯t die?¡± Dylan said, looking at Jeremy with a cold face. Jeremy¡¯s shoulders, which were proudly rising, shrank infinitely. ¡°What, I, I won¡¯t die, right?¡± ¡°How can you be sure.¡± ¡°Oh, haha¡­ You, you could die! There¡¯s nothing impossible in the world!¡± The frightened Jeremy fumbled with laughter. Elisabeth couldn¡¯t keep her mouth from sticking out forward. Honestly, that hainas or something, the sweet smell was too much. At first glance, it doesn¡¯t look very healthy, but as there is a saying from faraway countries of a *ghost who dies after eating has color and charm, I wanted to die in a good way anyway. ¡®That looks really delicious!¡¯ And the important thing is, there was no fruit that kills from a single bite unless it was a poisonous plant. But if I couldn¡¯t eat it, I might die of regret. ¡®I can¡¯t give up like this.¡¯ Elisabeth quickly reached out, taking advantage of the confrontation between Dylan and Jeremy. ¡°Huh? Hey!¡± The two men helplessly watched the little girl, who was smaller than them, jump up like a butterfly and snatch a hainas nimbly like a bee. ¡®Nice catch!¡¯ Elisabeth, who had taken the hainas away, only looked ahead and began to run. She felt Dylan chasing her fiercely from behind. Realizing that she could not win at speed, Elisabeth quickly crouched behind the shrubs in the garden. ¡°You just try to go ahead and eat that!¡± ¡®Bleh~.¡¯ When Elisabeth saw the hainas in her hands, she opened her eyes wide. And then¡­ Wow! She took a bite. ¡°Ah¡­..Ahh¡­.!¡± It was a heavenly taste. Everything delicious in the world was said to be bad for you, but the sweet taste came to your head and seemed to melt your whole body. ¡®I can die like this.¡¯ Elisabeth, with tears in her eyes, took another bite of hainas. ¡°Nyam¡­¡­.¡± A dark shadow hovered above Elisabeth, who could not endure and made a happy sound. ¡°Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Ah, ung? Nyam.¡± Elisabeth, who had a mouthful of the hainas, was found by Dylan and laughed. ¡°Did you just laugh now?¡± Dylan glared horribly, but Elisabeth was just happy. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious.¡± ¡°I told you not to eat. It¡¯s bad for you.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t dwie~ Hehe.¡± Elisabeth mumbling while munching the hainas. ¡°Seriously. Before, you used to not do anything I didn¡¯t like to look good to me.¡± ¡°Umm. Nyam nyam.¡± Elisabeth has become quite bold since Dylan¡¯s ¡®this oppa¡¯. She felt a little more at ease. More than anything else, Dylan didn¡¯t say to piss off any more, even though he was being more comfortable than before. ¡°Look at this. Elisabeth is so happy.¡± Jeremy, who followed late, said triumphantly. As Dylan glared like he will kill Jeremy, the main culprit, Jeremy quickly shut up. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Stop eating.¡± ¡°Umm, no.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stop eating if Dylan eats too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t eat things like that.¡± ¡°Eat it. Hurry.¡± Elisabeth said, chewing the hainas hard. Once he tastes this, Dylan will surely understand Elisabeth¡¯s heart. ¡°Just try it once. That¡¯s what Elisabeth asks.¡± Jeremy pointed to Elisabeth, who was holding her hands tightly with her cheeks swollen. Dylan closed his eyes when he saw the moist eyes full of anticipation. ¡°Ugh. Then just a little bit.¡± Elisabeth smiled and handed him the hainas. Dylan frowned and ate a very small portion of the hainas. ¡°Hmm?¡± Dylan¡¯s face changed after tasting the fruit. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Jeremy grinned as if he knew he would be like that. ¡°How is it, delicious?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little bit edible.¡± Dylan naturally took another bite and said, ¡°But this is the last one. Stop eating hainas, Elisabeth.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s this tasty, it can¡¯t be bad for the body.¡± Elisabeth said proudly. ¡°No noble eats this. You didn¡¯t know about the existence of hainas until now.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a cheap fruit that common people enjoy eating?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°The aristocrats can¡¯t eat what the common people enjoy, so they unilaterally accused it of bad health. It can¡¯t be bad if it¡¯s delicious.¡± Jeremy nodded as he listened to Elisabeth. ¡°Sounds plausible.¡± ¡°What¡¯s plausible? When people eat delicious food, it¡¯s aristocrats who take it away and prevent them from eating it.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t there have been difficult circumstances to do that? They could have grown so well even if they were just planted anywhere that they couldn¡¯t stop them.¡± Elisabeth protested. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we go ask Damon about the answer?¡± Jeremy said. ¡°Why would we go all the way to Damon and ask him something like this?¡± Dylan put on a serious look. Damon raised his head at the knock on the door of his office. He could hear the voice of the employee outside. ¡°The young masters and the lady would like to see you.¡± ¡°Tell them to come in.¡± When the door opened, Elisabeth, Dylan and Jeremy appeared. Elisabeth looked with curious eyes at Damon¡¯s office, forgetting even the purpose of coming here. Damon¡¯s office was arranged in a white tone resembling him. Damon, who was reviewing business documents, seemed surprised by the appearance of children. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You even came with Jeremy.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t the nobles eat hainas?¡± Dylan brought up the main point in no time. ¡°Because it¡¯s not good for the body.¡± ¡°Not that, there must be a real reason behind it.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Looking closely at the three children, Damon smiled at Elisabeth when he saw the traces of eating hainas around her mouth. ¡°Elisabeth, was the hainas delicious?¡± He spoke affectionately and tidied Elisabeth¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never had anything so delicious in my life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everybody says. So at first, the aristocrats tried to monopolize that they can only eat the good fruit and not the common people can eat it.¡± Damon explained. ¡°Then why is it the opposite now?¡± ¡°About a 100 years ago, there was a famine, and the nobles had no way of surviving. At that time, the hainas that grew up well anywhere, became the main food of the people. The imperial family strongly recommended it.¡± ¡°In the end, the hainas fruit have become the target of the common people?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Elisabeth. Can you eat such fruit on the pride of the unlucky aristocrats? It¡¯s a fruit that only poor people eat because it¡¯s bad for their health, so our precious aristocrats gave an excuse not to eat it.¡± ¡°Then can I eat the hainas as I like? I¡¯m a child from a poor birth anyway.¡± Elisabeth asked excitedly. ¡°Yes.¡± Damon nodded. Elisabeth looked at Dylan. Dylan, who had an unsuitable face, was looking at Elisabeth with a little surprise. Maybe it was because she played so intensely with Jeremy, Elisabeth went to sleep without even having dinner. The dinner table with only three men was filled with cold air, like the early winter came. ¡°What did Jeremy come and do?¡± The news that Elisabeth had not eaten dinner and was tired that she was asleep filled with complaints. ¡°They played on the wooden horse, played tag, and climbed trees.¡± ¡°Jeremy did those at that age?¡± ¡°Because Elisabeth likes it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Victoire nodded and looked at Dylan again. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Jeremy¡¯s taunt kept me on the lookout if Elisabeth were to fall.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Damon looked at the abnormal father and son conversation with a weary face, and opened his mouth to thaw the atmosphere a little. ¡°Father, Elisabeth is very clever.¡± ¡°I already know that. Did something happen in particular?¡± ¡°Yes, she came to me today and asked me why the nobles don¡¯t eat ¡®hainas.¡¯ But when she heard Dylan and Jeremy, Elisabeth knew everything before they could tell her why.¡± Victoire asked after a moment¡¯s thought. ¡°Is it because she reads a lot of books?¡± ¡°She deduced it herself.¡± Victoire nodded his head. A gentle smile spread around his mouth. Damon felt proud when his plan succeeded. Now that the atmosphere on the table must have softened up a bit, it was time to relax and eat. ¡°Give Elisabeth a real tutor.¡± Dylan managed to pour cold water on the barely mellow atmosphere. Victoire frowned. ¡°You are ostensibly known as her ¡®teacher.¡¯ ¡° ¡°But I don¡¯t really teach Elisabeth. I¡¯m sure Victoire has heard of it, but Elisabeth is talented. So she really needs a proper education.¡± Damon thought Victoire would tell him not to talk nonsense. But unexpectedly, Victoire agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right. For the future of Elisabeth, formal education is necessary. If she wants to go out into society and get married¡­¡± ¡°Father!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say weird things!¡± Damon and Dylan shouted at the same time. Victoire looked at his two sons with a face of uncertainty. ¡°What marriage are you talking about, that kid¡¯s marriage?¡± Dylan said bluntly. ¡°What does that mean? Is Elisabeth not allowed to get married?¡± ¡°Not that¡­ How old is she to get married already?¡± Victoire ignored his son¡¯s words, thinking Dylan was being mean for nothing. Damon looked closely at Victoire. ¡®Social world? Marriage? Father, you¡­ Are you seriously thinking about the future of Elisabeth?¡¯ According to their plan, Elisabeth was a child who should not be revealed outside. Far from getting married, she was a time-limited person who could not be sure if she would be alive until she made her debut in society. ¡®Father, since when did you¡­?¡¯ Damon was curious and carefully started to talk. ¡°But isn¡¯t it risky to have an official tutor for Elisabeth? Elisabeth¡¯s identity may be revealed.¡± ¡°I have a way.¡± Dylan said. ¡°Let¡¯s ask aunt a favor to educate her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Dylan. I thought that conversation was over.¡± Damon startled. Dylan had offered it to Victoire before, but was caught short of breath. ¡°My sister hates Cabezo blood very much.¡± Victoire also said. ¡°But is there someone as safe and cultured as aunt?¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t do that, Dylan. Aunt¡­ ¡° ¡°I get it. Let¡¯s send a letter.¡± Damon, who was refuting Dylan, looked at Victoire with his chin wide open. He couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. That was an actual approval. ¡°Father!¡± ¡°My sister might do me a favor.¡± Damon couldn¡¯t control his facial expression. ¡®You said no before, but why did you change your mind? No way¡­¡¯ It was not that it did not have a point. But it shouldn¡¯t have been. ¡°Father, it¡¯s something you should reconsider. Aunt Terran, I mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only going to send letters. My sister will decide.¡± Victoire replied with a firm attitude, implying that it should not be talked about anymore. Dylan finally asked a piece of meat with a bright face as if he was feeling better. Victoire also looked pleasant, humming for some reason. It was Damon alone who froze like winter¡¯s here. After a while, a white carriage appeared in the mansion. The white carriage was a symbol of the north, which was covered with snow all year round. The blonde woman came down with a haughty step from the carriage. She had blonde hair that was distinctly different from Victoire¡¯s blue hair, but her eyes were blue. ¡®Wow. Blonde like me.¡¯ She thought everyone in this family had blue hair and blue eyes. The woman¡¯s eyes were blue, but her hair was the same color as Elisabeth¡¯s. The woman looking around made eye contact with Elisabeth. The woman frowned as if she had seen something dirty. ¡®Uh.¡¯ Elisabeth stepped back in surprise. Victoire patted Elisabeth by the shoulder. ¡°Long time no see, Baroness Terran.¡± Victoire greeted her politely. When Damon and Dylan also said hello, Elisabeth also followed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d come back to Daughtry¡¯s mansion for this, Count. How dare you make me teach that scum-like blood.¡± ¡°Sister!¡± Victoire raised his voice in embarrassment. Baroness Terran kept talking as if she couldn¡¯t hear. ¡°I¡¯ll do you this favor, Count, but that¡¯s it. Don¡¯t expect more from me. I don¡¯t want to see the face of that dirty bloodline for long.¡± The atmosphere became as cold as the frozen sky in the north. But Baroness Terran, who had frozen the air, did not care. ¡°Where should I stay?¡± ¡°Please follow me.¡± The butler led Baroness Terran and disappeared into the mansion. Elisabeth looked at her from the back with a blank face. ¡®You¡¯re describing me dirty, right?¡¯ It was natural for the Leschine family to despise the Cabezo family. Since she was an enemy of the family, Elisabeth expected it. ¡®¡­I understand with my head, but I can¡¯t help being hurt.¡¯ ¡°Elisabeth.¡± Suddenly, Victoire held Elisabeth in his arms. Elisabeth looked up in his arms. The expression of Victoire looking at the heartbroken Elisabeth was dark. ¡°My sister is a good person. If you treat her sincerely, she¡¯ll open her heart.¡± ¡°Yes. I know. ¡° Elisabeth was feeling it, too. She was cold to her, but she could not feel any bad energy. A straightforward person like Baroness Terran was better than a man who laughed outwardly and cursed backward. Sure it was all right, although not comfortable. Now, Elisabeth was personally experiencing ¡®human beings can be this nervous too.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I am Elisabeth Daughtry.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 12 years old.¡± Baroness Terran, who was burying questions as if to interrogate, rolled her eyes and looked at Elisabeth crookedly. ¡°How did you live before?¡± ¡°I lived on a farm near Ethen with my parents. After my parents died, I ran out of clothes and food to eat, so Mrs. Marian, the nanny, brought me here.¡± ¡°Hmph. You have a good memory.¡± Baroness Terran said like she was forced to admit it. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Elisabeth sat well before the baroness, waiting for her next test. Baroness Terran called Elisabeth from the day after she came to the Daughtry mansion. It was early in the morning. So Victoire, who was unable to receive Elisabeth¡¯s morning greetings, protested to his sister, but to no avail. ¡°Children should get up early and learn patience by studying.¡± The teacher in charge said no matter what, even the father had nothing to say. Even though he knows it¡¯s all to be mean to Elisabeth. ¡®Thanks to that, my eyes are swollen now, but I¡¯m glad they ended up swollen.¡¯ I lived for eighteen years in my previous life and received all kinds of abuse, so I didn¡¯t care about this much. ¡®But Baroness Terran¡¯s being mean enough for a child to endure, right? When I was five years old, I was punished to stand outside the door and stayed up all night in the Cabezo duchy.¡¯ Baroness Terran was a person with common sense for Elisabeth, who had been through all sorts of hardships. ¡°I heard you were a princess. You must have learned well from the money you earned from other people¡¯s blood and tears, so you can read this much, right?¡± Of course, it still stings my heart to hear such a harsh remark. Baroness Terran presented a thick book. When Elisabeth received it, it was so heavy that her arms fell down. ¡°I¡¯ve never been a princess, but I did my best in writing. I will read it.¡± Elisabeth opened up a book she didn¡¯t even know what it was and began to read. ¡°¡± After reading a few lines, I could see what this book was about. ¡®There was no book like this in the study.¡¯ This seemed to be a privately owned book by Baroness Terran. Elisabeth did not panic and read the book as a child who did not know what it was about. ¡°Stop.¡± When Elisabeth was reading a book in a naive way, Baroness Terran stopped her. ¡°Did I make a mistake?¡± ¡°No. You read it well without a single mistake. You have a talent for reading.¡± Baroness Terran said expressionlessly. ¡®Is that a compliment?¡¯ Elisabeth¡¯s head tilted. ¡°Then read this.¡± It was the Imperial Law that Baroness Terran presented. ¡®You give all the books to a 12-year-old. This is definitely bullying.¡¯ Still, I thought it was a relief that she didn¡¯t hit me with a book. This time, Elisabeth played an unknown game. The page marked by Baroness Terran unfolded. ¡°¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you had to read.¡± Baroness Terran took the law book back. ¡°It¡¯s a difficult book, but you read it well.¡± ¡°I studied hard.¡± ¡°So there¡¯s nothing more I can teach you?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ ¡° Baroness Terran stared at Elisabeth as if she wanted to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve been working hard because I¡¯m not good enough. I have to work hard to make up for my lack. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could teach me a great lesson.¡± The look of Baroness Terran at Elisabeth changed strangely. Her hardened cheeks had softened, but she had a dim face that was neither bright nor dark. ¡°You¡¯re a good speaker, whoever you look like.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Baroness Terran looked dumbfounded at Elisabeth, who greeted her with sincere joy. ¡°This is a task.¡± It was a book translated into foreign languages that Baron Terran¡¯s wife presented. ¡®This is ridiculous!¡¯ The test so far was not even a test. Before her return, she read the law book several times, but now Elisabeth was twelve years old anyway. It would just be as amazing, but it¡¯s a foreign language book. ¡°You know a simple foreign language, right? Memorize it by tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡®This is absolutely ridiculous!¡¯ Elisabeth wanted to scream. Even if it was given to the eighteen-year-old Emilie, it was a task that was enough to run away. ¡®But I¡¯m not Emilie right now. I¡¯m Elisabeth, who is being tested by Baroness Terran.¡¯ Elisabeth smiled naively and held the foreign language book tightly in her arms. ¡°I understand, Baroness. I¡¯ll be back in the baroness¡¯ room at the same time tomorrow.¡± ¡°You can come later if you are tired.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t keep the baroness waiting.¡± If we say I¡¯ll be late, I¡¯ll be nitpicked again. She was used to that kind of test. The Duke of Cabezo had to make countless tests on young Emilie to take. Elisabeth, carrying a heavy law book, left the room of Baroness Terran. The next morning. Baroness Terran awoke before the sun could even reach her head. She hasn¡¯t slept well since she was a child. It was because she lived a life of fear and being chased all the time. She could hardly sleep well even after living a peaceful life with Baron Terran, who cared for and protected her. People thought Baroness Terran was diligent, but the truth was the opposite. She used to stay up late at night. Baroness Terran, who had already been in order and drinking tea before dawn, was startled by the employee¡¯s words that appeared after opening the door. ¡°Elisabeth is already waiting in the drawing room?¡± It was still 30 minutes earlier than the appointed time. ¡®It¡¯s a hard time for a child to wake up.¡¯ Even if she was a little late, I was going to say a harsh word and move on. ¡®But I didn¡¯t expect you to be here already.¡¯ Baroness Terran went out to the drawing room. Elisabeth sat with swollen eyes, sitting in her arms was the foreign language book. While half-asleep, the girl jumped to her feet at the appearance of Baroness Terran¡¯s figure and leaned sideways as she greeted her. If Marian, who came with her, had not caught her, Elisabeth would have fallen. ¡°You don¡¯t have to come out this early, Baroness. It¡¯s not time to make for the appointment yet.¡± ¡°Then why did you come so early?¡± ¡°As a disciple, it¡¯s only natural to be prepared before your teacher.¡± Baroness Terran looked silently at Elisabeth. As the awkward silence continued, Elisabeth hesitated and held out a small plate. She had brought it for Baroness Terran. ¡°This is my favorite cookie. Eating it every morning makes me feel better. You should try it, too, Baroness.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Baroness Terran stared at the smiling girl with her eyes half open. ¡°I don¡¯t eat things like that. Take it back.¡± Baroness Terran turned away with a cold air. ¡°Don¡¯t be heartbroken, my dear.¡± She heard Marian soothing Elisabeth from behind. ¡®Huh. This nanny overindulges.¡¯ Baroness Terran snorted. ¡°It¡¯s okay. My father used to throw my present. This much is fine. It¡¯s my fault for not knowing Baroness Terran didn¡¯t like cookies.¡± Baroness Terran¡¯s foot stopped as she was about to return to the room. ¡®Your biological father, Duke Cabezo?¡¯ She had heard from Victoire about what had happened to Elisabeth when she was Emilie at the Cabezo duchy. Victoire said with the nuance that Elisabeth, like them, was the scapegoat of the Duke Cabezo. Baroness Terran had snorted at the story. But when she heard that story from a young girl¡¯s mouth, it felt heavy. ¡®It¡¯s really like Duke Cabezo, who has no blood or tears, to throw away a gift that she prepared so carefully to look good to her father.¡¯ Baroness Terran jerked back. Then she came to the surprised Elisabeth and Marian. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve brought it, I¡¯ll eat one.¡± Baroness Terran, who had a cookie cut in front of two people who had no idea, gave Elisabeth a look as if she were saying, ¡®Satisfied?¡¯ and went back to her room. ¡®You cannot be a human being unlike the Duke Cabezo.¡¯ Unaware of Baroness Terran¡¯s thoughts, Elisabeth smiled brightly at Marian. ¡°I think Baroness Terran is more friendly than I thought.¡± ¡°She¡¯s a good person. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get along.¡± Elisabeth and Marian looked face to face and smiled. Baroness Terran¡¯s reappearance in the drawing room was exactly the time of her appointment. ¡°You¡¯ve done your homework, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯ll test it out.¡± Baroness Terran held the law book without giving her time to breathe. ¡°Under the Imperial Law, those who commit a conspiracy shall forfeit their property. Those who conspire to commit treason face heavier punishment than those who conspire to commit treason, what kind of punishment is it?¡± She made her memorize foreign languages then asked questions in Imperial languages. She was trying to confuse her. But this was easier for Elisabeth, who had an 18-year-old mind. She had read the law book several times while studying in her previous life. Besides, Elisabeth had already noticed. ¡®I know why Baroness Terran tests me with the law.¡¯ It was to show how much sin the actions of the Cabezos had committed to the Leschines. Elisabeth intensively read and read only the relevant parts. ¡°Property and titles are confiscated and get executed.¡± ¡°When one impersonates another?¡± ¡°One is sentenced to 10 years of hard labor. However, if you have to hide your body due to unavoidable circumstances, you can reduce or invalidate the punishment through a trial when you impersonate someone.¡± Baroness Terran swallowed her breath. ¡®Did you really memorize all this?¡¯ Honestly, I was surprised. No, not just surprised, but unbelievable. ¡®She doesn¡¯t even stutter.¡¯ The little girl didn¡¯t know how to speak the law so fluently. Maybe this kid is a genius? ¡®Honestly, I was looking down on you a little. It wasn¡¯t like this when I met Princess Polia.¡¯ A few months ago, when she stopped by for work, Baroness Terran unexpectedly met Princess Polia Cabezo. There was a tea party for young children at the home of the young lady who was invited, and she tried to make the younger greet Baroness Terran. However, due to Princess Polia¡¯s stubbornness, the young children were unable to greet Baroness Terran. Baroness Terran also thought it was rather fortunate that she didn¡¯t see the bloodline of Cabezo. But on her way out of the mansion, she passed by the hall where the tea party was held. Baroness Terran saw Polia¡¯s face there for the first time. The impression of Cabezo¡¯s peculiar sensitivity and arrogance was vividly remembered by Baroness Terran as if it had happened yesterday. Most of all, it was impressive to see Polia gobbling up in anger when someone emptied out the drink glass before her. Baroness Terran, who had seen it, said a word. The flushed-face of the girl still came to mind. ¡®Elisabeth, this child is a more legitimate Cabezo bloodline¡­. so different.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t figure out why the child was hated by Duke Cabezo. ¡°That¡¯s it for today. Let¡¯s stop and go back.¡± ¡°Thank you, Baroness. I¡¯ll also look forward to tomorrow¡¯s class.¡± ¡°You should be prepared, not looking forward?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be ready!¡± Elisabeth clasped her hands and answered smartly. The look was so cute that Baroness Terran almost smiled at the moment. She coughed for no reason and asked. ¡°Where are you headed now?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to make a morning call to the Count. He was very sad because I couldn¡¯t give it to him yesterday. I¡¯m sad too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use saying hello every morning.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m very happy. There¡¯s someone who¡¯s happy to see me in the morning.¡± ¡°Have you also been this devoted to your biological father?¡± Baroness Terran asked casually. Then Elisabeth¡¯s face turned white. Chapter 30 ¡®Oh my.¡¯ Baroness Terran also realized it was a mistake, but it was late. ¡®Oh no, I¡¯ve touched this kid¡¯s wound.¡¯ It was then that Baroness Terran was in a bind. Elisabeth grinned with tearful eyes. ¡°Yes. I said hello to my father and mother every morning when I lived on a farm near Ethen.¡± Elisabeth bowed to Baroness Terran and left the drawing room. Baroness Terran was left with a surprised look at the door where Elisabeth had just disappeared. ¡®I said that on purpose because I didn¡¯t want to be in an awkward situation. How can a little child do that?¡¯ I could see why Victoire, my brother who was colder than ice and harder than the wall, called me for Elisabeth. ¡®I¡¯m glad she¡¯s comforting Victoire, but I¡¯m still different. I have to stay away from her and keep her from the center of this family.¡¯ She was sorry towards Elisabeth, but Baroness Terran had no choice. Dylan frowned at Jeremy standing with a bouquet of flowers. ¡°What is it? Why are you here again?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with those disdainful eyes? I¡¯m not here to see you, either. I came to see Elisabeth.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the hideous flower in your hands?¡± ¡°Hideous thing, you say! I specially chose this for Elisabeth.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Dylan reached out his hand. Jeremy quickly backed away. Dylan tried to come back at him. Even if Jeremy tried with all his might, he couldn¡¯t beat Dylan. Then Jeremy opened his eyes wide and waved at Dylan¡¯s back. ¡°Oh, Elisabeth!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about cheating me.¡± Dylan flung himself at Jeremy. Jeremy and Dylan are tangled up and down. Jeremy rolled around desperately so as to avoid losing the flowers. But he couldn¡¯t beat Dylan. ¡®Rather than being taken away by Dylan¡­!¡¯ If she can¡¯t have it, I¡¯ll destroy it! Jeremy flung out the flowers. Roughly blown flowers poured down the floor, scattering petals everywhere in the air. ¡°Ah¡­..!¡± Dylan jumped up from his position when he heard a familiar voice. Elisabeth had an enraptured look on her face as she watched the petals falling from the sky. ¡°See, I¡¯m right. It¡¯s really Elisabeth.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± Standing among the pink petals fluttering like snow, Elisabeth looked unrealistic. Dylan looked at the figure blankly. Then Elisabeth looked at Dylan with a happy face. ¡°Is this an event prepared by two people?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right!¡± Jeremy, who stopped Dylan from answering blankly, urgently shouted. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty. How did you come up with this? I don¡¯t think Dylan seems to be one doing this with Jeremy.¡± Dylan was about to deny it right away, but Elisabeth was so happy that he just shut up. When Jeremy saw it, he tapped Dylan on the back as if he had been surprised, but Dylan pretended not to know. Instead, he took the petals off Elisabeth¡¯s cheek. ¡°But what¡¯s the occasion? Is today my birthday that I didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°No, no. It¡¯s an event to soothe our Elisabeth, who is suffering because of Baroness Terran.¡± Jeremy said. Elisabeth had rabbit-like eyes. ¡°Baroness Terran? I¡¯m not suffering at all.¡± ¡°Uck. Did you hear me wrong? You mean that famous baroness Terran, not Tiran or Terrang?¡± ¡°No, I heard you right. Baroness Terran. She¡¯s a very nice person.¡± Elisabeth tilted her head as she could not understand. Dylan frowned his eyebrows. ¡°Elisabeth, you can be honest. My aunt is family, but honestly, she¡¯s a little bit not¡­¡± ¡°A little bit?¡± ¡°Shall I say not easy.¡± With those words, Elisabeth¡­ ¡®Dylan¡¯s not easy, either!¡¯ ¡­wanted to say those words but didn¡¯t. ¡°My aunt¡¯s strictness pierces the sky.¡± ¡°She¡¯s strict, but not enough to pierce the sky.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not being honest because you might get scolded by my aunt¡­¡± ¡°No, Dylan! Baroness Terran is very kind. She doesn¡¯t throw away cookies she doesn¡¯t like.¡± Dylan and Jeremy were astonished by what Elisabeth said in a naive way. ¡°Elisabeth, that¡¯s a given! Even if you don¡¯t like the gift from others, you don¡¯t throw it away.¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t like it, don¡¯t you just flip the plate over?¡± Elisabeth looked at the two men as if she really didn¡¯t know. ¡°Is your class with aunt not overwhelming?¡± Dylan asked. ¡°It¡¯s adequate. All I did was memorize foreign language codes, read 10 comedies, and write a book report.¡± The two men opened their mouths wide. ¡°And she complimented me and said !¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not just pretty good, that¡¯s great!¡± ¡°? You memorized the foreign language book and even wrote 10 book reviews?¡± Elisabeth grinned whether the two men were astonished or not. ¡°Anyway, Baroness Terran is a very kind lady. She also took out early morning classes for His Grace¡¯s morning visit. I¡¯m really satisfied.¡± Jeremy whispered to Dylan. ¡°How did this child really grow up?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Be sure to succeed. Revenge on the Cabezos.¡± Dylan nodded emphatically. Baroness Terran, whose hair was being groomed, glanced at the door to the drawing room. ¡°Is there anything uncomfortable?¡± As Baroness Terran¡¯s eyes kept turning, the maid followed her and asked anxiously. Baroness Terran was a person of great mental strength. She was a master who rarely lost her concentration while doing one thing. But today was a bit strange. ¡°oh,no¡­¡± Baroness Terran said, uncharacteristically embarrassed. The maid sighed with relief as she looked toward the door and soon realized something. ¡°Young lady Elisabeth is already there waiting.¡± ¡°Who said I was curious about the child¡¯s situation?¡± Baroness Terran replied curtly. The maid tilted her head. ¡®You seem to care about Elisabeth?¡¯ Before heading out to the drawing room after finishing her hair, Baroness Terran took some carefully selected books last night. Baroness Terran pretended not to know, but she was actually excited since last night. ¡®That child, Elisabeth, does everything she¡¯s asked. In a detestable way.¡¯ To be honest, Elisabeth was a fun student to teach. At first, she gave a tricky assignment with the intention of making trouble, but Baroness Terran¡¯s heart melted at the sight of her staying up all night. ¡®That¡¯s not what I like about her. I mean, I really thought about it. Well, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here, so I¡¯m not weak.¡¯ Baroness Terran tried hard to deny her feelings, but she was waiting for time with Elisabeth. Now, she has come to the stage where she doesn¡¯t even know what to teach this child in the future. Of course she didn¡¯t realize it, and even if she did, she would deny it desperately. Baroness Terran opened the door with a book. ¡°Baroness, did you have a good time last night?¡± At her appearance, Elisabeth sprang up from her seat and greeted with a smile. It looked like a dog was tailing a person they liked. ¡°Yes.¡± Baroness Terran answered deliberately more bluntly. But Elisabeth did not give in. ¡°The moonlight would have lit Baroness¡¯s room all night. I prayed to the moon to do so.¡± Elisabeth always smiled brightly when she saw Baroness Terran, even though she had harsh classes every day. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me this child likes me?¡¯ Baroness Terran, who had thought of it hardly, soon became serious. ¡®It can¡¯t be. I¡¯ve never been nice to you. It¡¯s just that this kid is unique. She¡¯s more affectionate than Dylan or Damon, whom I¡¯ve raised since they were a kid.¡¯ Baroness Terran grumbled for no reason, calming the tail of her mouth that was rising unknowingly. ¡°You¡¯ve done another useless thing. Read another book at that time.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Elisabeth sat down in a depressed state. ¡®If I do that again, she¡¯ll feel uncomfortable.¡¯ Baroness Terran couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the disappointed Elisabeth. ¡°But somehow the moon was bright last night.¡± In the end, she did what she hadn¡¯t done. ¡®This, so stupid!¡¯ Baroness Terran regretted it immediately. But when Elisabeth immediately raised her head, blushed and was happy, the regret vanished like dust. ¡°Today, I will continue to study the history of costumes following yesterday.¡± ¡°Yes, Baroness. I¡¯ll try my best.¡± ¡°Do you know why you should learn about the history of costumes first?¡± Clothes, especially expensive ones, were not just to show off luxury and pleasure. ¡°Because people don¡¯t just talk. Because people speak with facial expressions, body language, and clothes they¡¯re wearing.¡± ¡°You know very well.¡± ¡°Yes, so you can wear the right clothes at the right time and place by knowing the meaning of each garment or accessory.¡± ¡°Then what did you feel in yesterday¡¯s class?¡± Elisabeth stood up as if she had waited. When Baroness Terran looked at Elisabeth with her question, she was surprised. A light blue dress rich in skirt lace and a heart-shaped flower corsage on its waist. ¡®A sky blue dress rich in lace. That dress became famous 50 years ago when Princess Ares visited the Emperor for the first time. Since then, when a young girl goes to meet someone important, she wears a dress like that.¡¯ Corsage, a flower resembling a heart, was an imitation of a flower called Bleeding Heart. Women used to express their intentions with waist ornaments at banquets. ¡®Bleeding heart has the meaning .¡¯ Baroness Terran was amazed by Elisabeth¡¯s tact in applying what she had learned immediately. ¡®She¡¯s coming to meet someone important and saying, ¡­ is that for me?¡¯ Instead of answering, Elisabeth was gazing at Baroness Terran. ¡®I hate to admit it, but I¡¯m a little flattered.¡¯ Baroness Terran pressed down on her smile as it was coming out and said strictly. ¡°Today¡¯s lesson can¡¯t be compared to yesterday¡¯s. You¡¯ll have to be prepared.¡± It rained from dawn. Elisabeth hung from the window of Victoire¡¯s office and looked out in the dark. ¡°Your Grace, are you coming back late again today?¡± Victoire, who was signing the papers, looked at Elisabeth¡¯s little back. The cute back hanging from the window made him laugh. ¡°Is there something in the evening?¡± ¡°No. The weather is so bad. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll get hurt coming back late at night.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing. Don¡¯t worry, a magic stone will light the way.¡± Elisabeth turned around and approached Victoire. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go outside today and see you off.¡± There was no reason not to grant the girl¡¯s offer. But one thing caught his mind. ¡°You¡¯re not going to the study today?¡± ¡°I¡¯m 12 years old too, so I can go to the study alone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you like it when I walk you?¡± Victoire¡¯s logic suddenly jumped to the next world. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 ¡°That¡¯s not it! But for now I want to see Your Grace off. I don¡¯t want to think I¡¯m the only one receiving special treatment.¡± It was Elisabeth who was born and lived through harsh things, let alone special treatment. Usually, a child would like special treatment and take it for granted when they get used to it, but Elisabeth never did that. He was proud of her, but it hurt the corner of his heart. ¡®This kind of Elisabeth will change when she grows up and learns the truth.¡¯ I adopted you just to use you for revenge. At first, I didn¡¯t care even if I remember that the truth would be revealed later. But now, just imagining it has made my mind dim. ¡°Elisabeth, come closer.¡± Elisabeth came just in front of Victoire. Victoire held Elisabeth in his arms and settled her on his lap. Elisabeth looked up at Victoire, and leaned her little body against his chest. A small, soft, and warm living being. I wanted the time to stop while hugging this child. I wanted to slow down the day when this child looked at me with resentment. ¡°Your Grace!¡± The aide could be heard knocking on the door of the office. When Elisabeth tried to lift herself up, Victoire purposely hugged Elisabeth more tightly. ¡°Your Grace, he¡¯s calling you outside.¡± Elisabeth looked up at Victoire and said. ¡°Your Grace, it¡¯s time to leave!¡± Victoire whispered to Elisabeth, as if he could not hear the voice of his aide: ¡°Why don¡¯t the two of us just stay together today instead of going out?¡± ¡°Pardon? You can¡¯t. You¡¯re going to do something important today.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll put it off until tomorrow.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll want to put it off until the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Haha. You¡¯re stricter than my sister.¡± ¡°And a poor aide is waiting for you outside. Please open the door.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯ll do what you say, Elisabeth.¡± Victoire got up from his seat, still hugging Elisabeth. Elisabeth, who thought she would drop to the floor, opened her eyes wide. The aide, who saw Victoire holding Elisabeth through the open door, was also surprised. ¡°Your Grace, you must leave now. The time for luncheon in the Imperial palace¡­¡± ¡°I know. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Victoire walked down the stairs, hugging Elisabeth. ¡°You, Your Grace. The young miss¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡± When they went down the stairs and came out to the lobby, all the employees stood in a line. In front of him, Baroness Terran, Damon and Dylan were shocked to see Victoire coming down with Elisabeth. ¡®It¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯ Elisabeth¡¯s face in Victoire¡¯s arms turned red like an apple. ¡°Your Grace, I can walk.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Victoire walked between the people who came out to see him off. ¡°Count. What are you holding in your arms?¡± Baroness Terran said as if seeing an extraordinary spectacle. ¡°My daughter.¡± ¡°So why are you holding your daughter?¡± ¡°Father, you don¡¯t intend to take Elisabeth out, do you?¡± ¡°That would put Elisabeth in danger, haven¡¯t you thought of that?¡± Victoire made a serious face towards Damon. It seemed that he was considering it. ¡°Then put her down.¡± Dylan said coldly. Victoire glared at his son and slowly put down Elisabeth to the floor. ¡°Your Grace, thank you for bringing me here.¡± Elisabeth greeted the atmosphere with innocence. It was only after seeing Victoire smiling that Elisabeth felt relieved. Baroness Terran clicked her tongue as she watched Victoire and Damon leave. Elisabeth looked at Baroness Terran in question. ¡°Today¡¯s class will teach you something very important. Follow me up right now.¡± Baroness Terran turned away without waiting for Elisabeth. Elisabeth was panting and following the quick steps of Baroness Terran when she heard footsteps behind her. Dylan was also following behind. ¡°If I think about it, my aunt is weird.¡± ¡°Baroness Terran?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s take today¡¯s class with me.¡± Elisabeth, who was climbing the stairs, suddenly stopped. ¡°I¡¯m not a baby.¡± ¡°What are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I can take classes alone because I¡¯m not a baby. Please don¡¯t follow me.¡± Elisabeth knew that Baroness Terran¡¯s attitude was particularly cold. It was an ominous signal. But whatever attitude she took, it was between Elisabeth and Baroness Terran. Elisabeth had to do it herself, whether to break up that relationship or stuck in it. ¡®Dylan, I know how you feel, but this is my business. A matter I need to settle.¡¯ Elisabeth ran far away alone, with all her might. ¡®What do you mean a baby? I never thought of you as a baby.¡¯ Dylan was dumbfounded and followed Elisabeth into the room of Baroness Terran. But when Elisabeth walked through the door, the standing maid closed the door tightly and stood in front as if she had been controlled. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. The Baroness told me not to let anyone in except for young miss Elisabeth. Please wait outside.¡± ¡°I told Aunt that I¡ª¨C¡° But the maid went into the room and closed the door before Dylan could finish talking. The maid from the North was as cold as a winter breeze. ¡°This¡­¡± Dylan, who was quick to clench his fist and knock on the door, soon lowered his arm weakly. No matter how much Dylan did, he could not stoop to the level of his aunt. He restlessly stood on his back against the door. He was going to wait until Elisabeth came out. He thought that if he heard grieving inside, he would go in no matter what happens. ¡°Pant, pant¡­¡± Baroness Terran stared at Elisabeth, her face flushed from the rush. The small child was breathing all over. It looked just like a little puppy or a rabbit. She looked towards the door. She could hear Dylan¡¯s voice arguing with the maid until there. Maybe he won¡¯t go and wait until the end. ¡°Dylan was following you, how did you get rid of him?¡± Baroness Teran asked again, looking at Elisabeth. ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t a baby. I said I can take classes alone because I¡¯m not a baby.¡± The way she talked was quite sharp, even though being a baby doesn¡¯t have anything to do with it. ¡°That¡¯s a relief. Since you¡¯re not a baby, so you can take the class well today.¡± ¡°I can do anything well. I¡¯ll try even if it¡¯s hard. ¡° Baroness Terran laughed. ¡®Such confidence. Today¡¯s class won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ In fact, she didn¡¯t intend to do this, but she just saw Victoire¡¯s disgraceful behavior(?), and it changed her mind. ¡®Victoire treats this child as if she were really his own daughter. Dylan¡¯s strangely attached, too. If grown men can¡¯t control themselves, let Elisabeth keep them at bay.¡¯ What she¡¯s trying to do now may be telling a young girl the harsh truth. However, it may be better to know the truth earlier than to be shocked by it later. ¡®This is for all of us.¡¯ Baroness Terran slowly blinked. ¡°Elisabeth, the book I asked you to read on the first day is actually the book I¡¯m writing. It will be published as a novel.¡± Elisabeth remembered that Baroness Terran had suddenly asked her to read a book. It was about the Leschine family and the Cabezo family. It wasn¡¯t surprising that Elisabeth had already predicted it. ¡®Did you write it to let us know that your family was framed? But isn¡¯t it too dangerous to let them know already? You said it was a novel, but it was written explicitly.¡¯ Elisabeth rolled her head fast inside, but outwardly, she spoke brightly. ¡°So the Baroness is going to be a writer? I¡¯m looking forward to it. When will it be published?¡± ¡°When the right time comes.¡± ¡®As expected, you wouldn¡¯t publish it right away, either.¡¯ Elisabeth was a little relieved. ¡°Maybe you won¡¯t be there by then.¡± Baroness Terran said meaningfully. Elisabeth¡¯s eyes were wide with a noticeably lower voice. ¡°Why? I wanted to see it too.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not adopted by our family as a real ¡®daughter¡¯.¡± Elisabeth¡¯s face has hardened. Elisabeth could see what she was talking about when she called for her. ¡°You were only adopted for our family¡¯s revenge. So you won¡¯t be able to stay alive until then.¡± Baroness Terran¡¯s face was cold. However, there was some hesitation in the tone of her voice. ¡®Why are you talking about this all of a sudden?¡¯ Elisabeth gazed keenly at Baroness Terran. ¡®Is it a mere fit? Or¡­ because Victoire took me with him?¡¯ Apparently, Baroness Terran¡¯s attitude cooled soon after. ¡®She thinks Victoire is over the line.¡¯ She was fed up with the fact that Elisabeth was Cabezo¡¯s bloodline. ¡®Of course, revenge will be great.¡¯ Then Victoire¡¯s actions could have been seen dangerously in the eyes of Baroness Terran. She would have thought she needed a decision to break off Victoire and Elisabeth. ¡®That¡¯s why I¡¯m revealing it.¡¯ But already, as soon as she got to the house, she was attacked by Dylan and learned the whole truth. Elisabeth recalled the reaction a 12-year-old child might have at this time. Should she cry in shock? Or be surprised? ¡®What was the 12-year old Emilie like? What if you live happily in such a nice house and find out that you were just a tool for revenge?¡¯ Baroness Terran looked at the stiff Elisabeth then said as if looking like she knew it. ¡°We are actually from a family that was unjustly destroyed by the conspiracy of the Cabezos. You don¡¯t know, but your Cabezo blood has done a lot of wrongs since the beginning of the bloodline. Now we¡¯ll fix it.¡± Elisabeth did not just know. Rather, she knew it too well. She had looked up a lot of records. When the Leschine family collapsed, the only people who survived were the young Victoire and Baroness Terran. All of the well-known people were killed. ¡°You were also from the Cabezo family, so you know about the magic stone right? The half-divided needs the blood of the Leschine family and the blood of the Cabezo family to become one. Our family will avenge the Cabezo family by using the united Heart of Olga. And you¡¯re nothing but just ¡®blood¡¯.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°My younger brother, Victoire, needed your blood, that¡¯s why he adopted you.¡± Elisabeth looked at Baroness Terran with a stiff face. Her face was flushed with emotion as she spoke. Looking at the face, Elisabeth calmed down on the contrary. There was guilt somewhere on the vengeful face of Baroness Terran. ¡°Then who will be sacrificed in the Leschine family?¡± Elisabeth asked. The voice, which seemed innocent of a child and sharp of an adult, distorted the face of Baroness Terran¡¯s face with embarrassment. It was an unexpected question. Baroness Teran thought that by now Elisabeth would run out crying. Or even shout out that she¡¯s lying. However, Elisabeth was asking again and again. Who would you sacrifice if I were to be sacrificed on behalf of the Cabezo family? ¡°That¡­ it¡¯s not decided yet. Victoire may try to sacrifice himself, and Damon may try to sacrifice himself. Dylan isn¡¯t as enthusiastic in revenge as we are, but he¡¯s willing to sacrifice for his family.¡± ¡°The Baroness is also willing to sacrifice herself, aren¡¯t you?¡± Baroness Terran¡¯s eyes widened. Chapter 32 A little girl as small as a rabbit strangely looked too big. ¡°I think it¡¯s because Baroness Terran loves her family more than anyone else and is affectionate. Right?¡± ¡°Okay, enough. Stop asking useless questions.¡± Baroness Terran avoided Elisabeth¡¯s eyes first. It felt strange. She felt like she was being caught by this child. ¡°I like my family, too. As much that I want to sacrifice.¡± As soon as Baroness Terran was in a hurry to get up, she stiffened at the words of Elisabeth. She slowly turned her head and looked at Elisabeth like a rusty spring doll. Elisabeth was speaking with a small smile. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so warm to me since I was born. Neither my biological father nor my sister did this to me.¡± ¡°Everything the men in this family are doing is all acting. To use you!¡± ¡°Still, it doesn¡¯t matter. In the past, there was no one who treated me kindly even with such acting. But it¡¯s different here. Even Baroness Terran compliments me on my assignment.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°It was my first time. For something like that.¡± There was joy in Elisabeth¡¯s eyes. Baroness Terran could not believe that the child could even laugh at this moment. ¡°If I can stay with my family like now, anything else will be fine. I¡¯m happy now.¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s because you¡¯re young. That¡¯s why you can¡¯t tell the difference. You should stay away from this family!¡± ¡°If I die eventually, I want to live happily then die. ¡° I meant it. After all, it was my fate to die. Whether I die of illness, executed, or sacrificed for the revenge of the Leschine family. If so, I wanted to live happily for the rest of my life. Not just ¡®safe¡¯ but ¡®happily¡¯ with them. ¡®Like Baroness Terran said, it¡¯s possible that I could not discern.¡¯ Elisabeth was an ¡®impure blood¡¯. She could not give blood and sacrifice for them. But in her heart, Elisabeth thought she could do it if she had to sacrifice herself. Elisabeth thought she had become a little bit strange. She liked these people so much that it felt strange because she was so happy to be loved. ¡°Go back. Today¡¯s class ends here.¡± Baroness Terran turned her head. Her voice trembled slightly. Elisabeth turned and stared at the back of Baroness Terran. ¡®I wanted to tell her more.¡® But now was the time when it shouldn¡¯t be. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in class tomorrow.¡± Elisabeth greeted Baroness Terran¡¯s back and left the drawing room. ¡°Gasp!¡± It was the moment when she opened the door. Immediately, Dylan and her eyes met. ¡°Since when have you been standing there?¡± Without an answer, Dylan pulled Elisabeth out of the room and closed the door. He glared angrily at the closed door. ¡°What did my Aunt say?¡± ¡°She just told me a funny story.¡± ¡°I could hear you from outside.¡± Elisabeth smiled with embarrassment. Dylan stared at the girl with an angry face and sighed. ¡°If you say that one more time that you sacrifice for our family, I¡¯ll chase you out again.¡± Then he said firmly. ¡°Don¡¯t say that again and don¡¯t even mind it.¡± Elisabeth stared into the boy¡¯s face until she was determined. ¡°Then Dylan should promise he won¡¯t sacrifice himself.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Dylan asked back at the unexpected answer. Elisabeth held out her pinky finger. ¡°Promise me.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to make a promise?¡± Elisabeth looked up at Dylan quite fiercely. Dylan was in anguish with an expression saying¡­ ¡®Do I have to do this at this age?¡¯ ¡­. Then ended up hooking her little finger awkwardly. ¡°Hey, I promised, so keep it.¡± ¡°I got it. Does Dylan keep his promise too?¡± ¡°I hate being in pain.¡± Elisabeth looked at Dylan, who blushed with shame, with a smile. ¡®Lies.¡¯ Dylan was not as enthusiastic in revenge as Victoire or Damon was, but he loved his family. Elisabeth could feel it. As Baroness Terran said, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to step up for his family. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for the Cabezo family, these people wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡¯ I naturally remembered my biological father¡¯s face. However, I no longer felt sadness or distress like before. I just hated it. I hated them for making their fate like this. ¡®Dylan, whatever fate awaits you, I wish you all well as long as we can live. A little happier.¡¯ Elisabeth took Dylan by the hand. Dylan looked at Elisabeth in surprise. ¡°Let¡¯s go play!¡± ¡°Where are you going to play in the rain?¡± Elisabeth smiled silently and walked forward with her hand. The rain grew stronger in the evening. ¡®I have got to go back to the North.¡¯ Baroness Terran stood by the cold window and looked outside. ¡®I can¡¯t be with that child anymore.¡¯ Elisabeth was a really unexpected child. No matter how harsh she tried to be, she laughed lightly, saying that she was grateful to her for being nice. She said she liked it here even though the Baroness told her a secret for her to cry and fall as she was a child. But she didn¡¯t blame Baroness Terran for telling her the scary truth. ¡®That child is the blood of the Cabezos. It can never be connected to my family.¡¯ But her mind kept moving. Every time she pushed Elisabeth away to shake off her affection, she was strangely fond of her. Polia, whom Baroness Terran met outside, was the Cabezo that she thought of itself. So she thought that Elisabeth would be the same. But this child was different. ¡®This child¡­¡¯ She might give her heart away if they were to be together any longer. She must return to the North before that. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Baroness Terran suddenly coughed. ¡°Madam, you¡¯ve been by the cold window for too long.¡± The maid hurried after her and said. ¡°Get me a cup of warm tea.¡± ¡°Yes, Madam.¡± ¡°And let¡¯s get ready to go back to the North tomorrow.¡± ¡°Already? You¡¯ve only been with the Count for a while. Everyone will be sad if you leave already.¡± ¡°The blunt men in this family¡­¡± Elisabeth¡¯s face floated to mind in the head of Baroness Terran, who was laughing. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that child will be sad.¡± She could not shake off the thought of Elisabeth. The next day, Baroness Terran could not return to the North. ¡°I won¡¯t have a class today?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss. The Baroness has a bad cold.¡± Elisabeth looked disappointed inside the drawing room. As for the maid, she was amazed by Elisabeth who had such an incident with the Baroness yesterday, and was the same as usual and even worried about the Baroness. ¡®Simple like a child, on the other hand, she¡¯s very mature. I understand Madam¡¯s concern.¡¯ Elisabeth, who did not know what the maid was thinking, raised her innocent face and looked at the maid. ¡°May I see her face and ask if she¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give her your regards. The miss is too young so you¡¯ll catch the cold. ¡° ¡®How much does it hurt to not be able to attend classes or see my face?¡¯ Baroness Terran looked like a person of iron who would stand firm against any disease. She was also a human being. Even a small cold had knocked her down. ¡®Are you stressed because of the conversation you had with me yesterday?¡¯ She had all sorts of thoughts. Elisabeth took a heavy step. Baroness Terran was a strict teacher, but she felt empty today thinking she couldn¡¯t see her today. ¡®I¡¯m so bored even when I don¡¯t hear the Baroness¡¯ angry scolding. It doesn¡¯t feel empty if you look at it like you don¡¯t like it.¡¯ Marian then asked Elisabeth, who was playing a boring puzzle. ¡°Usually, young ladies and young masters like it when they don¡¯t have classes. Why are you disappointed?¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s weird for me too. ¡° ¡°Pardon?¡± When Elisabeth answered, Marian laughed and asked. Elisabeth smiled embarrassingly. ¡°I feel like I have to memorize a heavy book right now, and I think I need to solve a difficult problem by groaning, but I can¡¯t do it, so I¡¯m bored.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be more bored because it¡¯s already cloudy outside and you can¡¯t go out and play. You have no one to hang out with, because young master Dylan is at Marquis Dalton¡¯s.¡± Victoire and Damon went to work early in the morning, and Dylan went to take lessons with Marquis Dalton. The only person in the family who was in the house was Baroness Terran. ¡®If it¡¯s a legally connected family, then I¡¯m the only one.¡¯ It was a pity that she was not with Baroness Terran when they were alone. ¡®If she knew I was thinking this, she¡¯d go crazy again, right?¡¯ How dare you pretend to be a family with me? She will be angry. When she thought of it, she wasn¡¯t strangely scared, but only laughed. ¡®She¡¯ll be so angry and then she¡¯ll be sorry unknowingly.¡¯ (*t/n: lmao she got the baroness in her hands) Although she had not known Baroness Terran for a long time, Elisabeth realized this while taking lessons from her. Baroness Terran was not a bad person. Baroness Terran always looked angry, but she was actually a pure and good-hearted person. She had human compassion without concealing her anger. So Elisabeth liked Baroness Terran. ¡°It¡¯s frustrating to stay in my room all the time. I¡¯ll take a walk in the mansion.¡± ¡°Shall I go with you, miss?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m good enough alone. Don¡¯t worry, Marian, I won¡¯t go outside the mansion.¡± Elisabeth left the room on the pretext of boredom. The tranquil mansion was filled with the noise of the rain. Elisabeth quietly approached the room where Baroness Terran resided. The sound of the door opening melted into the sound of rain and could not be heard. ¡°¡­..¡± The maid, who had been nursing Baroness Terran since dawn, was dozing off on a chair. Her face was full of fatigue. Elisabeth crept up on Baroness Terran. There was a dry towel on the forehead of Baroness Terran on the bed. There was a bowl of water on the tray next to the bed. ¡°Ughh¡­¡± Baroness Terran was very sick and moaned in her sleep. ¡°How sad.¡± Elisabeth wet the dry towel and squeezed it tightly and put it on the forehead of Baroness Terran. The groans of Baroness Terran reduced. Elisabeth held her chin on the bed and looked at the sleeping Baroness Teran. ¡°Father, Mother¡­¡± Baroness Terran talked in her sleep. Then she made a face. ¡®Does Baroness Terran suffer from nightmares like Victoire?¡¯ The demise of the Leschine family was a terrible incident that Baroness Terran suffered as a child. Elisabeth could not forget the abuse she suffered in the Cabezo duchy, so it was natural that the brother and sister could not get out of the nightmare. ¡®We are maybe alike.¡¯ Elisabeth felt strange. At the same time, a sad feeling filled her heart. Elisabeth held the hand of the fevered Baroness Terran. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Baroness Terran smiled. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Warm sunlight shone on the sleeping face of Baroness Terran. Baroness Terran opened her eyes with a refreshed face. ¡®I think I had a pleasant dream.¡¯ Looking at the clock, it was just past noon. She had a cold from last night, and her whole body was shivering at dawn. She groaned and fell asleep as if she had fainted. However, when she woke up, she felt relaxed as if she had never been sick. In addition, the cold rain seemed to have stopped. ¡°Now that the weather is better, I¡¯m going to leave for the North quickly. I couldn¡¯t get ready yesterday because I was sick, but I should get ready to go back to the North now.¡± Baroness Terran, who was about to wake up, turned her head casually to the soft, warm feeling of her hands. She could see a small round head. ¡°Elisabeth?¡± Elisabeth was asleep while clutching her hand tightly. A damp towel fell from the surprised Baroness Terran¡¯s forehead when she woke up. Elisabeth raised her head gently. ¡°Are you awake? Your face looks better than before.¡± Baroness Terran stared at Elisabeth with a perplexed look. The half-asleep girl laughed helplessly. Baroness Terran picked up the damp towel that had fallen. ¡°Did you take care of me?¡± ¡°Just for a moment.¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Baroness Terran asked, handing over the hair in front of Elisabeth¡¯s big, curled hair. ¡°I feel sad when I¡¯m sick and there¡¯s no one to look after me.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I do. Especially when I was sick, I was always alone.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Baroness, if I¡¯m being rude¡­¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re not.¡± Baroness Terran said firmly. ¡°Thanks to you, I got better.¡± At those words, Elisabeth laughed brighter than the sun. However, Elisabeth¡¯s cheeks looked exceptionally red. Baroness Terran put her hand on Elisabeth¡¯s cheek just in case. The child¡¯s cheeks were too hot. Dylan took a deep dip in the meat with a fork. It was quite nerve-wracking. ¡°There¡¯s no fool like her. Aunt is all well, but then she caught a cold.¡± Damon looked at Dylan with a smile as he forked the plate as if it were pierced through. It was fun to see his younger brother, who had been acting like an adult since the first meeting which was not cute at all, acting like a boy of his age. That¡¯s because of a girl younger than him. ¡°If you¡¯re so angry, why don¡¯t you go and tell her why she did such a stupid thing? Oops, you¡¯re banned from going to Elisabeth, aren¡¯t you?¡± Dylan raised his eyes and glared at Damon as Damon teased him. ¡°I don¡¯t understand Victoire or Aunt. What¡¯s so young about 16 years old that I should be banned?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because they¡¯re worried about you, but because if you catch a cold, you can¡¯t take care of Elisabeth with all your might.¡± Damon was offending Dylan easily today. He couldn¡¯t imagine that because his younger brother, Dylan, was cute even when he was angry. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of idiot who catches a cold?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You won¡¯t. Our Dylan won¡¯t catch a cold. Even the cold runs away because they¡¯re scared when they see Dylan.¡± ¡°Are you making fun of me now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to have dinner and go see Elisabeth¡¯s face.¡± Dylan shouted ¡®Argh¡¯ next to him. It was definitely the sound of extremely enduring jealousy. ¡°What do you mean, at this age, I¡¯ll catch a kid¡¯s cold? Let me go see Elisabeth, too. Of course, it¡¯s not because I miss Elisabeth.¡± Damon looked at his younger brother in a sad way, saying things that didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Elisabeth because father and aunt are nursing right next to her. If I¡¯m added to that, Elisabeth will get well soon with perfect protection and care. There¡¯s no room for you to intervene.¡± ¡°Go ahead and catch Elisabeth¡¯s cold.¡± Dylan jumped up from his seat and went up to his room. Damon chuckled away. Elisabeth fell asleep with a face full of red spots. She drank the warm milk that Baroness Terran fed her and quickly fell asleep. ¡°He said it was okay.¡± (t/n: i think he means the doctor said that) Victoire took a look at Elisabeth¡¯s forehead and sighed. ¡°She¡¯s fighting a cold with a young body, so the fever is rising. Elisabeth is fighting magnificently.¡± Baroness Terran soothed Victoire. But Victoire couldn¡¯t calm down and hired servants. ¡°What are the assemblymen doing? I heard that if you take good medicine, you¡¯ll feel better soon.¡± ¡°Count. This is unlike you, why are you so impatient? How can you get over your illness so quickly? I¡¯ve been sick for a whole day too.¡± While saying so, Baroness Terran¡¯s gaze at Elisabeth was full of sorrow. ¡®What did I do to be taken care of so hard? I¡¯ve only been harsh.¡¯ She was a child who had a lot of love and longed for love. It cannot be malice. ¡®I can¡¯t believe a child like this was born in the Cabezos. Maybe something¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Baroness Terran squeezed a wet towel and put it on Elisabeth¡¯s forehead. This was something that maids could do, but she wanted to do it herself. Because she did this to her too. ¡°I¡¯m relieved to have you sister.¡± Victoire, who was sighing next to her, said. ¡°What relief. Would this child have caught a cold if it wasn¡¯t for me in the first place?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. Elisabeth did it because she wanted it, but if you blame yourself, the child will be sad. Elisabeth likes you, sister.¡± ¡°Likes me?¡± Baroness Terran asked again as if she could not believe it. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much she has been chirping about you every morning. If you scare her, you¡¯ll look cool and if you compliment her, she¡¯ll say you look like an angel. She liked everything sister did.¡± This positive side was also a disease. ¡°This child, really.¡± Baroness Terran clicked her tongue. But her expression says otherwise, as it was bright. ¡°I¡¯m glad someone like you became Elisabeth¡¯s teacher.¡± ¡°No. A person like me who doesn¡¯t have affection should not be a teacher of a child like this.¡± Baroness Terran said. It was sincere. A child who¡¯s gentle and clear as Elisabeth should not have learned and resemble a hard person who burns with vengeance like herself. ¡°What do you mean, sister? Elisabeth feels so much affection for you.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t understand this child. Which part of me does she feel good¡­¡± At that time, Elisabeth tossed and turned to see if she was feeling uncomfortable. Baroness Terran was startled and quickly helped Elisabeth¡¯s body comfortably. Victoire gazed at the sight. Baroness Terran then said. ¡°Who knows, maybe this child¡¯s in the same boat as us. ¡° Victoire, who was smiling, looked at Baroness Terran with a surprised face. ¡°Because I¡¯m hurt by the Cabezos, and I have to hide myself because of that family.¡± Baroness Terran turned her head and looked straight into Victoire¡¯s blue eyes. ¡°Count. Can you do that? Sacrifice this child.¡± ¡°Sister.¡± ¡°Make sure you decide. You can¡¯t turn it back if you¡¯re late.¡± Victoire looked at Baroness Terran with a stiff face. Now, the younger brother was not the person she knew. He was not the Victoire Leschine without blood or tears who lived only for revenge. He was like a father. The father of Elisabeth. ¡®I know what this means.¡¯ The revenge of her family that she¡¯s been hoping for all her life may fail. But her younger brother, who has lived in pain all his life, can feel the warmth of life because of her. ¡®If my brother is feeling the same emotion I received from Elisabeth, it may not be a bad thing.¡¯ For everyone, Victoire was a perfect and thorough piece of music. Count Daughtry, who was cold and hard as ice. However, to Baroness Terran, he was still her younger brother, Victoire Leschine. Baroness Terran¡¯s eyes gleamed fondly. ¡°I won¡¯t blame the Count even if he can¡¯t. But don¡¯t delay your decision too much.¡± Baroness Terran said. Victoire looked at Elisabeth, who was asleep comfortably in the arms of Baroness Terran. She had a comfortable face even though she was suffering from a cold and fever. She had complete confidence in the other person with an expression that looked like she was being protected. Elisabeth looked like that when she ran to Victoire and hugged him. All the time. Instead of looking for an answer, Victoire held Elisabeth¡¯s small hand. With that, Elisabeth clasped Victoire¡¯s hand tightly. Late at night, Victoire and Baroness Terran returned and were also dozing off in their own rooms. Marian must have been very tired because she was next to Elisabeth all day long. Elisabeth¡¯s fever had also decreased due to her extreme care. Maybe that¡¯s why her sleeping face was peaceful. Smiling like she was having a good dream, Elisabeth opened her eyes to the rustling sound from the balcony. ¡®What is that sound?¡¯ Elisabeth, who raised her head, saw a familiar shadow reflected in the moonlight and rose up. Dylan was crossing the balcony into Elisabeth¡¯s room. When he saw Elisabeth wake up, he came in a hurry. ¡°The balcony is dangerous.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± ¡°The balcony is dangerous. Ywou did wrong, didn¡¯t ywou?¡± Elisabeth questioned him with a pink face. Her voice was still stuffy. ¡°You listen to words well.¡± ¡°I always listen to Dylan.¡± ¡°Then remember one more thing. Colds are as dangerous as balconies. From now on, don¡¯t go around people who have a cold.¡± ¡°Even if Dylan cwaught a cold?¡± (t/n: her nose is stuffy; that¡¯s why she talks like this) ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Elisabeth tilted her head. Would it be an illusion if Dylan¡¯s expression as he answered seems bitter? ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if Dylan has a cold, I would still go.¡± ¡°Listen. There¡¯s no exception even if I catch a cold.¡± While saying so, Dylan was secretly fond of it. ¡®Sheesh. You want me to take care of you.¡¯ Elisabeth found Dylan cute with his mouth twitching. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to. I will take care of Dylan if you catch a cold. I¡¯ll feed you to death. ¡° ¡°You listen well but you¡¯re a liar.¡± ¡°What liar. You¡¯re talking too mean.¡± Elisabeth clenched her fists and shouted. At that moment, Marian, who was asleep in the chair, tossed and turned. ¡°Hush.¡± Dylan put his finger on his lips in a hurry. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Victoire has banned me from coming to see you. He said I was going to catch a cold.¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t seen you all day. I missed you.¡± Dylan¡¯s face turned red when Elisabeth murmured quietly those words. It was fortunate that the darkness covered the redness. ¡°But then, why are you here? Wouldn¡¯t you get in trouble with Victoire?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if I get in trouble. I¡­ missed you too.¡± ¡°Wow. Really?¡± Elisabeth gave a big smile. If she had the energy, she would have jumped on the spot. ¡®I¡¯m glad I came.¡¯ Dylan smiled. He arranged Elisabeth¡¯s messy hair. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you doing well, so that¡¯s enough. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Already? So I can¡¯t see you again until I get over my cold?¡± ¡°You can get over your cold quickly. They say you need to sleep well to get over your cold quickly. Go to sleep.¡± ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll sleep well so I can see you again tomorrow.¡± Elisabeth lay down and pulled the blanket up to her neck. Then she closed her eyes, pretending that she was sleeping.