Chapter 69

Siervian bawled her eyes out like a crybaby; Doesn’t it seem like she’s a stubborn child now?

She should have denied it, but her mouth was somehow shut.

What would happen if her father became cold like he used to?

[ Lara ]

Thoughts: This is the chance for the Princess to be disliked by the Emperor.

Had this event occurred in society, her father would easily find the bones in Lara’s words.

However, there were only cute children in front of him, people in the same situation tend to think this was all child honesty.

Siervian knew this well, so she was just lost in words and looked at her father.

“Lara Mirccino.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Looking down at the young Lara, the Emperor said in his usual serious voice.

“My Siervy is not a narrow-minded person, so don’t let any strange misunderstandings come up in the future.”

“…Oh, yes, Your Majesty. Lara made a mistake.”

Surprised, Lara bowed her head multiple times in the most elegant manner.

Alderuan, who looked down at the Playmate with the usual cold eyes, nodded slightly.

“You may go now.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

There were many possibilities as to why the Playmate was called in during breakfast.

One of which was to actually let her join the breakfast.

It was to also show the value of the relationship with the Count.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: Damien is absent today, therefore he can’t take any of my time with Siervy.

“…”

There was only one thing Lara failed to notice.

She only focused on her lies, but it was none other than the Emperor who got annoyed by her long disturbance.

[ Lara ]

Emotions: Nervousness

Thoughts: I can’t. I’ll try to strategize another plan.

Lara disappeared out of the breakfast room, packing new uneasy thoughts.

“Let’s have breakfast, Siervy.”

“Yes.”

Siervian was overwhelmed at her father’s trust in her.

Strong emotions are left, Siervian was unconsciously chewing her lips. After her father secured their little squabble.

Like it was nothing.

“If you are not fond of the Playmate, we can send her back. Some people don’t fit in once in a while.”

The way he says it like he was okay with Siervian disliking Lara.

[ Alderuan Erveldote ]

Thoughts: I could always develop the relationship with the Count and have the convenience. But what comes first is Siervy’s burdens.

Political things are indeed getting very complicated.

“No, it’s not like that.”

For that reason, Siervian shook her head.

She couldn’t make the same mistake as in the past.

Especially now that Count Mirccino has learned that he plans to damage the Emperor’s faction using his special role.

“Sebi is all right.”

And so she plans to make it the other way around this time.

* * *

“Come on, Princess.”

“Yess.”

Siervian took an unwilling step forward at Lara’s hustle.

Ignoring the words of the Emperor this morning, Lara showed a more intimate behavior to Siervian.

Earlier, the two eventually egged her to go play in the garden in the afternoon.

“Over there!”

“Then you two have a pleasant journey.”

“Yes!”

Struggling to answer Ellie so brightly, Siervian followed Lara.

In a miserable state.

‘I need to figure out what’s her next move, and the plan of the Count.’

[ Lara ]

Thoughts: Just a little more now. I think it’s fine if I get hurt here. She still has the mind of a baby, I suppose it just needs to be just a small scratch. Hmm.

She was no different from Siervian this time, as of now, the two have no idea what to do.

Lara’s plans have some assumptions.

But now Siervian has also taken countermeasures.

“Now, let’s play hide and seek here.”

“Hide and seek?”

“Yes, you will be the seeker, and I will hideee.”

Lara stopped smiling as soon as the eyes around her vanished, then vigorously turned for a last look at Siervian.

“Shall I count the numbers?”

[ Lara ]

Thoughts: I better hurry up now, if this goes perfectly, the story will be the Princess who pushed…

An obvious trick indeed.

Siervian was faster, after experiencing countless similar techniques.

“Then cover your eyes now and count, you must never move by then!”

“Yes.”

As if she was almost threatening.

Not listening to any of her words, Siervian paid attention to something else.

Lara has moved in a direction without much doubt since Siervian has been compliant for the past few days.

‘Is she gone?’

Siervian removed her eyes and hands away from the tree to go peek.

She carried out the plan after clearing things up.

‘Should I go now?’

Siervian, who was chewing her lips in concern again, decided to finally move.

‘Where?’

Siervian swiftly looked around, seeking someone else.

[ Adante Roid ]

Thoughts: …Is the Princess looking right at me?

Of course, her usual escort knight was always there.

Siervian unwittingly walked towards the status window, but instantaneously stopped herself.

She would appear suspicious if she found him multiple times.

‘I can’t afford to look suspicious this much.’

The little girl hesitated, and eagerly looked around the environment.

She naturally cried as she was in a hurry.

“Sir Roid, Are you here?”

In the end, she points him out and the escort knight quickly ascends.

“Your Highness, are you all right?”

“Found you!”

Holding her doll, Siervian ran towards Sir Roid.

The knelt-down escort met the Imperial Princess with a slightly surprised face.

[ Adante Roid ]

Thoughts: Was there a threat that I did not notice?

But Siervian quickly resolved this one.

“Sebi is scared of going alone.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was sacred that Roid understood super fast.

Right now, Isn’t it a little strange for the Playmate to leave the Princess alone?

What Lara failed to notice again was that there was a knight in shining armor who would protect her.

“Thank you for always being on Sebi’s side.”

[ Favorability: +50 ]

If it wasn’t for him, Siervian could’ve been misunderstood again.

She let out a sigh of relief before thanking him.

* * *

“Oh! Lara, What happened?”

“We need a doctor right now. What is going on?”

That afternoon, Seeing Lara covered in dirt, the Princess’s Palace was in complete chaos.

Lara apparently had a bloody wound on her knee.

A great deal of concern was on the ladies’ faces.

“What about the Princess? No, what is this!”

Lara came back alone, that fact worried the Palace even more.

Lara wrapped around her knee after collapsing, this look appears to be painful.

Then she said something out of the blue.

“… Perhaps you were mistaken. No need to worry about a low life like Lara.”

The maids of the Imperial family were quick like the prestigious servants they are.

After coming back with such unexpected news, of course, they would be agitated.

More even on Lara’s strange reference.

The great shock was contained in their eyes.

“What? No. it’s not…”

It would be completely unbelievable. The Princess they know is the last person to do that!

That angelic face that Lara has shown so far made the ladies wonder.

“Princess!”

Holding the escort’s hand tightly, the Princess appeared.

“Is there something wrong?”

She knew full well what would happen, but appeared the opposite.

Lara avoided Siervian’s gaze.

As if she was petrified.

“La- Lara is okay.”

Seeing that dazed look made the ladies exchange eyes.

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: There must have been some misunderstanding. Maybe there is a big mistake.

[ Jane Millas ]

Thoughts: My Princess couldn’t have done that…

The ones who aren’t close to Siervian couldn’t control their emotions.

Meanwhile, close aides such as Ellie and Jane firmly trusted her.

“I was escorting the Princess.”

“Pardon? Did you know everything that happened? Sir Roid.”

Sir Roid opened his mouth slowly,

The ladies looked at his lips with shaky eyes.

“Nothing serious happened. But the two did play a game of hide and seek, the playmate is the hider and went off.”

The escort, who always had a calm face, didn’t care even though all eyes were on him.

A fine knight doing his sacred duty, the ladies then exchanged gazes again as if they were communicating.

“After that, the Princess looked for me first as she was afraid of being alone.”

“What? Then…”

“The Playmate hasn’t been found, for that reason, I first came back here with the Princess and would return to find the Playmate, hm? Then she was here all along but heavily injured?”

The Ladies once again exchanged eyes and they began to have more comfortable faces.

[ Jane Millas ]

Thoughts: Of course, of course. The Princess wouldn’t do that. No, wait, then why did Lara say that…?

[ Ellie ]

Thoughts: Our Princess was afraid?! Thank goodness Sir Roid was near her!

Eyes suddenly went to Lara at the same time.

Lara, whose face turned red, like the one on her knee, lowered her head for now. If she showed that embarrassed face, it might be over.

She rolled her eyes under all of them.

[ Lara ]

Thoughts: Damn it all. The escort was following you all this time? I didn’t hear that from the count, damn it.

Sir Roid was one step ahead, looking at Lara’s condition with his lazy-like eyes. Something strange bothered him, but he can’t be so sure.

“You must have understood the escort just now, what happened?”

“W-Well…”

“Lara? How did this happen?”

Couldn’t think of an excuse and her voice was trembling, she burst into tears just like Siervian earlier.

This quick action surprised Siervian that she can’t even control her expression.

But Siervian gave off a frightening face, looking at both expressions, Ellie hugged Siervian thinking she was disturbed by Lara’s face.