Chapter 20.2

***

[“It’s ruined, it’s ruined! My house is in complete ruin!”]

Yelena fell into despair as she wrote down the events of the day in mournful handwriting.

Today she lost the earring left by her mother, her father was out of favor with Duke Janus, and the little and fragile child was greatly devastated.

Yelena still vividly remembered the little child trying her best to please her little sibling. Yelena couldn’t even protect the child, who couldn’t even eat a handful, and she couldn’t even protect herself!

It was a disgrace.

‘Because we behaved so meanly, the capital will turn away from my house.’

In her deep sorrow, Yelena looked at herself in the mirror.

She had thought until this morning that she was pretty, with blonde hair hanging out and relatively light colored clothes out.

But now, in the mirror, she saw only an ugly, parched person with all sorts of troubles and worries. Her hair is loose and scattered like that of a child, and her earrings are only one-sided.

By all accounts, she was not the eldest daughter of a dignified Count family.

She was about to call someone to change into comfortable clothes when she suddenly felt something in her pocket. Yelena, who took it out, opened her mouth in surprise.

[A gift in advance by the flower fairy.]

It contained a note written in crooked handwriting and one of Yelena’s missing jade earrings.

In Noah’s empire, there was a legend that on the eve of the new year, flower fairies who were awakened by the children’s pure hearts visited the children and granted their wishes to repay them. It is commonly known that if they dream of a present they want, the flower fairy will bring it to them.

A smile grew on Yelena’s lips as she fidgeted with her earring that came back to her.

‘I see.’

She was still a child too.

She was still at the age of wishing for a gift from the flower fairy.

Unlike her smiling lips, the tears that had been welling in her eyes ran very slowly down her cheeks.

***

[Dear respected anonymous benefactor.

I am glad to hear that your child is very interested in learning how to write.

It may be that she like the sincere interest and affection of the teacher rather than the learning itself. (I asked you repeatedly, that you should not show off the affection you received from your child, Father.)

I apologize if asking for your child’s gender made you uncomfortable. It was something I had to ask for the future direction of education.

In Father’s eyes, you may think she’s still an immature baby, but in fact, if she’s a girl over the age of 7, it’s the perfect time for her to learn the courtesy and refinement of a lady.

Accordingly, I recommended that you prepare a ‘doll house’ for your child first.

Playing with dolls will help children understand the differences and roles of men and women in the home.

P.S. If your child already has a ‘doll house’ to play with, she doesn’t need to buy one.]

***

The capital was really a place where rumors circulated quickly.

Since dawn, all bakeries in the capital have put up notices stating that they will be closed for this day, and sweets swept from those bakeries were piled up in front of Count Mceuena’s mansion.

There weren’t many people in the Empire who could wield such tyranny.

People immediately thought of Duke Janus and soon found out everything in detail, as if they had been invited to the Count’s house that day in person.

Within a day rumors had circulated that Count Mceuena had been ousted from Janus.

Unlike the people who whispered as if something big had happened, the Duke was calm.

“You’re up.”

This morning, too, the day started with the boy Duke looking down at me with an arrogant expression.

My eyes were blinking, so he lightly tapped something with his cane as if he was trying to reassure me.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what? There’s something in your room.”

Elaborately recreated rooms and furniture, stables, and even miniature teacup sets on the tables in the drawing room.

When I woke up, there was a ‘doll house’ in one corner of the room, boasting the size of two dog houses combined, a cute appearance like a wedding cake, and delicate sophistication.

It’s pretty, but my age for playing with dolls dried up a long time ago.

“What is this?”

“Your toy. I said I’ll buy you a doll’s house before. But I couldn’t buy it because someone ran away.”

Well, I remember that too.

‘I ran away on my way to the toy store to buy a doll’s house.’

The boy’s face stiffened a little, perhaps he was getting angry again just thinking that thought.

Ah damn. He’s really someone who’s obsessed with the bag of candy he used to eat.

I hurriedly got off the bed and started fiddling with the doll’s house.

“Wow, woooow, it’s pretty.”

“Is it that good?”

“Yes, I am really happy.”

Not long after I woke up, I made a reaction without a single soul, like a new employee laughing at the manager’s humor. Fortunately, the Duke didn’t point that out.

“What are you doing with the house? Now, here are your dolls.”

Phew, he’s a tricky guy anyway.