Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The baroness, who had been staring at her blankly, understood the situation.

She couldn’t extort money for her living expenses anymore.

In other words, Liliana, her pot of money, would be lost forever.

“Oh, Duchess! I’m…”

Only then, Baroness Londini, who understood the situation, hurriedly tried to cling to Anriche’s leg.

Of course, Anriche escaped her by taking a couple of steps back.

Anriche added coldly.

“Since you took care and raised Liliana, the orphanage has been extensively expanded.”

She stabbed straight to the point.

Baroness Londini opened her eyes.

Anriche spoke delicately.

“You are Liliana’s family, so I’ll overlook what happened until now.”

“Oh, that, but…!”

“But if you can’t get rid of your greed towards her in the future, or even trying to bother Liliana…”

Anriche concluded her words with her cold voice.

“Then, in court, you’ll meet Valois’ lawyer.”

Court? Lawyer?

Does it mean that even the court will take legal action?

Now, a violent earthquake was taking place in the Baroness’s pupils.

After, Anriche turned towards Liliana.

“Liliana.”

“Yes, Yes!”

At Anriche’s call, Liliana, who was staring at the Baroness, came to her senses.

“What do you want to do, Liliana?”

“Yes? Me?”

Liliana opened her eyes wide.

Anriche leaned down and looked at Liliana and spoke with a soft voice.

“I want to be your guardian and live with you in the future, will that be all right with you?”

It was certain that Liliana needed to leave the orphanage.

It was absurd to keep the child in an abusive environment.

But it was a different matter for her and Anriche to live together.

She didn’t want Liliana to feel overwhelmed because of her decisions.

‘So, I should give Liliana choices too.’

She thought she would be satisfied with becoming Liliana’s guardian.

There were many things that Liliana had to accept, including her engagement.

Meanwhile, Liliana was facing Anriche, unsure of what to do.

“I, I…”

“If it’s uncomfortable, it’s all right to say no. I’ll provide you a place to live separately.”

“Oh, no!”

Liliana unwittingly clenched her fists and shouted with a loud voice.

“I want to live with you!”

Huh?

Anriche, startled, opened her eyes wide.

However, the person who was most surprised by her own voice seemed to be Liliana herself.

“Uh, ah. So…if it doesn’t bother you…”

Liliana was peeping at Anriche’s eyes.

‘Am I being too greedy?’

However, she didn’t want to let go of the lady in front of her.

Anriche was the friendliest person she had ever met.

“Oh my God. How could you be a nuisance? I was the one asking you to come with me.”

Anriche quickly reached out her hand to her.

“Shall we go then?”

Though Liliana couldn’t bring herself to hold her hand right away.

A white and elegant hand that seems to have never held anything heavier than a fan.

Can I really hold this hand?

Liliana looked down at her dusty hands and mumbled in an embarrassed voice.

“I, my hands are dirty…”

“Ah, why do you care about that? It’s okay!”

Anriche grabbed Liliana’s hand.

Liliana’s eyes widened.

Her soft, warm hands energized and pulled Liliana.

“Let’s go, hurry.”

At Anriche’s urgency, Liliana quickly followed her.

‘…Amazing.’

Liliana, who started walking, suddenly looked behind her.

‘Baroness Rondini, ‘I was so afraid of her.’

She was afraid that she would not be able to get out of the hands of Baroness, and she was afraid she might die…

She was able to get away from her so easily.

Liliana looked at Anriche’s back with dazzled eyes.

It was the first time she was convinced that she could rely on someone.

A part deep in her heart was fluttering.

***

As soon as she left the office, she heard the sound of the two mothers and daughters quarreling.

“Oh, mom! You just send the girl as she is?!”

“Nonsense! You stayed silent when your mother was being beaten. Why come and blame your mother now?”

Anriche listened to the shouts flowing out from under the door.

The two mothers and daughters’ blood was boiling from their anger.

“If there’s another way, you try it!”

“Ah, why are you upset with me?!”

It was true that it was the most interesting to watch the fight scenes.

As she listened to the sound of them arguing, Anriche’s smile showed in her eyes.

This is the taste of victory?

‘Okay, now… It’s time to show Liliana what money can do.’

Can I just scatter gold coins?

If you want to be the luxurious mistress of the wealthiest family in the Empire, of course, you should do that!

“Liliana, do you have anything you want?”

“Yes?”

“You can just tell me, I’ll buy you anything!”

At Liliana’s bewildered expression, Anriche exclaimed exasperatedly.

Then Liliana replied with a shy face.

“No, you don’t have to.”

“Why?”

“You took me in with you, that’s good enough.”

Anriche felt quite emotional after hearing that.

She must only be seven years old.

At that age, she had a mountain of things she wanted.

And she just said, ‘It’s enough just to take me’…

How had she been living?

“Yes, I’d like to buy you so many things.”

“Yes?”

When she responded with a mischievous voice, Liliana opened her eyes wide.

Instead of answering her, Anriche climbed into the carriage with a confident expression.

She had so many things she wanted to do for Liliana.

***

About an hour later.

Morgan Street is a collection of high-end shops.

Liliana sat in a high-end clothing store specializing in children’s clothing, unable to hide her puzzled face.

‘I… I think it’s my first time sitting in a comfortable chair like this.’

Liliana, blinking her eyes, carefully pressed the seat of the chair with her fingers.

The seat was so fluffy, her fingers could push right in.

Liliana, looking at the sheet with a curious face for a while, suddenly grabbed her finger in a hurry.

If she touched it like this, it would be a big deal if the chair got dirty from her hands.

Liliana then glanced sideways to Anriche, sitting across from her.

Anriche was scouring through numerous catalogs with lights in her eyes.

“With clothes like this, we can’t fully reveal Liliana’s cuteness.”

Anriche muttered in a gloomy voice.

“I need clothes that are better than this…”

Liliana, without realizing, fixed her gaze toward Anriche.

‘…She is the Duchess of Valois.’

Although she hasn’t lived a long life yet, she was certain she had never seen such a beautiful person.

Her fine-grained brown hair drew smooth curves down her chest.

Her pure white skin was as smooth as porcelain, and her purple eyes, perched under her long lashes, were pretty violet.

She thought that she would never meet a lady with such high status in her life, but that lady has now become her mother-in-law.

Besides, she said she was engaged to the Duke of Valois’s son from the womb.

‘This is ridiculous’

Liliana shook her head.

Then her eyes met Anriche, who had just raised her head.

“Heuk!”

As she hurriedly breathed in, a strange sound flowed from Liliana’s lips.

Oh, what should I do?

I’m dying of embarrassment!

Liliana’s face turned red.

Then, Anriche gently folded her eyes.

“Do you have anything you want to ask?”

That would be the case because Liliana had been glancing at Anriche the whole time.

I think you have something you’re curious about…

Liliana, who swallowed her dry saliva, carefully asked questions.

“Well, are you really buying me new clothes?”

“Of course. If not, why would we come to the clothing store?”

Anriche opened her eyes wide and continued.

“Now, Liliana doesn’t even have a change of clothes, don’t you?”

As Anriche shrugged her shoulders, Liliana nodded sullenly.

She doesn’t think so either, especially with all those little belongings Liliana has been using all this time.

‘Because she threw everything away after leaving the orphanage!’

Anritche recalled her pleasure when she put all of her belongings, no, her trash, into the trash can.

Honestly.

Since becoming ‘Anriche’, I think that was the best thing I did.

It feels as good as having a bad tooth taken out.

However, Liliana, who failed to overcome her conscience, shook her head.

“But I’m still indebted to you, and I don’t think it’s right to buy me new clothes…!”

It wasn’t enough that she was taken out of the hellish Londini orphanage, now she’s spending so much money because of her.

Liliana was in tears.

She felt like she was suddenly ascended from hell to heaven.

She was so grateful and apologetic.