CH 32

Until now, Vasily had lived thinking that he was a good person who cared for others.

He even believed that he was a reasonable person who could look at himself objectively. He considered that most of his opinions were right, and assumed that other people were stupid and narrow-minded, and that they couldn't understand his words.

He didn't even know how stupid that thought was.

"To put yourself in someone else's position? What does that mean..."

Yulia had become strange. To think of one's position differently, what kind of childish grumbling is that? Everyone has their own position, and it was impossible to fully understand others.

He was in a filthy mood. It was partly because Yulia's words hurt him, but also because of the bag of gold coins she threw at him at the end.

"Damn it."

Vasily, who had been locked up, was empty-handed, and could not return to the mansion to get money.

Yulia tossed a bag of gold coins at him, just as she would to a beggar. She threw it on the floor so that he had no choice but to bend down to pick it.

Vasily, who was muttering to himself as he walked down the street at night, took out his purse.

"How much money did she put in, wait... did Yulia have this kind of money in the first place?"

He stood in the middle of an alleyway, and opened the purse.

"How is that possible?"

It was full of glittering gold coins. Even at first glance, it was a significant amount. Vasily took out a gold coin with an uncomfortable expression, and held it up in the moonlight.

"It’s real."

Vagrants walking through the alleys also saw it.

Their eyes were instantly stained with greed. The alley was filled with animosity so clear that Vasily felt chills.

'These crazy...'

Words that he couldn't say out loud lingered inside his head.

Vasily walked quickly while clutching onto the purse. He had to somehow get out on the main road, and go to the club where his friends were gathering. If he could get there, his friends who had sworn their eternal friendship would give him a place to stay.

"Hey, young master."

A beggar who had been leaning against the wall spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?"

The beggar's face revealed under the moonlight was hideous. His skin was covered in wounds and filth, and his exposed teeth were yellow and black.

"Ugh, aaaargh!"

Vasily stumbled, and started running. Before he knew it, a vagrant who had caught up to him opened his arms and blocked his path. In panic, Vasily stumbled, and fell forward.

"Hahahaha!"

The vagrants laughed loudly. All of them were covered in hideous scars and filth. He didn't know what they were doing in the port, but whenever they moved around, a sour smell of rotting fish emanated from them.

"Would you look at that! Where are you going?"

"Isn't it a young master?" Wait, let's take a closer look! Is it a lady? Huh?"

The purse Yulia had given him was taken away in an instant. The purse was opened, and gold coins poured out. Aside from the vagrants who were harassing Vasily, passers-by also rushed to reach for the gold coins that had spilled onto the floor.

Vasily did not even think of getting back the money they had taken, but just crawled on all fours and tried to get out of there.

"Where are you going! Your shoes look good, and your clothes are expensive, huh? Your hair looks pretty soft too? I am going to cut it all off, and sell it. Exhange clothes with me. Mine still have a few more wears, you know. Hahaha!"

"The coat is mine! Search him. He might have a ring or a necklace too."

His whole body trembled. Vasily waved his arms in an attempt to shake them off, but the sneer he heard only grew louder.

"Move! Get away from me! Do you even know who I am..."

"And who are you, huh? Who!"

"I will kill all of you. I... I will have all of you killed! You really think you will be safe after daring to touch a noble like this!?"

"If you say it like that, we can't let you go safely, young master. Don't you think?"

Someone said in a very low voice. At that moment, Vasily realized that he had made a mistake. It would have been over if he had let them take his money and clothes, but before he knew it, none of the vagrants who were making fun of him were laughing.

"Young master."

One of them approached, and said.

"Do you know that somewhere on the southern coast there is a school of man-eating fish? If you throw a person in there, I'm sure you can imagine what will happen, huh? It is said that only the bones come back to the surface. I love it when you can handle things without leaving a trace."

Vasily's frightened face was soon hidden from view by the vagrants.

'You said that you were locked up.'

Yulia hadn't forgotten any of Vasily's excuses.

She didn't bother to hide the laughter that was leaking out. As she said that, Vasily had an expression of resentment.

In the past, Yulia persistently tried to confirm that what he said was true.

As she lay dying in a blizzard, Vasily said that he was locked up. However, the Vasily's confinement was very different from what Yulia had imagined.

Vasily could have gone out easily on that day. The soldier, who was watching him, said that the young master only asked to be let out, but didn't actively attempt to go out.

Had he tried, he would have had no other choice but to let him go as a mere soldier couldn't possibly hurt a young master.

If Vasily had tried his best to come to Yulia that day, he could have escaped from his room even if he had to return to the mansion after being caught in the middle.

It was the same when the Marquis of Marjoram cut off funding to the orphanage.

Yulia only found out about it after the director, who couldn't endure the dire situation, sold the poor children to a ship, and she couldn't save them anymore.

However, Vasily said he already knew that. According to his words, he tried to stop his father, but couldn't do anything in the end.

Then, Yulia questioned him, asking him if he could have helped with his own money or if he could have saved the children from being sold.

But Vasily really knew nothing.

He also said that it would be better for them to work on a ship, eat their fill, and become great sailors, rather than live by begging nobles in a poor orphanage.

These words could only be said because the immature aristocrat didn't know that children sold to pirate ships would become slaves, or die while working like livestock.

"So I’m going to cheer for you too."

"What?"

"I wonder... what will happen when a young man from an aristocratic family, whose breath is expensive, walks down the street with a bag full of gold coins."

A singing voice and a nonchalant expression. Maxwell nodded heavily at Yulia's words.

"Aha."

"Rather than living behind the fence of the Marquis family without knowing the world, you will be able to become a great aristocrat if you study the world properly on the road, even if it is a little hard on your body."

'Right, Vasily?'

Yulia laughed, full of cruel goodwill and pure malice.

*****

Lewicia's successor studies went smoothly. Yulia was good at teaching, and Lewicia was good at learning.

Above all, the fact that she was not an authoritative member of the royal family helped the most.

"Yulia, have you received all the presents Shatrin sent you?"

"Yes, I didn't expect to receive that much. Thanks to the Prince, I became very rich for a commoner. Even if I retire now, I will be able to eat well, and live well for the rest of my life."

"Who said you could retire?"

"I'm talking about later. Won't I also be able to leave the palace someday?"

"Say that after you stop me from being sold as a concubine to the Empire."

Lewicia murmured gloomily. Perhaps quite shocked by the prospect that such a thing might happen, for the past few days, he stood often in front of the mirror, cursing his beautiful face.

After the second contest, the royal palace was full of life. In particular, Shatrin's palace was in an uproar. There were so many guests that it was said they would have to wait several days to make an appointment with the Princess.

Lewicia carried out his original schedule during the day, and at night, was taught successor studies by Yulia and Coco.

Lewicia, who had been muttering with his head buried in a thick book, checked his watch and said as if lamenting.

"It's already midnight."

"Stop looking at your watch. Kids who can’t study are always like that."

"Coco, there is an old saying that two people grow fond of each other while fighting. We might become family at this rate."

"Don't say such scary words."

"A few hundred years ago, when a member of the royal family died, the maid of honor who served them also died alongside them. It is said that they were buried together in the grave, or lived while guarding the grave after death. If that is not family, then what is it?"

This time, Yulia answered.

"It must have been a lover. Or they gave allegiance to the person they worshipped as their master."

"How dreary."

Lewicia turned the pen round, and pointed at Yulia's face with the tip of the pen.

"Yulia, tell me honestly."

"Yes."

“Have you ever imagined it when you came in as my maid of honor... the ending where you fall in love with the Prince, and live happily ever after like in a fairy tale."

"No."

Yulia answered, not even looking at Lewicia's face. Her gaze was fixed on the thick book without wavering.

"You really haven't?"

Lewicia looked somewhat disappointed.

"I haven't."

"Why?"

To Lewicia, who persistently asked, Coco answered instead of Yulia.

"There is no way that Yulia would want to fall in love with a prince, but even if that were the case, it wouldn't have been a fairy tale ending where the two of you would live happily ever after. Why do you ask such a childish question when you are already aware of this?"

"You never know."

While turning the pages of the book and marking the parts Lewicia had to memorize, Yulia spoke without taking her eyes off the book.

"I don’t believe in love."