CH 50

'I wanted to play with Claude-nim and Duke-nim.'

Sarah kept looking back in regret as she left the mansion in the carriage. The farther away Claude and Ethan got, the more empty her heart felt.

"Haam……"

As if very tired, Elexa climbed onto Sarah's lap as soon as he got into the carriage, took a seat, and began to sleep. It was a completely different attitude from being a little wary of Sarah before coming to Ambrosia's mansion. Maybe it was because he had a lot of fun with Claude, or maybe it was because he met Ethan who was scarier than Sarah.

'He’s not as good as Claude-nim, but he's a little cute.'

Sarah suppressed her disappointment and gently stroked Elexa's hair with her hand. The carriage was passing the market they had seen earlier. Near here, there was a small mansion where Elexa was staying.

'Being in a place like this, no one would have known that the Third Prince had an illegitimate child.'

Sarah looked at the mansion with a façade identical to the sentence she described in the Flower of Darkness with a renewed feeling. Her mind was complicated when she thought that Elexa, who would become Claude's rival, grew up holding his breath there.

"Elexa-nim? You have to get up."

"Uh ung…..."

Hearing Sarah’s soft voice, Elexa dug deeper in her arms, so Sarah smiled, hugged Elexa's body, and got off the carriage. The Third Prince's mansion was originally supposed to be heavily guarded. However, since Elexa disappeared, most of them seemed to have gone out to find the child. When Sarah arrived, the only old nanny of the child greeted her.

"Young master-nim!"

Elexa's nanny, with a pale face, ran their way in a hurry. She became paler and paler when she saw Elexa in Sarah's arms.

"Who, who are you, our Young Master-nim…...!"

"I come from Duke Ambrosia’s family."

"Ambrosia?!"

At Sarah's words, Elexa's nanny stiffened with her hand outstretched to take over the child. Deep anxiety was engraved on her wrinkled face. Sarah hurried to talk because she knew that Elexa's nanny was worried.

"When Little Master-nim went out, he was worried that Elexa-nim was alone without a guardian and was protecting him."

"Ah……"

"Elexa-nim was on high alert, so he couldn't tell me the location of the mansion, so I was only able to bring him back now. I'm sorry if you were worried."

"Ah, it's okay. Thank you Young Lord Ambrosia-nim for your kindness."

She was noticeably relieved to hear that Elexa was wary.

'The gaze is explicit and she is not good at hiding her expression.'

Among the people the Third Prince could trust and entrust Elexa to, there was only one person who could not manage her facial expressions well. The current Empress's hidden half-older sister, Crassida Orlin. She was the illegitimate child of the Orlin family. In 'Flower of Darkness', the character Sarah wrote was a young woman, but the nanny of Elexa in front of her now was close to an old woman.

'It's different from Flower of Darkness here too. Is it the effect of Park Hyeyeon's dying?'

Sarah didn't know whether to like or be sad about the unexpected addition of one more variable. As she tried to shake off her thoughts, she talked to Elexa's nanny.

"Does Elexa-nim usually go out alone often?"

"Phew, of course. He’s making trouble every single day. He really doesn't take this situation into account at all."

"......He’s still young to know the situation of adults."

"But he still has to."

Elexa's nanny did not hide her displeasure, and took the child from Sarah and embraced him. Looking at the face of Elexa, who had fallen asleep for a while, she soon breathed a deep sigh and muttered.

"Well, where would those vulgar bloodlines go?"

It wasn't loud enough to be heard, but she sounded clearly to Sarah, who had better hearing than ordinary people. Sarah's soft smile, which had been maintained since getting off the carriage, slightly incised.

'I can see why Elexa was afraid of the nanny.'

She wasn't careful and didn't even take care of her facial expressions in front of Sarah, who was a complete outsider. If it was a frequent occurrence for Elexa, who was only 6 years old, to go out alone like this, breaking through the strict security, it must have been that there was something like a dog hole somewhere. But she didn’t even think about looking for it. It was evident that she was not doing her part to protect and manage Elexa for the Third Prince.

"......Then I'll get going now. Madam."

"Thank you so much for your kindness at Ambrosia."

"No. You don’t know how much Little Master-nim liked Elexa-nim. I don't know which family Elexa-nim is from, but may I send you an invitation?"

"An invitation?"

"Our Claude-nim is just looking for a playmate. Since he’s been able to connect with Elexa-nim like this, I was wondering what it would be like to spend time interacting with our Little Master-nim."

"I am very grateful for your words, but Elexa-nim is still lacking in education and has a selfish personality, so he will be a nuisance to Young Lord Ambrosia-nim."

"You shouldn't expect a lot from a child who is only 6 years old. You don't have to worry about that."

As Sarah's proposal continued, Elexa's nanny could not hide her expression, which was gradually hardening. She didn't seem to be able to find any valid excuses.

'......He’s hiding the existence of Elexa. However, if he chooses a nanny like that, it will only be a matter of time before things get out.'

It was so crude and sloppy. Sarah wondered if there was something she didn't know about the Third Prince.

"Why don't you ask your master first and send someone to Ambrosia?"

"Ah, that's the order. Then, I think that I should convey Madam’s words well, so let’s get going."

Sarah smiled and took a step back. She'd love to make Elexa a playmate for Claude, but there was more to know before that.

'I think I'll have to meet the Third Prince in person.'

Sooner or later, if there was a party attended by the princes, she was going to ask the Duke to get an invitation. If she were to attend the party, she would get all the attention from those who remember Sarah Millen, but she couldn't help it. If there was a big difference from Flower of Darkness, she needed to figure it out as soon as possible so there are fewer variables.

"Ha……"

Sarah got into the carriage, buried herself in the cushion, and let out a long sigh. There was really a lot of work to do. And she was already tired because the things she had to do were only annoying.

"I hate parties."

She just wanted to spend time with Claude and Ethan. Sarah took out the pocket watch artifact from her arms, hoping that only those who had forgotten her would attend the party.

[Master, this is Belluna. I heard that you are in Crombell Empire. Everyone is on the way to find Master together. Perhaps soon, we will be able to see you. If you don't want us to visit you, just say you don't. Then I'll knock them both out and take them to the magic tower.]

[Masteeeeer. Benjamin and Belluna bully me. Please scold them. I am really sad and miss Master so much. Don't you feel sorry for me? If you only give me a sneak peek of where you are, I'll completely shun both of them and go alone. Yes?]

[How are you doing in Crombell Empire…… I don’t know. If Master decides to hide, we may not know even if you pass by. But Master, I wish I could recognize you right away. I will go see you soon.]

The magic that flowed from the messages left by her disciples had a unique smell of the monster forest. They had already come from the magic tower to the monster forest, on the outskirts of the Crombell Empire.

"Oh my God. They’re fast."

As soon as she received the warning message from the elder of the magic tower, she did not know that they would move like this right away. If they were not her disciples, with the ability to take action quickly like this, they wouldn’t be pushed out anywhere.

"How can I do this?"

If this continued, it would be inevitable to encounter her disciples. These were the children Sarah brought and taught, so they showed off superior skills than anyone else in the magic tower. There was a time when she had been proud of that fact, but now she regretted it a little.

"Why do I have to teach them so well……"

Sarah put her hands together and buried her face, suffering. It was also a problem that the master was too good.