CH 26

It had already been three months since I came to this duchy. Now anyone could believe that I was the daughter of a noble family. My body was flowing with grace and charm.

I titled the teacup gracefully and looked out the window. Now that the social season was approaching, I could also make an official social debut as the adoption process was completed.

…I miss you, Merilly. However, even though my body was wrapped in a gorgeous dress and jewels, a corner of my heart was empty. When I thought of my daughter, I felt like my heart was beating. My brows twitched and wrinkled.

At that time, a whispering sound came from the communication device that had been stored in the drawer. I immediately opened the drawer and took it out.

<Older Sister!>

“Is there anything to report on?”

<No. There’s nothing going on in the mansion.>

“What about their daughters?”

<They’re still doing well. It would be terrible if the madam had a bad relationship with their daughters.>

“…Really?” I slowly finished my words.

Three months ago, I had secretly planted the thugs I had met on Gracie Street to the March. They were given a letter of recommendation by Princess Gracie at my order. They obtained a job as a fruit supplier to the March.  They went in and out of the March every day, serving as my eyes and ears.

Thanks to them, I was able to receive daily reports on the situation surrounding Merilly. Contrary to their haphazard appearances, their work was quite smart.

<Yes. How long do we have to pretend to be a merchant in this mansion…>

“It’ll be over soon, so don’t worry.”

<Yes, yes, Older Sister…!>

“I’ll send you some gold coins, so tell me if you’re short on work.”

<Yes!>

The communication was cut off with a courageous reply.

I sighed deeply.

Sometimes when I missed Merilly so much, I used teleportation and transparent magic to see her. Nothing happened to that child. She was growing up being loved perfectly, to the point I had a strange feeling.

I clasped the pendant around my neck. It must have been a good thing that my daughter was growing up happily. Still, the anxiety that had taken root in my heart didn’t disappear, no matter what reports I received. It was just like five years ago when I witnessed my husband’s wedding in a Hamilton March.

I wonder if my mother left any power in this pendant. An ominous and sharp foreboding. I swallowed my dry saliva.

“Lobelia.”

Then, someone knocked on the door. It was the voice of Duke Gracie.

I stopped my thoughts and opened the door immediately. “Ah, Duke.” I held the hem of my dress with both hands and gave a beautiful bow.

A happy smile came over the fierce face that looked like a tiger.

“You’ve become a princess.”

“Is that so?”

“Here you go. It’s a gift.” He held out a piece of paper he was holding.

My eyes widened. I took the paper slowly. In it,

“The adoption process has been completed.”

Lobelia Elland Gracie. The emperor’s seal was stamped on the paper, indicating the adoption was complete.

My hand holding the paper shook slightly. “Finally…”

My eyes got teary without realizing it. With this, a status that would never be inferior to that of Marquis Hamilton, no, even greater than that, was in my hands.

With a choked throat, I thanked the duke first. “Thank you, Duke.”

When I found out that I had opened my eyes five years later, I never expected that everything would go my way like this. I put a smile on my face and spoke softly, but on the inside, I was constantly worried about being betrayed.

Was it because of the holy power I showed? The Duke and Princess Gracie, whom I had seen for three months, were strangely kind and sweet.

He said, slowly raising his eyebrows. “As I told His Royal Highness, you will be known in society as the lost granddaughter I did not know about.”

“Ah, that granddaughter…”

“Yes.”

Duke Gracie turned his head straight at me. Then he spoke in a dignified voice. “Princess Lobelia Elland Gracie.”

“…Yes.”

“Congratulations on being my granddaughter.” Duke Gracie looked around him and raised an empty teacup from the table as if toasting.

“Thank you, Duke.”

I smiled and thanked him for his toast. However, he shook his head slightly as if he didn’t like something.

“It’s not ‘Duke’ anymore.”

“Ah…”

“I’m also planning on treating you as my granddaughter, not a guest from now on.” Duke Gracie’s eyes glistened sharply. “Shouldn’t the way you call me be changed as well?”

“Yes.”

I nodded naturally as if from birth I had been a noble. “Grandfather.”

“Yes, Lobelia. Once again, welcome back to this mansion.”

Did he think of his son? Duke Gracie’s eyes were somehow wet.

I responded with a smile to his gaze, then lifted the teacup I was drinking from and raised it up as if toasting. My gaze cast out the window as I slowly drank the remaining tea.

I’ll go see you soon, Merilly. My eyes were resolutely shining like an emerald that became harder and beautiful through heat treatment.

⚜ ⚜ ⚜

“Did you prepare what I said?”

“Yes. A diamond ring, large flowers that never wither, ingredients for a cake…”

Alter read the parchment carefully. Then suddenly, an ominous feeling crossed his mind. He asked, narrowing his eyes. “By the way, what on earth are you going to use this for?”

“Aah. I want to cheer up the princess when she makes her debut in society.” While writing something down, Frinel answered without looking at Alter.

“…You’re not going to propose to her publicly, are you?”

Only then did his head raise. “…Why is your tone like that?”

In fact, Frinel had been so busy that he hadn’t even taught the swordsmanship class for the past three months. This was because the empress’s father, Duke Bonitare, had been attacking the commoners under his command using the upper ranks.

It had been two weeks since he hadn’t seen Lobelia. Meanwhile, he was informed by Alter that her adoption process had been completed. Soon she would make her debut in society, so he just wanted to be more supportive. Of course, he didn’t really intend to propose. He just thought that if they knew she had a close relationship with the prince, it would be better than not having one.

“Haa… No, really, with that face, what on earth do you know about a woman?”                          

“But you say the face is everything?”

“Of course, your face is everything. Because there are women who like you just by looking at your face!” Recalling the rain of love letters, Alter shouted in a fit of anger. “But Princess Gracie is not like that, right?”

“…Lady Lobelia doesn’t like my face?”

“That’s what I see.”

“No. She told me that I’m perfect.”

“It looks like she’s that kind of type.”

“That kind of type? What do you mean by that!” Frinel put down his quill and jumped up from his seat.

“No, I mean personality type. She admits objectively that Your Royal Highness is perfect, but…”

“But what?”

“She doesn’t want to get too close…?”

At his words, Frinel’s shoulders dropped as if he had been hurt. “No way.”

“What I’m talking about is the relationship as ‘the opposite sex.’”

“As the ‘opposite sex,’ isn’t it normal to want to get closer?”

There were a lot of love letters flying to him, saying that they fell in love with him just because of one wink. But why is Lobelia so difficult? A dark shadow hung over his face.

Alter blinked his big eyes as if he were surprised. It was the first time he had seen Frinel like this.

“You must really love her.”

“…What?”

“Love.”

“I love Lady Lobelia?”

Could it be that he didn’t even realize it? Alter narrowed her eyes as if Frinel was pathetic and added. “You’re worried about her, trying to look good and help her, aren’t you?”

“Right. I’m just doing it as a favor…”

“Who will lend someone gold as a favor, give a diamond ring, and make a cake?” He went on, unable to hide his astonishment. “You’ve already exceeded the favor. I didn’t even know what was on Your Royal Highness’s mind.” Grumbled Alter as if it were absurd.

“…Haa. This…”

At first, Frinel thought she was like him. And when he heard about Lobelia’s situation, he felt sorry for her. Because it was none other than his father who destroyed her clan. After that, he just thought that she was cute, bold, daring, blunt, indifferent, and pretty when she smiled.

“I can’t believe this was love.” His heart thumped and went wild.

Frinel was now aware of how he felt for Lobelia and sighed deeply. Why do I have to love such a difficult person?

“If I’m in love with Lady Lobelia, I’ll have to be busier.”

“What?”

“It’s too hard. She has a lot of problems to solve.”

He passed Alter, who had a puzzled look on his face and headed straight to the main palace.

“As you know, the magic of Shinsu is unlimited. As long as I live.”

What Lobelia had said passed through his mind.

All the historical stories of the Shinsu clan were hidden by his father. He had no choice but to meet the emperor to find out more about her. His father, who was aware of the empress bullying him but ignored it.

It had been five years since he hadn’t seen him. At last, Frinel stood before the emperor’s office.

“I have come to see His Majesty the Emperor.”

The foolish emperor who killed Lobelia’s family and an irresponsible father who overlooked the abuse his child suffered. Now was the time to confront him.