CH 12

“Hey, did you see it, just now?”

Lucas looked at Sienna and whispered softly.

“I saw it.”

She replied with a strange expression.

“Demian, what about you?”

Demian slightly nodded at Lucas’ question.

“The two of them… are somehow weird.”

“It was definitely weird just now.”

“She fed someone like that.”

“Not even a baby.”

“His both hands are fine.”

Lucas and Sienna, who had always been at odds, came to an agreement for the first time. Even Demian, who had been sitting with a bored face the whole time, had his eyes came alive.

Lucas lowered his voice and whispered quietly.

“I wonder if they’re lovers.”

Gasp. The three children drew in a breath. Still, all three were still at an age when they were shy and itchy even by the letter ‘lo’ for ‘lover’.

In the next moment, Lucas and Sienna’s faces became serious.

“Then, what about my uncle…?”

“My older brother…?”

Demian blushed slightly. In Sienna’s eyes, it was an expression that looked like a winner’s composure. Demian didn’t say anything, but he felt a little bit mean for no reason.

“Let’s get one thing straight for now. His Highness the Crown Prince, hasn’t even gotten in it properly yet.”

Sienna sat up with her back straight and said calmly. Then Lucas immediately got angry and asked.

“What do you know about my brother?”

“Hmph, there’s such a thing as a woman’s intuition.”

“You’re talking as if you were a woman. You’re as big as a strawberry.”

Lucas said as he poked the strawberries with a fork. Sienna snorted.

“You know that you’re shorter than me, right?”

“What are you talking about!”

Sienna made Lucas’ face hot with an undeniable fact. In reality, Sienna was a little taller than Lucas by about two fingers.

It was a natural thing at that age, but because his opponent was the nasty Sienna, Lucas’ pride was seriously hurt.

Sienna glanced sideways at Lucas and shook her head. ‘How childish.’ That thought was plainly written on her face.

“Yes. Let’s say Your Highness is taller. It’s going to be like that soon anyway, and that’s not what’s important to me.”

Sienna, who poured milk into a teacup and dipped sugar cubes into it, said elegantly, stirring a teaspoon.

“I want to maintain a cooperative relationship with Your Highness for the time being.”

“Cooperative relationship?”

“Let’s join forces.”

Sienna nodded her head as her chubby legs twitched. Great adults often cross their legs like this before bringing up an important story.

Sienna whispered secretly with her rather solemn face.

“I want her to marry my uncle.”

Lucas, who involuntarily swallowed his saliva while concentrating, leaned back as if steam had leaked.

“If so, I don’t want to. I also quite liked the Lady.”

“I know. So, let’s cooperate with each other only for the time being.”

Sienna added, nodding her head lightly as if she knew that.

“Until we separate our common enemy.”

Common enemy, the word had a strange power to move people’s hearts.

The eyes of the two children turned to Kaidel as if attracted by a magnet.

Kaidel was still staring at Eleanor’s face. His ever-twitching lips, his half-closed eye revealed her fondness for her.

The condition of Eleanor’s face was even more serious. Her face turned pink, and she couldn’t even look straight into Kaidel’s face.

“What on earth is Uncle doing at such an important moment?”

I was relieved to hear that the two of them even went on a date!

Sienna glared hard at her uncle, Adrian. Shamefully, the Crown Prince and Adrian were heating up with unimportant political talks.

“Anyway, men… They don’t know what’s important.”

Before long, Lucas and Sienna’s cold eyes turned to Demian. Demian looked at the two of them alternately with a slightly nervous face.

“I have no personal ill feelings toward Demian, but for the time being, your brother will be my enemy.”

“Mine too!”

Lucas agreed with Sienna’s words. The two children, who growled as if they would eat each other whenever they met their eyes, soon became partners who matched well.

Temporarily, but anyway.

“But…”

Demian opened his mouth involuntarily. It was a very small voice, so no one could hear it, yet Demian shut his mouth in surprise at the fact that he had uttered it subconsciously.

Apart from the confused Demian, Sienna and Lucas were also in serious trouble.

“As you saw earlier, the most likely candidate for Teacher’s husband right now is the Duke. To be honest… If I look at it objectively, he’s very cool.”

Sienna’s face flushed red. To be honest, any woman with normal eyesight would feel the same way. Among the men she had been watching for eight years of life, whether it was long or short, Duke Valentine was the best in terms of looks.

‘As expected, Teacher also had an excellent sense of aesthetics.’

Looks are very important when choosing one’s marriage partner. Sienna deeply sympathized and nodded her head.

But it was too early for her to despair. Izmel and Adrian, the other two men, were also possessors of good looks.

In addition, there was a realm called ‘taste’ in the world.

As a result of Sienna’s analysis with her own objective gaze, although Kaidel was handsome, he was inferior to Adrian in his delicacy, affection, and aggressiveness.

In fact, she even thought that Izmel was the strongest in that area, but he still maintained a lukewarm attitude, so she didn’t think there was a need to be wary in advance.

“My older brother too.”

“I know. The same goes for my uncle.”

Lucas was completely caught up in Sienna’s pace. He asked, tapping the table.

“So what are you planning to do?”

“Have you heard the saying that knowledge is power?”

“Of course, I have. Who do you disregard me as?”

Lucas furrowed his eyebrows.

“Disregard. That’s your own sense of inferiority. We’re on the same side. Did you forget?”

“…Alright, so keep talking.”

Lucas didn’t know what a sense of inferiority was, yet he nodded his head. Since acquiring some kind of ‘sense’ is a good word, he thought that ‘a sense of inferiority’ wouldn’t be a bad word either.

“We need information. It means you have to figure out what Teacher likes and dislikes. That way, the Crown Prince or my uncle will be able to act in a way that pleases her.”

“That’s right.”

“We’re going to share that information among ourselves, but keep it a secret from the Valentine brothers.”

At Sienna’s words, Lucas widened his eyes in admiration.

“Pink Hair, you have a very good brain for things like this, don’t you?”

“The word mean is a little intrusive, but I’ll take it as a compliment. It’s better to keep your brain running under any circumstances.”

Sienna nodded her head a couple of times as if she was being kind.

“And we agree not to interfere with each other’s plans and to help each other when necessary.”

“Great. Instead, you mean to work together to sabotage the Valentine brothers’ plan?”

“Even Your Highness has an extraordinary brain toward this cheap way.”

“Of course.”

Lucas didn’t even know what the word ‘extraordinary brain’ meant, but Sienna’s eyes were shining as if she had seen it again, so he accepted it as a compliment.

“Until the situation changes, please take good care of me.”

“Alright. I agree.”

The two children clasped their tiny hands under the table. The alliance was established.

***

“Demian, you look a little pale. What’s going on?”

Eleanor looked at Demian and asked anxiously. For some reason, his expression seemed a little uncomfortable. Demian paused for a moment and shook his head.

“Are you really okay?”

“…”

Demian gave a small nod of his head. He didn’t seem to be sick, but something was different from before. She blinked once at Kaidel to pay attention to Demian, and he stared down at his brother. Demian was very nervous.

Kaidel searched thoroughly to see if Demian was really fine. Eleanor bit her lip as he looked like a military dog looking for a target.

How could he not be scared when he was being ripped off from head to toe with such a tough face and dry gaze? Eleanor clicked her tongue inside.

Eleanor’s gaze passed naturally to Sienna and Lucas. The two children were still whispering something.

‘They get settled…’

Eleanor burst out laughing.

‘But why isn’t it loud? Didn’t the two of them raise their voices every time they bumped into each other?’

Her eyes narrowed.

Instead of raising their voices, the two were looking at each other’s faces and giggling. Lucas and Sienna were such a perfect match that it was hard to find anything in common other than their age. Is it possible for these two to suddenly become close like that?

Although curious, Eleanor soon took interest, as children of that age often did things that couldn’t be understood.

“Whatever it is, it’s good to get along well.”

“What?”

At that time, after talking with Izmel, Adrian smiled and asked.

“Sir Lucas and Sienna. You two look pretty friendly.”

“Come to think of it, that’s right. Are you tired of fighting?”

“This is only the second meeting, but the kids seem to get along quickly.”

Adrian nodded his head in agreement with Eleanor’s words.

It was then. Eleanor turned her head at the sound of shoes clanking in the distance. A woman in a fancy dress was approaching the table.

“…Mother?”

Izmel opened his mouth with a slightly bewildered face.

‘Mother? If it’s the mother of His Highness the Crown Prince…’

Adrian and Kaidel immediately rose from their seats. As the surprised Eleanor stood up awkwardly, Demian, Lucas, and Sienna also got down from their chairs and stood up.

“We’re greeting Your Imperial Majesty the Empress.”

“Oh my, you don’t have to be so strict. Since I visited without an invitation, I haven’t been polite.”

When they politely bowed, the Empress gently dissuaded them. Izmel asked the Empress.

“Why did you come all the way here yourself, Mother?”

“I was curious and came to see it. I have ears to hear too. Duke Valentine, long time no see.”

“Yes, it’s been a while since I greeted you. “

Kaidel bowed his back and answered politely.

“It’s been a while, Young Marquis Blake. How is your mother? I haven’t seen her since I haven’t been to social events in months.”

“Yes, she is well.”

The Empress’ gaze turned to Eleanor’s tense face. The Empress was such a beauty that even the faint wrinkles around her eyes felt elegant. Eleanor gulped down saliva.

“Are you Lady Everett?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Majesty. It’s an honor to meet you. This is Eleanor Everett.”

“I told you not to be so strict. I’m not a scary person.”

But it’s difficult… It’s scary.

Eleanor smiled brightly, hiding her true feelings.

“You’re gentle and beautiful.”

I want to take her as a daughter-in-law.

Eleanor, who was nervous, fortunately didn’t hear the Empress’ whisper.

“Is it okay if I call you Eleanor?”

“Of course, Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Looks like your meal is done, but if you don’t mind, why don’t we take a walk together before you leave?”

…Pardon?