Chapter 100

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.
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Muttering thus as she looked proudly at the crest on the back of her hand, Eve soon let her eyes turn red.

“It’s really pitiful… that child will come to hate me, right?”

Ezriella immediately took a handkerchief from her bag and wiped away Eve’s tears.

“To think you would even consider such a child’s feelings. You are truly kind, Lady Eve. But she is a child who is not even worth such sympathy.”

With a fairly gentle voice, Ezriella wiped Eve’s eyes.

However, whether because she was not used to such tasks, her hand must have had quite some strength in it, for Eve soon wrinkled her face.

“What are you doing? It hurts!”

“Oh my, I am sorry.”

At the voice mixed with annoyance, Ezriella hurriedly withdrew her hand.

Her face wore a flustered smile as if she were sorry, but inside, irritation was surging.

‘To think I have to be soothing a child.’

Serving someone like this is something she was doing for the first time in her life.

Furthermore, Eve was a very demanding child.

If something didn’t go even slightly her way, she was prone to sulking, and she would often cry sorrowfully at the slightest thing.

Moreover, if there was something she wanted, she would pester persistently until she got it in her hands.

As a result, more than one or two of Ezriella’s items had passed into Eve’s hands since she had come to the Count’s mansion.

It started with hairpins or hats, then soon clothes, accessories, and even Ezriella’s room—she had lost her room entirely because Eve said it was more to her liking.

If it were the usual Ezriella, there was no way she would have endured it. But she submissively handed over everything Eve wanted.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Because this child is Princess Evbien.’

When she first heard that fact from her father, she doubted her ears.

Princess Evbien? The Princess who died as soon as she was born—the Emperor himself had recovered the body.

Ezriella didn’t know exactly where it was, but she heard that the tombs of the Empress and the Princess were inside the Imperial Palace.

How could such a Princess be alive?

‘I thought she was a fraud.’

In fact, immediately after the current Emperor ascended the throne, there had been quite a few people who came with young babies, saying the Princess was alive.

They made the great delusion that if they brought a child who resembled her, the Emperor would lose his reason and believe her to be the Princess unconditionally.

The blonde young girls had met the Emperor while holding the hands of greedy adults, without even knowing why.

Naturally, those who brought the children had their heads cut off under the crimes of deceiving and impersonating the Imperial family.

After that, all humans who made such pathetic attempts disappeared.

And yet, now a person claiming to be his daughter appeared again? Moreover, her father was not a person to fall for such a pathetic trick…

Recognizing Ezriella’s hesitation, the Count said.

“I have confirmed everything. You will understand too once you see the crest on the back of that child’s hand. That child possesses the Imperial crest.”

The Imperial crest. Ezriella also knew about it to some extent. Her brother, who was interested in all sorts of strange things, had told her that such a thing existed for the Imperial family.

‘But such a thing could be made as a fake, couldn’t it?’

However, the moment she personally saw what was on the back of Eve’s hand, Ezriella fell silent.

It was not a tattoo carved falsely. Sometimes it would disappear completely, then suddenly appear vividly again.

“But couldn’t it be made with something like magic?”

“Do you take me for someone who wouldn’t have even checked for such a thing!”

At Ezriella’s cautious question, the Count burst out in anger.

“The crest is one thing, but above all, there is a perfect witness, so I’ve come to believe it.”

“A witness?”

“Yes. The woman who was the Empress’s closest friend and the Princess’s nanny is alive. That woman is someone His Majesty the Emperor also knows very well.”

As he spoke, the Count said that as soon as the woman was ready, she would come up to the capital and have an audience with the Emperor along with Princess Evbien.

“So, before then, we must dress and teach Princess Evbien to be more like a princess. As it stands, she is merely a child who is unruly because she hasn’t been taught.”

Then the Count smiled.

“Rather, it has turned out well. If you teach her well, the Princess will settle into her place that much faster, and your contribution will grow accordingly. You will become the Princess’s Head Maid, and when the Princess succeeds to the throne, you will be able to seize the strongest power.”

While listening to her father’s words, Ezriella imagined herself as the Princess’s Head Maid.

The position of Head Maid is not one that just anyone can take. They are chosen only from among women of noble families, and historically, many among the Head Maids had risen to the position of high-ranking ministers.

‘If only that happens…’

The matter of being expelled from the Gifted Center would not be a flaw for her at all. Rather, the Gifted Center that had driven out someone like her would be the one to feel ashamed.

Ezriella recalled the gazes that had been fixed on her as she hurriedly left the Gifted Center.

‘To think those who praised me for stepping forward and were busy complimenting me would show such mocking faces.’

There were no people who felt sorry. Not only were there people who kept their distance for fear of incurring the Emperor’s wrath as well, but there were even those who mocked her.

What kind of expressions would those students make if she stood beside the Princess and entered the Imperial Palace?

Just the imagination of it was a thrilling feeling.

‘I’ll show them then. Especially Irene Terence and Evi Alden—I won’t leave them alone.’

There is only one reason the Emperor is being good to the child of the orphanage. He is merely thinking of the Princess who would have been the same age.

But now that the real Princess returns, would the Emperor have any reason to pay attention to Evi?

It was difficult to hold back her laughter when she thought of Evi, who would instantly be treated as an annoying existence.

‘Irene Terence, that girl’s state has also become laughable.’

What does it matter if she is the princess of the South? In the end, she ended up standing beside an orpha child.

Irene became a friend to an orpha child, and she became a friend to the Princess.

Ezriella’s mouth curled up at the status that was on a different level.

“Ez? Are you listening?”

Then she came to her senses at the sulky voice.

Turning her head, she saw Eve glaring at her with eyes full of annoyance.

“Oh my, I am sorry. I was pondering over a dress design that would suit Lady Eve and I missed your words. Although everything already suits you so well… after all, it’s the autumn banquet, so I must choose with great care.”

When the words ‘autumn banquet’ came up, Eve smoothed her wrinkled face.

“That’s true. They said that’s a really important banquet. Moreover, it’s the place where I’ll meet Papa for the first time, so the clothes are really important. I must be the most beautiful and stand out the most.”

“Of course. On that day, in that place, who would dare to stand out more than the Princess?”

Recognizing that Eve’s mood was improving, Ezriella desperately catered to her whims.

“You are already truly cute, Princess, but if you wear the clothes from here and decorate yourself with accessories, you will become the most beautiful and cutest child. How pleased His Majesty will be!”

“Right?”

At the continued praise, Eve completely smoothed her expression.

“Yes. The staff will be coming soon, so I think it would be better to have your gloves back on. You wouldn’t know how light the mouths of lowly things are, Princess.”

Ezriella subtly put the gloves back on Eve’s hands.

“It must be stuffy, but please bear with it for a while. You don’t know what kind of things lawless people might do if Princess’s existence is known.”

“Mmm, they said it could be dangerous before I enter the Imperial Palace, so it can’t be helped. Papa would be very sad if Eve gets hurt before meeting him.”

“Of course.”

Ezriella nodded as she tidied Eve’s gloves.

‘Yes, you must never be discovered by others.’

What kind of opportunity is this.

If they know that the real Princess has appeared, there will be many who will cling to her in an attempt to get something themselves.

‘The credit must be entirely mine.’

It’s only natural, since I’m enduring such annoying things and serving her.

Ezriella counted how many days were left until the day Eve’s nanny would come up.

‘If I just endure a bit longer…’

Imagining that day, Ezriella smiled.

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“Where is that girl?”

Irene was huffing with a fierce momentum, as if she were about to roll up her sleeves and swing her fists at any moment.

“I’m all right. The sisters already braided my hair again beautifully.”

Evi hurriedly held onto Irene.

When Irene came out after finishing her talk with Crebel inside the room, Evi approached and told her that Ezriella was here.

“Already? That side was scheduled to come three hours later?”

Crebel was also flustered, not knowing what to do.

She knew that Ezriella had been expelled from the Gifted Center and was on very bad terms with Irene, but even so, she couldn’t simply not take a reservation.

After all, her family was a Count family, and they had no particular problem with the shop.

Still, out of a feeling of reluctance, she had set the reservation time with a gap to avoid a run-in, but she came early as she pleased.

Just then, an employee subtly approached and blurted out that the child who came with Ezriella had pulled Evi’s hair.

At that moment, sparks flew from Irene’s eyes.

“I’m not all right! I’m going to pull her hair too! Returning what you’ve received tenfold is the family motto of the Terence family!”

Evi struggled to hold onto Irene, who was charging like an angry bull.

Of course, she had a resentful heart. I should have pulled hers too! she had thought. It seemed like her heart would feel a bit refreshed if Irene went and returned it.

‘But…’

The moment she saw the child named Eve, she felt a strange feeling.

Somehow, it was a feeling like she didn’t want to face her anymore.

So she didn’t want Irene to face that child either.

“I’m really holding back just this once. Next time, I won’t hold back even if you, Evi, stop me.”

“Mmm, I understand. Next time, I’ll be the first to shout loudly not to do it! If they still do it, I won’t lose either.”

At Evi’s stout answer, Irene glared at the room where Ezriella and Eve were for a moment and then took Evi downstairs.

Crebel also came out and saw them off.

For a very long time, as if she didn’t want to go in and meet them.

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And after another week had passed, morning.

“Hello, Evi. I’ve come to pick you up.”

Evi was facing Arcel, who had come to pick her up from the morning.

And behind Evi, Irene muttered with eyes still full of sleep.

“What do you mean coming to pick her up from dawn…”