Chapter 92

* * *

Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.

* * *

Clois, who had been pouring out praises about Evi to the Chief Chamberlain for a long time, sat beside Evi again.

Evi cautiously poked the dessert she was seeing for the first time with a fork, then soon opened her mouth wide and swallowed it.

While she was cautious about touching it at first, she was now eating quite well.

Clois watched Evi eating with a satisfied face, his chin resting on his hand.

Evi was amazed that Ruska and Arcel ate incredibly well, but Evi also ate quite a lot.

To be precise, should it be said that she ate food really deliciously?

Looking at the tiny mouth busily munching on the cookies, Clois was reminded of a squirrel eating acorns diligently.

Watching her, he felt somehow proud and felt like giving her even one more thing.

‘This is why Irene Terence kept her by her side every day.’

Evi had once said she was a bit embarrassed because Irene kept putting things in her mouth.

At that time, he had wondered why the child named Irene did that, but now he could understand the reason.

Among the snacks the Chief Chamberlain brought, Clois placed precious fruits from afar or cookies that were difficult to taste before Evi.

While doing so, he purposefully took half of what he gave Evi.

Even though he took his share, Evi’s expression brightened every time.

She didn’t want to leave food, but she wanted to try everything.

But since Clois took half, wasn’t she able to eat more things!

At Evi’s transparent thoughts, Clois ate the cookies while laughing.

To think he, who became the Emperor, was eating what another person left.

If the ministers knew, there would be an uproar, but since they wouldn’t know anyway, it didn’t matter.

He took Evi’s report card and signed it on his desk.

As if that wasn’t enough, he stamped it with the Emperor’s Imperial Seal.

Gazing proudly at the ordinary report card with a grand signature, he brought it back to Evi and asked the most important question.

“Evi, it’s almost vacation now. By any chance…”

“That’s right! I was going to tell you that too!”

At the mention of summer vacation, Evi put down her fork and spoke as if very happy.

“I’m going to play at Irene, Arcel-nim, and Ruska’s houses! For the whole summer vacation!”

At those words, Clois froze with his smiling face as it was.

Numerous documents for the Imperial villas piled up on the desk fluttered in the wind coming through the open window.

* * *

“Sob…”

Although the outside was full of bright sunlight, Ezriella’s room was dark with thick curtains.

If it weren’t for the single candle, it would have been dark enough not to see right in front of her.

She pressed her swollen eyes with her hands. But the tears did not stop.

‘What should I do now?’

On the day she was expelled, her parents sent a carriage that servants would use.

The moment she saw that carriage, Ezriella’s vision went dark.

Because she could know what kind of treatment she would receive and live with at home from now on.

When she returned home, her father did not give her even a single glance.

Her mother cried and got angry, then told her to stay in her room and not come out because she didn’t want to see her.

It wasn’t just her parents whose attitudes changed.

‘Even though he was the one who excitedly told me who Professor Sian was and commanded me through letters what to do until then.’

Her older brother spat out curses, saying his life was also ruined because of her, and even aimed kicks at her.

If the servants hadn’t stopped him, she surely would have been kicked.

If her family was like this, how much more would other people despise her? No, they wouldn’t even meet her.

‘Even if I meet them by any chance, how much would they mock me?’

The people she had known until now would not only pretend not to see her but would also whisper behind her back.

Maybe they would snicker and mock her to her face as if to show off.

‘Why did it turn out like this?’

Until just a few months ago, there was no place she wasn’t invited to, whether it was large or small events.

She even heard people say it wasn’t a worthwhile event if Ezriella wasn’t there in the capital.

Although she hadn’t made her official social debut because she was still young, everyone said she would immediately become the flower of social circles once she came of age.

After passing the Gifted Center, even more praise poured in.

Girls her age envied the connections Ezriella would make at the Gifted Center.

How many children had asked her to invite them on the day she could invite friends to the Gifted Center later?

Surrounded by people, she had never doubted that her future would be paved only with flower paths.

But now all of that became a vain delusion.

Not only was she expelled from the Gifted Center, but she also truly fell out of the Emperor’s favor.

Probably for a lifetime, she would be pointed at by her family and mocked by those around her.

At the surging fear and sorrow, Ezriella burst into tears.

Then she thought of the culprit who caused her to be like this.

“Evi Alden…”

While she was in this state, that girl would be having a very enjoyable time.

Grit.

The sound of teeth grinding leaked out. Ezriella cursed in her heart.

Everyone spoke openly. That it was just very brief sympathy.

That the Emperor was only treating her as cute because he had lost his young daughter.

‘If only the Princess were alive, would His Majesty have even paid attention to such a thing?’

While she was thinking like that, there was a sign of presence in the hallway, and the door opened.

“…”

Other than the maid who brought meals, no one had sought her.

Looking back in surprise, her father was standing at the door.

“Father…”

“Get dressed and come out.”

“…Yes?”

“Hurry!”

At her father’s voice, which still had traces of anger, Ezriella hurried to the dressing room.

In the past, she bought new clothes almost every day, but since returning from the Gifted Center, not only clothes but even the maid managing this place did not enter.

Ezriella hurriedly changed her clothes, returned, and stood before her father.

He looked Ezriella up and down, then turned his head.

Seeing that there was no word to change again, it seemed it was somewhat fine.

The Count immediately turned his body and walked.

Ezriella walked behind him in a fluster.

Her father, who acted as if he would never see her again for a lifetime, had sought her out.

Whatever the matter was, she must not miss this opportunity now.

“Father, I…”

“A noble person is currently in the drawing room.”

The Count cut off Ezriella’s words flatly and spoke in a cold voice.

“A, a noble person? Who is it that…”

“You will find out slowly. More importantly, she wanted a noble friend to keep by her side. That is why I am taking you.”

The more she heard, the more puzzling it became.

For her father to speak of her as ‘that person’, she must be someone of very high status, but to want her as a friend to keep by her side?

Usually, if it’s a friend, wouldn’t one look for someone of a similar age?

The Count stopped his steps and looked back at Ezriella.

“Ezriella, you know how big of a mistake you committed, don’t you? Because of you, our entire family became a laughingstock for the nobles.”

“…”

Ezriella bowed her head. Because she couldn’t say even a word of excuse.

“However, if you do well this time, everything can become as if it never happened.”

“Yes? How…!”

Surprised by her father’s words, she lifted her head.

As if it never happened?

There was no way. The cold gaze of the Emperor who glared at her was still vivid.

Probably the Emperor would never withdraw that anger for a lifetime.

“You must do well. If you catch that person’s fancy and assist her well by her side, you can wash away our family’s dishonor at once. Even His Majesty the Emperor will forget the matter of that lowly orphan at once and praise you greatly.”

“I, I’ll do it! I’ll do anything!”

Ezriella answered urgently.

If only it could become like that, she could do anything.

“What should I do?”

The Count looked around and lowered his voice.

“Become friends with the person inside. And teach her all the etiquette of the nobles. While doing so, like a lady-in-waiting, you must serve her with all your heart and soul so that she has no discomfort.”

“Yes? Who on earth is it that…”

Just then, the door of the drawing room opened and a girl came out. Her age was about 7 or 8 years.

‘Who is she?’

She was a child Ezriella was seeing for the first time.

She was dressed quite well, but looking closely, there were traces of age, and the style was also quite outdated.

She saw the two and approached. Then the Count bowed his head.

“…”

Ezriella was surprised by that sight of her father. He was a father with a title of Count in a prestigious family.

There was no one such a father would bow his head to, much less treat so politely.

If there was, it would be someone like His Majesty the Emperor…

The child walked over and looked at Ezriella.

“Is this the new friend the Count spoke of?”

The child was naturally talking down to the Count.

In this situation, Ezriella could not come to her senses at all. What was going on? Who was this child?

A mysterious girl with blonde hair and green eyes.

In an instant, Ezriella realized that she had seen a similar child.

This child…

‘She looks like Evi Alden!’