Chapter 99

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Translated by Sylph

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net.
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When the two had finished their meal, Cindy spoke to Irene.

“A message has arrived from Madame Crebel. She asks if you could possibly visit her workshop today.”

“Really? That’s great. I was just pondering where to go and what to do now.”

“What about your studies? A break is normally not a time for playing, but for devoting yourself to higher goals…”

“I don’t know, I don’t know. I can’t hear you. Evi, don’t listen either.”

At Cindy’s words, Irene blocked her own ears and then blocked Evi’s ears with both her hands.

“Irene, I think those words are also correct…”

Cindy laughed as she watched that scene and then went out, saying she would prepare the carriage.

* * *

Madame Crebel’s workshop was in a building connected to the shop they had first visited.

“This is the annex. And from here on, only special guests can enter. Furthermore, it’s mostly a space for people who want to place custom orders.”

Crebel’s clothes were very expensive.

Even for a noble, unless they were exceptionally wealthy, it was quite a burden to have several outfits made at Crebel’s.

Moreover, Crebel didn’t necessarily invite people here just because they had money.

“Oh my, the young ladies have come.”

As the two went inside, Crebel ran out as if she had been waiting and welcomed them.

Then, seeing the hairpins on their heads, she gave a satisfied smile.

“Do you know how many orders have come in over the past week thanks to you two wearing those all the time?”

“Hmm. Then shouldn’t you give me an advertising fee?”

“You speak just like the young lady of the Terence family. How about a new hair decoration that we will never sell to anyone else but only give to you two as the advertising fee?”

“As expected, Crebel knows how to do business.”

Then Irene gave Crebel a subtle look. Then Crebel also winked so Evi wouldn’t notice, as if she understood.

In fact, these two had met because of Evi’s autumn banquet clothes.

The banquet dresses were one thing, but clothes to wear before the main banquet begins were also necessary.

‘Of course, I’m the one who’s going to buy those! It’ll serve as a promotion for Crebel too!’

Irene clenched her fists.

Such things are best given as a surprise gift.

So Evi must not find out.

‘His Majesty the Emperor will probably also gift Evi clothes and other items, but after all, the person who buys the gift first is the one who remains most in one’s memory, isn’t it?’

Of course, she could wait a bit longer out of consideration for the Emperor before preparing a gift.

But Irene had no intention of doing that whatsoever.

‘My one week!’

She had planned to spend time together at home while also preparing for the second semester’s studies during the final week after Evi visited Arcel and Ruska’s houses, but that plan had all flown away.

‘So he should accept at least this much.’

Irene firmly resolved on her small revenge and smoothly uttered the lie she had thought of before coming.

“Evi, I’m going to measure my size again for some new clothes, so would you wait here?”

“Mmm. Okay!”

When Evi answered, Irene and Crebel rushed into the room inside the workshop and closed the door.

Evi, left alone in the workshop, walked around while looking.

There were many wondrous things in Crebel’s workshop. Numerous fabrics, leathers, and patterns for clothes.

Furthermore, all sorts of decorative materials were neatly organized.

No matter where she looked, everything was interesting.

‘I want to make clothes when I grow up!’

While having a thought that would have made Professor Malles hold the back of his neck, Evi continued to look around the inside.

Just then, a loud voice was heard from outside.

“What do you mean I can’t meet Crebel just because I came a bit early?”

It was a high, sharp girl’s voice. It was also a voice Evi knew.

Evi approached the door and poked her head out to look at the hallway.

Sure enough, someone Evi knew well was standing there.

‘Ezriella?’

Standing in front of the stairs at the end of the hallway was Ezriella.

‘Ezriella buys clothes here too.’

Since she was the daughter of a Count family, it was not a surprising thing.

‘First, I must not run into her.’

And she thought she should quickly go in and tell Irene that Ezriella was outside.

As she was thinking that and about to turn around, Ezriella, who saw something fluttering, poked her head out and shouted with a startled face.

“You! Why are you here!”

Ezriella was horrified and, with a grimace as if she were disgusted, she quickly approached Evi.

Evi, who had been about to run away, changed her mind and stepped forward.

She had done nothing wrong. Therefore, there was no reason to run away.

“Hello.”

“Ha, hello? You have the nerve to give me such a greeting? Does that great head of yours not remember what kind of punishment I received because of you?”

Ezriella stood in front of Evi and glared with a gaze full of hatred.

But Evi did not shrink back and stood confidently while looking at Ezriella.

Unlike before, when Evi didn’t back down even a little, Ezriella looked with a flustered face and then bit her lip.

“Hmph, it seems you can’t see anything because His Majesty is your guardian, but I look forward to seeing how long that will last.”

As she curled her lip and glared at Evi from head to toe, a smile appeared on her face.

“You’d better enjoy it now. Anyway, His Majesty will soon not even look at the likes of you…”

Just then, an unfamiliar voice was heard from behind the two.

“Ez, what are you doing there?”

At that voice, Ezriella hurriedly turned around and shouted while looking at the girl who had come up the stairs.

“Lady Eve!”

Eve?

It was a name she had never heard at the Gifted Center.

‘Is she Ezriella’s friend?’

But Ezriella was addressing the other person as ‘Lady Eve’. In that case, just how much higher of a person was the other person?

Evi turned her head and looked at the girl who had called Ezriella.

“Oh?”

“Oh my?”

And Evi and the girl named Eve made surprised sounds simultaneously.

Both had golden hair and green eyes. They were both around seven years old.

She was wearing very beautiful and flamboyant clothes, and unlike a young girl, she was wearing white gloves on both hands.

Comparing her with Evi, Eve was taller, but since both were on the small side, there was no big difference in their build.

Furthermore, mysteriously, even though they clearly had different faces, there were parts that strangely felt similar.

‘She looks like me.’

While Evi was thinking that, Eve approached and said while looking at Evi here and there.

“This child looks similar to me. Right?”

After saying that, Eve raised her hand and pulled Evi’s hair, which the maids at the mansion had braided in pigtails.

“…!”

When the startled Evi was about to brush away Eve’s hand, Ezriella rushed in first, grabbed Evi’s hair, and dropped it as if throwing it away.

“You must not touch such a lowly thing, Lady Eve!”

“Hmm? Is it a child you know, Ez?”

“Yes, please go inside first.”

With a troubled face, Ezriella looked around and then took Eve into the next room.

Thud!

The door closed with a loud sound, and only Evi, with one side of her hair in a mess, and the startled employees remained in the hallway.

“Are you all right?”

“Mmm, I’m okay. But my hair has become a mess…”

“It’s all right. I’ll braid it again for you. You there, bring a comb! Now, let’s go inside.”

The employees, noticing the fact that Ezriella disliked Evi very much, hurriedly took Evi back to the room where Irene and Crebel were.

Because they thought that only if the two were there would they be able to block Ezriella if she were to come back.

While the employees brought cute hair ties and a comb to tidy her hair, Evi thought about the Eve she had seen a moment ago.

‘Just who is she?’

* * *

Ezriella looked at the door with an anxious face. Then she spoke to the child who was rolling around on the sofa.

“Lady Eve, I told you that you shouldn’t stand out too much.”

“But I was curious what Ez was talking about with the other child. I get bored if I’m alone.”

It was a resentful voice that subtly blamed Ezriella for leaving her alone.

“Anyway, who is she? You didn’t seem to be on good terms.”

“That is…”

After a moment’s hesitation, Ezriella smiled thinly and opened her mouth.

“It’s that lowly brat I told you about. Evi Alden, the child for whom His Majesty the Emperor is standing as guardian just because she’s a seven-year-old girl.”

“Ahh, it’s that child?”

At Ezriella’s explanation, Eve nodded.

Then, as if it were stuffy, she took off the gloves she was wearing.

“The pitiful child Papa is being fond of instead while I’m not here.”

On the back of the hand of Eve, who had taken off her gloves, the Imperial crest was clearly visible.

Eve muttered as if she truly felt sorry.

“Once Eve returns to Papa, she’s a child who won’t be needed anymore, after all.”