Chapter 24

Chapter 24

“I’ll go back now.”

“Yes! Come visit us again, Shu!”

The children waved their hands and said goodbye.

I smiled gently and nodded.

‘I’m not Shu anymore. My name is Shushu.’

Although it was short, my life in the orphanage was a life full of hardships.

All I thought was my survival and avoiding the evil empress’s jealousy.

That’s why the orphanage couldn’t be my home.

I realized that I was thinking of the grand duke’s estate as my home, not the orphanage.

“You’re back? Did you talk well with your friends?”

“Did you have fun?”

Returning to the carriage, Wyndert hugged me.

The two seemed to have watched us from the carriage windows to see if there were problems

‘I’m back.’

I nodded and leaned my head on Wyndert’s shoulder.

“Why did you bring me to the orphanage?”

“Was that awkward?”

“…Yes.”

Like I wasn’t wearing clothes. Like there was something uncomfortable in my socks.

The feeling that the orphanage was not my home became stronger.

“My home is not the orphanage. It’s in the grand duchy.”

“You don’t have to care about reputation or identity because you are a child who can shine on your own wherever you are.”

They hugged me as Wyndert said this to me.

Even if I’m in the orphanage, I’m still Shuelina.

Even if I’m with the grand duke and his people, I’m still Shuelina.

Wherever I am, my history will not disappear.

I was grateful to Wyndert for telling me this and nodded.

***

After what happened that threatened my self-identity, everyone in the estate worked busily as the unknown spy.

‘I think everyone is bragging about me.’

No matter how much I searched on how my adoption offer spread, I couldn’t find the answer.

It was because everyone boasted about me while saying that a cute girl came to the grand duke’s estate.

‘It must’ve spread somewhere.’

The gossiping servants were greatly scolded by the grand duke, Lucy, and Edgar.

A situation where the master personally scolds the servants because of an orphan. It’s normal for the servants to blame me but…

‘These people are too kind.’

Everyone came to me with no complaints and apologized even though it must’ve been scary.

With such a serious face for kids like me…

‘I’ll stop myself from talking about milady with all my strength!’

‘I like the soft expression of His Grace and the two young masters…’

‘The lady is so cute…ah, stop. I must also forget about this!!’

‘Ahahahahaha! Everyone is so cute!’

This is the first time I’ve been loved so much, so I laughed instead of getting angry.

After that, I shared the chocolate cake that the chef baked as a gift for me with everyone.

They all refused, saying they couldn’t dare eat their lady’s food, but…

‘If you don’t eat, you won’t be forgiven.’

With a mischievous smile on my face, everyone ate one bite at a time, while some whispered to each other.

‘I want her to become our lady.’

Everyone seemed to hope that I would become the lady of the grand duchy for dark purposes.

Contrary to my worries, it was a welcoming atmosphere.

How can this be? I must’ve seemed like a commoner orphan entering the world of aristocrats, yet they didn’t hate me.

The employees left and I was all alone. I sat with my back straight, recalling the faces that whispered happily a few hours ago.

‘Do the servants and the elders think that it’s okay?’

Is everyone welcoming me?

I kept getting suspicious despite the good treatment I’ve received.

My history of being a beggar didn’t matter to the people here.

It seemed more important to them to admire the grand duke and his children, and even me.

Now, it turns out that everyone in the estate was doing their best to make me a child of this family.

The two maids who were sisters exclaimed, ‘I would be really happy if you became a lady in this house.’

The kitchenette continued to serve me luxurious meals for dinner.

The children also quietly gave me gifts. I then held them in my hands and opened them.

‘If I want to enjoy such a luxury, please stay here!’

My subconscious seemed to tell me this.

Even the grand duke’s schedule revolved around me.

Yesterday, I decided to go with my brothers, so I’m going to spend this day with the grand duke.

It’s not just an ordinary duke, it’s the grand duke.

He was the head of the grand duchy, the self-governing grand duke.

How busy must the most influential man of this empire be?

Nevertheless, he decided to spare time for me.

I was more pleased with the kind heart of the grand duke than with a luxurious life.

“I have something to show you today.”

“Where are we going?”

The grand duke did not answer my question.

He just carried me and went up to the third floor, which I had never been to.

The third floor of the estate could not be reached through the central staircase.

The stairs were connected only to the east building.

The second floor was the floor where the grand duke’s office and living room were located.

There was no reason to go to the third floor, so today was the first time I saw the stairs to the third floor.

There was an iron gate at the end of the staircase, which looked very thick and strong.

The grand duke lowered me at the door, pulled out a black key from his pocket, and opened the door.

‘The atmosphere is heavy.’

I swallowed and grabbed the grand duke’s sleeves.

“Have you ever heard of what this place is used for?”

“Uhm…no.”

I shook my head and answered.

“This is where the history of the Vaillot family is located.”

The grand duke opened the door, grabbed my hand, and stepped inside.

The moment the door opened, fire lit inside.

It seemed to be the work of magic.

“Wow!”

As everything brightened, I saw a long corridor.

There were a lot of huge portraits on the walls in the hallway.

“These are the ancestral grand dukes of this family. I have mine too. And here, portraits of the descendants of the Vaillot family are hung.”

He explained softly. There were still empty walls.

“Grand Duke has a precious hand, so there’s still plenty of room to get caught.”

“Yes…?

I wondered for a moment how he looked at me. Then I realized that the grand duke didn’t get my joke.

I don’t know if I can make a joke about it because there are still spaces left.

“This is one of our ancestors.”

The grand duke showed me a portrait of a man with long black hair.

He resembled the grand duke a lot, except that his pupils were vertical.

“Wow…!”

A unique aura seemed to be transmitted through the painting.

It felt like it had the spirit of the previous grand duke.

“It is said that our ancestors were dragons. That’s why his pupils are like that.”

Since then, it is said that it has become more and more humanized as human blood was mixed.

The grand duke said it was a legend that could not be proven anyway.

“What is a dragon?”

“A dragon, so the dragon is hmm…it resembles a lizard, but it has wings and is very strong.”

I heard the explanation, but I still couldn’t understand it, so I felt embarrassed.

‘Huh?’

Somewhere, I could faintly hear the sound of rustling, as if someone had passed by.

I turned my head and saw a boy standing barefoot from a distance.

It was a boy with a mysterious aura. He looked a bit younger than Wyndert.

‘His eyes…’

His straight, dark, purple eyes stared at me.

The meaning of his gaze was unclear.

There was no window, but the slightly matted, silver hair was fluttering gently.

‘Who is he?’

Was there such a child in the estate?

I was puzzled and tried to take a step closer, but the grand duke grabbed my arm.

“There are no more dragons left in this world anyway.”

I was no longer thinking about the portraits.

“Who’s there..!”

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“Huh?”

When the grand duke turned his head, the boy was no longer there.

Am I just seeing things?

I guess it was just my imagination. I shook my head.

“Now, this way.”

I followed the grand duke and a more luxurious door emerged.

“Wow…!”

As soon as the grand duke opened the door, I was amazed at what I saw and my breath hitched.

The display in front of me looked like something impossible to exist.

The coronet was more beautiful than Azuela’s.

“The size…”

I noticed more closely that it was a size that did not fit an adult’s head.

“Yes, it’s for children. Would you like to try it on?”

“Me?”

My lips parted as I approached the display carefully.

The coronet was luxurious and beautiful.

It had diamonds and crystals.

The light spread from place to place because of the perfectly-cut jewels.

I walked up close and stared, but the reality won’t sink in.

It was a national treasure no matter how much I thought about it. If I put it on my head and drop it…

“It’s a treasure that hasn’t been taken out over 100 years. Oh, even when the storage room is cleaned, that case is left closed.”

“Do you want me to open it now?”

They haven’t used it for over 100 years!

I shook my head hastily.

“What if it breaks?!”

“Then we can have it made it again. In that case, let me choose the design that suits you best.”

The grand duke casually opened the case and took out the coronet.

The coronet that was taken out of the case lit up and was even more beautiful up close.

“Princess Shuelina de Vaillot.”

“Ah…”

“The grand duchy is a subordinate state of the Abnisian Empire, but I’m also powerful enough to become the emperor.”

The grand duke’s words seemed to possess me.

“If you’re my daughter, then, of course, you’re the princess.”