Chapter 30

Chapter 30

“I’ll put it here, Miss.”

Nina ran in with a big basket to hold all of my gifts.

After I decided to become an official child of this family Nina was assigned to be one of my personal maids.

Now that I’m not a child who is only living here temporarily, I am officially being treated as the Grand Princess of the Duke’s house.

‘One by one, things are changing in a subtle way as if to say that I am a real child of this family.’

I used to think that I was being treated extravagantly before.

However, I found out that it was a little different from the real treatment of the estate’s Grand Princess.

First of all, I started to receive a formal education, and I also was assigned a highly skilled private maid. These changes started as soon as the Grand Duke made the announcement this morning!

He said there will be an escort knight who will be designated to protect only me soon as well.

I was most excited and pleased about that change more than any of the other ones.

‘Shuelina was just a wanderer.’

In the past, it was like the life of a wanderer, which had not settled anywhere, as the orphanages I was given to changed frequently, and then I moved again and again.

‘It’s not my job, so I don’t need to educate her myself, nor do I need to feed and dress her properly.’

Most of the directors had that kind of attitude.

But now I am under the protection of the Grand Duke. There are also my brothers, Wyndert and Deleign.

Most of all, I was very happy that I had someone to think of me as their family and take responsibility for my well being.

“Miss, the Grand Duke called for you.”

Suddenly I woke up from my seat after blinking a few times when I heard that the Grand Duke had called me.

Nina was reminded of the presents I received and picked up all of my gifts in the basket.

Knowing that the items are valuable to me, she was very careful not to damage anything.

‘I think I can get along well with this person.’

Nina was much younger than me.

I wondered if she would be hesitant to serve a child from an orphanage like me, but that wasn’t the case at all.

She seems quite intelligent and quick-witted, so before I could even say what I wanted, she already handled it first.

“Please go quickly, Nina.”

I waited for Nina to wrap everything up, and then hurried to her.

“Miss, you shouldn‘t be so respectful to me. Now, you are the Grand Princess.”

I am not an ordinary princess, but a princess of the Grand Duke’s house. A princess should not be polite towards a maid.

When I heard the explanation of her argument, I nodded.

“I understand, Nina.”

“You are also smart as expected.”

Nina murmured, shaking her head for a moment. There was a small rustling sound.

At the moment while I was feeling puzzled, she looked back at me and then guided me to the place where the Grand Duke was.

When I first entered the mansion, I didn’t really notice it.

Then I quickly realized that there aren’t a large number of employees in this large mansion.

From the start, the Grand Duke seems to prefer his privacy and quiet. So the mansion’s veteran employees were always appearing like ghosts.

‘But I really can’t see a single person today?’

Where are all the people who came to bring me gifts?

I got a little confused, so I looked up and followed Nina’s back.

The place Nina seemed to be guiding me to was the first place I saw in this mansion.

‘Ballroom?’

It was the grand ballroom of the Grand Duke’s residence.

I’ve heard that it’s a luxurious place for parties, but it was the first time I had heard of it being used.

‘Why does the Grand Duke want to call me to the party room?’

There was no noise from the inside.

I was a little thrilled and asked Nina to open the door ㅡ

“…Oh my gosh!”

What was inside the opened doors was completely different from what I imagined.

But rather than being surprised by the luxury of a beautiful ballroom like a work of art, I was amazed at the people gathered inside.

Together with the employees of the mansion, the Grand Duke, Wyndert, and Deleign were all gathered inside.

The Grand Duke and my brothers were obviously wearing clothes meant for parties.

Other people also felt a lot more dressed up than usual.

I quickly noticed that they were all wearing the best clothes they had.

“This, how did this happen?”

I cried in surprise.

Somehow my heart was beating excitedly. As if I foresaw this before.

My clothes were even more colorful than my usual clothes.

The clothes I’m wearing are the clothes worn after breakfast but not quite casual clothes.

‘I thought they were wearing more colorful clothes than usual to uplift my mood!’

They must have gathered for the party.

They must have been preparing for the party for the entire day, for it to have turned out this wonderfully they must have planned it before they even dressed me this morning.

Because there were exclamations like ‘Welcome our lady!’ coming from every direction.

Wyndert came to me with a cake.

“Thank you for being my sister, Shushu.”

On top of the cake was a small sculpture of the Grand Duke, my brothers, and one of me on the top in the center as well.

‘They’re all formed into a circle as if surrounding me.’

I couldn’t hold back my momentary tears, and it was alright for me to cry.

‘It’s a party for me!’

It was evident that everyone planned and prepared what I would like.

My favorite flowers were placed everywhere.

And everyone was wearing my favorite magenta color somewhere on their body.

I was impressed by seeing the red-colored boutonniere stuck on Wyndert’s chest.

I had to cover my eyes with both hands in order not to cry anymore.

“I think our Shushu is a crybaby!”

Deleign teasingly said to me while he gave me a rabbit doll with a pink ribbon.

As I took it reflexively and blinked my eyes, Deleign smiled.

The rabbit in my arms was fluffy.

“Don‘t cry. It will hurt under your eyes.”

The Grand Duke was worried about my constant crying.

Today, many people brought me a gift.

Yet, they prepared a separate party for me.

“Everyone… “

I couldn’t stand it and sniffed loudly.

‘It was both my and Shuelina’s dream.’

When I heard about the incredible parties that the Imperial Palace used to hold for Azuela.

When I accepted the bread from the orphanage at each of her birthday festivals.

Shuelina was always sad.

Above all, she envied the sight of Azuela being celebrated in the arms of her family.

When I was confused about where this place was and what my future would be like.

As well as when the fear arose that my life may end according to the fate of the book.

I always wanted to have arms to protect me.

Fated to be abandoned by my original family.

Even though I think it’s too stupid to look forward to and expect a new family.

I didn’t know that the dream of being accepted like this would come true.

‘We’ve been calling out to her all this time.’

I thought I would abandon my previous family.

‘I guess it’s been too much excitement for Shuelina.’

Even though it’s not originally my body, it feels like all my dreams have come true, and I’m overjoyed like this.

Even though it felt strange, I naturally thought that this emotion I’m feeling is definitely happiness.

“I, I‘m really happy.”

I rubbed my eyes with filled tears, and smiled brightly from the bottom of my heart for the first time since I came to the Grand Duke.

‘Now I also have a family.’

I was really happy.

4. How to hold me in your arms

“Oraboni… “

A voice that sings like a nightingale.

However, Prince Lucas did not respond and continued to swing his sword.

On the outside, he seemed unbothered, but in fact, he was in a very angry state.

It was because Azuela, his younger sister, who couldn’t be satisfied, was cutting off his training time.

“Oraboni… “

Azuela’s whispering voice was terrible to listen to.

Her nanny, Count Ordina, who was covering her with a parasol by the side, also had an unsatisfied expression.

‘I’d rather not get involved with this conversation… ‘

He didn’t like standing on a crowded field, feeling as if someone had come to punish him publicly.

Rather, if you explained her true nature, everyone would realize how troublesome Azuela really is.

Cunningly, Azuela always pretended to be pitiful, making Lucas look like a bad brother.

Just because she looks weak doesn’t mean she’s telling the truth, or that everyone should give into her demands easily.

‘If you cry like that, I’m the only bad person again.’

There were not one or two people who were anxious to soothe Azuela’s tears without a word.

Even now, Lucas was receiving a stinging glance, saying, ‘You should listen to her kindly.’

‘It hasn’t been long since she woke up from being sick, so I’m the only one who looks bad.’

Recently, Azuela was greatly ill.

Because of that, her body became weaker, and the imperial household was turned upside down.

Originally, Azuela was good at using her gorgeous and beautiful appearance to her advantage. It was also useful for her to be a child.

The worst part of dealing with her is that she would use those aspects to passively attack her opponents and make them seem like the bad person.

In fact, Azuela, who takes away other people’s time at her own discretion, was bad, but Lucas was often portrayed as a bad brother.

They don’t say it outright because it’s blasphemy to badmouth the imperial family, but they all have said that he’s the best prince, but a heartless brother.

The child was very sick recently, so now he’s considered even more heartless than before.

‘But Azuela is not my younger sister.’

Even the emperor thinks that Azuela is not his daughter.

But Lucas couldn’t help but imagine that Azuela was taking the place of his missing younger sister.

He kept trying to focus on his training and glanced at his mentor, the Imperial Knight Commander Helena Winter.

She also didn’t feel happy about the constant interruptions in class.

“Your Majesty, the class will be over in 20 minutes anyway.”

So if you have anything to say to Lucas, come back in twenty minutes.

Azuela, who bowed her head as if she was devastated because of the words said with that meaning, grimaced and then made a gloomy expression again.

There was no change in the expression at that moment on Lucas’s face, who was still young and short.

“Ah… Sorry. I must have been in a hurry. Brother, sorry for interrupting your training. I’m sorry, everyone.”

Azuela muttered with a disheartened expression. Even her appearance was extremely grim.

Tears piled up in her big eyes, which quickly filled with water, and then the tears flowed down heavily.

It was unfortunate that he saw what would usually be such a sad scene so frequently.

‘In this case, it would be nice to be able to escape this situation however I want.’

‘She’s still a young princess… ’

‘Poor thing. She must like her brother so much.’

The knights exchanged looks after seeing Azuela’s pitiful expression directed at the cold Lucas.

Once it reached that point, Helena allowed her to have a brief conversation with Lucas outside of the training grounds.

‘I really hate it… ’

Lucas approached Azuela who now had on a dazzlingly happy expression. Then Azuela left her nanny and led him to the curtain leading out on the edge of the camp.

“Did I get in the way? It’s my fault, my brother.”

Azuela said those lonely words and carefully grabbed Lucas’ sleeve.

You must be angry in your mind and are pretending to be lonely.

He got goosebumps and swung his arm to shake Azuela away.

“Let it go.”

“Oh, I’m sorry… ”

Bang, he heard a sound. Azuela fell in a desperate manner.