Chapter 34

Chapter 34

“Actually, a child can be loved without any conditions.”

“Really?”

“More than anything else anyone says, His Grace and the young masters’ decisions about this are enough.”

At her words, I frowned slightly.

I feel like I’ve heard this over and over again…

Does everyone feel sorry for me because of my bitter past? Or they are only unconditionally supportive of the Grand Duke’s decisions?

“I see… .”

I didn’t really understand, so I quietly headed to the training hall instead.

“It’s oraboni!”

Now, I could see Deleign practicing at a distance.

Maybe he hadn’t seen me yet, and Deleign was practicing swinging his sword skillfully.

Behind him, Wyndert was accurately cutting the flying leaves in the air.

‘Isn’t the wind not blowing?’

I gasped as I saw the leaves drifting in the air due to Wyndert’s cutting.

“That’s really amazing!”

I clapped my hands because I was astonished and surprised to see Wyndert’s skills in person.

Wyndert turned his head and looked at me.

As I saw his sweat dripping down, I pulled out the handkerchief in my dress pocket.

“Shushu!”

As soon as Wyndert found me, he ran to me, smiling brightly like a blossoming flower.

Then Deleign also ran over to me, saying, ‘It’s Shushu!’

“What’s going on here?”

“Kyaah!”

Wyndert lifted me up and twirled me around.

While he lifted me up, I wiped the sweat on his forehead using my handkerchief.

“Oh no, you can’t be stained with something dirty.”

He put me down again, muttering that my dress should not be sweaty.

“Shushu! Shushu! Why did you come!”

“Oraboni, why did you throw your sword on the ground?!”

Deleign ran and hid behind me while trembling a lot.

Deleign’s teacher seemed unable to scold him in front of me.

He picked up the sword Deleign had thrown away, and was frowning a little.

“I was so happy to see you here, that’s why.”

Deleign smiled playfully and shrugged.

“By the way, Sir Hilohan, what is that?”

Wyndert tilted his head to see the necklace on Sir Hilohan’s neck.

“What’s that? it’s ugly!”

Deleign laughed, pointing to the crooked paper chain necklace.

I pouted my lips and pushed the handcart next to Sir Hilohan.

“Are you talking about this? I’ll have you know, this medal… It is the ‘Most Affectionate Knight’ medal.”

“I want to go back, Sir Hilohan. I guess my brothers don’t want to get one.”

I deliberately pretended to be discouraged and took a step back from Deleign.

I looked up to see Sir Hilohan covering her grin as if she had seen through my playfulness.

“What? Was that really made by Shushu?”

Deleign opened his mouth when he saw my crooked writing on the medal.

“I never said that, Shushu.”

Wyndert said, stepping forward as much as I retreated.

“Forget about what he said, give only me one.”

“Do you like the necklace oraboni?”

“Of course, I like it.”

In front of Wyndert’s shining eyes, I picked up his necklace and lifted it from both ends.

Wyndert’s serious face, when he read the medal that said ‘Savior of my Life’, melted away.

(T/N: melted away = become lovable / had a soft expression)

“No! Give me one too!”

Deleign grabbed my shoulders and shook me back and forth while he was stomping his feet.

“O-oraboni! I’m dizzy!”

Deleign, who was completely different from average seven-year-old kids, was shaking me like an earthquake was happening right underneath me.

While I was startled, because of Deleign shaking my arms, Wyndert and Sir Hilohan saved me from him.

“Del, will you take responsibility if Shushu’s arm breaks?”

Deleign, who was shocked because of the statement, let go of my arms and shook his head.

‘I’m not that weak… ’

It feels like everyone treats me like a glass statue.

I heaved a heavy sigh even though my problem isn’t a truly negative one.

“No, Shushu. Give me my necklace.”

“You said it was ugly.”

I spoke with my mouth pouting on purpose.

Then Deleign’s expression became gloomy. It seemed like I was pretty angry.

“It’s because I didn’t know you really made it.”

“If I made it, it would be pretty instead of ugly, right?”

Then Deleign grabbed his hair, screaming, ‘Ahhhhhh!’

‘Honestly, I wasn’t that angry.’

Deleign, who only saw the most luxurious and flashy things in the world, would not give compliments, like pretty, to a crooked paper necklace.

Others will think the same way too. I was having fun when I was making it, and it’s really pretty in my opinion, so should I just go?

I was just making fun of Deleign because he was cute.

Deleign, who didn’t know that, was saying all sorts of things to change my mind.

“I’ve always liked ugly things!”

“You said you liked me… Then does that mean I’m ugly?”

When I deliberately pretended to cry, Deleign stomped his feet as if he’s going crazy.

“He has always used the word ‘ugly’ when he wants to say ‘pretty’!”

“Eh… ”

Deleign looked at Wyndert with contempt, which seemed to be the most childish thing in the world.

But despite his true feelings, Deleign went along with his excuse with a very shameless face.

“Really! It means that from now on, being ugly is pretty! I will definitely fix my words in the future!“

There’s no point in teasing if it’s like this. I gave up and handed out the paper necklace to Deleign.

“I guess I should change the phrase. Ugliest brother in the World, right?”

Deleign laughed at the phrase ‘Ugliest Brother in the World’ and was amazed.

I gazed happily at the purple necklaces swaying at Deleign and Wyndert’s necks.

‘It’s mine. It‘s my family.’

It felt like I had been woven together with them just like a chain, so I felt good.

(T/N: Shuelina is saying here that the Grand Duke’s family adored her and just like a ‘chain’, it is ‘woven’ into her in a sense that they were attached to her, so as she.)

Even though they didn’t know my thoughts, they both seemed satisfied.

“I want to give these to the other knights as well.”

At my words, the knights, who flocked to the cart, quickly found theirs and hung them around their necks.

There was also a knight that was prevented from ripping off his rival’s necklace because I was looking at him.

“No, you just have to give it to me, why are you also giving one to them?”

Deleign grumbled as he looked at the sight.

‘Because I wanted to give them a gift, they protect me even if all I can give them in return is paper.’

I laughed happily hugging both Deleign and Wyndert at once

“Then get back to studying now. I am also going to visit Dad.”

“Already?”

Deleign muttered sadly. Sticking to me and not letting go.

“Your instructor is staring behind you, Oraboni.”

At my words, Deleign frowned and nodded.

“See you in the evening.”

“See you later, Shushu.”

Windert, whose time as an escort knight begins after training, whispered to me quietly.

After exiting the training hall, I headed straight to the Grand Duke.

Now, I’ll only deliver to one more person, the Grand Duke, and the distribution of the gifts will be over.

‘Will the Grand Duke also think that I didn’t make this?’

I really did but… I was a little nervous when knocking on the door of the Grand Duke’s office. No…, I should knock.

“Oh, oh! The lady has come!“

“Welcome!”

“My lady!”

Before I even opened the door, the door opened. I stared blankly at them while I was stopped in the motion of reaching for the doorknob.

‘He’s with Cahill… His aide.‘

All of them were wearing the necklaces I’d given them when I met them.

Looking proudly at the necklaces on everyone’s necks, I tilted my head slightly.

Why are you all greeting me so energetically?

“She’s here!”

“She’s here, Your Grace!”

Their gaze turned to the last necklace in my hand. Beyond them, I could see the Grand Duke sitting with his eyes wide open.

“What is it?”

“Of course it is because of ‘that’!”

Another person replied quickly to the Grand Duke’s question.

‘If that’s it… Are you talking about this necklace?’

I tilted my head slightly while holding the necklace. I wanted to ask, ‘this?’

“Why are you only coming now? His Grace has been waiting… hmm.”

Then Cahill, who was standing next to him, whispered quickly. I said aha, and nodded.

Everyone already has it hanging on their necks, the Grand Duke was the only one without one. If I didn’t give one to him, he’d feel bad.

I ran to the Grand Duke.

“… Appa, this.”

It is the first gift I could give to ‘Appa’. Somehow, my heart pounded. My body was also tense.

I tried to run over in a light hearted manner, as if this was no big deal, and the gift was trivial and casual.

“Is that the last one?”

“Yes.”

I nodded at the Grand Duke’s question. Then the Grand Duke’s face frowned slightly.

“Why am I the last one?”

My heart was pounding at the question of the Grand Duke, which seemed to be displeased. I opened my eyes wide and looked up at him.

“Ah, haha, the last ones are the important ones, Your Grace.”

Suddenly, the air turned cold and Cahill muttered, embarrassed, as if making excuses for me. The others nodded their heads in unison.

“I thought I was the best.”

The Grand Duke spoke like that and turned slightly away from me. He looked a little upset.

“Then don‘t you need this?”

I waved the necklace around and asked. The Grand Duke was turning his head away, but it felt like he was paying a large amount of attention to my hand.

“Here, I specifically wrote, ‘Shushu’s Appa, World’s Best Daddy’… I put in the most descriptors… “

At my words, the head of the Grand Duke turned slightly towards me again.

“I applied the glitters here the most carefully… ”

“… ”

“Sparkling… ”

Each time I shook the medal, the necklace flashed in the light. Then the Grand Duke slowly reached out.

“.. Come here.”