Translator and Editor: Effe and Nabi

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Chapter 19

Liliana unexpectedly followed Elliot’s footsteps. Every time she looked at the back of the two children, Meg couldn’t overcome her anger and clenched her fists tightly.

‘It can’t be like this…!’

Elliot, who was always friendly to her, said he hated her for the first time. And it was all because of that girl, Liliana.

‘If I don’t do anything to that girl somehow!’

Her eyes sharpened. Meg, who was in distress for a while, strode away. Her destination was the maids’ restroom.

“Oh my God, chief maid!”

The maids opened their eyes wide.

She sat next to the maids with a smile and gently asking a question.

“Is everything all right these days?”

“Well, it’s always hard.”

“The number of people we have to serve has increased by one.”

“Why, why do we have so much work…”

The maids grunted with their mouths open.

Honestly, it was a ridiculous complaint because Liliana was a child who rarely relies on an adult’s help. Her experience of working as a maid in her orphanage in the past made her precocious.

‘It’s okay. I can do this.’ That was Liliana’s habit, but she was already in a situation where she was hated in many ways.

There’s no way the maids will look at her positively.

Meg caught that part sensitively, and the maids’ dissatisfaction was even more fanned.

“…That’s right. By the way, did Miss Liliana know?”

“What?”

“The fact that we are struggling so hard because of Miss Liliana.”

At Meg’s question, the maids shook their heads.

“How can we complain about that to the madam?”

“That’s right, even now, madam is very protective of Miss Liliana.”

“If you make fun of her for no reason, and it gets into her ears…” The maids trembled all over.

Meg clicked her tongue briefly and shook her head.

“Of course, we shouldn’t talk openly. If we don’t, we’ll get the wrath of the madam.”

“Then, we can’t say anything?”

“But…we are not forbidden to complain to Miss Liliana, right?”

Her voice became a little more stealthy.

“Honestly, isn’t it true that Miss Liliana is causing all sorts of uproar in Valois?”

“Well, it is?”

“Our work itself has become heavy, and the problem with the madam only defending Lady Liliana.” She spoke, pretending to really care about the maids.

“So, I think she should know that, too… What do you think?”

“Ha, the chief maid is right.”

“That’s right, we should make Miss Liliana know.”

Each of the maids nodded.

‘Okay, this seems to be successful.’ Meg’s lips drew a smooth line. The Duchess of Valois is openly defending the girl of Count Aberyt, so she couldn’t, unfortunately, do it herself. However, out of sight, she can secretly isolate the girl.

All the maids were in Meg’s grasp.

‘You dare embarrass me in front of Master Elliot?’

Know your place and be quiet!

She was willing to repay this humiliation somehow.

Meg grinds her teeth.

***

A few days later, it was a warm afternoon.

It was an exceptionally sunny day for spring. The sunlight is warm, and clouds like cotton balls float on the bright blue sky.

‘It’s a little disappointing just to let this day go.’

Anriche looked out of her window and glanced back at Liliana sitting on the round sofa. Thinking about it, she seems to have been indoors since she came to the townhouse. It was time for her to go outside at least once.

“Liliana, isn’t it frustrating because you’re only in the mansion all the time?

“Yes? No, it’s not stuffy at all.”

She shook her head, then added her words in a shy voice.

“I am with mother.”

…Cute.

‘Our Liliana, you’re so cute!’ With the loveliness of Liliana, who unexpectedly tapped her heart, Anriche was distraught.

“That’s right, but you’re at the age of playing outside. It’s not good to stay in the mansion all the time.”

Anriche, who barely came to that thought, tried hard to open her mouth, pretending to be an adult.

“The weather is very nice today, so would you like to go around the garden?”

As soon as she heard that, Liliana raised her ears like a dog who heard the word ‘walk.’

‘Going for a walk with mother?’

“Yes, I want to go!”

It was almost a shout. Anriche barely put up with her laughter that was about to burst out. Then, the two were heading to the garden like so.

Elliot held his head over the railing of the stairs on the second floor.

“What, Liliana. Where are you going?”

“Huh? The sunlight is so warm, so I’m going to go to the garden with mother.” She replied with a gentle voice.

Anriche watched the two children talk with warm eyes. At first, Liliana called him ‘Young Master Valois,’ but now she, who used pompous words of honor, was quite friendly with him. Elliot also seemed to be pleased to accept that friendly attitude of hers.

Meanwhile, when he heard those words, his eyes narrowed.

“Are you leaving without me?”

“Huh? No, I didn’t mean to leave you out…”

“I want to go, too.”

Elliot, who said so abruptly, ran down the stairs. The two children who followed Anriche looked like chicks following a mother hen.

‘Yellow chicks and black chicks…’ Suddenly thinking so, she laughed. Elliot glanced at her with a suspicious look.

“Why are you laughing so much?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

She couldn’t say that she laughed because they were like chicks, so Anriche just shook her head. In the meantime, she came up with a good idea.

“Guys, would you guys go out first?”

“Just us? What about mother?” Liliana tilted her head.

“I’ll go down after grabbing a few children’s books.”

“If it’s a fairy tale…”

“I don’t think I’ve ever read a fairy tale book before. Why, you don’t like it?”

“No, I don’t hate it at all!” Liliana shook her head and continued, dyeing her cheeks red.

“That’s good!”

“All right. Do you have anything you want to read?”

To that question, Liliana couldn’t answer easily. That would probably be the case because she had hardly ever read a fairy tale book before. She stared at Liliana’s blurred face, and Anriche felt aghast.

But then.

“I like ‘Hans and Fairy’s Adventure’.”

Elliot quickly noticed and saved Anriche. She sighed of relief inside.

“Okay, then I’ll bring that with me.”

“Yes, then I’ll be sitting on the bench with Liliana.”

Elliot replied in a rare, calm voice.

He seemed very happy to have the opportunity to be alone with Liliana. That was because usually, she would stick with Anriche.

So, Anriche headed to the children’s playroom, and the two children went out into the garden, holding hands side by side.

“Mother, you have to come quickly!”

While walking, led by Elliot, she shouted, looking behind her a regretful face.

Anriche smiled and waved her hand.

***

…How did I get to sit here alone?

Liliana sat on the bench and reflected on the process, which she had been left alone in the garden. She was sure she was with Elliot at first…

‘Liliana, don’t you want to eat a snack?’

When he asked that question in a subtle voice, she shouldn’t have inadvertently nodded her head.

‘Then how about an apple pie?’

‘Apple pie?’

‘Yeah. It was served as a dessert this morning, so there will still be one or two pieces left.’

Upon hearing those words, Liliana swallowed a gulp. When she recalls the taste of the sweet apple pie, her saliva spontaneously accumulates in her mouth.

Then, he jumped up from his seat.

‘I’ll go to the kitchen and bring it back.’

‘Yes?’

‘Wait a little. I’ll be there soon!’

Eliot was overly motivated by wanting to somehow look good to her. Liliana stared blankly at his back that disappeared quickly.

Since then, it has already been more than ten minutes.

‘Whether it’s mother or Elliot, I hope they can come soon.’

Thinking so, Liliana looked down at the tip of her toe. The black shoes with polished ends were one of the items that Anriche had bought the other day at the clothing store.

When she recalled Anriche, her heart warmed up somehow.

“….Hehe.”

Liliana stretched her foot.

The sunlight reflected off the tip of her shoe’s tip was shining.

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