Chapter 21

There was another uproar in the morning at the Agnes Duchy.

This time it was because of Vivian.

“Miss, it’ll be bad at this rate!”

“Get out! I said get out!”

News spread widely that Vivian was crying and making a fuss after seeing Navia’s gift. People frowned when they heard why Vivian was crying.

“Master gave Lady Navia gifts from Ansier Boutique?”

Navia was a foster daughter anyway.

They heard that she would become the Empress later, but people here were quite keen on politics. Navia was just a chess piece for Nikan to roll under his thumb.

They knew exactly that the one they should be loyal to was Nikan. That’s why it was difficult to understand Nikan’s behavior this time.

“What if Lady Vivian gets in trouble..?”

They clenched their tongues as they recalled the young Vivian.

The news about Vivian quickly entered Nikan’s ears.

“I only have two kids, but they’re both troublesome!”

Nikan couldn’t beat the kneeling man at the moment, so he threw his teacup next to him.

“She already enjoys those things regularly, but she’s acting like a vulgar commoner just from a couple of products!”

As problems with his family continued, his irritation rose to its peak.

He thought that yesterday was quiet, but now Vivian was causing trouble. Different from his usual composure, Nikan was furious.

“Ruling a Duchy is like ruling a small kingdom!”

“You are correct.”

Lyndon responded to Nikan’s words while swearing at the servants who failed to take care of Vivian properly.

At that time, a servant rushed in.

“Master, Lady Vivian has fainted!”

“Vivian fainted?!”

She was a child who inherited his blood and a daughter like a sore finger.

When Nikan heard that his daughter fainted, his face became pale and he ran to Vivian’s room.

Bang!

“Vivi, is Vivi okay?”

He went to the bed where Vivian lay. Vivian’s eyes were closed tightly, stained with tears.

Doctor Hans spoke.

“Because it’s caused by stress, stability is the most important.”

Nikan grabbed his head. Then didn’t that mean that Vivian fainted because she was crying and jealous of Navia?

‘It’s not quiet for even a day!’

He was already busy transforming Navia into someone suitable for an engagement. He thought that things were going smoothly since Navia had excellent learning skills, even though she had dirty blood.

‘The engagement is just around the corner.’

At this rate, because there had been a series of rumblings, the family’s turmoil could enter the Empress’ ears.

It could still be passed on as children fighting. However, it would be a problem if another big problem arised. Nikan gritted his teeth as he looked back at Vivian’s dedicated maids.

“How were you taking care of Vivian to let her get like this?”

“We, we’re sorry, Master…”

“Sorry?”

Nikan rubbed his eyes. The rustling greens under his palms went in full bloom.

“Does it look like I want to hear a useless apology right now?”

Maki was keenly aware of the fact that she looked incompetent. Maki made an excuse in a hurry.

“Master is correct a hundred times over. But it was inevitable for us.”

Nikan’s eyebrows furrowed.

“What does that mean?”

“Maki, what’s wrong…!”

Maki fell flat on her face, throwing the hands of the other two maids, who were anxious to dissuade her, to the side.

“Lady Navia opened her door wide open on purpose to show off her gifts to hurt Lady Vivian! We, who are only maids, couldn’t stop it.”

“Navia did?”

“Yes. If she hadn’t bumped into Lady Vivian two days ago and said that she played in the water with the Young Master, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Nikan’s expression hardened.

Did Navia really create this?

‘But… that situation could be true if Navia was a normal child, but she is brainwashed.’

Furthermore, when he recalled Navia’s actions, the maid’s words didn’t make even more sense.

‘Did I see you carelessly?’

(P/R: He meant if he carelessly looked over the actions and missed something.)

Is the maid deceiving me? Or is it Navia?

As Nikan’s eyes were gradually darkening, a refreshing voice, which did not suit the atmosphere, was heard.

“Father.”

Looking back, Navia was entering Vivian’s bedroom with a small box in her arms.

The faces of the servants, who thought that this was all caused by Navia, hardened coldly.

“What happened?”

Nikan was also in a state where it was hard to play as a caring father as usual, so his voice came out quite coldly.

A stingy hostility. There was a lot of criticism towards the stone that rolled in.

Navia opened her mouth as if she was familiar with this kind of atmosphere.

“I came because I have something to tell you.”

Maki glared at Navia.

She didn’t know what nonsense she was here for, but she wasn’t going to let her do whatever she wanted.

Maki saw the box in Navia’s arms.

‘Pft.’

A good prey.

“What’s in your arms, Lady Navia?”

“Ah, this…”

“If I’m not mistaken, it looks like a box from Ansier Boutiques.”

Even within the family, politics was heavily involved. In this regard, Maki was pretty talented.

Maki asked as if she was wondering.

“Did you bring the box knowing that Lady Vivian fainted?”

Navia shut her mouth. In other people’s eyes, it looked like she was overwhelmed by the momentum and couldn’t speak.

Maki thought so too.

“Did you come to share with Lady Vivian to comfort her? It’s like…charity.”

The looks of the servants became colder at the end of Maki’s words.

Click!

“What is the meaning of all this?”

The door opened, and Philippa came in.

Actually, Philippa had already arrived in front of the bedroom after hearing that Vivian had fainted. But after hearing sounds from the inside, she waited for the right time to enter.

When she was convinced that Navia was cornered, she opened the door to support Maki.

‘Little b*tch. You’ll be finished today!’

“What do you mean charity for Lady Vivian!”

Philippa was so bewildered that she stumbled as if she were dizzy.

“I cannot believe it. I can’t believe that you tried to fool and wipe out Lady Vivian, who has the most noble blood!”

“I didn’t do that!”

Philippa snorted inside at Navia’s rebuttal. You’re calling that an excuse?

Philippa glanced at Nikan.

Nikan was looking at Navia coldly. He was obviously suspicious of Navia. Another, he was actively sitting on the sidelines.

‘He’s trying to prove my standing.’

(T/N: Philippa thinks Nikan is letting her prove her authority in the duchy.)

Philippa went on a rampage with confidence.

“Then let’s take a look. Let’s look at what you brought to show off to Lady Vivian!”

Pak!

Philippa grabbed Navia by the arm immediately.

“Ah!”

Navia dropped the box she was holding in her arms dearly helplessly. She made the drop loud and big enough for everyone to witness.

And like that, the box rolled loudly on the floor, revealing what was inside.

A shabby hairpin with only one pearl.

It was so crude that it didn’t even have a proper finishing and the pearl looked like it was inserted using an awl. It was an accessory a noble would never use.

Philippa wanted to burst into laughter when she saw the hairpin. She felt so happy to see Navia humiliate herself like this.

“My goodness. There must have been a lot of precious and valuable stuff today, but you brought something like this?”

You can’t throw away your greed, but you bring in a trashy hair pin!

Maki spoke, holding in her laughter.

“That looks like a product from Ansier Boutique’s basement?”

“That’s not even the most modest headdress Lady Vivian has…”

The maids pretended to whisper, allowing everyone to hear them. They had no qualms about bullying an eight-year-old girl.

How much did they suffer because of that fake princess yesterday and today? That b*tch deserved more criticism than they suffered.

When the giggling got the loudest, Navia lifted her lowered head.

And took one light step.

Another step. And another step.

Her last step stopped in front of the hairpin.

At some point, the room fell into silence.

Navia slowly boiled on her knees and picked up the slender hairpin preciously. It was an act of reverence and solemnity, as if she was treating it like a gift.

Philippa grinned.

‘This is why dirty blood is…!’

It was when Philippa tried to shoot something back that Navia, who had been sitting still until now, broke the silence with a clear voice.

“Father.”

Nikan, who had tolerated the mockery of the servants, raised his eyebrows.

Then something even more unbelievable happened.

The movement of standing up naturally without touching the floor while raising the gaze. Shoulders that stretched out calmly with her hands under her chest. Her head turned slightly to the side, and she made eye contact with Nikan. Her timing and the natural movements of her body resembled a dance move!

When Nikan gaped without realizing it, Navia opened her palms and spoke.

“I only need this hairpin.”

Everyone froze as if there was a northern wind in the bedroom.

What did she just say?