Chapter 31

Chapter 31

“That’s not it! But for now I want to see Your Grace off. I don’t want to think I’m the only one receiving special treatment.”

It was Elisabeth who was born and lived through harsh things, let alone special treatment.

Usually, a child would like special treatment and take it for granted when they get used to it, but Elisabeth never did that.

He was proud of her, but it hurt the corner of his heart.

‘This kind of Elisabeth will change when she grows up and learns the truth.’

I adopted you just to use you for revenge.

At first, I didn’t care even if I remember that the truth would be revealed later. But now, just imagining it has made my mind dim.

“Elisabeth, come closer.”

Elisabeth came just in front of Victoire. Victoire held Elisabeth in his arms and settled her on his lap. Elisabeth looked up at Victoire, and leaned her little body against his chest.

A small, soft, and warm living being.

I wanted the time to stop while hugging this child.

I wanted to slow down the day when this child looked at me with resentment.

“Your Grace!”

The aide could be heard knocking on the door of the office.

When Elisabeth tried to lift herself up, Victoire purposely hugged Elisabeth more tightly.

“Your Grace, he’s calling you outside.”

Elisabeth looked up at Victoire and said.

“Your Grace, it’s time to leave!”

Victoire whispered to Elisabeth, as if he could not hear the voice of his aide:

“Why don’t the two of us just stay together today instead of going out?”

“Pardon? You can’t. You’re going to do something important today.”

“I’ll put it off until tomorrow.”

“Then you’ll want to put it off until the day after tomorrow.”

“Haha. You’re stricter than my sister.”

“And a poor aide is waiting for you outside. Please open the door.”

“I see. I’ll do what you say, Elisabeth.”

Victoire got up from his seat, still hugging Elisabeth. Elisabeth, who thought she would drop to the floor, opened her eyes wide.

The aide, who saw Victoire holding Elisabeth through the open door, was also surprised.

“Your Grace, you must leave now. The time for luncheon in the Imperial palace…”

“I know. Let’s go now.”

Victoire walked down the stairs, hugging Elisabeth.

“You, Your Grace. The young miss…”

“You’re noisy.”

When they went down the stairs and came out to the lobby, all the employees stood in a line.

In front of him, Baroness Terran, Damon and Dylan were shocked to see Victoire coming down with Elisabeth.

‘It’s embarrassing.’

Elisabeth’s face in Victoire’s arms turned red like an apple.

“Your Grace, I can walk.”

“I know.”

Victoire walked between the people who came out to see him off.

“Count. What are you holding in your arms?”

Baroness Terran said as if seeing an extraordinary spectacle.

“My daughter.”

“So why are you holding your daughter?”

“Father, you don’t intend to take Elisabeth out, do you?”

“That would put Elisabeth in danger, haven’t you thought of that?”

Victoire made a serious face towards Damon. It seemed that he was considering it.

“Then put her down.”

Dylan said coldly. Victoire glared at his son and slowly put down Elisabeth to the floor.

“Your Grace, thank you for bringing me here.”

Elisabeth greeted the atmosphere with innocence. It was only after seeing Victoire smiling that Elisabeth felt relieved.

Baroness Terran clicked her tongue as she watched Victoire and Damon leave. Elisabeth looked at Baroness Terran in question.

“Today’s class will teach you something very important. Follow me up right now.”

Baroness Terran turned away without waiting for Elisabeth.

Elisabeth was panting and following the quick steps of Baroness Terran when she heard footsteps behind her. Dylan was also following behind.

“If I think about it, my aunt is weird.”

“Baroness Terran?”

“Let’s take today’s class with me.”

Elisabeth, who was climbing the stairs, suddenly stopped.

“I’m not a baby.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“I can take classes alone because I’m not a baby. Please don’t follow me.”

Elisabeth knew that Baroness Terran’s attitude was particularly cold. It was an ominous signal.

But whatever attitude she took, it was between Elisabeth and Baroness Terran.

Elisabeth had to do it herself, whether to break up that relationship or stuck in it.

‘Dylan, I know how you feel, but this is my business. A matter I need to settle.’

Elisabeth ran far away alone, with all her might.

‘What do you mean a baby? I never thought of you as a baby.’

Dylan was dumbfounded and followed Elisabeth into the room of Baroness Terran.

But when Elisabeth walked through the door, the standing maid closed the door tightly and stood in front as if she had been controlled.

“Move.”

“I can’t. The Baroness told me not to let anyone in except for young miss Elisabeth. Please wait outside.”

“I told Aunt that I—–“

But the maid went into the room and closed the door before Dylan could finish talking.

The maid from the North was as cold as a winter breeze.

“This…”

Dylan, who was quick to clench his fist and knock on the door, soon lowered his arm weakly. No matter how much Dylan did, he could not stoop to the level of his aunt.

He restlessly stood on his back against the door.

He was going to wait until Elisabeth came out.

He thought that if he heard grieving inside, he would go in no matter what happens.

“Pant, pant…”

Baroness Terran stared at Elisabeth, her face flushed from the rush.

The small child was breathing all over. It looked just like a little puppy or a rabbit.

She looked towards the door. She could hear Dylan’s voice arguing with the maid until there. Maybe he won’t go and wait until the end.

“Dylan was following you, how did you get rid of him?”

Baroness Teran asked again, looking at Elisabeth.

“I said I wasn’t a baby. I said I can take classes alone because I’m not a baby.”

The way she talked was quite sharp, even though being a baby doesn’t have anything to do with it.

“That’s a relief. Since you’re not a baby, so you can take the class well today.”

“I can do anything well. I’ll try even if it’s hard. “

Baroness Terran laughed.

‘Such confidence. Today’s class won’t be easy.’

In fact, she didn’t intend to do this, but she just saw Victoire’s disgraceful behavior(?), and it changed her mind.

‘Victoire treats this child as if she were really his own daughter. Dylan’s strangely attached, too. If grown men can’t control themselves, let Elisabeth keep them at bay.’

What she’s trying to do now may be telling a young girl the harsh truth.

However, it may be better to know the truth earlier than to be shocked by it later.

‘This is for all of us.’

Baroness Terran slowly blinked.

“Elisabeth, the book I asked you to read on the first day is actually the book I’m writing. It will be published as a novel.”

Elisabeth remembered that Baroness Terran had suddenly asked her to read a book. It was about the Leschine family and the Cabezo family.

It wasn’t surprising that Elisabeth had already predicted it.

‘Did you write it to let us know that your family was framed? But isn’t it too dangerous to let them know already? You said it was a novel, but it was written explicitly.’

Elisabeth rolled her head fast inside, but outwardly, she spoke brightly.

“So the Baroness is going to be a writer? I’m looking forward to it. When will it be published?”

“When the right time comes.”

‘As expected, you wouldn’t publish it right away, either.’

Elisabeth was a little relieved.

“Maybe you won’t be there by then.”

Baroness Terran said meaningfully. Elisabeth’s eyes were wide with a noticeably lower voice.

“Why? I wanted to see it too.”

“You’re not adopted by our family as a real ‘daughter’.”

Elisabeth’s face has hardened.

Elisabeth could see what she was talking about when she called for her.

“You were only adopted for our family’s revenge. So you won’t be able to stay alive until then.”

Baroness Terran’s face was cold. However, there was some hesitation in the tone of her voice.

‘Why are you talking about this all of a sudden?’

Elisabeth gazed keenly at Baroness Terran.

‘Is it a mere fit? Or… because Victoire took me with him?’

Apparently, Baroness Terran’s attitude cooled soon after.

‘She thinks Victoire is over the line.’

She was fed up with the fact that Elisabeth was Cabezo’s bloodline.

‘Of course, revenge will be great.’

Then Victoire’s actions could have been seen dangerously in the eyes of Baroness Terran.

She would have thought she needed a decision to break off Victoire and Elisabeth.

‘That’s why I’m revealing it.’

But already, as soon as she got to the house, she was attacked by Dylan and learned the whole truth.

Elisabeth recalled the reaction a 12-year-old child might have at this time.

Should she cry in shock? Or be surprised?

‘What was the 12-year old Emilie like? What if you live happily in such a nice house and find out that you were just a tool for revenge?’

Baroness Terran looked at the stiff Elisabeth then said as if looking like she knew it.

“We are actually from a family that was unjustly destroyed by the conspiracy of the Cabezos. You don’t know, but your Cabezo blood has done a lot of wrongs since the beginning of the bloodline. Now we’ll fix it.”

Elisabeth did not just know. Rather, she knew it too well. She had looked up a lot of records.

When the Leschine family collapsed, the only people who survived were the young Victoire and Baroness Terran.

All of the well-known people were killed.

“You were also from the Cabezo family, so you know about the magic stone right? The half-divided needs the blood of the Leschine family and the blood of the Cabezo family to become one. Our family will avenge the Cabezo family by using the united Heart of Olga. And you’re nothing but just ‘blood’.”

“…..”

“My younger brother, Victoire, needed your blood, that’s why he adopted you.”

Elisabeth looked at Baroness Terran with a stiff face. Her face was flushed with emotion as she spoke. Looking at the face, Elisabeth calmed down on the contrary.

There was guilt somewhere on the vengeful face of Baroness Terran.

“Then who will be sacrificed in the Leschine family?”

Elisabeth asked. The voice, which seemed innocent of a child and sharp of an adult, distorted the face of Baroness Terran’s face with embarrassment.

It was an unexpected question. Baroness Teran thought that by now Elisabeth would run out crying. Or even shout out that she’s lying.

However, Elisabeth was asking again and again.

Who would you sacrifice if I were to be sacrificed on behalf of the Cabezo family?

“That… it’s not decided yet. Victoire may try to sacrifice himself, and Damon may try to sacrifice himself. Dylan isn’t as enthusiastic in revenge as we are, but he’s willing to sacrifice for his family.”

“The Baroness is also willing to sacrifice herself, aren’t you?”

Baroness Terran’s eyes widened.