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Evelyn blinked. And then Roderick, the precocious six-year-old who was currently engrossed in the fun of studying, joined the conversation.
“The word ‘great’ means really amazing. It might be difficult for Evelyn, who is only five years old, to understand.”
Roderick explained intelligently.
Evelyn pinched her thigh hard. She had to endure being taught by a six-year-old at this age. Evelyn worked hard to manage her expression.
“Ask me if there’s anything difficult in the future, okay?”
“Thank you, Brother!”
And Lia, who had looked at all the toys, dolls, and fairy tales, made a significant decision.
“Now, sister Evelyn is Lia’s fwiend!”
“Friend?”
“I’ll allow it! Fwiends play togethew often! You can come to Lia’s house to play, too!”
Lia said, sticking out her plump belly. Her expression was proud and dignified. It was as if she had finally met her match.
“I’ll show you my toys and dolls, too! I have a dollhouse, too! Now, sister Evelyn has to be fwiends with only me. Because we are best fwiends!”
Evelyn’s shoulders drooped. Now that she had made a six-year-old older brother and a three-year-old best friend, there was only one thought in her mind.
‘Ha… I’d rather die.’
* * *
Cerden had intentionally called Duchess Roger, Lia, and Roderick in, of course. To see Evelyn’s reaction.
After the banquet, Cerden had become somewhat certain about Evelyn’s identity. Now, all that was left was to verify it and draw her out from within.
The problem was that Evelyn had more patience than he thought.
Every time he thought of Evelyn being declared best friends by a three-year-old, a chuckle leaked out.
“Your Highness, the Crown Prince?”
Mortega called him, startled.
They were currently discussing the reorganization of troops. The war had ended for the time being, but it was still a powder keg on the verge of exploding. It was a situation where it was not known when the fire would ignite again.
Now was the time to refine the power and think about the next step.
Therefore, a meeting with the nobles guarding the border was scheduled for a week later, and they were holding a preliminary meeting before that.
To suddenly laugh foolishly during such an important meeting.
Not only Mortega but also Duke Roger’s embarrassed gaze was directed at Cerden.
“Ah. I’m sorry. It would be better to take a break and have the meeting.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
People got up from their seats and left the office. Duke Roger took the lead in sending people out. And when they were left alone, Duke Roger sat back down.
“What’s wrong?”
“You… have changed.”
“Me?”
Cerden tilted his head.
“You seem to have lost weight.”
Even after returning from the battlefield, he had not missed training despite the heavy workload. Cerden had always treated himself like a sharply honed sword. So that it would never rust.
There had been two invasions by Assassins since he returned.
Dimitri, who had heard about it, muttered.
“It’s not that kind of thing. You’re smiling now.”
“You’re talking like I never smiled.”
“I mean it’s not that smile that’s worse than not smiling! What on earth are you thinking… As expected, you were thinking about Her Highness, the Crown Princess?”
Cerden made a strange expression. Then he touched his face. Thinking about Evelyn made him laugh a little absurdly. Thinking about how Evelyn was acting so naturally, he couldn’t help but find it funny.
Cerden was planning to clash endlessly in order to draw out her essence, but Evelyn wouldn’t back down easily either.
He didn’t know how far this battle would go, but he was thinking of it as a fun fight anyway. Duke Roger sighed, taking in Cerden’s expression.
“If only Her Highness had been of sound mind…”
“Then?”
“I was thinking that you might have had someone to lean on. It’s a really unfortunate thing.”
“Even though Evelyn is Duke Spelman’s daughter?”
The Spelman family was the biggest political rival. Moreover, they were also famous for using ruthless and cruel methods. The servant who was presumed to have planted the bomb was found dead in the river a while ago.
They had disposed of it without leaving a trace.
Evelyn was Spelman’s only daughter. That’s why she could become the Crown Princess.
Duke Roger smiled bitterly.
“Even so, it can be a comfort. People’s hearts don’t always work the way they want.”
Cerden smiled coldly. There was nothing that didn’t work the way he wanted. Everything was under Cerden’s control. That was the same with his heart.
What he was enjoying now was the fight with Evelyn, not her itself.
So there was nothing to worry about.
“It’s a pointless thought. You’re thinking too deeply.”
Dimitri stared at Cerden with pitiful eyes. His arrogant and beautiful friend was still overconfident in his own heart. He didn’t even know that the heart moves without warning.
‘You stupid bastard.’
Dimitri sighed once again. It seemed that his friend’s happiness was still far away.
* * *
Duke Spelman came to see me. This time, it was another unilateral visit without prior notice, but Cherryna and Rosie greeted Duke Spelman without any fuss. Their master was still Duke Spelman, not me or the Imperial Palace.
Duke Spelman drank tea with a gentle face.
Rosie and Cherryna had left the room, but Rozalina was stubbornly staying in her seat. I only blinked until Duke Spelman had finished all the tea.
Could it be? Did he come because of what happened a while ago? Did he find out that I was back to normal?
My heart sank, and Duke Spelman opened his mouth.
“I came myself because it seems you have forgotten the education you received from Spelman, Evelyn.”
Education?
At those words, my blood ran cold.
“I thought you would remember what you learned repeatedly, even if your mind is young. It’s my fault. I overlooked the fact that you are more foolish than I judged.”
Duke Spelman sighed softly. At that moment, my body began to tremble regardless of my will. It was a reaction engraved in my soul and body. Seeing Duke Spelman, I suddenly became breathless.
What the hell is this…? What did you do to me?
Things I never wanted to know crawled out of my memory. Duke Spelman continued to speak calmly.
“Don’t think that my hand can’t reach you just because you came here, Evelyn. What kind of punishment did you receive if you didn’t listen to my orders?”
At those words, my lips moved on their own.
“I, I have to be locked in the closet and starve for three days.”
Anxious eyes searched here and there. My lips trembled. I wished someone would save me. That thought grew stronger.
Locked in a closet and starved for three days?
He did that to his own daughter? Moreover, Evelyn had only about five years old intelligence. My lips trembled.
When I turned to Rozalina, I could see her fidgeting, probably because she sensed that something was wrong with me, even though she couldn’t hear the conversation.
“Evelyn. You have to look at me.”
My head turned on its own.
“What if you still don’t listen to me?”
Duke Spelman continued with a gentle smile. Then, again, my lips moved regardless of my will.
“I get locked in a smaller closet for three days.”
“Yes, that’s right. You still remember well, Evelyn. But I don’t know why you keep disobeying me.”
Duke Spelman said with a look of regret.
What the hell did you do to a child, you crazy bastard. I thought that Duke Spelman had treated his sick daughter humanely, but that wasn’t the case.
He imprinted fear on her like he would do to an animal and made her do as he pleased. I felt like I knew why Evelyn moved like a puppet of Duke Spelman in the novel. I felt suffocated.
How could he do that to his own daughter?
It was unbelievable, but it was reality. The fear of being trapped in a dark closet was slowly rising in my head. It gnawed at me as if those memories were mine.
Evelyn’s love and clinging to her father was an effort to be loved. To be loved, not to be scolded, not to be locked up…
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