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Her head nodded on its own. Duke Spelman said with a sighing voice.
"From now on, just meet the Empress and Lady, be friendly with them, and do as Cherryna and Rosie tell you."
"......Yes."
"Give what they tell you to give, and take what they tell you to take. Can you do that?"
"Y-yes, I can."
"Good. And one more thing."
Duke Spelman's voice became strangely lower.
"You are a disgrace to the Spelman. I've repeatedly told you that your very existence is harmful to our family. Do you remember?"
"Yes, Father."
"So I told you not to appear in front of people and not to be friendly with anyone. Do you remember my words?"
"Yes, Father."
Her lips barely moved. Right now, I was terrified. I was gasping for breath, and tears welled up. Unable to take my eyes off Duke Spelman, I could only flutter like a butterfly caught in a spiderweb. Duke Spelman had made Evelyn that way.
"No matter what anyone says, you must not attend banquets or gatherings. Surely you're not thinking of continuing to disappoint this father and Augustine, are you?"
"N-no, I'm not."
I answered, subdued. This time, too, it wasn't my will.
Duke Spelman wasn't suspecting that I had become normal. He had come here to cut off all the sprouts from the beginning.
Because I seemed to be hindering his work, he was trying to completely block me off.
Evelyn had obediently listened to Duke Spelman's words all along, so he believed she would do so this time as well.
That man was terribly awful.
Tears flowed down without her realizing it.
Her whole body trembled. This poor girl had been completely alone all along. There hadn't been anyone to protect her. Perhaps it was fortunate that she had been an ignorant simpleton.
How could he do this to his own daughter? It wasn't for nothing that Cerden was being corrupted. Crazy bastard. Lousy bastard.
But outwardly, there was nothing I could do. Except obey.
Evelyn's soul was still subordinate to Duke Spelman.
* * *
Rozalina had witnessed all of it. She had left her seat for a moment and, on her way back, had overheard everything through the slightly open door.
The maids were inside, so there was no one to disturb her.
Instead of going home, Rozalina went to see Your Highness the Crown Prince. It was to report everything she had seen with her own eyes, along with the fact that Duke Spelman had visited today.
'That woman, she definitely seemed to be on Duke Spelman's side.'
She shouldn't be ignored just because she was a five-year-old child. A young beast was one of the things that made others lower their guard.
"You have something to say?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Cerden happened to be alone. Rozalina's smile bloomed even more brightly. Cerden smiled back at her as he looked at her face.
Rozalina's body relaxed.
"Tell me. If it's a story about the Lady, I should listen carefully."
Besides, Cerden clearly thought of Rozalina as special. So Rozalina had to act in a way that was befitting of that specialness. For the sake of the future.
Rozalina said.
"Duke Spelman came to see Your Highness."
"Ah, I heard."
"But the atmosphere seemed a bit strange."
"In what way?"
"It seemed like Duke Spelman was threatening Your Highness. It also seemed like he was giving some kind of instructions. Anyway, the atmosphere wasn't very good. It was also the first time I saw Your Highness so dejected. She even cried."
Cerden's lips tightened slightly.
He hadn't believed it from the moment the rumors started circulating that Duke Spelman was unusually protective of his sick daughter. That sly old fox?
The truth had been revealed.
'I knew it.'
In the end, it was highly likely that Evelyn was also a pitiful victim of Duke Spelman. Even if she had regained her sanity, she wouldn't have been able to show it. She would have had to be most careful of her viper-like father.
Poor woman.
Perhaps Cerden was Evelyn's only hope. That's why she was trying so hard, sending signals while committing such absurd acts.
Mortega, who had interpreted Cerden's expression in a different way, continued in a stiff voice.
"I think you should be careful of Your Highness, Your Highness. After all, it's said that the enemy within is the most frightening."
"Thank you, Lady."
"It's nothing... Who else would care for Your Highness if not me?"
"That's true. Lady, I have another meeting today, so I'll have to ask you to leave now."
"Ah, yes. I will."
Rozalina glanced at Cerden with a regretful look before leaving the office. And Cerden slowly got up.
It seemed like she was being threatened?
"She cried?"
Evelyn's brightly smiling face came to mind. Cerden's face hardened. If he went to see Evelyn now, she would act like a cornered mouse. He didn't know what kind of conversation had taken place while she was being threatened, but it wouldn't have been a pleasant one.
In this situation, if he appeared?
It was clear that Cerden would also be perceived as a threat.
After a moment of silence, Cerden called Mortega in.
"Tell Duke Roger to invite the Princess to dinner."
"Pardon?"
"Have the Princess invited to dinner. Can't you understand what I'm saying?"
"Ah, no, it's not that!"
Mortega rushed out again, and Cerden slumped back into his chair. Wouldn't he feel better if he was in a place where there was nothing threatening him, among harmless children?
Meeting friends when you're in a bad mood is helpful, after all.
Even if they were only three years old.
Besides, there was no need to calculate anything among children. He could relax a little. Duke Roger and his wife were good people, after all.
He had the thought that he wanted her to rest comfortably, even for a moment.
He was sincere to the point that he couldn't understand himself for having such a thought.
"Hoo."
Evelyn and Duke Spelman, and their relationship. Threats and obedience, and betrayal. Countless words swirled in his head.
Evelyn had left countless footprints in Cerden's heart.
* * *
After Duke Spelman left, Cherryna and Rosie became a little more emboldened.
"See! What did I tell you? I told you to listen to us!"
"I know, right? Lady, if you keep disobeying us, we're going to tell Duke Spelman!"
Listening to the words they were throwing at me while Rozalina was away was quite a sight. I let out a hollow laugh, but I couldn't reveal all my feelings in front of Duke Spelman's henchmen.
Now I understood. Duke Spelman was absolutely evil.
The moment I made even the slightest mistake, they would inform Duke Spelman of my transgressions, and after that, I could become a target too. Or... be used as a tool.
Once I was out of Duke Spelman's sight, I became normal again. That meant I could move and speak according to my own will.
How intense Duke Spelman's memory must have been. I gritted my teeth.
I won't be used anymore. I won't be threatened anymore.
I won't be put in that situation again. I will never do anything to please the devil!
I steadied my trembling body. And I glared at the swaggering Cherryna and Rosie.
"Then I'll tell my husband!"
Duke Spelman and Cerden were both threats to me. But Duke Spelman and Cerden were at odds with each other, so they were useful for threatening those maids.
Cherryna and Rosie flinched at my words.
I crossed my arms and turned my head away.
"I'm not friends with Cherryna and Rosie! Cherryna and Rosie are tattletales. Tattletales are bad friends. I can't be with friends like that."
"Ah, Lady!"
"According to what Duke Spelman said..."
These things. They don't understand. Duke Spelman is far away, and my husband is close. I jumped up from my seat.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to my husband. I'm going to tell my husband everything! Get out of my way!"
Cherryna and Rosie looked like they were going crazy. Actually, even if they weren't like that, I was planning to stay quiet for a while. Why am I acting like such an idiot? My goal is to live a long and healthy life.
If I was caught doing something wrong, that dream could be shattered in an instant.
What Duke Spelman wants is for me to build a friendship with the Empress and Lady and poison them. I can take cookies and meet them.
As long as poison doesn't enter their mouths.
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