‘Anyway, why does my heart react to this guy’s eyes like that…?’
Honestly, this isn’t my fault. Erich is the one smiling foolishly with that face.
‘He used to always have a stiff expression, so what on earth has changed…?’
As I thought that and glanced at him absentmindedly, our eyes met.
At that moment, I stood up.
‘I need to get out of here.’
Now that my business was done, there was no reason to face that man any longer.
“Well then, I’ll be on my way.”
Just then, I heard a knock.
“Madam, are you still here? If it’s alright, may I come in?”
Hearing Landon’s voice from outside, I opened my mouth.
“Come in.”
Landon opened the door and stepped inside.
“I apologize if I interrupted your conversation.”
“No, it’s fine. I was just about to finish and return to my room. What’s the matter?”
At my question, Landon spoke cautiously.
“It’s just that a messenger from the palace has arrived, and he asked me to deliver this letter to you. If you’d like to respond, I can pass it on to the messenger.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Receiving the letter, I broke the seal and examined its contents.
[Cornelia, I have something urgent to say, so come to the palace tomorrow.
P.S.: The Marquis Philippe praised my grandson, saying he is very cute and clever.
I haven’t seen his face until now, which is a bit disappointing.
If possible, bring Demian along as well.]
The postscript was longer than the main content of the letter.
Moreover, for some reason, the tone, which was usually majestic and dignified, felt somewhat lighter.
As I read the letter, I sighed.
‘Well, now that I’ve made a contract with Erich, it’s time to reveal my identity to Demian.’
I then spoke up.
“Tell the messenger that I will do as written in the letter.”
After Landon left, I turned to Erich.
“Well then, I’ll go see Demian.”
Just as I was about to head outside—
“Wait a moment.”
He grabbed my sleeve.
“What is it?”
I replied gruffly, and he opened his mouth.
“I would like to accompany you tomorrow.”
Just as I was about to say it was unnecessary, I realized something.
‘Ah, Sardin isn’t by my side right now.’
Of course, Janet was there, but given her status, she couldn’t possibly protect me from the Empress or Fritz’s tyranny.
“Alright.”
Nodding obediently, he smiled brightly.
Once again, I felt a strange sensation.
‘That damn man, can’t he stop smiling for a moment!’
I hardened my expression and quickly left the place.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
Erich, watching Cornelia’s back, wore a bitter expression.
‘No matter how much she dislikes me, to harden her face like that…’
Feeling frustrated, Erich let out a sigh but soon managed a smile.
‘It’s been a long time since we’ve had such a lengthy conversation.’
Although most of the conversation revolved around the contract, it was still nice.
‘Thanks to that, I got to see her clumsy side too.’
Erich’s eyes, which had momentarily softened, returned to their usual sharpness.
He sensed someone approaching quickly.
“Your Grace.”
At the sight of his subordinate Heit, appearing in the reception room, Erich asked coldly.
“What is it?”
“The Grand Duke is moving faster than expected. Sardin is scheduled to escape today.”
Erich nodded in response.
“Inform Marquis Philippe immediately and proceed as planned.”
“Understood!”
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
As soon as I returned to my room, my child greeted me.
“Mom! Are you done talking with dad?”
“Uh, yes. But, Demi, I have something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
Demian tilted his head, looking at me with a puzzled expression.
Honestly, I couldn’t help but worry.
No matter how young he was, it was true that I had lied to my child.
How should I start this conversation with him? That thought occupied me for a moment.
‘Right, I can’t hide it forever. So, I should tell my child the truth.’
I sat Demian down in front of me.
“Demian, what’s your name?”
“Demian Herde.”
I shook my head at the child’s straightforward answer.
“Actually, your last name isn’t Herde. It’s… Blant.”
I braced myself to say it, but the child, perhaps not fully understanding at his young age, nodded along.
“Oh, I see! So Dad is really my dad!”
“That’s right.”
I nodded, and for a moment, he looked happy.
But then he looked at me uncertainly and asked.
“Then… can I call him Dad now?”
Seeing the dejected look on his face felt like a squeeze in my chest.
And then I realized my mistake.
‘I was selfish.’
The one who didn’t want him to be part of the family was ‘me.’
I had hoped that my child would also reject him alongside me.
And out of fear that my child might leave me, I forced the child to stay with me.
‘At least when he calls him Dad, I shouldn’t have made him feel guilty…’
That regret lingered for a moment.
“Mom, I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”
Seeing my child blame himself, I quickly shook my head.
“No, Demian, you did nothing wrong. It’s actually me who has been bad all this time. I’m sorry.”
If it were a typical child, they would have just nodded at my apology.
However, my child was more perceptive than others his age.
“No, Mom, you’re not bad! So don’t cry! Stop!”
At that lovely reassurance, I couldn’t help but let the tears I had been holding back fall.
“My son, I love you. I’ll do better from now on. And… you can now call your dad, Dad.”
At my words, the child smiled brightly and replied.
“Yes!”
As he wiped away my tears with his small hands, I spoke calmly.
“And you have a grandfather, too.”
At this, Demian’s eyes sparkled.
“Wow! Who’s my grandfather?”
“He is the Emperor of this country.”
Demian then giggled and said.
“Then I’m a prince, right?”
“Not a prince, but a royal grandson.”
“Oh, right! A grandson is a royal grandson! So, since the Emperor is Mom’s dad, that means Mom is… a princess!”
“That’s right.”
As I acknowledged it, Demian looked at me intently.
I worried he might call me a liar, but instead, he gave me a warm smile like sunshine.
“Hehe, my mom was a princess!”
I stared at him in a daze before breaking into a smile.
‘Ah, I see. My child’s smile is just like… him.’
For some reason, every time I see Erich’s smile, I feel a strange sensation. I guess it was because he resembled the child I loved the most in the world.
“Yes. That’s why I’ve been feeling this way.”
For a moment, I realized the reason my heart was pounding.
“My mom is a princess!”
I said to Demi, who was jumping around.
“Shall we go meet your grandfather tomorrow?”
At this, Demian’s eyes sparkled as he jumped up and down.
“Yes!”
I smiled as I watched his happy expression, but soon my smile turned into a bitter one.
For now, he will be with me since he’s still young, but when he grows up, my child will face a crossroads.
‘When that time comes, I might have to let him go…’
Just then, the child called out to me.
“Mom!”
Looking at him, Demian said with his usual sunny smile.
“Mom, I’m so happy to have a dad and a grandfather! And I’m happy that mom is a princess! I’ll be treated well from now on!”
“You like that Mom is a princess?”
“Yes!”
“But Mom lied to you, didn’t she?”
When I asked with a trembling voice, the child nodded.
“Yes, but I’m so happy that Mom is with me! I love you the most in the world!”
His lovely answer made all my worries fade away.
“Thank you.”
I hugged my child while crying and laughing at the same time.
☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓 ☪︎ ִ ࣪𖤐 𐦍 ☾𖤓
“So, that barbarian attacked Robert and escaped?”
At Reinhardt’s question, the subordinate nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Hmph, things are going smoothly, it seems.”
Hoping that the barbarian would soon attack Cornelia, Reinhardt waited for news.
How much time had passed?
One of his subordinates, pale and out of breath, rushed in.
“Something big has happened!”
“What’s going on?”
Reinhardt’s expression darkened at his subordinate’s words.
The fact that something big had happened meant that things had not gone according to plan.
“W-Well, Karon went to the palace and tried to kill the Crown Prince, but he was killed on the spot!”
“What? How did a dead man go there?”
“It was definitely Karon. And… It seems he took the bad dream.”
At that, Reinhardt furrowed his brow.
‘How could that fool take the drug meant for the barbarian…’
Soon, one conclusion came to Reinhardt’s mind.
‘Robert, that bastard, did he deceive me?’
Reinhardt then asked his subordinate.
“What about that barbarian?”
“We searched the nearby area, but we couldn’t find him.”
“And Robert?”
“Robert is also said to be missing. Even his family doesn’t appear to be within the palace…”
Furious at being toyed with by a mere pawn, Reinhardt’s face twisted in anger and shouted.
“Damn it, find him at once! And that barbarian too!”
