IBYSRHML | Chapter 45

Episode 45

Cold water engulfed the three of us.

Our hair and clothes became soaked.

I flailed my arms as I suddenly fell into the water.

Edgar and Helen were the same, so we thrashed around entangled in each other in a fountain barely knee-deep.

I was the first to come to my senses.

Since I had dipped into seawater every chance I got in Trovancha, I was used to situations like this.

“Puhah!”

I exhaled and pushed away Edgar, who was clinging to my hem.

Then I grabbed the still-struggling Helen and pulled her up.

Edgar wiped his face with his hand to shake off the water. Helen…

“What is this?!”

Fuming at her soaked, mouse-like appearance, she glared at me in anger.

“H-He-Helen! Are you okay?”

Chris, who had followed us, was at a loss.

He looked around, about to run off to fetch an adult.

“Hey!”

I flicked water at Chris.

A few droplets hit him, and he blinked blankly.

“Huh?”

“It’s a water fight!”

I splashed even more water at the dazed Chris.

“Waaah!” Chris shut his eyes tight and shook his head.

Helen splashed water at me.

“Don’t bully our Chris!”

“Lilliana is my subordinate! Don’t touch her!”

Not one to lose, Edgar splashed water at Helen.

Then I dragged Chris into the fountain.

Splash!

Chris tumbled into the fountain and lost his balance again.

Floundering as he regained his footing, he stared at me, panting in shock.

Helen glanced anxiously at Chris, confused.

She looked like she was debating whether to get angry.

I flicked my fingers at Chris’s face, sending a droplet flying.

Chris bit his lip and glared at me.

“Chris. Are you oka—”

Before Helen could finish, Chris suddenly started splashing me with all his might.

So much water hit me I couldn’t even open my eyes.

Edgar joined in beside me, helping me splash Chris.

Then Helen helped Chris.

“Ahhh! Edgar, we can’t lose!”

“Helen! Let’s make sure we win!”

Caught up in the chaos of splashing water, our energy eventually ran out.

The four of us collapsed onto the fountain floor at the same time.

“Phew…”

My arms felt like they were about to fall off from all the water play.

It seemed the same for Edgar, Chris, and Helen.

We had started with revenge in mind, but somehow ended up just having a blast.

I met Helen’s eyes across from me.

She had started with her hair neatly braided with a ribbon, but now the ribbon was gone, and she looked like a soaked mouse.

I was probably the same.

Maybe that’s why just looking at each other made us giggle.

When Helen laughed, an even deeper laugh burst out of me too.

Edgar, sitting next to me, laughed like a fool, as if he was disappointed that the revenge had fizzled out.

“Heehee. Keh!”

While laughing, water went up my nose, making a weird sound.

That made Chris chuckle.

In the end, without anyone starting it, we all looked at each other and burst into laughter.

“Ahaha. Hahahaha!”

At that moment, maids far away spotted us and rushed over.

“Little Duke! Lady Lilliana!”

“Uh-oh… Let’s run!”

At my shout, the four of us scrambled out of the fountain and ran toward the garden.

Wet footprints were left behind, and water dripped from our clothes.

Delicious smells drifted from the banquet hall, and music could be heard.

Laughter filled with excitement burst out from the four of us as we ran.

Inside the garden, under a small patch of shade beneath some bushes, where the adults wouldn’t easily find us, we huddled close together.

“Where did they go? They definitely went this way.”

“Shh!”

Helen pressed a finger firmly to her lips in warning.

Flushed with excitement, Chris clamped his mouth shut.

Edgar and I wrinkled our noses, trying to hold in our laughter, but our shaking shoulders gave us away.

We had planned to take revenge and turn them into a donkey and servant, but our month-long plan had completely failed.

Still, it had been so much fun that it wasn’t a bad outcome at all.

“…If you learn the truth about me, you’ll come to hate me.”

Regina clutched her skirt tightly, hiding her trembling hands.

“What do you mean?”

“My ability.”

A red hue spread in Regina’s eyes.

Leopold couldn’t look away from the eyes burning with red.

It wasn’t because the light was beautiful or terrifying.

It was because it was ‘power.’ A power that captured attention, made the mind hazy, and induced unknowing obedience.

“Sit.”

Even though it was a light command, Leopold’s body staggered.

Thanks to years of training, Regina’s power didn’t fully affect his strong will.

“…Do you understand now?”

“Miss Regina…”

“My ability is mental domination. If I really use it, I could make you go into the banquet hall and do a tap dance alone.”

At the same time, the end of her past relationship flashed through Regina’s mind.

The shameful pain that came from the thought that this man would despise her too overwhelmed her.

Regina wanted to run away.

Because she liked Leopold, she had hidden her ability and lied to break up for the first time… but now, she wanted to be honest. She had to be.

As someone who had revealed her ability even to past boyfriends she didn’t love, Regina couldn’t hide anything from this innocent man.

Telling Leopold the truth and maintaining dignity was her way of confessing her love.

So when she saw Leopold’s stiffened expression, she bit down hard on the soft flesh of her cheek.

‘It’s okay…’

Even if many people criticized and despised her for her ability, she had a loving family.

People who shared her pain and angered on her behalf… people who would never abandon her no matter what.

So even if Leopold ended up hating her, the pain would only be temporary. She’d overcome it with time.

Regina watched as Leopold slowly opened his mouth.

He answered in a low voice.

“I already know.”

“…What?”

Regina couldn’t comprehend his words and thought she had misheard him.

He knew her ability? That made no sense.

“I’ve long known what your ability is, Miss Regina.”

“H-How…?”

“Do you think I went to Trovancha without any investigation? Miss Alice was already appointed as empress before we even entered Trovancha. Of course, the investigation on you was already complete.”

“You knew… and still liked me…”

Had she fallen into a delusion, afraid of being rejected?

When Regina visibly faltered, Leopold gently, and with the utmost courtesy, took her arms.

Looking into her eyes, he asked:

“Is that why you broke up with me?”

“…Don’t you think I might’ve manipulated your emotions with mental control?”

“I know that mental domination can’t make someone feel emotions. And although you said you could make me dance… your ability isn’t that strong, is it?”

“You knew…”

Regina couldn’t finish her sentence.

And neither could Leopold say anything more.

Because Regina sank to the ground and cried like a child.

“Lady Lilliana, today’s letters have arrived.”

“Mm?”

While Edgar and I were playing with blocks in our room, a maid brought in a bundle of letters.

That broke my concentration, and the tower I had been building collapsed.

“Ah!”

“I win. Forehead flick.”

“Ugh…”

I closed my eyes tightly, and Edgar flicked my forehead.

It hurt so much it felt like my forehead would crack.

“Just wait. I’ll win next time.”

I glared at Edgar and then checked the letters the maid had brought.

The one on top was from Helen Eldridge.

On the day of my eldest sister’s wedding, we had played in the garden behind the banquet hall, soaked to the skin, watching an ant nest.

Then I started coughing, and Edgar dragged me inside, forcing us to part ways.

I hadn’t gotten to say goodbye properly, so I was glad to get a letter today.

Without checking who the other letters were from, I opened Helen’s first.

“Can I come visit next week? If I get permission, Mother said she’d take me to the Imperial Palace tomorrow.”

Edgar, who was reading the letter beside me, had a strange expression on his face.

After replying with a definite yes, I checked the next letter—and screamed without meaning to.

“Waaahhh!”

“What?! What is it?! What’s wrong?!”

Startled by my scream, Edgar jumped up.

I hugged him tightly and bounced in place, overcome with excitement.

“Oh my gosh! Edgar! I’m so happy!”

“W-What kind of letter is it?”

“It’s from Antonio! Antonio! I got a letter from Antonio!”

“Antonio? Who’s that?”

“My friend! Kyaaa! Antoniooo!”

It had been about two months since I came to the empire, but unlike my sisters who got tons of letters from acquaintances, I hadn’t received a single one.

Not that I didn’t have friends.

I was close with everyone in the Lemon Class, Olive Class, Grape Class, and Pomegranate Class at the national kindergarten, but I hadn’t heard from any of them, which had made me sad.

But today, I finally got a letter from Trovancha too.

“Fffriend?”

Edgar gaped.

Then, looking displeased, he scowled at the letter envelope in my hand.