Chapter 19
There is nothing you can’t do.
If you can’t, you just don’t have enough money and power!
“Are you sure you can’t?”
“Yes, it can’t.”
Damn, my lack of money and power is at fault.
“Aaaaah…”
Seeing her frustration, Empress Ageni gave her a worried look.
“Is something wrong? Is someone bullying you or something?”
The world is bullying her.
“No, nothing is wrong.”
Your son is the problem.
“I’m glad you seem to be doing well.”
In the eyes of the higher power, it looks like we’re doing just fine.
This is why we’re adults.
A gathering of children was not something to be looked down upon. Except for the crown prince’s group, they were the ones who kept their secrets and bickering to themselves.
‘None of this has anything to do with me.’
She was excluded from it all.
Excluded was the right word.
She was going to die anyway.
“Any other requests?”
“…”
She had a question. Should she ask?
Empress Ageni smiled and nodded before she could ask.
“Your Majesty’s. Why did you bring me to this meeting?”
She may be Halbern’s only blood, but she’s no genius, and it’s doubtful she’ll ever carry on the family name. Was there a reason she had to include her?
The Empress’s eyes narrowed as I put the question to her. Then she laughed softly.
“That’s…”
“?”
***
The collection meeting continues today.
It’s only twice a week, but why does it seem so frequent?
It seems like every day is a meeting.
Due to the aftermath of her sunfish body, she was laid up for at least two days at a time and felt like time was passing quickly.
So far, she’s been attending consistently, but She’s reached her limit.
‘I’m here for the first row of intuition.’
She didn’t want to be the center of attention, did she?
“No, why are you still interested?”
What she thought was a passing curiosity, Pession’s interest has been sustained for far too long.
Why?
She couldn’t understand why he was still so kind to her, even though she’d put up such an iron wall.
It’s annoying. She’s tired.
‘This is why I wanted to leave the playdate.’
Empress, that’s a no.
Empress Ageni’s answer to the question of why she included her in the group was simple.
“It’s a secret.”
If you’re going to say that, at least set the mood! She was pissed off, but being a thug, she couldn’t protest.
‘You seemed to have a better reason.’
A hint of longing in his eyes.
She was puzzled by the way she seemed to see something else through her.
Was there something… between the Archduke of Halbern and Empress Ageni? Was she finally going to figure something out?
“No.”
She don’t want to get involved in this world-class soap opera.
‘I’ll watch, but I don’t want to be involved.’
She just wants to chew popcorn and watch!
The five dukes, the so-called “five pillars of the empire,” were supposed to be included in the collection.
It’s just her, Lord Mubisk, and the Sperom twins.
‘Why is Halbern a fifth duke?’
It’s a title she doesn’t deserve.
“I want to be alone. Please log everyone out.”
That was it.
“Aah!”
“Target found!”
She had suddenly become a target.
The hoodlums who had targeted me were grey-haired, golden-eyed, gorgeous boys.
They looked like, ah, they couldn’t possibly be extras.
“Arellirin.”
“Arellelin.”
For the record, her name is Arellin.
Sperom’s twin burst out of nowhere and surrounded her in an instant.
“Arellelin, you’re early today, aren’t you?”
“Earlier than Your Highness!”
“Later than us!”
“It’s us!”
Mate!
The twins high-fived.
You guys are so cheerful.
“Why is Arellirin early?”
“She’s half an hour early.”
She’s here to see the Empress.
But there was no straightforward explanation between us.
The twins followed her closely, even as she tried to ignore them.
“Arellirin.”
“Arelliriiiin.”
If she ignored them, she would have walked away in frustration, but what is this tension?
The Lesser Demons of Sperom, indeed. It’s not infamous for nothing.
“Allerilinn~!”
She had no choice but to confront them, as they would follow her until she dealt with them.
How does she know? She’s been there.
‘They did that to me all last week.’
Shuddered at the memory of the whole ordeal.
“What are you thinking, Arellirin?”
One of the twins shook his head. His name was…
“What’s your name again?”
“Arelliririn, don’t you know our names?”
“…”
Sorry. There you go.
She always call them Setro the Lesser Devil or the twins. They’re twins, so it’s hard to tell who’s who.
As she hesitated, the twins shouted out.
“I’m Ciel!”
“I’m Noel!”
“Everyone calls us the angel twins.”
“…They must be demonic twins.”
The ultimate parenting challenge.
The twins are so fast just looking at them.
It felt a little strange to face the growing sprouts from a position of knowing the future from a novel.
“Arellirin. What’s my name?”
“Ciel.”
The older one, born five minutes earlier.
“Arellerin. And me?”
“Noel.”
The unfortunate one, born five minutes late. Noel nodded his head vigorously.
“Now you can’t forget our names, allerilin!”
“My name is Arellin.”
“Yes, Arellirin!”
“Now you call me by my proper name.”
“Yes, allerilin!”
“…”
She was forcibly renamed.
She has been trying to correct this behavior for the past week, but her attempts have been unsuccessful as the twins find it hilarious. Apparently they still enjoy it, right?
“Arellirin. Do you really fall down when you run? Can’t you show me?”
“…”
What do they think she falls down when she run? A circus show?
“I’ll give you this.”
“What is it?”
“My pocket money.”
What she pulled out of his hand was a single platinum coin. Money worth the same as a thousand gold coins.
“Put it away.”
She thought it might be Sperom. That’s what families give one or two in advance to avoid inheritance tax.
Indeed, Sperom is in control of all the wealth of the empire. Perhaps because of their different upbringing, the twins were very generous.
“This is very valuable.”
“Shall I put another one on it?”
No, maybe they’re just weird.
Maybe this Sperom is doomed. They failed the gacha draw.
“You could give me a hundred of those and I wouldn’t run, so keep them.”
“Hmm.”
“That’s too much.”
“You’re the one who’s too much.”
“Heeeee.”
Overtly, the twins looked sad.
Snowy white hair and golden eyes that shone as brightly as if they were made entirely of gold.
As was Pession, the twins were also stunningly beautiful.
If the crown prince was the crystallization of beauty that had descended upon the human world, these two were literally angelic in appearance.
‘One of the shells is actually intact.’
Don’t be fooled. The kernel is the devil.
Maybe she was looking too hard.
“What.”
“Arellirin.”
“Arellirin, did you fall in love with us?”
Noticing the emotion in her gaze, the twins were quick to respond.
“We’re pretty, aren’t we?”
“Cute, right? Aren’t we cute?”
“I’ll let you touch my eyelashes especially for you.”
“And I’ll let you touch my cheeks.”
It’s amazing how quickly they switch positions, as if they’re sleepy.
The twins laughed hysterically as they pressed their delicately sculpted faces together.
Ah, she remembered.
‘This is the pattern,’ She thought, ‘when the other blushes and gets embarrassed, you tease them to death.’
It was a truly evil thing to do, to use even your angelic face to pick on others. Even Satan in hell would be impressed.
“…”
“…”
“…?”
The twins shook their heads, probably because they weren’t getting the response they wanted.
She was indeed angelic and stunningly beautiful, but they’d seen enough of that.
It was a little too much to covet anew.
“?!”
The twins shook their heads, looked at each other, and then exchanged glances.
Their eyes sparkled as they looked back at me.
What was that sparkle of madness? Why, this premonition that life was going to be harder?
“Go away.”
I’m sorry, Pession. I’ve been wrong about you all this time.
She thought Pession was the most troublesome, but he’s not. Compared to the twins, the crown prince is a gentleman.
The crown prince can talk.
“Ah. Move, please.”
No matter how hard she pushed, her frail strength was not enough.
“No Arelliririn has ever been so cruel to us!”
“A ploy by Arellirin to get our attention?”
What?
“Arelliririn is cute!”
“Arellelin is cute!”
Not happy at all. Go away.
She tried to get away, but it was too much for her.
She wants to be strong, she always wanted to be strong…, but she wants to be strong.
Usually at this point, an unknown voice whispered to her, ‘Do you want strength?’
It was then.
“Hey, twins!”
BANG!
The door burst open, revealing Pession.
“Get away from Arellin!”
A stunned Pession immediately pulled her away from the twins and shielded her.
“Pession…!”
Is this the Prince Charming effect?
She swears on her name and honor, she’s never been happier to see Pession than she am now.
