CH 72

A bright voice came from behind. Without even looking back, Keira could recognize the owner of the voice.

There was only one woman in the house who could speak to Keira.

Sure enough, when Keira looked back, Cosette was approaching her with her distinctive bright smile.

Keira: “I’m taking a break from sword training.”

Cosette: “Wow, I heard you’re a knight, and it’s true! How cool.”

Why was this girl pretending to be friends again?

Keira looked at her with cold eyes. Cosette was wearing a thin purple dress, perhaps because she was staying indoors. So most likely, it wasn’t a coincidence that she ran into me.

Cosette must have seen Keira through a window and intentionally approached her.

Keira looked around and saw that a maid didn’t accompany Cosette.

The situation made Keira feel a sense of deja vu.

Keira: “I want to rest, so can you go? Talking wastes energy.”

Keira wouldn’t have hated Cosette so much if she followed what she said when she was still speaking nicely.

As expected, Cosette smiled slyly and said.

Cosette: “Hey, why are you being so cold? We’re the same age! Just be comfortable with me. I want to be friends with you.”

“…”

This was defintely deja vu.

Keira’s expression gradually grew colder.

Cosette: “Y-you, why are you making that face? Do you do that to other people?”

Cosette said so with tears in her eyes, looking like she was hurt.

However, Keira has suffered too much to fall for such a performance. She got up from the bench and spoke coldly.

“I want to relax, so please leave.”

Looking despondent, Cosette tilted her head.

Cosette: “Is it because… you’re not Father’s real daughter?”

“…”

Hearing what Cosette just said, Keira was certain the feeling of deja vu was not just an illusion.

As Keira was wondering how to wrap things up, the atmosphere suddenly froze. But Cosette didn’t care at all and continued to speak innocently.

Cosette: “But I don’t care about that at all… It’s not your fault that you were a product of infidelity! I really don’t care. It’s your mother’s fault, not yours, hmm?”

“The truth is, you were real.”

Keira could still vividly hear that voice, but how could Cosette act so shamelessly?

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Instead of bursting out of anger as before, Keira looked as if she felt terrible for Cosette.

Keira: “Oh my God, seeing you say that means they’re really deceiving you, aren’t they?”

Cosette: “What?”

Keira: “Now I’m wondering what Count Weinberg said to make you believe you’re the Grand Duke’s real daughter.”

An eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth. Keira agreed to throw back what Cosette said to her. After all, she couldn’t just stand there after she insulted her like that.

Keira: “But you’re just being deceived by him… Personally, I don’t think you’re a bad kid. It’s not your fault that you were born with a face he could use, right? What can you do? You were born that way.”

Keira emphasized the phrase ‘that way.’ One would wonder if she meant it was unfortunate that the Cosette resembled Ludwig or that others easily deceived her.

Keira: “Even if the truth is revealed and you’re punished, I’ll talk to His Grace and the Imperial family. You were just deceived, so I’ll ask for a more lenient punishment.”

Cosette: “That’s what I was going to say.”

At that moment, for the first time, Cosette’s smile cracked. There was a certain edge to her voice, quite different from the usual soft and gentle way she spoke.

Cosette: “Look in the mirror. You don’t look like Father at all! On the other hand, I look just like him! Anyone can tell I’m the real daughter.”

Keira: “Yes, and the Count must have chosen you because of your face.”

A tool to achieve their own goals.

When Keira didn’t react violently, Cosette secretly bit her lips.

How… How could she not be agitated even once? She acted as if she had reliable evidence.

It was absurd. There wasn’t any evidence unless someone manifested their skills. Cosette knew that in her heart, but it was hard not to imagine the impossible with the way Keira had acted.

‘It can’t be.’

Cosette was about to speak once more to arouse her anxiety.

“Miss Cosette! You’re here! I’m surprised you disappeared all of a sudden.”

Pale and frantic, Paula, Cosette’s temporary maid, ran up to them.

Paula: “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to go outside! I would have given you a coat… The weather is cold. Once inside, get dressed…”

Paula belatedly noticed Keira’s presence.

Paula: “Ah, Lady Keira[1] is here, too. I’m so sorry. I was so surprised that I didn’t see you.”

Keira: “No, it’s okay. It happens.”

After saying that, she turned her gaze back to Cosette.

Keira: “See, Paula was very worried. Next time, please don’t do anything to surprise the maids.”

It was so soft that one couldn’t imagine that it was the voice of a person who was about to engage in a fierce battle of nerves until recently. If anyone heard it, they could mistakenly think that the two of them were really good friends.

Cosette tried to curl the corners of her mouth and soon smiled again.

Cosette: “I’m sorry, Paula. I was looking out the window and thought Keira seemed so cool with her sword training. I didn’t even tell you I was leaving.”

Paula: “No, what. You don’t have to apologize to me… I was just surprised at what happened.”

Saying so, Paula led Cosette into the house.

Cosette reluctantly let the maid drag her away. She probably couldn’t think of a reason to stay there.

Before entering the house, she glanced back. Keira’s eyes met hers.

A corner of Keira’s mouth tilted upwards.

Then, Cosette’s sneered. But she soon came to her senses and relaxed her face.

‘If you show your anger here, you’ll get pushed back.’

Cosette forced a smile so awkward that Keira burst into laughter without realizing it.

At that, Cosette’s smile cracked once more. Keira wanted to see more of her distorted expression, but unfortunately, Paula took her inside.

Rose and Emily chatted as they embroidered.

“I’m glad Her Ladyship is so determined. Honestly, I was worried at first.”

“That’s right. I was surprised at first…”

With Cosette’s arrival, Keira had to revise the family budget drastically. The chatter from both sides was quite disturbing.

But instead of telling them to be quiet, Keira replied indifferently.

Keira: “Hm, right?”

Emily: “Do you know how shocked I was? She looks just like the Grand Duke… Ah, I-I’m sorry.”

Emily realized her mistake and quickly shut her mouth. She even slapped her lips with her right hand.

Keira: “No, the resemblance is undeniable. So, Count Weinberg must have ‘chosen’ her.”

Emily “I-is it like that?”

While she was conversing with Emily, Rose’s gaze was looking out the window. Keira turned to where Rose was staring.

As she looked out the window from her seat, she could the familiar silver

hair wandering in the luxuriously decorated backyard garden.

Keira got up from her chair and walked over to Rosé and asked.

Keira: “What are you looking at?”

Rose jumped in surprise.

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Rose: “Ah, You surprised me. Lira was sitting there, so I was watching.”

As Rose said, Lira was sitting on the bench in the garden, rummaging through a book.

Keira couldn’t see what book she was reading since she was too distracted by the silver haired-woman approaching the maid.

Cosette sat next to Lira then chatted with her. The conversation between the two went on for quite some time.

Emily, who suddenly approached the window, raised her voice in disbelief.

Emily: “What the? What are you doing over there?”

She sounded betrayed. At first glance, the two girls outside the garden looked pretty friendly.

However, Keira watched the scene with a calm expression. She was well aware that Cosette worked hard to lure people in the house to her side in the past.

There was no reason to be surprised again. She could roughly guess what the two people were talking about.

Keira said nonchalantly.

Keira: “Cosette approached Lira first. From Lira’s perspective, she can’t exactly avoid the situation since she works in this house.”