Chapter 59

Chapter 59

“I greet the Little Ruler of the Empire. This humble one is called Lucy, a headmaid from the White Rose Mansion.…… I’ve brought the tea, young lady.”

“This one is Franc, the maid who will help you.”

Franc and Lucy rushed into the sunroom just on time pushing a trolley with a tea set. I was worried because we didn’t have enough time, but they managed to bring some snacks, cake, fruit jam, and scones.

‘You did well,’ I said to Franc with a slight smile through my eyes.

“…… You really don’t have any intention to go back to the Imperial Palace voluntarily?”

Following the entrance of Lucy and Franc, Lucas, who was drinking tea quietly, asked me.

He’s really persistent.

I nodded and said, “I’m a young child so I don’t have any business with the Imperial Family.”

“I wanted you to come voluntarily…….”

Lucas muttered with a slightly depressed tone as he pulled out a pink card from his pocket. Maybe it was sprinkled with some glitter or something because it was shining under the sun.

“This is……?”

He handed me the card and shook his head when I tried to give it to Wyndert.

“It’s yours.”

“It’s mine?”

As Lucas said, the recipient was indeed me and the sender is… Azuela, the Imperial Princess?

‘Azuela actually sent me a card?’

My body that had slightly relaxed due to the sunlight suddenly froze, and the weakened barriers that were shaken by Lucas’ appearance became reinforced once again.

‘How could you give me a card from Azuela?’

Lucas of course knows nothing – how Azuela harassed Shuelina, and how she (Azuela) framed her (Shuelina) in the original. But still, I felt betrayed.

I thought I didn’t expect anything from Lucas, but it seems like I was more shaken by his appearance than I thought – after witnessing his lips that spoke the magic words ‘my little sister’, and his sad eyes that were trying to appeal to me I let my guard down.

“Meoow?”

Miya cried out and squirmed in my arms as if listening to the erratic beating of my heart. I read the contents of the card as I petted Miya’s head.

[We are inviting you to attend the New Year’s Imperial Ball.]

The golden phrases written on the smooth pink stationery looked gorgeous; it seemed very elegant and cute carrying the scent of flowers, but the positive impression all faded away with the sender’s name.

“Is something wrong Shushu? Your face is pale.”

My complexion turned pale when I looked at the card so Deleign tugged at my sleeve, wondering why.

“Inviting us to the New Year’s Ball…… was the Imperial Princess.”

Wyndert’s face quickly went blank at my words. Both my brothers knew that Azuela was the one who was depriving me of my own power, and they looked at the card as if they would pierce it with their glares.

“It’s not actually an invitation from that kid; I didn’t come here just to do her a favor.”

Lucas unexpectedly doesn’t have any good feelings for Azuela. I’m sure that in the original novel, he definitely loved Azuela blindly.

‘The newspapers also say that about the Imperial Family – that Azuela is loved by everyone……’

But at least right now, Lucas didn’t seem to be talking about his ‘extremely beloved’ little sister, because his voice was stiff.

“It was Father Emperor. But you’re still young… so he invited you to her children’s party.”

At my age, I can’t go to social gatherings so I guess, it meant they were inviting me to Azuela’s party; then it seemed that I can breathe a little, but I still have my resentment at the back of my mind.

All I could think of was that he (maybe pertaining to her biological father) is indifferent, although I know he knows nothing.

“It’s an Imperial Order, you’re coming with me to the Imperial Capital.”

Lucas made a decision on his own before I could even disagree saying that he will be indebted to the Grand Duke.

An imperial order is an imperial order so I have no choice but to listen… but that’s a little bit unfair.

“Shushu.”

I heard the Grand Duke’s low voice as I clenched my fists. When I turned my head around, he was standing in the entrance of the sunroom with Edgar, the butler.

“I am Christa Herod Schwein de Vaillot. We met many times when you’re still young but you’ve grown up a lot now.” (T/N: I don’t know why y’all need long names when all I can remember is, he is the ‘Grand Duke’ lmao)

The Grand Duke approached Lucas with a gentle greeting as Edgar followed after him and bowed quietly.

“Grand Duke – I have vague memories of you.”

For the first time today, Lucas spoke up for himself, maybe because the position of the Grand Duke was as good as the Crown Prince’s position.

“Shushu, sweetheart, you don’t look very happy.”

Hearing the talk between us, the Grand Duke’s face was creased with concern

“Of course as you know Your Grace, the Grand Duke has the right not to attend the New Year’s celebration because of the annual subjugation.”

“Dad….”

The Grand Duke then sat beside me taking the card, and it seemed as if he would decline it.

‘It’s about to be trouble, Dad’s eyes….’ It seemed like the Grand Duke’s anger went to his head.

When I called the Grand Duke, Lucas’ eyes were shaking like a storm, hearing the words I had called the Grand Duke.

“Da-, you said Dad….”

It seemed like Lucas was very shocked at the words I said in front of his face.

‘By all means, would I call the Emperor Dad?’

He is nothing to me now – he was forced to call me a princess and he seems to have little hopes about me.

“Shushu, tell me now if you want to refuse. Daddy will take care of it.”

In a tone very sure that I will refuse, the Grand Duke whispered to me.

‘I didn’t expect to meet Azuela already.’

I went against the original novel and went to the Grand Duke, but the meeting with Azuela has come up so quickly. We originally met just before the coming-of-age ceremony….

‘Is it alright to proceed like this?’

I bit my lip and pondered as usual.

It was already a well known fact that Azuela and the Empress were monitoring and manipulating Shuelina’s life for a long time in the original story, but to actually meet them….

Maybe a lot of things will change if we actually meet, and I think I will lose myself again.

“Your lips will hurt, it’s better for you to bite on this.”

The Grand Duke’s finger touched my lips. He meant it would be better for me to bite on his finger than to hurt my lips. (T/N: eiii~~~)

“Ah, no!” I profusely shook my head and pushed his finger away.

Come to think of it, we were still in front of Lucas, and even though I am still young, I still need to consider the Grand Duke’s image.

“Are you thinking of accepting the invitation?”

The Grand Duke looked at me, including Wyndert, Deleign, Lucy and Franc – everyone in the sunroom was waiting for me to make a decision.

Lucas was even calm, though he will likely be scolded for being ruthless and using the Imperial Order as a means to take me there.

“I….”

I felt an instinctive fear at the mere thought of meeting Azuela. It was only a one-sided relationship in the original, Azuela and Shuelina had the dynamic of being a predator and her prey. If she wanted it, she would do anything to take everything away from Shuelina unilaterally.

‘No, not like a predator!’

With that in mind, I shook my head as I looked into the eyes of the Grand Duke, who was still angry. If she was like a predator, I would have just been robbed of my abilities. Azuela and the Empress – they were nothing but invaders who robbed Shuelina of her entire life.

‘After all, the Emperor was the one who called me so I don’t have to worry about bumping into Azuela.’

The time has come to overcome my fear, especially if we will meet frequently. From the moment I entered the Grand Duke’s mansion, I was fighting with the Empress. Now, I won’t be meekly submitting myself to her so she can deprive me of my spiritual power and let her ruin my life as she wants.

‘I think it would be better to be wary as to why the Emperor called for me.’

The Emperor even issued an edict seeking me and like Lucas, he wants me to be recognized as part of the Imperial Family. He also sent his son, the Crown Prince, to personally invite me to the Imperial Palace. I doubted the fact that he was up to something good because I knew about ‘my’ hardships in the original novel.

However, we are already caught in a fight, and I won’t avoid it just because I am afraid.

“I will go. I want to go.”

The Grand Duke smiled softly as he looked at my determined expression.

“I see. I can’t let a child go alone, so is it possible for parents to attend together?”

“…… Of course.”

Lucas nodded at the Grand Duke’s question, then he looked at me as if examining the determined expression on my face.

Well from his point of view, he wouldn’t understand why I had such a determined expression on my face – because he doesn’t know how much I was exploited and tortured by the Empress.

“Don’t worry, I will make sure that there will be no evildoers who will touch her in the Imperial Palace.”

Lucas spoke with bravado not knowing that the truly wicked one was his half-younger-sister.

I got up from my seat as I held onto my fading smile.

“My apologies, Your Highness, it is time for my nap.”

My heap was spinning like crazy and I was dizzy, so I decided to run away from this place and rest.

I had a set time for napping as I was still young; these days, I haven’t been able to do that but because I’m only six years old, it would still be a good excuse.

“Do you want oppa to take you (to your room)?” Wyndert got up from his seat at the same time and asked me.

“Then I’ll also go and rest.”

Before I could shake my head, Lucas got up, cutting the conversation off, as if there was nothing to see here if I am not present.

“The butler will show you the room you will be staying in. Edgar.”

As the Grand Duke instructed Edgar, he took me in his arms.

Edgar and Lucas parted with us to go to the annex, and we parted to go to my room.

The Grand Duke looked like he was thinking about something, then told everyone following us, “Remember what happened today. I will never forgive you if it leaks outside.”

“We will do as you command, my lord.”

“And Wyndy, you will go to the New Year’s Eve together (with Shuelina).”

Wyndert’s face lit up at the Grand Duke’s words. I actually wanted to go to the party with him, but I couldn’t ask him because we were in front of Lucas.

“Father, what about me? I want to go too!”

“I had no intention of sending a child to the New Year’s Eve celebration if Shushu didn’t want it. You are too young, so stay at home.”

“There, there’s no such thing! My brother is going!”

“I am Shushu’s escort.”

The Grand Duke did not budge at Deleign’s protest. After all, Deleign was still young so he had no reason to go and we had no reason to take him. That made Wyndert look a little more excited because he can go with me.

“Lucy, prepare more luxurious luggage than the princess. I will never see my child lose when it comes to material things.”

“Okay, Master. We have to prove that our lady is the loveliest and happiest young lady across the country.”

Lucy’s eyes lit up.

Seeing Lucy fired up like a general going out to overthrow the enemy, I was a little stunned.