Chapter 65

Chapter 65

I blinked as I wiped my hand across my cheek. Soft cream was smeared on my face. I looked down at the floor and found a chocolate cupcake with whipped cream on it, badly crumbled at my feet.

“Shu, Shushu. I didn’t ask you to come here… Ugh, why is she here?”

“Hey you, what on earth happened? Why is Shushu here? What on earth did you do?”

The person who threw the chocolate muffin at me, Deleign, carefully called out to me with a look of horror. Standing next to him, Wyndert started to scold Nina. While all of that was happening the Grand Duke… was standing there holding a piping bag with a blank look. His usual dignified appearance was nowhere to be found.

“Uh…”

I was also embarrassed as I was splattered with cream icing as soon as I opened the door, but there was an even more ridiculous scene in front of me.

‘My Dad and brothers were cooking?’

It’s something I never dared to imagine! Why on earth are they cooking together?

“Delicious…….”

Without thinking, I wiped off the cream with my hand and licked it, and it tasted very sweet and pleasant.

“Is it?”

I said it unconsciously, but unexpectedly, Deleign blushed and smiled.

“…was this by any chance, made by older brother?”

I asked cautiously, scanning the remains of other food that had been horribly smeared on Deleign’s apron. He nodded proudly.

‘What the hell is this…!’

I don’t think I am seeing anything wrong. It was true that these three rich men were standing here and cooking! The Grand Duke and my brothers had a disappointed look on their faces as I walked inside, step by step.

“This…….”

There was a big cake terribly covered with frosting in front of the Grand Duke. Bam, I was suddenly struck with enlightenment almost like I received a divine revelation!

‘This, this was made by the Grand Duke!’

A cold sweat ran down on my back in an instant.

I realized what day it is today as soon as I saw the cake – they are going to throw me a birthday party! It was clear that they were planning on throwing a surprise party, and that was why the Grand Duke was making a cake himself.

‘Ah… Dad really likes surprises…’

I took a glance at the Grand Duke. Usually, he wasn’t a person with a lot of expressions, but I could easily read his expression this time. The surprise was a failure and the cake was completely ruined.

“Oh, I’m h-hungry.”

I have always believed in my ability to cope with crises, but as of today, that didn’t work properly. In the end, the only answer I could think of was to look away and pretend I hadn’t noticed anything. Each of us inside the room has our eyes trembling because of the harsh reality in front of us.

“……W-would you like to eat th-this too?”

Wyndert presented a crispy, nicely-baked tart. It was a tart topped with figs, my favorite.

“Can I eat – wow! Thank you for the food!”

Can I eat this right now? Wasn’t it meant to be used at the party?

I almost asked that question but I immediately opened my mouth to eat it instead.

I was internally screaming, but I forced myself to pretend to be okay as I opened my mouth bigger.

(W) “A-alright, here.”

(S) “It’s delicious! Did older brother make this?”

(W) “Do you like it?”

(S) “Yes! It’s so delicious!”

I praised him with twinkling eyes, clasping my hands together, while happily shuffling my feet. Then Wyndert’s face, which had been slightly nervous, calmed down instantly.

“I, I made one too!”

Deleign showed his work with anxious, trembling eyes. There was a slightly better chocolate muffin among the messily made cupcakes. I deliberately pointed it out and overreacted.

“This! This is so pretty!”

“Is it? It’s pretty? Thank God! Look, hyungnim! Shushu likes mine!”

Uhm, I heard them fighting earlier when they were making it. Deleign ran and shouted with a face suffering injustice, as if they were in a competition.

In any case, I can see their shoulders raised in nervousness were slowly going down. (T/N: it goes down down baby lol)

This will be the last, right?

“Wow! Daddy is great too!”

I jumped and jumped and reacted the most dramatically for my Dad. I must appease the Grand Duke! The Grand Duke’s expression slightly softened as my eyes twinkled while I was jumping around. He heaved a sigh as he took off his apron and threw it off at the counter.

(G) “You noticed?”

(S) “Uh, yes?”

(G) “Come on, let’s go.”

I reflexively avoided his gaze, then he lifted me up in a flash. He then beckoned the servants to follow along with the carefully prepared cakes.

“Happy early birthday, Shushu. I was preparing a birthday party for you.”

The Grand Duke whispered in a gentle voice when we arrived in front of the sunroom.

It wasn’t a big deal to me as long as he said ‘Happy Birthday’. But it was so touching. Holding back my tears as I slowly blinked my eyes, I saw the scenery in the sunroom.

“Happy birthday Grand Princess!”

It was full of people. They were the relatives and vassals of the Grand Duke I met for the first time. Most of them were people I’ve never seen before, but I’ve already memorized their portraits so I recognized all of them.

I will meet these people someday, but it would be better to know them in advance to create a smoother situation.

“They are family members of the Grand Duchy who came to celebrate the birthday of our Shushu.”

“I said I would kick their butts if they didn’t bring a generous gift, and everyone came anyway despite the threat. You only have your brothers as your favorites, right?”

Holding my hand, Wyndert and Deleign explained the situation to me. I burst into laughter as I listened to Deleign playing around.

“Thank you Del Oraboni but next time, you can’t threaten them like that.”

“But, a birthday party should be full of people, and it’s a pleasure to receive a bunch of big presents, and open them!”

Deleign pouted his lips in protest hearing my well-woven words, immediately pulling his hand out of mine.

“Stop talking about nonsense and let’s go inside. Let’s go eat the cupcakes we made!”

“Ah!”

I looked at the cakes on the high pedestal over there, with a slightly worried expression on my face. The crooked desserts weren’t the works of a skilled chef, as everyone can see. It is unheard of for nobles to cook.

I thought, ‘What if the Grand Duke’s dignity is compromised by cooking for me in front of this many spectators?’

I purposely didn’t go near it so I tried not to look towards its direction, but Deleign dragged me to stand in front of the cakes, not knowing the brewing turmoil inside of me.

“O-older brother.”

Strawberry cake messily topped with cream, a fig tart with cut sides, and chocolate cupcakes that looked soft and crumbly.

Besides those, there happened to have a lot of pretty and elegantly decorated desserts piled up, making the other ones even more obvious.

What’s more, all of the Grand Duke’s direct descendants were standing in front of them, so everyone’s attention was in our direction.

“Th-this…”

This was what the chef made for me because I have a unique taste! As such, I just want to make excuses like this.

“The whole family just loves her so much.”

“It must be because she is such a lovely Grand Princess. Just how cute his late daughter would look like?”

Huh……? Everyone seemed to already know that these were made by the Grand Duke and my brothers. I thought it would be considered rude… so I thought of making an excuse.

They evaluated it in a favorable way as if they were really moved by this kind of gesture. I turned my head towards the Grand Duke, and I already figured out what happened.

‘The Grand Duke has no intention of hiding anything.’

Expressing love for one’s wife and children, and acting like a fool wasn’t at all a noble’s etiquette. So in a normal relationship, I would have been perceived as a superficial adopted daughter, after all, today was just a front to decide how the other branch of the family would treat me in the future.

However, the Grand Duke didn’t take his eyes off of me even for a moment. Expressing it like that means that I was adopted not simply because I am useful, but was based on an extreme level of affection.

The Grand Duke is more powerful than the Emperor in the Grand Duchy.

‘How did they accept me like this?’

The Grand Duke loves his adopted daughter so much that he puts cream on his hands. Everyone in front of me must’ve made a calculation on their heads like this. My mind was blown when I realized that.

‘I must’ve been really nervous.’

They were direct relatives of the Grand Duke, not people who you can ignore as vassals. They’re people who support the Grand Duke. These people help the Grand Duke and will help my brothers in the future.

I guess, I just wanted to make a good impression on them.

“Thank you, Marquis Atrea, Madame Bizet, and Count Schurzel.”

In turn, I thanked the three people for their kind words. Then they looked at me intently.

“Did you know our names in advance, Grand Princess?”

“Of course, you are the SamDuHwi of the Grand Duchy.”

(T/N: 삼두회 this is literally ‘three-head-company’ meaning a company is run by three people. Welp, editor-nim, correct me if I’m wrong T_T) (E/N: I’m gonna leave it as is because it seems fine, besides my brain keeps saying tri-f*rce for some reason. I think this is a sign I’ve been playing too much botw…)

The SamDuHwi was the name of a special organization unique to the Grand Duchy. For a just ruling, they were a decision-making body of the Grand Duchy run by three chairpersons of equal status.

Uhm, doesn’t this look like a gathering of prime ministers working under the Ruler of the Grand Duchy, the Grand Duke?

The Grand Duke is the final decision-maker, but my adoption is also the result of these three people granting their permission.

“You were the people who support the Grand Duke’s family so I learned about you after being adopted!”

“Oh.”

“Thanks to all of you for your hard work, due to your efforts the Grand Duchy is developing further.”

At my words, Mrs. Bizet’s expression softened even more. She had an expression like she didn’t know what to do.

‘I knew it.’

I can see the answer just by looking at Mrs. Bizet’s face even though she is middle-aged.

Mrs. Bizet is responsible for information. She, the chairwoman, as well as her agents, were the busiest of the three (chairpersons).

‘There is nothing more pleasing than someone recognizing their hard work for a workaholic.’

The Grand Duke probably isn’t a master with a soft personality. Judging by how she reacted, my words must have been comforting during this time when she hasn’t been able to take the time to rest properly.

I smiled bashfully and said sweetly, ‘Please take good care of my dad from now on.’

I had no intention of asking the Grand Duke to have Mrs. Bizet rest. People who are good at work should work hard for as long as they can!

“Indeed, you are a really lovely person. I am embarrassed that the lovely Grand Princess knows our names and faces.”

“To be such a clever princess, this is the red robe of the Grand Duke.”

(E/N: red robe here basically means that he is lucky and she should be shown off to others)

“Hmm… Baron Elgar, Viscount Boldin, Baron Moore, Mrs. Moore…”

Hearing the admiration of those around us listening to our conversation, I quietly turned my head.

When I said all their names starting from the left, the surroundings became quiet. You think I only memorized the names of the SamDuHwi?

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