Chapter 82

Chapter 82

‘Because my brother has strong likes and dislikes.’

Young Lady Evian who attacked me earlier would only be an enemy to Wyndert. Young Lady Evian was scared when she looked at Wyndert’s face, so she hid behind me, terrified.

“That’s not how you look at a lady, brother.”

I grabbed Wyndert’s arm and whispered in his ear. Wyndert then nonchalantly turned his head and held out his arm to me.

“Come on, let’s go in.”

I let out a sigh as he brazenly stiffened his side profile, as if he was not willing to listen to my rebuke. But I couldn’t argue with him at the entrance to the party, so I calmly placed my arm on his.

“Here, place your arm here, too.”

Lucas smiled softly and held out his arm.

“I know you’re also my partner Your Highness… but Young Lady (Evian) doesn’t have one now.”

Aren’t they telling me to hold both their arms but let Young Lady Evian go in alone? I slightly shook my head and Lucas looked at me with a sad face.

“Then the Grand Prince can do that.”

Wyndert waved his arm with a relaxed expression on his face at Lucas’ words – as if he was trying to emphasize that I was already holding his arm.

“Really…”

I glanced at Young Lady Evian and stared at her. It would be even more embarrassing if the two of you are like this! Lucas winced when I intimidated him and frowned.

“But, it’s a lot of trouble….”

Then he looked at me with a slightly downcast face. Again! That face again! That pitiful looking face! Even if he’s a man, he doesn’t know how much I was affected by that sad and pathetic expression on his face. My heart softened last time because of that face and so we had a conversation just like this.

‘Was it similar to how Dad and my older brothers were weak to my face?’

I bit my lip and looked away from Lucas. But it might be embarrassing if I go in with the two of them while Young Lady Evian was alone….

Because of our identity, we had to go in first while Young Lady Evian follows behind, so it would be obviously a sight to see – because she would feel like she was really a Count’s daughter.

“There’s nothing we can do.”

I let out a sigh and put down Wyndert’s arm. Lucas’ complexion brightened in an instant. He seemed to know that I would hold his hand.

“Would you like to come in with me? The two of them can take care of themselves.”

“Shu-shushu?”

“Shuelina?”

I deliberately reached out my hand to Young Lady Evian and asked. She blinked as she glanced at Wyndert and Lucas. She seemed to be standing on thorns as the two of them called out to me from behind.

“It seems that the two of them need to learn a little bit more about the qualities of a gentleman. Let’s go in together.”

As I spoke with a broad smile, Young Lady Evian who was fidgeting, giggled and stood next to me. I shuddered from the immense energy from behind as if they wanted to protest with something, but they quickly calmed down as there was nothing they could do.

‘Phew.’

I felt a little sorry towards Wyndert and Lucas, but there was nothing we can do about it – because this is the fair way!

“Everyone will be amazed when they see Miss Shuelina.”

Young Lady Evian whispered when the door opened. The dress shimmered like starlight from the light leaking from inside the party hall. As we entered, there was a buzz inside the party hall.

“Wow, it looks like all of the Imperial Palace’s dresses were all pretty!”

“But I think the Grand Princess’ dress is prettier.”

“She looks like an angel…!”

The other children shouted in admiration. To be honest, I also think I looked pretty myself so I quite expected that kind of reaction from them. What was surprising, however, was the somewhat strange expression on Azuela’s face.

‘Why is she like that…’

Standing in the midst of the children, it seemed like Azuela didn’t want to look around. The corners of her mouth that had a soft smile, slowly tore apart, and her wide-open eyes were full of shock. Even seeing her lips quiver felt really strange.

“It was thanks to the Imperial Princess that I was able to wear a pretty dress. Thank you.”

I deliberately smiled broadly and walked up to Azuela to say thank you. Nominally, it was only natural since she gave me clothes.

“I’m really sorry for making a ruckus earlier, Imperial Princess.”

Young Lady Evian also properly apologized for the commotion she caused. However, Azuela didn’t even look at her and only looked at me as if she received the biggest shock in her life. Then she somehow tried to ask me something.

“Where did that dress…?”

“Imperial Princess! The Imperial Palace is really wonderful! You have such beautiful dresses here!”

Coincidentally, her words were cut off when someone praised the Imperial Palace in an excited tone. Embarrassed, Azuela frowned and shut her mouth.

‘Are you embarrassed because it wasn’t the clothes you prepared?’

But I wondered if that would really be embarrassing. In any case, it wouldn’t be a bad thing for me if Azuela was embarrassed. I just smiled broadly.

“It was originally supposed to be a New Year’s gift, but I heard that I was able to receive it in advance because of the accident. I was surprised because I didn’t know it would be so pretty!”

“Ah, you’ll get a random gift for New Year’s, but this was a perfect fit for the Young Lady!”

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“So it must be why the two Young Lady’s dresses were different.”

I purposely said it was a gift for the New Year Festival. Everyone nodded in understanding when I said that.

“I was lucky to receive such a pretty dress.”

“It was like the clothes were made for the Young Lady as it perfectly fit her size.”

Well, it was purposely made for me so it has to be the right size. But hearing those words, Azuela’s eyes became hazier. She scrutinized me and shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.

“That… that can’t be…!”

Azuela muttered with a confused look on her face. Someone standing beside her exclaimed ‘ah!’ The cheeks of the mature-looking young girl turned red with excitement.

“Aren’t the blue-purple jewels on that dress, made from the diamonds of the Tarind Territory?”

“Uh… I think I’ve heard it somewhere… Ah, it was from the tea time with the Imperial Princess!”

“I heard it was used on the clothes that the Emperor has custom made to give to the Imperial Princess….”

The girls who had been talking up to that point quickly shut their mouths. It was because they saw Azuela’s hand trembling weakly.

‘So, everyone knew that it was the Emperor who ordered the clothes and thought that it was for Azuela?’

The tea time they mentioned was one of those tea times that Azuela organizes and participates in, right? Since not a single designer would spread the word that the Emperor requested it, that rumor must’ve come from a member of the Imperial Family. Azuela must’ve been shocked that the dress she thought was hers was taken away from her.

‘After all, she must’ve been unable to receive one or two sets of dresses from the Emperor.’

But she deserved the surprise because she will feel bad at the thought of losing something she thought was hers. I stared at Azuela and bowed my head lightly.

“I had no idea that this dress was so precious. It’s amazing that you’re giving out something like that as a New Year’s gift.”

Azuela pursed her lips into a tight thin line as I spoke with twinkling eyes. I know she had to pretend to be calm but it seems like it was difficult for her to control her emotions.

‘You’ve taken everything from Shuelina but today, I’ve taken everything you wanted.’

I felt a little refreshed inside when I thought like that. The people around Azuela praised her as I expressed my gratitude, and she seemed to be holding back from doing anything to me. She didn’t have any idea that her ‘angel-like Imperial Princess’ mask she made herself for her own convenience would create such a helpless situation.

“It was as if this dress knew me and was made for me. This dress is really comfortable and pretty. Thank you, Imperial Princess.”

I held her hands tightly and said thank you once more on purpose. Then, Young Lady Evian who was standing next to me with a happy face followed.

“She picked it at random but it really suits Miss Shuelina, right? It is such a pretty dress and it probably wouldn’t fit me at all.

She and I have a slight age difference, and I’m actually smaller enough to look like four or five years old. Therefore, the size difference of our dresses were noticeable. Rumors had it that the Emperor custom made this dress and paid a large amount of money for Azuela, but it was definitely strange that its size didn’t fit the Imperial Princess.

“Anyway, I’m glad that I got a really beautiful dress.”

Instead of saying more, I smiled happily at the children who were already chattering. Anyway, both Azuela and I didn’t seem to want to say anything more, so the topic of the party quickly shifted to something else.

Azuela turned away from me, moved to the other side, and immediately started to lead the topic with a soft smile again. I thought she was agitated but she recovered fast.

“Did you say it was a custom made dress by His Majesty?”

Wyndert, who was approaching me all of a sudden, whispered softly. I blinked my eyes at him, meaning to say ‘I’ll tell you when we get home’ and then nodded. He then turned his head to look at Young Lady Evian.

‘If she had been invited to Azuela’s tea time, she would definitely have entered Azuela’s circle a little deeper….’

After we returned to the party, she was clinging to me, as if she had lost all her interest in Azuela and the others.

“Aren’t your friends over there?”

I asked, pointing my eyes at Azuela, who was purposely laughing out loud. Then, Young Lady Evian’s eyes darkened a little.

“…Didn’t you see it earlier? It seems like I was the only one who thought that we were friends. I want to be with Miss Shuelina.”

Her voice was a little weak. She muttered with a downcast face, then she suddenly screamed and said, ‘Oh, if that bothers you…!’ Hmm, it seems like today’s events left a very deep wound on the young Miss Evian.

“It’s not that you’re bothering me… but I thought you liked the Imperial Princess.”

“I sure did…”

Young Lady Evian gently placed her hand on her chest and blinked – it was an expressionless face. It wasn’t only about when Azuela gave her false information but also, it seemed like she was also very disappointed in her when Azuela didn’t help her when an accident occurred. That was also a big accident for a young girl to endure, so her emotions wouldn’t fade away that easily.

“The atmosphere is so dreary. I’m sorry, Miss Shuelina.”

“Um… Bella. It’s alright for you to call me Shushu. All my close friends call me that way.”

I was somehow relieved at my gut feeling that she wasn’t going to be on Azuela’s side. I called her name and let her know my nickname. Then Young Lady Evian, Bella’s, eyes twinkled. I instinctively felt that the wall I was hitting between us had become a lot thinner.

“Shushu, Shushu! What a cute nickname!”

“Isn’t it? My family gave me that.”

I smiled shyly and nodded my head.

“The Young Lady easily got her permission to call her by her nickname.”

Lucas, who was listening to our conversation, muttered quietly. He was calling me Shuelina, so he may have felt very envious when a Young Lady got my permission to call me by my nickname in the span of one day. I turned my head, pretending not to hear his whispers.

‘It’s not difficult, but…’

If I gave Lucas my permission to call me by my nickname, it would feel like he was appealing to me emotionally. The more I get to know him, the more Lucas doesn’t feel like a bad person – that’s likely because I feel like he is very different from the original.

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