Ch#100
Muttering that, Eve proudly gazed at the crest on the back of her hand before her eyes soon reddened.
“How pitiful…… That child will end up hating me, won't she?”
Izriella immediately pulled a handkerchief from her bag and wiped Eve's tears.
“To even consider that child's feelings. Lady Eve, you are truly kind-hearted. But that one doesn't deserve such pity.”
With a fairly gentle voice, Izriella dabbed at Eve's eyes.
But unused to such tasks, her hand pressed too hard, causing Eve to grimace soon after.
“What are you doing? It hurts!”
“Oh, I'm sorry.”
At the irritated tone, Izriella hastily withdrew her hand.
Her face wore an embarrassed smile as if apologetic, but inside, annoyance was bubbling up.
‘To think I have to soothe a child like this.’
Serving someone like this was a first in her life.
Moreover, Eve was an incredibly finicky child.
If something was even slightly off, she'd sulk, and she often burst into tearful complaints.
She was also relentlessly persistent about getting what she wanted.
Because of that, since Eve arrived at the count's residence, numerous items of Izriella's had fallen into her hands.
It started with hairpins or hats, escalating to clothes, jewelry, and even her entire room when Eve said she liked it more.
The usual Izriella would never tolerate it. Yet she meekly handed over everything Eve desired.
She had no choice.
‘Because this child is Princess Evebien.’
When her father first told her, she doubted her ears.
Princess Evebien? The princess who died at birth had her body personally retrieved by the emperor.
Izriella didn't know the exact location, but there were graves for the empress and that princess within the imperial palace.
How could such a princess be alive?
‘I thought she was a fraud.’
In truth, right after the current emperor ascended, several people had come forward claiming the princess lived, bringing along baby girls.
They deluded themselves that the emperor would lose his reason and accept any similar child as the princess.
The blonde little girls, unaware of the situation, were dragged by greedy adults to meet the emperor.
Naturally, those who brought the children were beheaded for impersonating and defrauding the imperial family.
After that, such foolish attempts vanished entirely.
Yet now, someone claiming to be the daughter reappeared? And her father, no fool, fell for it…….
Noticing Izriella's hesitation, the count said.
“We've verified everything. You'll know for sure when you see the crest on her hand. That child bears the Imperial Crest.”
The Imperial Crest. Izriella knew a bit about it. Her brother, obsessed with oddities, had told her it was something imperial family members had.
‘But couldn't they fake something like that?’
Yet the moment she saw it on Eve's hand, Izriella fell silent.
It wasn't some tattoo forgery. Sometimes it vanished completely, only to reappear vividly later.
“But couldn't it be made with magic or something?”
“Do you think me incapable of checking that too?!”
At Izriella's cautious question, the count bellowed.
“The crest is one thing, but above all, there's an impeccable witness, so I believed.”
“A witness?”
“Yes. The empress's closest friend and the princess's wet nurse is still alive. She's a woman even His Majesty the Emperor knows well.”
The count added that the woman would soon arrive in the capital and meet the emperor with Princess Evebien once preparations were complete.
“So before then, we must make Princess Evebien look and act more like a princess. Right now, she's just a selfish child lacking proper education.”
With that, the count smiled.
“It's actually a good thing. Teach her well, and she'll establish herself faster, earning you greater merit. You'll become the princess's chief maid, and if she ascends the throne, you'll hold the greatest power.”
Hearing her father, Izriella envisioned herself as the princess's chief maid.
Chief maid wasn't just any position. Selected only from noblewomen, history saw many rise to high ministerial ranks.
‘If that happens…….’
Her Yeongjae Academy expulsion would be no blemish. Rather, Yeongjae Academy would regret ousting someone like her.
Izriella recalled the stares piercing her as she left Yeongjae Academy.
‘They mocked me when they praised me for yielding my spot before.’
No one pitied her. Some even sneered, fearing the emperor's wrath alongside her.
What faces would those students make seeing her enter the palace beside the princess?
p>Just imagining it thrilled her.‘Just you wait then. Especially Airin Terrins and Ibi Alden—I won't let them off.’
The emperor's kindness to the Orphanage child had one reason: she reminded him of his lost princess of similar age.
But with the real princess returned, why would he care for Ibi?
Thinking of Ibi suddenly becoming a nuisance made it hard to suppress her laughter.
‘Airin Terrins will look ridiculous too.’
What good was being the south's princess? She'd end up stuck beside an orphan.
Airin became the orphan's friend, while she became the princess's.
A world of difference. Izriella's lips curled up.
“Iz? Are you listening?”
Snapping to at the sullen voice, she turned to see Eve glaring irritably.
“Oh, sorry. I was pondering dress designs that suit you, Lady Eve, and lost track. They all suit you so well…… but since it's the Autumn Ball, I must choose carefully.”
At the mention of the Autumn Ball, Eve's frown eased.
“True. It's a really important event. And the first place I'll meet Daddy, so clothes are crucial. I have to be the prettiest and most eye-catching.”
“Of course. Who could outshine you there, Princess?”
Noticing Eve's mood lift, Izriella desperately flattered her.
“You're already so lovely, but dressed in these clothes and adorned with jewelry, you'll be the most beautiful and cute child. How delighted His Majesty will be!”
“Right?”
At the nonstop praise, Eve fully relaxed her expression.
“Yes. Staff will arrive soon, so please put your gloves back on. You wouldn't know how loose-tongued the lowly can be, Lady Eve.”
Izriella slyly helped Eve reglove her hand.
“It must be stifling, but bear it a little. Until your identity is known, the unscrupulous might try anything.”
“Mm, until entering the palace, it could be dangerous, so no choice. If Eve gets hurt before meeting Daddy, he'll be so sad.”
“Exactly.”
Izriella nodded, adjusting Eve's gloves.
‘Yes, it mustn't be discovered by others.’
What an opportunity this was.
Once the real princess's return was known, many would cling seeking gain.
‘All the merit must be mine.’
Enduring this hassle to serve her was only natural.
Izriella counted the days until Eve's wet nurse arrived.
‘Just endure a bit more…….’
Imagining that day, Izriella smiled.
* * *
“Where's that wench?”
Airin fumed with such ferocity she seemed ready to roll up her sleeves and swing.
“I'm fine. The sisters fixed my hair pretty again.”
Ibi grabbed the flustered Airin.
When Airin emerged from the inner room after talking with Crevel, Ibi told her Izriella was there.
“Already? She was scheduled three hours later?”
Crevel was flustered too.
She knew Izriella had been expelled from Yeongjae Academy and had a poor relationship with Airin, but that didn't mean refusing reservations entirely.
Her family was still a count's, with no issues business-wise.
Still, to avoid clashes, she'd spaced the appointments, yet she came early anyway.
Then a staff member quietly reported that the child with Izriella had yanked Ibi's hair.
At that instant, fire sparked in Airin's eyes.
“I'm not okay! I'll go yank hers too! We Terrins repay tenfold what we receive—that's our family motto!”
Ibi struggled to hold back Airin charging like an angry bull.
Of course, she felt indignant too. She thought of yanking back. Seeing Airin avenge her would feel good.
‘But…….’
The moment she saw the child named Eve, something felt off.
A feeling she didn't want to encounter again, nor let Airin meet her.
“I'm really holding back just this once. Next time, even if you stop me, I won't.”
“Mm, got it. Next time, I'll yell first not to! And if she does, I won't back down either.”
At Ibi's spirited reply, Airin glared briefly at the room with Izriella and Eve before taking Ibi downstairs.
Crevel followed to see them off too.
For a very long time, as if reluctant to enter and face them.
* * *
A week later, in the morning.
“Hello, Ibi. I'm here to pick you up.”
Ibi faced Arcel, who had come since morning.
Behind her, Airin muttered sleepily with eyes full of drowsiness.
“Who comes to pick someone up at dawn……”
