《I Raised My Younger Sister Beautifully》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Strangely, she couldn¡¯t concentrate. Cezanne looked up, taking her eyes off the book. A candle fell as the chandelier, which shone brightly in the room, tilted. Before moving to the carpet, she stepped on it and extinguished it, but anxiety continued to strike her. Cezanne frowned and opened her mouth. ¡°Is there anyone out there?¡± She couldn¡¯t hear the answers of the maids, who had to wait in front of the door. They were a bit bothersome, but she never ordered them to disappear. Krrr! Soon, a strange roar began to be heard from outside. Moreover, the entire palace was shaking. ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Cezanne got up from her seat and approached the window. The panoramic view of the imperial palace was clearly seen through the dense bushes. ¡®Wait, you can¡¯t see the Imperial Palace from here¡­?¡¯ Bang. By the time Cezanne thought something was strange in her head, Mel, her personal lady-in-waiting, came in as if she was being chased by something. She collapsed on the floor and cried. ¡°Pri, pri¡­princess! Out, out, outside¡­Oh, my gosh. What should I do¡­ How, how can this happen!¡± Mel couldn¡¯t even properly say what she was surprised by. Cezanne approached Mel, despite her strange attitude, and asked. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mel? Please calm down. What¡¯s going on out there?¡± Mel murmured like a crazy person. ¡°Yes, the, the man¡­it, it¡¯s hardened like a stone!¡± ¡°A man is hardened like a stone?¡± ¡°I, I don¡¯t know exactly. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. I¡¯ve seen it.¡± Mel said while swallowing the tears. Cezanne rose from her seat. ¡°I need to go out and see for myself what¡¯s going on.¡± Mel shook her head, holding onto Cezanne¡¯s collar and stretching it. ¡°Pri, princess. Ugh, n, no¡­ You can¡¯t leave this room. It, it¡¯s dangerous outside!¡± ¡°Even if you say that, I have to go. Hurry. Please get ready.¡± ¡°No. You, you can¡¯t. Never go outside. There must be something scary going on. You can¡¯t go out, Princess! Sob! Sob!¡± Cezanne still found it hard to understand Mel¡¯s behavior as if she had become a broken person. She was so surprised and scared by something that she lost her composure and the usual calmness was no longer present. Cezanne said, shaking the trembling Mel. ¡°Mel, if that¡¯s what really happened, then I really should go to the main palace. Father and mother are there.¡± ¡°¡­no, no. No, Princess! There will be no maid left to serve you¡­¡± Mel continued, crying. ¡°Monster, someone screamed that a monster had appeared! Princess, please¡­!¡± Cezanne felt sorry for Mel¡¯s appearance, but she was not convinced. ¡°If you¡¯re really scared, stay here. I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°N, no! Princess! Princess!¡± Cezanne shook Mel off and ran straight out of her room. ¡°Princess! Princess!¡± Despite Mel¡¯s desperate cries, Cezanne kept on walking and almost jumped at the sight she encountered. It was exactly what Mel said. The hallway was already in chaos. There were statues that were hardened that looked like they were running away with all their might as if being chased by something. They were all familiar faces. They were the maids who were serving her a while ago. They seemed to have been petrified while trying to tell her about it. Cezanne was so afraid of the truth in front of her that she wanted to close her eyes. ¡°This is ridiculous¡­¡± Even though Cezanne *didn¡¯t blink a single eye for most things, her heart dropped. She was flooded with terrifying thoughts. *not showing any reaction to something One day, she remembered a phrase she read in an ancient book. ¨C When Basilisk, the king of darkness and snakes, wakes up, the world will finally come to an end. All the fools in the world will turn into a stone statue before Basilisk. She couldn¡¯t imagine the ability to turn people into statues. There was someone with such power? Cezanne hurriedly laid her palm on the back of her hand. As the mana flowed, the sign shone brightly, and a large golden figure was summoned in front of Cezanne. An elegant dragon with straight hair and large wings. It was Elan, the Summoner of Light. Elan rolled her golden eyes and stared at the knee-high Cezanne. ¡°Did you call me?¡± Elan asked in a low-pitched voice. ¡°Elan! This is a big deal. Everyone in the palace seems to be in danger! I need your help. First, go to the nearest palace!¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s a lot of dark energy on that side, so it¡¯s better not to go there.¡± Elan was reluctant to move as she read the energy. ¡°Is that monster really there¡­?¡± Elan nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s dangerous to approach.¡± ¡°But still go. I need to check from afar.¡± I wanted to check with my own eyes whether the cursed thing really appeared or if my family was safe. ¡°I understand, hop on.¡± Elan lowered herself as if she could not help it. Cezanne climbed on Elan¡¯s neck and grabbed the scales. Elan carefully flew up with Cezanne on board. The distance to the First Princess Palace was close, so they were able to get there quickly. The almost collapsed palace looked miserable. She could see the hardened stone statues and fallen bodies. Was there anyone alive? Even if there were, there was no one outside. Maybe, everyone was hiding carefully. ¡°Cezanne, I think¡­there¡¯s someone nearby.¡± As soon as Elan¡¯s words fell, a scream pierced through her eardrums. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± This was certainly the voice of Cezanne¡¯s older sister and first princess, Vivian. ¡°That¡¯s the room.¡± It was Vivian¡¯s favorite mirror room, and a room that had not yet collapsed. At Cezanne¡¯s words, Elan approached the room carefully. Krrr, boom! It was an unbelievable situation. Some parts of the Imperial Palace¡¯s walls were broken, causing a large black body to protrude to the outside. ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯ Surprised, Cezanne looked inside quietly. She felt her breath stop. Something filled the room Spraying the eerie dark energy, a huge snake like a pillar raised its head. It was so big that the head occupied half of the room. Vivian¡¯s body was wrapped around its long, thick body. Ssst! As the scales collided, the snake tightened its heavy body even more, and Fletta was riding on the back with a blank expression. ¡®Fletta summoned that thing?¡¯ Fletta was an unlucky child born with the energy of darkness and was not a pure blood of the imperial family. She was also not recognized as a princess. Kyaa! The black, hideous giant snake, Basilisk, spread its legs as if agitated. Scared, Vivian trembled with her ears closed. She was so afraid that she started screaming like crazy. ¡°Sob! He, he, help me! Sob, Fletta¡­please, please!¡± The child with the energy of darkness would not be kept alive by the natural power of the imperial family. But for some reason, Fletta was the exception. Vivian considered Fletta more terrible than a bug. She had always been at the forefront of bullying Fletta, and many things had been done under her command. Soon after, she looked at Vivian¡¯s messy appearance, who kept on shedding tears, and spoke as if she was possessed by evil. ¡°Vivian, I¡¯ve been waiting for this day.¡± ¡°F, Fletta¡­Eek, I¡¯ll, I¡¯ll do anything. Please do something about this monster!¡± Vivian said with a crazy look. ¡°You¡¯re already hurting with this much?¡± ¡°¡­Eek!¡± ¡°You harshly tormented me, a young and innocent person. Every day was hell. I¡¯d rather die.¡± Fletta spat out every word. The anger that she couldn¡¯t resist came out of her lips. ¡°The real devil is you.¡± ¡°Flet, eek, Fletta, you¡¯re a good kid. Ah, ca, can you forgive me just this once?¡± When Vivian begged, Fletta stared at her with cold eyes. ¡°No. I¡¯ll never forgive you. It¡¯s all over now.¡± Vivian¡¯s pupil shook terribly at Fletta¡¯s words. ¡°Now, remember your last moment well. Vivian.¡± As Fletta¡¯s eyes turned red, the basilisk¡¯s eyes turned red as well. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± The basilisk moved his torso, bringing Vivian closer. The moment Vivian¡¯s frightened image appeared on the red retina. She began to turn black from the tip of her toes. Only then did Vivian, who belatedly saw the situation, screamed. ¡°Eek, no!¡± Fletta moved the basilisk and put Vivian down in the middle of the three-sided mirror so that she could see herself clearly. ¡°Watch your last moment with your very own eyes.¡± Fletta laughed coldly. ¡°Hiii, ugh!¡± Vivian had a bloody face, but her body, which had already begun to harden, gradually climbed up to her upper body. It was a sight that gave Cezanne goosebumps all over her body. ¡°Eek, no¡­!¡± Vivian, who was screaming, became a rock without finishing her words. Fletta, who was leading the Basilisk with Vivian¡¯s stone statue in its mouth, noticed something and turned her head. She looked out of the window, but there was no one. Elan, carrying Cezanne, flew up and headed to a nearby forest. She put Cezanne down there. She couldn¡¯t even breathe properly like a frozen person. ¡°Are you okay, Cezanne?¡± ¡°This is absolutely ridiculous¡­¡± A day with a particularly unstable energy that did not go away. The Imperial Palace, which was dazzlingly beautiful that day¡­ Cezanne¡¯s world was completely shattered. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Cezanne barely caught her breath. It wasn¡¯t until she managed to breathe out properly that she thought about it. Vivian, who was alive in front of her, hardened into a stone. Just now, it was clearly a summoner created by the forbidden power of darkness. It was a powerful summoner of darkness who had never been summoned by anyone from the Imperial Family. The power that governed the imperial family was light, so it could never happen, but Fletta summoned it. A cursed child born with the energy of evil darkness. Those crow-like black eyes were said to be evidence of that. Everyone said so, but she really didn¡¯t know Fletta would end up like that. Fletta was not able to awaken, let alone a sign of power, so everyone overlooked it. It was dark before her eyes. Was this really how the imperial family would collapse to the ground? Father and mother must have been at the main palace. Was Brother Luca, who stayed at the Imperial Palace, safe? As Mel said, she didn¡¯t know that a bad ending would already be waiting. Many thoughts crossed her mind. As she rode on Elan¡¯s back, Cezanne looked down at the collapsing palace. The result was even worse than expected. The beautiful white palace had been transformed into ruins. The entrance to the palace had already collapsed, making her unable to enter. So, she had to find another way. Cezanne fumbled through her memory. When she was young, she followed her brother through a small passage. If she went out from there, she could immediately reach the hallway of the throne room alone. Her father and mother would be there. Thinking that she should stop Fletta, Cezanne went into the dark passage with a firm expression. It was when she finally got out of the aisle that a large imperial hall appeared before her eyes. She saw her father sitting on the throne. She was about to call him, but soon she noticed that he had also turned into a black stone. ¡°No!¡± Cezanne ran and wept as she hung onto her father¡¯s statue. If it was a dream, it would be better. It was a terrible feeling. That was not all. Behind the throne, not only her mother, but also her brother. Even their bodies had already been hardened. When she couldn¡¯t say anything at the terrible sight, she heard a cool voice. ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d run away¡­¡± ¡°Fletta?¡± Cezanne trembled as she looked at the little girl, who is also the owner of the Basilisk, in front of her. Fletta looked at Cezanne with pitiful eyes. ¡°Fletta! What the hell is going on here? You, how could you?¡± ¡°It was something I must do.¡± ¡°¡­this can¡¯t happen. Bring it back to normal. Please.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late. There¡¯s no turning back now, sister¡­ No, Princess Cezanne. He wants to destroy everything. I can¡¯t stop Basilisk either.¡± Fletta said, holding tightly to the scales of the basilisk. ¡°I¡¯ve only been waiting for this day. To get back at you.¡± ¡°¡­Fletta!¡± Cezanne had nothing to say at Fletta¡¯s words. She didn¡¯t even know that it was the imperial family who made Fletta like this. An ominous child cursed with darkness, all pointing fingers directed at her and abusing her. ¡°¡­But I feel sorry for my sister.¡± Cezanne recalled the old days. On the day of the rain, Cezanne hid Fletta in her palace when she was running away from Vivian¡¯s maid. But that was it. She could not reach out properly to the hostile Fletta. It was scary. She was afraid she would lose everything if she stayed close to Fletta¡­ If she had approached Fletta a little bit, wouldn¡¯t she have faced a different result? Transparent tears rolled down Cezanne¡¯s emerald eyes, stained with belated regret. ¡°If I had approached you a little more, would it have been different?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. The important thing is that you can¡¯t undo it now.¡± Fletta shook her head slowly. A red light leaked from her darker sunken eyes. Ssst, ssst! Then, Basilisk tried to hold Cezanne by teasing her body to flex at once. Whoosh! But Elan was faster. Elan, who carried Cezanne on his back, flew high to the ceiling of the hall. Then, Basilisk lifted his head. Snap! Basilisk opened his mouth and tried to bite Elan, but he escaped. ¡°Elan!¡± Towards the mouth of the basilisk, Elan exhaled a long breath. Whoo! The basilisk, who tasted the burning pain in his mouth, twisted his body even more. Kyak! Sss! Kyak! Basilisk was more agile in following Elan as he hit the scales. One of Elan¡¯s wings was bitten by the snake. Elan crashed onto the floor from the air. Thud! The falling Elan was snatched by Basilisk. At the same time, Cezanne rolled off Elan¡¯s back. ¡°Gasp.¡± Cezanne, who barely stood up, tried to use the magic of light, but the mark lost its light. ¡°¡­it won¡¯t work.¡± Fletta mumbled. The dark markings on the back of her hand seemed to block other magic. Among the stone statues were several court mages. They were also powerless in front of Fletta, seeing that the line that protected the Imperial City was broken. Elan, who fell to the floor, foresaw that there was no hope and said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cezanne.¡± Sss! The basilisk¡¯s red eyes petrified Elan and threw her away. ¡°Elan!¡± Cezanne¡¯s head was mixed with sadness and anger as she watched Elan, who broke in vain before her eyes. However, Cezanne was unable to move her legs due to the impact she had suffered when she fell. It¡¯s all over now. There was nothing she could do. It wasn¡¯t something she could stop. The immediate disaster was so terrible. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Before she knew it, she felt her body being wrapped around. A thick body surrounded by scales squeezed Cezanne¡¯s body. At that time, Cezanne saw Fletta approaching her. Fletta¡¯s eyes were dyed red as if they could burn right away. ¡°If there¡¯s a next life, then¡­¡± ¡°F, Fletta?¡± ¡°Not as a cursed princess nor as a filthy bloodline.¡± ¡°W, why¡­¡± ¡°Can I be your real sister?¡± Soon after, Fletta, on the body of Basilisk, went to Cezanne¡¯s side. Aaaah! Faced with Basilisk¡¯s ferocious red eyes in the air, Cezanne and Fletta hardened into stones together. ¡°Fletta! Fle¡­¡± A piece of hardened tears fell from Cezanne¡¯s eyes to the floor, turning into baseless dust before disappearing. * * * Tears streamed down and didn¡¯t stop. How could she keep crying when she was stone dead? Did she get punished for crying in hell? Her whole body was horribly heavy, so she seemed to have fallen to her death. ¡°Princess, Princess! It¡¯s time for you to wake up.¡± Someone shook Cezanne¡¯s body lightly while talking to her. Cezanne was startled by the hands that touched her. She was sure she had died¡­what happened? Cezanne narrowed her eyebrows and wondered for a moment if it was a dream. However, she could see a familiar face in sight. ¡°The doctor says you¡¯ve recovered from the flu. Why did you sweat so much?¡± Mel, her personal lady-in-waiting, wiped Cezanne¡¯s forehead with a clean handkerchief. It was as vivid as reality. She couldn¡¯t believe it easily. Mel, who wiped the dazed Cezanne¡¯s forehead, tried to wipe her face and hands. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯m not a child¡­¡± When Cezanne refused, Mel smiled and wiped the sweat again. ¡°You¡¯re still a child to me.¡± Mel placed a hand over the princess¡¯ forehead. ¡°You certainly don¡¯t have a fever.¡± Something was strange when she looked at Mel¡¯s face. Compared to her face that she remembered¡­she looked younger? But was Mel always this big? She didn¡¯t think that was the case¡­but when she lowered her body, she got smaller. Did she lose weight? ¡®I¡¯m wearing a chemise with these childish decorations?¡¯ Next to the bed was a rabbit doll that her brother gave to her as a gift when they were young, which she had no choice but to leave aside. Cezanne frowned even more. ¡°¡­something¡¯s weird, too.¡± She was about to get out of bed, but she lost her balance and stumbled. She didn¡¯t feel as strong as before like a man who lost his energy. ¡°Oh, my gosh, princess. Are you okay? I need a doctor right now¡­!¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯m still half asleep. I¡¯m fine.¡± Mel tried to help, but Cezanne waved her hand and walked to the mirror herself. The reflection in front of the mirror was not familiar. Her features were hazy, but her pupils were round and her cheeks were puffy. She became shorter than a span, and she was in a body that could never be a 23-year-old. Was she about 16 years old at most? ¡°What the hell is this¡­¡± Cezanne fiddled with her face as she blinked in surprise. Suddenly, she came back from death and became young. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°The princess is pretty today, too.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± Mel asked with a gentle smile. ¡°What year is the imperial power now?¡± ¡°Yes? It¡¯s 970.¡± ¡°What? Not 976?¡± She was certain she remembered it as 976, but did it go back six years? Cezanne¡¯s eyes opened wide. She wondered what happened. ¡°Yes, did you have a dream?¡± Was it really a dream? Cezanne pinched her cheek. She felt a stinging pain. It was not a dream. Was she¡­was she back? [If there is a next life, then¡­ not as a cursed princess nor as a filthy bloodline. Can I really be your sister?] Suddenly, she remembered Fletta¡¯s sad last voice. ¡®Did someone fulfill my earnest wish? That¡¯s why I was sent back six years ago?¡¯ It was a miracle to come back in time, not to have lived in death. ¡°No, nothing. Get out of here. I want to be alone.¡± After saying that to Mel, she laid back in bed. Her mother was in a terrible condition because of her chronic illness. ¡°Yes?¡± As Mel¡¯s eyes turned round as if it was her first time hearing it, Cezanne turned around. ¡°You said it¡¯s my birthday earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, princess. Your 17th birthday is coming up soon.¡± ¡°Then, did I come back before my seventeenth birthday?¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get ready.¡± Only after the help of more than six maids was Cezanne able to dress up as a decent princess. Cezanne looked at the mirror and nodded. It was a rather lovely pink dress, and her curly blonde hair was polished with a glossy finish. Even the shoes and accessories must have been carefully selected. Above all, Cezanne was relieved to see them alive and moving again, who had hardened into stone statues. Cezanne couldn¡¯t wait to meet her mother and family. She wanted to confirm with her own eyes that they were alive and breathing. ¡°Everyone worked hard. Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°It, it¡¯s an honor, 2nd Princess.¡± Upon hearing the word thanks from the princess for the first time, the maids opened their eyes wide and went away. ¡®The princess told me I did a good job!¡¯ It was written all over their faces. ¡°You look so happy today.¡± Mel smiled happily. ¡°Is that so?¡± Cezanne answered casually, and headed to the Empress Palace along with a group of maids. It was when she left the Princess Palace and passed through the corridor near the main palace. As soon as the maids, who were giggling among themselves, saw Cezanne, their laughter stopped. ¡°I greet the 2nd Princess.¡± Cezanne asked the maids who were greeting with courtesy. ¡°Which palace are you from?¡± When Cezanne, who does not talk to maids of other palaces, spoke to them, the maids became quite flustered. ¡°We are serving Princess Vivian.¡± ¡°I see. You may go.¡± ¡°Yes, princess.¡± It was disgraceful to see the maids exchanging glances with each other as if the 2nd princess had done something strange. At that time, a middle-aged woman and a small child were seen from afar. She had definitely seen that middle-aged woman¡¯s bitter face, but she couldn¡¯t remember her name. Cezanne hinted at Mel, who was next to her. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Fletta and her nanny, Mrs. Milla.¡± ¡°¡­that kid is Fletta?¡± She couldn¡¯t see the child¡¯s face well, but she was wearing an old, dirty dress. She couldn¡¯t recognize her because of the patchy hair, but the small and shabby child was indeed Fletta. Looking back, the eyes she met were dark like pitch black. The child looked at Cezanne from afar with sad, dark eyes. The small, slender child was almost dragged away by Mrs. Milla¡¯s unpleasant hand. Cezanne frowned when she saw it. Soon after, Mrs. Milla, who was dragging the child, stopped walking and bowed her head to show courtesy. ¡°I greet the 2nd Princess. What are you doing, Miss Fletta? Why don¡¯t you say hello?¡± When Mrs. Milla urged on, the child opened her small, dry lips. ¡°¡­I greet the 2nd princess.¡± She could feel the child¡¯s gaze, but Cezanne flinched and turned her head. She tried to hide it, but her hands trembled. Then, she turned around to the other side and walked past her. It was an obvious disregard, but in the Imperial Castle, there was no one who received Fletta¡¯s greetings except the mockers. Cezanne hardly felt fear. It felt like it was only yesterday. The child who killed everyone. A child who caused a cursed disaster and turned everyone into stone. She was a child who created a terrible tragedy. She was scared and frightened. She even felt dizzy and light-headed. Her heart was pounding from the depths of her chest. It seemed that Fletta would hurt everyone again at any moment. But at the same time, the words Fletta had said just before her death came to mind once again. -If there is a next life, can I really be your sister? Then Fletta ended herself. Cezanne closed her eyes. The tip of her eyelashes trembled faintly. ¡®Fletta¡­¡¯ From a distance, she could hear the maids of the 1st Princess Palace gossiping and chattering. ¡°The beautiful scenery of the Imperial Palace is being harmed. There¡¯s a beggar walking around.¡± ¡°Pfft, that¡¯s so funny!¡± ¡°Shh, lower your voice. Someone is listening.¡± Mel asked, furrowing her brow. ¡°Should I give you a warning?¡± ¡°No. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Their words were unpleasant, but Cezanne was not confident of meeting Fletta again. She was so confused. Fletta was a child with the power of darkness that destroyed her family and the imperial family, and at the same time, she was a wounded child. Cezanne took a moment to catch her breath and reached the entrance of the Peridot Hall, the luncheon area of the main palace, along with the maids. Her eyes met the eyes of a woman with dazzlingly beautiful silver hair. ¡°Cezanne!¡± Cezanne ran to her mother and hugged her. ¡°Mother.¡± The empress¡¯ blue eyes widened, but soon curved beautifully. ¡°Come here, my daughter. You¡¯ve been sick for a long time. Did you miss your mother¡¯s hugs? You¡¯re really okay now, right? I was relieved when I heard from the doctor that your fever went down.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Mother is not sick anywhere, right?¡± ¡°Of course, why would I be sick?¡± The mother she recently remembered was a sickly woman. Her condition had deteriorated to the point where she spent most of her days in bed with an ashen-like face. But now, the mother in front of her was full of vitality like blooming daffodils. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside. Everyone has arrived.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cezanne held her mother¡¯s warm hands tightly. The images of her mother and family, who had been hardened into cold stone statues, came into her vision again. She had a terrifying thought that it would harden again if she let go of her hand, but she soon began to calm down gradually. The reality, which used to be blurry like a dream, has now come to her one by one clearly. ¡®Nothing happened yet. I¡¯m back to a time when there were no problems.¡¯ With that relief, Cezanne held back the tears that were about to come out incessantly. She was just grateful for everything. That her mother is alive, that she is alive, and that everyone in the imperial palace is safe. Cezanne felt a sting in her heart as the image of her family, who had turned into stone in an instant, overlapped. She still couldn¡¯t believe she came back with them. ¡°Father.¡± As soon as she saw Emperor Charles, Cezanne, who was held in his arms, barely held back her tears. Then, Charles¡¯ dark green eyes completely softened. ¡°Cezanne? Our pretty baby bird, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Thanks to your concern, I feel better.¡± She was a close but distant daughter, who was always open-minded, even though he usually begged to hug her several times. Charles was stunned. Moreover, the words that came out of Cezanne¡¯s mouth were very warm. ¡°Father and mother, I hope both of you will stay healthy for a long time.¡± At those words, Charles¡¯ fierce eyes softened. ¡°Haha. My empress and I will live for a very long time because Cezanne says so.¡± Emperor Charles laughed loudly and patted his daughter, who would not hurt anyone even if he put it in front of her eyes. But no matter what, Cezanne had never been this sweet. Suddenly, Charles hardened his face and asked his daughter carefully. He seemed to have been worried about his daughter¡¯s change. ¡°Cezanne, did anything happen?¡± ¡°No, nothing happened.¡± Cezanne shook her head quietly. ¡°Yeah, of course there shouldn¡¯t be. My daughter. I can¡¯t imagine anything happening to you.¡± Only then did Charles¡¯ bright smile returned to his face. ¡°Cezanne!¡± The young man who approached Cezanne in a soft voice was the 1st prince, Luca With silver hair that came down to his neck and green eyes, he stroked Cezanne¡¯s hair while curving his slender eyes more finely. ¡°I¡¯m glad you got your energy back soon. Our little girl.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m no longer a kid.¡± Oh, come to think of it, this was a time when Brother Luca treated her as a kid for a long time. Cezanne briefly puffed her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re still a kid in my eyes though?¡± Luca said, pinching Cezanne¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Hey (Let go of me)!¡± As if angry, Cezanne shot her only brother with a glare. How old is she, to be humiliated like this¡­ Vivian, who had her arms crossed while watching the scene from afar, soon approached Cezanne, shaking her hands. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief. Cezanne! You can¡¯t get sick anymore. I was worried.¡± Vivian hugged Cezanne and looked into her father¡¯s eyes. Charles shook his head as he looked at his daughters with a happy face. ¡°¡­Thank you, sister.¡± All the rest of the family were happy to see each other, but Vivian was the only one who wasn¡¯t happy. * * * As soon as she returned to the room after the luncheon, Cezanne stretched out onto the comfy sofa. Seeing Cezanne¡¯s tired appearance, Mel ran up to her and asked with concern. ¡°Princess, you look tired for some reason. Should I call a doctor?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll just rest. You can go now.¡± ¡°If you need to rest, wear comfortable clothes¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call you if I need it.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Mel retreated, Cezanne bit her nails and got lost in thought. Obviously, what she went through was not a dream. Like a lion from hell, Fletta possessed the terrible power of darkness. How was that possible? Cezanne recalled Fletta¡¯s gloomy face during the day. How did such a small, fragile child¡¯s body have such tremendous strength? She couldn¡¯t believe it easily. Mrs. Milla and Vivian¡¯s maids, who were dragging her recklessly, also came to mind one after another. In addition, she didn¡¯t know how Vivian, whom she just encountered after coming back to the past, would act, but if she let things flow like before, Fletta would awaken the power of darkness again. If so, the future would not change. They would face the same ending. The collapsed imperial palace, the summoned beasts, and her family who turned into black stone statues, along with everyone in the palace. The fall of Erantos should never be seen again. In order not to be so, there was only one conclusion. ¡®We have to stop Fletta¡¯s dark awakening.¡¯ Should she let her family know first? But who would believe that? No matter how much her family members loved her, it was clear that they would think that she had gone insane. The fate of the mentally ill imperial family members and nobles were miserable. They were either forced to live in ruins inside a tower or commit suicide to prevent it from being revealed externally. Then, Cezanne had no choice but to move on her own. If it were the current Fletta, no one would notice if she was thrown out of the palace under everyone¡¯s nose. Rather, it would be better for both Fletta and the imperial family. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 With such strong determination, Cezanne moved without anyone¡¯s knowledge as the night fell. She changed into clothes that the maids would wear. She heard that Fletta¡¯s room was in the maid¡¯s palace since she did not receive a separate palace like the other princesses. It took her a long time to reach the maid¡¯s palace from the 2nd princess palace because she had to avoid encountering people. In particular, if the maids at her palace saw her, she would be summoned back to her palace. After the maids passed by, she successfully entered the maid¡¯s palace after aiming for a time when people were scarce. Now the problem was figuring out where Fletta¡¯s room was. ¡®It must be the oldest and most shabby room.¡¯ ¡®Was it here?¡¯ Cezanne tilted her head. There was a place that seemed to be a storage for things rather than a place where a person lived. Her prediction was right. A small room without even a single moonlight. As she lifted her foot and peered through the gratings, she could see a dirty, ragged bed. The door had a rusty but thick padlock, and a key was inserted. It looked like it was made so that she could not open and leave the room from the inside. When she pushed the door, it opened with a squeaking sound. It was such a cramped and shabby place that it was hard to believe that a person lived there. As she stepped inside, the foul smell of filth stung her nostrils. ¡®Oh my gosh.¡¯ Cezanne came inside and took a deep breath. Her heart was beating like crazy, and her hands were wet with sweat. Squeak. At that moment, something black flicked past the floor. She suppressed her desire to step back immediately out of disgust. The only furniture in the room was a small chair and a ragged bed. Cezanne stiffened at the sight she saw the next moment. A small figure was tied to an old chair. The eyes, which now became more accustomed to the darkness, captured the image of a child. The messy hair that she saw during the day; it was indeed Fletta. Her head was drooping as if she had already lost consciousness. Cezanne went close and cast a spell. ¡°Light!¡± The sphere of light that rose from Cezanne¡¯s fingertips brightly lit the surroundings, but the view before her eyes was a terrible sight that was hard to look at. Slender limbs and a limp body similar to a corpse. Fletta¡¯s face looked pale as if there were no trace of blood. Her lips were dry and her forehead was covered in cold sweat. The red wounds on her exposed limbs were covered in blood scabs. Her wrists and ankles were bound with tight shackles, so blood did not pass through properly, which then led her to bleed. A fly buzzed over the child¡¯s dry lips, but the child did not even budge. ¡®Unbelievable. This is¡­¡¯ While looking at Fletta, Cezanne felt her eyes and cheeks heating up. Cezanne was surprised when she touched Fletta¡¯s body. The child¡¯s body was very cold. ¡®Is she dead, by any chance?¡¯ Looking at her state, it looked so serious that it would not be strange if she died right away. Cezanne shuddered and bit her lips. Whether they were from the imperial family or not, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡®How can you do this to a person?¡¯ She felt anger and compassion at the same time. Cezanne unwittingly took off her shawl and covered the child¡¯s body. The pale, bare child seemed as if the fire igniting within her had been extinguished. Cezanne hugged the child over her shawl for a while, forgetting everything she had decided to abandon the child. If she could share even a little bit of warmth¡­ She would gladly do it.. Now, she had a great desire to save the poor child in front of her. Cezanne wiped away her tears and went out immediately to call a maid. Fletta was moved to a bed in another room so that she could be examined and treated immediately. Looking at the child, the doctor said, ¡°It seems she has been severely malnourished, dehydrated, and sick. If it hadn¡¯t been discovered right away, it would have been a real disaster.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°The scars on her body, how is she in such a terrible state¡­¡± Cezanne nodded as even the doctor was speechless and filled with pity. Mrs. Milla, who was called in late, showed a sad expression on her face. ¡°The Pri, Princess saved our Miss Fletta. I didn¡¯t know this was happening¡­¡± Cezanne glared at Mrs. Milla, who was acting casually. ¡°Mrs. Milla, are you saying that you had no idea about this¡­at all?¡± ¡°Yes, that, that¡¯s right. I really didn¡¯t know about it. She always ate well.¡± Mrs. Milla¡¯s lie made Cezanne speechless, but she decided to ask again. ¡°Tell me. What¡¯s your main job?¡± ¡°I, I am to directly discipline the maids myself.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m the nanny of Miss Fletta.¡± ¡°A nanny locked the child in such a room and tied her up with chains?¡± ¡°N, No. That¡¯s because Miss Fletta is so ill-mannered that she needs to be disciplined. I only did it for that reason. Please don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± ¡°Is it a form of discipline to starve a child and beat her up like a beggar?¡± ¡°I, I have never done such a thing. Actually, Miss Fletta doesn¡¯t eat and wash well. But I¡¯ve never hit Miss Fletta before. I¡¯m afraid she probably fell and hit herself.¡± Cezanne felt something swell inside. Cezanne beckoned to Mrs. Milla, who spoke with a brazen face, and gestured at her to raise her head in front of her. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Cezanne raised her hand. Slap! Mrs. Milla¡¯s head turned sideways. ¡°You¡¯re fired for abandoning your duty.¡± ¡°Yes? Pri, Princess, what¡­¡± Mrs. Milla touched her red, swollen cheek, and looked at her with a look of resentment and absurdity. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense that the nanny didn¡¯t know about the condition of the child.¡± ¡°¡­That, that¡¯s because I was busy disciplining the other young maids. This is not fair. Princess! Please revoke your order!¡± ¡°Get that noisy girl out of here and put her in jail at once. Don¡¯t give her food or water for three days.¡± ¡°Yes, 2nd Princess.¡± ¡°Ack! N, No! You, let go of me. Princess, Princess!¡± When the two maids dragged Mrs. Milla, who kept on struggling, out, it became quieter. Cezanne looked down at the child as the doctor gave her medicine and the healer casted a healing spell on her. Her pale complexion had improved and she was sleeping deeply. Cezanne, who was still looking down at Fletta, murmured to herself. ¡°She¡¯s really small.¡± She didn¡¯t know how old she was, but she was really small. Considering the shabby room, she must have not eaten properly. She was even given terrible corporal punishments, and was often shackled and beaten. That must be why she couldn¡¯t grow up properly. ¡°Princess!¡± When they heard the news, Mel and the other maids from the Second Princess Palace came. ¡°¡­I just stopped by on the way.¡± It was a sillt=y excuse, but Mel didn¡¯t ask any further questions. ¡°It¡¯s getting late. The Empress will be very worried if this is known. I¡¯ll have other maids to attend to Miss Fletta so it would be better for the Princess to return to the Palace.¡± Even though Mel said that, she still had a bit of trouble dealing with the vile and dirty Fletta. ¡°Okay. Then, as soon as she wakes up, prepare a warm meal and bath for her.¡± ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll tell them that.¡± At Mel¡¯s words, all the maids in the maid¡¯s palace avoided eye contact. She pointed out one of them and ordered them to take care of Fletta. Cezanne, then, returned to the Second Princess Palace. ¡®Will they really take good care of Fletta? It somehow bothers me for no reason.¡¯ Around noon the next day, Cezanne entered the room where Fletta was staying with her maid. Sure enough, Fletta¡¯s appearance was still dirty. They didn¡¯t even wash her face. Moreover, the child was sleeping as if she had fainted. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Cezanne¡¯s eyes made Mel bring the maid with a perplexed look. The maid, who had been quietly watching, answered. ¡°¡­Miss Fletta never woke up.¡± Not long after, she heard a small noise from the bed. Rustle. It was the sound coming from under the covers. Fletta, who was rolling her black eyes, couldn¡¯t speak because she didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°Bring me a meal right now.¡± When Cezanne¡¯s order was given, the maid rushed to the kitchen of the Imperial Palace. Fletta had no idea how to behave. She wanted to get up from the bed, but she didn¡¯t know if she could. She thought it over, but she was still perplexed. ¡®Where am I?¡¯ It was not a room like the prison she had always stayed in, but a clean room with bright lights. For some reason, her body felt light and refreshed. What happened while she was sleeping? When people saw her, they either avoided, cursed, or bullied her. It was her first time to be in the same space with so many people. The most amazing thing was the presence of that person with such a shining appearance. The second princess, who is said to be as beautiful as a fairy¡ª even looking at her felt like she was committing a sacrilegious crime, so Fletta tried to drop her gaze to the floor. ¡®Why is the 2nd princess in this room?¡¯ Has she done something wrong? Did she come to punish her? By the time Fletta reached a conclusion, she met Cezanne¡¯s green eyes. Clear and transparent emerald eyes. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Come to think of it, whenever she sees the princess, she has to greet her with courtesy¡­ but she forgot again. Foolish Fletta. If Mrs. Milla knew this, she might not feed her for another few days and hit her. ¡°I greet the 2nd Princess¡­¡± Fletta, who was forced to raise herself, looked up at her and offered her greetings. Cezanne approached the bed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t do that. Lie down.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Cezanne gently pushed Fletta with her palm to lie down again. Fletta glanced at Cezanne without saying a word. She was so beautiful that words alone couldn¡¯t describe it. The prettiest thing that Fletta had ever seen in her life was a white rabbit with soft fur, and the princess had just taken its place. In addition, the princess smelled very good. It was the first time that she had seen the princess so close and had a conversation with her. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but did she come to punish me?¡¯ Fletta tilted her head, and her stomach growled again. As she buried her head under the blanket in embarrassment, she heard Cezanne¡¯s voice along with a fragrant smell. ¡°Here, have a meal.¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 She clearly understood the meaning, but her body didn¡¯t move. As soon as Fletta looked up, Cezanne spoke again. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hungry? Have a meal.¡± ¡°¡­C, Can I really eat it?¡± Looking at the food, Fletta gulped and made sure it was hers. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all yours, so eat it all.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t believe such a perfect meal is mine. Is it a dream?¡¯ ¡®Can I eat all of this?¡¯ Fletta hurriedly ate the hot meat stew and drank milk. The savory bread and the tender lamb were so delicious. Chewing and tasting food was so much fun. In the meantime, the meal given to Fletta was barely enough to satisfy her hunger, that even a piece of dried bread was eaten very well. Because there were times when she had been given a dirty meal or a spoiled stew with bugs in it. Cezanne narrowed her brow when she saw Fletta emptying the bowl in an instant. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me, is she mad?¡¯ Fletta murmured out of habit, carefully examining Cezanne¡¯s reaction. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I, I¡¯m sorry.¡± But what she heard was completely different from what she had expected. ¡°What? Do you want more?¡± ¡°Yes? Yes!¡± ¡°Here, bring me some more dessert.¡± ¡°Yes, princess.¡± When the maid brought more food at Cezanne¡¯s command, Fletta felt like she was dreaming. She used to be a maid who avoided her like a bug, but now she was bringing her meals. It was such a delicious meal! Fletta, who was happy as she put the crispy apple pie in her mouth, suddenly had a scary thought. The maid sent by the first princess also lured her by giving her snacks, then dragged her to a dark place. Traces of being hit there still remained on Fletta¡¯s body. Fletta¡¯s mouth, which was eagerly eating the baked pies, suddenly stopped. Cezanne, who noticed it, asked. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Was it not good?¡± ¡°¡­N, No.¡± When Cezanne approached her with a raised hand, Fletta closed her eyes in fright. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, please forgive me!¡± However, she didn¡¯t feel any pain. Surprised, Cezanne pointed to a piece of pie on Fletta¡¯s head and said. ¡°There¡¯s a piece of pie on your head.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cezanne waved to the maid, who was waiting for her to finish her meal. ¡°Put away the meal and wash the child now.¡± ¡°Yes, princess¡­¡± After answering, the maid looked at Fletta with a sullen face. ¡°Kylie.¡± ¡°Yes, head maid.¡± ¡°Help her too.¡± At Mel¡¯s order, Kylie, a member of the Second Imperial Palace, went pale. While Cezanne waited while fanning, the two maids took Fletta to the next room and began to bathe her. But soon, there was a cry. It was not the child¡¯s voice, but the cries of the maids. Cezanne tilted her head as she looked at Mel, and they then opened the next room. Fletta was sitting with her eyes wide open in a bathtub full of black water, and the two maids were crying while washing their hands because they didn¡¯t want to touch the child¡¯s body. She was shocked at the sight before her, but what caught her eye more was the countless wounds on Fletta¡¯s naked body. The whip marks, nail scratches, and black bruises on her frail body were difficult to look at with her own eyes. Cezanne shook her head when she realized that tears were pooling in her eyes. ¡°¡­what the hell are you doing?¡± When Mel scolded the maids in an angry voice, they knelt down and wept. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± ¡°What? How dare you make such a fuss in front of the princess? Are you crazy?¡± Just in time, Fletta coughed loudly, and the two maids hugged each other and stepped back. It was like they were dealing with germs. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Cezanne sighed and spoke coldly. ¡°Get out. Mel, take care of their mess.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand. But Princess?¡± Seeing Cezanne roll up the sleeves of her long dress, it was only then that Mel understood what she meant. ¡°Princess, we will take care of her bath, so please leave it to us.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll wash the child.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Mel and the other maids were astonished. They knew she had been a lot nicer since yesterday, but could someone¡¯s personality change like this overnight?¡¯ Besides, Fletta was a child that everyone avoided in the Imperial Palace. It was Cezanne¡¯s behavior that could not be easily understood, but it was still an imperial order nonetheless. ¡°Mel, take care of the maids and come back.¡± Cezanne said with sleeves rolled up and a face that looked like she had no idea what to do first. It was only natural that she had never had a drop of water on her hand since she was born. ¡°¡­well, I can just do it myself.¡± Fletta blinked her big eyes and spoke in a mosquito-like voice, but Cezanne shook her head. ¡°No, hold on for a while.¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± Fletta nodded without turning her head. Cezanne soaked the towel in warm water and began to wipe Fletta¡¯s back. It was the first time that someone had washed her body with such a warm touch, even though she was ashamed of her naked body. It was warm, to the extent that tears filled her eyes. Tears rolled down Fletta¡¯s big eyes. Cezanne asked cautiously, startled. ¡°¡­Does it hurt?¡± Fletta shook her head. ¡°N, no. It doesn¡¯t hurt!¡± ¡°Then why are you crying?¡± ¡°Something got into my eyes¡­¡± Fletta¡¯s eyes became blurred as she kept looking for excuses, and soon tears, as big as pearls, fell. Cezanne, who saw it, also felt somewhat emotional. Cezanne patted Fletta on the back and spoke. ¡°Yes, cry as much as you want.¡± At the warm words, Fletta shed tears for a long time. Before she knew it, Fletta, whose eyebrows and nose were red, wiped away her tears with her forearm. A knock was heard, and Mel came in and spoke. ¡°The two maids were driven out of the palace.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Though clumsy, Cezanne was washing Fletta with a rather serious face. Mel couldn¡¯t stay still, so she quickly rolled up her sleeves. Fletta¡¯s bath began in earnest. How many times did she rinse her with water and wipe her off? Before she knew it, a towel was placed on the body of Fletta, who was washed thoroughly. Cezanne spoke. ¡°Can you dry yourself off?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing Fletta wiping her body roughly and quickly with a soft, fluffy towel, Mel spoke with a smile. ¡°You need to wipe it a little more thoroughly.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± While Fletta blinked, Cezanne held out a robe. ¡°I threw away your clothes. Wear this.¡± Even though it was a young maid¡¯s clothes which had been brought in a hurry, Fletta looked pleased. Fletta kept sniffing at the pleasant smell emanating from her body, finding it rather strange that her body no longer stinked. After washing her clean, Fletta looked skinny, but small and cute. She was like a curious baby animal, like a baby squirrel. Even the way she shook off the water from her wet hair was lovely. Cezanne smiled naturally at Fletta. ¡®Cute¡­¡¯ Soon after, Fletta looked at her face and smiled shyly. She seemed somewhat embarrassed. In fact, Fletta was just recalling what happened a moment ago. The princess washed her with her warm hands. The touch was so soft that it didn¡¯t feel real. It was the first warm caress she received in her entire life. Looking down at Fletta, Cezanne spoke. ¡°The meal and the bath are now all done. I have to go now.¡± Today was truly a magical day. Princess Cezanne appeared suddenly and seemed to have granted all her wishes. It was a really happy day. She felt a bit disappointed, but I guess she should go now. Fletta nodded and bowed towards Cezanne in gratitude. ¡°Umm¡­ The food was delicious, and it was nice to have a bath and be washed clean. Thank you so much, it was the best day ever. Really, thank you.¡± Fletta thanked her, still bowing her head. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me. Your room is gone.¡± At Cezanne¡¯s words, Fletta¡¯s black eyes widened again. * * * ¡°Stay here until your new room is ready.¡± At Cezanne¡¯s words, Fletta opened her mouth wide. It was a luxurious room beyond imagination for Fletta, who lived in a narrow warehouse room that was no different from a prison. It was also surprising that there was a window, and the soft silk curtains swayed gently in the wind. ¡°Wow.¡± A large, fluffy, sky-blue bed was hung up to the ceiling, and the room was neatly lined with matching furniture and closets. There were even three or four colorful cushions in one corner of the bed. Fletta looked at Cezanne¡¯s countenance to see if she could really stay here. ¡°Do you like it?¡± ¡°Yes, very much.¡± Fletta nodded her head eagerly. It was a really wonderful room for Fletta. ¡°Then get some rest.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± She wanted to thank the princess again, but before she could say anything, she already turned around. ¡°She¡¯s gone.¡± Click. As soon as Cezanne closed the door, Fletta climbed onto the bed and looked. Even the sound of the door was beautiful. The bed was so fluffy that it felt like she was on a cloud. Fletta jumped as high as she could to the ceiling of the bed as if she were flying. Boing. Boing. She jumped up lightly, letting herself bounce on the bed. It was the first time in her life that she had such fun like this. Thud! Thud! Creak! Meanwhile, Cezanne, who was sitting downstairs and drinking tea, raised her head, wondering what the noise was. ¡°What is this noise?¡± Bell also tilted her head in wonder at Cezanne¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t think there¡¯s a mouse, do you? Cezanne narrowed her brow, making a guess. Mel went halfway up the stairs and soon smiled as if she knew. ¡°Miss Fletta seems to like the bed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Cezanne picked up the teacup that Mel had given her with a bright face. ¡°Ah, right, you cannot miss tomorrow¡¯s lesson.¡± ¡®I got caught.¡¯ Cezanne glanced at Mel and covered her face with a book, leaning her body onto the rocking chair and pretending not to know. Seeing Cezanne¡¯s actions, Mel smiled softly. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Jumping on the bed, Fletta concluded that the princess wasn¡¯t that scary. At least she doesn¡¯t bother her like the other princess. She was a fool for thinking that she was a pretty but scary princess. ¡°The princess seems like a good person. Her hands were very warm.¡± Of course, she had never seen her smile, but her gaze on her wasn¡¯t cold either. The princess was extremely pretty as if she were not of this world. The shiny blonde hair and eyes that are greener than the trees in the forest. The more she looked at it, the more she seemed to fall in love with it. She couldn¡¯t even explain how fine and tall her nose was. The luscious eyelashes that appeared every time her big eyes blinked made her want to touch it with her fingers despite the possibility of being scolded. Fletta, imagining the princess¡¯s pretty face, opened her mouth. ¡°I want to be friends with the princess.¡± She swallowed the words that came out of her mouth unconsciously. It was because Milla¡¯s words came to mind. She would always speak harshly with an angry face. ¨C ¡®We live in the same Imperial Palace, but the princesses and you are not equal. You¡¯re just a little bug. You¡¯re a useless trash that can be thrown away.¡¯ When Mrs. Milla¡¯s vicious face came to mind, Fletta¡¯s face became dark. ¡°S, Someone like me shouldn¡¯t be friends with the princess.¡± Fletta stopped jumping on the bed with drooping shoulders. It made her so sad to think that this bright and wonderful room might disappear like a bubble. * * * Lying still on the bed, Cezanne was lost in thought. She saved the child. It was inevitable. She couldn¡¯t bear to watch it without doing anything. Had it been left alone, Fletta would have died sooner or later. No matter how much dark power she had, she couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to a child dying from abuse. However, the red eyes of the basilisk, which became clearer whenever she closed her eyes, bothered Cezanne. It seemed as if a snake¡¯s tail was lurking somewhere in this splendid Imperial Palace, hitting its scales. Why was Fletta born with the power of the basilisk¡­ how does she get rid of it? She thought she should at least look into related books tomorrow. Cezanne, unable to sleep that night, went to the library with only her maid, Hana, keeping it a secret from Mel. ¡°Basilisk, there¡¯s no book that contains such content, princess.¡± As the librarian said, she could not find any record about the basilisk or any ancient book. ¡®That¡¯s strange. I remember seeing that book somewhere¡­¡¯ When the Imperial Palace collapsed and everyone solidified into stone, Cezanne vividly remembered the contents of the ancient book. ¨C When the basilisk, the king of darkness and snakes, awakens, the world will finally come to an end. All fools in the world will turn into stone statues before the eyes of the basilisk. ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any related books or records?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of any help.¡± ¡°Then, what about the power of darkness?¡± ¡°¡­that too, princess.¡± ¡°I see. Okay.¡± The librarian bowed his head. Cezanne walked out of the library, brooding over a strange notion. ¡®Then, where did I read that?¡¯ Returning to her newly decorated room in the Imperial Palace, she couldn¡¯t remember no matter how much she thought about it. ¡°Basilisk.¡± Cezanne was immersed in the thought of the terrifying power that Fletta had summoned. What was that power? * * * Whoosh. The wind blew over the desolate ruins. The old and weathered Imperial Palace was full of old stone statues that were gradually crumbling into powder, without any living people in sight. Only the shadow of death and the summoner of darkness, Basilisk, who flicked its tongue out, remained alive. As soon as she saw its red eyes, she got goosebumps all over her body. ¡°Huff, Huff¡­!¡± Cezanne jumped out of bed, breathing heavily. It was a dream. Was this what Erantos looked like on the day before the return, or even longer than that? A ruined empire with no living creatures. However, why did she dream about it when she already came back to the past? Maybe the foreseen past wasn¡¯t actually fiction. That thought gradually increased her anxiety. She managed to save Fletta, but there was still no guarantee that she wouldn¡¯t summon Basilisk. Unfortunately, that was the case. Cezanne chewed her nails again after a long time. Cezanne pulled the rope and called Mel. Soon after, Mel came in and changed Cezanne¡¯s sweaty clothes. Cezanne¡¯s expression seemed unusual, so Mel became cautious and worried, but Cezanne only glossed over it. ¡°I just had a nightmare.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯ve been paying too much attention to Miss Fletta recently. How about putting off swordsmanship class today and resting for a bit?¡± ¡°Shall we do that?¡± As Mel said, she was thinking too much about the basilisk that she ended up dreaming about it. It won¡¯t be a big deal. It¡¯s okay to rest a little. Mel pulled back the curtain, and the clear sunlight shone through the open window. ¡°The weather is nice. I¡¯ll inform the Duke of Veniou in advance, so it would be better for the princess to sleep a little longer. I¡¯ll take care of Miss Fletta¡¯s meal when she wakes up in a little while, so please stay still and rest in your room.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Mel put out the light and went out again. She felt sleepy again because she had changed into soft pajamas, but she couldn¡¯t sleep. In addition, her teacher, Duke Veniou, was a man famous for being extremely strict. Though, she liked that more. If she missed the swordsmanship class, another training would be added, so Cezanne forced herself up. When Cezanne came out of the room, Mel asked in surprise. ¡°Princess, why did you come out instead of resting?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯d rather go to class. It¡¯s just a nightmare. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, if you insist. I haven¡¯t sent a maid yet.¡± Wearing armor and tying her hair together, Cezanne moved with a rather heavy heart. When she arrived at the swordsmanship class, no one had arrived yet. Cezanne pulled out the sword hanging by her waist. Shing. It was a short sword with a slender blade, so it was quickly pulled out. As the silver short sword was swung in the air, the clear sunlight, reflected in the silver blades, bounced around. ¡°Hiya!¡± Letting out a shout, she quickly swung her short sword towards the practice scarecrow. Whish! The scarecrow¡¯s body, filled with rice straw, quickly split into three equal parts. Her condition was not better than usual, but it was not enough to hinder her. Rather, there was nothing better than swinging a sword and sweating to put off miscellaneous thoughts for a while. She was anxious because of the nightmare, but also worried if Fletta would adapt well in an unfamiliar place. ¡®Is she up by now?¡¯ * * * Tweet, tweet, tweet! When the chirping bird flew by the window, Fletta woke up, rubbing her eyes. It was the first time she slept so long until late noon. Fletta also had nightmares all night. It was only until dawn that she finally fell asleep, since she had been worried about being scolded by Mrs. Milla ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­¡± Fletta opened the door with a whimper, pulling out her head and looking around. She saw an elegant hallway with a red velvet carpet. Feeling like someone was passing by in the distance, Fletta gently shut the door again. She had overslept, so she was restless because she felt like she had made a big mistake. Knock knock. When she heard a knock on the door right in front of her, Fletta hiccuped in surprise. ¡°Hiccup!¡± ¡°Miss Fletta, are you awake?¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m awake¡­¡± ¡°May I come in for a moment?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± When Fletta turned the door knob that came to her chest and opened it with difficulty, Mel spoke kindly. ¡°Thank you. Are you hungry? Shall we prepare a meal?¡± Fletta nodded furiously at the soft voice. ¡°Yes!¡± Soon after, delicious lamb stew, soft and savory bread, yellow cheese and warm milk was brought in. Fletta, who fixed her gaze on the food, swallowed her saliva, and glanced at Mel as if asking for permission. ¡°Eat as much as you want.¡± When permission was given, Fletta began to eat food with her hands in a hurry. While chewing and swallowing the bread, Fletta thought it was amazing that such a soft and tender bread existed. Delicious. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious.¡± Fletta muttered with an ecstatic expression without realizing it. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Mel handed her a glass of water when she saw Fletta choking up while eating in a hurry. ¡°Take your time and chew well.¡± At Mel¡¯s words, Fletta blinked her eyes, then stopped eating and looked at her. ¡°¡­..?¡± ¡°You should hold this.¡± Mel put the fork in Fletta¡¯s tiny hand, which had been messed up with food. Then, she showed the amount of food she should chew and swallow. ¡°Here, like this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± After Mel¡¯s demonstration, Fletta dipped her fork into the food and put it in her mouth very carefully. ¡°Yes, just like that.¡± When Mel said so, Fletta chewed the food with relief. Fletta looked at Mel and waited for her answer, as if she were asking permission. ¡°Good job, Miss Fleta.¡± At that moment, a sigh of relief came out of Fletta¡¯s lips, and she ate the next food with a fork and put it in her mouth. She looked ecstatic, admiring the taste. Then, she carefully chewed the food again. This was the second time Fletta had a proper meal. She enjoyed the previous meal, but she was only able to taste it properly at this meal. The brown crust of the bread was crispy, and the inside was soft. It wasn¡¯t just bread. Both the lamb, which tasted savory as you chew, and the freshly squeezed milk were tasty. Fletta was so happy that she felt like melting. ¡°Madame, it¡¯s about time for the princess to finish her class.¡± Asha, another maid from the 2nd Princess Palace, came to the dining room and told Mel. ¡°Miss Fletta, I¡¯ll be back with the 2nd princess. Just continue eating. If you have any inconvenience, please call a maid outside.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Fletta replied to the news of the princess coming and focused on the meal again. Soon after, when Cezanne arrived at the Imperial Palace, all the maids went out and greeted her. Fletta followed along, bowing her head like a maid. ¡°We greet the 2nd princess.¡± Fletta moved her lips together with the sound of simultaneous greetings. Fletta opened her mouth when she saw Cezanne in simple leather armor for a swordsmanship class. Even the silver short sword and scabbard attached to her waist looked amazing. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Hi. You¡¯re up already?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± It was surprising to see Fletta answering shyly. Fletta was so short that her head barely reached Cezanne¡¯s waist. Cezanne tried to stroke her head without realizing it as she watched the small Fletta, but stopped midway. Fletta looked up at Cezanne¡¯s every touch, gaze, and movement, as if she were looking up at her. This child summoned the terrible monster, Basilisk. Where did such frightening power come from in such a small and fragile child? Cezanne was weighed down by the thought. ¡®Now, what should I do with her?¡¯ Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The child¡¯s clear black eyes, staring at her, shook. Fletta came closer to Cezanne. Now, the combed black hair looked well-groomed and neat. Even the black eyes, which symbolized the energy of darkness, looked fine. ¡®Do you really want me to pet you?¡¯ Cezanne stretched out her hand awkwardly. Fletta just stared at Cezanne silently. She stroked Fletta¡¯s soft, fine hair once. At that moment, a bright smile crossed Fletta¡¯s face. Cezanne looked down at Fletta, unaware that she was also smiling lightly. ¡°Huh? You just smiled. The princess looks so pretty when you smile!¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Really. I¡¯ve never seen anyone so pretty. Just like the stars in the sky.¡± ¡°Really? Thank you.¡± ¡°And¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Fletta hesitated for a while before talking with her lips. ¡°You¡¯re the best person I¡¯ve ever known.¡± At those words, Cezanne¡¯s expression hardened for a moment. She was never a good person. She was actually one of the imperial families who tried to send Fletta out of the Imperial Palace, and she even pretended not to know in the past. ¡°I am not that good of a person.¡± At Cezanne¡¯s words, Fletta immediately grew pale and said, ¡°I¡­ made a mistake.¡± ¡°Is that a speaking habit?¡± She wondered how much has she been subjected to abuse that an apology comes straight out of her mouth. Seeing Cezanne¡¯s stiffened expression, Fletta shook her head. ¡°N, No¡­¡± Cezanne was a little angry. Of course, she wasn¡¯t angry at Fletta, but at the person who made Fletta like this. ¡°That¡¯s not a good way to talk, because you¡¯ve done nothing wrong.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯m going to rest.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fletta followed Cezanne, who was turning around, but soon stopped. Her face, which had brightened at the arrival of the princess, quickly turned gloomy. Fletta was somehow sullen because she thought Cezanne found her annoying. But the end of her gaze was still directed at Cezanne. She was standing with a puppy-like face as if asking her to take a look at her¡­ Unlike Fletta, Cezanne has yet to open her heart wide. Until that evening, Fletta and Cezanne were in the same palace, but they spent time separately. Fletta walked around with cautious steps, roaming her curious eyes here and there, while Cezanne was stuck in her study, reading the books she needed to prepare for class. Every time she went out to the drawing room, Fletta followed Cezanne, so she couldn¡¯t help but pay attention. But Cezanne ignored it and continued to read. Before she knew it, Fletta was dozing off on the sofa. Seeing this, Cezanne wondered if she should buy a toy for the child to play with. But for now, she decided to withdraw her attention a little. She still didn¡¯t know how she felt. The thought¡ª if she treats Fletta well, she won¡¯t summon Basilisk¡ª was actually a complacency. Nevertheless, the child kept appearing before her eyes. Cezanne brought the rabbit doll that she used to play with as a child next to Fletta, who was dozing off. Cezanne, who lied in the bathtub while receiving Mel¡¯s massage, seemed to be slowly relieving her fatigue. ¡°You seem to have a lump around your shoulders, would you like me to massage a little more?¡± ¡°No need, this much is fine, but give me a cup of tea. I want to take a break.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± A cup of warm tea and the relaxing half-body bath drove away the fatigue. How long did she rest in the bathtub? Cezanne inadvertently recalled the wounds that had filled the child¡¯s body. Wounds that were hard to even imagine how painful it must have been. As soon as she saw it, her heart sank. ¡®She must be sleeping by now.¡¯ After changing clothes, Cezanne headed to Fletta¡¯s room. ¡®I have to heal Fletta¡¯s wounds while she¡¯s sleeping.¡¯ But as soon as she opened the door, Fletta was crying while hugging the doll tightly. ¡°¡­can I come in?¡± It was funny to ask for consent when she already opened the door without permission. Fletta roughly wiped the tears from her big eyes and nodded. Cezanne, who thought it was natural for a child to cry because they were in an unfamiliar environment, sat side by side on the bed next to Fletta. ¡°You cried.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As her big eyes turned to Cezanne, she gave her a look that said it was okay. Fletta was a child who was conscious of crying. Usually, children don¡¯t cry when they see someone¡¯s eyes. She felt kind of saddened by the sight. Still, it would be better to talk to her now since she has already made up her mind. Cezanne spoke, pointing cautiously at Fletta¡¯s back. ¡°I saw you were hurt last time. Can I see your back for a second?¡± It¡¯s not perfect, but she learned a simple healing magic in magic class. At that time, the burn on the back was the worst. Fletta seemed ashamed, but she quietly rolled up her pajamas and showed her back. Cezanne felt like her heart was being crushed again by the wounds left on her tender skin. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you. Tell me if it hurts.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cezanne caressed Fletta on the back and put her palms on her back. ¡°Heal!¡± A warm light emanating from the palm of her hand spread over Fletta¡¯s wounds. Fletta felt a pleasant warmth, and her eyes widened with a curious face. The wounds on her back slowly healed up. She also healed the other parts, and now only a small wound remains. ¡°How is it? Does it hurt?¡± The child shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Okay, good night.¡± Fletta grabbed Cezanne¡¯s hem when she was about to stand up after giving her treatment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fletta hesitated, but her lips did not open. She couldn¡¯t speak. She had nightmares because she was scared of Mrs. Milla. Even Princess Vivian was scary. ¡°I, It¡¯s nothing.¡± When Fletta closed her lips again, Cezanne patted her head and spoke. ¡°You should say what you want to say.¡± ¡°¡­I had a scary dream.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you were crying?¡± Fletta nodded, shrugging her shoulders. Cezanne thought about it for a moment, then walked back to the bed and spoke. ¡°¡­there. If you¡¯re scared, would you like to sleep with me tonight?¡± ¡°R, Really?¡± Only then did the little child¡¯s face instantly brighten up. She didn¡¯t expect her to like it this much. Cezanne lied down with her back turned towards Fletta, feeling quite awkward to sleep with someone. She glanced behind her and saw that Fletta had closed her eyes with a face full of warmth and happiness. Then she pulled the blanket up to her neck and murmured. ¡°The princess smells really good. I feel good.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I always felt like I was alone in the dark, but not anymore.¡± ¡°I see. Yes, you¡¯re not alone anymore.¡± Cezanne turned around. She patted the little child on the shoulder when she saw her black eyes. ¡°Now it will be brightened with light. I will make it happen.¡± Was it because Cezanne¡¯s sweet voice sounded like a lullaby? Fletta was able to sleep without nightmares that night. Only the soft, gentle breathing filled Fletta¡¯s room. The next morning, Cezanne stared silently at Fletta, who hugged her tightly at the back. ¡®What shall I do for you? Yes, I¡¯ll heal you, so that the darkness of the basilisk won¡¯t awaken. Fletta, I¡¯ll protect you and keep you safe.¡¯ Cezanne vowed as she gently brushed Fletta¡¯s soft cheek. * * * A few days later. On a fresh morning, Cezanne, who had two glasses of milk tea, opened her mouth. ¡°Mel.¡± ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s about Fletta. She has been wearing the same clothes all the time. It¡¯s bothering me somehow.¡± Treating Fletta that day and sleeping together was a cozy and warm experience for Cezanne. Cezanne couldn¡¯t forget the breath of the little child who was wriggling and sleeping quietly. She also thought she would like Fletta. In addition, Mel also realized that Cezanne has been talking quite a lot about Fletta recently. ¡°Shall I bring the princess¡¯s childhood dress?¡± ¡°No, I want to buy a new one for Fletta.¡± After saying that, Cezanne spoke again as if she had made up her mind. ¡°I¡¯ll have to choose some clothes right away.¡± ¡°I will contact Count Violet right away and have him enter the Imperial Palace.¡± ¡°Yes. If possible¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­I hope it¡¯s a very cute dress.¡± Cezanne said with a somewhat excited face. Cezanne, who said those words, was so unfamiliar and new that Mel was stunned for a moment. It was because the princess, who said those words, looked rather cute. ¡°¡­Yes, I will tell him to prepare cute and lovely clothes, Princess.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s anything else the princess needs, I¡¯ll ask for it together.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Oh, Fletta¡¯s shoes and hair ornaments. Well, would a hat be better than a headdress?¡± ¡°Headdresses are better indoors.¡± ¡°Hmm, I also think so. But you¡¯ll also need a hat to go out.¡± Seeing Cezanne contemplating very seriously, Mel could not hold back his laughter and chuckled. ¡°Somehow, today, the princess seems to look just like the Empress?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ll prepare it right away.¡± Cezanne tilted her head as she watched Mel¡¯s back disappear. That day, Cezanne looked through the catalog of children¡¯s dresses that Violet brought, and ordered them to bring all of the clothes. Fletta, who didn¡¯t even have a decent dress, needed a lot of clothes. ¡°That yellow dress is so cute.¡± ¡°This sky blue dress, too.¡± ¡°These are all Fletta¡¯s clothes. Try them all on.¡± The maids became busy with Cezanne¡¯s continuous orders, and Fletta was dragged around with a distraught face. They were high-end clothes that she had never worn in her life. The soft touch felt like it was wrapped around her body as soon as it touched her body. ¡°The colors are so pretty¡­. The color of the sky, the color of the leaves, the color of the brick, the color of the rose, the color of the lemon just like the princess¡¯s hair color.¡± Cezanne was also pleased to see Fletta looking at the children¡¯s dresses in various colors with curious eyes. It was fortunate that Fletta liked it. Although Cezanne was usually too lazy to choose her own clothes, it was so much fun to choose Fletta¡¯s clothes. So whenever she found cute clothes, she put them on Fletta. That¡¯s why there were so many dresses that she brought this time. There seemed to be well over 30. Sitting sluggishly on the sofa, Cezanne rose as Fletta wore a blue dress. Only then did her green eyes open, and a satisfied smile settled on her lips. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 The large ribbon attached to the waist looked lovelier and cuter. It matched Fletta¡¯s dark hair very well. ¡°It looks good. What do you think?¡± As the eyes of many were focused on her, Fletta twisted her body, perhaps being shy. Her cheeks were stained with red. ¡°¡­I, I like what the Princess likes.¡± Cezanne took a step closer to Fletta, placed a hand on her shoulder, and turned the child to face the mirror. ¡°Fletta is going to wear it, so what you like comes first. See for yourself, how cute you are.¡± Cezanne wanted to teach Fletta, who was not even used to looking in the mirror. Fletta blinked several times and looked at her face carefully in the mirror for the first time. ¡°¡­Wow. I look like a lady from a precious house.¡± She saw a cute child with big round black eyes, a small nose and lips. She just took a clean bath and changed her clothes, but the dirty Fletta could no longer be seen anywhere. ¡°What do you think? Don¡¯t you look cute even in your own eyes?¡± Cezanne approached, lowered her height to match Fletta¡¯s eye level, and asked. Fletta nodded. This was all magic. Magic created by the person in front of her. She couldn¡¯t open her eyes properly. Rather than her surprising appearance, the image of the Princess smiling at her was so dazzling. ¡°I like it very much.¡± When Fletta answered with a bright smile, Cezanne thought she really liked it. ¡°Then, how many more outfits will you wear with that design?¡± ¡°N, no. One dress is enough.¡± Fletta shook her head. Cezanne spoke, looking around at the other clothes. ¡°Choose another one. You need something to wear on a daily basis.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fletta likes this the most.¡± Fletta touched the dress she was wearing as if they were the most precious thing. ¡°Then, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± When Fletta hesitated because she didn¡¯t choose her clothes properly, Cezanne picked out a cute outfit and put it on Fletta¡¯s body. Fletta¡¯s skin was exceptionally white and petite, so a brightly-colored cute dress would look good on her. Cezanne spoke very seriously, tilting her head. ¡°This green cloak is cute too, and the pink petal dress¡­ It¡¯s so cute! I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything that doesn¡¯t suit you, so let¡¯s just buy everything, okay?¡± Cezanne patted her on the back, and the surprised Fletta replied. ¡°Yes? N, no!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll refuse your refusal. Count Violet, you heard that, right?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, yes. That¡¯s a wise decision, 2nd Princess.¡± ¡°Next, show me your hair ornaments and hats. The cutest ones.¡± When Cezanne gave the order with a smile, Count Violet, the designer who was following from behind, became busy. * * * After confirming that Fletta was fast asleep, Cezanne quietly called Mel to her study. Mel knew what she was going to bring up, thanks to the faint smile on Cezanne¡¯s lips. It¡¯s probably about Fletta. ¡°About Fletta, I¡¯d like you to teach her basic table manners and etiquette.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you look for a tutor?¡± But Cezanne shook her head. Mel was her nanny and the lady of a prestigious noble family. She was more reliable than any of her followers in the palace. In addition, even the shy Fletta showed little signs of ¡®that¡¯ in front of Mel, which was a relief. ¡°Mel, teach her. I think it¡¯s better than letting outsiders in.¡± ¡°I understand. It was also something I wanted to talk about one day.¡± Cezanne¡¯s lips gently curved at Mel¡¯s words. * * * Charles, who was preoccupied for a moment, beckoned to the butler, Bael. ¡°Give me an order, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk in the Hall of Fame. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The place he went to, along with his servants and a group of escort knights, was the Hall of Fame adorned close to the Emperor¡¯s office. This was originally the place where portraits of the first emperors of the imperial family were hung, but by the order of the current Emperor, Charles, now portraits of others were also hung. The main character of the portrait was none other than his second imperial daughter, Cezanne. In the Hall of Fame, portraits of Cezanne growing up in the order of her age were hung, allowing one to see her growth process. But Cezanne herself was terribly embarrassed to pass by this corridor. Charles, who was walking with his hand behind him, stopped in front of the portrait of a 5-year-old Cezanne with a solemn face and spoke. ¡°On that day, several mages were mobilized to attract Cezanne¡¯s attention. When she saw magic, she was fascinated, her eyes sparkling.¡± The emperor¡¯s green eyes, looking at the portrait, seemed to soften. She was still pretty and lovely, but Cezanne¡¯s cuteness at this time was at its peak to the point he wanted to bite her. Her plump, red cheeks and big green eyes that filled her small face were that of an angel. ¡°Cezanne¡¯s beauty is incomparable since birth. This is the beauty of a 5-year-old! She looks just like me. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± The servants following the emperor paused for a moment, but soon began to answer simultaneously as if they already knew the answer. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. From the top of your head to the tip of your toes, the emperor and princess are very much alike.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s right. Both of you truly have dazzling beauty.¡± Bael and the servants always experienced it, but they still doubted whether the man in front of them was the same person as their original master. Whether he saw only Cezanne in Charles¡¯ eyes or not, he looked around the Hall of Fame with a happy face. While Cezanne was away for class, Fletta was also learning basic etiquette, including table manners, from Mel, her personal lady-in-waiting. The etiquette and greetings that Mrs. Milla taught were mostly those that the maids learned. The etiquette Cezanne wanted to teach Fletta was greetings shared by the members of the same imperial family. ¡°Welcome!¡± Instead of lying flat, Fletta bent her knees and head slightly and spread the hem of her dress. She straightened her back and tried to make elegant movements, but her body was so small that it only looked cute. Thanks to Mel being her tutor, Fletta was able to learn etiquette easily. ¡°Did I do it right?¡± ¡°You are doing very well.¡± Once taught, Fletta executed it accordingly, so it felt rewarding for Mel to teach her. Fletta smiled shyly at the compliment. ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± ¡°Oh, you know, what do you usually do at banquets?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared. Enjoy the sights, listen to music, and eat delicious food at the prepared seats. It¡¯s a celebration of Princess Cezanne¡¯s birthday, so please give her a congratulatory message.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, the Princess¡¯s birthday! But what is a birthday?¡± Mel hesitated to answer Fletta¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s your first good day upon coming into this world.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Fletta first learned that the banquet was for Cezanne. ¡®On her special day, I want to make the Princess happy.¡¯ Fletta had that thought in her mind. Suddenly, she realized that she had nothing. There was nothing she was good at, and she had nothing precious. Suddenly, what Mrs. Milla said lingered in her head. ¨C You were born cursed to kill your mother, and bring misfortune. It was a painful word like a thorn. That might have been true. A cursed sinister child. The Imperial Princess was letting her stay now, but she didn¡¯t know until when. When that happens, Mrs. Milla will come back and hit her again. ¡®I don¡¯t want to¡­!¡¯ Fletta bit her little lip hard. The bite was so hard that drops of blood were on her lips. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Fletta saw Mel¡¯s worried face and asked with an uneasy look. ¡°¡­well.¡± ¡°Yes, you may speak comfortably.¡± Encouraged by the words, Fletta vaguely spoke. ¡°W, when will I go back to where I used to be?¡± When Fletta asked with eyes that looked like she was about to cry, Mel thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Do you want to go back?¡± Fletta, hesitating, shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°You mean the nanny who bullied Miss Fletta?¡± ¡°¡­yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Princess Cezanne fired Mrs. Milla on that very day. She¡¯s no longer your nanny.¡± Not believing Mel¡¯s words, Fletta asked to confirm. ¡°R¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Princess Cezanne said she didn¡¯t deserve her position. So you can rest assured now.¡± At Mel¡¯s words, Fletta¡¯s tears flowed down her cheeks. She felt a sense of relief that the closest person, who gave her a hard time, had finally disappeared. Thanks to Cezanne. All those hard and sad days. They all seemed to gather together and flow into tears. ¡°The 2nd Princess has arrived.¡± Hearing the maid¡¯s announcement, Fletta quickly wiped away the flowing tears. Cezanne was back. She seemed to have been caught up in the middle of the maids¡¯ greetings. After receiving the maids¡¯ greetings, Fletta also approached Cezanne and greeted her. This time, as Mel taught her, with a greeting between the imperial family. Despite only learning it today, Fletta performed the greeting well with a small body. Seeing that she didn¡¯t forget to put a smile on her lips, Cezanne became proud of Fletta. It was a polite greeting for a child. ¡°Welcome, Prin¡­cess.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good greeting.¡± She couldn¡¯t keep her head upright, but it was a big improvement to get this far in just one day. Cezanne, who looked at Fletta with a pleased face, stroked the child¡¯s hair. ¡°You¡¯re smart, Fletta.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fletta¡¯s cheeks flushed at the unexpected praise. Fletta was becoming lovely day by day because she gained weight as she had eaten well. Cezanne decided to wait when Fletta hesitated as if she had something to say, her lips twitching. She looked at Fletta and gave her a friendly look as if encouraging her. ¡°Yes?¡± Then the child¡¯s lips opened. ¡°Thank you, really.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ for everything. Also, just now, I was very happy that you called me by name for the first time.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Fletta said, smoothing her hair with an even more embarrassed look. However, compared to the past, she was clearly conveying her words. On the contrary, Cezanne was a little surprised and pleased at Fletta¡¯s timid words. ¡°Are you that happy?¡± Fletta nodded her head vigorously. ¡°Fletta is happy.¡± ¡°Fletta.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re happy with that, I¡¯ll call you often. It¡¯s a pretty name.¡± Fletta kept staring at the dazzling person in front of her. Then, she answered with a big smile. ¡°Princess Cezanne¡¯s name is prettier!¡± ¡°Really? Thank you, Fletta.¡± Cezanne¡¯s chest suddenly became warm. Why didn¡¯t she notice such a cute and delicate child? ¡®I¡¯ll love you now, Fletta.¡¯ Did she read her mind? Fletta, who approached Cezanne, held Cezanne¡¯s hand tightly with her small hand. Cezanne also held Fletta¡¯s hand. At that moment, a small warmth spread within them in silence. * * * Before she knew it, Cezanne¡¯s latest daily routine began by hearing reports from Mel about Fletta and giving orders. ¡°What does Fletta like to eat?¡± ¡°She eats all the food given to her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯ve never seen Fletta leave food on her plate.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ It¡¯s because she hasn¡¯t had a lot of good food before. She¡¯s a lot smaller than peers her age.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried. Even though she¡¯s 9 years old, she only looks like 6 years old¡­ Sooner or later, call the doctor to see if there is any problem with Fletta¡¯s growth.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I¡¯d better have another chef in my palace to take care of Fletta¡¯s nutrition.¡± ¡°Oh, an exclusive chef?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But the Princess doesn¡¯t even have an exclusive chef yet¡­¡± Mel asked if it was a little too much, but Cezanne¡¯s answer was clear. ¡°I¡¯m not very interested in eating, but that¡¯s not the case with Fletta. I want to let her eat to her heart¡¯s content. Whenever Fletta wants.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I think I understand what you mean, Princess. Miss Fletta will become much healthier if you do so.¡± ¡°Yes. Also, I¡¯m going to spend some time with Fletta today.¡± ¡°Then how about going on a picnic to the Imperial Palace¡¯s Lake Garden?¡± Cezanne opened her eyes wide at Mel¡¯s suggestion. ¡°That would be nice. Then get ready. I need to go to the Institute of Magic and the swordsmanship training grounds.¡± ¡°Yes, today is your magic class and swordsmanship training. I¡¯ll see you later. Is it okay if Asha takes you there instead today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve given you a few orders. I¡¯m aware that Mel is busy.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your understanding, Princess.¡± It was true that Mel¡¯s work increased significantly after Fletta came to the palace. Cezanne hurried to get dressed and headed straight to the Institute of Magic. It was mostly an outdoor class, but today was a rare theory class. It was about a thick book of witchcraft, but Cezanne already knew it because she had already learned it once. Thanks to that, the class ended very early, and Maxian, who tied his long purple hair tightly, said with a look of futility. Unlike other strict and boring class teachers, Maxian was quite gentle, so Cezanne was comfortable with him. ¡°How thorough are you in your preparation? You already memorized everything, 2nd Princess?¡± ¡°If your student does well, it would be nice to just praise them.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re too smart, it takes the fun out of teaching.¡± ¡°¡­More than that, Lord Maxian. I need to ask you something.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for books or materials about the power of darkness, but the library doesn¡¯t seem to have any. By any chance, do you know anything?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Maxian doubted his ears. The book about the power of darkness was one of the forbidden books. ¡°Why are you looking for that?¡± ¡°Are you talking back to the Imperial Princess now?¡± Cezanne smiled and asked jokingly, but Maxian, as usual, did not laugh at all. ¡°Alright, I just want to know personally. I wonder what the power of darkness is that everyone is so afraid of.¡± At Cezanne¡¯s words, Maxian asked, narrowing his brow. ¡°¡­The book is currently banned and is not available to the public.¡± ¡°Are you aware of the existence of the book?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ve only heard of it somewhere, but I¡¯m not sure if it exists. I don¡¯t know more than that.¡± Looking at his expression, it seemed like he really didn¡¯t know. ¡°¡­I apologize for my rudeness, Princess, but it¡¯s not a good idea to keep that child who¡¯s rumored to have the power of darkness¡­¡± But Cezanne was adamant as she said the following words. The green eyes that became clearer were firm. ¡°No, I won¡¯t hear any more. I¡¯ve already made my decision, and she¡¯s not born with the power of darkness. She¡¯s just a delicate, little child.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, I won¡¯t say anything more about it.¡± Maxian said bitterly. She knew what he was worried about, but Cezanne didn¡¯t want to abandon her, even if Fletta had the power of darkness. She¡¯d rather find a way to stop it. ¡®I will never let that happen.¡¯ While swinging the sword at the training grounds, Cezanne thought about Fletta. So far, Fletta was a good and delicate child, and nothing happened yet. Cezanne, who swallowed anxiously, bit her red lips. It would never happen like the dream before her regression. Cezanne struggled to cast a spell on herself and moved to the garden where she had promised to have a picnic with Fletta. ¡®Let¡¯s think about good things before meeting Fletta. I just want to make you smile.¡¯ Cezanne thought, leaving the training grounds with a maid. * * * ¡°Miss Fletta, don¡¯t go too deep. It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mel¡¯s anxious voice could be heard in the background, but Fletta felt so happy. The time scheduled for her picnic with the Imperial Princess was approaching. ¨C Fletta, let¡¯s go on a picnic today. ¨C Picnic? ¨C Yes. Let¡¯s go and play around the garden, and get some fresh air. Do you want to, Fletta? ¨C Playing¡­ I like it! ¨C Yes, Fletta is still a child, so you have to run and play a lot. She patted Fletta¡¯s head as she said those words. As expected, the Princess was kind. The fresh, sunny air made her heart flutter. In a little while, the Princess would finish her swordsmanship practice, and as she thought of her coming, her steps quickened. Today, she was going outside of the Princess Palace. Fletta was inflated with anticipation. Mel also told her that the lake garden was a beautiful hidden place among the many gardens of the Imperial Palace. She said that if the weather was nice, she could even ride a boat. ¡°Picnic~ It¡¯s a picnic.¡± Fletta was humming without realizing it, looking for pretty flowers to give to Cezanne. It was because of the story of a four-leaf clover that the Princess told her last night. It was said that good luck will come if one finds a four-leaf clover with heart-shaped leaves. ¡®Where is it?¡¯ Fletta squatted on the grass, her eyes wide open, looking for a four-leaf clover. But no matter how hard she looked, she could only find a three-leaf clover. Fletta¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°It¡¯s not here either.¡± However, there were many clovers blooming in the garden, so if she looked carefully, she might find one. ¡®I really want to find it. If I find it, I will give it to Princess Cezanne!¡¯ As she wandered frantically, looking for Clover, Mel and the maids suddenly moved away, but Fletta couldn¡¯t stop here. ¡®Let¡¯s look for it a little more.¡¯ Besides, a few steps further into the forest, it was all clover grass. Fletta plowed through the clover grass with her small hands. *Click-Clack. *sound of footsteps Crunch. Fletta looked into the clover field for a long time, unaware that someone was approaching. When a large shadow fell on the back of her head, Fletta looked up in surprise. ¡°Hic!¡± Fletta¡¯s low vision couldn¡¯t see him fully in a glance. He was a very tall man. Although he had a cool impression, Fletta almost fell back in shock at the moment due to his *severed appearance. It was a sight that resembled statues placed throughout the Imperial Palace. *Fletta could only see half of his body since he¡¯s very tall and she¡¯s short ¡®¡­I was really surprised.¡¯ Although it was only for a fleeting moment, the eyes she met were red before turning back into gray. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I surprised you, little princess. It seems you¡¯ve been looking for this for a while¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Fletta opened her eyes wide without saying a word. The man lowered himself and looked at Fletta. It seemed like he did it so that Fletta wouldn¡¯t get scared. But Fletta was still scared at the sharp impression and intimidating appearance of the strange man. ¡®I¡¯m scared.¡¯ As if reading Fletta¡¯s mind, the expressionless man had a slight smile-like expression on his face. But even that still looked scary to Fletta. He quietly extended his palm and opened it. A pretty four-leaf clover was sitting on top. ¡°Oh, a four-leaf clover!¡± Fletta looked up at him with wide eyes. The man held out a four-leaf clover. ¡°Take it. It seems like the princess needs it more than me.¡± ¡°Oh¡­t, thank you! But I¡¯m not a princess.¡± Fletta bowed her head. There was no longer fear nor anxiety in her clear, large, black eyes. The man¡¯s eyes were slightly bent because he seemed to be relieved. ¡®The princess is Princess Cezanne¡­ But who is this?¡¯ The man in front of her did not have the hair color of the Imperial family of Erantos. It was neither blond nor silver, but pitch black. It was the same color as hers. But he was wearing very luxurious clothes. Then, a low-pitched voice rang out. ¡°Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Grand Duke Kylia von Darian of the Duchy of Srakan. If you¡¯re not a princess, may I ask the young lady to introduce herself?¡± A blunt but polite attitude, and manners that somehow showed grace. Fletta opened her squirrel-like black eyes, and soon opened her lips. ¡°¡­Yes? I, I¡¯m not even a lady.¡± Fletta looked rather troubled as she didn¡¯t know how to introduce herself. At that moment, the savior appeared. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 ¡°Fletta.¡± A clear and refreshing voice was heard, and Cezanne¡¯s face came into view. Fletta immediately ran to Cezanne, relieved. Cezanne then met the eyes of the man, whose presence could not be ignored, in front of her. The mysteriously shining gray eyes, piercing nose, and the blood-red lips drew her attention, but what caught her eyes the most was the pitch-black hair that looked like Fletta¡¯s. A color that seemed to have descended from darkness. He was tall enough that it¡¯s hard to look up for a long time, and had a solid physique. Nevertheless, his beautiful features were still very noticeable. It was the first time she thought of a man as beautiful. Yes, it was definitely not the first time she saw him. This person¡­ But in this timeline, it was the first time. She later saw him at a formal dinner. Mel, the lady-in-waiting who followed after Cezanne, whispered to her that he was the Grand Duke, but Cezanne faced him with eyes that feigned ignorance. When their gazes were intertwined in the air, the man belatedly realized that he was staring at Cezanne unconsciously and spoke immediately. ¡°Pardon me for my rudeness, 2nd Princess! My name is Grand Duke Kylia von Darian of the Duchy of Srakan. Nice to meet you.¡± A calm, low voice that didn¡¯t give away whether he was flustered or not. It was also rare for Cezanne to come face-to-face with a man who seemed to be of the same age as her brother, Luca. Nevertheless, Cezanne greeted him with ease. ¡°Oh, this was unexpected, so I was a little surprised. I¡¯m Cezanne de Hermel Erantos. Nice to meet you, Grand Duke Darian.¡± After the greeting, Cezanne quickly turned to Fletta in a somewhat awkward atmosphere. ¡°Fletta, what were you doing here?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I was looking for a four-leaf clover for the princess.¡± ¡°A four-leaf clover? It¡¯s not easy to find. That¡¯s why it¡¯s considered good luck.¡± ¡°I found it! I didn¡¯t find it, but¡­¡± Fletta carefully held out the four-leaf clover that the Grand Duke had given her earlier to Cezanne. ¡°A four-leaf clover?¡± ¡°The Grand Duke gave it to me¡­¡± Fletta told the truth while looking at the Grand Duke. ¡°Oh¡­ I came across it by accident. I just gave it to the young lady who was diligently searching through the clover field.¡± Cezanne, who had only been smiling at Fletta the whole time, gave Kylia a light smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can accept the Grand Duke¡¯s good luck, but thank you. Say thank you, Fletta.¡± ¡°T, Thank you, Grand Duke.¡± Fletta nodded and waved her hand. ¡°I have already received her thanks earlier. It now belongs to the young lady.¡± Cezanne looked down at the four-leaf clover in her hand for a long time before giving it back to Fletta. ¡°Fletta, the Grand Duke gave this to you, so you should keep it.¡± ¡°Yeah? But¡­¡± Fletta¡¯s face became slightly sullen. Cezanne lowered her body to meet Fletta¡¯s gaze and spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t need a four-leaf clover. Fletta is my four-leaf clover. So I¡¯ll give you this good luck.¡± At Cezanne¡¯s kind words, Fletta¡¯s black eyes wavered. ¡°Eek! P, Princess¡­!¡± When Fletta looked at Cezanne with flustered eyes, Cezanne patted the child gently. Kylia watched the two with a smile around his mouth. Even then, his face was still filled with curiosity. ¡°Excuse me, young lady¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not polite to ask the lady you¡¯ve just met for the first time.¡± At a word from Cezanne, Kylia shut his mouth. ¡°Yes, then I shall take my leave. I¡¯ll see you again, 2nd Princess and young lady.¡± ¡°Goodbye.¡± Kylia bowed his head, finishing his greeting. At that moment, she caught a glimpse of his pale forehead exposed by the wind. His appearance in the sun was that of a sacred statue. When he left, Fletta spoke innocently, looking at the Grand Duke¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a handsome man before!¡± Cezanne laughed unexpectedly and teased Fletta. ¡°What? Did our Fletta have a crush on the Grand Duke?¡± Then Fletta shook her head fast. ¡°No! I just thought the Grand Duke would look good with the Princess¡­¡± ¡°What? But Fletta, why is your face red?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± Mel, who was waiting along with the maids, laughed and spoke. ¡°Princess, Miss Fletta. Where should I prepare the picnic lunch?¡± At those words, the two smiled as Cezanne spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been so focused on my class that I¡¯m hungry. I think over there is a good place.¡± Cezanne pointed to the stump in the garden. ¡°All right. Please take a moment to look around as we prepare it.¡± * * * As he turned his back on the voices of the ladies chattering like birds, Kylia¡¯s doubts arose again. Both of them were puzzling. A child who acts as friendly as a sister to an imperial princess, was she a child of a concubine? In addition, he couldn¡¯t read the 2nd Princess¡¯ mind at all. There hasn¡¯t been a single woman who made him so curious so far¡­ How come? It was a coincidental first meeting, but it was quite strange because he felt like he couldn¡¯t shake off his curiosity. Kylia walked to the stable where the lieutenant was waiting. In the Empire, he kept forgetting that they always move by horses, not hawks. It¡¯s probably because of the habit that he has had for 19 years. ¡°Your Highness!¡± As soon as he saw the Grand Duke, Lieutenant Kryon rushed over and spoke. ¡°The weather is so nice today. Do you want to go for a walk on a horse?¡± ¡°That sounds good.¡± ¡°Where shall we go? Shall we go east over there?¡± ¡°No, I just came from there.¡± ¡°Really? Did you like it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Well, maybe because it¡¯s the Erantos Empire, but the gardens are different. It¡¯s almost the size of a village. Shall we go there then?¡± At Kryon¡¯s fuss, Kylia shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been there, so it¡¯d be nice to enjoy a walk north. It might be a hindrance as the imperial family often go for walks on the lake shore.¡± ¡°Then should we go further? Come to think of it, I heard that the 2nd Princess is so beautiful. I want to see her before I die.¡± ¡°Shh, watch your mouth. If the princess sees you, won¡¯t you be put to death immediately?¡± ¡°Eek. Is she that kind of person? Well, I guess I¡¯ll see her before I die!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness! But aren¡¯t you curious, too? Since she is the princess whom the terrifying emperor cherishes.¡± ¡°She was pretty.¡± ¡°Yes?! When did you meet her?¡± Kylia, with a serious face, forcibly threw off Kryon, who was rushing in close. ¡°No, it¡¯s a portrait. It¡¯s in the Imperial Palace. You¡¯ll see it someday.¡± ¡°¡­Eh, what is it? I expected it. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re just looking forward to meeting me in this vast palace. So, from now on, go to all dinner invitations, and run if you¡¯re invited to a hunting contest or a banquet.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°Since Your Highness is not interested in women, it has become a problem! At this rate, the rumor about the monster on the battlefield being homo¡­ hmph!¡± Kryon, who had been running his mouth off for a long time, covered his mouth at Kylia¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°¡­do you want to be killed by a monster?¡± ¡°I was wrong, Your Highness.¡± Leaving Kryon, who kneeled on the spot for his dear life, Kylia jumped onto the horse. It was a black horse as dark as his hair. Clip. Clop. He ran north without looking back. ¡°Your Highness! Let¡¯s go together!¡± Instead of hearing his subordinate¡¯s words from behind, he remembered the two ladies he had met earlier, and a smile crept across his lips. * * * Sweet cherries and green grapes, strawberry cake with whipped cream, apple pie and pecan pie, sandwich with corn and cheese, plus apple juice and milk tea to go with it. The food prepared by Fletta¡¯s exclusive chef was all excellent. As expected, Mel was quick on her feet. Fletta, who saw the picnic food in front of her, was mesmerized by the enchanting sight and looked at Cezanne¡¯s emerald eyes. Cezanne was holding back her laughter at Fletta¡¯s eyes, which seemed to wonder whether this place might be heaven or not. The child¡¯s honest response was cute. ¡°P, Princess¡­¡± ¡°Hurry up and eat, Fletta.¡± As soon as Cezanne said those words, Fletta picked up a sandwich and handed it to Cezanne, handing out the food she wanted to put in her mouth. ¡°Eat it, too, Princess.¡± ¡°Thank you. Come on, Fletta.¡± Cezanne also picked up a sandwich and some cherries, placing them on Fletta¡¯s plate. Then Fletta looked at the plate for a long time. ¡°Hm? Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what to eat first.¡± ¡°If I were you, I¡¯d start with cherries.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Fletta, with a cherry in her mouth, took a big bite of the sandwich. Cezanne, who had a habit of eating small amounts of any kind of food, had fun watching Fletta eating. Food went into her small mouth endlessly, and her cheeks swelled as if they were about to burst. It looked like a baby squirrel with nuts stored in a bowl. ¡°¡­Oh, so funny but cute.¡± Cezanne laughed and drank her drink without eating. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But in front of such delicious food, Fletta became speechless. ¡°I have to tell the chef that today was a very satisfying picnic lunch!¡± Mel, who was serving tea next to her, was also pleased, and the two of them had a pleasant meal. Today, Fletta, wearing a light green dress, ate so well that her belly was protruding. Cezanne spoke, thinking she looked cute and lovely. ¡°How can our Fletta eat so well?¡± At those words, Fletta patted her belly as if it were natural. ¡°It was so delicious that I couldn¡¯t help but eat it all.¡± After the meal, the two gave the maids free time and took a walk around the garden for a while. Fletta took out the four-leaf clover in the front pocket of her dress and looked at it. It was still a strange shape. ¡°Only good things will happen from now on.¡± Cezanne came over and said with affectionate eyes. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Only good things will happen to the Princess, too.¡± Then she put the four-leaf clover on her head. She seemed to want to say that she was Cezanne¡¯s four-leaf clover. ¡°I know. Our Fletta is my good luck.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two smiled brightly. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Fletta replied, tilting her head. ¡°Why did the Grand Duke mistake me for a princess?¡± Hearing Fletta¡¯s words, Cezanne also thought it was strange. ¡°I know. Did he get confused because Fletta is so pretty?¡± At that, Fletta laughed and shook her head. ¡°No way!¡± But it was true that Fletta was a princess. Cezanne wanted to make Fletta recognized as a princess again one day. To do that, there was one gateway through. Fletta asked, looking into Cezanne¡¯s eyes and tilting her head in curiosity. ¡°Princess? What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Hmm? It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s play today without thinking about anything. Shall we go boating now?¡± Fletta nodded continuously at Cezanne¡¯s words. ¡°Yes.¡± A white boat floated over the blue lake. It was a small, cozy white gondola decorated with flowers. Cezanne took the boatman¡¯s hand first and climbed onto the boat before grabbing Fletta into the boat, lifting her up. Fletta, who boarded the boat for the first time in her life, was so hunched that she couldn¡¯t balance herself and tilted. ¡°Ack¡­?! S, Sorry!¡± Cezanne grabbed Fletta¡¯s small body, which almost fell. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When Cezanne asked affectionately, Fletta nodded. Cezanne reached out her hand. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous, so let¡¯s hold hands.¡± Fletta nodded. Fletta felt relieved by the soft, warm touch that touched her. Soon the mighty boatman rowed, and the boat began to move forward. As soon as they watched the waves spread, Fletta and Cezanne seemed to feel at ease. * * * That night, Cezanne quietly asked Pletta. ¡°Fletta.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Have you ever met the Emperor¡­?¡± Fletta¡¯s tiny head shook. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s face ¡­ Do you know?¡± This time, she nodded. ¡°Yes, Mrs. Milla showed me a picture book. I also saw the face of Princess Cezanne there.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cezanne smiled bitterly. ¡°You¡¯re much prettier in person than in a picture book.¡± As Fletta said so with sparkling eyes, Cezanne stroked the child¡¯s side hair. ¡°His Majesty should know that. I have to go paint another portrait tomorrow. It¡¯s an annual event.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Will I be alone tomorrow?¡± Fletta asked in a slightly depressed voice. ¡°Yes, it won¡¯t take long. But even without me, Fletta can do well, right?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I can do well even if the princess isn¡¯t present. But you have to come quickly.¡± Fletta laughed, sticking out her tongue. Cezanne also seemed to be getting attached to Fletta¡¯s cuteness, which grew day by day. ¡°Of course.¡± Cezanne bent her eyes beautifully and then spoke again cautiously. ¡°¡­What if I met His Majesty?¡± Fletta didn¡¯t say anything for a long time as if she had never thought about it. He tilted her head to and fro, and was in agony. ¡°Is it difficult?¡± ¡°Um, I think so.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because His Majesty has never found me before.¡± Thud. Cezanne felt her heart sink. ¡°So I never thought I¡¯d see His Majesty, but ¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little curious. I wondered how much he resembled the Princess. Like the rumors, if I cry because I;m scared, I think it would be better not to meet them. I really don¡¯t know.¡± Fletta said as she rubbed her hands onto her pajamas constantly to see if her hands were sweaty. ¡°I see. You¡¯ve had a hard time answering difficult questions.¡± ¡°No, it just took time because it never happened.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s late. Good night, Fletta.¡± ¡°Good night, Princess Cezanne.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± ¡°Bye.¡± Fletta closed her eyes as soon as she pulled the quilt. Cezanne smiled at her and walked out of her room in her nightgown. She fell asleep to Mel walking by and climbing the stairs. Yawning, Cezanne went back to her room and went to sleep. * * * ¡°King of Westin? Prince of Fioren? It¡¯s not going to work.¡± Charles sat down at his office desk with a ferocious look on his face, throwing the letters to the floor one by one. Thwack! The prime minister, Marquis Montes, went around to pick them up one by one. The chores were naturally the Marquis¡¯ responsibility, as they even sent out the servants during their morning meeting. ¡°Do you think this makes sense?¡± ¡°¡­I, It¡¯s not that absurd, Your Majesty.¡± The prime minister, Marquis Montes, gave a detailed account of the national benefits of marriage. However, he only faced the burning eyes of the emperor. Charles banged the table. ¡°If we lose Cezanne, we don¡¯t need any of that. Besides, she doesn¡¯t even care about marriage. Her sister, Vivian, doesn¡¯t have a fiance yet, so the order doesn¡¯t match.¡± ¡°T, That¡¯s right, Your Majesty. If not, I think I¡¯ll have to coax them into marrying the First Princess.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great.¡± Seeing Charles smiling wickedly, the Prime Minister, Marquis Montes, somehow felt uneasy. He was an emperor who dealt with everything coldly, except when it came to matters related to Princess Cezanne. Then, outside, the butler, Bael, spoke. ¡°Your Majesty, it is said that the 2nd Princess is coming to the main palace as a portrait model.¡± ¡°What a slow painter! You still haven¡¯t completed the portrait of Cezanne? ¡°Yes. Should I rush them?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Oh, and after the portrait painting session, the 2nd Princess asked for a separate audience.¡± ¡°Really? Then, I should go now before I wait until it¡¯s over. I¡¯ll have to see how they draw my daughter!¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll tell her that.¡± At the conclusion of the butler¡¯s words, Charles spoke up. ¡°Sir Montes, if you have nothing more to say, go away.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± When Karl noticed, the Marquis¡¯ hands quickened to tidy up the paperwork before bowing and leaving. At that time, Cezanne had been forced to smile, clad in a heavy golden fur and jewels for the portrait to hang in the Hall of Fame. It was torture to have to sit down for two hours in such thick clothes.Sweat seemed to flow all over her body, so she kept fanning her hands. ¡°Don¡¯t move yet, Princess!¡± ¡°Does it make sense that people don¡¯t move? I hope Sir Pierre will take care of it and draw it well.¡± Cezanne shot back indifferently, and then approached Charles who had just entered with a pleased face. ¡°Father.¡± Charles¡¯ eyes, as he looked at Cezanne, shone brighter than any gold or jewelry. ¡°Our Cezanne is getting prettier and prettier. That¡¯s a big deal. Should I draw more portraits? I need to record my daughter¡¯s beauty every month.¡± Cezanne sighed for a moment at the sight of Charles shaking his head at his own words. Painting once a year almost killed her, but painting a portrait twelve times a year¡­ She wanted to avoid that at all costs. ¡°Ugh. Father, there are already a lot of portraits. Anyway, the painting is¡­¡± ¡°Well, painting is such a clich¨¦d way of expression that it cannot capture all of my daughter¡¯s artistic beauty! If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to capture your image vividly in the magic sphere that records the video. Why didn¡¯t I think of that sooner!¡± Charles tapped my forehead and ordered the servant immediately. ¡°Hey, call the mages right now and tell them to bring some recording magic sphere!¡± It seemed like it would be another struggle. ¡°Now, hold on a second, Father. Shouldn¡¯t we do that on anniversaries like my birthday banquet? There¡¯s something else I¡¯d like to say. Can you give me a minute¡­please? Actually, I have a favor to ask of you, Father.¡± Cezanne asked for a conversation as she looked at her father with bright green eyes like a deer. Following the friendly eye attack, using the lethal move to her father meant that Cezanne wanted something firmly. Above all, it was very rare to directly bring up the word ¡®please¡¯. ¡°Come to think of it, you asked for an audience separately, didn¡¯t you? Let¡¯s hear what it is about.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± One look from Charles¡¯ eyes moved the butler Bael, giving the painter a hint to leave. As the disturbances disappeared, Charles approached Cezanne and spoke with a more friendly look. ¡°Go ahead and tell me, Cezanne. What¡¯s your request?¡± He was a warm father in front of her, but she knew well that he had a fiery disposition. Cezanne tried to bring up Fletta¡¯s story very carefully. ¡°First of all, don¡¯t be angry and listen to me until the end.¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Cezanne licked her lips and spoke cautiously, staring at the same green eyes as hers. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been taking care of a child for a while.¡± Charles green eyes rolled for a moment at Cezanne¡¯s words. ¡°¡­a child?¡± Cezanne nodded slowly and spoke again cautiously. ¡°Yes¡­ the child was dying in a room that looked like a storage room in the maid¡¯s palace, which was not even a proper room. I couldn¡¯t possibly leave her behind¡­ so I brought her in.¡± When Cezanne spoke up to that point, Charles¡¯ expression gradually hardened as if he had expected it. ¡°Cezanne, it was unnecessary to take care of her.¡± ¡°Father¡­ Did you already know?¡± Charles nodded quietly. ¡°There¡¯s no way I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in the Imperial Palace. Moreover, it¡¯s things related to you¡­¡± My father wasn¡¯t as angry as I thought. No, there was no agitation. Should I say, I couldn¡¯t believe he, with his usual fiery temper, responded with such a casual reaction. ¡°You¡¯ve never met her properly, have you?¡± ¡°Why should I meet her?¡± The icy response was not unexpected, but Cezanne calmed down and spoke. ¡°You should meet her. She was not a cursed child of darkness, as rumored.¡± ¡°¡­Cezanne.¡± ¡°I beg you, father. Fletta is a child who inherited father¡¯s blood. She¡¯s a sweet, kind and lovely child.¡± Even though Cezanne said so, the cold eyes of the emperor remained the same. However, his lips moved. ¡°Only once.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll meet her just once. Because you¡¯re asking for it.¡±