Chapter 129

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 129

Chapter Title: Elizabeth Nodelli

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Elizabeth Nodelli.

This nine-year-old little lady was the empire's forbidden flower.

The titles for Elizabeth went on endlessly.

Daughter of Princess Ingrid.

Niece of the Empress Dowager.

The Emperor's own cousin.

On top of that, she was related by marriage to Duke Marsch and Empress Yvonne. Every single one of these descriptors pointed to bloodlines of the utmost nobility.

She was so adored in the imperial family that she treated the palace—accessible only to the Emperor's direct line—as her own home, wandering in and out freely. Occasionally, even at formal events, she used the Empress Dowager's lap as her personal seat.

Gossips even joked that "the Emperor couldn't do a thing even if Princess Ingrid caused a scandal, all because Elizabeth was too cute." Just how extraordinary must this child be?

Even the seasoned noblewomen of high society were at a loss with her, and the formidable Empress Yvonne herself yielded a step. A tiny tyrant whom no one could handle.

Elizabeth, who had been staring at me intently, blinked.

"Why haven't you greeted me, Miss Duvered?"

I replied with a perfectly composed face.

"Hello."

"Haven't you learned manners?"

The girl asked with an innocent expression, then clapped her hands sharply.

Clap!

"Then I'll teach you. Like this."

Elizabeth pressed down hard on my head, forcing me to bow, and beamed.

"You bow your head like this to greet."

Her grip was shockingly strong for a child.

The spot she grabbed throbbed, and my hair—meticulously styled by the maids with beads of sweat on their brows—ended up a tangled mess.

I kept my head bowed still. Above me, her bright laughter and clapping sounded like falling blades.

"You bow to royalty like this! Got it now?"

"……."

The garden erupted in murmurs. I could see the other children around us fidgeting anxiously, not knowing what to do.

Touching someone without permission was blatant rudeness. Among the empire's nobility, even asking "May I touch your face?" was considered utterly inappropriate.

Lady Hadelloro, who had been fidgeting restlessly, finally cried out.

"Th-that...! Y-You can't touch someone's h-head...! So, um, that means Lady Nodelli is being r-rude...!"

Elizabeth looked at the flustered, stammering Lady Hadelloro and spoke in a sullen tone.

"Why are you yelling at me?"

"Huh?"

"You just yelled at Liz. You raised your voice!"

Her sullen tone soon turned to a sniffle, and before long, it became full sobs.

"Hic... sniff..."

As Elizabeth began to sob, startled noblewomen rushed into the garden.

"Oh my, Liz!"

I knew that voice.

'Princess Ingrid.'

She hurried to Elizabeth, looking deeply shocked, and wiped at her daughter's eyes.

"M-Mother... sob, Mother!"

"There, there."

As she patted her daughter's back to soothe her and asked, "What happened?" Elizabeth pointed at Lady Hadelloro.

"Lady Hadelloro yelled at Liz. I was so scared..."

The panicked Lady Hadelloro waved her hands frantically.

"No, that's not it, I didn't mean..."

But under the barrage of stares, already shy by nature, she could only mumble incoherently, at a complete loss.

At that moment, I lifted my head.

And then.

"Waaah—!!"

I burst into tears on the spot.

'Think you’re the only one who can cry?'

The kind Leblain who would just take it because "it was a child's doing" didn't exist in this life. The one here was a vicious child who returned tenfold what she got.

As I wailed loudly, this time Duchess Camilla came rushing over.

"My dear."

"Godmother... huwaaa!"

"What happened? What on earth could make such a sensible child burst into tears?"

"My head hurts... I got startled and the tears came. I'm sorry! Waaah!"

"A sudden headache? Is it a migraine?"

Just as Elizabeth had pointed at Lady Hadelloro, I extended my index finger straight toward Elizabeth.

"Lady Nodelli hit me!"

"What?"

The duchess and the noblewomen gasped in shock, turning to stare at Elizabeth.

Even Princess Ingrid, her mother, drew in a sharp breath.

"Is that true?"

"It wasn't hitting, it was pressing. Miss Duvered didn't know manners, so I taught her. You said greetings are important, Mother. Was I wrong?"

I swallowed a scoff inwardly.

The moment she entered the garden, that girl had looked at me with hostility. Pressing my head was undoubtedly meant as an insult.

'So you know how to fake cry too.'

She knew exactly how to win over adults.

She seemed practiced at turning others' emotions against them using her age.

A tough opponent.

'But using age as a weapon is my specialty too!'

I drooped my eyebrows and shook my head.

"No! I know manners. Godmother taught me everything!"

"But Miss Duvered didn't bow to Liz, who is royalty."

"But Lady Nodelli isn't royalty..."

"She is! Liz is the late Emperor's granddaughter!"

Elizabeth shrieked, so I tilted my head quizzically.

"But the imperial law says only the Emperor, his direct descendants, the Empress, and the consorts are royalty. Even the duchess here is only honorary royalty now."

"Do you know how much the Emperor and Empress Dowager adore me?!"

"But you're still not royalty."

"You...!"

"Only those with the Emperor as father or mother are royalty. And as a duke's daughter, I only bow to actual royalty."

"Liz is... Liz is..."

Elizabeth's face flushed beet red as she ground her teeth.

"Orphan trash."

Everyone flinched at the venomous spit of words.

"You're not even blood-related. You're a commoner. A filthy intruder in noble society!"

"Lady Nodelli! That's enough! How can you say something so cruel...!"

The duchess shouted, covering my ears.

But that didn't make the venomous words vanish.

"Fake! Shame of the nobility!"

I nestled in the duchess's arms, gazing quietly at Elizabeth.

But something was off.

Back then, even pretending otherwise, words like orphan, filth, or fake had hurt. Now, not a ripple.

'Ah, I see.'

Because I'm loved enough now, it doesn't faze me.

I gently held the duchess's wrinkled hand, staring intently at the still-ranting Elizabeth.

"Yelling at me won't make you royalty."

"Shut up!"

"I may be adopted, but I'm Miss Duvered. My dad, brothers, and aunt love me for real. But you, Lady Nodelli."

"……."

"You'll never be royalty."

"Y-You...!!"

"The child born to Empress Yvonne will be the princess."

Now Elizabeth would be truly anxious.

Worried that a real princess might be born and steal all the attention and love that should come to her.

'If you grow up right, it'll fade quickly. But if you keep being a little devil like today, it'll haunt you forever.'

Elizabeth Nodelli's face was already pale as a ghost, trembling in fear.

Having paid her back properly, I felt refreshed and turned to the duchess.

"Sorry for the commotion."

"To stay so calm amid such insult—truly my child."

The duchess smiled warmly, and the noblewomen fussed over me pitifully.

Truth be told, some had eyed me warily at first, fearing I'd steal their child's academy spot. But now, no hostility in their gazes.

I'd wondered how to win them over, but thanks to Elizabeth, I didn't lift a finger.

'Thanks, kid!'

I shot a sly inner grin at Elizabeth, who was genuinely bawling.

Elizabeth bit her lip hard.

Leblain Duvered was even more cunning and wicked than she'd heard.

Jealous of sweet, cute Elizabeth, she'd spewed nasty words and painted her as the bad one.

She'd cried until her nose was red in the garden, but the adults only pitied that wicked girl, sparing her not a glance.

'How can this be? What is some orphan?!'

Everyone in the world loved her.

It had been true since birth.

The empire's Emperor was her uncle, the Empress Dowager her grandmother. Both doted on her endlessly, and her parents would do anything for her. Everyone bowed before her.

All because she was the most lovable being in the world.

Then, suddenly, that orphan appeared in the capital.

Called the Child of Destiny, stealing attention meant for her, then winning the mock battle and taking her popularity too.

Whenever two people gathered, that wicked girl's name came up.

'His' words were right. She's the world's impurity.

Elizabeth fiddled with the item in her pocket.

[Guards won't suspect a child. And who would doubt the late Emperor's granddaughter? Bide your time and slip 'this medicine' into the Child of Destiny's food.]

She vaguely knew this medicine was extremely dangerous.

But it didn't matter. That wicked girl deserved to suffer.

'Might as well die.'

It was the moment Elizabeth, clutching the vial tightly, turned the corridor corner.

"Ack!"

Walking hurriedly, she bumped into someone.

Rubbing her nose, Elizabeth looked up, snapping irritably.

"Watch where you're—!"

"You bumped into me."

"...Oh."

A tall boy was looking down at her, having fallen on his butt.

Dazzling silver hair.

Deep blue eyes like a lake.

A prince straight out of a picture book stood there.

Her heart pounded so hard she could hear her pulse in her ears.

Then, someone approached the boy.

"Young Master."

"Where is she?"

"I've found her location. Shall we go? Heh heh, she'll be thrilled to see her big brother."

"……."

The boy followed the man in tailsuit, and Elizabeth stared dazedly at his retreating figure.

"I-I... should have asked his name..."

Who was that beautiful person?