Author: alyalia

“…Can I tell Your Highness later?”

 

“?”

 

“I’m not sure yet, and there’s something I need to find out…”

 

She didn’t want to lie to Charelize, and she felt uncomfortable to refuse to answer. She didn’t say that she couldn’t answer it.

 

“If you say so.”

 

Charelize was puzzled by Hailey’s awkward smile, but she let it slide without asking more.

 

* * *

“Good morning, Hailey.”

 

“…Nice to see you, Anessa.”

 

“You don’t have to use honorifics…”

 

“It’s because this way is more convenient, don’t worry too much about it.”

 

“Ah… then, I will do the same.”

 

“It’s alright, just do your best.”

 

Despite repeated refusals, Anessa smiled kindly as if nothing had happened. Hailey didn’t like her attitude anymore.

 

The suffocating atmosphere lasted to the extent it affected their works. Charelize had no choice but to call Hailey over on the pretext of having tea.

 

“Hailey.”

 

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

 

“I think you know what I’m going to say.”

 

“…I’m sorry. Even though I shouldn’t do that, I get angry when I see her face…”

 

“Did something happen with Anessa?”

 

“Actually… I found out the second wife who gave birth to Viscount Shuril’s third daughter is a commoner.”

 

“I-It’s nothing. Me too… she reminds me…of my youngest sister.”

 

Charelize recalled what Anessa said.

 

“I don’t think what you find out has something to do with why you’re being reluctant with Anessa… By any chance, is it something related to Lari?”

 

“…Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Hailey confessed everything that had happened.

 

“Crazy.”

 

“…”

 

Charelize only said that one word. She didn’t say anything more than that, but Hailey lowered her head and walked out, looking like she was thinking about something.

 

She wasn’t directly harassed. However, Charelize was angry when she heard that Anessa had been the reason Lari had been crying excessively and the backs of her hands were red. She felt sorry for Lari as she knew it belatedly. 

 

It was the next day. When Anessa was working hard, Charelize called her aside and said, “Anessa.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

“I think good of you. Compared to young ladies of your age, you’re quick to grasp the situation and smarter.”

 

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

 

“Okay, then, you know exactly what I’m talking about now. No matter her status, Lari is my exclusive maid, so Lari is your superior,” said Charelize calmly, suppressing her anger as much as possible.

 

“It’s not like you did something to harm someone, so I won’t kick you out. But, at least you should know your position.”

 

“…”

 

“Even though I made it clear that she was like my younger sister… Was it because you ignored me that you did that to Lari?”

 

However, the more Charelize spoke, the more emotions intensified, making her speak sharply.

 

“…She reminds me of my younger sister… also the woman who took my mother’s place…”

 

“What does that have to do with Lari?”

 

“Your Highness also has a younger sister… So you know how I feel…”

 

Contrary to her usual smart self, Anessa talked gibberish which Charelize didn’t even know what she was talking about.

 

Because of Lari, Anessa couldn’t even figure out that she had crossed the line. She was warned because of her actions. There were circumstances like this, but she would be careful in the future. She hoped for Charelize’s understanding.

 

“I must have given a wrong evaluation.”

 

Anessa’s face quickly became contemplative.

 

“Because you’re the niece of Count Luwen, I will give you one chance.”

 

“…”

 

“Apologize to Lari, or you quit voluntarily.”

 

“…”

 

“Why? Do you think you can’t do that?”

 

“I… That…”

 

“Anessa, I thought you’re smart, but you couldn’t distinguish between public and private matters because you are biased toward your personal feelings.”

 

“…”

 

“Even if it’s because she looks like your youngest sister, at least you shouldn’t have treat her like that.”

 

“I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

 

“Aren’t you apologizing to the wrong person?”

 

“…I haven’t done anything wrong. I’m a noble, and Lari is a commoner.”

 

“…I know what you mean, so I will respect your decision.”

 

“…”

 

“You don’t have to go to work starting tomorrow.”

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“Do you feel unfair? That I make this decision just because of one commoner?”

 

“…”

 

“I’m sure Lari felt the same. She is a person before she is a commoner. Even she heard those words from you who just entered… She could have informed me, but she didn’t say anything.”

 

“…” Anessa seemed surprised that Lari didn’t say anything.

 

“Aside from commoners, various people work as servants at the Duchy. That said, status doesn’t matter. I, as the master, say that I’m fine with it, but why are you saying that?”

 

“…”

 

“And, what I asked her to do was to help me. I wouldn’t have meant ignoring Lari. It’s a pity that this wouldn’t happen if you had hidden your resentment well.”

 

“Your Highness…”

 

“In my heart, I want to return what you did to Lari. Lari probably won’t want it, and be grateful it only ends to this extent because I must save Count Luwen’s face.”

 

“…”

 

“…It’s true you did a good job, so I will write you a letter of recommendation.”

 

“Thank… you.”

 

“And, next time you’re going to work, don’t do something like this.”

 

The letter of recommendation written by the little Duchess of Marsetta herself could lead to a job at the imperial palace. In other words, no noble family would ignore her letter of recommendation.

 

Charelize offered to write a recommendation because she knew it wasn’t just because she didn’t want to bow her head to Lari. It was true that Anessa said something hurtful to Lari, but it was because she hated her youngest sister who came from a different womb. Maybe if Anessa apologized, it was the same as accepting her youngest sister she never acknowledged. Charelize could feel Anessa’s pride as noble shouldn’t be damaged too much.

 

“Your Highness… How did you accept it?” Anessa asked in a trembling voice.

 

“What?”

 

“My mother… because of my father’s concubine and illegitimate child, she suffered for the rest of her life and left this word. However, my father immediately accepted that woman as his second wife and registered his illegitimate child into our family with an expression there’s nothing wrong about it.”

 

“…”

 

“But my youngest sister said, ‘Even if my bloodline is a humble commoner, I have a mother and father who love me behind. Just because you’re a noble doesn’t mean you’re lucky’.”

 

“…”

 

Anessa referred to her mother, who was born into a noble family and died without being loved. Although her youngest sister was born as a commoner, she told her how good it was to receive affection from their father.

 

“So from then on… Whenever I see a commoner, I think of that… I don’t fully understand… What does the little duchess position mean to Your Highness.”

 

“…”

 

“However, since Your Highness is in a similar situation to mine, I wonder… how did you accept Lady Lillian?”

 

Before the death of the Viscountess Shuril, she said that the illegitimate child should never be registered with the family. Anessa continued in a weeping voice that her father didn’t do that.  

 

“Your Highness is in a position to prevent Lillian from being registered, but why… did you…?”

 

At her words, Charelize recalled the first time she saw Lillian in her previous life. She was a child whom Charelize didn’t even know her existence before. Lillian warmly followed her because she was her older sister.

 

It was true that Charelize wanted to be loved by Duke Marsetta. Essentially, it was unknown if her mother was aware of Lillian’s existence. Her mother once said something like this.

 

“Princess.”

 

“Yes, Mother.”

 

“Even if Princess has a younger sibling from a different womb, please treat them well.”

 

“What are you talking about? Mother is saying that father has an illegitimate child?”

 

“…I’m just saying this just in case. Mother is fine, so if… something like that happens and they show up in front of Princess… You can’t treat them with disrespect, even if you don’t think of them as your younger sibling.”

 

“Why? Don’t you hate Father? No, why Mother…”

 

“Mother was lucky to be the child of Her Majesty and born with lineage… In fact, there are more members of the imperial family who are born as illegitimate children in the imperial palace.”

 

At that time, her mother brought up a past in which she didn’t easily confide. According to her mother’s words, that had happened once in the past. A woman and a child claimed to be the emperor’s child. It was said that the child was born from a commoner. Because of that she wasn’t registered with the imperial family to protect the imperial family honor.  

 

“I, that child… I knew that she is my sister. Because she had the same habits as His Majesty.”

 

“Mother…”

 

“So I sent the woman back and gave the palace only to her child… Fearing that His Majesty and my sister would be hurt, I didn’t see her… My older sister was busy and she had no time to care for her.”

 

“…”

 

“Mother wanted to see her sister, so I secretly went to see her… She was crying all the time. Maybe it’s because His Majesty disowned her, and her servants took care of her at first but didn’t care about her later…”

 

Eventually, that child sneaked out at night and her mother had never seen her since then.  She heard some information that child was lost and other information said that child had been kidnapped.

 

“So, I dreamed of it every day for a while. A dream in which I pushed the child off a cliff. Dream of letting go of her hand. In my dreams, that child always died. But His Majesty comforted me, saying it’s going to be fine…”

 

“…”

 

“That child is something I take for granted, because I didn’t understand at that time. I was even more sorry that His Majesty sent even the servants who were in charge of that child out of concern for me.”

 

“…”

 

“But, when my father called that child’s name in his sleep, I found a picture of that child hidden in his drawer.”

 

“…”

 

“I knew then, that child isn’t wrong for being born.”

 

“…”

 

“If Princess… was born as an illegitimate child and treated like that, I don’t think I would be able to sleep properly. So, even if your father has an illegitimate child, don’t blame the child.”

 

“…”

 

“Don’t deliberately reject them because of their mother. Even if they don’t act friendly, don’t be hateful.”

 

That’s why she was able to accept Lillian. Like her mother said, it wasn’t a sin for her to be born.

 

“Let’s eat together with Sister, right, Dad?”

 

“…Sit down, Charelize.”

 

“Sister, eat this!”

 

“…”

 

“Lilli, does Marchioness Hertan, who is in charge of your class, teach you well?”

 

“She’s the teacher that Sister found for me. So I like her a lot.”

 

“…Good work, Charelize.”

 

Although she ended up with a bad result, she was able to spend time together with her father thanks to Lillian. It was true that Charelize had hope, since she heard that she did a good job for the first time from her father. 

 

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