Chapter 27

The announced date hadn’t arrived yet. This was after Derek had already come and caused all sorts of chaos before leaving. Between the two people who had once been intimate enough to share a bed, an unbridgeable deep chasm had formed.

Derek blamed everything on Cecilia, and Cecilia likewise believed all of this was Derek’s fault.

However, one thing was certain: both of their lives were ruined. Derek would be charged 300,000 gold, and Cecilia would be charged 100,000 gold.

Even selling this mansion and disposing of everything they owned, the money they could gather was barely 40,000 gold.

Tap, tap.

Cecilia’s fingernails collided with each other, making an unpleasant sound.

“That damned girl… how dare she do this to her mother… to the woman who gave birth to her…”

Cecilia’s blue eyes filled with moisture.

“Ungrateful wretch…”

She had said they should all live well together, but that child abandoned her mother to save herself. Cecilia tore at her hair. Even though she wanted to grab Elena by the collar and confront her, she didn’t even have money for a train ticket right now.

Cecilia curled up her entire body.

Glaring at the floor with bloodshot eyes, she lifted her head.

They said that even if the sky falls, there’s a hole to emerge through. This was exactly that moment. Cecilia sprang up from her seat. She rummaged through her vanity and pulled out Baron Benjamin’s marriage proposal.

“Found it.”

Her eyes gleaming, Cecilia stared at the proposal. There were two methods. Either immediately transfer Elena’s family registry to Baron Benjamin, or change the bride.

Whichever Baron Benjamin chose would be beneficial to Cecilia. If she could just make 100,000 gold, what couldn’t she do? She couldn’t end her life in that filthy place crawling with rats.

Cecilia opened her wardrobe.

She was choosing the most modest thing she owned when she changed her mind. Cecilia picked the most vulgar dress she had. A dress with a plunging neckline that completely exposed her back.

“When needed, anything can become a weapon.”

A strange light flickered in Cecilia’s eyes. As she’d said countless times, Elena’s appearance was something she had inherited from her.

And Cecilia possessed charms that Elena didn’t have. Maturity and sexiness.

Cecilia put on the dress and sat before her vanity. The deep blue dress made her pale skin stand out particularly. She checked her plump, exposed cleavage.

Smiling with satisfaction, she picked up her cosmetics. Then she applied deep red lipstick that contrasted with the blue dress. Her jet-black hair flowed down in waves.

Cecilia twisted her lips upward.

“Elena, this mother will never just die quietly.”

Muttering this, she stood up.

---

Hazel pushed Elena relentlessly, not letting her come to her senses. All the tutors she had hired praised Elena to the skies. They said she would cause a great sensation in this year’s social circles.

In any case, as soon as Hazel confirmed Elena’s value, she set a debutante date. She chose a ball for Elena’s debut from among the invitations that had come to her.

A charity ball hosted by the Crown Prince to support the south. Though the epidemic had been overcome, it was a ball to comfort those suffering from its aftermath.

The funds raised at this ball would be sent directly to the south.

Though it was a small gathering of only those who knew about the epidemic in the south, it was meaningful, and the venue was the Rose Hall in the imperial palace.

“The most splendid and grand ball would be nice too, but Elena, as you know, you’re already past the age for a debutante. Rather than something too noisy, such a solemn event is better. Would that be alright?”

“…Isn’t it too early?”

“What are you saying? Didn’t you want to quickly start working as a governess to repay your debt? To do that, you need to have your debutante first. You must never underestimate the connections among noblewomen.”

Elena nodded with a pale face. She was really… going to debut in society. She felt queasy.

“Debutante? What’s that?”

Leana asked, her mouth full of cookies. She tugged at her sister’s clothes with bright, sparkling eyes. Hazel let out a soft laugh.

“Debutante. Someday Leana will have to do it too.”

“Leana too?”

“Of course. Don’t you want to become a beautiful lady like your sister?”

“Oh, then Leana will become a princess too?”

“What? A princess. Yes, you’ll become a princess.”

Elena smiled and helped Leana sit properly. While finishing braiding her hair, she asked.

“What kind of hairstyle does the princess want?”

“Hmm. Today like this! Tie it in one and braid it.”

“Alright.”

Watching Elena tie the child’s hair with delicate hands, Hazel smiled with crinkled eyes. If she takes such good care of her sister, she would take good care of her own children too.

A child raised on Elena’s love would be as lovely as Leana.

Hazel imagined a child resembling both Elena and Maxim. No matter how she thought about it, it would be heart-warmingly adorable.

She sipped her tea.

“Elena, you haven’t answered yet. Would it be alright?”

“…Yes. I believe you’ve made the best choice, my lady.”

“You’ll trust me? I’ll have to work hard to repay that trust.”

Hazel set down her teacup.

“Leana, wouldn’t you like to come along too?”

She suggested to Leana.

“Huh?”

“Leana too?”

“Since it’s a charity event, there will be many children. It would be good for Leana to make friends.”

“Friends?”

Leana’s eyes sparkled. Due to her poor health, she had never properly made even one friend.

Elena looked at Leana with a worried expression. Certainly, since taking the medicine Miles had prepared, Leana hadn’t collapsed weakly or anything like that.

She hadn’t had a fever in the past few days either.

Elena hesitated. Even so, wouldn’t it be better to maintain things as they were? She worried that if they pushed too hard, Leana might get worse again. Noticing Elena’s concern, Hazel said:

“Would it be alright if we get confirmation from Miles?”

And Leana added to that:

“Sister… friends.”

Leana murmured with a voice full of anticipation. Elena sighed deeply. She knew Leana had fantasies about friends since she had never socialized with peers.

And she also knew how much Leana longed for friends.

Elena smiled slightly and said:

“…Only if you promise not to be picky about food.”

“Leana will eat carrots well too!”

Leana, who had crawled up onto the sofa, hugged Elena tightly. In the embrace that smelled sweetly of baby, Elena smiled and hugged Leana’s small back.

Leana’s warmth made Elena happy.

“Sister, thank you. I like you the most!”

“I like Leana the most too.”

Then Hazel, who had been watching the two, interjected.

“Then our Leana will need princess clothes too.”

“Princess clothes? Where can we get those?”

Leana asked with sparkling eyes. Hazel poked her cheek gently and smiled kindly.

“There’s a place we can get them. The department store.”

“Department store?”

“Yes.”

It was fashionable these days to buy ready-made children’s clothes from department stores. It was more efficient than tailoring clothes for children who grew quickly.

“They say there are lots of dolls there too.”

“Wow!”

“And lots of delicious things!”

“Wooow!”

“And Maxim will be there too.”

Hazel added. Leana, who had been excited, closed her mouth tightly and sulked. She had never won against Maxim. Moreover, he was a dictator who always got his way.

“Hmph.”

Leana squirmed. Having rarely encountered adult men except for Derek the doctor, he seemed unfamiliar.

“B-but I still want to go.”

Leana said glumly. Hazel stood up.

“Good. Then we’ll need to go out.”

Hazel picked up the invitation to the charity gathering she had decided to attend. She didn’t even glance at the others. She hadn’t come to the capital to attend such gatherings and socialize with people.

It was solely for Maxim and Elena.

Hazel hummed a tune.

These days were as sweet as the warm spring weather. How wonderful it would be if the day came when Maxim and Elena opened their eyes to each other as she wished. He was the first person Maxim had shown interest in since that incident.

Hazel hoped both Elena and Maxim would be happy.

Wounds caused by people are healed by people.

Spring wind blew in through the window. Hazel stopped at the window for a moment and looked outside. The profusely blooming spring flowers tickled her nose. She smiled.

What a perfect day for romance.