AWSIL - Chapter 12

“Madame Monte.”

"Yes?"

“Please bring me some paper and a pen.”

Cecilia commanded, putting her feet under the bed.

“Are you going to write a letter?”

Madame Monte brought a pen and paper to the round table where Cecilia was sitting.

“Yeah. I’m going to send it to Ilya Nova.”

Ilya Nova? Madame Monte blinked several times as she chewed on the familiar yet unfamiliar name. She was the daughter of Count Nova and had a familiar name, but since she was staying in the territory with her father, she had rarely seen her face.

“Why would you send a letter to Miss Nova? You’ve never even met before.”

“I heard that Miss Ilya Nova is quite smart and useful.”

Cecilia answered with a smile. The recipient's name on the paper was already written as Ilya Nova.

“Count Nova is working so hard for our family, so I should repay him.”

Of course, that wasn't the real goal. It was because she thought that if she could get Ilya into the townhouse, it would be a good way to gather information about Count Nova.

“I don’t have any maids to assist me, so I thought it would be good if Miss Nova could help me out.”

Just as Ilya of the past knew Cecilia well, Cecilia of the present also knew Ilya well.

Ilya is not the type to keep her mouth shut. It was obvious that she could get something from the words she would say without saying anything. If that was the case even for Ilya, who had grown older and matured, then it would have been even more so for Ilya when she was young.

Cecilia decided to use Ilya to obtain useful information and overthrow Count Nova.

“If you are a maid...”

Considering that Ilya ended up becoming Eden's mistress in her previous life, it was likely that she would be drawn to Eden this time too. Be it fame, money, or his looks.

Besides, Ilya has a personality that likes to show off. If Cecilia were to scratch her pride by showing off her superiority over the guy she likes, she would definitely react with trembling.

“Yes.”

Madame Monte, who did not know Cecilia's true intentions, readily agreed.

“She might be able to find a good match while she's at it.”

Cecilia continued talking casually, waving her hands.

“Is she married?”

Mrs. Monte asked with her eyes wide open.

“Yeah. We’re the same age.”

“That’s true.”

Cecilia herself had planned to find a suitable match for her someday. Of course, it wasn't some lame trick to prevent her from meeting Eden.

“The Count Nova should really be grateful to the Duke Lane.”

Madame Monte muttered, her face moved by Cecilia's generous help.

Innocent Madame Monte.

Cecilia let Madame Monte's exclamation slip away without revealing that her feelings were not so pure.

“Of course. It is better to remain as the Grand Duchess’ maid and look for a groom within the system than to look for one within the Vest.”

"Yes."

It was a joyous occasion for Count Nova and a great honor for Ilya Nova. Madame Monte, who had no idea what Cecilia was thinking, thought so.

Cecilia, knowing what was going on, simply watched Madame Monte's delusion unfold.

***

“Cecilia.”

Cecilia's gaze turned to the door where there had been a couple of knocks. Madame Monte, who was doing the last of Cecilia's hair, nodded to Abby.

“I thought you were ready.”

“It’s almost done.”

Madame Monte quickly took her hands off Cecilia's head, indicating that she was ready.

“They said it’s all done.”

At Cecilia's words, Eden walked over without hesitation and extended his hand. Cecilia took his hand and got up from her seat. It was fortunate that it was polite for men to wear gloves. If their bare skin touched, it would be impossible to hide their awkwardness.

“Madame Monte, don’t forget to do what I asked you to do.”

"Sure."

Madame Monte nodded with a smile. After a brief greeting, Cecilia got into the carriage, leaving Madame Monte behind.

“The necklace suits you well.”

The carriage had set off, and some time had passed. Cecilia cast her gaze on Eden’s face as he whispered something to her while sitting across from her. Eden’s gaze was fixed on her white shoulders and chest, and the pearl necklace that adorned them.

“Madame Monte praised His Highness the Crown Prince’s eye for fine craftsmanship.”

Eden smiled briefly at Cecilia's compliment.

“If it weren’t for the fact that I had known him since I was young, I might have suspected that His Highness the Crown Prince had another woman without The Crown Princess's knowledge.”

“I guess marrying early helped.”

When she saw the faint amusement on Eden's face, it wasn't a sarcastic answer.

“I tried to think back to the day we first met, but I can’t quite remember the day I first met Your Highness. Do you remember, Your Highness?”

Eden nodded in response to Cecilia's question.

“You were wearing a yellow dress. You were wearing lace gloves.”

In his memory, Cecilia was very small and fragile. She was wearing a yellow dress, so much so that she looked like a butterfly.

“And it seems like you cried as soon as you saw the Emperor.”

Although she did not cry out loud, she shed tears as big as chicken droppings, perhaps because she was overwhelmed by the majesty of the royal family. Just as Duke Lane was about to pick up the child in surprise, Eden approached Cecilia. He wiped her tears with a well-dried handkerchief, sat down next to her, and patted the back of her hand.

And then as if to say that it was safe, he smiled affectionately. The Emperor looked at them and laughed heartily, saying that the children were already playing the game of husband and wife.

“And from then on, every time you met the Emperor, you were nervous and went with me.”

The Emperor often summoned Cecilia to the palace. The reason was that he was curious about how much the child had grown, or that she would be good to talk to Eden. Of course, the real reason was that he wanted the two to see each other often and become familiar with each other.

“Aren’t you nervous this time?”

“Do I intend to shake Your Highness's hand like that time?”

“If you want.”

Eden smiled as he thought of Cecilia when she was a chubby, innocent child. Ten-year-old Cecilia was a lovely girl who couldn't be called cute, even if it was a lie.

“I’m not ten years old anymore.”

Cecilia quietly rolled her eyes and declined his offer.

“I will act like a Grand Duchess.”

“I look forward to it, Ma’am.”

But the current Cecilia wasn't much different from her past self. To Eden, that was the case.

“In that sense, I plan to take Ilya Nova of the Count Nova family as my maid.”

At Cecilia's words, Eden made a face as if he had heard something unexpected. In reality, Cecilia was the only daughter of the Duke of Lane, who had been chosen to become the Grand Duchess, but she did not have a single maid.

“What a sudden decision.”

“I thought it would be a good favor to show to the vassal family if I had the daughter of Count Nova as my maid and found her a good match.”

At Cecilia's words, Eden nodded. It wasn't a bad calculation, since there was no need to bring in someone who was being pushed around by Count Nova, who was ignorant of the Duchess's intentions.

At the same time, the carriage creaked to a halt. Cecilia looked out the window, listening to the horses yapping.

“I guess we’ve arrived.”

Eden nodded at Cecilia's words. Soon after, the coachman knocked on the carriage door, indicating that they had arrived at the palace. After Eden gave permission, the carriage door opened.

“...”

Eden, who got out of the carriage first, turned to face Cecilia. A familiar landscape unfolded behind her.

A terrible place that killed people who were precious to her and even drove Cecilia to death.

The tips of her fingers felt cold. Cecilia unconsciously trembled and stopped moving. Eden stared at Cecilia with a puzzled expression before reaching out.

“Cecilia.”

His voice woke up the stiff body. It was when Cecilia took a short deep breath and reached out to Eden. Eden’s warm hand held Cecilia’s hand as if it were confining hers. It felt firm and comfortable.

“I told you I’m not a kid anymore.”

In her previous life, when she didn't know anything, Cecilia just liked that feeling. It made her feel like he would protect her forever.

But now she knew, Eden would not protect her forever. Rather, he would be the first to stab her in the heart without hesitation.

He was a man who kept his oath as a couple, pretending to protect each other's lives until the end, but in reality, he was a man who would not keep his oath by deceiving others. Just because he had a lover he loved.

“I guess it’s because it’s been a while.”

It's because of you.

But she couldn't say it so contemptuously. Cecilia smiled awkwardly and made an excuse. At the same time, her shoes-clad feet touched the floor.

“His Majesty the Emperor has been waiting for you since morning. I will serve you.”

The chamberlain approached and bowed politely to the Grand Duke and his wife. Eden naturally escorted Cecilia. Cecilia mechanically complied with his escort.

It was a place she didn't want to return to. Of course, it wasn't pleasant to even just step foot there.

“Oh, we finally got here!”

But Cecilia could have endured it all. This time, she wouldn't just sit back and take it. This time, she absolutely didn't want to do that.

“Come in!”

So Cecilia was more gentle than anyone else and smiled beautifully. She also lived as an Empress. It was nothing special to hide one's feelings and show off this level of pretense.

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