But there was nothing I could do.
The reason I told him to return to the Iels' mansion quickly was not only to prepare for Empress Giselle's pursuit, but also because he kept insisting on greeting my father and Barden.
'I told you not to do it yet. We're not even dating...'
Clearly, these two men are going to cause trouble.
I fell in love again and stuff.
They'll think I started flirting with this person lightly.
"It's not something light. He even kissed me? Hehe."
A sinister laugh escaped me without me realizing it, and I chuckled. Barden narrowed his eyes and nudged me, pointing out something.
“Hey. Why are you crying and then laughing?”
I quickly bit the corners of my mouth and spoke sharply to the guy.
"I was so touched, Uncle. Thank you for taking my side."
“What is the emotion?”
It was funny to see Barden grumbling while his ears turned bright red.
'It's good, tsk.'
To be honest, I was impressed by Barden.
I had to thank Barden later.
Because my father said that he was going to sue not only Melovy Gratti, but also everyone who had spoken ill of me until now.
I had to stop my father, who was belatedly realizing that he was a doting father, while rubbing his throbbing forehead.
“Father, stop it.”
"Why!"
"Why would you, a cool-headed person, act like that? All the people who gossip about me are nobles. Would they just sit still? They'll probably bring up all my past wrongdoings and embarrass my father."
“I’m fine.”
Father answers without any hesitation.
Although I was touched, I shook my head coldly.
"No. I was indeed wrong. I threw a bomb and injured innocent people. My father covered it up with money and power."
“Ugh, uh-huh. Well, if you’re stressed, that’s what a Princess can do, you know.”
‘...Our father is no joke.’
I sighed, dumbfounded by my father's shameless muttering while avoiding my gaze.
Yet, a corner of my heart ached.
Yeah, well, I knew that too.
All this time, my father had been protecting me like that. I just pretended not to know.
I was so ashamed of myself for suffering from puberty for so long.
“Ahem.”
I, too, followed my father's example and coughed to hide my embarrassment before opening my mouth.
"Actually, there wasn't much backbiting like yesterday. We just talked about the accident I caused."
"Talk? Yvonne! Isn't that too soft?!"
I responded to my father, who was terrified and angry, without changing my expression.
"Father, I left them alone because they were weak humans. I was a lion, and they were just annoying flies. No match for me, you know?"
If I just lift a hand, they will die.
Flies who are weaker than me can't use magic and just keep talking.
Unlike my father, who was shocked, Barden looked at me indifferently and muttered, "Mad lion."
So I smiled and crept up to him and whispered, 'Want to get hit by a mad lion?'
Barden quickly ran behind the pillar, crossed his arms in an X shape, and wrapped his body carefully around it.
Oh my, that annoying older brother.
After all, we are real siblings.
As I was glaring at the hidden Barden, my father sighed deeply as if he had no other choice.
"Yes, Yvonne, if that's really what you're saying... Make an example of Count Gratti, who made such a foolish remark yesterday. Even I can't back down from this."
“Um... I understand, Father.”
I frowned slightly and nodded in agreement.
Well, I was going to give him a hand, too.
You were being too harsh.
Oh my gosh, I'm such a huge seductress, flirting with men! I don't have any of those amazing abilities. If I did, I'd be happy with it...
Luckily, Rudnine is kind and innocent, so I was able to snatch him away right away when he slipped past me.
He doesn't like me that much yet, but I have to somehow seduce him...
"I'm having a mental breakdown. I don't know what to do. Damn it! You're treating me like a seductress. Melodies, or whatever, you deserve to get in trouble."
Still, thinking of Rudnine made me laugh, and Barden shouted at me as if he was offended when he saw me giggling.
“What, why are there flowers floating around you? Are you crazy all of a sudden?”
'If you want to hide, hide quietly. Why are you meddling?'
I pouted and stuck out my tongue.
“It’s a secret.”
“...You, if you keep a secret from your brother, you’ll be punished later. You shouldn’t date in secret.”
“Do you really want to be punished, brother?”
I tilted my head from side to side, grinned, and threatened again, and only then did Barden close his mouth like a clam.
But a cold sweat was running down my back.
"That damned bastard. He's surprisingly perceptive. I'll tell him as late as possible. Even if I get caught, I'll just pretend not to know!"
My father and Barden will think I'm a gold digger for falling in love again when they've only just forgotten about Adrian.
Of course, from my perspective, it's honestly unfair.
Let's just look at it in terms of years.
I have no feelings for Adrian left.
Isn't that to be expected, having been born in another world and living there for over twenty years?
I've long since forgotten about Crown Prince Adrian, and now I despise him.
‘...But I will still be considerate of my father and Barden.’
I, with my broad understanding and strong physical strength like the ocean, must protect the mentality of these young men.
A few hours later, just before Father and Barden left for work at the Tower and the Academy, respectively.
As I had feared, several of Empress Giselle's palace servants arrived at the Argenthoz residence.
I wasn't flustered because Carol, who had received my order, had already found out that someone was being looked for in the palace and reported it to me.
A lost item was discovered yesterday at the Crown Prince's birthday banquet held at the Palace of Peace, and it was so valuable that Her Majesty the Empress personally requested that the owner be found.
Standing next to Barden, who was looking puzzled, and my father, who was thinking deeply about something, I glanced at Liana, who was waiting behind me.
'My secretary is the best.'
It was exactly the excuse Liana expected.
After showering me with compliments with my eyes, I, my father and Barden approached the lost and found box shown to me by the palace attendant and calmly looked inside.
A sparkling jewel brooch that looks quite expensive.
'What, what can I do? You're just bait.'
Although I was indifferent, I looked at it carefully and then raised my head, and my eyes met with those of the palace attendant who had been observing me.
'Why? Are you checking to see if there's any part of my body that's been attacked by a familiar?'
Hehe. What should I do?
The wound from that damn snake familiar's bite has already healed, so I'm fine like this.
'It doesn't hurt at all!'
I smiled at the palace attendant whose eyes met mine, but suddenly his face turned bright red.
'Why is it like that?'
“Ahem.”
I asked the palace attendant, who was deliberately wide-eyed and coughing.
“Why did you look at me?”
"No."
“...Do I look pretty today?”
I tilted my head and smiled brightly, my face covered in a flower petal.
Actually, I was acting like I wanted them to see me as a bit of a fool.
Those palace servants who came here today are definitely warlocks, so I hope they tell Empress Giselle that I, Yvonne Argenthoz, am a very stupid and strange woman.
"Ah..."
“Oh my god.”
The palace attendants couldn't take their eyes off me and whispered something among themselves.
I felt very proud inside.
'I guess it was a success.'
You're probably whispering to yourself that I'm not in my right mind and that I'm not the right person to recruit as a warlock?
As I was trying to listen to their conversation, I suddenly heard my father's firm voice.
“We don’t have anything like this in our family.”
“Oh, is that so?”
A man who appeared to be the most senior of the palace attendants approached me and asked Barden and me again with his eyes as if to confirm.
As Barden and I nodded, they closed the box lid, apologized for taking up our time, and packed their bags to leave.
But on the way out, he turns around, glances at me, and whispers again.
'Why are you acting like that? It's so unsettling.'
I cleaned everything up so that there were no suspicious circumstances or evidence.
The moment I frowned, one of the palace attendants smiled and greeted me separately.
"Well, I'll see you later, Princess. Stay healthy."
“...Oh, yes.”
'Why are you making a fuss about saying we'll meet later?'
I was so embarrassed that I answered absentmindedly, and the uninvited guests from the Palace of Peace quickly left our mansion.
As I was staring blankly at their backs, I realized that my father was following them with a gaze as serious as mine.
'Why are you doing that?'
“...It seems strange.”
“What is it?”
“Oh, no.”
When I approached him and asked him about it, who was muttering while rubbing his chin, was startled and flustered.
“I’m off now. I have to go to work, so I’m busy.”
It was a suspicious sight to anyone who saw him avoiding the question, but then my father suddenly turned around and asked me.
"By the way, Yvonne. Why did you leave the banquet so early yesterday? You weren't there when I was there. I was wondering how our daughter looked all dressed up after such a long time."
“Ah...? Yes? Oh, that, that’s it.”
“Really? Where have you been?”
When they chased me to Barden and asked about my whereabouts, which had been unclear the previous evening, I was so embarrassed that I pushed the two men's backs.
"Yes, it's time to go to work! It's time to get to work! You have to work hard!"
The two men's expressions became gloomy.
“Why do we go to work?”
“...Today is a day when I don’t feel like working.”
After seeing off the commuters who were trudging along like zombies, I was finally able to catch my breath when I was alone.
“Are you alright, Princess?”
"Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you, Liana. Your judgment was correct. You're amazing."
"No."
I praised Liana, who was smiling quietly, and hurried up to my room with her.
There was no time to rest.
For now, I've sent away the Empress's attendants who came today, but I don't know when they'll be caught again.
'I need to cure magical amnesia quickly.'
Leisure disappears, and anxiety begins to set in.
Either I quickly secure the amount of Thiels and eat them to defend in advance, or I go to the group of warlocks first and strike first.
I'm so anxious I can't live.
After regaining the magic, again...
“Princess!”
As I was sitting at the table, setting priorities and making plans, Eudela suddenly came up behind me and called out to me in a loud voice.
“Oh, that’s a surprise.”
I was so deep in thought that I was barely able to calm my heart, which was pounding with genuine surprise, but the cheerful maid just smiled faintly.
“Why are you like this? I’m really serious right now.”
“Hehe. You must be serious!”
“...Are you sure we’re on the same topic right now?”
When I asked with narrowed eyes, Eudela nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with conviction.
“Of course! If you’re hiding something from us, we’ll be upset~?”
“Me, me what?”
I stuttered without realizing it, feeling like I was being stabbed.
“What is it? The person who went down there. Are you two dating now?”
Eudela points with her index finger at the window through which Rudnine had gone down earlier.
My ears turned bright red as I couldn't hide my emotions and expressions due to the very explicit description of the situation.
“That, that’s not it!”
The reason I told him to return to the Iels' mansion quickly was not only to prepare for Empress Giselle's pursuit, but also because he kept insisting on greeting my father and Barden.
'I told you not to do it yet. We're not even dating...'
Clearly, these two men are going to cause trouble.
I fell in love again and stuff.
They'll think I started flirting with this person lightly.
"It's not something light. He even kissed me? Hehe."
A sinister laugh escaped me without me realizing it, and I chuckled. Barden narrowed his eyes and nudged me, pointing out something.
“Hey. Why are you crying and then laughing?”
I quickly bit the corners of my mouth and spoke sharply to the guy.
"I was so touched, Uncle. Thank you for taking my side."
“What is the emotion?”
It was funny to see Barden grumbling while his ears turned bright red.
'It's good, tsk.'
To be honest, I was impressed by Barden.
I had to thank Barden later.
Because my father said that he was going to sue not only Melovy Gratti, but also everyone who had spoken ill of me until now.
I had to stop my father, who was belatedly realizing that he was a doting father, while rubbing his throbbing forehead.
“Father, stop it.”
"Why!"
"Why would you, a cool-headed person, act like that? All the people who gossip about me are nobles. Would they just sit still? They'll probably bring up all my past wrongdoings and embarrass my father."
“I’m fine.”
Father answers without any hesitation.
Although I was touched, I shook my head coldly.
"No. I was indeed wrong. I threw a bomb and injured innocent people. My father covered it up with money and power."
“Ugh, uh-huh. Well, if you’re stressed, that’s what a Princess can do, you know.”
‘...Our father is no joke.’
I sighed, dumbfounded by my father's shameless muttering while avoiding my gaze.
Yet, a corner of my heart ached.
Yeah, well, I knew that too.
All this time, my father had been protecting me like that. I just pretended not to know.
I was so ashamed of myself for suffering from puberty for so long.
“Ahem.”
I, too, followed my father's example and coughed to hide my embarrassment before opening my mouth.
"Actually, there wasn't much backbiting like yesterday. We just talked about the accident I caused."
"Talk? Yvonne! Isn't that too soft?!"
I responded to my father, who was terrified and angry, without changing my expression.
"Father, I left them alone because they were weak humans. I was a lion, and they were just annoying flies. No match for me, you know?"
If I just lift a hand, they will die.
Flies who are weaker than me can't use magic and just keep talking.
Unlike my father, who was shocked, Barden looked at me indifferently and muttered, "Mad lion."
So I smiled and crept up to him and whispered, 'Want to get hit by a mad lion?'
Barden quickly ran behind the pillar, crossed his arms in an X shape, and wrapped his body carefully around it.
Oh my, that annoying older brother.
After all, we are real siblings.
As I was glaring at the hidden Barden, my father sighed deeply as if he had no other choice.
"Yes, Yvonne, if that's really what you're saying... Make an example of Count Gratti, who made such a foolish remark yesterday. Even I can't back down from this."
“Um... I understand, Father.”
I frowned slightly and nodded in agreement.
Well, I was going to give him a hand, too.
You were being too harsh.
Oh my gosh, I'm such a huge seductress, flirting with men! I don't have any of those amazing abilities. If I did, I'd be happy with it...
Luckily, Rudnine is kind and innocent, so I was able to snatch him away right away when he slipped past me.
He doesn't like me that much yet, but I have to somehow seduce him...
"I'm having a mental breakdown. I don't know what to do. Damn it! You're treating me like a seductress. Melodies, or whatever, you deserve to get in trouble."
Still, thinking of Rudnine made me laugh, and Barden shouted at me as if he was offended when he saw me giggling.
“What, why are there flowers floating around you? Are you crazy all of a sudden?”
'If you want to hide, hide quietly. Why are you meddling?'
I pouted and stuck out my tongue.
“It’s a secret.”
“...You, if you keep a secret from your brother, you’ll be punished later. You shouldn’t date in secret.”
“Do you really want to be punished, brother?”
I tilted my head from side to side, grinned, and threatened again, and only then did Barden close his mouth like a clam.
But a cold sweat was running down my back.
"That damned bastard. He's surprisingly perceptive. I'll tell him as late as possible. Even if I get caught, I'll just pretend not to know!"
My father and Barden will think I'm a gold digger for falling in love again when they've only just forgotten about Adrian.
Of course, from my perspective, it's honestly unfair.
Let's just look at it in terms of years.
I have no feelings for Adrian left.
Isn't that to be expected, having been born in another world and living there for over twenty years?
I've long since forgotten about Crown Prince Adrian, and now I despise him.
‘...But I will still be considerate of my father and Barden.’
I, with my broad understanding and strong physical strength like the ocean, must protect the mentality of these young men.
***
A few hours later, just before Father and Barden left for work at the Tower and the Academy, respectively.
As I had feared, several of Empress Giselle's palace servants arrived at the Argenthoz residence.
I wasn't flustered because Carol, who had received my order, had already found out that someone was being looked for in the palace and reported it to me.
A lost item was discovered yesterday at the Crown Prince's birthday banquet held at the Palace of Peace, and it was so valuable that Her Majesty the Empress personally requested that the owner be found.
Standing next to Barden, who was looking puzzled, and my father, who was thinking deeply about something, I glanced at Liana, who was waiting behind me.
'My secretary is the best.'
It was exactly the excuse Liana expected.
After showering me with compliments with my eyes, I, my father and Barden approached the lost and found box shown to me by the palace attendant and calmly looked inside.
A sparkling jewel brooch that looks quite expensive.
'What, what can I do? You're just bait.'
Although I was indifferent, I looked at it carefully and then raised my head, and my eyes met with those of the palace attendant who had been observing me.
'Why? Are you checking to see if there's any part of my body that's been attacked by a familiar?'
Hehe. What should I do?
The wound from that damn snake familiar's bite has already healed, so I'm fine like this.
'It doesn't hurt at all!'
I smiled at the palace attendant whose eyes met mine, but suddenly his face turned bright red.
'Why is it like that?'
“Ahem.”
I asked the palace attendant, who was deliberately wide-eyed and coughing.
“Why did you look at me?”
"No."
“...Do I look pretty today?”
I tilted my head and smiled brightly, my face covered in a flower petal.
Actually, I was acting like I wanted them to see me as a bit of a fool.
Those palace servants who came here today are definitely warlocks, so I hope they tell Empress Giselle that I, Yvonne Argenthoz, am a very stupid and strange woman.
"Ah..."
“Oh my god.”
The palace attendants couldn't take their eyes off me and whispered something among themselves.
I felt very proud inside.
'I guess it was a success.'
You're probably whispering to yourself that I'm not in my right mind and that I'm not the right person to recruit as a warlock?
As I was trying to listen to their conversation, I suddenly heard my father's firm voice.
“We don’t have anything like this in our family.”
“Oh, is that so?”
A man who appeared to be the most senior of the palace attendants approached me and asked Barden and me again with his eyes as if to confirm.
As Barden and I nodded, they closed the box lid, apologized for taking up our time, and packed their bags to leave.
But on the way out, he turns around, glances at me, and whispers again.
'Why are you acting like that? It's so unsettling.'
I cleaned everything up so that there were no suspicious circumstances or evidence.
The moment I frowned, one of the palace attendants smiled and greeted me separately.
"Well, I'll see you later, Princess. Stay healthy."
“...Oh, yes.”
'Why are you making a fuss about saying we'll meet later?'
I was so embarrassed that I answered absentmindedly, and the uninvited guests from the Palace of Peace quickly left our mansion.
As I was staring blankly at their backs, I realized that my father was following them with a gaze as serious as mine.
'Why are you doing that?'
“...It seems strange.”
“What is it?”
“Oh, no.”
When I approached him and asked him about it, who was muttering while rubbing his chin, was startled and flustered.
“I’m off now. I have to go to work, so I’m busy.”
It was a suspicious sight to anyone who saw him avoiding the question, but then my father suddenly turned around and asked me.
"By the way, Yvonne. Why did you leave the banquet so early yesterday? You weren't there when I was there. I was wondering how our daughter looked all dressed up after such a long time."
“Ah...? Yes? Oh, that, that’s it.”
“Really? Where have you been?”
When they chased me to Barden and asked about my whereabouts, which had been unclear the previous evening, I was so embarrassed that I pushed the two men's backs.
"Yes, it's time to go to work! It's time to get to work! You have to work hard!"
The two men's expressions became gloomy.
“Why do we go to work?”
“...Today is a day when I don’t feel like working.”
After seeing off the commuters who were trudging along like zombies, I was finally able to catch my breath when I was alone.
“Are you alright, Princess?”
"Yeah. I'm fine. Thank you, Liana. Your judgment was correct. You're amazing."
"No."
I praised Liana, who was smiling quietly, and hurried up to my room with her.
There was no time to rest.
For now, I've sent away the Empress's attendants who came today, but I don't know when they'll be caught again.
'I need to cure magical amnesia quickly.'
Leisure disappears, and anxiety begins to set in.
Either I quickly secure the amount of Thiels and eat them to defend in advance, or I go to the group of warlocks first and strike first.
I'm so anxious I can't live.
After regaining the magic, again...
“Princess!”
As I was sitting at the table, setting priorities and making plans, Eudela suddenly came up behind me and called out to me in a loud voice.
“Oh, that’s a surprise.”
I was so deep in thought that I was barely able to calm my heart, which was pounding with genuine surprise, but the cheerful maid just smiled faintly.
“Why are you like this? I’m really serious right now.”
“Hehe. You must be serious!”
“...Are you sure we’re on the same topic right now?”
When I asked with narrowed eyes, Eudela nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with conviction.
“Of course! If you’re hiding something from us, we’ll be upset~?”
“Me, me what?”
I stuttered without realizing it, feeling like I was being stabbed.
“What is it? The person who went down there. Are you two dating now?”
Eudela points with her index finger at the window through which Rudnine had gone down earlier.
My ears turned bright red as I couldn't hide my emotions and expressions due to the very explicit description of the situation.
“That, that’s not it!”
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