Thuk.

The green dress that Clatier forcibly grasped fell to the ground.

The Duke of Paeraton's shoes crushed the dress.

Clatier looked at it blankly.

This can't be happening.

'Ye-yes. You are misunderstanding me.'

Come to think of it, didn't the Duke say that she stole the dress from her shabby cousin earlier?

'She must've cursed my uncle!'

Clatier ran and grabbed the hem of the Duke.

Uncle, do you hate Tie?

Ooh, looking up and speaking with her watery face, it was lovely to everyone.

The Duke of Paeraton's eyes turned to Clatier.

Well, even if Uncle hates Tie, I will forgive you!

Clatier laughed wide. Brighter than the sun

Because you were tricked by a lie!

The Duke's eyes

Narrowed.

Clatier covered her mouth with both hands.

Oh, I didn't mean to. My cousin's fault should be covered her older sister.

Clatier stretched her eyebrows with a worried face.

Unlike the cute attitude before, it was a gentle and upright attitude.

I apologize for that, Uncle. Please forgive my cousin.

Clatier grabbed the hem of her dress and bent her knees.

It was cute to see a cute little lady greet each other gently, pretending to be mature.

The lips of the Duke of Paeraton, who was looking at it in silence, slowly opened.

Forgiveness.

My daughter.

How dare you.

However, Clatier didn't see the look of the Duke of Paeraton.

Furthermore, the Duke was consciously and unconsciously killing his anger in front of his daughter.

It was because the youngest daughter was surprised when he used magic on the vassals before.

Thanks to this, Clatier was in a different state of comfort when she first saw the Duke.

'So, of course, I'm asking what are the things to forgive?'

She thought.

She said,'It's done!' And she felt her delight in her heart.

Of course, the expression was mixed with worries and confusion.

Because she lied to my Uncle, she said. I never stole the dress.

It was a funny lie.

Not just a dress, but shamelessly lying since that girl never had new clothes.

I understand. I would have lied like that because I would have wanted to be a little pretty from my aunt.

Clatier sighed, exhaled, and looked up at me, her cousin.

It was a kind sister's face.

But cursing me doesn't help.

The Paeraton Princess's hand was tight.

She can't like Clatier.

But.

'I envy you.'

Clatier's behavior of acting cute made her heart feel strange.

An action that she can do because she grows up with plenty of love, and can't imagine her actions will be responded to with any rejection or negativity.

'The Duke is my father.'

The blood may not have been the same, but he is my dad now.

Yet it was Clatier who behaved like his daughter.

'I can never do that.'

Because she knows how painful it is to be rejected, shunned, neglected, and told, You don't need it.

So she couldn't do anything like that.

The Duke looked down and looked at her crumpled clothes from her little hand.

Uncle misunderstood because of that lie.

The gaze that was looking at his daughter's hand turned back to Clatier.

There's no way I could have stolen the dress, right? I just wanted to give it y-.

Then what's the dress I saw?

Like a sharp blade, the voice cutting Clatier's words was sharp and cold.

Only then did Clatier noticed that the Duke of Paeraton was not what she thought.

The moment she met his bright red eyes, the fear that she had forgotten about came back.

What, what are you talking about.

The day I went to pick up my daughter from Marquis of Tarenka.

Duke Paeraton held back as much pressure as he could from his daughter naturally.

Then, He grabbed the hand of his daughter, who had a lot of energy. Very softly.

Slowly, the power drained out of the Princess Paeraton's hand.

Why were you wearing the dress prepared for my daughter?

Hook, the Princess Paeraton's blue eyes were swollen.

'Ah.'

Realization came to the top of my head like a thunderbolt.

What's this scrawny rat?

No way, I'm not saying that Princess Paeraton was the one who had this kind of hidden goal.

That day.

He said so.

'It's not because you don't like me, I'm not too bad-.'

She raised her head.

Her eyes immediately met with the Duke's.

As if he was looking at her from before.

He wasn't looking at her like she was so lovely, but as if looking at her with her head bowed

And she didn't know what to do.

The moment she saw herself, she was sure.

'You were talking about my outfit.'

He looked angry at Marquis Tarenka, his daughter but didn't look like that at the Princess of Paeraton, who made think this way.

'Is it real?'

Do you really think so?

Deep down in my heart, I heard a suspicious young voice.

Originally, she would have listened to the voice.

That way she won't get hurt.

But she didn't want to hear that voice for now.

Wh, what are you talking about. That's what my dad bought me to wear for my birthday!

The embarrassed Clatier screamed.

The Marquis of Tarenka?

Do you think it will be the subject?

I could read the afterword without having to say it out loud.

I got it every year! On my birthday, He always gave me a pretty dress as a surprise!

I got it every year.

It's my dress! It's not that lowly child's dress- urk!

Suddenly, I was suffocated.

Clatier clenched her neck.

The Duke of Paeraton didn't do anything. He didn't even reach out to Clatier.

But a dark darkness crept towards her.

The darkness that seems to swallow up even the shadows.

The ominous and ferocious energy caused Clatier to shiver.

What did you say?

E-everyone did it. Dad and Lien, too, because she's a poor person- Uhk!

Clatier swallowed her breath, turning blue.

The black darkness swept over her nose.

The darkness, which seemed to swallow me in one bite, ate some space and sank into my body.

A, ah, aah black.

A sound that couldn't make sense flowed with tears. Her finely decorated hair and dress were soaked in sweat and sloppy.

Have you heard the rumor about me?

Cold-blooded black blooded.

The worst killer.

Duke Paeraton knows no sadness.

When he cries, someone else's blood flows instead of tears.

You'd better not expect me to be generous just because you're young.

B, bla, black.

I couldn't say anything back.

I couldn't even speak.

With vision narrowed by fear and confusion, I tried to grasp the situation.

But the more I did, the less I understood.

'Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?'

'Why am I trembling like a bug and crawling on the floor?'

'It's not. Not me!'

'This doesn't suit me.'

'What deserves this is-.'

Clatier's eyes pointed upward.

To be precise, towards her cousin who's in the arms of Duke Paeraton.

'-That's her!'

To be looked down upon, to be despised, to be mocked, to be ridiculed.

It was all meant for her.

'Wrong! It's wrong! It's completely reversed!'

The Duke of Paeraton's arms belong to me.

A fake from outside.

She is not a princess!

'Why is she in his arms?'

Being cherished, warmly embraced, and lovingly protected.

That's my job!

ThThe filthy bastard who stole my seat-.

Thuk.

Clatier's words didn't continue.

It was because

A dark energy was pressing her.

The hot-red eyes of the Duke.

I don't think that's the kind of scare that burns at the bottom of hell.

As soon as I met the eyes, my lungs hardened and I couldn't even breathe.

Fear.

Only the sharp sensation of stabbing the flesh, which reached the end of her life, dominated her whole body.

You're already pushing death.

S-ssave me.

The Duke of Paeraton stared at Clatier, who was begging for her life, covered in liquid that might be tears or sweat.

A person might feel at least the slightest bit of compassion for a child's entreaty, but his eye didn't have any emotion.

At once, a time like eternity passed for Clatier, and the Duke opened his mouth.

Yes, It would be better to be alive.

He talked coldly.

Get out.

'What the hell just happened?'

I glanced at the Duke

as I drank the milk with honey from Anna.

As soon as Clatier called me a poor girl, suddenly darkness came.

Thanks to that, I couldn't see nor hear anything.

It was embarrassing, but it wasn't that scary.

The darkness surrounding me was somewhat soft and comfortable.

Like a night where you can close your eyes and relax.

Above all, the Duke Paeraton's hand, holding my body firmly, supported me.

When my sight came back and my ears started to hear, everything was over.

Neither Clatier nor her maids were seen.

The Duke didn't let me go, so I drank the honeyed milk while sitting in his lap.

Delicious.

Your Majesty.

Then, the door opened and the employees, the knights, and the vassals of today's mansions came in.

They knelt at the Duke's feet without even raising their heads.

Wh, what's wrong with you?

The atmosphere was so rigid that it was even stern.

It's like interrogating criminals.

There was a bug in my house today.

The Duke's mouth opened.

His voice was as soft as a melting chocolate, yet chillingly distinct.

How can I accuse people who don't take care of their duties?

A cold stare directed at those who lay prostrate on the floor.

Please kill me, sir!

It's my mistake that I haven't looked at.

I have done harm to your youngest child by misjudgment. I'll pay you back with my life!

Uh.

It felt like I had only seen it in a historical drama.

I looked at them and

Felt a little awkward.

'But you're not really going to die,right?'

No way.

I don't have to get my hands dirty.

I shook my head, as though I was embarrassed by the words of the Duke of Paraeton.

'How can this be?'

It's the same in historical dramas.

'Kill me, Zuenha!' None of them would actually take the poison.

It was such a reassuring moment.

Shring-.

With a low black cry, knights pulled out their swords.

And he took it to their neck without delay.

The well-froged blade glowed brightly in the light.

'Ahk!'

I looked around in amazement, but I seemed to be the only one who was agitated in this room.

The sorrowful face of those who are prepared to die.

'They're really going to do it!'

No!

I shouted out loud without realizing it.

Then the bright red eyes turned to me. Eyes that don't have any emotions.

They failed to fulfill their duty. Those who have done wrong should pay the price.

The Duke's face was so scary.

However, I couldn't silently watch people dying before my eyes.

It's just that my cousin came to play! So, there's no reason to block Clatier's access to entry.

His eyes narrowed.

Then there was just an argument. Children originally fight growing up.

As I whispered, Duke Paeraton, who had been confused for a moment, opened his mouth.

Erkel.

Yes, sir. The young miss is right.

The Duke swept his chin, saying Yeah, that's what an average child does

So they don't need to be punished.

At my words, the Duke of Paeraton stared down at me. He has a weird face.

.You have a mustache.

Mustache? Me? A fluffy baby?

He swept my lips as I was being struck by a strange noise.

White milk was smeared on the graceful fingers.

'Oh!'

I was embarrassed to think that I had been drinking and eating sloppily, but something more surprising happened.

Lick.

The Duke sucked the milk from his finger.

Hang on.

I don't know.

What the hell is this guy thinking about?

However, I know for sure that he is really handsome.

I can't believe that line fits that well with himI would've had goosebumps if I wasn't so scared.

'I heard that God referred to Rofan. I guess that's not necessarily bad.'

Anyway, thanks to his actions the room's atmosphere is completely different from before.

The Duke waved at the people. It meant that they should leave now.

Those who survived their death stood up with cautious attitudes.

'You looks feel burdensome for some reason.

It was that moment.

[The vassals of the Duke are grateful for your kindness.]

[Aide Erkel, Duke of Paeraton's chief aide, admires you]

[Heinz, the chief butler of the Duke of Paeraton, are grateful and respect your grace.]

[The maid and servant of the Duke of Paraton will appreciate and respect your kindness.]

[Your influence in the Paeraton family greatly increased.]

[5000 cash will be paid.]

My eyes were wide open.

Fi, five thousand cash?'