The Duke of Elysium was a mean, hypocritical, and ignorant man who was weak to the strong and strong to the weak.
rod? corset? High-heeled shoes and harsh etiquette training? It was all for his daughter.
To be precise, it’s for the honor of the family and something more valuable that the daughter who became the empress would bring; it’s a self-rationalization that he repeated on a daily basis.
If someone gets angry with him, saying, “You’re playing a sword on a young child!”, he’d pretend that he didn’t know why the other person was angry.
‘Wouldn’t it be a good thing for it to be in the hands of parents, not that of others, since it would stimulate the daughter’s feelings of guilt more and make sure that there is no such mistake in the future?’ He would answer.
Ironically, he was called the imperial libra in the social circle.
Of course, it wasn’t a good balance.
A balance that placed his family on one plate , and everything else on the other side, and is forced to be balanced by exchanging a beautiful and perfectly made weight called “daughter” whenever the scale tilted.
Before him, the little sun of the empire, the Lord to be enshrined, and his son-in-law, was merely a heavy weight on the plate of the other side.
The Duke wondered if his daughter, who had been married from the womb, would be worthy enough to tip the scales while there was a lord who is heavier than her.
“The young lady is late..”
“.. she’s still a young child, so it takes a long time to change her clothes. There are many things she’s still lacking that she needs to be educated so she won’t be in the way of the imperial family’s honor…”
“Education…”
Leonhardt stopped the butler from pouring milk into his cup.
Leonhardt, who had emptied his glass at once without blowing it, grinned, put his elbows on both knees, and clasped his hands underneath his chin.
‘Damn, it’s still hot and astringent on the child’s tongue….’
Leonhardt wasn’t satisfied with the taste of black tea in his mouth. Children’s senses were much more sensitive than adults’.
For example, at this moment, the young miss, who said she had gone to change clothes, was crying her heart out, and the sound of her begging someone was vivid to the ears of young Leonhardt.
“I think the young lady is quite late, but if you excuse me, would it be okay to go to pick her up? She is the person who will be my companion in the near future anyway… ”
“ H-however…”
“I know that it takes a long time for a lady to get dressed, but if we have to wait long enough for the tea to be poured three times … “
Leonhardt sipped the black tea that the butler had filled his cup again. It was definitely the brand he was looking for, but it was terribly bitter, astringent, and hot.
The Duke took him to his daughter’s room, thinking that it would have been enough because it had been too long, as Leonhardt said, for a light education.
In the Elysium mansion, the second largest room after the room of the duke and duchess was Elizabeth’s room.
In addition to the bedroom, the room is equipped with a library for learning etiquette and writing, a dressing room full of dresses tailored for each season, a bathroom and even a small kitchen and dining room for practicing dining etiquette. It was like a cage.
Duke Elysium, knocking on a white door made of platinum, even the hinges connecting the doors, focused on the sound in the room.
In any case, if the ‘education’ wasn’t over, they would have to continue to enjoy a gritty teatime with the prince.
“Sleep, please wait a moment. Isolde’s condition deteriorated dramatically and she has just fallen asleep in bed.”
Beyond the door, a voice of embarrassment was heard. Duke Elysium glanced down at Leonhardt, feeling his heart pounding.
The little imperial sun, still barely coming to his waist, was crossing his arms and smiling.
Somehow, the smile seemed to mean ‘I know everything.’ Duke Elysium gulped.
“Unfortunately, Isolde has been a weak child since birth.…”
“Then I have to at least look at her face for a moment.”
Duke Elysium was appalled at the sight from the Prince’s back, the white door was opened all of a sudden.
However, the meaning of the Duke’s astonished expression was ‘Even though you two will be married in the future, how dare you enter the Lady’s room without permission? What if you’re disappointed by Isolde’s lack in appearance and insist on doing something about the engagement?’
Leonhardt frowned at the bloody atmosphere that filled the room.
Even If it wasn’t for the child’s sensitive senses, it was clearly the smell of blood.
Elizabeth’s room was a splendid room that seemed to have no shortcomings, it’s truly the kind of room in which the daughter of the duke resided.
The pure white bed is covered with a silk drapery like a mist of water, and the white cushion on the white sofa is raised in perfect shape as if it has never been used, the white rug, white wallpaper, white window sill, desk and….
‘Even the hospital’s room will be less traumatic than this.’
It was white all over.
No matter how luxurious it is, if you live in a place like this every day, you must have gone crazy. Let alone, she’s only eight years old, and at this age you have to touch a lot of things and engrave a variety of colours on your eyes, even the covers on the bookshelf is white….
Leonhardt kicks his tongue inwardly and turns to the bed, he suddenly discovered that the Duchess is hiding something behind her back.
“Madam.”
“…Ha, that’s me.”
Leonhardt stared at the Duchess inquiringly.
The duchess couldn’t look straight into his eyes, like someone who was uncomfortable somewhere, she bit her lips anxiously. She stared at the ceiling, then turned her gaze back to the carpet, repeatedly.
He said, “I heard she was uncomfortable, but she didn’t even take off her shoes and lie straight on her bed. Would it be okay for her not to call the doctor?”
Leonhardt intended to point out that she hadn’t even removed the corset, but quickly replaced it with shoes.
A ten-year-old didn’t have to know about Lady’s underwear yet.
“Ah…. You don’t have to worry because we have a family doctor. More than that. As you can see, Isolde is not in a state where she can see her guest….”
Lies. The Duchess was hiding something.
I’m in the position of reigning on an only 10-year-old, right? The Duchess thought, as Leonhardt looked straight into her eyes again, she flinched without knowing.
As soon as the prince entered the room, the atmosphere changed so quickly that the direction of the wind surrounding the boy took a different turn.
Elizabeth, who was lying in bed, unable to make a sound, breathless. Through the conversation of her father and mother’s embarrassed voice, and an unfamiliar voice she heard for the first time, she can roughly guess who was the master of that beautiful voice.
And as soon as she noticed who the owner of the voice was, Elizabeth began to cry out breathlessly.
‘I’d rather have fainted.’ she thought.
She tried not to cry as much as she could, but her legs were so sore and, above all, it was painful as if a corner of her heart was torn.
She wanted to say that she’s here, that her leg hurts, but she couldn’t stand.
But if she did, it was clear that the lady would be considered to act frivolously and be scolded all night for making a fool out of herself.
“But since I’m here, I want to see her face asleep….” As the voice was getting closer, Elizabeth shut her eyes even tighter.
“Excuse me for a moment.”