Young Count Philippa came up with the idea and gathered the investors, and the largest investor, Count Ohrid… As time passed, it became the best in both name and reality….
The explanations continued endlessly.
“So Mom…”
Diana touched her head in dizziness.
“She has done quite a lot of work.”
“If we organized the shares, it would be a significant portion of the Young Miss’ inheritance.”
“Um. I see.”
What it meant, she didn’t understand half of it. First of all, the one thing that she did know was that El-Corte belonged to Grandmother.
Following the footman’s guidance, the carriage stopped at one place.
Senir reached out his hand so that Diana, who would get off the carriage, could grab it as he said.
“In El-Corte, I will call you ‘Lady Diana’. Since we still can’t reveal your identity, please do understand.”
“Do as you want.”
In fact, even during ordinary times, she wished for him to call her by her name rather than calling her ‘Young Miss’, but she thought that there was a good reason for him to change the title even though he originally called her ‘Diana’.
‘Still, it’s a bit disappointing.’
Diana approached the building with Senir as escort.
As she approached the entrance, she saw a giant fountain carved with twelve baby angels which were made of crystal. The light that was reflected on the statue touched the front of Diana’s face.
“Ugh, too bright.”
At her words, Lord Dominic blocked her front. Lord Dominic’s build was so big that Diana was fully covered in his shadow.
“Thank you.”
“For what? It is only natural for me to do. The Young Miss is 11 years old, right? Aren’t you too small?”
“…I’m 13 years old.”
Lord Dominic groaned, eek, and his shoulders shrank. Lord Serafina stabbed him in the side, asking him to apologize. Lord Dominic felt awkward as he apologized to her.
‘Am I that small?’
She had never thought that she was small, but she couldn’t count how many times she’d heard it recently.
Diana stretched her hand up, but she could not come out of Lord Dominic’s shadow.
‘S-small.’
Tiptoeing was also useless. Even if she stretched her arms to both sides, only a hand at most would pop out of Lord Dominic’s shadow.
Although it was the big Lord Dominic who was, by birth, like a bear, she was still a little upset.
Those who were watching all her actions were busy holding back their laughter, losing their mind when Diana pouted.
“It’s because you’re still 13 years old. You will grow soon.”
Serafina said as if she was comforting Diana. And that same Serafina was also very tall. What was worse was that even Senir was big.
“Since Mom was big… I’ll grow up, too.”
“Of course.”
No way, what if she’s small because she resembles her biological father? Suddenly, she was curious about her father’s height, whose name or face she didn’t even know. She thought it would be very unfair if she was short because of her father who had never helped her as she struggled to live.
The entrance square was crowded with people who tried to enter or had already bought something and then come out. Some of them looked at Senir then whispered. However, Senir surprisingly ignored the surroundings.
“There are a lot of people?”
“It is because the biggest event of the year, the Imperial Ball, is coming soon. It will be more crowded because there are also many country nobles.”
It was then–
“–you know!”
Quickly without hesitation, Diana raised her head. It was a familiar voice.
“Lady? What is the matter?”
Serafina, who held her sword case, asked. Diana was looking around with a hardened look on her face, but she did not find the person she was looking for.
‘It must be an illusion.’
Diana rubbed the back of her neck, which had unknowingly stiffened.
“No, it’s nothing. It seems like I heard wrong.”
Just like that the uncomfortable feeling disappeared when she entered El-Corte.
High and wide pillars and a crystal chandelier shining brilliantly over the shiny ivory-colored floor was seen.
Fancy and fancy again, it was a sight that was beyond imagination.
The items sold on each floor were largely divided into men’s and women’s clothes, and smally divided into hats, shoes, ornaments, and others as the names of the deserved representative craftsmen were hung.
The door opened at the same time the notice said that the guide in the elevator had arrived. Diana stepped in after touching her mask to see if it was fixed well.
***
‘…I’m tired.’
Diana thought she liked pretty and bright things. But today, her faith had been broken.
Although she visited about 10 boutiques, all the products looked similar.
She picked about 10 outfits, but although she’d only said ‘this is prett–’, they already sent it to Ohrid mansion.
From horseback riding boots, which were of the finest quality with sheep leather, horseback riding clothes, saddles, reins, and gloves. She remembered up to here.
It was also quite fun to customize as she wanted dozens of leathers after she touched it.
However, as the seven shoes began to be determined from the height of the heels to the type of string to be tied, Diana gradually began to get tired, and for the gloves, she just bought them as how the craftsman made them and only adjusted the size.
Senir said to Diana, who was stirring a drink full of ice with a straw.
“You’re tired.”
“To be honest, yes. It’s so tiring. Senir, are you okay?”
“I am alright.”
The place where they were now was a lounge where only a few people could enter. Senir followed up, smiling slightly,
“If you’re having a hard time, let’s ask them to bring the things.”
“Bring it up?”
“Yes. Bring it up so that you can sit here and choose.”
“Uhh.”
“You can’t give up yet. You haven’t spent even half of the money the Count gave.”
“Aaaa.”
Diana groaned as she lay down on the table. At that moment, the door of the lounge opened and someone came in.
‘Huh? Senir said that there’s almost no one who could come in, though?’
Diana, who raised her head, looked at the doorway. The sound of heavy footsteps came and stopped in front of them. Diana blinked.
“To think that I saw the person who said it was hard to meet because he was busy at the El-Corte Lounge. This isn’t even funny.”
He was a young man with a voice which was obviously at the age in which one’s voice breaks. The corner of his eyes were raised and had a sharp feeling. He was quite handsome, but that light faded in front of Senir.
“What was worse, you’re not even alone?”
Senir, who got up from his seat, blocked her front as if he was protecting her and bowed his head.
“I greet Your Highness Esteban.”
Diana barely endured letting out a groan.
‘Imperial Prince!’
Surprised, Diana also stood up and politely bowed her head.
“I believe she’s a daughter whom I’ll only be meeting for the first time. Who is it?”
“She is the Count’s guest.”
“I didn’t ask you to answer, though.”
An arrogant voice responded to the smooth answer. Esteban tried to look at her, but she was hidden by Senir so she wasn’t seen clearly.
“Get out of the way. Take off that not even funny mask.”
This time too, Senir replied.
“It is difficult to take off the mask, since it was the Count who wished for her to wear it.”
“I have already said that I didn’t ask you to answer, though.”
“….”
The atmosphere made it feel like the juice she just drank would make her have indigestion. Diana glanced at Senir but he only shook his head slightly. It meant that she should not step up.
“Your Highness, she is Count Ohrid’s guest.”
There was the sound of grinding one’s teeth.
“Great. Great job.”
Esteban spoke in a drooping low voice.
“Send her out.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Senir grabbed Diana’s arm lightly. To the point that she couldn’t even feel the weight. Diana followed Senir, who was leading her.
When Diana looked back a little before leaving the door, she could see Esteban watching them.
Outside the lounge, Lord Serafina and Lord Dominic showed signs of being at a loss. In addition, there were also those who looked to be Esteban’s escort knights.
“We apologize. We couldn’t tell you in advance because His Highness told us not to say anything.”
Lord Dominic said. If the Imperial Family entered while pushing with their authority, the knights couldn’t do anything. Senir waved his hand as if he saying ‘forget it’.
“Lady Diana. Please take a look around El-Corte. Since it seems that His Highness has something to tell me, I’ll come and find you when our conversation is over.”
“Although I don’t really care about taking a look around…”
Since she hasn’t even looked at all of El-Corte yet. Diana looked at Senir worriedly.
“Will it be okay?”
“Yes?”
“It seems like you’re in trouble because of me.”
Just who in the world was worrying about whom? But Diana was sincere. The answer came out a half-beat late when he refuted the subtle emotions which were hovering around his toes.
“…Of course, you don’t have to worry.”
Senir sent an eye signal to Lord Serafina.
“Lord Serafina.”
“Please leave it up to me.”
Lord Dominic decided to stay in place and waited for Senir. Senir, who watched Diana leave the front of the lounge together with Lord Serafina, returned to the lounge.
Esteban, who was in a fitting seat, opened his mouth while watching Senir approach.
“To think that you, who doesn’t even laugh if there is no benefit, are so devoted like that. If someone saw it, they might think that she’s your fiance.”
“What is your business?”
He was always like that.
He had a mask-like face that couldn’t be read at all.
A person who moved thoroughly only following Ohrid’s benefits. He was amazed at Count Ohrid for he did not know from where she obtained such a person.
“Your fiance has no sense of distance from Lithuania at all.”
It was when the Emperor exceeded the age of fifty that his grown-up children were divided into two groups.
The fight for the throne between the Second Imperial Prince, Robert, the resuscitation of the former Empress, and the Fourth Imperial Prince, Siegfried, the son of the current Empress.
“You must’ve not known that Lithuania and Lady Ovalon are beneficial to Siegfried just because they have a close relationship, do you?”
Esteban was on Robert’s side and Lithuania was on Siegfried’s side.
Lady Ovalon was planning to enter Ohrid. So what people thought if Lady Ovalon showed intimacy with Lithuania was,
‘So, the next generation of Count Ohrid is on Siegfried’s side!’
Senir had the real power. Even if there was no real benefit, it was a benefit to Siegfried to just have such thoughts planted in the minds of the people.
“Wasn’t it Ohrid’s rule to not be involved in the succession of the throne?”
Esteban tilted his head sharply.
“Why don’t you take care of your fiance?”
“I understand what you are worried about.”
“An acquaintance can’t keep track of his fiance, I can’t let…”
“Your Highness Esteban.”
Esteban was surprised when Senir cut off his words. However, the surprise was incomparable to the shock of the words that followed.
“Will Count Ohrid really let Lady Ovalon enter?”
“…What?”