“What does that mean? Aren’t you a senior teacher in the Imperial Academy? If you can’t educate her, who will educate her?”
“I do not know that, but I also felt self-depreciated for the first time in my life by educating Princess Polia. I do not want to have any more painful classes.”
“Don’t tell me you…”
“Yes. I would like to quit tutoring.”
It sounded like a bolt from the blue. It was only a matter of time before Edith’s resignation, not to mention Polia’s public evaluation, but also the reputation of the Cabezo family would fall to the ground.
“I’ll give you as much money as you like.”
“It’s not about money. This is a matter of my pride as a teacher. I’ll do a good job in keeping my mouth shut.”
It wasn’t something that could be solved if Edith stayed quiet. It’s about the rumors. Just as rumors spread that Emilie had killed her stepmother, no matter how much the Duke of Cabezo stopped the rumor, this fact will soon spread out into society and make a laughing stock out of Duke Cabezo.
The Duke of Cabezo tried somehow to seize Edith, but Edith was too stubborn.
She eventually left the Duke behind and left the Cabezo duchy.
“Sooobbbbss! It’s clear that I was ignored because of my bad background! If I had an aristocratic mother like Emilie, would Edith leave me?”
When Polia heard that Edith had quit being her teacher, she immediately ran to Duke Cabezo and sobbed.
The Duke of Cabezo was already troubled and his head was about to burst when she cried.
‘Emilie didn’t blame anyone when she was young, but she seemed to please me, but Polia’s crying and making a fuss again and again.’
These days, the Duke of Cabezo has become more and more unknowingly reminded of Emilie.
“You don’t think Edith would have made a fool of you? She said that she had to quit because she suddenly got busy with her work. Then this father will call Edith back.”
“I don’t need it! Edith will despise me if she comes back! Ugh! My mother died, and now I only have my father!”
The Duke of Cabezo’s clothes were wet with tears from Polia, who cried helplessly.
‘This is some costly clothes.’
The Duke of Cabezo was a little irritated.
“I see, Polia. Stop crying and calm down.”
Duke Cabezo grabbed Polia by the shoulder and pushed her away.
Edith was both a teacher and a radical thinker. She also called for the abolition of discrimination against statuses. Such Edith could not have quit teaching because of Polia’s mother status.
If she had, she would have quit a long time ago. The Duke thought Polia firmly misunderstood.
‘Anyway, I’m worried. Soon, I have to go to His Majesty the Emperor soon, and who will educate her in court etiquette?’
This was not the first time Polia entered the palace. In other words, she also received several training sessions on court etiquette. However, she has not learned proper manners since then.
When we entered the palace in the past, Emilie was next to me, so she took care of Polia whenever she made a mistake or had an accident.
‘But now she’s gone.’
I was afraid that Polia would bring disgrace again.
I was worried about not taking her to His Majesty the Emperor, but if I don’t she will be in a frenzy, asking if it is because of her mother’s status.
Duke Cabezo grasped the throbbing head. There was no answer at all.
“Ah, I cried so much that my eyes hurt.”
Polia said while rubbing her swollen eyes.
The maid Seri glanced at Polia. Even though her owner is young, she thinks her acting skills are excellent.
Seri is the personal servant girl of Polia. Soon, after Polia first came to this mansion, she assisted Polia in the distance.
Seri carefully opened Polia’s door. It was once Emilie’s room. Everything that was Emilie’s, as well as in the room, has now become Polia’s.
Polia went into the room quietly, found Emilie’s favorite vase, and threw it away. The vase broke into pieces with the sound of ‘crash!’
“I’m really unlucky in everything that is related to her!”
Polia clenched her teeth and gritted as she cried.
“Edith, that stupid thing quit being my teacher?”
“Mi, miss. Calm down.”
“I am calm!”
Polia pushed roughly the arm of Seri, who was soothing her. Seri fell down with a ‘thud’ on the floor and got up quickly.
For the little delay in getting up, there was another shriek from the little master.
“Emilie, I feel so relieved that she’s gone! How much more would you have bothered me like this if you were still alive? Don’t you think so, Seri?”
“Of, of course, miss.”
“But what’s wrong with your face?”
“Yes?”
Seri, whose complexion was dark due to the pain of falling, was startled and asked back.
“You don’t look like you like me!”
Polia pulled Seri’s hair tight.
“Aah! Aack! Miss, I’m sorry!”
“Be quiet! What if your scream leaks out?”
“Ugh, hik…!”
Seri covered her mouth with both hands until Polia was relieved. Polia let go of Seri’s head only after she tore it open.
The tearful Seri looked at Polia in fear. Polia sneered at Seri and pointed to a large box placed on one side of the room.
“Get in there, now!”
Seri crouched down in the box as if it was a familiar thing. Polia closed the lid off with a ‘bang’.
Seri curled up in the dark. Tears rolled down her cheeks.
‘It’s been wrong from the start. Something’s wrong.’
Everyone in the family said it would be nice for Seri to be Polia’s personal servant. Although Polia is a bad-tempered master, she thought that she would take good care of her and herself. But it wasn’t the case. The only thing Seri received more than others were the wounds all over her body.
It was so painful, but she couldn’t quit, let alone expose.
Seri already had too many weaknesses for Polia. Seri regretted her past of choosing Polia between Emilie and Polia.
‘I shouldn’t have held Miss Polia’s hand then…’
But it is too late to correct regrets.
It was her, Seri, who buried the cinnamon syrup on Emilie’s skirt.
Emilie had adored Polia even though she couldn’t speak well. It was so cute when a child with a white face touched a baby’s smaller cheek as if it were a precious jewel and giggled.
<Baby! My swister!>
<That’s right, miss. This is your sister.>
<Cwute! I’ll kiss you.>
<Is the youngest one really that cute?>
<Uh. My sister, you’re pretty!>
The employees were amazed that the little child recognized their younger sibling.
Strangely, however, the new duchess pinched and wounded her little daughter, who she gave birth to in her belly, on the day Emilie visits Polia.
Then she went to the Duke of Cabezo. Duke Cabezo had no choice but to ask.
<What’s wrong with Polia’s cheek?>
Then the Duchess would weep like she was waiting for that moment, and lie that Emilie did those.
<You should’ve stopped her. You should’ve done something.>
<I tried to stop her, but I couldn’t help it. If I push Emilie a little, people would say that a lowly stepmother would abuse a well-bred child.>
<Who dares say that? If there are such people, tell me right away.>
<Really? Can you really protect me and my daughter from them?>
The men the Duchess spoke of to the Duke of Cabezo were the closest associates of the previous Duchess who had taken care of Emilie since she was a child.
They had devoted their entire lives to the Duke of Cabezo, but at the first lie of the new Duchess, they fell out of the family like dead leaves.
But even the Duke of Cabezo didn’t scold Emilie from the start. However, as this continued to happen, she eventually began to make a loud noise to Emilie. Emilie, who was too young, couldn’t make a proper explanation.
In the end, the two princesses had to be separated from each other since they were young.
When Emilie was able to speak and give orders to her employees at her own will, the little sweet girl began to send gifts to her beloved sister.
It was years after that.
Emilie sent a dress to Polia as her present. After receiving the gift, Polia, who had been to the Duchess’ room, ordered Seri with determination.
“Seri, get me a sharp needle.”
Seri, who was older than Emily and Polia, and has been serving in the nobility since childhood, knew what it meant.
But still, Seri got the needle quietly. The duchy was under the power of the Duchess, and luckily, her very daughter was Polia. Knowing it was a bad thing, but beneficial, Seri agreed with Polia.
Polia grinned and put the needle in the gifted dress. Then she went to see the Duke of Cabezo, as her mother did.
“Father, look at this. My sister gave me a dress as a gift!”
“You mean Emilie? She’s liked you since she was a kid. Although, it was a little wrong with the way it was. Now she must have matured as she grew older.”
“Father, look. Isn’t the dress really pretty? I’ve never seen anything so pretty! Sister is like an angel… Kyaa!”
Polia, who was wearing a dress and twirling around, screamed. At the same time, a needle fell on the floor from the dress.
“Polia! Are you alright? No, you’re bleeding”
“Ugh, ah, Father…”
Polia’s hand was pricked by a needle and bled. The Duke of Cabezo’s face turned white.
“Father, why did the needle fall from the dress sister gave me as a gift?”
When Polia was burrowed with poor looks, the Duke of Cabezo’s reason flew away.
“Get Emilie in here now!”
The first thing the Duke of Cabezo did to Emilie was not to question her, ‘Did you do it?’.
He slapped Emilie in the face without a hitch. It was heartbreaking to see a little soft girl fall like a petal to her father’s fierce violence.
“Did you put a needle in her dress? How could you do such a cruel thing?”
“What? Father, what needle. It’s the first time I’ve heard of that!”
“Look with your eyes! Polia got stabbed with a needle in the dress you sent her! That poor little thing even had blood on her hands!”
“It, it wasn’t me!”
“So who did? The needle comes out of the dress you sent her as a gift, so who else is it? Seri, you tell me.”
The Duke of Cabezo’s fierce eyes turned to Seri. Seri’s whole body hardened with fear.
“I, I don’t know anything. I just dressed Miss Polia in the dress the Miss sent her as a gift.”
“Father, don’t scold my sister too much!”
Fearing that Seri would be caught, Polia rushed in as she spoke with a shudder. She ran to her father and clasped his hand.
“I would have hated a poor kid who lived in the slums when she suddenly showed up as a younger sister. I understand sister.”
“No, Polia! I’ve never seen you like that. Why do you think like that?”
Emilie pleaded pitifully. Polia looked at Emilie and shed a drop of false tears.
“Sister, I believe you. I trust my sister’s heart. But that doesn’t mean sister can cover up your own fault.”
Then she burst into tears in the arms of the Duke of Cabezo.
After ordering his employees to take Emilie out, Duke Cabezo held Polia’s swollen face in his arms while in tears.
“Polia, I’ll buy you again a dress. Don’t ever get a gift from Emilie again. That kid has been jealous of you since you were a kid. She may do evil again.”
“Father, I still like Emilie. I want to get along with my sister.”
“Who do you take after so much that you’re so tender-hearted? If you keep doing this, isn’t this father the one you’re stepping on?”
“Father…!”
Seri looked with wonder at Polia, who gave the Duke of Cabezo a surprise kiss on the cheek.
“Hoho, this child. Do you like your father so much?”
The Duke of Cabezo laughed for the first time.
‘But I feel a little sorry for Miss Emilie……’
Seri looked towards the door that she had closed. But she soon turned her head away.
‘You’re an employee, who cares about who. Well, Emilie’s a princess. She eats and lives much better than I do as I work and struggle. Let’s just worry about my future.’
Seri didn’t know Emilie would really die.