Chapter 16 (1/2)
“Elisabeth, you are so easily pleased.”
Victoire anxiously said.
“Because Your Grace is good to me. I’m so happy.”
“You can’t laugh at anyone like that for being nice.”
“I’m not the one who laughs at anyone. Right?”
When Elisabeth smiled brightly at his aide Harry, she sought consent. Victoire narrowed the middle of his forehead.
“Smile like that only to family, Elisabeth.”
“Yes?”
“Dylan’s rude so you don’t have to laugh if you don’t want to. Damon’s a little naughty, so you can ignore him if you want. But make sure to smile at me. Don’t do it to others.”
Victoire looked serious. Elisabeth nodded in a daze.
***
A man with brown hair came across the garden of the Daughtry mansion with his son. He greeted his friend, Victoire and his son Damon, whom he’d be meeting.
“Long time no see, Marquis Dalton. How long has it been since you’ve been to Daugtry’s mansion?”
“It’s been so long that I can’t remember. You’ve got a precious youngest daughter, and you’re not letting anyone anywhere near the mansion.”
“When did I do that?”
(Damon) “Don’t lie in front of your son, father.”
Victoire glared at Damon, who spoke the truth.
“Damon wasn’t easy either. When I asked if I could go and play at his home, he laughed and stared at me as if he was going to kill me.”
Jeremy, the son of Marquis Dalton, said obnoxiously.
“I was just laughing because you said some crazy shit, Jeremy.”
Damon laughed lightly at Jeremy’s provocation, whose age was near Dylan’s.
“Your Grace, Damon!”
They could hear the voice of a young girl in the distance.
At the same time, Marquis Dalton and Jeremy witnessed an amazing sight. Victoire, who is famous for his bluntness, and Damon, who couldn’t smile with his eyes even when he did, smiled as if they had found a golden mine at the same time.
“Elisabeth, you came just in time.”
“I heard you called.”
“I have someone to introduce.”
The girl who appeared with Marian was Elisabeth. She was excited from the morning to hear that she would meet outsiders for the first time since becoming Elisabeth.
Marian said this in the morning:
“His Grace the Marquis of Dalton was a great help to our Count when he was in trouble. He’s trustworthy and important, so I’ll make you look the prettiest.”
Marian was also excited to dress young Elisabeth in this outfit and put on her accessories.
Eventually, Elisabeth, wearing a blue dress and a white ribbon, was as lovely as a doll with fair cheeks.
“Hello. I’m Elisabeth Daughtry.”
Just 12 years old. The little girl greeted the Marquis Dalton and Jeremy with impeccable manners. The eyes of the two grew bigger.
“You’re far different from rumors, Elisabeth.”
Marquis Dalton said with an interesting face. Elisabeth grinned.
“Because rumors are supposed to spread like the wind that doesn’t know where it came from.”
At the words of the little girl, Marquis Dalton laughed. Elisabeth’s eyes were wide open.
‘Why are you laughing?’
All the people around her were looking down at Elisabeth with pleased eyes.
“You must have a hard time hiding such a cute, clever child, Victoire. If Elisabeth were my daughter, I would spread rumors all over the Empire. Saying that this is my child.”
“Don’t talk nonsense, Dalton.”
Victoire scolded Marquis Dalton.
“If Dalton is the type to show off the more he loves, then Daughtry is the type to cherish and protect the more he loves.”
Marquis Dalton said.
‘Victoire and the Marquis of Dalton seem very close.’
Elisabeth thought as she looked at the Marquis patting Victoire on the shoulder and Victoire stepping on the feet of Marquis Dalton.
‘They said Marquis Dalton was trustworthy. So do you know Count Daughtry is actually a descendant of the Duke of Leschine?’
People with secrets cannot get close unless the secrets are shared.
‘What kind of relationship do the two families have?’
I lived facing them every day, but Daughtry were people with a lot of questions. However, there was a limit to the child’s body when trying to find out secretly.
“Elisabeth is perfect, but she lacks one.”
“What does that mean?”
At the words of Marquis Dalton, Victoire asked coldly.
“I can’t believe you still call your father ‘Your Grace’. That father will be disappointed.”
Elisabeth was embarrassed. Father?
‘Victoire has a purpose, that’s why he’s keeping me. Why would he want to hear that from me?’
I was afraid that Victoire would be offended by that remark.
“That is a bit of a problem.”
Elisabeth was astonished by the affirmation of Victoire.
“Y-Yes?”
Elisabeth asked with her cheeks red.
“It was said that it was not necessary to call me ‘Father’, and it seemed that there was no need to. You don’t have to worry about it too much.”
Victoire quickly explained himself as if he was embarrassed after he had spoken.
‘What is it? You want me to call you father or not?’
Elisabeth, who was in disarray, rolled her big eyes in confusion. Then Damon deliberately stepped in with a ‘hahaha’ laugh.
“How can Elisabeth do that already when Dylan hasn’t even called him father yet?”
(V) “Dylan, he’s always got no manners.”
“You never asked Dylan to call you ‘father’. Hahaha.”
Damon patted the still Jeremy on the back.