Chapter 25 (2/2)
“Thank you. Polia. I will send you a piece of art that I bought at the auction not long ago.”
“No, Father. I didn’t write a poem in exchange for anything. I’m just happy if my father smiles.”
“Take it. It’s this father’s feelings.”
“Thank you, Father. I’m so glad to meet my father!”
Polia was speaking with emotion and suddenly began to sniff.
The Duke of Cabezo was not surprised. At this timing every time, Polia began to cry.
“You don’t know how hard it was to live in the slums with my mother. Polia was so happy that father came to save me and my mother.”
Polia used to bring up old stories every time the Duke of Cabezo did something good. In fact, it hasn’t been long since Polia lived outside the duchy. When Polia was born, he hurriedly washed Diana’s identity and put her in the open.
‘How thirsty are you for my affection do you even remember what happened when you were a kid?’
But the Duke of Cabezo passed Polia’s contradictions insignificant.
“Aren’t you a decent princess now? Stop and forget what happened then.”
“Father, you should always love Polia as you do now.”
“Do you have to say that? Don’t worry. You’re my only daughter.”
Polia ran and fell into the arms of the Duke of Cabezo.
“My daughter, stop crying. You have to smile now.”
Duke Cabezo’s hand patted Polia’s back. Polia crept out of the Duke of Cabezo’s arms.
Then she smiled coldly.
Polia learned a lot from her mother. What to do to survive.
A few years ago that night, Polia still vividly remembered that her mother Diana had secretly called her room.
<What? What did you say? Mother, what are you talking about?>
Polia felt like the sky was falling. Diana had a chronic disease in her difficult life. The disease, which she thought had been cured by entering into the duchy as she lived in abundance, recurred.
<They said that I’m only going to live for a few months now because the illness is getting worse. But don’t worry too much. I’ve prepared everything for your future.>
<I hate the future without my mother!>
<Get a hold of yourself, Polia!>
Diana pressed her crying daughter hard.
<Who are you?>
<That’s right. You’re Princess Cabezo. But that’s not enough. That damned Emilie, as long as you have that kid, you’ve always got to live second in this family.>
Polia knew. Because Diana always told that in her ears more than enough.
With Emilie, whose biological mother was a high-ranking aristocrat, Polia will always be placed in the back. So they have to hold on to the Duke of Cabezo tightly. And in the end…
<You have to crush Emilie beyond measure.>
Diana said grimly. Polia nodded.
<If my life had been a little longer, I would have done everything by your side, but I don’t have enough time to do that. But that’s not very impossible. Polia, I’ll use my last moment for you, so trust me.>
<What are you going to do, Mother?>
<Wait and see. You’ll know because you’re my daughter. I believe you can handle it after I die.>
A few days later, Diana suggested a family outing.
Polia watched Diana, holding Emilie’s hand, climbing up the high hill, while she was held in the arms of Duke Cabezo.
And the sight of her mother falling down the cliff pretending to be pushed by Emilie’s hands….. She could only look.
<You’re my daughter, so you’ll know.>
Emilie clearly understood what her mother meant. She crushed Emilie ahead of her soon-to-be-dead life.
Polia cried out to Emilie, who ran down the cliff in tears.
<Why did you push my mother! Why did you kill my mother!>
Polia carried out her mother’s will exactly.
<I believe you can take care of it after I die.>
She didn’t let her mother down. She removed Emilie, who was a thorn in her side.
‘I didn’t expect you to die that easily.’
As long as Emilie was there, no matter how much she was loved by her father, she always had to be the second.
With the legitimacy of blood, everything would have been compared to Emilie. No matter how much she washes her identity, it doesn’t change the fact that Diana was a prostitute.
When Emilie died, Polia could be a princess completely.
‘Now it’s all mine. Emilie’s room, her clothes, her jewels, her place as the princess, and father too!’
***
Edith, sitting in front of Duke Cabezo, looked very uncomfortable. She was a senior graduate of the Imperial Academy and the youngest senior teacher at the Academy. (i’m not sure about the gender but i’ll change it if it becomes clear/ if edith shows up in the future chapters)
From a few years ago, she was teaching the Cabezo princesses once a week.
‘When Emilie was there, she didn’t seem uncomfortable, but ever since she taught Polia, she has always been like that.’
When she was teaching Emilie, Edith would rather step up and ask for a meeting with the Duke of Cabezo.
The conversation was mainly about how well Emilie was following and creative in class, so it was about how happy she was teaching in class.
She was busy bragging about her great pupil in front of the Duke, but the story for the Duke of Cabezo was so boring.
‘What do you mean you know about Emilie? It’s just that she ran into her mother.’
When I think of my ex-wife, Filena, who was just like Emilie when she was a child, my frustration soared.
It was due to the inferiority complex, but the Duke of Cabezo would never admit it.
But now the situation of Duke Cabezo and Edith had changed completely.
“I received a poem written by Polia today. Thanks to your good teaching, I’m getting a poem from my daughter.”
“Princess Emilie had already given her poetry to the Duke when she was nine.”
“Did she?”
Duke Cabezo answered absentmindedly.
“But as a father, my daughter’s poetry is good, but I thought it wouldn’t be for everyone.”
“I understand what you are trying to say. You mean Princess Polia’s writing skills seem to be lacking, don’t you think so?”
Edith spoke directly hinting she knew everything.
Duke Cabezo suddenly had an idea of shame. Such bizarre writing, as for himself, may look pretty in affection, but it wasn’t like that for Edith. It was too substandard for a poem written by a princess with a high-quality education. It was obvious that she was laughing at him and his daughter inside.
‘I’ve never felt this way when we were talking about Emilie’s studies.’
Not only Edith, but everyone in society knew Emilie’s academic excellence.
The Duke of Cabezo gave little response, even though they praised Emilie until she was salivating. To be honest, however, it was true that he was so proud of himself that his shoulders soared because he was human.
‘That’s so obvious because I can’t get used to the assessment Polia’s getting right now.’
In society these days, when there were stories of their children’s studies, everyone was busy watching the Duke of Cabezo.
Polia’s problem wasn’t only with ‘poetry’. Whether she was neither motivated nor capable, there was nothing that stood out either.
“Your Excellency, frankly speaking, it’s beyond my ability to educate Princess Polia.”
The Duke of Cabezo, who was in bitter thought, looked at Edith in astonishment.