Chapter 46
At those words, Cornelia was startled.
“Do you… believe me?”
“Yes. I heard that Your Highness has been acting as the steward of the estate whenever the Grand Duke is away.”
“Mm.”
“I’ve also heard people say that you take very good care of the estate’s residents. Ever since you started assisting the Grand Duke, things have gotten better for them.”
She wasn’t just sitting in the steward’s seat because she was the Duke’s sister.
Although she was only just twenty, she was intelligent and capable.
In fact, the welfare policies she had devised had significantly improved the lives of the estate’s residents.
“I once read in a history book about the late Grand Duke. It said he would not hesitate to make sacrifices for his people.”
“…….”
“I don’t think a daughter like Your Highness, who resembles such a noble father, would deliberately harm a child.”
Having said her piece, Elinor bowed her head and went into her room.
Cornelia, left alone in the hallway, fiddled with the ointment jar in her hands.
A great person, like the late Grand Duke.
Her words seemed destined to linger in Cornelia’s mind for a long time.
Those blessed by the gods are born with a fixed amount of divine power.
In the original story, Charlotte, the female protagonist, was exceptional even among them.
So exceptional that the villainess Elinor was jealous enough to want to kill her.
Then how extraordinary must be the power inherited by her own child?
‘Even a tiny bit of strength would be enough.’
For the child’s safety, this must be kept secret.
But a newborn cannot skillfully hide the power they’ve just begun to manifest.
So it would be up to Elinor to keep it hidden.
“You sent the doctor away.”
The next morning, Mathias came to see her after hearing that she had dismissed the physician.
Elinor, feeding the baby, replied calmly:
“Yes. I only took the medicine.”
“You should show the wound and have it treated properly.”
“No. I’ll do it myself from now on.”
“What?”
“I learned this at the academy, so I know the basics. Fortunately, the wound is small, so if I keep applying ointment, it should heal quickly.”
“Still, even so, there’s a doctor—”
“I’ll also handle everything related to the baby myself: feeding, washing, putting them to sleep.”
In other words, don’t interfere with the baby anymore.
Mathias frowned as he realized the meaning hidden in Elinor’s words.
“It seems we’ve lost your trust with all this.”
“The baby has been through too much already.”
Elinor trembled as if frightened.
“Fire, Gilbert, now a burn… isn’t it natural for me to be anxious?”
“Elinor.”
“I hope the Grand Duke understands my feelings.”
Her attitude was firm.
Mathias sighed deeply.
“Alright. I’ll respect your wishes.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
“But if you change your mind, let me know anytime. I’ll support you in any way I can.”
“I will.”
“By the way, the tea party tomorrow is canceled.”
Mathias handed her a small pouch.
“Cornelia came by early this morning. She asked me to give you this.”
Inside the pouch was a flat silver token.
Upon closer inspection, the lower part was engraved with the name “Cornelia Hilliard.”
“This is a privilege I gave Cornelia when I appointed her acting steward. It’s a silver token granting the authority of the steward.”
“Then why… give it to me?”
“She wants to apologize to you.”
“If it’s an apology for the baby getting burned, I actually already received it last night. The princess came to see me.”
“It’s not that. She wants to apologize for treating you as a lowly woman.”
Elinor’s eyes widened in surprise.
Mathias twisted his mouth.
“What did you say to Cornelia last night?”
“Nothing much.”
“This token proves that you are protected by the Hilliard family. Their power is everywhere, so it will be useful anywhere.”
“Ah……”
“It seems she still thinks the baby is my illegitimate child. And yet, she’s giving you this token. Cornelia must really feel sorry.”
Elinor was flustered but took the silver token.
It was an unexpected benefit.
After Mathias left, Margaret, the Dowager’s maid, came.
“This is from the Dowager.”
Inside the box she brought were medicines and various herbs good for healing wounds.
“She prays for the child’s swift recovery.”
“Thank you.”
“Tch.”
Margaret clicked her tongue in disapproval and quickly left.
Even more people came after that, including attendants standing in for the secluded Tedian. They all brought medicines for the baby.
“Phew.”
Elinor piled the gifts on one side of the table.
More people than she expected were concerned for the baby.
She was truly grateful, but at the same time…
“If they find out the baby has divine power, their attitudes will change.”
Great power naturally breeds greed.
Elinor grabbed the hair tie she always wore on her wrist.
The red-threaded hair tie looked ordinary but was far from it.
‘Once I break this, there’s no turning back.’
Was this really the right decision?
She hesitated for a moment.
But soon, she recognized that this was the best course.
Snap.
Elinor pulled the hair tie with force.
It broke more easily than she expected, and the final thread burned away completely, leaving no trace.
Grace, the daughter of Margaret the Dowager’s maid and Cornelia’s friend, had been feeling stifled lately.
She had admired Mathias since she was very young.
In fact, many people in Hilliard territory secretly loved Mathias.
He was handsome, tall, and became Grand Duke at sixteen—a remarkable person.
But Grace believed she had an advantage over others.
“The Grand Duke treats me especially well.”
Mathias, gentle with his sisters, was also kind to their friends.
Especially to his sister’s friends.
Every time he met her, he complimented her looks and occasionally patted her head. It was impossible not to fall for him.
“I like the Grand Duke. Does he like me too?”
“Yes, he likes you.”
Though it was a casual phrase he often said to his sisters, ten-year-old Grace took it literally.
“The Grand Duke likes me! Then, naturally, we’ll get married one day.”
As Mathias had no other significant girls around until she became an adult, Grace’s belief only hardened into certainty.
She waited for the day Mathias would propose.
“An illegitimate child…?”
Suddenly, her prince brought an unfamiliar woman and a baby to the Grand Ducal Palace.
It felt as if the sky had fallen.
She couldn’t accept it.
At first, she blamed Mathias, then cursed the woman who had ensnared him.
She wanted to immediately drive them away but had no authority.
So she turned to Cornelia for help.
‘Don’t cry, Grace. I have no excuse for what I’m doing.’
‘Wait. I’ll make sure this woman’s true nature is revealed to everyone.’
She wanted Cornelia to act as her instrument to remove the woman.
But after asking for Cornelia’s help, she still felt it wasn’t enough.
Her soft-hearted Grand Duke would never easily abandon his own child.
So Grace also bribed one of Cornelia’s maids.
To eliminate the very reason the woman could remain there.
