Chapter 40
“Even Izdo would be sad if Brizni cried. So… please don’t cry.”
“Who are you treating like a baby? I’m a cool kid who’s growing up like Iz, not a baby!”
Brizni clearly wasn’t showing any signs of calming down. Eloise, deciding that soothing Brizni’s mood should come first, cautiously mentioned “Iz” to gauge Brizni’s reaction.
“Do you want to check if Iz is in the library? You said books, right?”
“It’s not there! There’s no way I’d leave my Iz behind when I came to the Swinton mansion!”
Rian sighed as memories of the day they had left for the Swinton mansion resurfaced. How on earth Brizni had managed to gather that enormous “Iz collection” was beyond comprehension.
“That ‘Iz’… you’re so cruel!”
Sigh… just leave.
Rian rubbed his throbbing head.
“Who’s ‘oppa’? This is your room! This is her room!”
Brizni pointed at Eloise, shouting that she absolutely wouldn’t leave.
“Stop making a fuss and go out.”
Faced with Rian’s face, which radiated cold authority, Brizni flinched.
‘If you touch me again…’
Brizni quickly hid behind Eloise. Watching this, Cailian shook his head in disbelief.
“You said you didn’t want to.”
Being afraid of her brother was one thing, but Brizni absolutely couldn’t tolerate being touched by him.
“That’s one thing, and this is another!”
“She really does whatever she wants, huh.”
Ignoring Cailian’s head shake, Brizni whispered to Eloise.
“You! You have to save me from that cruel Demon King! Got it?”
“Huh? Okay.”
“Say it right now, or else.”
Brizni clutched Eloise’s sleeve tightly, giving one last warning with Rian’s voice.
“No! Why should I? If I lost the princess’s position, this much I can do! You have to save me!”
Seeing Brizni stare at her while tugging on her clothes, Eloise couldn’t look away and turned her head.
“Uh… looks like Brizni wants to stay here.”
Brizni narrowed her eyes at Rian’s suddenly softened expression.
‘What’s with that awkward, pathetic, silly look?’
Brizni studied him for a moment, then tugged at Eloise’s sleeve again, whispering.
“Oppa.”
From Rian’s position, Brizni pointed at him, unseen by him.
‘This should get through.’
Brizni’s eyes sparkled as she glanced at Eloise. Eloise, however, blinked, clearly not understanding.
“Huh?”
“Ugh! You really don’t get it!”
Raising her voice, Brizni stamped her foot in frustration.
“Say ‘oppa.’”
Once again pointing to Rian, Brizni urged Eloise. Despite not fully understanding, Eloise couldn’t ignore Brizni’s insistence.
“Oppa?”
Brizni nodded vigorously as if confirming the answer.
Seeing Brizni so intent, Eloise couldn’t help but feel concerned.
‘I think I understand why Brizni acted that way…’
“Oppa… Brizni wants to stay here.”
“What… did you say?”
Rian’s cold aura, which had briefly returned, completely melted away. Brizni shook her head.
‘Knew it. Men, really.’
“What’s wrong with you, Rian?!”
Cailian, who had been lying on the sofa indifferently, suddenly jumped up.
“No, it’s not like that!”
Despite Rian’s vehement denial, Cailian’s gaze sharpened, clearly sizing him up as a rival in love.
“Strong denial equals strong affirmation!”
Shaking his hands and head in denial, Rian shouted,
“I said it’s not true!”
Caught in this sudden argument, Eloise murmured in confusion.
“Why is Cailian suddenly angry?”
She had thought the sibling quarrel was over, but now it seemed like the friends were fighting too. Eloise sighed.
“Don’t you know why you’re fighting?”
“Out of nowhere, and how would I know?”
Eloise frowned at Brizni, who had just caused another conflict.
“Hmph… still young, huh?”
Brizni shrugged her shoulders.
“….”
With no energy to respond, Eloise remained silent, making Brizni shrug even more proudly.
‘I won!’
Determined to assert her victory, Brizni turned to Eloise.
“This is the power to instantly control a situation and throw people into chaos, just like Iz. You can’t do that, can you?”
Placing both hands on her hips, Brizni spoke proudly. Watching her, Eloise muttered internally that she didn’t really want to do it.
“Hmm… okay.”
Nodding silently, Eloise’s reaction only made Brizni puff up her shoulders further.
“I’m really the princess!”
Confident in her victory, Brizni shouted loudly.
“Were you bothering Eloise again?!”
Her voice must have carried outside the room, because Cecilia, who had been searching for Brizni, immediately opened the door and entered.
“Mom, look! It’s been proven! I’m really the princess!”
“Come here immediately!”
Cecilia hurriedly picked up the excited Brizni, scolding herself for having lost track of the child earlier.
“I won! I really belong with Iz!”
Brizni, carried away by Cecilia, proclaimed herself a great victor.
“I hope you take oppa and Cailian too…”
Watching Brizni leave, Eloise glanced back at Rian and Cailian, who were still bickering. Of course, she didn’t want to escalate the quarrel by having Brizni say “oppa” again.
By the time night fell, the Reston Mansion was filled with silence. Breaking the quiet, a black horse thundered toward the mansion, kicking up clouds of dust. Those who saw its owner rushed to open the doors.
“Your Highness, please slow down…”
Despite faint voices of the knights in the distance, Alec paid no mind. He went straight to the stables, saddled his horse, and rushed to the mansion as if time were critical.
“Rixson, where’s Eloise?”
He asked the butler, worried about the one thing he couldn’t stop thinking about.
“The young lady is reading in her room.”
“Good.”
After confirming Eloise’s location, Alec rubbed his tired eyes and moved quickly.
‘How much hurt must that gentle child have felt after hearing such harsh words…’
Thinking of how the child might have been hurt and pained, Alec quickened his pace. He reached Eloise’s door and hesitated before opening it—he had a sword at his waist stained with the blood of beasts. He couldn’t enter the child’s room with it. Turning to leave the sword behind, he heard a voice calling him.
“Duke, you came quickly! I heard you might not come today since the monsters could attack the village again.”
Eloise, standing at the door, greeted him.
“Luckily, it ended quickly.”
Hiding the sword behind his back, Alec studied the child’s face. Though no darkness showed on the surface, anything could happen.
‘I should have taken the sword away before letting him face the beasts with his bare hands.’
Leaving Claude in the village was far from enough. Alec clicked his tongue at his own weakness, recalling the old saying that a parent must take responsibility for the child’s mistakes.
“I’m sorry.”
Even while handling matters in the village, Alec often bowed his head in worry.
“Huh?”
“I should have stayed by your side.”
Eloise, about to say she was fine, hesitated.
‘It’s not enough to just say I’m okay; I need to properly explain my feelings.’
She understood why Cailian had been so furious. Anyone would lose their temper if someone dear to them heard those words. Realizing her own explanation had been insufficient, Eloise finally began to speak.
