# 111
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“Yes!”
Diana nodded as if to ask her anything.
"What is it?"
“…You always said I was beautiful and that I was a princess, right?”
“Hah!”
“A short while ago, you saw Her Highness, Archduchess Bellos, and you said she looked just like me.”
"This is correct !"
Unlike me, who could not easily pull her mouth away from me and continued to lick my lips repeatedly, Diana answered without hesitation.
Because of that, I was somewhat speechless, so I swallowed my dry saliva, hesitated for a moment, and ended up asking.
“Miss, what color do my hair and eyes look like to you?”
“What color are your hair and eyes?”
". … Yes."
I bit my lip and clenched my fists.
〈Hi Jack. …Do you think my hair and eyes are brown in yours too?〉
〈Well, your eyes are dark brown, and your hair is a little light brown.〉
〈Master, for Master, I look like I have brown hair, right? 〉
Never again.
I tried not to ask that question again.
Because I already knew the answer, but at the same time I was so afraid.
I actually thought of myf as someone who couldn't settle anywhere, just floating in the world.
However, if I am conscious of my appearance in the mirror that no one can see, I fear that I will be declared a crazy person trapped in my own world.
‘If I hear the same answer this time, I won’t be able to bear it….’
“It's pink!”
At that time, Diana shouted loudly as if asking something.
“Your hair is as delicate as cotton candy, and your eyes are bright pink!”
"Just like a princess! You're so beautiful!"
“Huh.”
At that moment, I burst into tears without knowing how much time I had in store.
She sat on the ground and began to cry bitterly.
“Huh, Noona?”
Diana stamped her feet, not knowing what to do, then she started crying behind me, but she couldn't stop.
I asked again, thick tears streaming down my face.
“Really? In your eyes, I...”
While I was complaining and could not continue talking, Diana nodded with tears in her eyes and said: “Wait a minute!” And she rose.
They brought me a picture of a princess that they had previously given me.
It is carefully framed and stored on the bedside table.
“This is what I drew for Nona, that you are beautiful like a princess.”
In the photo, Amira was seen wearing a yellow dress and crown.
The princess's hair and eye color were pink.
“Haha...”
Only then did everything make sense.
She told me I was beautiful and that I was a princess every day.
She handed me the pink diamond hairpin that Allen had given her and clapped her hands, saying it looked good on me.
In Diana's eyes, I actually saw the same image that I had only seen in the mirror.
When I realized this fact, I was shocked and hard to bear.
'Then I. …I really….'
I just realized what I really am.
There is absolutely no evidence regarding my lineage.
I was already half convinced.
'I might be Princess Bellos.'
Granddaughter of the Marquis of Diabelle and the missing younger sister of Ascarte.
It was so unbelievable that I felt like I was going to scream.
I quickly covered my mouth with my hand and stopped breathing.
My head was spinning even as my chest heaved trying to stop crying.
“Is there a hallucinatory spell on me? Or a curse?”
When I remembered the thoughts I had when I was very young, a part of my heart became anxious.
'What if it's not true? What if this is all fake or her illusion?'
This time I didn't think it would end up hurting me.
Not only for me, but for others...
“Let's definitely find out first.”
I had to find the reason.
I couldn't cry like that.
'Because I'm not a real child yet.'
The good news is that Duke Elad and Archduke Belus were very close friends.
He said that he would invite the Archduke's family, the Marquis de Diabelle, and Bianca to dinner at the Duke's house only tomorrow.
If you watch them cloy, you are sure to pick up something that can prove this conviction.
'To be honest, I want to rush to the Marquis's palace now and see the face of the Archduchess again...'
I decided to hide and wait like a hyena waiting for an opportunity.
And….
The opportunity came sooner than I expected.
* * *
Marquis Diabelle held a cigarette in his hand and sighed.
“It would be nice if there was some candy or chocolate in front of me.”
This is exactly what I found out of curiosity.
Somehow I felt my appetite becoming more bitter and my heart felt empty.
The entire family gathered in the capital for the first time in a long time, except for the eldest daughter and his wife who arrived in the empire yesterday, and the son who remained in the palace.
So, this morning, the Marquis excitedly opened the dining room door.
But all he could see was an empty table.
My eldest daughter is so weak that it is a blessing to arrive safely in the empire, so I expected that she would not be able to sit….
Even my healthy brother-in-law and Askart, who even yesterday went out to breakfast together, are gone.
As soon as the Marquis sat down with a nervous expression, he was immediately given a meal, and when he looked at the butler, he said: “Ah.”
He explained.
〈His Highnesses the Archduke and the Archduchess are in a separate building.〉
I was shocked.
Last night, the two stayed in their room and didn't come out all night...
Of course, he says he is of lower status, but isn't he still the adult in the family?
It's not like I'm being overtly bossy. I felt very upset.
“Ha! I didn’t want to see that soft face that had captivated my daughter all morning.”
The Marquis became so angry that he spoke of the Archduke, something he had not done since the birth of his grandson, who looked exactly like his son-in-law.
Come to think of it, my second daughter also stopped walking, probably because she was angry at him for scolding her on the first day she arrived in the capital, but she didn't even think to show her face when I told her yesterday that her older sister had arrived.
“It's done, it's done! Then why don't you come?”
The Marquis clicked his tongue, shook his head, and jumped up from the sofa.
Then I looked outside the living room to see when the baby would arrive.
Although I was worried for my eldest daughter after hearing Askart's words, I did not feel at peace after sending my children away like this yesterday.
It was said that the eldest daughter was still asleep, as if the journey to the empire had been difficult.
Maybe I should get up later and have breakfast in my room.
If I'm feeling well, I'll go to the rose nursery.
The Marquis thought that the Archduchess would not come to the drawing-room, so immediately after breakfast he sent a messenger to Duke Ellard looking for Lea.
“It's time...ah!”
At that time, from a distance behind the window, I saw the butler walking with a cute little maid.
The Marquis pretended not to wait and quickly sat down.
“Why would something the size of a chestnut be so slow?”
I didn't forget to scream loudly as soon as I opened the living room door.
“If you have a conscience, come early in the morning, even if it is just to think about the old man who was hurt because of you... No, why did he make her face like that!”
The Marquis, who was about to make a long speech, jumped up with a surprised look on his face.
I didn't see him for a day yesterday, but the area around the baby's eyes was swollen and red from something.
"Did you cry? Did you cry?"
“Well a little...”
"Who the hell made you cry! How dare he!"
The Marquis shouted excitedly, but then stopped when he saw the child whose eyes became bright.
Then, thinking that the child was frightened by my voice, I suppressed my excitement and asked again.
“Are you being reprimanded because you did something wrong?”
“...it is not so.”
“You can be honest, I can even punish the Duke of Elad whom you serve under, and what’s more, they are the servants and maids under them.”
“I didn't get reprimanded, I'm good at this job.”
Hehe, when Leia smiled, the Marquis closed his mouth with a shocked expression.
At that, Leia also withdrew her forced smile.
I cried all night long last night, and when I fell asleep, my face was a mess.
I felt like I had a dream while I was asleep, but I don't remember.
At breakfast, everyone was so surprised to see this face that they all said they had a scary dream….
Then, suddenly the Marquis came looking for me, and I ended up coming to the Marquis's palace without even having time to compose myf.
When the Marquis she met looked worried, Leah's nose wrinkled.
Meanwhile, I didn't want to look like I was being reprimanded somewhere.
Just yesterday, I didn't think I was really a child, but I felt a little embarrassed that I was acting so childish.
“But didn’t you receive treatment? Why are you in the living room...”
Leia, who was about to quickly change the subject, paused.
“What you hold in your hand now....”
“Huh?”
The Marquis looked at his hands and was surprised.
I didn't even know I was holding a cigarette this whole time.
“Well, you don't smoke because it's good for your health.”
“Hi, I'm just curious about this...”
“Then how about we eat snacks like candy or chocolate instead? I’ll go and tell Kabir now, so don’t smoke, grandpa...”
The child who was complaining said with a sigh: “Ah!” He covered his mouth with his hand.
At that moment, the Marquis frowned and muttered without realizing it.
“How does Duke Elad teach the maids?”
"I'm sorry! Marquis."
At the same time, the surprised child lowered her puffy eyes and apologized.
The Marquis's heart sank again at this sight.
Did you call him Marquis from the beginning?
I didn't know why people were so upset about calling him Grandpa for no reason.
The Marquis, who was twisting his mouth in disapproval, cleared his throat and opened his mouth.
“H—that....you can call me that.”