# 45
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* * *
After screaming at Matthias and running away to her room, Cornelia locked the door with the key and cried bitterly.
She was upset. She did not intentionally spill the tea on the child.
On the contrary, she tried to block a falling tray with her arm to protect the child.
But she never expected that this would lead to the child spilling water.
'What does my brother think about me?'
She was upset that Elinor had suddenly infiltrated Duke Hilliard's family, but she felt no animosity toward the child.
The shame of having an illegitimate child was, of course, unpleasant.
But this is the fault of Elinor and Matthias who had the child, not the fault of the child who was born.
Rather, the child was very cute.
So much so that, if she had not kept her guard up, she might have wanted to caress the child's cheek just once.
Therefore, I kept a greater distance from the child.
Because if she gets emotionally attached to him, she will be helpless after that.
But the foolish Tidian, without knowing her intentions, brought the child and caused this chaos.
'My brother should have apologized first.'
She was waiting for Matthias to come to her room and apologize for his misunderstanding.
But even late at night, Matthias did not come to visit her.
Instead, I heard that Tidian was severely reprimanded by Matthias and imprisoned.
Then anxiety began to seep into Cornelia's heart.
“What if the child’s condition worsens?”
The child that Cornelia saw was very small.
So small and cute that he looks like the son of fairies.
For a child like this to be exposed to a burn accident...
Cornelia paced around her room anxiously.
The anxiety, which started all at once, continued to grow.
Until she arrived at Elinor's room late at night.
She swallowed.
Cornelia, standing in front of the door, was very nervous.
She couldn't stay in her room, so she came, but when she arrived, she was afraid to face Elinor.
Should you apologize?
But she does not want to apologize to a woman who has tarnished the honor of the Duke's family.
'I'll just ask if the baby is okay.'
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
Moments later, when the door opened and Elinor appeared with a face that looked as if she had been crying.
“I'm sorry.”
Unlike her previous decision, Cornelia's first words of apology were.
* * *
Pure white power that cleanses everything.
No doubt about it. It is sacred power.
A very powerful holy power.
In the short moment between hearing the knock on the door and getting up.
Elinor thought that no one should know that the child possessed holy power.
Even Charlotte, the heroine of the original story, first demonstrated holy power at the age of twelve.
That was enough for her to be praised as a talent and considered the next candidate for sainthood.
'The child is now only one year old.'
Moreover, there are no legal parents beside the child as guardians.
The moment he is discovered, he will be immediately exploited.
Soon, there is the Duke who has a problem with the fiefdom being polluted with magical energy.
Farther away, there are third forces that covet sacred power.
Elinor covered the child's arm, which was completely healed, with a handkerchief.
She calmed her terrified heart as much as possible and opened the door.
“I'm sorry.”
She thought it was Matthias, but unexpectedly, it was Cornelia who visited her room.
As soon as she saw her, she suddenly apologized and peeked out from behind the door and said:
“I thought I should apologise. You trusted us and left the baby, but there was an accident.”
“Princess.”
"Is the baby okay? He's not in much pain, is he…?"
Elinor closed the door and went out into the hallway.
When she did not show the child, Cornelia's features became darker.
She thought the baby was in a lot of pain.
While Cornelia was writhing in anxiety, Elinor said.
“He's fine.”
"What?"
"The doctor gave us good medicine. He said the quick treatment meant there would be almost no scar."
In fact, the child had healed the scar himf with holy power, and no trace remained.
“The baby is asleep now. I'm sorry, but he might wake up, so we'd better talk in the hallway.”
“Ah, well. Yes...”
Cornelia sighed.
She tried not to show it, but the relief was evident on her face.
Elinor looked at Cornelia calmly and asked:
“Are you okay, princess?”
"What?"
“Your right arm. It looked like you were hit.”
Cornelia's eyes widened.
No one knew that she had also suffered burns from the hot water while fending off the tray that had been dropped by the maid.
At that time, the baby was crying hard in surprise, and Tidian was making a fuss, so she couldn't tell that she was hurt.
“How did you know?”
“I noticed that you were constantly holding your right arm. Your sleeve seemed a little wet.”
“…Even my maid didn’t notice my injury.”
“Did you receive treatment?”
Cornelia shook her head.
She didn't want to reveal an injury that no one had noticed.
It hurt her pride.
As if she was demanding attention instead of the child because she was hurt too.
When Cornelia unconsciously grabbed her right arm, Elinor frowned.
“Wait a minute.”
Elinor returned from the room carrying a round box.
“Put this on. The doctor gave us this for the baby.”
Cornelia looked in amazement at the tube of ointment in her hand and asked:
“If you give me this, what about the baby…?”
“I can have more.”
“No need. Use it yourf.”
“Don't refuse, take it. The doctor said it's a good medicine.”
“Don't you have any dignity?”
Cornelia finally lost her temper.
"Don't you know I don't love you? Why are you giving me this?"
“Because you were injured.”
“Ha, that doesn’t mean I will change my mind about you. I cannot accept someone of unknown origin into the Duke’s family. Nor can I recognize an illegitimate child as a nephew.”
“You don't have to worry about that.”
said Eleanor softly.
“I will leave when the time comes. Of course, without causing any harm to the Duke’s family.”
Cornelia frowned.
“You won't stay in the Duke's family?”
"Yes."
"What is your goal really? Money? You haven't gotten enough money from my brother yet? Is that the reason?"
Elinor looked at Cornelia, who was not hiding her guard, and thought how much she could reveal.
'Since the child has awakened the sacred power, we must find Charlotte as quickly as possible.'
In this way, people's attention could be directed to Charlotte, who was known as the next saint.
After organizing her thoughts, Elinor slowly opened her mouth.
“I'm not looking for money, I'm looking for a person.”
"person?"
“Yes. And His Eminence the Duke is looking for the same person. He and I only share a temporary purpose.”
“Who is this person?”
"my sister."
Cornelia narrowed her eyebrows.
Even if Elinor was like this, why would her brother be looking for her sister?
Cornelia was curious, but Elinor was not going to say more.
She bent down.
“I'll go in now.”
“Oh, wait...!”
Cornelia caught Elinor as she entered the room.
Elinor raised her eyebrows.
Cornelia hesitated to speak easily.
After a long hesitation, she finally said:
“I didn't really mean to hurt the child. On the contrary, I tried to prevent the tray from falling on him...”
Ah, that's what she wanted to say.
Elinor, who was nervous, calmed down and smiled sweetly.
“I believe you.”