# 75
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“Please, don’t joke like that. I’ll eat myf.”
Elinor reluctantly picked up her fork and began to eat.
Matthias smiled with slight satisfaction.
He had said that on purpose to make her eat.
For a moment she felt like she was falling into his trap, but with everyone looking at her satisfied, she couldn't stop.
'Why do they look at me as if I'm a child who fascinates them?'
She felt like a child who needed to be taken care of.
“By the way, brother, we should have a party now.”
Fortunately, before Elinor felt sated, Cornelia brought up a new topic.
“We no longer have to ban outsiders like before. We should throw a big, lavish party to announce Hilliard’s return.”
Matthias crossed his arms.
“Hmm, party.”
“You might not know because you were busy wandering around, but there were places that were secretly ignoring us! Right, Maria?”
“There were rumors in the capital.”
Maria wiped her mouth with a handkerchief and said:
“A gentleman asked me if there was a problem in Hilliard because we were hiding.”
“I also agree to hold the party.”
The Grand Duchess nodded.
“We have to show everyone that Hilliard is still strong. And since the border problem is resolved, it will be a good start.”
“But before that, there is a very important ceremony that must be held first.”
"What? What is it?"
Matthias clasped his hands and announced seriously to everyone.
“I'm having a party to celebrate the baby's first birthday.”
Elinor's eyes widened.
She had previously told Matthias that she wanted to celebrate the baby's first birthday when they returned to Hilliard.
But she meant a small, simple birthday party, not a big party like the ones they were talking about now.
"Just a moment. Baby's birthday party-"
When Elinor tried to explain this quickly,
“Awesome!”
“We should have the most luxurious party in the world. We will make sure it is celebrated appropriately!”
People showed enthusiastic reactions.
Cornelia smiled and said:
“I was thinking when is the baby's birthday. Looks like you've been thinking about it too, brother?”
“Cornelia, what do you mean by ‘seems’?”
“Brother, what if we have a festival?”
Tidian suggested enthusiastically.
“A festival that all residents of the region can enjoy. We can distribute food as gifts for Christmas. What about cutting a huge cake in the square?”
"Wow, little Teddy! You just thought of a good idea for once."
“Haha, right, sis? We should take a group family photo to celebrate too.”
What are they planning to do?
Elinor's face turned yellow.
She imagined herf cutting a celebratory cake with the child in a courtyard full of strangers, and suddenly felt like the world was spinning before her eyes.
When I tried to stop people in any way,
“Wha!”
The baby suddenly started crying loudly.
People's conversations stopped when the baby cried.
The maid rushed to calm the child.
“My little one, calm down.”
"Waa! Waa!"
But the child did not stop crying.
Elinor stood up.
“I'll take him with me. I apologize, but I'll leave first.”
“I will go with you.”
Matthias followed her.
It was a natural move without thinking.
When the two of them and the child left the dining room, Cornelia whispered as if she had been waiting.
“They seem to have really changed, don't they, Mum?”
“They seem closer than before.”
The Grand Duchess smiled contentedly as she sipped the wine.
“He clearly cares about Eleanor.”
“Isn’t it? Elinor didn’t seem to feel too upset either. Whenever we said something embarrassing, she would look for my brother.”
“Something embarrassing?”
“Your stupid suggestion of a birthday party, Teddy.”
"What? I was serious!"
Tidian frowned.
His ambitious plan to introduce the cute boy as his nephew to the people of the region failed.
“And you heard what my brother said? ‘Shall he feed you?’ Oh my God, he says he’s going to feed her?”
“They were calling each other names, too.”
“Exactly! Three months ago, when they left for the border, they were cold to each other.”
Cornelia looked at Logan.
“Brother, tell me. What happened at the border? You were there watching, weren’t you?”
"I don't know."
"What? How could you not know?"
“I don't know, so don't ask me...”
Logan mumbled sadly.
Although the child is not his nephew, there is a beautiful child, and Tidian has been calling Elinor “my sister” for some time.
The man who had to give up his first love before he could begin was very sad.
"Hmm, what about you, Julie and Mary? Isn't Elinor nice?"
“Looks good.”
“I liked that her hair was the same color as my mother’s.”
"She's really kind. And very smart. And she has a holy power, too."
A massive force completely cleared Hilliard's polluted borders.
With the Saint position now vacant, if this news spread, the temple would rush to take Elinor.
Not just the temple.
Whether it was the imperial family or the nobility, everyone would covet Elinor.
Cornelia did not want Elinor, to whom she had given her heart, to be taken away by others.
“Honestly, my older brother is still too lacking for Elinor.”
“You're saying something that would make Matthias sad if he heard it, Corey.”
"But Elinor doesn't seem to hate my brother either. I hope they get married."
Julia's eyes sparkled. Maria also showed interest.
"marriage?"
"Yes, marriage. There's nothing stopping them anymore, is there?"
“In the region? Or in the capital?”
“In the territory, of course. It’s the duke’s wedding. Anyway, so my stupid brother should apply quickly.”
“What if we help him?”
“That's what I love about you, Julia.”
Cornelia and Julia laughed.
The Grand Duchess did not object, as if she tacitly agreed.
But at that moment, Tidian screamed.
“What about the baby?”
Cornelia looked at Tidian.
"What about the baby? Won't he become part of our family?"
“That's impossible, Teddy.”
Cornelia frowned.
"The child has his own family. He should go back to his place."
“Put it back?”
"Yes."
“This is unfair!”
Tidian rose to his feet.
“You loved the baby too, how can you say that?”
“Teddy, this is a separate matter from my brother and Elinor’s marriage.”
Cornelia sighed.
“Even if they don't get married, the child should go back to where he belongs.”
“Why?”
“Why?”
Cornelia looked at the maids waiting on the wall and whispered.
“We know the child is Elinor’s sister’s son, but the servants still think he is an illegitimate child.”
When the incident occurred at the fencing tournament, Matthias confessed to his brothers about the border contamination.
Elinor also confessed the truth that she only shared with the Grand Duchess and Matthias.
That the child is actually her sister's son, which is why she was looking for her sister with Matthias.
"I have one request. Please, continue to treat the child as my son as he is now."