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Chapter 61

But, then…

The students who discovered Liliana began to babble among themselves.

“What, who is that girl?”

“Do you think they’re watching us?”

One of the students whispered ah, and opened his mouth. “That’s right, I heard that an outside student was coming on a tour today…”

“Is that her?”

“But, she’s a girl.”

Since it was a school with almost only boys, Liliana, a young girl, caught the attention of the students.

Well, that low gaze would be a burden for Liliana.

“Liliana, are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m okay.”

Liliana nodded her head.

If it had been before, she would definitely have tried to hide a bunch behind Anriche’s back, getting cramped up. Liliana, now, looked like she had her shoulders and waist upright. Of course, she wasn’t at all indifferent, so she was sneaking a glance around. Still…

‘Our Liliana, you’ve made a lot of progress with this.’

At the commendable heart, Anriche lightly patted her on the shoulder.

Just then, Liliana turned to Anriche.

“Mother, I want to visit the training ground with Elliot. Is it okay?”

As soon as his name came out, Elliot pricked his ear. It looked like a dog that had been called by its owner.

Anriche, holding back her bursting laughter, nodded her head.

“Yes, go ahead.”

Liliana held out her hand to Elliot.

“Let’s go, Elliot.”

“….”

Even though Elliot gave a a sullen look, he didn’t refuse her hand. After that, Elliot and Liliana left hand in hand.

Only Anriche and Alexei were left behind.

“Liliana and Elliot, aren’t they so cute?”

A bright smile hung on Anriche’s face.

“At first, I was worried about what would happen, but I’m really glad that both of them got along well.”

At the voice full of affection, Alexei also smiled unknowingly.

“It’s thanks to the Madam taking good care of the children.”

“Is there anything in particular that I did, it’s all thanks to the children.”

“What do you mean you haven’t done anything? You have done so many things.”

Alexei spoke in a serious voice.

“You take care of the children’s education, and you’re not only supervising the mansion, but also the employees yourself.”

“That’s what I should be doing as the Mistress of Valois, isn’t it?”

“Not only that. Recently, you have also arranged the Marquisate of Saxony right.”

When the huge sum of money flowing into Saxony disappeared, the butler liked it so much that he was about to die.

Alexei also agreed.

It wasn’t a matter of the amount, but because she seemed to have escaped the ties of her parents.

Meanwhile, Anriche had a subtle expression on her face, and she asked Alexei.

“Um, doesn’t that mean that I’ve been neglecting my work so far?”

“…Yes?”

“Of course, I’m thankful that you’re nice to me.”

‘Huh, is that so?’

Alexei looked back at Anriche with a squinty eye.

A chilly silence passed.

“….”

“….”

Confused, he hurriedly opened his mouth.

“I, I didn’t mean to say that…”

“Pft.”

‘What…?’

Alexei squinted his eyes and turned to look at her. At the same time, Anriche grabbed her stomach and burst out laughing out loud.

“Ahaha!”

“…Madam?”

“It’s a joke, a joke.”

She laughed so much that even tears were welling up in her eyes. “I’m so grateful. I just did what I had to do, and I get compliments on how well I did it.”

Anriche glanced at Alexei with a playful gaze.

“…Is this a pure function of the reputation of being a ‘wicked woman’?”

“Madam, please.”

But, contrary to the expectation that they would burst into laughter together, Alexei sighed deeply and shook his head.

“Don’t say that ‘wicked woman’.”

“Yes?”

“The Madam is not a wicked woman.”

As Alexei responded with an honest face, Anriche became a little shy. However, it didn’t make her feel sad.

Rather…

‘…I’m a little bit happy.’

At least, doesn’t it mean that Alexei thought of her positively?

As she was blushing her cheeks lightly…

“Oh?”

Anriche narrowed her eyes without realizing it.

In the distance, she saw Liliana and a boy having a conversation. At first glance, the two children looked normal. However, the relationship does not appear to be amicable.

Perhaps, Alexei thought so, too, and he spoke his words out in a questionable voice.

“I think we should go over there.”

“Yes, I agree.”

And so, Anriche and Alexei quickly moved towards the children.

“Wow, the academy uses these facilities.”

Liliana looked around, and admiration poured out of her mouth.

“It’s said to be the best academy in the empire, so it’s definitely great. Isn’t it, Elliot?”
“Ugh, well…”

Elliot, who was walking alongside Liliana with a sulky expression on his face, opened his mouth abruptly.

“Does Liliana like dignified people?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Saying so, Liliana turned to him in response to a random question.

“You were admiring the students earlier.”

Elliot’s eyes were on the students who had just finished training. Judging from the fact that his eyes are sharp, it seemed that he didn’t like the students very much.

“Until just a moment ago, you didn’t even care about me.”

Seeing Elliot pouting his lips, she was shocked unknowingly.

“No, not necessarily…”

Just when Liliana was trying to appease Elliot…

“Huh?”

A bewildered voice rang out. Among the students, a boy who was unusually large was looking at her with his eyes wide open.

“Aren’t you Liliana?”

“….”

Liliana stepped back.

All of a sudden, blood was gone from her face.

“Lord, Lord Tornian.”

…Lord Tornian?

Elliot narrowed his brow and looked at the boy.

Even he knew that name because it was the eldest son of the Tornians who was engaged to the daughter of Baron Londini.

Also, the Baron Londini family…

‘They’ve been tormenting Liliana a lot.’

He recalled the appearance of the Baron Londini couple he had met the other day. The two who talked about her, and Liliana, who was frozen like a mouse in front of a cat.

‘Besides, as mother told me, Tornian and Londini had a pretty friendly relationship.”

…Then.

The violet-colored eyes narrowed coldly. There was no way they could have hidden the existence of their relative from their fiancé. That meant the boy agreed with, or at least ignored, Liliana being treated like a maid in the orphanage.

As proof of that, there was a faint smile on the lips of Lord Tornian.

“Long time no see? How did you get here?”

“I…”

Liliana answered in a trembling voice.

“I’m here to tour the classes of the swordsmanship students.”

“Tour?”

Lord Tornian asked grimly.

“What about you?”

Then, as if observing Liliana, he looked at her up and down.

“What, you used to be a maid in the past. Now, you’re dressed up like a lady?”

‘Maid…?’

Fireworks bounced off Elliot’s eyes. No, not just the Baron Londini, but he, too! Why were all the people Liliana knew before were like that?!

Elliot opened his mouth without realizing it.

“So, who are you?”

Elliot’s voice wasn’t very nice, perhaps because he was so upset.

Lord Tornian’s expression hardened slightly.

“Who are you?”

“Me? Her fiancé.”

At that answer, Lord Tornian, who was startled, took a step back.

‘That’s right, come to think of it…’

He had already heard that Liliana’s status had risen tremendously in an instant. It was because his fiancé, the young Lady Londini, had told him with a lot of temper.

‘Liliana was actually the fiancee of the Heir Apparent of Valois! Do you think this makes sense?!’

Lord Tornian, who remembered the conversation, bit his teeth.

‘Oh no, I made a mistake.’

He was so accustomed to harassing Liliana that he had completely forgotten that things had changed.

“Greetings, Heir Apparent Valois.”

Lord Tornian politely bowed.

And, for Elliot, the judgment was somehow twisted by his politeness. It was because he had a completely different attitude from how he had dealt with Liliana earlier.

“Why did you greet me and not Liliana?”

“Well, that’s…”

“If you are aware that I am the Heir Apparent of Valois?”

Elliot tilted his head and looked at Lord Tornian.

“My fiancé, Liliana, shouldn’t she be treated as someone who will in the future be the mistress of Valois?”

Then, he pointed to Liliana with his chin.

“So, greet her.”

“Yes?”

“Greet Liliana, too.”

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