Chapter 33
“Is this too much to ask?”
“No, what do you mean it’s too much. I would love to help you.”
Elysia smiled broadly.
Looking at her face, Karina let out a small sigh of relief.
“I thought you might say no.”
“Why?”
Karina showed a subdued expression.
“Because I don’t know anyone in the capital.”
In fact, it was the same with Elysia.
“The last time we met at the Imperial Palace, you may have offended me, you lied to me.”
“You can feel bad enough. I also was sad. I felt like I had caused trouble due to my imperfect memories.”
She did not know what Elysia did or how she lived.
She rarely left Hadunsha, and her parents could only visit her in the temple as regular believers.
She couldn’t even imagine such a life, and now she has to act like the real Elysia.
“Then I will forgive you for lying to me if you help me. What do you think?”
“Great.”
Elysia nodded.
“Well, can I call you by your name?”
“Yes, you can. Karina, let’s be comfortable with each other.”
Karina drank tea with a softer face, unlike before, as if she felt more comfortable after everything she said.
Is this the female lead buff?
According to the story, she grew up in a rural area far from the capital and grew up as a baron’s daughter in name only.
Karina would be praised only for the impeccable way she drank tea.
If Mrs. Oze had seen it, she would have been bugging me for hours.
But, a chaperone was not required for the meeting between the girls.
She was learning etiquette from Mrs. Oze. Karina looked perfect like a textbook in Elysia’s eyes, who was scolded every day for her poor posture, and she was able to memorize the standard of the desirable lady’s flawless figure more than anyone else.
Still, it worked really well. How could the timing be so good?
As Bernard said, the Grand Duke, who was like a raging beast on the battlefield soaked in blood, would be like a withering twig in front of high-society ladies.
He’s still green and he looks pitiful. He was not progressing. He’s quiet, and he doesn’t see any hope.
It was ‘Rona‘ that healed Eleon’s eyes, but she was the wrong person to intervene.
In addition, she can’t come forward, saying she’s Rona.
And the real Elysia has a death flag.
However, if Eleon and Karina became a couple and fulfilled the original ending, she could return to her original world.
Bustling streets with artificial stars spread out with bright lights as if the Milky Way could be seen in the night sky, and the days before the Black Friday sale, everyone was busy with shopping carts.
This was Won Yun-Ji’s daily life.
What’s important here is that I have to live to see the ending.
There’s a lack of information at the moment, so she wondered what would happen if she avoided Sabiel as much as possible.
Fortunately, Sabiel would not be chosen by Karina even if she did not die.
Frost can fall even in May and June if a woman bears a grudge.
T/N: it’s a korean proverb that means If you treat a woman recklessly, you will get in trouble. (A woman’s vengeance knows no limits.)
Karina talked about Eleon when she clung to her in the Imperial Palace.
Sabiel no longer seemed to matter to Karina.
「“It was as you said. Now I regret it.”」
「“I ignored what you said before because I thought it was unreasonable. I…I thought I made the right choice because you haven’t met him in person.”」
「“Please, please. Will I have a chance to turn my destiny around? I want to know if I can start over.”」
She even seemed a little desperate.
She regretted meeting Sabiel and seems anxious to continue her relationship with Eleon.
It’s a good thing for me anyway.
In the original story, Elysia’s death was used to prevent Karina from choosing Crown Prince Sabiel.
As long as the two of them eat well and live well, and reach the end of him becoming emperor, she will have a precious return ticket.
“Then please take care of me. Elysia.”
“All right, Karina.”
Elysia pulled herself together, smiling at Karina.
After tea, she saw Karina off.
“Elysia.”
When she went back to her room to get some rest, Mariela again came without notice.
“Mother, why didn’t you call me? I would have come to see you right away.”
“It’s fine, I just have a lot on my mind.”
“What’s wrong?
Mariela frowned and bit her lower lip.
“What’s happening?”
“…..That woman. No, no matter what Lady Karina tells you?”
“Yes?”
“Why did she look for you all of a sudden? There is no reason for her to come to you.”
Elysia had a strange feeling.
When Eleon visited her recently, Mariela acted the same way.
“What did you two talk about?”
Elysia held in a short sigh as she saw Mariela persistently question her daughter’s every move as if she needed to know.
* * * * *
Eleon Clevent, the only Grand Duke of Constance Empire.
It had been several days since he started visiting the Duke of Yuter’s mansion every day.
He would come to the duke’s house and ask to meet Elysia.
They would drink tea, read a book together, or take a walk in the garden.
After the Grand Duke left, Mrs. Oze visited Mariela’s room.
“What do you think?”
Mrs. Oze, who responded to Mariela’s question, looked a little flushed.
“The Grand Duke seems to be in love with Lady Elysia. Duchess, you know. It’s obvious what a man would do to win a woman’s heart.”
She owned a large jewelry shop frequented by many nobles. She was specially asked to teach Elysia etiquette.
She was also the most reliable matchmaker in the capital.
“The Grand Duke is so in love with Lady Elysia. It makes me want to step aside.”
Mrs. Oze looked at Mariela.
The role of the chaperone is to protect the honor of the unmarried lady, but she implicitly stepped aside for certain progress if the adult in the family permitted it.
Grand Duke Clevent is the best bridegroom in the Empire.
But Mariella shook her head.
“No. That can’t be. Never, never.”
“I understand your concerns since Lady Elysia has been a priestess for a long time, but these days, young people in the capital……..”
“Elysia is still young. Didn’t I say it clearly when I requested you?”
At Mariella’s determined attitude, she quickly bowed her head.
“Yes, Duchess. I will do as you say.”
Mrs. Oze looked disappointed.
The nobles were give and take even in love.
He comes to see the woman he loves every day, but she has to give her permission to take off her gloves, hug her, or even kiss her on the cheek.
Grand Duke Clevent is a great fish not to be missed.
Wouldn’t she regret it if he proposed to another young noble lady, who’s been in a “nothing” relationship and has deepened her relationship all of a sudden?
Such a thing was rare.
It was like having a chaperone attached to watch over and advise her instead of a young and quiet lady.
The timing was important for push-and-pull.
Mrs. Oze felt that the Grand Duke should have been allowed to kiss her earlier.
It’s not like he comes every day.
There was no nobleman with a higher status than Eleon in the Empire except for the Emperor and his wife, the Crown Prince, and the princess who gave birth to Eleon.
Eleon comes in and out of the Duke of Yuter’s estate, even when he is of a lower rank than him.
Grand Duke Clevent was not a successor or a minor, but a full-fledged master at that age.
It was a huge thing when a person who had already inherited the title was allowed to visit the duke’s residence without sending a messenger.
To that extent, he was conveying his intentions to the Duke and Duchess.
“Our Elysia is still in poor health. Marriage is……. I haven’t even thought about it yet.”
When her advice didn’t work, Mrs. Oze became sharp.
“The courtship occurs after the lady has debuted. There is no such thing as making a debut at the age of 20. Duchess, it is usually held at the age of sixteen or seventeen at the latest.”
That was true.
Marriages between nobles were often decided at a very young age.
Then, there were many cases of being engaged for a long time and then having a wedding ceremony as soon as they become adults.
The fact that she made her debut at that age meant that there were unavoidable circumstances, and the circumstances themselves were highly likely to be flawed.
Whether for health or financial issues.
It was common to greet people past her age and be treated as problematic in marriage.
“Didn’t you also marry early? You got engaged at 16, and you gave birth to Elysia at 18, right after you got married”
“Still……Still, this is different. Never.”
“Think about it slowly. Lady Elysia made her debut, and so far has not received a single courtship. It’s also my role to advise so you don’t regret it later.”
Mrs. Oze withdrew, looking at her with disappointed eyes.
As soon as Mrs. Oze disappeared from the room, Mariela let out a long sigh that she had been holding.
“Sigh.”
Even though she was breathing, it didn’t feel like she was breathing.
Her heart was pounding as if her stomach was on fire.
“Don’t tell me.”
Eleon, the Grand Duke Clevent has Elysia in mind.
Mariela, who has been watching it for the past few days, couldn’t deny it.
There’s no way.
She was frustrated.
She felt that she had something hot stuck in her chest. It was painful without any medicine or answer.
The Grand Duke and my daughter….. Did he fall in love with my Elysia?
That was impossible.
It should never have happened.
No, maybe it wasn’t Elysia, but Rona, did he realize she was Rona?
It was obvious that it was troublesome either way.
“I should have not sent her to the debutante.”
Mariela murmured with regret.
The joy of finding Elysia was brief, and Mariela was confused about her future.
She should have been hidden under the protection of the Five Gods and Oder.
It was Mariela’s cherished desire to push her little daughter to the temple and make her a priestess.
But she couldn’t prevent Elysia from being excommunicated from Hadunsha because she did not remember her believers, her family, or even herself.
And just in time, the Empress invited her to a debutante’s, so she had no choice but to accept it.
She was trying to take her time and tried to live without defying the rules.
On the day of the ball, Mariela got goosebumps when she watched Grand Duke Clevent drag Elysia onto the dance floor.
Mariela could tell the unhidden obsession in the strength and determined touch of pulling her daughter onto the dance floor.
Eleon Clevent is a beast that never lets go of its prey once it bites.
“As long as Elysia is not with that man.”
Among all the men in the Empire, Eleon is the only man who could not be Elysia’s husband.
“It’s still fine. Not yet.”
Mariela took a deep breath and beat her chest.
She was the one who needed to get her act together more than anyone else.
* * * * *
The next day, as expected, Eleon arrived at the duke’s residence.
“Welcome, Grand Duke.”
Elysia could smile at him for the first time.
“I want to introduce you to someone today.”
Eleon seemed to be somewhat bewildered.
What’s wrong with Eleon’s face? Is he embarrassed to meet Karina?
He looked a bit dazed.
Of course, Eleon was a very handsome man, so even his appearance had a unique charm.
“Hello. Grand Duke. My name is Karina Harrington.”
Karina was wearing a sky blue chiffon dress. The sky was blue and clear, so she was as lovely as an angel.
“Nice to meet you.”
Eleon’s short greeting made Karina’s cheeks turn red.
Have a good time. No, you have to have fun so I can get out of the way.
It was the first time in her life that she had played this role.
A little nervous, Elysia served the tea her maids had brought in, and spoke modestly about the weather, before praising Karina’s dress and the gold buttons on Eleon’s robe.
“Lady Elysia.”
At that moment, Laurie called her name, causing Elysia to get up from her seat.
“Oh, my mother is calling me for a moment. You two can talk.”
Great! Was it natural?