Chapter 33

‘I desire your labor. Cooperate with me so that I can become rich. I will repay the favor later.’

Those were the words spoken with such intentions. However, as Isaac listened, his green eyes widened, and his red knifed ears popped up.

Suddenly, a black-tipped tail emerged from between his derriere, swaying gently.

Then Isaac’s cheeks blushed.

“….!”

“Twail is pwetty. (The tail is pretty.)”

As Elliana showed interest, Isaac was startled and quickly hid his tail.

“Oh, you shouldn’t look at it.”

“….”

“I mean, it’s dangerous if you see my tail.”

“Weally? (Really?)”

It seemed like there was a story behind the tail. But everyone has their own story. Elliana didn’t want to pry before Isaac was ready to share.

She entered the dining hall with Isaac, following the maid.

That day, she treated Isaac to a meal filled with meat dishes. Fragrant roasted chicken, turkey dishes, pork barbecue, and even a Caprese salad and five types of cheese for variety.

There were plump shrimp and steamed mussels as well, as long as they were of the meat variety.

It seemed like a very special experience for Isaac. His blue eyes widened with each surprise.

Especially when he ate the tender beef steak, his eyes seemed like they were about to pop out.

“….Does stew usually have this much meat? Ah, it just keeps coming, even if I eat!”

Elliana even pushed more meat onto Isaac’s plate.

“Iswaac, you nweed to eat a lot of meat to gwain stwegth. (Isaac, you need to eat a lot of meat to gain strength.)”

Isaac was moved and mumbled while happily devouring the meat Elliana gave him.

“This is the most delicious meal I’ve ever had in my life, lady.”

“As long as you enwoyed it. (As long as you enjoyed it.)”

“If there are any changes in the field where we planted the Lolo herb, I will let you know.”

“Okay.”

‘Right, it’s a good attitude. Keep working hard like that in the future.’

Before she knew it, Isaac looked at Elliana as if she were his savior.

* * *

“Thank you so much for today. I’ll take my leave now.”

“Goodbye.”

Isaac bowed politely, folding his hands together, and then walked away.

As he turned around, his ears and tail suddenly perked up, and he ran off as if in a hurry.

‘Why is he acting like that?’

Elliana tilted her head as she looked out the window. But it was a good thing she treated the worker to a meal; a worker’s productivity often comes from a full stomach.

‘After all, a worker’s energy comes from food.’

Elliana was happy to have met a competent worker. Even if only ten out of a hundred Lolo seeds bloomed, it would still bring her a considerable amount of money.

‘One flower, one gold coin.’

Just the thought of it made her feel delighted.

Then she took out the coins given to her by High Priest Julius from her pocket and smiled.

“My lady, is there something that has made you happy?” asked Sarah after entering Elliana’s room.

Elliana quickly hid the coins under her bottom and smiled innocently.

“Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just full.”

“But there was something the young priest mentioned earlier. It seemed pitiful.”

Elliana’s black pupils widened.

“What’s the matter?”

Sarah hesitated for a moment before revealing the information.

“Well, it turns out… he is the illegitimate child of Marquess Cervan, a member of the Red Fox clan. He doesn’t know his parents, so High Priest Julius took him in.”

“…!”

So, that was the situation.

If he was from the prestigious Cervan family, they wouldn’t have taken in an illegitimate child. Although he didn’t know who his parents were, it felt somewhat cruel.

Elliana decided not to show any signs of discomfort in front of Isaac.

“Oh, by the way, my lady, I brought the lineage book of the Crovache family as you requested.”

“Thank you.”

It was important to know who belonged to the Crovache clan.

Sarah arranged a large reading desk and a soft chair with cushions for Elliana’s comfort. Thanks to that, she was able to comfortably examine the lineage book.

As she scanned through the family tree, starting with the patriarch, she suddenly came across a familiar name. It was her father’s name, Khalid. She traced her finger along the names associated with him.

Khalid von Crovache.

Luichel von Crovache.

Derrick von Crovache.

Celia von Crovache.

Ian von Crovache.

Her own name had not been officially mentioned yet.

And then she discovered that her father, Khalid, had a brother.

His name was Rasphad.

It wasn’t clear if he was married or had children, as no names of his spouse or children were mentioned.

Strangely, only his name was marked in red ink.

“Sarah, why is it red?”

“Well… It would be better for you to hear it from your father rather than directly from me. The day will come when you will find out.”

Elliana, who was examining the family tree, also searched for the parents and children’s names of the people she met at the Ice Wood Academy.

But there were so many people with the surname Crovache that it seemed difficult to remember them all.

“I should memorize them whenever I have the chance.”

As she looked at it, she started to doze off, and then she heard a gentle voice.

“…You’re studying about the family already, even though you’re just starting your succession lessons. Impressive.”

“Yes, Your Excellency. In addition to that, she also meets with the High Priest frequently.”

“…That old man trying to influence my daughter, the audacity.”

Upon hearing Sarah’s words, the Duke clenched his fist, and with the sound of ice cracking, a chilling coldness spread throughout the room.

Elliana fought off the drowsiness and regained her senses. In front of her, Khalid looked at her with gentle eyes. She quickly greeted him.

“Dad, hello.”

“…Yes. But what has the High Priest done to you?”

A coldness filled the Duke’s violet eyes. Somehow, Elliana felt a dangerous gaze and tilted her head in response.

“No, Gwanpa showed me a field next two the twemple. (No. Grandfather showed me a field next to the temple.)”

“A field next to the temple? What did you do there?”

Elliana hesitated for a moment. She didn’t know if it would be dangerous to say that she had done something there.

“I pwayed hide-and-seek. (I played hide-and-seek.)”

“You played?”

The Duke raised an eyebrow full of suspicion. Elliana quickly replied.

“I was twold to hide. (I was told to hide.)”

“Ah, it’s hide-and-seek.”

“Yes.”

Elliana nodded her head.

“Then next time, let’s play together, child.”

“What?”

Imagining playing hide-and-seek with the Duke, Elliana felt a shiver run down her spine.

At that moment, Sarah, who had no sense of timing, smiled and said, “Oh my, didn’t you spend the whole day planting seeds in the temple’s field?”

“Sarah, be quiet!”

But the Duke had already heard everything. In fact, he had exceptional hearing and was even capable of hearing whispers.

His beautiful and dignified face twisted mercilessly.

“How dare he deceive my daughter and make her work? High Priest Julius, that old man…”

Seeing the chilling air emanating from the Duke, it seemed that the High Priest’s life was in danger, even in Elliana’s eyes.

‘I need to stop him quickly. My purse, my coins…!’

There were several coins in that field, and if she couldn’t work, all the coins would disappear.

Elliana moved her small feet anxiously and said, “Elliana wants to grow flowers, so I awsked Gwanpa.”

The Duke raised his silver eyebrows and said, “You want to grow flowers?”

As his cold gaze became sharper, Elliana nodded her head.

“Yes, because they’re pretty.”

“….”

“I want to see pretty things with you, Dad.”

To save the life of the High Priest, she threw out those words, but the effect was quite powerful.

“…It’s heartwarming that you think so highly of your father.”

“Hehe.”

As Elliana gave a harmless and innocent smile as a final attack, the Duke’s stern expression melted away. He then embraced Elliana tightly.