Chapter 38

Elliana pulled the end of the smooth silk ribbon with her small fingers. With Sarah’s help, she opened the box and found something strange inside. It was a cloth padded with a round wooden frame. It looked like a table, but it didn’t seem to serve that purpose. Even Sarah’s eyes widened.

“Oh, this is a trampoline. I’ve ridden it since I was little.”

“…Trapo? What’s that?”

Then, Sarah took Elliana’s hand and lifted her onto the trampoline.

“You can jump up and down on here and have fun.”

“Wow, it’s fun!”

With each bounce, her body would spring up and float in the air. Elliana, who had fallen in love with the trampoline, played for more than three hours that day.

* * *

“My lady, if you’ve had enough of the trampoline, shall we go on a picnic to the forest that the master gave as a gift? The sun is shining so brightly, you may even be able to take a nap.”

“Yes!”

Elliana and her maids went to the southern forest of the castle.

As they entered the forest, they met some gardeners who hadn’t yet prepared the garden. They bowed their heads and said, “We are preparing the most beautiful garden in the world for you, my lady. Please wait a little longer.”

Elliana couldn’t understand why the gardeners were so nervous about her.

“…Newver mind. You can go.”

But just that one word seemed to brighten up the gardener’s face.

“You are so merciful, my lady. Thank you. Thank you.”

The gardeners repeatedly thanked her and went back to work with relieved expressions.

“My kind lady. Shall we walk between the trees in the forest?”

“Yes, maybe we’ll swee a sqwuirrel.”

Noel and Sarah held Elliana’s hands, and they walked into the forest.

As they walked back and forth under the thick trees, they saw a small animal with a round brown tail. It was a squirrel. Elliana remembered the memories of looking for squirrels with Theo when she lived in the cabin.

“Swirell! (Squirrel!)”

The two maids thought it was cute how much Elliana loved squirrels, so they just let her be. They spread out a picnic mat, brought soft cushions and dolls for Elliana to take a nap, and prepared snacks.

“My lady, please don’t go too far.”

“Yes!”

The squirrel happily jumped up and down the trees as if it were welcoming Elliana, and they went deeper and deeper into the forest. How far did they go chasing the cute squirrel?

The squirrel jumped onto someone’s lap in front of a tree stump. Elliana stopped in surprise.

The girl appeared to be about 10 years old. A gentle aura of ice seemed to flow from her body. The girl both mesmerized and dazed Elliana.

‘She’s so pretty. Even prettier than a rabbit.’

Her shining silver hair looked like it was made of woven silver thread, and her pale skin and large amethyst-like eyes were pure and innocent. Yet she didn’t look fragile, but instead seemed to have a strong and determined presence.

When their eyes met, the girl’s long eyelashes trembled. She looked at Elliana with a guarded expression and asked, “…Who are you?”

Even her voice was clear and ethereal, like a fairy. Elliana didn’t know what to say and just took a step back.

“….”

At that moment, Sarah’s voice calling for Elliana could be heard.

“My lady! My lady! Where are you?”

“Lady?”

At the same time, another servant’s voice could be heard.

“L-lady Celia.”

At the same time, Elliana’s eyes widened.

Celia von Crovache.

‘I saw her name in the lineage of the Crovache family.’

“Oh, Lady Celia, you’re here? Your father is looking for you…..! Huh, Lady Elliana?”

Elliot hurriedly came looking for Celia when he heard the news that she had returned to the Crovache estate. Behind him, Ian also ran over and looked at them.

“…Celia, my sister! Oh, Ian is here too?”

Both Elliana and Celia finally realized who the other person was.

“Oh, so you’re….”

“She’s our youngest sister. She’s really small, isn’t she?”

Ian approached Elliana and messed up her soft brown hair.

‘No, don’t. Noelle did the hairstyle for me.’

Elliana pushed Ian’s hand away and avoided him, but he didn’t care.

Celia also looked at Elliana, her little sister, for a while.

She was like a doll, small and pretty. As soon as she saw her, her heart melted.

“Hello. I’m Celia. I’m the second daughter of the Duke, two years older than Ian. I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier. You’re really small, aren’t you?”

“…Hewwo. It’s okay.”

Celia exuded a gentle but strong and elegant aura, making Elliana fall for her instantly. She couldn’t help but steal glances at the pretty Celia, and her chubby cheeks turned red.

Celia lowered her head slightly to meet Elliana’s gaze. As her silky hair and dress brushed against Elliana’s cheek, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to her.

Celia also noticed Elliana’s small brown hair and clear black eyes, which reminded her of her mother, Luichel.

Luichel, who was cursed and asleep.

When the doctor said that no matter what they did, she would never wake up, Celia wanted to believe that it was all just a dream.

Not to mention the fact that she had a lost sister…

“How hard has it been for you, Elliana?”

Celia hugged Elliana tightly. She was so small that it felt like she was holding a doll or a small animal. Her life was so unimaginably hard that Celia felt like crying.

“No.”

“I’m your sister. Call me sister.”

“No, sistew. Don’t cry.”

Celia didn’t know why she was crying, but she knew one thing for sure. She would be a kind and loving sister to her. The two girls locked eyes and smiled softly at each other. They could tell from the first glance that they would get along well.

“If we both go together, your father will be even happier.”

Elliot also felt his heart warm at the sight of the sisters meeting and said that.

“Okay, let’s go meet our father together. Should we hold hands?”

“Yes.”

The two girls held hands lovingly and walked towards Elliot.

Ian grumbled in dissatisfaction.

“What’s with her? She’s never treated me like that.”

However, no matter what Ian said, Elliana only had eyes for Celia.

* * *

The Duke was waiting in the reception room of the castle. As he looked at the three children standing side by side, a small smile formed on his lips.

Celia immediately ran into her father’s arms when she saw him. As he patted her back, the Duke spoke. “Celia, it’s been a while.”

“Father! I missed you. Thank you for finding Eliana. She looks so much like Mother.”

“I think so too. You must have already greeted each other. You seem to get along well. Are you happy to see your sister, Elliana?”

The Duke smiled proudly as he looked down at his two daughters. Elliana also smiled at Celia.

“Yes. I lwike my sister very much.”

The Duke held his pretty and cute daughters in his embrace. Then he looked over at Ian, who was standing far away, and said, “Ian, come here too.”

“…No. It’s creepy.”

“Ian, just come when you’re called. It’s a family hug.”

“Ugh… So childish.”

Ian grumbled, but when Celia pulled him in, he joined the family hug.

Although there were two empty seats, their hearts were still full.

The Duke whispered while holding his three children tightly in his arms.

“We will definitely be a complete family. I will make sure of it. The clan gathering will be held tomorrow. Everyone should prepare well and show them all who the true leader of the Silver Lion clan is.”

The Duke’s cold demeanor was even freezing. Read ahead here.