5234-chapter-19
Chapter 19
Viscountess Flora, who had attached a red ribbon to the dolls that Eliana’s little finger touched, stroked the child’s head.
“Thank you for letting me know what you like, adorable princess.”
After saying that, Flora passed the message to Noelle.
“As soon as I finish making them, I’ll send them to you promptly. I also want to measure you when you were in your puppy form, but I’ll do that next time.”
“I know it must be hard, but please do it as quickly as possible, Viscountess Flora.”
“Don’t worry. I have a magical loom, so it won’t take long.”
After two days, as soon as Elliana woke up, she saw that large boxes had arrived in her room. Fortunately, she was still in her human form.
“Oh, my dear princess! Look at this. Aren’t these clothes adorable?”
“Let’s dress you up right away!”
Sarah and Noelle excitedly dressed Elliana in a yellow bee dress. The top had stripes akin to a bee, and a pale yellow skirt flowed below. There were cute white wings attached to the back. The dress fit snugly on her small body and matched well with her brown hair.
“Oh my, you’re so cute!”
“She’s a baby bee!”
The maids squealed with delight, making Elliana a little dizzy, but when she saw herself in the mirror, she couldn’t help but laugh at how childish and funny she looked.
“Phew.”
‘Wait a minute. I remember choosing dolls similar to the dresses. Milk, meat… And most of them are foods.’
At that moment, the Duke walked into the room and his violet eyes widened. His lips quivered as he stroked his chin. Honestly, the clothes were somewhat peculiar and he had never seen a baby wearing such things. However, seeing Elliana wearing it, he had to admit that it suited her incredibly well.
“It looks like you need a honey pot.”
“….My lord! You’ve arrived?”
“Yes, I’ll take Elliana with me for a moment. Quickly prepare her. We have a family breakfast.”
Upon hearing that, Elliana was surprised and her head bobbed up and down. Her chubby cheeks turned red.
‘Wait, if meet that b*stard wearing this, he will definitely laugh at me…!’
“Oh my, then should I dress her in a more sophisticated outfit?”
“No. It suits my daughter very well.”
“Wait, twis outfwit… (Wait, this outfit…)”
Elliana furrowed her little eyebrows and spoke, but she couldn’t resist the proud expression on the Duke’s face, so she didn’t protest about changing her clothes. She didn’t want to be troublesome or bother him.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
“Oh, it’s nwothing. I lwike it.”
“At first, it seemed strange, but it looks good on you.”
The handsome Duke even smiled, and it made everyone around them feel good too. As the Duke warmly smiled, Elliana felt that she didn’t mind a little embarrassment.
‘After all, it made dad smile.’
She was determined not to disappoint him in any way. Soon, the maids discovered something in the box and put it on Elliana’s head.
“Now you’ve become a perfect little bee baby.”
The maids applauded and put the mirror in front of the Duke who was carrying her.
“Wow, unbelievable. It’s incredibly perfect.”
The Duke’s praise sounded incredible to Elliana.
“R-Really?”
Elliana looked at herself in the mirror and was disgusted. She had a bee antenna headpiece.
‘What is this?’
While feeling that she should’ve chosen another doll, Elliana was handed the rest of the set; the socks and shoes by the maids. However, because there was a family breakfast all of a sudden, it made her worried.
? ? ?
“Tomorrow, there will be a family breakfast, so attend it.”
Upon hearing the Duke’s statement, Ian narrowed his violet eyes in confusion. Something was off. Family breakfast were usually held when there were three or more family members present. However, there were currently only the Duke and Ian in the territory. Who could be the other person?
‘Could it be that someone have returned to Crovache?’
If it was his older brother, he probably wouldn’t tell Ian, but his second sister, Celia, would’ve definitely informed him. However, he hadn’t heard any news like that. Ian frowned, his eyebrows creasing, as a coat was draped over his arm by a butler.
At only 9 years old, Ian possessed incredible power and abilities, surpassing even adults. Thanks to the Crovache lineage undergoing multiple transformations over generations, adapting to the harsh environment of the North, his physical capabilities were near the peak. Furthermore, he inherited the energy of ice unique to the empire’s people, making him unrivaled. He was truly at the top of the food chain. That was why Ian had no fear. What he feared were his relatives who possessed the same power. Only his father, brother, and sister belonged in that category.
Upon arriving at the dining hall, Ian furrowed his eyebrows.
“…Where did this thing come from?”
Just a while ago, there was a dog running around the Duke’s mansion, and now there was a baby at the dining hall. Those were strange beings within the mansion.
Looking at the fluffy baby approaching him, her fragile body resembling fallen leaves, it reminded him of the dog he had encountered not long ago. The child waved her small, chubby hand. Her plump cheeks jiggled with each movement.
“Hewwo.”
Did a child from the territory make a mistake and end up here? Even among the children of the territory, there were those who were particularly weak; they were said to have failed to properly manifest their abilities and didn’t possess a strong physique. They were almost like ordinary humans.
Ian glanced at the child with a disdainful gaze before speaking up.
“Hey, what are you doing crawling around here as if you own the place?”
“Cwan you bwing me some food?”
The child with chubby cheeks said so with her short tongue.
“What are you saying? Speak properly. This is the dining hall for Crovache family. It’s not a place for someone like you to come.”
“….”
Elliana, with her small eyebrows furrowed, responded.
“I got pew..miss…ion.”
“I didn’t give you permission.”
At that moment, the Duke returned to the dining hall, radiating a chilly aura. Ian, who felt his father’s presence, stood up in surprise, his lips tightly sealed.
“Father, you’ve arrived?”
“Ian, that child also has the same status as you.”
“….What?”
“I have arranged a formal introduction during the family breakfast. Say hello, she’s your younger sister Elliana von Crovache. Elliana, this is your second brother, Ian.”
The Duke, who introduced the children to each other, had a slightly proud expression. Ian, who knew how cold his father usually was, was taken aback. Above all, he couldn’t believe his father’s words. He had heard stories about his lost youngest sibling, but it was too sudden.
“Are you saying this little kid is my sibling?”
“Yes. To explain the whole story would take too long. In any case, we have finally found Elliana, who was lost three years ago.”
“This is too sudden. Did this child really come from the Crovache bloodline? She doesn’t resemble us at all…”
A silver hair, noble violet eyes—none of these features were present in the child.
“She inherited your mother’s eyes and hair color.”
When his father mentioned his mother, Ian’s eyes shook. His mother in his memories was always warm and kind. The last time he saw her was when he was a six-year-old child. When he was in his mother’s embrace, it felt like he had everything in the world.
“I couldn’t believe it at first either. But now I do.”
Ian was surprised because he knew his father wasn’t someone who casually believed in others. Ian took another look at the small child. The tousled brown hair, the soft cheeks, the bright, large eyes. The small arms and legs hanging limply like a doll… Even her round head was strange. Looking at her, he felt something strange in his heart.
‘She’s supposed to be a silver lion, but why is she so small?’
As Elliana tilted her head, her bee antenna shook. Ian looked at it with a bewildered gaze.
