Even the brief rest in the room was short-lived as Collen came to pick me up.
“Let’s greet Elena before dinner.”
“Yes.”
Collen took me through the corridors to the deepest room.
In the middle of the room, surrounded by adults, sat a grandmother on a large chair.
‘Is she Elena?’
The grandmother in the blue dress who had the children on her lap earlier. She seemed like the most important person just by looking at her.
Seated in the central seat, between middle-aged men and grandfathers.
‘I’ve never seen a woman with short hair in this world.’
Short hair. I lightly touched the ends of my own hair, almost unnoticeably. Maybe I should try short hair when I grow up?
“Glory to the Duke.”
While I was momentarily lost in thought, everyone except Elena (presumed to be her) stood up and bowed.
“It’s been a long time since we last met,” Collen said curtly.
It felt like a ceremonial greeting. Elena slowly spoke after the men stood up.
“Welcome, Collen. It seems you visit home quite often.”
“I’m not here to make sarcastic remarks. I’ve come to introduce my daughter.”
All eyes turned towards me. Some people raised their eyebrows.
“It’s a bit… different from what I’ve heard.”
Elena said with a peculiar expression. Yes, I know. I’m ordinary, right?
‘Maybe I should write ‘the problem is the newspapers, not a genius, but ordinaryness’ on my forehead and walk around?’
I thought to myself. Whether I said it or not, Collen remained straightforward as always.
“Do you know why I’m here? Please accept my daughter as a member of our family.”
“Are you going straight to the point without even sitting down?”
Elena’s expression showed a headache.
“I want to finish quickly and show my daughter the South,” Collen said.
Surprise spread across the faces of the people.
“But let’s start with greetings. I am Elena.”
“Hello, Lady Elena.”
I bowed as I had learned and greeted her. Elena gestured for me to come closer.
“Come here. I need to get a closer look at this child.”
Elena gestured toward her lap.
‘Here?’
I recalled what I had just seen.
“Me? Right… now?”
“Yes. Come here quickly.”
Elena had a somewhat puzzled expression, as if I had said something strange.
“Yes…”
I approached and glanced at Elena briefly.
Wow, she’s a magnificent middle-aged grandmother. There are wrinkles around her mouth, but I’ve never seen such a beautiful grandmother before.
‘She mentioned having knee problems, though.’
Isn’t she too big compared to the kids earlier? Oh well, I don’t know. I sat on Elena’s lap like those children earlier.
Suddenly, the surroundings grew tense.
‘What did I do wrong?’
Zion barely held back his laughter and turned his head.
…Why, Zion? Wasn’t that the meaning?
Collen’s expression wrinkled strangely.
“Leticia, you should sit on Dad’s lap if you want to sit.”
“But Dad is standing.”
“You can sit now.”
Collen casually sat on an unoccupied chair, right next to Elena, which seemed to be a special seat.
But even at home, Collen never lets anyone sit on his lap.
“Pff.”
Finally, one of the middle-aged nobles standing around Elena – probably one of the members of the Southern Gathering – couldn’t hold back his laughter.
And others burst out laughing as well.
“I guess the Lady has a leg ache.”
“People, without even suggesting a chair to someone who seems delicate, what have you all been doing?”
Some people hid their flushed faces and coughed awkwardly.
“The stories aren’t wrong!”
“Well, since we agreed not to let our guard down, can’t we even laugh?”
Some people muttered incomprehensible words.
“This child is the one who made you sit right away. You used to come to the South and leave in a hurry without staying long.”
Elena murmured in a strange voice. Collen didn’t respond and gestured to me.
“Come here quickly.”
I tried to move, but Elena held onto me and sighed.
“Let’s take a look at this child. Quick-tempered as always, just like when you were young, Collen.”
Elena placed me on the floor and examined me closely in front of her.
“Why did you sit on my lap?”
“Because I saw the children sitting on Elena’s… Your lap earlier.”
I explained what I had seen when I came in.
“Oh, those children are the children of the servants. They were sitting on my lap because I wanted to cover them with a shawl and give them cookies.”
…Was that what happened?
Oh no, what have I done?
‘I misunderstood because of the angle!’
Did I just create a black history by sitting on their laps? Elena’s lips twitched when she saw my expression.
“…That’s cute.”
It was a very soft voice.
“Especially Collen, she doesn’t resemble him at all.”
Well, I’m not his biological daughter.
“It’s fortunate. Just one Jade is enough for me,” Collen said casually.
At that moment, I clearly saw the gentlemen of the Southern Gathering nodding and agreeing simultaneously.
“But the blood of the Duke’s family is very precious. It’s rare for an adopted child to rise as a member of the family. If we are to do that, we need to see this child’s potential. Whether she has received an education as a noble or not.”
“The young lady hasn’t received an education for more than a couple of years. It’s been a little over two years, to be precise.”
Zion spoke softly.
“She’s achieving remarkable grades as well. Rather than holding a book, please be lenient about that. Isn’t Lady Elena known for her generosity?”
Elena frowned.
“Zion, how dare you speak out of line? You haven’t shaken off the bad habit of being fond of employees, Collen.”
Upon hearing that, Zion closed his mouth.
‘Zion… He’s not lenient.’
I became crestfallen as well. I feel sorry for him getting scolded because of me.
‘But she speaks her mind in front of Collen.’
I’ve never seen someone like her before. She’s a bit scary, but astonishing, Elena.
Even the brief rest in the room was short-lived as Collen came to pick me up.
“Let’s greet Elena before dinner.”
“Yes.”
Collen took me through the corridors to the deepest room.
In the middle of the room, surrounded by adults, sat a grandmother on a large chair.
‘Is she Elena?’
The grandmother in the blue dress who had the children on her lap earlier. She seemed like the most important person just by looking at her.
Seated in the central seat, between middle-aged men and grandfathers.
‘I’ve never seen a woman with short hair in this world.’
Short hair. I lightly touched the ends of my own hair, almost unnoticeably. Maybe I should try short hair when I grow up?
“Glory to the Duke.”
While I was momentarily lost in thought, everyone except Elena (presumed to be her) stood up and bowed.
“It’s been a long time since we last met,” Collen said curtly.
It felt like a ceremonial greeting. Elena slowly spoke after the men stood up.
“Welcome, Collen. It seems you visit home quite often.”
“I’m not here to make sarcastic remarks. I’ve come to introduce my daughter.”
All eyes turned towards me. Some people raised their eyebrows.
“It’s a bit… different from what I’ve heard.”
Elena said with a peculiar expression. Yes, I know. I’m ordinary, right?
‘Maybe I should write ‘the problem is the newspapers, not a genius, but ordinaryness’ on my forehead and walk around?’
I thought to myself. Whether I said it or not, Collen remained straightforward as always.
“Do you know why I’m here? Please accept my daughter as a member of our family.”
“Are you going straight to the point without even sitting down?”
Elena’s expression showed a headache.
“I want to finish quickly and show my daughter the South,” Collen said.
Surprise spread across the faces of the people.
“But let’s start with greetings. I am Elena.”
“Hello, Lady Elena.”
I bowed as I had learned and greeted her. Elena gestured for me to come closer.
“Come here. I need to get a closer look at this child.”
Elena gestured toward her lap.
‘Here?’
I recalled what I had just seen.
“Me? Right… now?”
“Yes. Come here quickly.”
Elena had a somewhat puzzled expression, as if I had said something strange.
“Yes…”
I approached and glanced at Elena briefly.
Wow, she’s a magnificent middle-aged grandmother. There are wrinkles around her mouth, but I’ve never seen such a beautiful grandmother before.
‘She mentioned having knee problems, though.’
Isn’t she too big compared to the kids earlier? Oh well, I don’t know. I sat on Elena’s lap like those children earlier.
Suddenly, the surroundings grew tense.
‘What did I do wrong?’
Zion barely held back his laughter and turned his head.
…Why, Zion? Wasn’t that the meaning?
Collen’s expression wrinkled strangely.
“Leticia, you should sit on Dad’s lap if you want to sit.”
“But Dad is standing.”
“You can sit now.”
Collen casually sat on an unoccupied chair, right next to Elena, which seemed to be a special seat.
But even at home, Collen never lets anyone sit on his lap.
“Pff.”
Finally, one of the middle-aged nobles standing around Elena – probably one of the members of the Southern Gathering – couldn’t hold back his laughter.
And others burst out laughing as well.
“I guess the Lady has a leg ache.”
“People, without even suggesting a chair to someone who seems delicate, what have you all been doing?”
Some people hid their flushed faces and coughed awkwardly.
“The stories aren’t wrong!”
“Well, since we agreed not to let our guard down, can’t we even laugh?”
Some people muttered incomprehensible words.
“This child is the one who made you sit right away. You used to come to the South and leave in a hurry without staying long.”
Elena murmured in a strange voice. Collen didn’t respond and gestured to me.
“Come here quickly.”
I tried to move, but Elena held onto me and sighed.
“Let’s take a look at this child. Quick-tempered as always, just like when you were young, Collen.”
Elena placed me on the floor and examined me closely in front of her.
“Why did you sit on my lap?”
“Because I saw the children sitting on Elena’s… Your lap earlier.”
I explained what I had seen when I came in.
“Oh, those children are the children of the servants. They were sitting on my lap because I wanted to cover them with a shawl and give them cookies.”
…Was that what happened?
Oh no, what have I done?
‘I misunderstood because of the angle!’
Did I just create a black history by sitting on their laps? Elena’s lips twitched when she saw my expression.
“…That’s cute.”
It was a very soft voice.
“Especially Collen, she doesn’t resemble him at all.”
Well, I’m not his biological daughter.
“It’s fortunate. Just one Jade is enough for me,” Collen said casually.
At that moment, I clearly saw the gentlemen of the Southern Gathering nodding and agreeing simultaneously.
“But the blood of the Duke’s family is very precious. It’s rare for an adopted child to rise as a member of the family. If we are to do that, we need to see this child’s potential. Whether she has received an education as a noble or not.”
“The young lady hasn’t received an education for more than a couple of years. It’s been a little over two years, to be precise.”
Zion spoke softly.
“She’s achieving remarkable grades as well. Rather than holding a book, please be lenient about that. Isn’t Lady Elena known for her generosity?”
Elena frowned.
“Zion, how dare you speak out of line? You haven’t shaken off the bad habit of being fond of employees, Collen.”
Upon hearing that, Zion closed his mouth.
‘Zion… He’s not lenient.’
I became crestfallen as well. I feel sorry for him getting scolded because of me.
‘But she speaks her mind in front of Collen.’
I’ve never seen someone like her before. She’s a bit scary, but astonishing, Elena.
