For the heart - Chapter 69

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 69

* * *

“My goodness, Princess. Your hair color is truly beautiful.”

The person touching Lillien’s hair and constantly praising it was the new maid, Stella Verdi.

The one who had the most trouble selecting Stella was Ivana Hydrick.

Her heart was sad from losing Michelle, and her body was weary from trying to handle alone the duties they used to share together.

Lillien was equally uncomfortable, so she nagged Ivana daily to find a suitable young lady.

Most noble young ladies wanted to become the Princess’s maid.

Especially since Lillien was practically designated as the heir to the throne, they were very envious when Michelle and Ivana were chosen as maids.

However, after Michelle’s brutal death this time, rumors about Lillien’s violent nature spread widely, and as a result, there were virtually no applicants who wanted to become her maid.

Still, there was exactly one young lady among them who wanted to become a maid – Stella, the daughter of Count Verdi who was troubled by gambling debts.

Unfortunately, she was a bit tactless and talkative.

“Who do you resemble with this red hair? His Majesty the Emperor has brown hair, and Her Majesty the Empress has black hair, doesn’t she?”

“According to Mother, my late great-great-grandmother had hair exactly like mine.”

“Oh my, is that so? Both Princess Nina and Princess Lillien don’t resemble your parents.”

Lillien frowned at the name Nina that suddenly popped up.

She turned her head toward Stella, who was about to braid her hair, and asked coldly.

“Who were you just talking about?”

“Princess Nina. Princess Nina also has blonde hair that’s different from His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress.”

“Ha.”

At the nonchalant answer, Lillien looked at Ivana with an expression that said ‘what kind of nonsense is this.’

But Stella, completely oblivious to that atmosphere, focused again on braiding the Princess’s hair.

Ivana, who was watching from the side, felt cold sweat running down her spine.

She glanced at Lillien and let out a silent sigh so no one could hear.

Since being with Stella, she had become more tired from having to watch Lillien’s mood even more carefully.

For the past few days, Lillien had been so sensitive and sharp.

But today her mood seemed to have improved a bit. Judging by how she was letting Stella’s tactless behavior slide.

Trying to match the Princess’s mood that changed wildly day by day was making her feel like she might get sick.

“Representatives from each region will all attend the Arsed Unification Banquet. I’ll be introduced as the Princess who will inherit the throne of Arsed, so I need to be more careful than ever.”

“Of course, Princess. Everyone will probably praise you!”

Stella was tactless but naturally flattering like breathing.

Ivana forced a smile as if agreeing with Stella’s words.

Once Lillien’s grooming was finished, they planned to go to the Main Square together.

This was because Lillien said she wanted to go out and look at new dresses and accessories to wear at the banquet.

Ivana had subtly tried to dissuade her.

“Princess, is there really a need to go all the way to the Main Square? It would be more comfortable if you summoned the boutique designers to the Imperial Palace.”

“Who doesn’t know that? I just want to get some fresh air and look around after a long time. I need a change of mood.”

Ivana had been surprised when she went to the square recently and saw Nina’s portraits being sold not only at portrait shops but even at stores unrelated to paintings.

Moreover, they were selling like hotcakes.

Princess Lillien’s portraits had been sold in the square for a while, but they had never been this popular.

‘If we go to the Main Square, the Princess will surely see that…’

She couldn’t even imagine how her mood, which had barely improved after several days, would change after seeing that scene.

* * *

After finishing preparations and boarding the Imperial carriage, Ivana mentally prepared herself to handle Lillien’s tantrum.

‘Please let the Princess not look out the window until we reach the boutique.’

The upscale boutique Lillien was heading to was located inside the Main Square, so if she was lucky, she might not see that scene.

That would be the luckiest outcome for Ivana today.

“Princess, the sunlight is strong, so wouldn’t it be better to draw the curtains? It would be troublesome if your face got tanned right before the banquet.”

“Yes. Do that.”

Fortunately, Lillien agreed readily, and Ivana drew the curtains on her side window while signaling to Stella with her eyes.

But Stella, who should have drawn the curtains on the opposite side, brought her head close to the window and opened her eyes wide.

“Oh my! Princess, look at that!”

“What is it?”

“There are so many paintings hanging in the square shops! They look like portraits of Princess Nina!”

“What, what did you say?!”

Ivana squeezed her eyes shut.

“Stop the carriage! Stop the carriage, you idiot!”

Watching Lillien even kick the front where the driver’s seat was, Ivana quickly conveyed the message out the window.

“Please stop the carriage for a moment.”

“Yes, my lady.”

When the carriage stopped, Lillien irritably pushed Stella aside and got out. Then she clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms at the unbelievable scene.

‘What on earth is going on?’

As soon as Lillien got out of the carriage, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

She bit her lower lip hard and turned her head this way and that, but everywhere her eyes reached, Nina’s paintings were hanging.

There were various types: paintings of Nina in black clothes holding the Saint, paintings of her in the red Knight Commander uniform, and paintings of her commanding with a sword on the battlefield.

She felt like Nina in various forms was covering everything around her.

Until now, her own paintings sold at the portrait shops in the square had only one type – sitting quietly in a chair, looking forward and smiling.

‘What the hell is Nina Arsed supposed to be?!’

Anger surged up so intensely that her vision swayed dizzily.

Nina Arsed was supposed to be a terrible, unlucky monster who took lives just by touching people.

Even though they were both imperial princesses, she was supposed to be a completely different existence from me, who would inherit Arsed’s imperial throne.

Lillien was completely in the dark about outside news unless her maids or attendants told her.

However, they consistently kept their mouths shut about anything related to Nina, especially if it was good news about Nina.

This was because if they delivered such news wrongly, they would have to endure Lillien’s terrible tantrums.

“Ivana, did you know? That Nina Arsed’s portraits were selling this much!”

“That can’t be, Your Highness. I haven’t been to the town square in a long time either.”

Ivana lied with an innocent expression.

She could see Lillien’s eyes boiling with fury. Perhaps it would be better to return to the Imperial Palace like this.

If she went to the boutique in this mood and acted as she pleased, it would only lead to worse rumors later.

“Forget the dress and everything else, my mood is ruined. I want to go back to the Imperial Palace.”

“Shall we do that? I’ll send someone to the boutique to have the designers come to the Imperial Palace tomorrow.”

Ivana quickly opened the carriage door again.

But just then, Stella’s excited voice burst out.

“Oh my! Isn’t that person Prince Casian? The one coming out of the jewelry store ‘Maison Riora’!”

Lillien’s head, which had been about to get into the carriage, whipped around toward where Stella was pointing.

It really was Casian.

Seeing him emerge from a shop with his attendant, Lillien felt her heart racing just from seeing him from afar.

‘I heard his health wasn’t good.’

Something about being attacked on Count Puaco’s orders and falling off a cliff.

They said he had arrows stuck all over his body at that time and barely survived.

And since then, he had been subtly declining every invitation she made, using his health as an excuse.

Mixed emotions of anger or impatience made Lillien’s breathing subtly unsteady.

“He’s holding something in his hand, Your Highness.”

“Indeed.”

Lillien’s eyes were already on the small paper bag he held in his hand.

When she turned her gaze back to the sign of the shop he had emerged from, it was written in large letters ‘Jewelry Store—Maison Riora’ just as Stella had said.

To think that Casian had purchased something from a jewelry store.

“Perhaps he came to buy a gift for Your Highness?”

“Really… for me?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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