I’m The Real Daughter, But I Don’t Want To Go Back To The Duke’s Estate - Chapter 84

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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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‘Ugh, I don’t want to do homework.’

I pouted my lips alone.

‘Rudrick is great and all, but he gives too much homework.’

Of course, I couldn’t deny that the educational results were quite substantial.

As evidence of that, I could now handle magic a little bit.

It definitely wasn’t like before when I couldn’t even turn a single page.

Clap.

When I clapped my hands, the letter paper and pen that were on the desk flew over smoothly and landed in front of me.

‘I can do this much now! Hehe.’

My proud laughter was brief.

I sat down to write a reply to Mother.

Actually, Mother, I got a magic teacher.

It’s Lord Rudrick, who’s actually the 2nd Prince of the Empire. Surprising, right?

I thought I’d rarely see noble lords in my life, but lately I’ve been seeing not only the Duke but even a Prince frequently?

At first, I misunderstood Lord Rudrick a bit, but he’s actually a very good person…

* * *

At that moment.

Countess Cornelius was reading a letter from the Empress several times with her eyes wide open.

Don’t attend this gathering.

The two princesses from the Duke’s household are coming, and it would be uncomfortable if you were there.

Removing the flowery language, the letter could be summarized roughly like this.

She felt like she’d been hit in the head.

The Countess trembled at her fingertips with rage.

‘I was originally a member of the gathering too. But I’m being cut off like this?’

And all because of that bitch Cecilia?

How could this happen!

In her rising anger, she tore the invitation to pieces.

Still unable to contain her fury, she threw the torn pieces of invitation in her hand.

Between the white paper pieces fluttering down, her viciously distorted face stood out.

‘What kind of humiliation am I suffering because of that bitch Cecilia?!’

Not only Cecilia, who dared to make her bow her head in apology.

She also resented the Empress, who changed her attitude like flipping her palm as soon as Lusert’s name came up.

“Really, how annoying!”

Her furious scream echoed loudly throughout the room.

* * *

A few days later.

Cecilia and I headed to the Empress’s Palace.

“Um, Sister.”

With a somehow nervous heart, I glanced sideways at Cecilia.

“I won’t make any mistakes this time, right?”

“Of course.”

Cecilia, who usually acted like a prim miss, didn’t do so this time.

Instead, she smiled brightly as if to reassure me.

“You’re now a proper Princess of Lusert, aren’t you?”

“Well, still…”

“Isn’t the education you’ve received so far enough?”

Cecilia asked me playfully.

At the same time, the ‘becoming a splendid princess’ lessons I’d been receiving came to mind.

Etiquette, social conversation, how to walk gracefully, etc.

There were all sorts of things!

‘Hmm, I suddenly feel less nervous somehow.’

Just then.

‘Wow.’

I opened my eyes wide and looked around.

The Empress’s Palace was an elegant building that shone cream-colored, holding sunlight.

The long row of columns and the softly curved ceiling were impressive.

However, it wasn’t a building that made people feel comfortable.

Rather, it made one feel somewhat intimidated?

“We greet the two Princesses.”

The maid who welcomed us bowed her head deeply.

“We will guide you inside.”

Following the maid’s guidance inside for quite a while.

We arrived at some drawing room.

I unconsciously swallowed dry saliva.

‘It, it looks incredibly expensive.’

It might be a somewhat cheap expression, but that’s the only impression I could have.

Glittering gold leaf decorations and splendid crafts, and even carpets so luxurious that stepping on them felt burdensome.

‘I think I’d get indigestion drinking tea in a place like this.’

And in the luxurious drawing room, young ladies who had arrived earlier were sitting together in a group.

The noblewoman sitting like a queen in the highest seat among them gracefully stood up.

Then she smiled brightly toward us.

“Welcome, both Princesses.”

“Cecilia von Lusert greets Your Majesty the Empress.”

Cecilia first curtsied elegantly.

I checked her manner with a sideways glance and offered the same greeting.

“Milena von Lusert greets Your Majesty the Empress.”

“Raise your heads.”

White, slender hands lifted Cecilia and me from our positions.

We looked at the Empress.

Despite being middle-aged, she was very beautiful.

She let her lush amber hair fall to her waist, and her figure was very delicate.

She felt exactly like a single white lily?

“I’ve greeted Princess Cecilia before. Then… this must be Princess Milena?”

The Empress looked at me with sparkling eyes.

I carefully nodded my head.

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m truly happy to meet you like this.”

The Empress’s smile deepened a little more.

“Having finally found the daughter they’d been searching for so long, the Duke and Duchess of Lusert must have felt relieved.”

“…”

I somehow felt a little uncomfortable.

Was it really necessary to talk about that here?

Whether blood-related or not, the Duke and Duchess already think of Cecilia and me as their real daughters.

I felt unpleasant because it seemed like she was trying to draw a line between us sisters.

At the same time, the Empress intimately took my hand.

“Come now, come here. I’ll guide you to your seat.”

I tried hard to relax my face that was about to stiffen on its own.

‘Were we intimate enough to hold hands so casually? I hadn’t realized.’

But since I couldn’t show such inner thoughts.

“Ah, thank you.”

I sat down while hiding my reluctant feelings.

But… now that I’m seated, it’s the spot closest to the Empress.

‘Ugh, how awkward.’

While I was inwardly cringing.

The Empress gently opened her mouth.

“Since Princess Milena is attending our gathering for the first time, let’s have a time for everyone to introduce themselves.”

At the Empress’s gesture, a young lady sitting diagonally from me stood up.

Then she gracefully bowed like a butterfly.

“It’s an honor to meet Princess Milena. I’m Theresa from House of Count Lorang.”

“Nice to meet you, Lady Lorang.”

“It’s my first time meeting you, Princess. I’m Caroline from House of Viscount Bradley.”

“Yes, it’s wonderful to meet you like this.”

And so the young ladies stood up from their seats one by one to introduce themselves to me.

While I maintained a princess smile on the outside, I was breaking out in cold sweat inside.

‘Aaaah. I feel like I’ve become an interviewee going through an interview…!’

Of course, Her Majesty the Empress was probably trying to be considerate of me!

But I’m not used to receiving all this attention like this!

That wasn’t all.

Everyone kept trying to strike up conversations with me.

During this time.

“I never expected to meet you like this, Princess. I’m truly delighted.”

One of the young ladies asked with sparkling eyes.

“So, Princess, are you planning to continue attending the May Flower Gathering from now on?”

“For now, I hope she will.”

Before I could answer, the Empress skillfully joined the conversation.

Then she turned to look at me and smiled with her eyes.

“What do you think, Princess Milena. May I expect that we’ll be able to see each other frequently from now on?”

“…Ah, well.”

She was clearly smiling, but I felt a strange sense of pressure.

‘How should I answer this?’

Cold sweat ran down my spine.

Cecilia and I had agreed to attend this gathering once and then decide whether to attend more based on how things felt.

Just as my head was spinning.

Someone gently spoke to me.

“Milena, could you lend me a handkerchief if you have one?”

The owner of the voice was Cecilia, sitting next to me.

She looked into my eyes and smiled warmly.

“Sorry, I forgot to bring my handkerchief.”

“Ah, yes.”

I quickly looked into my handbag.

At the same time, my stiff shoulders relaxed a little.

It seemed I had unconsciously tensed up because everyone’s attention kept focusing on me.

Sigh, to think my ‘becoming an excellent princess’ lessons would become completely useless like this.

“Here you go.”

I handed over the handkerchief I found right away.

Taking it, Cecilia moved her lips slightly so only I could see.

‘It’s okay.’

At that moment, I realized.

‘I see, she deliberately asked me to take out a handkerchief for my sake.’

There’s no way the usually meticulous Cecilia would forget to bring her own handkerchief.

At the same time, Cecilia looked embarrassed as she asked the Empress for understanding.

“I’m sorry. I unintentionally interrupted the conversation.”

“Not at all, Princess Cecilia. These things happen.”

The Empress nodded graciously.

Even so, she persistently continued the conversation with a smiling face.

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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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