Me, a Princess? My Lord! - Chapter 4

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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 4

“Brother, you’re really too much. No matter how busy you are, you shouldn’t go this long without showing your face even once.”

“I’m sorry, Eloise.”

“Do you know how worried I was? Just buying all these gifts doesn’t make up for everything.”

Heidi glanced at the siblings in the distance who looked endlessly affectionate as she lifted up a luxurious box.

“Heave-ho.”

Desion had prepared plenty of gifts for Eloise upon his return. It was such a large quantity that it took quite a while even with five maids carrying the boxes.

‘They really seem to get along well. I guess that strange feeling from last night was just my imagination after all.’

As if the somewhat odd expression had been just Heidi’s unfounded worry, Desion’s face as he smiled at Eloise showed tender affection for his sister.

Just as Heidi was glancing at the unfamiliar but heartwarming scene, the housekeeper gestured from afar.

“Heidi, come here for a moment.”

When she approached, the housekeeper with a dark expression carefully opened her mouth.

“A letter came for you…”

“A letter? From whom?”

There’s no one who would send me a letter.

Heidi tilted her head in confusion.

“Someone called Deon? He said he’s an herbalist who takes care of your mother. It seems like you should go home.”

“What? Uncle Deon?”

Heidi’s heart sank with a thud. As Heidi froze solid, her mind going completely blank in an instant, the housekeeper gently patted her stiff shoulders and said.

“I’m sure the young lady will readily understand. Haven’t you been working without a single day off? Since it’s come to this, go home and rest for a few days. Alright?”

Though she nodded at the housekeeper’s comfort, Heidi’s expression didn’t brighten.

‘This has never happened before… Is the situation really bad? Should I prepare myself mentally?’

Just as Heidi’s face had turned pale and she was biting her lips.

“Heidi!”

Eloise’s cheerful voice pierced through Heidi’s consciousness.

“Yes, Miss!”

As Heidi belatedly came to her senses and hurried over, Eloise immediately linked arms with her.

“This is that Heidi. Heidi Dalton.”

Heidi, who had been pushed forward to stand before Desion, lifted her chin.

A burning red light.

Those red eyes she had encountered in the darkness last night were clearly revealed under the bright light.

Desion’s lips, which had been staring intently at Heidi’s eyes, slowly parted.

“Heidi.”

A quiet murmur.

Perhaps because of yesterday’s incident, that voice somehow sounded like thunder to Heidi.

‘Why is he staring at me so intensely?’

Heidi awkwardly lowered her head, trying to avoid that persistent gaze.

Desion’s eyes narrowed slightly as he quietly watched the smooth blonde hair flow down along her nape.

“…Yes, I think I remember now.”

“I told you about her several times in my letters, didn’t I? Though I only got back letters full of nagging… I’ve never met anyone who nags as much as you, Brother.”

Desion smiled warmly at Eloise.

“When there’s affection, worry naturally follows.”

After exchanging a few words with Desion, Eloise glanced at Heidi, who stood stiffly beside her.

“But Heidi, why do you look like that? Are you sick somewhere?”

“Well…”

Heidi glanced at Desion and whispered to Eloise.

“I’m sorry, Miss. Could I take some time off?”

* * *

Clatter clatter.

Heidi, sitting inside the swaying carriage, clenched her two fists tightly on her knees.

Plush cushions and elegant tassel decorations. The Haizen family crest embroidered in every corner.

The luxurious carriage seemed awkward to her, as Heidi kept looking around.

“Thanks to the Miss, I can travel comfortably.”

When she said she would need to stay home to care for her parents for a while, Eloise readily nodded. Lending her carriage, she said to Heidi with emphasis.

“Nothing in the world is more important than time spent with family. In the end, family is everything.”

Family is everything.

Heidi nodded in agreement as she mulled over the words.

Family was everything to Heidi too. Everything she had, and everything she wanted to protect.

However, there was one fact that Eloise didn’t know, and probably didn’t need to know.

Some people give up time with their family in order to protect their family.

Not everyone is allowed the routine of sitting across from each other at a pretty table, peacefully sharing tea.

Heidi drew her parents’ faces, which she had seen years ago, on the carriage window.

Raymond Dalton. Nora Dalton.

The two people Heidi called Mom and Dad were actually not her biological parents.

Heidi had learned the truth when she was quite young. Around eight years old, perhaps.

“The couple who owns this house is really amazing. They took in a baby who was abandoned on the street and nearly froze to death, and raised her like their own child?”

“She’s not their real daughter? No wonder she doesn’t resemble her parents at all…”

“I was shocked when I found out by chance too. That’s no ordinary thing. People like this should live well and prosper. Let’s buy a lot from them.”

It was unfortunate that she overheard the drunken customers talking.

Holding Heidi, who was crying so hard her whole body turned red, the Dalton couple whispered tenderly.

“Do you know how happy we’ve been since we met you? How much family members resemble each other doesn’t really matter. What’s important is the heart that cherishes and loves each other.”

But crisis came even to the harmonious Dalton family.

It started when another restaurant opened right next to the one the Dalton couple ran.

To make matters worse, when Mrs. Dalton fell ill with an unknown disease, the family’s circumstances rapidly declined. Eventually they had to sell the shop, but when even that money ran out, the situation deteriorated even faster.

Heidi’s father worked day and night trying to raise money somehow, but since the townspeople’s circumstances weren’t good either, it wasn’t much help.

Finally, when she turned seventeen, Heidi left home and entered the Haizen estate.

‘I didn’t know then. That I wouldn’t be able to see Mom and Dad this infrequently.’

Heidi smiled bitterly as she tried to remember when she had last visited home.

Then she felt the carriage slowly coming to a stop.

Click.

After a moment the door opened, and the coachman poked his head in.

Heidi asked.

“Have we arrived?”

“Well, we’ve come to the neighborhood you mentioned.”

The coachman scratched the back of his head with a troubled expression.

“The village roads are too narrow for the carriage to go any further. Getting back out would be a problem too.”

“Ah.”

Heidi smiled brightly and got up from her seat.

“Then I’ll walk from here. Thank you for the ride, sir.”

“I just did what the Miss ordered. But what about all the luggage? It’ll be quite hard to carry it all by yourself.”

Heidi shook her head vigorously.

“Oh, it’s no problem. I can lift this much easily. Please go ahead. Thank you for your hard work!”

Heidi, who greeted him with a bright smile, picked up her luggage bag.

Heave-ho.

Heidi began walking along the winding uphill path that stretched before her.

When beads of sweat formed on the bridge of her nose, a familiar roof came into view in the distance.

“I’m almost there.”

The dark green roof, the somewhat crude fence made by sawing wood by hand, and the thorny bushes growing wild beside the house.

Though much more worn than she remembered, it was still a welcome place.

It was Heidi’s house.

* * *

“No, why didn’t you tell me!”

Heidi raised her voice with a flushed red face. Tears were welling up in her large eyes.

“If you hurt your back, you should have told me. How can you work when your body isn’t even well?”

At Heidi’s scolding, Raymond scratched his graying head.

“Even so, a person has to have some dignity… How could I tell you I got hurt too when you’re already working constantly just to earn money for Mom’s medicine?”

“Dad!”

“Even now, I have no face to show you. I’m fine, so don’t worry about useless things.”

“How is it useless worry when you grimace just from walking? Get treatment as soon as possible. Something serious will happen at this rate, really!”

After firmly extracting a promise from Raymond, Heidi finally slumped back into the chair beside the bed.

“How is Mom’s condition?”

Raymond nodded.

“Fortunately, we were able to get the medicine in time. She’s much better than when Deon wrote to you. They say it’s become strangely difficult to obtain medicinal herbs these days.”

Heidi let out a sigh and patted her chest in relief.

“That’s a relief.”

“It is a relief. A tremendous relief, but…”

Raymond, who had been muttering quietly, pressed his lips shut.

Heidi immediately caught the hidden meaning in his trailing words.

‘It must be too expensive.’

Reading the worry on Raymond’s aged face, Heidi clapped her hands and changed the subject.

“Come on, let’s not dwell on this and look at what I brought instead. When I said I was going home after so long, the ladies packed so many things for me. I brought delicious pie too. Though it’s not as tasty as what Mom and Dad make.”

“If I had known our daughter was coming, Dad would have shown off his skills after so long.”

“Next time. Our ladies are quite skilled too. Go ahead and try it.”

Though she was putting on a cheerful expression and voice, in truth, Heidi’s mind was filled with one thought.

‘I need money. Much more than I have now.’

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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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