Chapter 36: 36

Episode 36: One Step Forward (III)

 

“And at the banquet, I overheard the Grand Duke’s conversation.”

“Did you dare eavesdrop?”

Heinricion’s voice was filled with displeasure.

“I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on you in the first place!”

Embarrassed, Sonia pressed her hands together, raising her voice slightly as she explained.

“There was something I really wanted to ask you, even though I couldn’t talk to you freely.”

That was why she followed Heinricion around while she waited for a chance.

And she heard it by accident. The conversation Heinricion had with his fox.

Eristella looked back on her memory to see if they had any conversations that could reveal her identity, but fortunately they didn’t.

However, Heinricion did talk about her.

It was probably why Sonia was convinced.

“I don’t have the power to find the princess, so I’ve been watching those who can find her.”

“It sounds like you were spying on me.”

“Yes. It was the only way for me.”

Sonia answered directly with a straight face. It was her resolve to endure even if Heinricion was offended by her actions.

“I never told the princess, but… actually, she is my benefactor.”

‘…Yes?’

Sonia’s confession surprised everyone, especially Eristella. But the maid, who was not aware of that fact, continued speaking.

“If I hadn’t become the maid of the princess, I wouldn’t be living like I am now. She saved my life when I was about to give up, so I must pay her back.”

‘You kept that in your mind.’

When Eristella offered Sonia a place as her maid, her eyes were already dead.

Eristella thought that if she left her like that, Sonia would be bothered and uncomfortable, and she wanted to watch Sonia live a good life.

‘It’s also about putting my mind at ease.’

She didn’t know that Sonia would consider it a grace.

“And the time I spent with the princess was more enjoyable than I expected.”

‘Hehe. I see. It’s embarrassing.’

It was when Heinricion noticed the slight sway of the fox’s white tail.

Without the two of them noticing, Sonia’s gaze reached the fox and then fell.

“I understand the desire to find the princess. But why did you come to me?”

Heinricion didn’t know what conversation the maid heard at the imperial palace banquet, but she couldn’t possibly know that Eristella was staying in his residence.

He was still doubtful of Sonia. Hence, he did not take his sharp gaze away.

When Eristella, who was feeling sentimental after hearing Sonia’s sincerity hidden in her cold attitude, looked over shyly…

“I am confident that I know the princess better than anyone else.”

Sonia said calmly and with certainty. But she couldn’t hide the proud, rising corners of her lips.

It was as if she was showing off her relationship with Eristella. Seeing her dignified appearance, Heinricion somehow had a strange feeling. Like he had lost to her.

“And Her Highness once told me a story.”

Heinricion’s eyes narrowed at the sudden story of the past.

Sonia continued what she had to say softly, not paying any heed.

“It was about a fox.” 

Eristella flinched. She immediately remembered what she was talking about.

‘At that time, it was…!’

‘Oh my gosh! Why are you saying that all of a sudden?’

Eristella struggled, thinking how to shut Sonia’s mouth. She stared resentfully at her for bringing out the black history she didn’t want to remember much.

Heinricion, noticing Eristella’s abnormal behavior, grabbed the fox.

“Shh. Be still.”

‘No. I can’t stand it!’

Eristella tried to cover his ears. 

‘If I can’t shut her mouth, then I’ll cover his ears!’

“It was a story about a fox living in the Imperial Palace and meeting a boy.”

That’s what Eristella said while she was drunk. In short, it was a self-reflection.

‘I told her everything when I was crazy back then!’

Eristella shifted her eyes slightly to look at Heinricion, and saw that he was listening to Sonia with a very interested expression.

“That’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

“It would be. Her Highness the Princess said she had never told anyone.”

“Probably so.”

“The princess said it was a made-up story, but I knew for sure. That was the story of her and the Grand Duke.”

Sonia’s gaze slowly moved sideways. She directed it right at the fox.

“Your Highness. It is an honor to see you again.”

As if Sonia already knew the fox’s true identity, her eyes curved pleasantly.

“I missed you, Your Highness.”

A slightly trembling voice. reddened eyes. Eyes full of longing quivered.

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Only the affection she had for Eristella could be felt.

[Yes. Me too.]

Sonia’s eyes widened at Eristella’s response.

“Your voice… Can you speak?”

[Yes. I couldn’t reveal my identity, so I was holding on.]

“Actually, I was going to pretend that I didn’t know anything because I couldn’t understand you… That’s too bad.”

Sonia sighed deftly and pretended to be troubled.

The moment the emotions Eristella had just felt were about to converge and collapse, a smile spread around Sonia’s mouth.

“I’m just happy with this. At least I can hear your voice.”

Eristella couldn’t resist, her heart was pounding.

The most unexpected person missed and waited for her. Had this not happened, she would not have known.

‘Maybe I’m lucky.’

Eristella became a fox and experienced great things for the first time.

It was probably a moment she would never forget. So, Eristella cherished today dearly.

*******

Those emotions of Eristella did not last long.

That didn’t mean that the excitement had gone away, but… She couldn’t keep up with the afterglow.

‘I think Sonia has changed a lot from what I knew?’

Sonia and Anessa were in perfect sync.

‘It’s burdensome?’

‘When was the last time I received such heartfelt love?’

‘It’s been so long that I can’t even remember. In other words, there’s no immunity to this kind of situation!’

Still, thanks to Sonia, Eristella’s quality of life has greatly improved.

Just by looking at the fox’s eyes or at how its front feet were lifted.

The performance of Sonia, who captured all of Eristella’s tastes, was incredible.

It was nice that she was good. But why did Sonia suddenly change like this?

Eristella felt quite awkward at Sonia’s active kindness. In the end, she couldn’t stand it and asked.

“When Your Highness the Princess disappeared in one day, there were so many regrets that I had. It was nothing to be proud of or anything to be ashamed of. So from now on, I will try to express everything.”

The half year that Eristella had disappeared was enough time for Sonia to regret and change countless times.

“So, please look forward to it. I will do my best!”

Sonia declared her resolve with shining eyes.

‘Seeing this, uh… I appreciate it. Why does it feel like my body is ticklish and my hair is standing on end?’

Although Sonia’s change still felt a bit awkward, it certainly made it easier to move forward. However, there was a problem that could not be solved with Sonia alone…

“But there will be limits to what I can do.”

Sonia said as if she knew what Eristella was thinking.

“Because there isn’t much I can do among the nobility.”

Sonia was only a noble in title. She could not go deep into the social circles.

It couldn’t be helped. She didn’t even want to be able to go there in the first place.

[It’s okay. That’s enough for now.]

“Instead, there is one more person I can trust.”

However, Sonia took measures as if she was not satisfied with that alone.

“She is someone who can go around the social world without being noticed by the nobles.”

She was the perfect person to replace Sonia in the areas that she couldn’t touch.

“And she is also someone who believes that Your Highness the Princess is still alive.”

‘She, too…?’

Eristella slowly blinked. There were more people who believed that she was living, even after her funeral.

She never expected it. But there was one more after Sonia.

“You know. Although she appears frivolous on the outside, she is actually the most insightful person.”

Eristella immediately recognized who Sonia was talking about.

[…But, that kid…]
(TL/N: the person is not an actual child, Eristella is just calling him/her informally.)

Even before Eristella disappeared, they had stopped interacting with each other.

It was because of Eristella;, Eristella, as always, hurt the girl with her atrocities.

“No. She still likes Her Highness the Princess very much.”

Sonia said confidently, as if she didn’t have even the slightest doubt.

“See and judge for yourself. I’ll tell her to visit the Grand Duke’s house.”

Come to think of it, she had always liked Sonia quite a bit.

Whenever she met Sonia, she used to play a friendly prank, which Sonia seemed to be uncomfortable with. But after some time, it seemed that they became very close.

Eristella nodded her head.

[Yes. I want to meet her too.]

Ame: I was smiling like an idiot all throughout this chapter, going “Eheheheh” like how the fox does ^o^ Eristella, you’re not unloved!!

AP: I’m dumping my PR work and adopting a pet fox tomorrow. K bye Ame

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