Chapter 21: 21

There is one reason why I care about Louis, even though I call him a jerk every time. It’s because he’s the only one of us siblings who didn’t inherit our father’s green eyes.

PR/N: So mother and father had green eyes? 

Besides, his hair is black. He resembles our grandmother, but between our siblings, Louis was the only one who looked different.

When I reached out to my brother, I heard some voices coming from the other side of the hallway.

“Did you say Louis? What a waste of Valentine’s name, did the Duchess really give birth to him?”

“You said there was an adoptive child. Was it him?”

The cold mockery of those who didn’t even know anything made me speechless. Louis, now 17, only bit his lips and said nothing.

You must have been hurt. I took off my hood and hugged Louis.

“That’s funny. What do they know?”

“Ciel.”

“Were you nervous because a lot of people came? I saw you earlier and you seemed very rigid.”

Maybe it was because I became quite attached after five years. Now, our bad boy looked pretty cute, too. Far from appreciating the consolation I gave him, Louis just snorted and pushed me away.

“Don’t do this to me, just do it with your favorite Crown Prince.”

PR/N: My beautiful lil wrecker boy you’re the light of my eyes!

“What do you mean?”

“You say you’re friends and always stick together.”

Ever since he became the Crown Prince, Alex has often stopped by the mansion. He brought me birthday gifts every year, and we went on a trip together. As my dad became Alex’s supporter, we became close really quickly.

“That’s because we’re in the same boat.”

“I don’t want to hear you, go away!”

Louis ran away with a grumpy attitude, probably because he was jealous of us, who’ve become close friends.

“I’m a fool anyway.”

It’s because he was nervous, so if he takes the 2nd test in a few days, he’ll go up to grade A soon. Louis still has a long way to go, considering that this is shaking his mind[1].

But I’ve done everything I have to do, so let’s go home. I put on my hood again and headed to the carriage.

“Ciel!”

I felt sure no one would recognize me, but I overheard my bright sister’s voice somewhere. I thought she was going to a tea party in place of Mom, but Clara waved at me in a pretty fancy dress.

You’re like 300 meters away, but you still could recognize me from such a long distance. She must have come to Louis’ test even if it was late, but unfortunately, it’s already over.

“Sister, how was your tea party?”

“Well, I learned a lot from Mother, so I’m good at it now.”

My sister smiled prettily, slightly lifting the hem of the fine dress. Compared to the day when I first opened my eyes, it is a great development.

When she was young, Clara was always intimidated, looking out for the employees while taking care of me.

But not anymore. She officially got a pharmacist’s license, and she learned a lot of things while going around with my mom, so now she’s much brighter and more confident than then.

Somehow, I felt good because it feels like I’ve raised a daughter. It would be nice if the peaceful time continues like this.

“How was the party? Have you met any good people?”

It’s been a while since Clara made her social debut. The main purpose of social activities is marriage.

If she decides, she can pick up a decent man. No matter how much of a foster daughter she was, she had the name of the Valentine’s family, so Clara had a mountain of proposals.

“Why? Do you want me to get married soon?”

“No!”

There is no rush. I don’t know if there’s a man who is good enough to get married to my sister and have a happy ending; but Clara is 100 times, 1,000 times, and 10,000 times more precious than anyone to me[2].

So I never want her to meet some weirdo who dirties her eyes.

“Your Highness Alex told me before. I heard you said you wanted to marry me, right?”

I felt ashamed when she brought up an old story. By the way, Alex and Clara have become close enough to even talk about that.

Not lovers, but real friends. The two weren’t really conscious of each other.

“That’s true. That’s how much I like you.”

“Come to think of it, when the hell is he coming back?”

He’s been socializing and increasing his power, but Alex was caught up in a plot by Queen Lotte and unintentionally left for the army last year.

Originally, he was kicked out as soon as he was appointed as the Crown Prince and had to rot on the battlefield for four years.

I thought if he were to rot for four years, it’d be a real mess, so I hinted to my dad. I want the Crown Prince to come back soon.

In fact, I haven’t given it much thought. I already know he’ll be back after winning.

As expected, Clara safely qualified as a pharmacist.

Even if the love flag with Alex is broken, the Crown Prince’s pharmacist status will be of great help to her future career.

The problem is from here since most of the big cases of the original work have happened, there is no reason for her to enter the Palace. Everything is just peaceful.

Then what should I do from now on?

“Uhm, Lady Clara. Could you spare me a moment?”

On our way to the carriage, my sister was approached by a young lord from some noble family.

Wearing a hood, I took a step back, concealing my identity, while my sister smiled awkwardly and walked away for a moment. I’m used to this now.

With beautiful black hair, a calm and gentle personality, and a pretty smiling face.

Clara grew up to be a charming lady with the love of the Valentine family.

Clara was called like this almost every day and confessed to, probably because she didn’t have a special partner yet and was old enough to marry.

The problem is that most of them don’t meet my expectations at all. To be honest, not everyone is my style.

PR/N: well, yeah. The first guy who confessed to you was perfect-man-Alex.

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“Thank you for saying that, but I don’t want to have a special partner yet.”

“But Lady Clara.”

“I’m sorry, Lord Harmond.”

If he’s from the Harmond County, he has a good family, but the problem is that he’s not the eldest son that will succeed the title but the second, so it doesn’t catch my eyes.

I’m sure they are charming, but they are second or third sons who will not inherit any title from their family. In other words, it was clear to me that they were approaching my sister expecting a piece of rice cake to fall from Valentine’s family[3].

 

I didn’t raise her so beautifully for a guy like that. Still, I taught her how to say no properly, so she’s pretty good at dealing with it, for a pushover.

Being bored while they were talking, I entered the garden at the entrance of the Academy.

“What should I do now?”

Clara has overcome a big obstacle for now, but for five years, her relationship with Alex was unlikely to develop beyond friendship.

Now that it’s come to this, it looks like a new flag is needed. As I walked with such agony, I entered a garden filled with roses.

“Pretty.”

It was a garden as beautiful as a fairy tale. But there was a guest here before me.

“How come you look so sad, Lady Ciel?”

A beautiful, strawberry blond boy stands among the spring rose vines. A pretty boy about Louis’ age, gleaming like a Prince, exuded angelic beauty I’d never seen before.

But something’s not right. I’m wearing a cape right now, so you’re not able to see a single hair, how did you find out?

Since I was already caught, I lowered my hood and showed my face. And corrected the mistake.

“I’m not a Lady yet.”

I haven’t officially made my debut, so I’m just Valentine’s Princess, not yet a Lady.

“I can’t call the precious Valentine’s Princess a Lady.”

Judging from the fact that he said my name correctly, he already knew who I was.

It is not unreasonable. Because I have a very distinctive appearance. Sparkling blond hair, green eyes, and a pretty, doll-like face like my mother.

Beauty rose as the years went by. If you knew who I was and talked to me, you were pretty confident.

“Who are you?”

“You don’t remember me.”

The unidentified boy shrugged off my straightforward question.

If I had ever seen such an impressive boy, I would never have forgotten. First of all, I’m sure it wasn’t a character from the original, and I’m sure I’d remember if I’d ever passed by him at a party.

He has a familiar impression, but there’s no name that comes to mind when I try to specifically think of who.

“Excuse me, were we old friends?”

I didn’t want to feel stuffy, so I decided to ask him straightforwardly. When I told him I didn’t know him, the boy smiled with a disappointed look.

“Sure. I’ve known you for a long time. You must have completely forgotten your only childhood friend.”

A childhood friend? I’ve never had such a thing since I was at least five years old.

Did you know me before I was possessed? Unexpected variables appeared. I automatically stepped back at the friendly approach.

“Sorry, I’ve almost forgotten my childhood memories.”

“That’s too bad. We rarely see each other, so I thought we’d never see each other again.”

He clasped my hand with a regretful look. Who the hell is this kid? No matter how hard I think about it, I don’t have a clue.

PR/N: Stay away from my girl!

“You must return to the Palace, Your Highness.”

There is only one exception in the Academy who can carry a servant; that’s the royal family. As I expected, a servant from the Palace approached the boy.

Wait a minute, what do you mean? Alex is the only Royalty I know.

My childhood friend, a face I’ve seen before, and even being addressed as ‘Your Highness.’

“No way!”

Oh, my God. An unexpected obstacle appeared.

I thought I’d seen him before, but that face looks exactly like Princess Lotte’s. Anyways, we got along when we were kids, so we became childhood friends.

“Let’s go, Your Highness Stan.”

Strawberry blond handsome boy was none other than Prince Alex’s cousin and Grand Duke Stan Winterbaum, second in line to the throne.

On his way, while following the servant, he paused and turned towards me.

“You really don’t remember me. Unfortunately.”

Just saying what he wanted to say and leaving, exactly like Queen Lotte. As if something had crossed his mind, he came back and added.

“I said when I became an adult, I would marry you.”

“What?”

“I hope to see you again soon, lovely Ciel.”

PR/N: *takes out insecticide and sprays it*

He smiled with sweet eyes and went back as if it were regrettable. Wait a minute. I didn’t hear it wrong, did I?

What do you mean, marriage?

What the hell are you talking about?

 

Notes:

[1] Basically saying that something that small is affecting him

[2] Over here she actually says something along the lines of “she’s wasted on a guy who isn’t like that or like me” – basically, Clara’s too good for almost every guy

[3] The rice cake means they wanted the power and riches from the Valentines.

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