The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 25

It was like asking about the difference between a coffee-colored shade and a brown shade.

I heard Madame DeJoue sighing again at my speaking habit.

“Lady Sharon. Speak more properly, please.”

“Yes, Madame DeJoue.”

“Don’t just do so while you answer. You have to set an example with consistent words and actions.”

“Yes, Madame DeJoue.”

Madame DeJoue touched her palm to her head with a tired face.

Hmph. I thought I should at least try to be more lady-like when I answered her.

The old saying was wrong. There was an adage that said that you can go halfway if you at least speak well, but Madame DeJoue’s evaluation of me didn’t even reach a quarter-way, let alone half.

“I think what you said is right. All right, I’ll choose this dress! But Sharon, what are you going to wear?”

With a face like mine, anything looked pretty on me. It wasn’t for nothing that the author recognized it as the greatest beauty in the world.

So I didn’t need to bother.

Thinking that, I smiled broadly.

“I’ll wear whatever.”

At those words, Carol’s face seemed taken aback.

I guess she misinterpreted the meaning of my smile.

I suddenly felt a little uneasy…

“Does you think that makes any sense?”

“Why not?”

“Ugh, really. I should have known since you were just sitting still. Okay, now let’s go pick your dress.”

No, but I said that I was fine.

“One week from now, at my birthday party, you have to be perfect! So let’s choose a dress.”

As a former villainess, Carol was as persistent as rust on iron.

I lost the motivation to refuse.

“Go ahead…”

“Are you going to keep talking like it’s annoying?”

Carol pouted, and her eyes shined.

I could guarantee that was the face of evil thoughts.

And she claims that Julien is the evil one.  She should mind her own business.

“Then, how about that one?”

The dress that Carol pointed to was a minidress with the knees clearly exposed.

“…I can’t because I’ll be cold.”

“What?”

“My knees will be cold, since I’m a little old… Please respect my age.”

“You’re fourteen!”

She was still young, so she didn’t know the pains of a 35-year-old. Carol dragged me by the hand and I was forced to wear the minidress.

“Oh, it’s a little excessive for a modest lady. This will be more suitable for picnics.”

Madame DeJoue’s strictness sometimes came in useful. I patted down my chest and changed into the dress that Madame DeJoue chose.

“Sharon! After that, try this one on, and this one too! Okay?”

I stared past the parted curtains.

Nobody could see me, right?

I turned to the clerk who was helping me, utterly serious.

“Excuse me, miss.”

Why did she look surprised? I didn’t do anything weird.

“Yes?”

“Is there a back door here?”

“…There isn’t.”

“Then, maybe a secret passage…”

“Most likely not.”

Her face looked very troubled. It was because there was a customer who only made impossible requests.

“I didn’t mean to disturb you…”

I felt sorry, as I had bothered the clerk for nothing.

“But, I have a small request.”

“Yes?”

The clerk widened her eyes as I called her again. Eagerly, I made my request.

“When I go out wearing this, please say that this dress suits me the best in the entire world. That it’s really pretty. Say that it’s beautiful. Please do this for me. I’m begging you. Say that nothing can be prettier than this. That this dress was tailor-made for me!”

“Pfft. But, it really does suit you well. You are more beautiful than the lady from the Slein county.”

Lady Slein was considered the most beautiful among the ladies who made their debut in the social world.

“…Thank you.”

That sort of compliment was embarrassing.

However, despite these efforts, I had to change into a total of 15 dresses.

Carol was stubborn at times like this. She was tougher than a rubber tire; no needles could go through.

I was never going to bet on the test again.

They say people are stupid and repeat the same mistakes over and over again, and I just made the same mistake for the fifth time.

Ah, darn. Kids shouldn’t be raised alone.

***

“I have to go somewhere. Sharon, do you want to come with me?”

“No. I’m completely tired.”

I refused with a quick word. Just putting on and taking off that many clothes had consumed my energy.

“Aww…”

“I still won’t go.”

I couldn’t be won over. It’s not the first or second time Carol pouted like this..

“All right. Then, shall I buy something for you?”

“No. I’m going to sleep, Carol.. Don’t come back too late.”

Carol nodded like a puppy.

“Don’t go around by yourself, either.”

“Yup! I’ll follow all your rules! Hehehe.”

It wouldn’t be surprising if a dog’s tail popped up behind Carol’s back.

As I had hoped, Carol grew up to be a lovable, outstanding young lady.

She was cute, lovely, beautiful, and in every act and thought she was lovable.

“Then, be careful and come home safely.”

I got on the carriage to the duke’s residence first.

Ugh, I was tired. As soon as I went back, I wanted to soak myself in hot water and go to sleep. It’d be okay if I didn’t eat dinner for one night.

“Are you coming back before dinner?”

As I looked out through the window of the carriage and asked, Carol shook her head.

“No, I think I’ll eat here.”

“Hmm. Come back before 7 o’clock! It’s dangerous at night!”

“Okay!”

Whew. Our child was pretty, so it could be dangerous for her to walk about.

I set off for the duke’s residence as Carol waved goodbye.

***

“Why did you call me? Did we have something to talk about?”

The emotions in Julien’s crooked smile were annoyance, irritation, such negative things.

Also, his eyes as he looked at Carol were endlessly cold, but Carol didn’t even flinch.

‘He’s always so annoying, that rude little bastard.’

Simultaneously, Julien was thinking along the same lines.

He was displeased by Carol’s impassive face and her eyes that looked at him so coldly.

‘Split personality. Bastard. Git.’

However, the two did not bother trying to hurt each other’s feelings.

This was to reduce the amount of time facing each other as much as possible.

Currently, they were in a private room at a restaurant. The room was usually used by high nobility, so it was certain to be confidential. The story that they met alone would never leak out.

“Do you think I wanted to see you? I asked to see you because I had something to say.”

At Carol’s stinging words, Julien felt his blood vessels pop up on his forehead.

‘Is she picking a fight?’

Julien gritted his teeth and said, “I’m asking you what it is.”

“It’s something important.”

Carol hesitated, which was unlike herself, and fiddled with the teacup.

“Say it. Don’t waste time.”

“Ah. Seriously.”

Julien smiled crookedly at Carol, who was mouthing curse words at him.

“Fine. What do I have to worry about? Hey, I want to inherit the Gratoni duchy.”

Julien’s eyebrows rose up. The Gratoni dukedom, which had been called the sword of the Empire for generations, could only be taken over by those who could handle a sword.

“Of course, I know that saying that I’ll learn swordsmanship now is somewhat ridiculous. So, I’m making an offer now. If I gain the Gratoni dukedom, I will be your ally forever. In exchange, I need you to help me out.”

Julien thought for a moment. It wasn’t a bad suggestion.

If someone from another faction inherited the Gratoni duchy and rejected him… Just thinking about it hurt his head.

There were a great amount of nobles who would follow the new duke’s choice.

“I agree. Tell me specifically what and how I can help.”

“I’m going to adopt someone into the family. I agree that the Gratoni dukedom should continue their line of swordsmen. So, for now, I’m thinking about Haru. He knows how to handle swords, he doesn’t need to succeed his family as the youngest son, and he already knows me.”

Julien was speechless.

“Did he agree to this?”

“…I haven’t asked him yet.”

“You still have no manners.”

Julien’s sarcastic remarks passed over without further comment.

“Anyway. That’s what I’m thinking… But the problem is, I want to take full control. As you know, Haru isn’t interested in things like this.”

“That kid does hate these sorts of headaches.”

“From the economic sphere, all of the duchy’s business, and, lastly, the political power that being a Gratoni can have. I’ll take it all.”

“Do you even have the ability to do that?”

Julien’s cold eyes looked up and down at Carol as if he were evaluating her. The hand that brushed back his hair was sensual and adultlike, but his cold expression gave Carol goosebumps.

‘Ick. This dangerous bastard.’

But without expressing her inner thoughts, Carol raised her chin.

“Sharon was the one who raised me. Do you think Sharon would have raised me so carelessly?”

Sharon did not hesitate to make every effort to interest Carol in studying and experience various things.

She placed bets, promised sweet rewards. Besides, she was always by her side.

And Carol, to make Sharon happy, did everything she wanted her to do. That was how the Carol of today came to be.

“So it’s not you that I have to trust but Sharon. All right. I’ll try it. But am I only getting the backing of the future Duchess Gratoni in exchange for this?“

At Julien’s question, Carol put an index finder on her lip.

“As if. I will not be the sword of the Imperial family, but the sword of the Emperor Julien. Originally, there is a difference between Duke Gratoni and Count Atrata. If Atrata was the right hand, wouldn’t Gratoni be the left hand?”

Carol drank her tea.

“The Gratonis have always been the ones who deal with clandestine affairs. I promise you that the Gratoni duchy will be by your side on the road ahead. Of course, this includes your road to become the emperor.”

“How will you accomplish this?”

“That’s something I have to discuss with my father. Even so, my father still hasn’t adopted a son from outside the family. It means I have an opportunity.”

Julien extended his hand.

“…I accept your offer. Let me know when you finish talking with Duke Gratoni.”

“Good.”

Carol laughed confidently.

***

Three days before Carol’s birthday party, I had to come meet with the prince. When asked if she could go alone now, Carol yelled, ‘I’m going to run away!’ I wouldn’t have come if it weren’t for this cute threat.

Her running away would be a public nuisance.

It was a problem that Carol was still too young to know that.

I had no choice but to follow her here like a lemming.

“What do you want to do?”

“Didn’t you hear? Sharon.”

The game One Card also existed in this world.

And the newborn puppy of a prince, who didn’t know how to play, challenged me. And like always, he wanted to place a wager.

He did that because he didn’t know that I was the reborn master of One Card after drinking and playing on Netmarble.[1]

Carol was looking with interest from the side. “This sounds fun! I’m on Sharon’s side!”

“You’re noisy.”

While Julien and Carol growled at each other, I felt troubled.

Nothing bad would come out of this, but…

“So, what will we bet on?”

“If I win, I want your first dance at Carol’s birthday party.”

Now, what do I get by agreeing to that bet?

A first dance with Julien.

In this world, the first dance had a lot of meaning to it. A woman’s first dance with a man who was not a blood relative implied there was some sort of relationship between the two.

“Fine. But I have a condition.”

“What is it?”

“No matter who wins, your first dance has to be with Carol. Then, I’ll accept the bet.”

I didn’t want Carol to be jealous. Besides, they’re the ones who’ll be engaged.

“Huh…? I don’t need to, though!”

Carol was refusing it by my side, but I stubbornly looked at Julien.

At my words, he made a face like he had chewed on shit.

“If the two of you don’t dance first, there will be a lot of talk. They’ll say, ‘What about the engagement? Blah blah blah.’”

[1]  A Korean game development company.