The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 28

The representative slowly unrolled the parchment. Carol tensed as she watched his sluggish movement.

“Sharon.”

“Yeah.”

Carol’s dark green eyes as she held my hand tightly were trembling. They didn’t look like the eyes of a child.

Why was she making that face? It was upsetting.

“Things will be all right. You and the prince’s relationship isn’t bad. Rather, don’t you guys like each other?”

“We just don’t hate each other, and that’s it.”

I was pleased with Carol’s rebuttal. That was pretty much the same thing as liking each other. Huhuhu.

I gently brushed Carol’s cheek.

“There won’t be any problems. It’s just an engagement. You’ll still be with me in the duchy, and nothing will change.“

“Even if I get engaged?”

“Of course.”

I nodded.

Carol and Julien will get married when they are 20 years old. The turning point in their relationship was still a long time away.

“But… Are you okay?”

“Hmm? What about me?” I asked, sipping a drink to soothe the stifling feeling that had been in my stomach all day. My insides felt as if they were sinking from the beverage.

Did I eat something wrong? Why was I like this?

“Is it okay that Julien is getting engaged to me?”

“Of course it is. Or were you two intending to ditch me to play on your own?”

That would be a betrayal.

As I opened my eyes widely, Carol sighed and shook her head.

“…No. You’re the only one for me!”

I didn’t notice the resignation on her face, distracted by her cute smile.

“…I’m sorry, Julien.”

Nor did I hear Carol’s small murmur over the buzzing of the crowd.

“Ah, that’s right. When we go home, let’s drink some hot chocolate while you unwrap your gift.”

“Gift?”

“Yup. My birthday gift for you.”

“Hooray!”

I patted Carol’s head as she smiled widely.

I had acquired some colored threads to make a wish bracelet. It wasn’t much, but it was something that I often made when something important happened back in Korea.

The turquoise and blue threads would suit Carol, and I thought that she would like it.

“The imperial family would like to announce the following for the birthday of the duke’s daughter. The crown prince, Julien Urcan von Cosabalta, and the duke’s daughter, Carol Benice von Gratoni, are to be engaged. The engagement ceremony will be held on the 15th day of the first month of autumn.”

The representative’s voice captured the attention of the hall. Rerolling the scroll, the representative stepped away from the podium, knelt down, and delivered the scroll to Duke Gratoni, who was sitting in front of the platform.

“We’ve received the order! The Gratonis will be ever loyal to the empire!”

I naturally turned my gaze toward Julien. He was supporting the Empress, who was staggering in relief. Our eyes met.

Oho. How interesting.

The prince’s gaze was directed straight at me.

Huhuhu.

“Why are you laughing like a pervert?”

“I just… I just feel happy.”

I knew everything. Specifically, I knew exactly why Julien was looking at me.

I was certain that he wanted to look at Carol, but he was looking at me because he was embarrassed. Why else would he look so intently over here?

I didn’t understand why they were trying to keep it a secret when he had such a heated gaze.

I grinned at the prince.

I know everything, young lover.

I pushed Carol forward, so that he would have a better view of her face.

I didn’t know why I was so excited about someone else’s relationship.

“What is it?”

“It’s nothing. Can’t you see better if you stand here?”

Carl turned to look at her father without questioning my words.

“…Sharon, this is my first time seeing my father’s face in two months.”

My attention turned to Carol, who laughed and swung our hands between us.

“Is that funny?”

“No, it’s not funny. What kind of family is this? Really… I only have Sharon. It’s the same for you, right?”

Carol’s voice trembled lightly, like water that vibrated with the melody.

Hearing that fragility, I grabbed Carol’s hand tighter.

Carol waited for a response with her cheeks puffed up.

Refreshingly, I replied, “I also only have myself.”

I felt sorry for Carol, who laughed at my joke-like reply, but I meant it.

No matter how much I thought about it, the only person I could trust in this novel world was me.

How could I stick together these magnets who didn’t even know how they felt about each other?

I had to think about it from now on.

If the two liked each other, there was no reason why Julien should ever be connected to the female protagonist, ‘Freya.’

Freya will appear on the day of Julien and Carol’s engagement. There was still time.

Would it be better if Freya and Julien met? Or… Should I stop it?

Should I intervene again?

Well. It was kind of funny to worry about these things now. I had already started to get involved in everything.

I looked up at Carol, who was stubbornly saying that she was the best.

“…I’m sleepy.”

Suddenly, I felt tired from worrying. Carol grabbed her head.

“You slept all day!”

“What should I do if I’m sleepy even after sleeping…”

I covered my mouth as I yawned like a drowsy cat. Carol sighed at me.

“It will be over soon. Let’s go home, unwrap the present, and sleep.”

I left my worries behind.

***

“I’ll let them meet.”

“Don’t let them meet.”

I was plucking at the petals of a flower. This was because I was bored. I had come to the secondary palace, where Julien stayed, first.

Carol ran away as soon as the morning dawned.

That girl was like a pony.

Or maybe not. She did say that she had a serious talk with her father today. Then she told me to meet the prince alone.

How could I interfere if she had something to discuss with her father?

“Huh? Phew. Don’t let them meet…”

I pondered for a moment as I watched the petal drop off at “don’t let them meet.”

The heroine, Freya, was the daughter of a fallen viscount, and she would come across Julien on his engagement day while she was working as a maid at Levina Hall.

In the original novel, the two of them were naturally attracted to each other and fell in love.

Freya was a character who bloomed thanks to meeting the prince.

If she couldn’t meet him, Freya would have no choice but to continue living as a maid.

She would have no time to show off her skills.

That girl had the ability to weave beautiful lacework.

Considering the astronomical sums that ladies spend on dresses, it needn’t be mentioned how much a popular lace maker could earn.

“What should I do?”

As I was crouching over, plucking the flower petals, I heard a low voice.

“…What are you doing?”

A large hand touched my head.

“Huh?”

It was a familiar scent. Julien smelled like a rose. I didn’t know if it was the Empress’s taste or his own, but it was charming and suited the prince’s hair.

‘Even though he’s a guy, the rose smell really suits him.’

The rose scent, combined with a heavy wood fragrance, made Julien seem more mature.

“You just looked like a good spot to put my hand on.”

There was a little laugh in his mischievous voice.

“What…?”

“It’s cute, but why are you drooping so early in the morning?”

The praise about being called cute quickly passed over me as he helped me up.

“Ugh. What do you mean, I’m drooping? I’m in deep meditation right now.”

“Sure you are.”

He must have thought I was squatting in the garden and chatting to myself for nothing. The petals scattered in front of me fluttered in the wind and soared up high. You could tell by looking at the numerous petals passing by us how troubled I was. Their lives were in my hands.

Dumb kid.

As he was lifting up my body…

“Huh? Did you grow again?”

I didn’t feel any discomfort from being held by Julien.

“Hmm. Maybe?”

I froze when I noticed his eyelashes as he looked down at me. My soul nearly escaped from my body because of the white skin and contrasting red lashes.

‘He’s playing dirty, looking that pretty.’

Furthermore, a conveniently timed gust of wind blew in the background, spreading colorful petals all around. I was fascinated. It was like I was looking at a picture.

“What are you thinking about? Are you sleepy again?”

The prince carefully put me down on the chair by the tea table. I finally snapped back to attention.

“N, no. It’s pretty!”

“Huh? What are you saying, really.”

Julien poked my forehead and sat on the chair across from me. I gulped at the image of the slender prince, who was stretched like a jaguar.

It was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life.

A flower bud that wasn’t yet fully bloomed…

‘I can’t act like this! I’m not a pervert!’

Even though he wasn’t an adult yet, he was becoming more cool and beautiful.

Maybe my blank look made me seem sleepy because Julien then said, “Idiot. Stop sleeping. Open your eyes.”

I guess I closed my eyes at some point. However, it was not my fault if I fell asleep in the warm autumn sunlight.

It was the weather’s fault.

In addition, the gentle atmosphere of the prince, who had a languid smile, was one of the reasons I was sleepy.

“Really… You’re not a cat.”

Julien poked me on my nose. I frowned because it tickled, and he laughed.

I really felt like I would fall asleep, so I stretched.

“You were late today.”

“Yeah. My mother had called for me. She said that she had something to give to Carol.”

Only then did I notice he was holding a box covered in red silk.

“What is that?”

“It’s a tiara that’s passed down in the imperial family. My mother is in a hurry. Do you want… to try it on? It’ll look good on you.”

The prince opened the box and showed me the tiara inside.

The tiara was studded with a blue jewel, which was said to be good for the body, on it. Just looking at it, you could tell that it was expensive.

It was pretty, though.

I carefully touched the tiara.

“I can’t wear it. It’s Carol’s.”

“So what? It’s just for a moment.”

The prince seduced me with a smile.

“You’ll look pretty with it. Just like a princess.”

Julien continued to whisper and try to coax me, smiling.

Who does this kid think he’s trying to sell that line to?

I’m always pretty!

“I’m all right because I’m always pretty. You don’t have to tell me that I’ll look pretty. I’m tired of it.”

“…Just try it on once. It won’t wear out,” Julien smoothly replied.

Oh. Did he adapt?

But why did he keep insisting that I try it on?

“Please? Just this once.”

Julien nagged me with his sad puppy eyes.

Agh. Why is it that every time’s he’s at a disadvantage…

I don’t know why the kids turned out like this. They’re both foxes, I swear.

How did they know I was weak to this expression?

“F, fine!”

I gallantly lifted the tiara and put it on my head.

“It’s a secret from Carol.”

“…Of course.”

I looked at the prince primly.

He was laughing. It was fairer than the crisp autumn sky.

“It’s pretty, Sharon. Really… pretty.”

Of course I was. This face wasn’t just any random face. This was the beauty recognized by the author as the greatest in the world!

I quickly took off the tiara and put it down.

Julien’s dim expression looked suspicious.

He told me to do it in the first place!

“Don’t look like that. I know, too, that it’ll look prettier on Carol.”

“What…?”

“I mean, you looked displeased.”

Otherwise, he wouldn’t look at me like that. It was clear that he was imagining, substituting Carol in my place.

You’ve already been caught, dude.

The way he looked at Carol on her birthday was different than usual.

I made a decision.

I had no choice.

I had to take in Freya. With my inheritance, it was no trouble to support her. I had nothing else to spend it on.

Your older sister will do her best for you, Julien!

Just focus on your beautiful love.

“I’ll pass this on to Carol. I guess she can’t see you again because she’s still feeling shy.”

The prince had no answer.

He must have been deeply moved by my kindness.

This much was nothing!