The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 29

“Is my father inside?”

The butler politely answered Carol’s question.  “Yes, milady.”

After confirming that Sharon entered the imperial palace early in the morning, Carol hesitated for another hour before gathering her courage to stand in front of her father’s door.

It was really rare for Carol to visit the Duke in private.

‘This might be my first time since I grew up.’

She was already 15 years old. This was her first visit to the Duke’s office since she had become a lady.

The butler thought this moment was thrilling.

So, more carefully than he normally would, he knocked on the door of the Duke’s office and raised his voice.

“Your Excellency. The young lady is here to see you.”

There was no answer from the office.

‘Does he not want to see me?’

Fortunately, there was a response before Carol reproached herself for visiting so pointlessly.

“Let her come in.”

Although she was now immune to the cold voice of her father, Carol felt scared again.

‘I still have a long way to go.’

Nevertheless, she gathered her courage to step inside the door and sign a life-changing contract.

Julien said to receive the future of the duchy. Carol had to keep that promise.

“Father, your daughter Carol says hello.”

Only Carol herself knew how her hand shook as she greeted him in a soft voice. Carol’s face as she lifted her head exuded a neat dignity.

‘Stay calm. Just like Sharon taught me.’

If there is something that you really wanted, you should not tremble. When the moment comes that you have to make an unfavorable deal with someone, pull yourself together, starting with your eyes.

Meanwhile, the Duke was surprised to see Carol’s appearance.

‘When did that child grow up like this?’

His heart began to tremble.

At some point, Carol had started to change. The young girl who followed her mother in her extravagance had disappeared. In that place was a child who acted like an adult.

‘It must be Sharon’s influence.’

From the moment he first saw her, Sharon’s gaze was memorable.

Her clear, light green eyes reminded him of his sister.

His older sister, who had the same eyes as Sharon, had a resolute personality and hogged the attention of their mother and father. In addition, the Duke back then adored his sister.

After his sister was married, the Duke married Sarah. Carol was born, then they stopped communicating as often because they were busy.

Seeing his niece, whom he met only after his sister died, reminded him of his sister as a child.

‘It is possible for that child.’

A laugh escaped from his lips. Unbelievable. Sharon had raised the Duke’s daughter as a proper human being.

‘I could never have expected this result when I left her upbringing to Sarah.’

If the Duchess had continued to raise Carol, she certainly would never have grown up to be such a beautiful woman.

‘Because she’s a woman with no sense.’

He was tired of the lover that she kept at his own residence.

The Duke just stared at Carol for a long time.

‘…How pretty.’

The Duke swallowed the words he dare not say, then opened his mouth.

“Sit down.”

The Duke felt bitter at his intentionally dry voice. Had it not been for his promise with the Duchess…

Gradually, even he shuddered as he became an icy person.

“I came to you because I have something to say, Father.”

Carol stared at the Duke’s eyes calmly.

It was terrifying how those dark green eyes resembled each other.

“Hmm. You do?”

The Duke’s body language as he leaned on the couch was arrogant and overbearing. Carol nodded, trying not to be overwhelmed by the force.

“Yes, Father.”

“…All right. It’s no hardship to listen to you this once.”

At the Duke’s permission, Carol gulped.

There was one thing she wanted to say.

“Father, grant me the future of the Gratoni duchy.”

The Duke stared into Carol’s eyes.

He did not hear wrong. His daughter, who was worthy in his eyes, told him that she wanted to be his successor.

***

The first thing I did once I returned to the mansion was to search for Carol.

I needed to give her the item that the prince wanted me to deliver.

“The prince told me to give you this.”

“What is it?”

Carol graciously accepted the box that I brought out.

“Isn’t it a gift?”

“As if.”

Carol spoke calmly, but I already knew.

Carol had become more vulnerable in dealing with the prince. I was sure that they had a favorable impression of each other.

These kids. It’s okay to show off your affection for each other!

I added an explanation for Carol, who opened the box.

“It’s something the Empress is giving you. It’s a tiara passed down from generation to generation. Doesn’t that mean she recognizes you as Julien’s lover?”

“Ah.”

Contrary to my expectations, Carol just exclaimed without a good reaction and closed the lid of the box again.

“I’ll hold onto it properly.”

What? Why was she acting like this?

“Yeah. You don’t think it’s pretty? Your reaction is a little… meh.”

“It’s pretty… But since it’s not mine…”

“Huh? Then whose is it?”

What was she talking about?

I couldn’t understand at all what Carol was saying.

“No, Julien would have wanted to give it to someone else…”

Agggh. This was so frustrating!

“No, he wanted to give it to you.”

Who else would the prince want to give it to?!

I sighed. I suppose it was like this.

They still don’t know how they feel for each other.

Also, Carol doesn’t seem to realize what Julien thinks of her.

I didn’t raise them like this, but the kids were so naive.

“All right. Then, I’ll keep it safe.”

Carol said this as if it were annoying, but I replied happily.

“Yes, you have to take care of it.”

She had to wear that when she got married.

Carol stared at me quietly.

“Looking at you makes my head hurt. Oh, my head.”

She was a hundred percent faking.

Kids act sick when they are at a disadvantage!

Did she think I’d be caught by a trick I’ve seen hundreds of times?

“What kind of trouble did you cause today? Hmm? Tell me quickly. Why did you meet Uncle today?”

“For goodness’s sake…”

I wanted to continue interrogating Carol. But I overlooked that there was someone who was always tricked by her act.

“Oh, milady! Why does your head hurt?”

I gave up as I saw Madame Berna making a fuss.

Madame Berna was scary when it comes to Carol.

“Let’s quickly go to your room and get you some medicine. I will also bring you a delicious sorbet.”

“Thank you, Madame Berna…”

I raised up my hands in defeat.

Madame Berna was too talented in being deceived every single time.

Carol followed after Madame Berna. She glanced back at me, sticking out her tongue…

Sticking out her tongue?

Arggh!

Would it be okay if I just hit her once?

I tried to calm my resentment.

***

Recently, Julien had only one pleasure. He was looking forward to the day when Sharon would visit.

Although there was an unwanted object called “Carol,” Carol hadn’t been coming by recently.

“Did she learn some discretion?”

It seemed that the rude girl had finally learned some sense. Julien blew over the sound marble, as he always did before falling asleep.

“I want to see you, Sharon.”

It was a time when nobody would see him, when he was able to take the pendant out from its place. For Julien, this was his favorite time of the day.

This time, when he could listen to the ridiculous singing of a beautiful voice,

was his only comfort.

“Sharon.”

It was a bit bitter. No matter how many times he called to her, Sharon couldn’t answer. He used to imagine how great it would be to be able to spend every moment with Sharon.

And Julien thought he may risk his life to make that wish real.

So every moment he dealt with Sharon, he was cautious.

He was afraid that she would feel uncomfortable with his emotions, so he covered up his actions and words. He couldn’t help the threads of emotion that slipped through, but he continued to hide the sincerity behind his acts.

He had to take over the throne securely and break up with Carol. He also had to wait until the Empress would not stand in his way. Lastly, Sharon had to be ready to accept his feelings. On that day, he would confess the feelings that he had hidden for a long time.

He anxiously waited for that day.

Julien played the paused sound marble once more.

“Your Highness.“

But there was someone who disturbed him. Julien’s brow twitched. He stopped the sound marble and hid it beneath his shirt.

“What’s the issue?”

The door opened at his question.

“I didn’t permit you to come in… ”

Before he could tell off the servant for his rudeness, Julien turned stiff.

The troubled face of the servant disappeared behind a woman he was seeing for the first time. Standing in front of the quietly closing door was a woman wearing a translucent clothing.

“Who are you?”

Julien asked. He got up from where he had been leaning against the bedpost.

He touched the sword on his waist. The woman smiled, parting her tinted red lips.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Imperial Highness. I was called in by Her Majesty, the Empress.”

“What do you mean?”

Julien hadn’t been informed of this situation. His mother was eager to make Carol the consort, so there was no reason to attach him to another woman.

Maybe it was an assassin.

It was something that one of his many brothers would do. They wanted to kill Julien, the strongest candidate for the crown.

Julien’s eyes sharpened.

His strong hand gripped the woman’s wrist. Julien drew the woman closer and asked harshly,

“Who sent you? If you value your life, speak the truth.”

“I told you. Her Majesty sent me here.”

The woman spoke coquettishly, not giving in. She was only 19 years old, but had more than enough experience in bending men to her will.

She had sold herself in a brothel, and thanks to that, she was able to step in the threshold of the imperial palace.

The Empress also promised her that if she did well, she would become a concubine after Julien ascended to the throne.

So the woman wasn’t afraid.

“There’s no way that she would.”

Julien dragged the woman away and opened the door. If she wasn’t going to tell the truth, he would make her. But Julien stopped before he even crossed the threshold.

“Julien.”

In front of him stood his mother. The Empress glanced at the woman, who escaped Julien’s grasp, who lost his strength at the sight of her. The woman ran off into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

“Haaa.”

Between the Empress’s dry lips, an even drier sigh escaped. Her black eyes stared at Julien’s face.

“Julien, you really don’t listen to me.”

The hand of the Empress, arid like an old tree, approached Julien. The Empress sighed again, snatching the necklace from Julien’s neck.

“This kind of thing…”

The Empress ignored the scratch forming on the nape of Julien’s delicate neck and ripped off the necklace.

“Mother! That’s—!”

Only then did the Empress straighten up, seeing Julien’s eyes turn desperate, mouth open in protest.

“Julien. I told you. You have many enemies. So you must never show them any weakness.”

The Empress’s voice, cutting in each syllable, pierced Julien like a poison mist.

“But before, and even now, you always show it. Your weakness.”

A cold smile graced the pale face of the Empress. The red tongue showing between her dry white lips fluttered.

“…You like that child named Sharon. Isn’t that right?”

Julien could not deny it immediately. He was speechless. But what would she do if he didn’t deny it now?

His heart beat like crazy.

“…No.”

He barely managed to say it, but the Empress ignored it nonetheless.

‘Don’t lie to me. You shouldn’t say that when you treasure such a cheap necklace, Julien.”

The Empress held out the necklace in front of Julien.