The Kids Have Changed - Chapter 44

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Madame DeJoue said.

“Good. Then I’ll register the group under Madame DeJoue’s name.”

“I assume you know that it’ll take at least one month to officially register the group?”

“Yes. During the month, please prepare to buy and sell the magic stones.”
“Understood.”

Huran wrapped up our conversation and marked the ending of our lengthy meeting with his long hand.

He sorted his papers and placed them in his bag. Then, he took a sip of the lukewarm tea and said,

“By the way, Lady Sharon. I have a question.”

“Yes, Huran? Go ahead.”

“Why are you trying to snipe the first consort’s business? The first consort is a vicious person, and she wouldn’t stand still. There are many other businesses you could develop, so why magic stones?”

I smiled as prettily as I could to make myself look like a lovely villainess.

“I’m going to take down the first consort. And make her very desperate and miserable.”

“What…?”

“It’s because she’ll be the biggest obstacle in the crown prince’s way. And I am the prince’s biggest supporter.”

Madame DeJoue nagged at me not to reveal my intentions.

“It’s just to Huran,” I said.

Only Madame DeJoue, Huran, and I were in the parlor.

“Have you heard that birds listen during the day, and mice listen at night?”

“All right. I won’t speak carelessly next time.”

I raised my hands in surrender before she nagged me more. To change the topic, I looked at the clock and noticed the hour hand had drifted toward lunchtime.

“Huran, are you hungry? Eat lunch before you go.”

“Oh. Thank you.”

We were tidying up the parlor when an uninvited guest paid a call.

“Lady Sharon, this is Anna.”

“Yes, come on in.”

With my permission, the door opened, and Anna came in. Anna blushed and stuttered,

“Uh. There. Lady Sharon! The c-crown prince came to visit.”

“Julien did…?”

Why was he coming without sending word, these days? Did something happen?

“Ah. Where is he now?”

“That’s…”

Anna shifted and stepped aside. The prince revealed himself from behind the door.

“You’re not going to kick me out without lunch just because I came spontaneously, are you?”

Was it just me, or did Julien’s tone sound off?

Even though he was clearly addressing me, his gaze was nailed to Huran.

“Lunch? Sure. Let’s eat together.”

I answered positively and tried to get him to look back at me, but I failed.

“Right. I’m hungry because I was on my way back from hunting monsters.”

But why was he looking at Huran?!

That kind person was getting flustered!

Huran, who had missed the timing to bow to the prince, was antsy.

Seriously, what was up with this mood?

***

Julien did not like Huran, whom Sharon was subtly treating with kindness.

The prince had been on his way back after hunting monsters with the knights, holding a beautifully dyed maple leaf in his hand.

It was the last red maple leaf in the empire.

Julien wanted to give it to Sharon, but since it might get wrinkled, he

put it in his pocket. But when he arrived, there was an unwanted presence.

Julien continued staring at Huran throughout the meal.

“Ah, Julien!”

His gaze only turned to Sharon after she called him again.

Julien subconsciously smiled. She was beautiful like always. Even her flustered face made Julien’s heart flutter.

“Eat your food. You said you were hungry.”

“Yup. This is delicious. You have some, too.”

Julien cut his fish to bite-sized pieces and pushed it in front of Sharon.

“I have some on my plate, too!”

“Eat more. You like fish.”

He put the food that Sharon liked on her plate. Julien watched her chew on what he gave her, and he bit his lip.

‘I don’t like it.’

He couldn’t stand it when he had to share Sharon’s attention with Huran. And he didn’t like Huran, who unlike himself was already a mature man.

He looked like he was wearing a sign saying, ‘I’m a good person!’ around his neck.

Also, Huran was a lawyer! Even his competence was outstanding.

Since Sharon was already very wealthy, she didn’t care much about money.

The important parts were appearance, character, and ability, all of which Huran excelled in.

That wasn’t all. There was that beautiful story about how Huran saved Sharon’s life when they were younger.

‘Damn it.’

Perhaps Julien should plant someone within Huran’s office.

‘Maybe…’

Julien swallowed his thoughts with narrowed eyes.

Huran was Julien’s enemy in receiving Sharon’s favor.

***

“Look over there!”

I put a blanket around Carol’s shoulders, who was jumping around excitedly.

If she caught a cold, I would be the one suffering.

Already, it was the first month of winter. The magic stone business was going well. I heard that the first consort, from whom we had taken the mercenaries’ supply, was grinding her teeth.

The National People’s Council, directionless, looked everywhere for magic stones, but I had not reached out to them yet.

It was because the business group registered on my behalf was just about to become official.

The NPC just had to wait a bit for me to rescue them.

Huhu.

Other than the group’s formation, there was another event that was coming up.

The engagement ceremony between Carol and Julien was just next week.

“Sharon, look there! The stars are so big!”

With the engagement coming around the corner, Carol and I were on the rooftop terrace observing the night sky.

It was a romantic adventure that didn’t really suit the wild filly named Carol, but it was good to show kids things like this.

To start, I handed Carol some hot cocoa.

First, I would block her mouth by giving her something to drink.

“Drink this, then play. When it’s cold, this is the best.”

“Okay!”

Aw, what a good kid.

“Carol, did you know? If you make a wish on a moon that’s round like this, it’ll come true. But you have to wish very, very hard.”

“What? Is that true?”

She stopped blowing on the hot cocoa and lifted her head.

I didn’t know.

The moon in this world was always round, so it wasn’t rare at all.

Carol’s eyes were shining at this new superstition.

…She believed it.

“Y-yeah. So, Carol, you have to drink that and make a wish.”

The second tall tale tempted her very well.

“All right!!”

I’ve bought myself 10 minutes with this.

These days, I was worried about many things. I had another reason for my constant insomnia.

It was Freya.

Freya.

No one knew how the child grew up since the original story became so twisted.

I asked Madame DeJoue to investigate Freya from the Grita family

but she’d found nothing.

Brown hair and brown eyes. She was an inconspicuous wallflower, but the more you looked at her, the more love you would feel for her.

That’s what the author wrote.

I was going to give that child a life different from what was preordained.

I could only hope that it didn’t harm her.

The maids that were sent to the workshop first said that they were satisfied and working hard. I felt assured that they wouldn’t bully or bother Freya.

After all, Freya was said to be a gentle and kind person.

Since I had changed the heroine of the story from her to the tomboy drinking cocoa in front of me, I felt a little sorry for Freya.

‘But instead, I’ll make sure she can live well.’

I shook away my thoughts.

This was because Carol, who quickly finished drinking cocoa, started to make wishes.

“Please, stop my engagement with Julien!”

“……”

Shyness was also a disease.

I, who had twisted many things from the original story, could grant her almost anything.

For example, I could help her make money.

The magic stone business that I interfered with would make me ridiculously richer.

But… Why did she make such a wish.

It was something that I couldn’t grant.

“Hey, don’t make things difficult for Mr. Moon.”

“Why not? Isn’t the moon going to grant everything?”

“…For that, go beg to your father.”

“It’s obvious that he won’t listen! It’s totes annoying!”

Nevermind. I should just stop talking.

I was losing face with Madame Berna these days because Carol was saying things like ‘totes annoying’.

Phew.

The engagement between Julien and Carol was not going to be just any engagement.

It was a battle between the military, economic, and commercial spheres of influence.

Carol knew this well, so she couldn’t throw a tantrum over it. Instead, she had to be satisfied with wishing.

But the two of them liked each other.

Yup. They liked each other.

But… Why did I feel so bittersweet? Their marriage had no effect on me. Well, I might be a little lonely. That was true enough. Oh, was that it?

I sighed. I really didn’t know what was wrong with me recently.

I gulped and tapped on Carol’s head as she fumed.

Considering the delicate emotions of teenage girls, I decided to pretend not to know her real feelings.

“The moon can’t grant that wish. But I’ll buy you whatever you want.”

“Oh?”

Carol’s eyes began to twinkle.

“Really?”

Carol used the duchy’s money for balls and banquets, but at all other times, she only had a small allowance.

It was a measure that I placed because I was worried that the abundance would prevent her from knowing the value of things.

On the other hand, I was getting monthly stipends from my inheritance.

Heh. I’ll just say it: this older sister is someone who pays in cash and in full.

As I smiled triumphantly, Carol opened her mouth.

“Then, buy me the imperial palace!”

“…Think before you speak! Say something that actually makes sense!”

“What, you said whatever I want! Why are you suddenly taking back your words? Sharon, you liar! Psiduck!”

Ah, this brat!

Who taught you to talk like that?

…I should take a moment to reflect.

“Then you’re a pee baby! You made a map on your blanket when you were 9 years old!

“Ah, that was a secreeeeet!”

The sounds of Carol’s whining to quit it were ignored and travelled down from the rooftop terrace.

She was messing with me!

My thoughts of Freya were completely forgotten.

***

Tomorrow was the engagement ceremony between Carol and the prince.

Carol was upset, and she stayed up all night without closing her eyes.

“Haa…”

When Sharon wasn’t around, Carol fell into deep thought.

‘I can just break the engagement off with Julien at a suitable time, but…’

Sharon still believed Carol and Julien liked each other.

‘I told her I hate him dozens of times.’

Sharon was stubbornly misunderstanding them.

‘Where did it go wrong?’

Even though Carol thought about it, no answer came forth.

“Ugh… This will make things a little difficult. What if Julien confesses later, but Sharon rejects him because of me?”

Carol tossed and turned.

‘Is this engagement the right move?’

Sharon made her head hurt.

“Even if Julien is able to win Sharon’s heart… If Sharon and Julien don’t get together, all that I’ve planned will go to waste. Ugh, what a loss!”

She was working with Julien, whom she hated, because she didn’t want Sharon to leave, but it’d be for naught.

“Rather… I’ll become a bad woman.”

Carol made a decision.

When the time same, she’ll make a mistake in Sharon’s favor.

Even if would hurt Carol’s own reputation!!