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Chapter 07
While my father met with Hedebaux, I began seriously reviewing my own plan.
From now on, I had three main objectives.
- Repay a debt of gratitude
- Take revenge on my enemies
- Create a happy future for those I hold dear
The most urgent, of course, was the first.
Specifically, I needed to rescue Bastian, who was probably picking through rotten apples in a filthy alley right now.
Sebastian Bellueur—Bastian, or Sep for short.
He was the discarded prince of the royal family.
Unlike the fairy tales where a princess marries a prince from a neighboring kingdom and lives happily ever after, reality was anything but romantic.
The royal marriage between the notoriously hostile kingdoms of Loire and Albion was nothing short of a miracle, achieved by diplomats through blood, sweat, and tears.
And Sebastian’s birth was likewise a miracle, a product of early indoctrination and rigorous training of the heirs of both kingdoms.
But the miraculous child was swapped at birth for a stillborn and abandoned in the slums.
The culprit? The king’s mistress, Violette Diane de Satin.
I wanted nothing more than to grab him and dash to the palace immediately.
But I hadn’t yet been granted entry, evidence was lacking, and, most importantly, Violette was still there.
If I tried that, the family would collapse even faster than in my previous life, for insulting the royal family.
So, option two: employ him in the mansion, raise him properly, and eventually bring him to the palace.
More realistic than the first, but still nearly impossible.
Imagine a young lady who had never gone out suddenly bringing a scruffy child from the back alleys and commanding, “Raise him properly!”
People would probably find it more believable if she insisted on rescuing an abandoned puppy instead.
“Then… there’s only the last option, I guess.”
The longest, most painful, but safest method:
Go out into the streets myself and make his acquaintance.
And, whether by coincidence or design, meet him repeatedly, helping him escape the slums.
So that his talents could sprout and bear fruit far earlier than they would on their own.
“…First, let’s head to the market.”
If I couldn’t save him immediately, I could at least set things up so someone else—my father or Hedebaux—would recognize his abilities and help him.
But first, I had to find out what he was like right now.
“Antoine, shall we go explore the market with sister?”
“The market?”
They said it was best to set up insurance and savings plans early.
I set off to my father’s study to request permission to go out and meet my future retirement insurance.
By now, Hedebaux must have finished his conversation with Father, I thought.
Just as I was about to knock, I heard voices quarreling inside.
“I want to give my daughter a toy.”
“A toy? Are you joking? You called me all this way just for that?”
Perfect timing. I silently cheered and flung the door open.
“Father! Can’t we go buy the toy ourselves?”
“No.”
Before I could explain, a firm answer cut me off like a knife.
“You want to go to the market yourself? Why bother? If you wait patiently at the mansion, he’ll bring you the most beautiful doll in the world.”
Hedebaux blinked, clearly baffled, and agreed with my father’s logic.
As expected, I dramatically slumped my eyebrows and shoulders, showing Antoine just how dejected I was.
“I just… want to choose it myself…”
“But you have no governess right now. Do you know what might happen if you leave the mansion without a guardian?”
Ah, so that was the reason.
The governess position was vacant, and my mother was bedridden again this morning.
Sending a maid with me would look improper as well.
So there was only one answer.
‘I really didn’t want to use this method…’
Sigh. No choice.
I placed my feet slightly pigeon-toed, tapped the tips of my shoes on the floor, clasped my hands behind my back, lowered my head, swayed my body from side to side, puckered my lips like a duck, and blinked wide-eyed.
“Adele wants to go on a date with Abba…”
I was ten years old. I was ten! This was a performance to delight my father. I was proposing a filial excursion!
“Hedebaux, sorry, but let’s cancel that previous request.”
“What? Excuse me, Mademoiselle de Charmeuse?”
The effect was perfect. If I had tried this twice, my soul might actually have died from the effort.
My father, who was ready to go to the market with me at any moment, changed his mind at the last second and stayed with my mother.
“Heavens, I’ve never seen Charles like this. Maybe he should have had a daughter after all…”
“It’s not too late, Hedebaux.”
Hedebaux first looked as if he didn’t know what I’d just said, then clutched his stomach and laughed.
“What? What does a child know…? Still, thanks. But what am I to do? The woman who will bear my daughter is far away.”
“Ah… sorry.”
Ugh, suddenly it got so heavy.
Wait, had Hedebaux lost a wife? In my previous life…
“No need to apologize. She divorced me and lives abroad now.”
“……”
This man! Don’t tease a child with such heavy topics! I could only widen my eyes.
In my previous life, I thought Hedebaux never lost his youthful mischief, even as he aged. Now I saw it had actually become quite refined.
“And don’t address me so stiffly. I’m Hedebaux, your father’s friend. Call me uncle.”
Hearing “uncle,” my shoulders twitched involuntarily.
To me, an uncle was never a title with good memories.
“…I apologize. I was too informal with Mademoiselle de Charmeuse.”
Seeing me serious, Hedebaux hurriedly adjusted his posture, even trying to use proper politeness.
“No! It’s a misunderstanding. I just… got startled. You’re my father’s friend, so I can treat you casually… so… Ah! I’ll call you Uncle Guillaume. Is that alright?”
Eh, why not.
“Oh? Not a bad idea at all.”
Color returned to his face in an instant. Simple man, luckily.
Hmm, Uncle Guillaume. Not bad for a spur-of-the-moment choice.
“Now, let’s see. You two should go to Rière, right?”
There were two main shopping districts near the Charmeuse estate: Rière Street and Lipomé Street.
Rière, a high-end shopping area filled with guilds and workshops, where the walls themselves were covered in ivy.
And Lipomé, a morning market that opened as early as a morning glory blooms.
Naturally, we were heading to the former.
