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Chapter 68
“What did you just say?!”
It was Kaylin who took the bait from Chloe’s provocation.
“Who are you calling a sewer rat right now?”
Kaylin shot up from her seat, demanding an answer. Chloe elegantly spread open her fan, hiding her mouth behind it.
“A sewer stench inside a dessert shop, how unpleasant.”
She then turned her head toward Marongbel’s manager and shook it slowly, as if disappointed.
“Will Marongbel just sit back and watch while sewer rats tarnish its dignity?”
“You’ve gone too far!”
Unable to contain herself, Kaylin shouted in fury. But Lucillea slowly rose and gently took Kaylin’s wrist.
“Sit down, sister.”
“…Huh?”
Lucillea’s voice was strangely calm. With a small, unbothered smile, she eased Kaylin back into her seat and then turned to Chloe.
“When you notice a foul stench, you usually ought to check yourself first.”
Chloe’s brows twitched.
“What?”
Lucillea went on, her face filled with pure innocence.
“Most of the time, when it smells that bad, it’s coming from your own body. For example… your mouth.”
“…My mouth?”
Chloe snapped her fan shut with a sharp flick and tilted her head at Lucillea.
The atmosphere in the shop instantly froze. A few young ladies unconsciously swallowed their dry throats.
Then Chloe, realizing what Lucillea had just implied, flushed bright red.
“You—are you saying the sewer smell is coming from my mouth—”
“Oh! What a relief. At least you understood me.”
Lucillea broke into a bright, relieved smile.
“I was worried since I’m not very good at speaking indirectly. I wasn’t sure how best to say it.”
“You dare! Do you know who I am?!” Chloe’s voice rose sharp with fury.
“And do you know who we are?”
Lucillea’s smile vanished as she threw the question back.
“Who do you think we are? You already know, don’t you? That’s why you picked a fight with us using words like ‘sewer’ and ‘rats.’”
“…”
The shop grew even quieter, not even the sound of teacups being set down could be heard.
Lucillea continued.
“If you simply apologize for calling us sewer rats, we can put this behind us here and now.”
Chloe let out a scornful laugh.
“Ha! And why should I?”
Lucillea answered calmly.
“Then this matter will surely reach the Grand Duke’s ears today.”
“Oh really?” Chloe crossed her arms and raised her chin haughtily.
“And what is this ‘matter’? A noble like me told some lowborn brats that they stink? So what?”
At that, Lucillea’s eyes gleamed coldly.
“You called the children chosen by the Grand Duke’s elite corps sewer rats.”
Lucillea stepped forward, meeting Chloe’s gaze as she looked up at her.
“Which means you’re calling the Grand Duke’s house a family that gathers sewer rats, doesn’t it?”
“What? N-no, I never said that!” Chloe stammered, clearly flustered.
Lucillea didn’t miss her chance.
“You did just now. You said the Grand Duke’s house brings in stinking sewer rats, cleans them, feeds them, and raises them.”
“N-no, that’s not what I meant—!”
Lucillea mimicked Chloe’s posture, folding her arms over her chest and tilting her chin upward. Then she gave her the choice.
“So what will it be? Will you apologize? Or shall we take this all the way, until the Grand Duke discusses it face-to-face with Count Rozemus?”
“…!”
At the mention of her father, Chloe’s face went pale.
But she still didn’t want to admit fault. After a moment’s thought, she clenched her jaw and muttered coldly:
“Do you really think the Grand Duke himself would step up for you? You’re not even his real children. Where does that confidence come from?”
“…”
“Listen well.”
Chloe’s voice rose, as if she had seized the upper hand again.
“The Grand Duke is only your guardian. The Grand Duke’s power, wealth, and honor—they’ll never be yours. If this gets to him, my father will step in. He would risk his very life to protect me. Because he is my absolute ally. But you? Who do you have?”
“…”
“The Grand Duke will never be your father! Do you understand?! Even if I ordered my knights right now to kill you here, that cold-hearted Grand Duke wouldn’t bat an eye!”
“…”
Lucillea blinked calmly.
‘Arrogant and nasty words… but not untrue.’
Indeed, neither she, nor Irnel, nor Kaylin had a father like Chloe’s to back them.
‘But…’
Would the Grand Duke really not care if we died?
‘No… I don’t want to believe he would.’
She remembered when she had set his chambers on fire—not only had he not punished her, but had shared his warmth with her instead.
She remembered his unexpected kindness in the glass garden, wiping dirt from her forehead.
—“Yes, Lucillea.”
The deep, low voice when he first called her name.
The broad back that shielded her from the Empress’s gaze at the imperial ball.
Against her will, all those memories of warmth she had tried to ignore came flooding back.
‘I have someone too…’
The father and family they boasted of so proudly.
‘I have that too…’
If only circumstances hadn’t forced her silence. If only she’d been born ordinary, if only things hadn’t turned out so cruelly—
Then she would have had a father far greater, stronger, and more wonderful than theirs. Greater than all their fathers put together.
Her throat tightened.
She knew these were just shallow provocations from paper-thin side characters in a novel. But still, it stung.
As if she chose this life—who would ever want to live being called a sewer rat?
‘You don’t even know how strong my father is!’
If I so much as open my mouth, huh?! I could have a father right this moment, do you understand?!
Lucillea clenched her fist.
At that instant, an inexplicable chill gathered around her eyes.
It was like a thin film trembling deep within her pupils.
‘What…?’
Just as she raised her hand toward her eyes at the strange sensation—
Irnel, sitting opposite, suddenly snatched Kaylin’s hat and pulled it down over Lucillea’s face.
“Mmff?!”
“Wh-what are you doing?!”
Lucillea flailed, disoriented in the darkness. Kaylin, now hatless, clutched at her messy hair in frustration.
Irnel sprang up, walking quickly to Lucillea’s side while throwing words carelessly at Chloe.
“Forget the apology! We don’t want to make this bigger than it already is! Have a nice day!”
No doubt Irnel had been hurt by Chloe’s words too, but true to her neat and polite nature, she didn’t forget to bid farewell.
She then hurried Lucillea out of the shop.
Kaylin scrambled after them.
“W-wait for me!”
Thud! Clatter!
Irnel swiftly opened the carriage door, ushered Lucillea inside, and climbed in after. Kaylin tumbled in right behind them.
“Phew!”
Finally, Lucillea ripped the hat off her face and let out the breath she’d been holding.
“What was that?! Why did you suddenly cover my face with a hat…?”
Irnel peered closely at her face, eyes wide with alarm.
“Lucillea, are… are you okay?”
“Huh?”
What was she talking about all of a sudden?
“What do you mean, sister?”
Irnel swallowed hard, then said:
“Just now… your eyes.”
She hesitated a moment, then continued.
“They turned blue.”
“…What?”
