CH 111
Gerard’s brow twitched.
‘What is this pressure?’
‘Why are you so confident? …Is it a bluff?’ This was beyond the ferocity he had seen in her childhood, and her posture itself was as sharp as a beast with its claws exposed.
Gerard was unexpectedly flustered.
Annette calmly let go of his collar (that was what Gerard was most embarrassed about) and greeted him with a smile.
“Thank you for inviting me, Prince.”
“……!”
A vein rose on Gerard’s forehead.
Belatedly, a sense of shame filled his throat. The fact that he was just embarrassed in front of everyone by that little girl.
Then he bit his lips and smiled.
‘…Yes, struggle even more. The stiffer the head, the greater the feeling of being trampled on.’
‘You’re done here anyway, bitch.’
A perfect prince who was revered like a saint, with no blemish in his reputation.
No matter what such a prince does to his adopted daughter, it would never come to the surface.
It was tiring to live hypocritically, but his ‘perfect reputation’ had great power.
—Public opinion had always been on his side.
She must have realized that she had no place to escape due to the attack on Bayonaire Island, and even if she had to become his daughter, she had no choice but to obey.
If not, she wouldn’t be able to live and breathe properly in this El Dorado.
‘If I could just gain that power, then even the Crown Prince cannot be my opponent.’
With that power,
He would be able to <brainwash> Annette too.
Since Venénum’s power was ‘mind control’ and ‘time’.
After that, there would be no enemies.
A life that was born lowly, but died while reigning supreme in a higher position than anyone else.
The final puzzle that would fulfill that desire was right in front of him.
His bright, rosy eyes stared at Annette’s neck as if he was about to bite her.
‘Well, you are full of poison.’
The puzzle piece wore a red dress and bloomed brightly like a rose.
…Meant to be shredded today and held in the palm of his hand.
‘I miss seeing your desperate face already.’
The pursed lips twisted.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
In the banquet hall, whispers about the ‘red flower’ that suddenly appeared were in full swing.
“Is that woman ‘Annette’?”
“…She looks beautiful. But she seems more ordinary than expected.”
“I know right. She is favored by His Highness the Crown Prince and His Excellency the Grand Duke. I thought she would be even more special because Prince Gerard also wanted to adopt her.”
“I heard it’s for revenge rather than favoritism?”
“Revenge?!”
The young nobleman nodded to the surprised lady.
“There are a lot of rumors that the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke both came from an illegal child care facility called the ‘Forest’.”
The forest had been closed for a long time now, but the rumors did not disappear and it was still being talked about.
The eyes of nobles glanced at Annette suspiciously.
“It’s said she made an ugly mistake in there and ran away.”
“……!”
“That’s why she ran away despite the prince’s application for adoption.”
“Oh my gosh! But now she has come and shamelessly appeared to be part of the imperial family!”
The young lord snorted.
“Isn’t she just a commoner girl? Without a drop of noble blood mixed. Being such a lowly girl, she must be brazen.”
“Oh my goodness.”
Drunk on good gossip, the lady rolled her eyes and covered her mouth with her fan, laughing.
“Could it be slave blood? Crazy.”
“…….”
At that moment, the eyes of the lady and man met cold purple eyes beneath silver hair. The lady gasped and shut her mouth.
But they weren’t the only ones.
Everyone in this banquet hall was never in favor of Annette.
Despite the fact that the crown prince and grand duke were involved, rumors about a commoner who suddenly appeared and wanted to become the prince’s daughter were spreading.
―In many ways, it was none other than Gerard who ignited the well-dried firewood that was good for creating a mouthful.
“Spread the rumors. Put her in a corner.”
He was good at public opinion warfare, and he was also good at gathering up the rumbling rumors and deciding who to throw stones at.
Since she was 12-years-old, her temper had been ugly,
Irresponsible enough to run away.
And after becoming an adult, for her own benefit, she shamelessly set out to become the prince’s daughter.
—That was the identity of Annette created by Gerard.
“She’s just a livestock on a leash. The more isolated she is, the better she will listen to me.”
This headline appeared in the daily newspaper today.
「Prince Gerard:
“I’ll gladly accept the returned prodigal child as my daughter”」
Gerard wrapped himself in hypocrisy and assumed the position of a generous and perfect prince.
“Sister.”
Heinrich’s face was pale. There was a deepened accumulation of anger that he had barely endured from before.
“Can I keep all those mouths shut? …Everyone talks without knowing anything. Just leave it to me, please.”
“Heinrich.”
Annette looked at him calmly.
“No matter what happens today, don’t come forward.”
“…….”
“Because this is my fight.”
In an instant, Heinrich read a deep, hot fire in her eyes.
He was even taken aback, as it was an expression he had never seen on her before.
After a while, Heinrich blushed and whispered to her.
“Sister. How sexy.”
“……!”
It was at the time when Annette looked at Heinrich with astonished eyes.
Dang– Dang– Dang–
The bell of the banquet hall rang, and the high priest sat in the highest seat.
“Today is the day of celebration in which a pitiful woman who has lived a lonely life finally finds her father and becomes ‘Annette von Axelferion’. It should be recorded and remain in history.”
The nobles all respected the high priest and listened to him.
“God’s blessings will be with you. Prince Gerard, are you ready to become a father?”
“…….”
The red eyes between the silver-gray hair were getting warmer.
“Of course. Ever since I saw her as a poor orphan, I wanted to make her my daughter. She still looks like a child to me.”
He had terrifyingly friendly eyes.
“Although she has already grown up and I’ve missed the joy of raising her, Annette…”
“…….”
“I want to give my daughter a present to live a prosperous and happy life as a member of the imperial family.”
A modest exclamation broke out among the nobles. It was indeed a reaction befitting of the prince.
Everyone was talking about how generous he was, how perfect a prince he was.
A warm smile spread and created wrinkled corners in the high priest’s eyes.
The old man also seemed to have been moved by Gerard’s words.
“Then Miss Annette. Would you accept being ‘Annette von Axelferion’?”
—Of course she will.
Who would refuse the life of an imperial family member?
But if she accepts it, wouldn’t it be too blatant?
After committing a crime and escaping, she came back to get the life of the imperial family by sticking to the generous prince.
This time, eyes filled with displeasure focused on Annette.
“No. Please cancel the official enrolment.”
“……!!!”
The audience was shocked and closed their mouths without a sound. And soon after, voices gathered into a buzz-like wave broke out.
Gerard raised his eyebrows.
“Miss Annette, the <Formal Enrollment Procedure> is no joke. You can’t just cancel it.”
Annette smiled nonchalantly with her pale green eyes shining.
“According to the Imperial Adoption Law…!”
“…….”
“Cancellation is possible in two cases.”
All of a sudden, everyone was concentrating on her as if they were being sucked in.
Annette continued, slowly making eye contact with them as if grabbing the crowd.
“First, when she has already formed a family and her own family exists. Second, when succeeding a ‘title’.”
It was then.
Tuk-tuk-tuk—
A huge man slowly walked up to Annette, parting the audience like a wave.
It was the crown prince who was absent today.
Sislin silently handed Annette a scroll of parchment.
Chaaak!
The parchment was spread out to the left without hesitation.
Annette said, holding the parchment.
“I recently found my biological mother.”
“……!”
Wasn’t she an orphan?
The crowd roared a little again.
“That’s right, she is ‘Duchess Derkis Valienne’.”
“…Then?!”
The young lord, who called Annette a ‘lowly girl’, covered his mouth, and his complexion became stark white.
The eyes of the lady, who thought Annette was of slavery, grew as if they would fall out at any moment.
“The Duchess of Valienne has unfortunately passed away… Now, I am the new head of the Duchy of Valienne.”
Tak—
A seal was stamped acknowledging that the ‘head’ of the Duchy of Valienne had been changed. It was the seal of the imperial family that Sislin possessed, with public confidence.
Annette calmly put the signet ring she had inherited from her mother on her finger.
“What, nonsense…”
Gerard’s eyebrows furrowed openly. Before he could put on a mask of hypocrisy.
It was the moment when the girl he thought he had managed to get his hands on was about to get out again.
‘That brat has found her mother. That’s why she’s so arrogant.’
Gerrard bowed his head for a moment, expressing his embarrassment, and then—
“Hah.”
He laughed.
He couldn’t resist and burst out laughing.
Was that girl in high spirits with only that?
It’s pitiful because it’s pitiful.
“Miss Annette.”
Gerard’s eyebrows twisted further as he opened his mouth.
“No, should I call you ‘Duchess Valienne’ now?”
“…….”
“Unfortunately, however, the ‘official registration’ document was signed in the past. Today was just a formal procedure.”
“No way.”
Heinrich’s face flushed with agitation for an instant. Gerard’s mean eyes grew even more intense.
‘You didn’t know this, brat.’
“About 10 years ago, when you ran away, I got the signature of an agent and already completed the official registration documents.”
“……!!!”
“Sir, please show us.”
The high priest slowly showed the official documents.
—There it was. Really.
The legit signature of a person sufficient to become Annette’s guardian.
It was the signature of <Madam Mimosa>.
“So Duchess Valienne, you must have been given the title of Duchess of Valienne after becoming my daughter.”
“…….”
Gerard’s red eyes widened.
“There is no way to cancel the adoption.”
He wanted to laugh out loud again. He wanted to ask what it felt like to be trampled on while struggling. Anyone could see that Gerard was ecstatic.
That was then.
“‘Madam Mimosa’ cannot be my official representative. She was the woman who ran the Forest, an illegal nurturing institution—”
Annette’s pale green eyes gleamed. Her index finger pointed exactly at Gerard.
“She operated the facility in an illegal collusion with Prince Gerard over there!”
“……!!!”
What kind of bullshit?
Gerard’s face was crumpled like a used tissue.
“Sir.”
Annette coolly uttered, turning to the high priest.
Bit by bit, word by word.
“I am not here because of the adoption.”
A clear voice resounded in the ears of the crowd.
“I am here to <accuse> Prince Gerard.”
“…….”
“On the charges of operating the ‘Forest’, an illegal child care facility, and selling children for personal gain. Plus…”
Her bitter eyes turned to Gerard.
Her lips moved as she shattered the reputation he had cherished like his life.
“…The murder of ‘High Priest Arthur,’ who died more than 10 years ago, before he could even attend his grandson’s wedding which was held 2 days later.”
“……!!!”
Gerard’s face turned red immediately. It was the first time the ‘perfect prince’ had been treated like this in front of everyone.
“What!! This does not make sense…! Nonsense without any evidence.”
“I have a witness.”
Annette looked at the door calmly. At that moment, the door of the massive banquet hall opened and a man entered.
Tock, tock.
The reversal would be swift and decisive.
There was no substance in the rumors, so the moment she showed the truth to people, public opinion would inevitably overturn.
“You…!!!”
Recognizing the man, Gerard’s pupils widened.
‘What is this pressure?’
‘Why are you so confident? …Is it a bluff?’ This was beyond the ferocity he had seen in her childhood, and her posture itself was as sharp as a beast with its claws exposed.
Gerard was unexpectedly flustered.
Annette calmly let go of his collar (that was what Gerard was most embarrassed about) and greeted him with a smile.
“Thank you for inviting me, Prince.”
“……!”
A vein rose on Gerard’s forehead.
Belatedly, a sense of shame filled his throat. The fact that he was just embarrassed in front of everyone by that little girl.
Then he bit his lips and smiled.
‘…Yes, struggle even more. The stiffer the head, the greater the feeling of being trampled on.’
‘You’re done here anyway, bitch.’
A perfect prince who was revered like a saint, with no blemish in his reputation.
No matter what such a prince does to his adopted daughter, it would never come to the surface.
It was tiring to live hypocritically, but his ‘perfect reputation’ had great power.
—Public opinion had always been on his side.
She must have realized that she had no place to escape due to the attack on Bayonaire Island, and even if she had to become his daughter, she had no choice but to obey.
If not, she wouldn’t be able to live and breathe properly in this El Dorado.
‘If I could just gain that power, then even the Crown Prince cannot be my opponent.’
With that power,
He would be able to <brainwash> Annette too.
Since Venénum’s power was ‘mind control’ and ‘time’.
After that, there would be no enemies.
A life that was born lowly, but died while reigning supreme in a higher position than anyone else.
The final puzzle that would fulfill that desire was right in front of him.
His bright, rosy eyes stared at Annette’s neck as if he was about to bite her.
‘Well, you are full of poison.’
The puzzle piece wore a red dress and bloomed brightly like a rose.
…Meant to be shredded today and held in the palm of his hand.
‘I miss seeing your desperate face already.’
The pursed lips twisted.
━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━
In the banquet hall, whispers about the ‘red flower’ that suddenly appeared were in full swing.
“Is that woman ‘Annette’?”
“…She looks beautiful. But she seems more ordinary than expected.”
“I know right. She is favored by His Highness the Crown Prince and His Excellency the Grand Duke. I thought she would be even more special because Prince Gerard also wanted to adopt her.”
“I heard it’s for revenge rather than favoritism?”
“Revenge?!”
The young nobleman nodded to the surprised lady.
“There are a lot of rumors that the Crown Prince and the Grand Duke both came from an illegal child care facility called the ‘Forest’.”
The forest had been closed for a long time now, but the rumors did not disappear and it was still being talked about.
The eyes of nobles glanced at Annette suspiciously.
“It’s said she made an ugly mistake in there and ran away.”
“……!”
“That’s why she ran away despite the prince’s application for adoption.”
“Oh my gosh! But now she has come and shamelessly appeared to be part of the imperial family!”
The young lord snorted.
“Isn’t she just a commoner girl? Without a drop of noble blood mixed. Being such a lowly girl, she must be brazen.”
“Oh my goodness.”
Drunk on good gossip, the lady rolled her eyes and covered her mouth with her fan, laughing.
“Could it be slave blood? Crazy.”
“…….”
At that moment, the eyes of the lady and man met cold purple eyes beneath silver hair. The lady gasped and shut her mouth.
But they weren’t the only ones.
Everyone in this banquet hall was never in favor of Annette.
Despite the fact that the crown prince and grand duke were involved, rumors about a commoner who suddenly appeared and wanted to become the prince’s daughter were spreading.
―In many ways, it was none other than Gerard who ignited the well-dried firewood that was good for creating a mouthful.
“Spread the rumors. Put her in a corner.”
He was good at public opinion warfare, and he was also good at gathering up the rumbling rumors and deciding who to throw stones at.
Since she was 12-years-old, her temper had been ugly,
Irresponsible enough to run away.
And after becoming an adult, for her own benefit, she shamelessly set out to become the prince’s daughter.
—That was the identity of Annette created by Gerard.
“She’s just a livestock on a leash. The more isolated she is, the better she will listen to me.”
This headline appeared in the daily newspaper today.
「Prince Gerard:
“I’ll gladly accept the returned prodigal child as my daughter”」
Gerard wrapped himself in hypocrisy and assumed the position of a generous and perfect prince.
“Sister.”
Heinrich’s face was pale. There was a deepened accumulation of anger that he had barely endured from before.
“Can I keep all those mouths shut? …Everyone talks without knowing anything. Just leave it to me, please.”
“Heinrich.”
Annette looked at him calmly.
“No matter what happens today, don’t come forward.”
“…….”
“Because this is my fight.”
In an instant, Heinrich read a deep, hot fire in her eyes.
He was even taken aback, as it was an expression he had never seen on her before.
After a while, Heinrich blushed and whispered to her.
“Sister. How sexy.”
“……!”
It was at the time when Annette looked at Heinrich with astonished eyes.
Dang– Dang– Dang–
The bell of the banquet hall rang, and the high priest sat in the highest seat.
“Today is the day of celebration in which a pitiful woman who has lived a lonely life finally finds her father and becomes ‘Annette von Axelferion’. It should be recorded and remain in history.”
The nobles all respected the high priest and listened to him.
“God’s blessings will be with you. Prince Gerard, are you ready to become a father?”
“…….”
The red eyes between the silver-gray hair were getting warmer.
“Of course. Ever since I saw her as a poor orphan, I wanted to make her my daughter. She still looks like a child to me.”
He had terrifyingly friendly eyes.
“Although she has already grown up and I’ve missed the joy of raising her, Annette…”
“…….”
“I want to give my daughter a present to live a prosperous and happy life as a member of the imperial family.”
A modest exclamation broke out among the nobles. It was indeed a reaction befitting of the prince.
Everyone was talking about how generous he was, how perfect a prince he was.
A warm smile spread and created wrinkled corners in the high priest’s eyes.
The old man also seemed to have been moved by Gerard’s words.
“Then Miss Annette. Would you accept being ‘Annette von Axelferion’?”
—Of course she will.
Who would refuse the life of an imperial family member?
But if she accepts it, wouldn’t it be too blatant?
After committing a crime and escaping, she came back to get the life of the imperial family by sticking to the generous prince.
This time, eyes filled with displeasure focused on Annette.
“No. Please cancel the official enrolment.”
“……!!!”
The audience was shocked and closed their mouths without a sound. And soon after, voices gathered into a buzz-like wave broke out.
Gerard raised his eyebrows.
“Miss Annette, the <Formal Enrollment Procedure> is no joke. You can’t just cancel it.”
Annette smiled nonchalantly with her pale green eyes shining.
“According to the Imperial Adoption Law…!”
“…….”
“Cancellation is possible in two cases.”
All of a sudden, everyone was concentrating on her as if they were being sucked in.
Annette continued, slowly making eye contact with them as if grabbing the crowd.
“First, when she has already formed a family and her own family exists. Second, when succeeding a ‘title’.”
It was then.
Tuk-tuk-tuk—
A huge man slowly walked up to Annette, parting the audience like a wave.
It was the crown prince who was absent today.
Sislin silently handed Annette a scroll of parchment.
Chaaak!
The parchment was spread out to the left without hesitation.
Annette said, holding the parchment.
“I recently found my biological mother.”
“……!”
Wasn’t she an orphan?
The crowd roared a little again.
“That’s right, she is ‘Duchess Derkis Valienne’.”
“…Then?!”
The young lord, who called Annette a ‘lowly girl’, covered his mouth, and his complexion became stark white.
The eyes of the lady, who thought Annette was of slavery, grew as if they would fall out at any moment.
“The Duchess of Valienne has unfortunately passed away… Now, I am the new head of the Duchy of Valienne.”
Tak—
A seal was stamped acknowledging that the ‘head’ of the Duchy of Valienne had been changed. It was the seal of the imperial family that Sislin possessed, with public confidence.
Annette calmly put the signet ring she had inherited from her mother on her finger.
“What, nonsense…”
Gerard’s eyebrows furrowed openly. Before he could put on a mask of hypocrisy.
It was the moment when the girl he thought he had managed to get his hands on was about to get out again.
‘That brat has found her mother. That’s why she’s so arrogant.’
Gerrard bowed his head for a moment, expressing his embarrassment, and then—
“Hah.”
He laughed.
He couldn’t resist and burst out laughing.
Was that girl in high spirits with only that?
It’s pitiful because it’s pitiful.
“Miss Annette.”
Gerard’s eyebrows twisted further as he opened his mouth.
“No, should I call you ‘Duchess Valienne’ now?”
“…….”
“Unfortunately, however, the ‘official registration’ document was signed in the past. Today was just a formal procedure.”
“No way.”
Heinrich’s face flushed with agitation for an instant. Gerard’s mean eyes grew even more intense.
‘You didn’t know this, brat.’
“About 10 years ago, when you ran away, I got the signature of an agent and already completed the official registration documents.”
“……!!!”
“Sir, please show us.”
The high priest slowly showed the official documents.
—There it was. Really.
The legit signature of a person sufficient to become Annette’s guardian.
It was the signature of <Madam Mimosa>.
“So Duchess Valienne, you must have been given the title of Duchess of Valienne after becoming my daughter.”
“…….”
Gerard’s red eyes widened.
“There is no way to cancel the adoption.”
He wanted to laugh out loud again. He wanted to ask what it felt like to be trampled on while struggling. Anyone could see that Gerard was ecstatic.
That was then.
“‘Madam Mimosa’ cannot be my official representative. She was the woman who ran the Forest, an illegal nurturing institution—”
Annette’s pale green eyes gleamed. Her index finger pointed exactly at Gerard.
“She operated the facility in an illegal collusion with Prince Gerard over there!”
“……!!!”
What kind of bullshit?
Gerard’s face was crumpled like a used tissue.
“Sir.”
Annette coolly uttered, turning to the high priest.
Bit by bit, word by word.
“I am not here because of the adoption.”
A clear voice resounded in the ears of the crowd.
“I am here to <accuse> Prince Gerard.”
“…….”
“On the charges of operating the ‘Forest’, an illegal child care facility, and selling children for personal gain. Plus…”
Her bitter eyes turned to Gerard.
Her lips moved as she shattered the reputation he had cherished like his life.
“…The murder of ‘High Priest Arthur,’ who died more than 10 years ago, before he could even attend his grandson’s wedding which was held 2 days later.”
“……!!!”
Gerard’s face turned red immediately. It was the first time the ‘perfect prince’ had been treated like this in front of everyone.
“What!! This does not make sense…! Nonsense without any evidence.”
“I have a witness.”
Annette looked at the door calmly. At that moment, the door of the massive banquet hall opened and a man entered.
Tock, tock.
The reversal would be swift and decisive.
There was no substance in the rumors, so the moment she showed the truth to people, public opinion would inevitably overturn.
“You…!!!”
Recognizing the man, Gerard’s pupils widened.
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