ITIF Chapter 78

The Child Brought from Outside

‘……A mere substitute.’

Though she hadn’t heard it properly, at the time she couldn’t understand at all what those words meant.

Anger surged to the top of her head at the boy who had spoken so insolently to her, the 1st Imperial Princess of the Empire.

However, reminding herself that she must not forget her duties as an Imperial Princess, she hurriedly moved forward.

She intended to give the impudent boy a knock on the head.

Just as Lady Keyton, who was in charge of etiquette education, had done to her when she didn’t listen.

‘How dare he! To me…….’

And before she could even reach out her hand toward him, someone stopped her.

It was the previous Duke Cardia.

He shielded the boy as if protecting someone precious.

And he looked down at her with a cold gaze. His violet eyes clearly held a warning. As if to say he wouldn’t let it slide if she acted rashly once more.

The atmosphere was extremely strange.

Rather than father and son, it seemed more like he was protecting a master who must be served.

And at that time, there were no adults present to protect her, who had secretly escaped from her lessons after shaking off the knights and maids.

Though she burst into tears pitifully, Duke Cardia did not comfort her and left that place with the boy.

A maid who discovered her belatedly embraced her in confusion, but the incident remained in her memory for quite a long time.

Because it was such an old incident and not a particularly pleasant memory, she tried to forget it quickly.

Fortunately, she was excessively busy, and at some point she forgot the memory of that incident.

However, as soon as she encountered something that would remind her of that memory again, it came flooding back.

[The Duke and Young Duke Cardia, you know. They looked nothing alike.]

[That’s because, Your Highness, Young Duke Cardia’s mother was born of lowly blood.]

[His mother is lowly? I heard that the Duchess Cardia was the daughter of a great lord of the West?]

[Well…… they say the Duke brought the child from outside.]

[Brought a child from outside? ……Why?]

To her who couldn’t understand, the maid hesitated for a while before opening her mouth.

[Your Highness, you must keep this secret from Her Majesty the Empress, alright? Please! You absolutely mustn’t say I told you, understand?]

Only after repeatedly urging her did the maid reveal what she knew about Duke Cardia’s origins.

The Duchess Cardia had been unable to have a child for quite some time after marriage, and Duke Cardia, who needed an heir to continue the family line, had brought a bastard child from outside. But the problem was that the other party happened to be from an immigrant tribe of northern descent…….

Only then did she understand.

The reason they said Young Duke Cardia’s mother was born of lowly blood.

At the time, she thought that must be true.

The previous Duke Cardia had dark blonde hair and violet eyes, and the previous Duchess Cardia had blonde hair and blue eyes.

Even if Kavelaseth was born with an appearance somewhat different from his parents, it wouldn’t be a major problem.

Though not common, it was said that among the immigrant tribes of northern descent, some were born with black hair or red eyes.

If it were true that Kavelaseth had a mother from the northern immigrant tribes, that is.

Then what was that portrait of a woman resembling the previous Empress that she had seen when visiting the Cardia ducal residence?

‘And what about the reason for keeping secret that he was born on Founding Day…….’

As expected, that portrait bothered her.

The woman was holding a newborn baby, and though the child’s eyes were tightly closed, the hair was definitely black.

“…….”

Giselle Grante stared at the red eyes of the founding Emperor in the portrait with furrowed brows.

Wondering why the founding Emperor and Kavelaseth looked so identical, as if stamped from the same mold.

****

Had seeing the portrait of the founding Emperor been the cause of trouble?

Giselle Grante’s steps as she left the secret archive were somewhat heavy.

When she entered the banquet hall, the congratulatory speech had already ended, and the Emperor and Empress were just about to begin the first dance.

Watching the paired nobles take their places on the dance floor one by one, Giselle Grante entered the banquet hall listlessly.

Just then, Mikhail, who had been lingering near the entrance, spotted her and approached.

“Giselle, nothing happened, right?”

Perhaps because her expression wasn’t bright, Mikhail asked with a worried look.

Giselle Grante forced a smile and answered.

“It took a bit of time to immediately receive the tools for organizing the threads.”

“I see, how about…… since we’re here anyway, would you like to dance?”

Mikhail asked, gesturing toward the dance floor with his eyes.

As far as she knew, Mikhail greatly disliked dancing.

She had seen Mikhail dance with a young lady in public only once, and that was at the debutante ball.

The debutante required men and women to dance in pairs to conclude, and Mikhail had danced only one song with a deathly expression.

And the reason she remembered that part was because of the lady’s maids.

Even if it was something she didn’t pay particular attention to, the interests of young ladies inevitably reached her ears.

The unmarried young ladies were as interested in Mikhail as they were in Kavelaseth, which was quite natural in a way.

It was said that Mikhail was the only person who didn’t seem particularly lacking in appearance even standing next to Kavelaseth, possessing such handsome looks, and Mikhail was destined to become the next head of Duke Amaterasu’s house, known for being naturally intelligent.

So he couldn’t help but receive all the young ladies’ attention.

Moreover, Mikhail’s attitude of being consistently unfriendly to all women also came across favorably to the young ladies.

Something about seeming like he would only be good to his own woman…….

Anyway, after the debutante, Mikhail had never danced in public even once, and Giselle Grante had once asked him casually in passing.

Why he didn’t dance.

Mikhail had said that the sight of laughing heartily and spinning round and round in front of everyone was like a circus clown.

For him to suggest dancing……?

“Dance…… with me?”

“Why…… don’t you want to?”

Though Mikhail was asking whether she didn’t want to dance, he too wore an unpleasant expression.

“You’re making a face like a cow being dragged to the slaughterhouse. Right now.”

At Giselle Grante’s blunt words, Mikhail let out a small “Ah,” and hurriedly covered his eyes with his hand.

Then he glanced at Giselle Grante through the gaps between his fingers.

“Did it…… look like that?”

“Yes.”

Giselle Grante nodded firmly.

Soon Mikhail’s gaze turned toward the young ladies dancing on the dance floor in their fluttering dresses.

Watching Mikhail stare at them spinning round and round with bright faces, she realized why he had suggested dancing despite disliking it.

“Don’t tell me…… you suggested dancing because you thought I wouldn’t receive any dance invitations?”

“That’s absolutely not it! Everyone must be itching to dance with you, right? And Giselle, you’re so pretty…….”

Mikhail shook his head vigorously and listed her virtues.

No one had invited Giselle Grante to dance, and it seemed like he was trying to comfort her, who might feel intimidated by the situation.

Founding Day was a major event where the Empire’s nobility gathered in large numbers, and if she left the Imperial Palace without having danced with anyone, it would prove just how unpopular she was.

So Mikhail was now worrying about her reputation, which had nowhere lower to fall.

Behind Mikhail, who was earnestly pouring out excuses worried about hurting Giselle Grante’s feelings, a familiar face came into view.

It was Kavelaseth.

“……?”

He was conversing with young ladies.

It was when she was looking in that direction at the unexpected situation.

Though she couldn’t hear what Kavelaseth said, the young lady standing before him turned around with a bright red face.

Then she ran out of the banquet hall.

The young ladies who were with her glared sharply at Kavelaseth and followed after the young lady who had run out first.

Mikhail’s eyes, who had been watching that scene following Giselle Grante’s gaze, widened.

Soon, with an expression as if he’d had a good idea, Mikhail said.

“Wait here for a moment, Giselle.”

Then he approached Kavelaseth.

He probably intended to ask Kavelaseth to dance with Giselle Grante instead of him.

“……I’m really fine though.”

It was when she furrowed her brows watching Mikhail, who cared more about her reputation than his own.

A cackling laughter could be heard, as if something was so amusing.

She turned her head toward the direction from which the laughter came.

Marchioness Latse, who had been heading to the dance floor with her arm linked with some young lord, glanced at Giselle Grante standing alone and said.

“It seems there’s someone who still hasn’t received a single dance invitation.”

At the openly mocking gaze, Giselle Grante turned toward Marchioness Latse.

And it was just as she was about to approach her and say something.

“Giselle.”

Mikhail and Kavelaseth approached her.

Extending his hand before her, Kavelaseth said.

“Would you share your first dance with me?”

Not only Giselle Grante’s eyes, but also those of Marchioness Latse who was watching, widened as if they would pop out.

Mikhail also wore a surprised expression.

It was ironic that only Kavelaseth, who had invited her to dance, looked the most peaceful.