“Eileen, I finished washing!”

Louis ran and hugged me tightly.

I carefully dried his wet hair.

“Oh, well done. Our Lord Louis.”

“I’m a child now too!”

His words with hands on his hips were quite confident.

‘He’s cute no matter what he does.’

I said as I kissed his soft cheek.

“There’s a party at another palace in 2 weeks. The princes were invited too, what do you think?”

The host of the Ologe party was the Marchioness, but for the past few years it had been held in the Empress’s banquet hall.

Louis’s eyes sparkled just at the fact of being invited, not even knowing what kind of party it was.

“Really? Can Evan and I go to a place like that?”

“Of course.”

“Yes! I definitely want to go!”

His excited voice made my heart heavy.

‘He must have been this happy in the original story too?’

Not knowing what would happen there.

After Evan got hurt at the Ologe party, the two children were forcibly taken to various parties and suffered all sorts of humiliation.

It was all done with the tacit approval of the Empress, contributing to why the children came to hate people.

‘But this time will be different.’

Because Kashar will protect the children.

I stroked Louis’s hair and asked.

“Do you like it here, Louis?”

“Huh? Our home?”

“Yes. Our home.”

Louis’s eyes opened wide.

Contrary to my expectation that he would hesitate, the child smiled brightly.

“Yes, this is where I lived with mom!”

“Do you remember Rosalie?”

The maid Rosalie was the twins’ mother.

Louis immediately nodded at the name of his mother he hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Of course! This is a secret, but…”

Louis lowered his voice and headed to the corner of the room.

A moment later, there was a glass bottle in the child’s hand.

“This is the grape juice mom used to make for us. We can’t drink it anymore. But Evan and I have been keeping it preciously.”

The liquid that had turned from purple to nearly black swished inside the glass bottle.

The grape juice that should have been thrown away long ago had become a keepsake to remember their mother.

‘Showing me this means.’

It was no different than saying he trusted me.

Rosalie was a part I had overlooked.

Looking at Louis smiling while holding the drink that had turned to alcohol and spoiled, my mouth felt bitter.

‘Why did I think they would obviously hate this place?’

At least for the children, it was a precious home to commemorate memories with their late mother.

“I remember this saying too. Mom always told us to live brightly. She said love would return someday if we did.”

Louis’s words made something well up inside me.

As I nodded silently, Louis held both my hands tightly.

“Is that so?”

“Yes, mom was right after all. Eileen loves me now too. I’m really glad I didn’t give up.”

I felt like crying at his sunny smile.

Just as I was about to hug Louis tightly, unable to hold back.

“Mother was wrong.”

It was Evan.

“What do you mean?”

As Louis tilted his head in confusion, Evan snorted.

The child’s expression was very cold.

“It means exactly what I said. No matter how hard you try, it won’t change.”

“But Eileen changed.”

“Do you really believe that?”

The hostile gaze swept past Louis and poured onto me.

‘Why so suddenly?’

I thought we had gotten a little closer.

‘I thought if I persuaded well about the guardian and moving, it would be okay.’

It was all my misjudgment.

“Why doesn’t Evan believe it?”

Louis asked, not understanding.

A sneer appeared on Evan’s face.

“Because she’s trying to hand us over to someone else.”

You heard.

I sensed that Evan knew everything.

“Us? To whom? Eileen, I don’t understand anything Evan is saying.”

Louis asked, tugging on my sleeve.

My words were blocked for a moment, so I couldn’t answer right away.

‘You misunderstand.’

Evan thought I was trying to get rid of them to Kashar.

“Lord Evan, just a moment!”

“Get out of our room.”

“Evan, it hurts!”

Evan pulled Louis and hid him behind his back.

The child’s expression was cold, as if not even a needle could enter.

“If you won’t leave, we’ll leave.”

“I’ll go. Where are you going in the middle of the night?”

Attempting conversation now would be counterproductive.

I retreated to the hallway before Evan.

“…Sweet dreams. Lord Louis. Lord Evan.”

Bang-!

The door closed after my goodnight greeting.

The hallway was dim.

I stood there for a while before returning to Eileen’s room.

‘I didn’t know Evan would be hurt.’

I expected him to dislike Kashar, but I never dreamed such a misunderstanding would arise.

‘Did I move too hastily?’

Recalling the cold gaze made me feel bad.

But at that time, this was the only way.

There was one more invitation on the table that I received belatedly.

It was sent to me by the Marchioness, which was also different from the original story.

‘Eileen just sent the children in alone.’

Even though she could have gone together as their nanny, she avoided it alone for fear of incurring displeasure.

Seeing that she sent an invitation for me too, I could feel the Empress was determined.

“First I need to prepare something for the auction.”

The highlight of the Ologe party was the charity auction.

The nobles participating in the party put up food or alcohol representing their family, or local specialties for auction.

The proceeds from the auction were donated to the temple under the nobles’ names, and the item that fetched the highest price became that year’s masterpiece.

What was put up for auction in the original story was.

‘Rosalie’s grape juice.’

The princes also had to prepare an item for the party auction.

Eileen, who didn’t want to share anything she had, searched the children’s bedrooms and found the spoiled grape juice.

‘It became a laughingstock.’

The grape juice was sold for one fairy tale leaf and spilled on the floor.

The last trace of their mother disappeared before the children’s eyes.

“That won’t happen.”

I flopped down on the bed.

I wanted to fall asleep right away, but my mind was complicated.

‘I keep thinking about it.’

Evan’s gaze was cold, wasn’t it.

I fell into a late sleep recalling Evan’s sharp eyes.

A moment later, when I opened my eyes, it was.

“It’s splendid today too.”

When I squinted at the bright lights, a voice came from my feet.

“Kyuu-!”

“Hello, Hayang.”

We had become quite close from always being together in dreams.

I hugged Hayang tightly as if about to burst.

“Big sister seems particularly troubled today.”

“Kyuu, kyuuk-!”

The soft, squishy flesh squirmed in my arms.

‘I feel a bit better.’

Is this what they call pet therapy?

I calmly looked around at the items filling the mart while holding Hayang.

“What would be good?”

The dessert section was full of snacks, chocolates, and candies.

‘Sweet things might be popular too.’

The auction items were meant to be comparable to the participant’s status.

The desserts in this world were terrible, so even just putting up ABC chocolate would probably guarantee first place.

But most of the nobles invited to the party were the Empress’s close associates.

I didn’t want to sweeten their tongues.

“I need something more effective.”

“Kyuu-!”

While I was pondering, Hayang broke free from my arms.

“Hayang?”

The small furball-like body hopped away well.

‘Where are you going!’

I quickly chased after.

Where Hayang stopped was the beverage and alcohol corner.

The refrigerated display was beautifully filled with colorful drinks, familiar green bottles, and foreign alcohols.

‘I’m craving a drink.’

It felt like all my worries would fly away if I washed my throat with soju and tore off crispy-edged kimchi pancakes to put in my mouth.

“Kyuu, kyuu-!”

“Stay still!”

Hayang went wild while I briefly sent my mind elsewhere.

Just as I was about to pick up Hayang again, my gaze was fixed on ‘True Traditional Liquor’.

‘This is it.’

The milky white bottles lined up in a row looked particularly pretty today.

I took out bottles bundled in sets of six and held them in my arms.

‘I’ll make them unrecognizable even to their parents.’

Hehehe.

When I laughed gloomily, Hayang’s body trembled.

I couldn’t resist giving Hayang a deep kiss.

“Oh. Our pretty puppy!”

“Kyuuk-!”

The furball shook its body in disgust at the brilliant shower of kisses.

“You like it, why pretend!”

“Kyuuk, kyuuuu-!”

It sounded like a cat growling angrily.

I thought of the children while rubbing my cheek against the soft fur.

‘I wanted to protect them.’

I didn’t know we would grow further apart in the process.

I wanted to see Louis and Evan’s brightly smiling faces.

‘Ah, right.’

Thinking of the children, I suddenly remembered something.

‘Let’s bring it tomorrow, not today.’

With that resolution, I carefully put Hayang down.

“See you tomorrow.”

“Uuuung.”

It was still an angry cry.

Meanwhile, my body was gradually disappearing.

It was time to wake up from the dream.

In the mart where presence had disappeared.

The plump furball got on the escalator.

Whirr. The stairs were moving with noise.

“Kyuu-!”

Hayang got off on the 2nd floor.

There stood a man with snow-white hair.

“Come here.”

When the man opened his arms, Hayang snuggled in.

The snow-white hand gently stroked the furball.

“Well done.”

“Grrrr.”

The man’s gaze turned to the 1st floor.

It was where Eileen had disappeared.

[This is the timeline separator]

The day of the Ologe party.

The twins and I had arrived at the entrance of the Empress’s banquet hall.

‘I’m nervous.’

A party hosted by the original villain. It was natural to be anxious.

I looked at Louis and Evan to shake off my uneasiness.

‘I should have bought them pretty clothes earlier!’

The twins in formal wear of navy and sky blue, only different in color, were very lovable.

‘I want to hug and kiss them.’

My hands itched to hug the children, but I had to give up at Evan’s cold gaze.

My relationship with Evan was no different than before.

But.

‘It feels like he’s drawn a line.’

The inner feelings he had briefly shown me were now firmly closed off.

My sad feelings were brief, as Louis, who had been glancing at me, spoke up.

“Eileen, am I pretty?”

It was a question I had heard more than ten times already, but I didn’t tire of it.

“Of course! It suits you very well.”

“Heh, Eileen is pretty too! Like a princess!”

Given the occasion, I was also wearing a green dress with my hair up.

“Thank you, Lord Louis.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve come to a place like this!”

Louis had been very excited ever since I told him we were going to a party.

I stroked Louis’s hair.

‘Though it’s not a party for minors to enjoy.’

An auction to select the Empire’s finest specialties with children.

It was obvious they intended to invite the twins to humiliate them.

“I’m so excited! The lights are all sparkly. There’ll be lots of delicious things too, right?”

“Of course, I’ll get you the prettiest and most delicious ones.”

Louis and I chattered for a while.

Unable to watch any longer, Evan clicked his tongue and scolded Louis.

“Louis, who do you think sent these clothes?”

“Huh? Didn’t Eileen give them as a gift?”

Louis tilted his head in confusion.

“They were sent by the person who gave you toys that time.”

“Ah, Eileen’s lover!”

The moment Louis clapped his hands, all eyes poured onto us.

Half curiosity, half hostility.

‘Feels like we’ve become prey.’

It was a moment when I really felt this was the Empress’s domain.

“Both of you, stay close to me or Emma even after we go in.”

“Okay!”

Just as Louis nodded.

“You stay by my side.”

Hiiik-!

I got goosebumps at the breath felt on my ear.

When I stiffly turned around, Kashar was standing there.

“You look pretty today.”

He leaned in close to me, standing crookedly.

That appearance was like.

‘A handsome thug…’

To look rough even while dressed in a suit.

‘But why does he look so cool.’

If that’s a talent, it’s a talent.

I rolled my eyes as I watched Kashar kiss the back of my hand.