Chapter 3

Translated by Lara

by Lara

Empress Isabelle’s expression, who was smiling happily, hardened at my declaration.

Even Prince Luciano raised his head in surprise.

Everyone was in a flurry of panic.

In the distance, I could see my parents on the verge of fainting.

I could feel the cool atmosphere all over my body.

But I pretended not to know anything and smiled.

‘There is nothing you can do to a child with no tact.’

“Well, may I know the cute lady’s name?”

Empress Isabelle smiled, as if her expression hadn’t been hardened before.

She looked so kind that it was terrifying. She was also not someone to be taken lightly.

“It’s Aesvin Samuel. Count Benjamin Samuel is my father.”

Empress Isabelle looked at my parents with a strange admiration.

Maybe the empress would have fired a warning look, ‘Did you raise the child so immaturely like this?’ to my parents.

I felt a little sorry to see my parents’ faces turning pale after receiving attention.

“So you were Count Samuel’s daughter. Nice to meet you, Aesvin. How old is Aesvin now?”

“It’s an honor to meet you, too. I’m 8 years old this year.”

Only Empress Isabelle’s voice was very soft.

But the meaning behind it was probably, ‘What you just chose is stupid and foolish.’

I smiled brightly as I felt Prince Luciano’s sparkling eyes staring at me.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Empress Isabelle’s brows gently frowned at my bright attitude.

She seemed to be looking at me with ‘What is with this tactless thing?’ kind of look.

Soon, she added a little more to her judgment, ‘Is she ignorant because she’s still young?’

“It’s amazing to hear that because everyone else is quiet, but you say you’ll be friends with the lonely Prince Luciano. Aesvin is very kind because you’re still young.”

Everyone else was quiet, so you better be quiet as well.

Would the prince be lonely for nothing?

There was a reason for everything.

I could feel that intention from the words. So I shouted brightly.

“Yes! I’m kind.”

Empress Isabelle hardened at my bright answer that seemed to have not understood a word.

I grinned even more, pretending not to notice my father’s astonishment or Prince Luciano’s unfriendly juvenile gaze.

They didn’t seem to notice that we were children.

A child certainly didn’t make perfectly calculating judgments like an adult..

However, they instinctively noticed whether the other person’s reaction was positive or negative.

That’s why other children stayed away from Prince Luciano according to the adults’ decisions.

The children of aristocrat families were more clever. The method of grasping the mood of a person in higher status than oneself was basically installed from a young age.

So, it would be the first time for Empress Isabelle to see an ignorant person like me.

The corners of her lips trembled as if her patience had reached its limit.

“Hmm, so Aesvin would be Prince Luciano’s friend?”

“Yes, I said that earlier.”

I ignored the signal to deny it even now.

I had bright eyes as if I didn’t know what the problem was.

Empress Isabel was staring at me with bloody eyes for a moment, then glanced at Prince Luciano and changed her question.

“Why does Aesvin want to be Prince Luciano’s friend?”

This was inside a novel, I was the main character of an extra-possession story, and Prince Luciano was my future male protagonist candidate.

… I couldn’t say that, so I shut up.

Empress Isabelle laughed loosely at how she read my hesitant mind.

“There must be a reason why Aesvin said you would be Prince Luciano’s friend. Is it out of pity?”

“What?”

“Do you pity Prince Luciano who has no friends, so our good Aesvin is trying to be his friend?”

I was speechless for a moment when she said something so blatantly.

Empress Isabelle had two intentions when she came up with these explicit words.

First, it was a warning for me to see Prince Luciano’s situation and realize the reality.

Second, the empress tried to keep Prince Luciano from believing me.

When I glanced back at Prince Luciano, his red eyes had sunk coldly.

I didn’t answer anything, but when I stared at him it was as if I had said I felt sorry for him with my own mouth.

It seemed that the empress’ initials had been worked properly.

It was so funny because there were so many people, but everyone couldn’t say anything because they were looking at Empress Isabelle.

“What Your Majesty said is strange.”

“What’s wrong?”

Empress Isabelle, who was observing Prince Luciano, had a soft voice, perhaps thinking that her plan worked.

“I was taught to be friendly to my peers. Do I need a reason to be friends with someone? Didn’t everyone learn like me?”

I tilted my head as if I really didn’t understand.

And I made eye contact with the adults slowly.

‘You adults … you should be ashamed.’

It was intended to make even grown-up adults feel guilty for bullying a child, and it worked.

Everyone averted my gaze with bewildered faces.

“I’m not a baby anymore, I’m an 8-year-old older sister. I’m going to get along well with everyone.”

I added brightly so that my words didn’t feel like admonition.

Still, everyone bowed their heads as if they were ashamed of me, and that the nobles had no idea at all.

Empress Isabelle stared fiercely at me.

I turned slightly because I was burdened, and then I made eye contact with Prince Luciano.

He was giving me a strange look.

I felt it at that moment.

That this was an opportunity for Prince Luciano to be conscious of me.

I was proud that everything went as I intended.

‘I’ll become Prince Luciano’s childhood friend, right?’

Then a male protagonist’s childhood friend cliche route that was famous in the romantic fantasy genre will be made.

One step closer to Prince Luciano became my man.

“So, is that why Aesvin will be friends with Prince Luciano?”

Empress Isabelle let out a shrill voice as if she had lost her patience.

Her emotions seemed to have become so intense that she didn’t notice she had made a mistake.

Other adults were sulking with shame.

Still, I was fed up with the nobles’ attitude who had no intention of stopping Empress Isabelle.

I couldn’t make it obvious, so I opened my eyes and made a surprised expression.

“Your majesty, that question is weird!”

” … What’s weird about it?”

Only then did Empress Isabelle clear her voice as if she remembered that she had not been able to control her emotions.

“No, earlier Your Majesty said you were worried about Prince Luciano being alone. Your Majesty asked if anyone would be his friend. That’s why I stood up, and I thought you were saying that you were uncomfortable with me being friends with Prince Luciano.”

“That’s—”

Empress Isabelle, who belatedly noticed her mistake, felt a hint of regret.

I continued the attack before the confusion went away.

“Of course, it’s not that Your Majesty has objections to Prince Luciano having a friend.”

“O-of course.”

“Then, what’s the reason? Is it because I’m not good enough?”

“What?”

“Is it because I’m just a mere count’s daughter, so I’m lacking as the prince’s friend?”

As I said the last word, I squeezed out tears by applying force to my eyes.

It would have been contrived if I hadn’t shed tears right now.

The point was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

I created the image of a heartbroken child with teary eyes.

“Well—”

“What should we do ….”

“It’s like being tormented ….”

An awkward atmosphere spread among the nobles.

That was because, at first glance, an innocent child seemed to be persecuted by Empress Isabelle.

Empress Isabelle must have felt that too.

As I saw Empress Isabelle’s eyes gradually growing bitter, I quickly buried my face in my palm and made a sad voice.

“I’m sorry, I lacked a lot, but I didn’t even notice. Not knowing when the count’s daughter should come in and when she shouldn’t!”

Sobs. When I added a false cry, the nobles’ murmur grew even louder. Empress Isabelle had no choice but to clean up the situation.

“That was not my intention. Aesvin must have misunderstood something. Of course, you can be friends with Prince Luciano.”

“Really? So are you saying that I’m qualified to be Prince Luciano’s friend?”

At the words that comforted me, I raised my head and spoke a tone of reluctance.

When there was no tear on my face, Empress Isabelle’s face was distorted.

Everyone made a ‘Huh?‘ expression.

I pretended not to know and laughed innocently, then forced an answer.

“Your Majesty, can I be friends with Prince Luciano?”

Now, there was no way you could say no.

” … Of course. Please get along with Prince Luciano, Aesvin.”

“Yes! I will!”

I responded enthusiastically to Empress Isabelle’s shivering remarks.

The empress gave too much strength to her grips, causing her fan to tremble softly.

I jumped up and stood in front of Prince Luciano.

“Prince Luciano, let’s be close like Your Majesty had said!”

Prince Luciano looked at my smiling face.

He looked at me as if I was a strange thing, but I kept smiling.

He eventually nodded slowly.

‘Is this the main character’s buff?’

I was excited because things went so smoothly.

I was in high spirits. Now, all I had to do was stick to him and wait for him to fall in love with me.

That was also the main character’s buff, so he will fall in love with me someday.

Yes, until then, I firmly believed that I had become Prince Luciano’s childhood friend.