NOVEL NEXT Chapter 78
“Mother.”
They say that even tigers will come if one says so, and Izmel suddenly appeared. Eleanor’s eyes widened.
The Empress was equally surprised.
“Izmel? What’s the matter, so suddenly?”
Izmel whimpered and narrowed one of his eyes at the Empress.
“What’s the matter, you say. I stopped by because I wanted to see Mother.”
“I can’t believe it. Since when have you been like that?”
The Empress glanced at Izmel unabashedly. Still, she seemed happy about her son’s visit and had a maid prepare another seat for him.
“I didn’t expect to see you. Nice to meet you, Lady.”
Izmel sat down and greeted Eleanor. He took off his hand, but she realized that he had come on purpose because of her.
‘I feel anxious.’
Contrary to Eleanor’s worries, Izmel instantly brightened the mood. As he stepped forward and began to lead the conversation, Eleanor’s expression became more relaxed.
If there’s a problem,
Ssskㅡ
Izmel kept pushing the dessert plate in front of Eleanor.
Eleanor looked at the row of dessert plates on the table with eagle eyes. It was clear that everything was slightly biased towards her.
Eleanor smiled quietly and gently pushed the plate towards the Empress.
“Does Eleanor get hot too?”
Then the Empress turned her head towards her and asked. Eleanor was startled and she answered.
“I think I get cold more than heat.”
“Me too. However, Izmel has been particularly weak to heat since he was young. Until he was five he started taking off his clothes and throwing them everywhere…”
“Mother is joking. Don’t listen, Eleanor.”
Izmel quickly interrupted the Empress. His cheeks burned as he listened with Eleanor to the dark history of his childhood.
“It happened when you were only five years old. There is no need to be ashamed.”
Eleanor said with a grin.
“You seem embarrassed to be in front of a pretty girl.”
“Yes. My face was at a loss in front of this beautiful lady. It’s too much.”
Izmel grunted as he blatantly moved the strawberry cake in front of Eleanor. His movements were as natural as flowing water.
Eleanor’s heart sank. Fortunately, the Empress didn’t seem to notice.
She stretched her legs under the table and pressed her foot against Izmel’s.
‘Stop it!’
‘What?’
Izmel tilted his head slightly as if he didn’t understand her. Eleanor frowned, looking back and forth between the plate and Izmel.
‘About you pushing a plate in front of me.’
While the Empress was drinking tea, the two exchanged eager glances and gestures.
‘It’s what you like, though.’
‘Huft. You really can’t do this anymore. It’s a warning!’
As Eleanor widened her eyes in warning, Izmel lowered his head.
‘How cute.’
The smile on his face deepened. Eleanor’s ears turned red.
“Oh my.”
At that time, the Empress let out an exclamation as if she was surprised.
Did she happen to see two people whispering? Eleanor and Izmel stiffened.
“Look at my common sense. I spilled the tea. Izmel, can you give me a handkerchief?”
For no particular reason, Eleanor rubbed her chest.
“…Izmel?”
Yet no matter how much time passed, Izmel didn’t hand over the handkerchief. Even though the handkerchief is clearly visible.
Eleanor casted curious gaze towards Izmel. He awkwardly looked away as he drank his tea.
In the end, Eleanor took out her handkerchief and handed it to the Empress.
“Thank you, Eleanor.”
The Empress looked at her son with a bewildered expression and wiped her hands.
Izmel scratched the back of his head for no reason and looked the other way.
‘If I had known this would happen, I would have brought another handkerchief.’
He knew it looked strange, but he didn’t want to hold out his handkerchief. As it was a gift from Eleanor.
“There is no use raising a son. I wish I had a daughter as pretty as Eleanor.”
How can you be so kind and pretty?
The Empress stretched out her arm and grasped Eleanor’s hand. Her dislike of Izmel seemed to increase her liking for Eleanor.
“I will make sure to repay you for the borrowed handkerchief later.”
“You don’t have to…”
“I want to do it for you. I have other things to thank you for.”
***
A few days later, a large gift box arrived from the Imperial Palace.
“Her Imperial Majesty the Empress chose it herself.”
The large box was filled with all kinds of things other than handkerchiefs. From lovely dresses that sparkle like fairy clothes to pretty ribbons.
It really felt like she put a lot of care into each item, as if she was giving it to her daughter.
“Whoa… The only thing I did was lend her a handkerchief.”
She almost became a little grateful to Izmel, who was acting strangely.
“Are you going to wear it to the party today?”
Emily asked excitedly.
“Um, no. I think it would be nice to feel a little lighter today.”
It was a meeting with fellow academy classmates, and she didn’t want to stand out by wearing flashy clothes. Emily felt frustrated and played with the hem of her dress.
“But it would be okay to have at least a ribbon.”
Emily’s face brightened at Eleanor’s words. She said with an enthusiastic look on her face as she nodded her head loudly.
“Great. I’ll pick out a dress that matches the ribbon.”
“Thank you. Chloe, can you do my hair?”
At Eleanor’s words, Chloe approached holding a hairbrush. She began to comb Eleanor’s hair with trembling hands.
“Ah!”
Then the hairbrush got caught in her hair. Eleanor let out a small groan as she felt the stinging sensation.
“I a-apologize”
“It’s fine.”
“I tried to comb it gently…”
Chloe, in panic, dropped the hairbrush on the floor.
Thud
. The comb rolled on the floor with a loud noise.
“Ah, I apologize.”
Chloe lowered herself almost to the ground. She picked up the hairbrush with trembling hands and pushed herself to her feet.
A slight furrow appeared between Eleanor’s eyebrows. Something was strange about Chloe these days.
She made a series of mistakes that she didn’t normally make, and spent more time looking blankly out of the window. Her gentle jokes also disappeared.
“Chloe.”
Eleanor held Chloe’s hand in hers. Then Chloe was startled and pulled her hands away. The two looked at each other in silence with surprised faces.
“I a-apologize. I was surprised.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Eleanor apologized, her eyes wide.
“It’s because I’m worried. Are you fine? I don’t think your complexion is good these days.”
Eleanor’s face was filled with genuine concern.
Chloe’s hands began to shake. Her remorse washed over her.
She desperately wanted to get down on her knees and confess the truth, yet she didn’t have the courage to open her mouth. She was afraid of Eleanor’s anger, and she was also afraid of Princess Izent’s retaliation.
Chloe barely answered.
“I’m fine, Miss. I just feel a bit unwell.”
“Then you should have told me. I would have called the doctor right away.”
“I’m taking the medicine, so I’ll get better soon.”
Chloe barely smiled and answered.
“Aren’t you working too hard?”
Eleanor said after thinking for a moment.
“I’ll give you a week’s vacation. Go rest. It won’t be deducted from your paycheck, so don’t worry, just get some rest.”
Chloe waved her hand away with a pale face.
“No, Miss. It’s really fine…”
“Chloe, we’ve known each other for five years already. I want you to be healthy and happy.”
Eleanor lightly placed her hand on Chloe’s shoulder.
Although their relationship was that of employer and employee, Eleanor always thought of them as friends. For years, it was hard not to get close to them, seeing their faces and talking to them every day.
“I’ll do the same for Marie and Emily later. So don’t feel pressured and rest well.”
Chloe nodded, looking like she was about to cry.
***
The day she had a promise with Adrian has come.
“Whoa!”
Eleanor, seeing the large ship anchored in the harbor, burst out in admiration. The pure white ship, slightly colored by the sunset, was very large and clean.
“It’s a shame Dwight couldn’t come with us. It’s really cool.”
“I know. Let’s go in.”
Adrian, taking off his sleek tailcoat, held out his arm to Eleanor. He looked like a prince straight out of a fairy tale.
She awkwardly crossed his arms and carefully boarded the boat.
As they entered through the entrance on the side she was guided to, the wide-open banquet hall caught her eye. Many people had already arrived and were exchanging greetings.
“Adrian Blake!”
Someone was walking towards Adrian.
“Jeffrey.”
“How long has it been since this? You were absent every time, yet this time you had a change of heart.”
A man named Jeffrey greeted Adrian with a light hug. It seemed like he was very happy to see him after a long time.
He asked, looking cautiously in Eleanor’s direction.
“But what about her?”
Adrian briefly introduced the two people.
“My partner, Eleanor Everett. Ellen, this is my classmate, Jeffrey Brierney.”
Adrian introduced Eleanor as his partner, not his friend. Eleanor blushed unconsciously next to Adrian.
“Everett? Dwight Everett…?”
Jeffrey muttered softly at the vaguely familiar last name. Eleanor nodded her head and held out her hand.
“I’m Dwight’s twin sister. Nice to meet you.”
Jeffrey smiled coolly and shook her hand.
“Ah, now that I think about it, you look alike. Nice to meet you. Let’s go inside. “There are many people who will be happy to see Adrian.”
They slowly walked towards where Jeffrey was leading. The eyes of people behind their backs were glued to them like shadows.
The nervous Eleanor tightened her grip on Adrian’s arm, and Adrian smiled at her.