Chapter 181
The adults clicked their tongues in amazement.
“What a truly intelligent young lady.”
“She’s only ten, right? She’s not only thoughtful but quick-witted in her judgment. Remarkable.”
All that came out of their mouths was praise.
Well, it would be hard for them to criticize me at this point.
Even if I’d just said, ‘I visited Prince Abeno’s room because I wanted to see him!’ they would have still praised me.
But since I’d backed everything up with logical reasoning, I practically handed them the perfect opportunity to compliment me.
“A child can be so meticulous.”
“It’s not easy to make such a deduction, is it? And acting on it immediately is truly commendable.”
Everyone praised me while carefully watching Crown Prince Beleyn ‘s expression.
Since it was well-known how much Crown Prince Beleyn cherished Prince Abeno, the shock he must have felt was immense.
Beleyn sighed and covered his mouth with his hands.
His usually warm bronze skin had a pale tinge.
He looked utterly devastated.
‘Of course.’
If the servant had been by his son’s side for a long time, he would have been someone who passed Crown Prince Beleyn ‘s thorough vetting process.
To think that someone he trusted with his precious son had been secretly feeding him hypnotics all this time.
And worse, if it hadn’t been discovered now, who knows when it would have come to light?
How long can one take hypnotics without serious harm?
If the servant had been feeding Abeno the d**g ever since he was found, it meant the boy had been under the influence for nearly a year.
‘How much strain must that have put on such a young body.’
As Beleyn’s eyes welled with tears, the others politely pretended not to notice.
‘Still, it’s a relief. Since he loves his only son so much, it’s fortunate that the truth came out before it was too late.’
I’m always weak to fathers worried about their children.
It reminds me of my own dad.
I sighed inwardly.
Crown Prince Beleyn stood up and approached me.
Looking me in the eye, he offered his thanks.
“Truly… truly, thank you.”
“I’m just glad Prince Abeno is safe!”
“You must have been frightened too. How could someone so small manage to help Abeno like that?”
Crown Prince Beleyn gazed at me with eyes full of admiration and gratitude.
I grinned and looked over at my father.
“Dad—oh, I mean, Father always says that the thing that makes him happiest in the world is that I’m healthy.”
“…”
“And for you to be happy, Prince Abeno must be healthy too. I learned that making important guests happy is the duty of a good host. From Viscount Debussy.”
“…”
“Because I’m my grandfather’s granddaughter, I worked hard!”
I managed to mention my father, give a nod to Viscount Debussy, and finally throw in my grandfather—
‘A perfect relay of flattery.’
I chuckled to myself.
The looks on the vassals’ faces felt familiar.
‘They look just like the officials in our territory when they see me.’
Their eyes brimming with admiration and affection.
I sneaked a glance at my grandfather.
He had been smiling but, upon catching my eye, flinched and quickly forced his lips back into a neutral position.
‘He seems pleased.’
And my dad…
When I looked at him, I stiffened.
‘He’s more moved than necessary.’
His tightly clenched fists were trembling.
If there weren’t people around, it looked like he might break something out of sheer emotion.
The people of Aligiosa couldn’t take their eyes off me either.
“She’s truly an extraordinary young lady…”
The Aligiosa members, already moved by my earlier words, seemed to be even more touched.
Their eyebrows drooped, and they looked like they might burst into tears with just a little more prodding.
‘Wait, is that person already dabbing at tears with a handkerchief?’
That one would definitely cry buckets during a melodramatic movie.
After they spent some time praising me, they soon expanded their admiration to include the entire Astra family.
“We’ve been swayed by mere rumors about Astra and failed to see the true beauty of the family.”
“Now I understand why Crown Prince Beleyn insisted on forming connections with Astra.”
“How will we ever repay this kindness…”
I pretended to be shy, touching my cheek as I thought to myself.
How to repay this kindness?
There’s definitely a way.
‘Just give us some jade at a discount!’
And if possible, negotiate with my dad.
Don’t forget my contribution today.
Thud.
Thud, thud.
I thought I heard the sound of construction from somewhere.
It must be the sound of new hospitals being built in our territory in the near future~
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