Chapter 47

A few days had passed since then.

Could hatred eventually turn into love?

Lost in that thought on his way back to headquarters, Massera came across the black-haired child he had seen at the hospital—collapsed on the street.

Unlike last time, the child wouldn’t speak, and no matter how hard they asked around, his parents could not be found.

In the end, Massera decided to take the child in.

“The reason the child is not speaking seems to be due to psychological trauma from the bombing.”

Suffering from severe aftereffects, the child avoided people.

So Dahlia, formerly his direct subordinate and now retired due to injury, helped care for him.

It was only when the war ended that Eugene finally opened up and began to speak.

“Do you remember anything? I’ll help you find your parents.”

Judging by his clothes and table manners at the time he was found, it was clear he was of noble birth.

“Mom and Dad are gone now.”

Did they die in the bombing?

“...Then we need to at least find your relatives. Tell me anything you know.”

But every time Massera mentioned his parents, Eugene’s face would fill with fear.

Other than his name—Eugene—there was nothing more they could uncover.

“Uncle, don’t leave me. I want to live in the residence with you, Uncle Massera.”

Seeing those light green eyes filled with fear of being abandoned, Massera felt an inexplicable sense of kinship.

“All right. Let’s do that.”

And so, Massera became family to Eugene.

***

Recalling that time, Massera leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He had long felt something was off, based on the various reports he’d received about Hayden.

But because Eugene was unusually fond of him, Massera couldn’t help but hesitate.

‘I don’t want the child to go through another loss…’

“In the end, adults who discriminate against and hate others will be the ones hated by everyone.”

Cynthia’s words weren’t wrong.

Eugene would keep growing, and one day become an adult. He couldn’t be sheltered forever.

As a guardian, it was only right to guide a child down the proper path, even if it was a difficult one.

With his mind made up, Massera summoned Diego.

“Um, are you… already done?”

He gave instructions to Diego, who came to him with a puzzled look on his face.

“Eugene’s tutor was found to be in possession of forbidden literature. Detain and investigate him for violating the National Security Act and suspicion of treason.”

***

The next morning, I ran into Major Rodriguez, who had come to the residence to make a report.

I waited for him to finish his business, then handed him a gift I’d brought back from the honeymoon.

“I bought this at a souvenir shop in Medeia. It’s a rabbit brooch that symbolizes longevity.”

“Thank you. It’s really cute just like you, Lady Cynthia.”

Like me? I looked down at the oddly shaped rabbit brooch with a turtle shell.

“I’ll carry it with me always and live a long life.”

He pinned the silver rabbit brooch beside his military medals as he spoke.

Seeing how happy he was put me in a surprisingly good mood.

“I see you visited Medeia. I was part of Aeford University’s military corps there, so seeing something from that place makes me happy.”

“Aeford University?”

Wasn’t that the prestigious university Massera mentioned at dawn—the place Hayden supposedly studied at?

“The Brigadier General is from Aeford’s rivalling school, Lambridge University. He earned his degree with the Queen’s support.”

Just as I was chatting with Major Rodriguez, a loud commotion broke out nearby.

“The princess plotted this to kick me out!”

Eugene’s tutor, Hayden, was being dragged toward the investigation unit, yelling at the top of his lungs.

Then, spotting me, he shouted with even more intensity.

“That woman’s the one who gave him the forbidden book! She framed me the moment I caught her! Ask Eugene—he knows who gave it to him!”

Oh no—Eugene might take that guy’s side.

I walked up to Hayden as he was being dragged away.

“Hey, are you really a graduate of Aeford University in Medeia?”

One of the non-commissioned officers escorting him replied instead.

“Professor Hayden is known for publishing books on political diplomacy. This incident seems unrelated to his academic background.”

Still, something feels off.

Looking over the workbook, I could see that the material Eugene was being taught wasn’t suitable for his level, and the way things were explained was odd too.

It wasn’t the kind of teaching someone with formal education would have given.

[“She can’t even understand Medeian and still acts superior.”]

Hayden muttered in Medeian.

I tilted my head as if I didn’t understand, and he made a mocking face.

“I knew it. You must’ve done this because you were jealous of me, a graduate of a prestigious university! After all, you’re a woman who probably never went to college!”

“What’s the name of the famous sandwich shop in front of Aeford University?”

I asked him flatly, like casting bait.

“I don’t like sandwiches.”

“Then what’s the name of the group at Aeford University that has its own building and holds discussions on various topics?”

Hayden’s face turned bright red as he failed to answer.

“Back in my day, we didn’t—”

“The Aeford Union.”

Major Rodriguez answered in his stead, looking at Hayden.

“It’s been around for over two centuries, so no graduate could possibly not know it.”

The Major turned to me, narrowing his blue eyes.

“For someone who claims to have gone to Aeford University, your Medeian accent is odd.”

Cornered by a real elite graduate, Hayden noticed Eugene hiding and grew visibly desperate.

“Eugene! Your teacher’s been framed! If you tell the truth, I can prove my innocence!”

Startled by Hayden’s voice, Eugene started to run away.

But he soon stopped and turned back toward us.

“Eugene, “The Frost Queen” is the book the princess gave you, right?”

Hayden asked in a kind tone as Eugene came back.

Did they talk it out beforehand? If Eugene says yes, this could get messy.

Being asked that, Eugene bit at his nails nervously, showing clear signs of anxiety.

“Whatever you say is okay. No one will get mad or hate you.”

I smiled kindly at Eugene. No matter what he said, the truth wouldn't change.

“Um…”

“Eugene! You said you wanted to get rid of the princess who torments you, right? This is your chance! Just be honest! I’m the only one who understands you!”

Hayden began pressuring Eugene, who was still hesitating.

Eugene’s eyes, looking like spring buds, turned to me.

“You’re… a bad princess.”

“That’s right. I am bad. But I still want to be a good person to you.”

At that, tears welled up in Eugene’s eyes.

“No matter how much of a bad princess you are, if I lie to kick you out, that’d just make me a bad person too.”

Eugene wiped his eyes with his sleeve and added—

“Emil, I don’t want to lie anymore. Please stop pretending to be Professor Hayden. They’ll be sad up in heaven.”

Hayden—called “Emil”—turned pale, as if he had been sentenced to death.

Eugene looked up at me directly and began to speak the truth.

“Actually, Emil used to be a servant at our house. But he said he had to pretend to be Professor Hayden—otherwise, they’d catch and kill him… So I lied to Uncle and helped hide him.”

“You ungrateful brat! I kept quiet about your mother and spoiled you, and now you’re trying to kill me?!”

In the end, the fake Hayden—his secret exposed—screamed in fury.

“…Wait, have you been pretending to be a dead man this whole time?”

At my words, Eugene hung his head low. His tears dripped steadily to the floor.

“Uncle Massera said… the more precious someone is, the more you have to stop them from doing something wrong.”

Eugene looked at Hayden, eyes brimming with tears.

“The reason I listened to you is because you were someone precious to me. I wasn’t scared of being abandoned by you. I just didn’t want you to feel that way.”

It looks like he was afraid of abandoning Hayden—or rather, Emil.

Not even realizing the sincerity behind Eugene hiding his identity, Emil glared at him.

“So you don’t care if I tell them everything about your parents?”

“I don’t care. I don’t want to lie anymore.”

I didn’t know what Eugene’s secret was, but it was clear there was something between them.

“Filthy Esahts. In the end, you all…”

Emil mumbled as he was dragged away, but none of it mattered now.

I held Eugene’s hand tightly.

“It must’ve been hard, but you were very brave.”

“...I still don’t like you, noona.”

“I like you though.”

Eugene, his face damp with tears, looked up at Major Rodriguez.

“White-haired Uncle, I’m sorry for what I said before.”

The child had come to apologize on his own, not because someone forced him to.

He looked down at the child silently, then gave a small smile.

“It’s okay. Thank you for telling me that. Let’s be friends from now on.”

Major Rodriguez, who had scooped Eugene up into his arms, had a look on his face like his wish had been granted.

“At last, I got to hug him. But with how strict Brigadier General Massera is, he must have figured out that man was an imposter…”

“There were many applicants, from scientists to education experts. He was chosen because the boy liked him.”

Amid the heartwarming atmosphere, Massera suddenly appeared and approached us—clearly not pleased.

“More importantly, what’s an unrelated man doing with someone else’s wife and child?”

Massera’s gaze was fixed on the rabbit brooch awkwardly wedged between the medals on the Major’s uniform.

The Major looked right at Massera, tilted his head slightly, and smiled charmingly.

“Is that not allowed?”

Ah—why would you go and provoke that grump?