Naturally, the Princess and the handmaid, who expected Kalcion to appear first, widened their eyes in surprise at the same time.
Selina looked at the Princessâs body first, not paying much attention to their reaction. Fortunately, there were no visible injuries.
âAre you okay?â
She had just been crying, but she wanted to pretend to be strong in front of her. Selina clasped her hand as the tears were about to leak out. Seeing that a teenager, no matter how much she hated the Princess, was so beaten up in front of her, she felt sad and worried.
âIâm, Iâm okayâŠâ
The Princess, who could not continue her words to the end, eventually cried again.
It was because she noticed that Selinaâs eyes on her were with sincere concern. She was upset as the one who had those eyes was her rival. Even though she was grateful, she hated herself because she was weak.
âHow did this happen?â
âHeâŠhe hits me if I catch his eye whi-while passing by. He, feelsâŠfeels bad.â
The Princess said to Selina, dripping with tears.
âArenât you two coming together today? I thought you were because the carriages were standing side by side.â
âN-no. His Highness doesnât like me going around. Just today, His Highness was away, so after going to the County in a hurry, on the way, he found my carriage on the road. SoâŠÂ Kuht.â
âSo, he dragged you all the way here and beat you?â
âNo, no. I think he followed me. He told me what kind of trick I was going to do without his knowledge and told me not to even dreamâŠâ
If not, how did they meet on the way?
âYou were unluckyâŠâ
âI always do. Iâve been unlucky since I was bornâŠâ
When she competed for Kalcion, she looked like a strong person, but now that Selina looked at her, she was just insipid. The shock of the blow was so great that self-deprecating words continued from the Princessâ mouth.
âSo, every time I see it, I am unlucky, and because I am unlucky, everyone around me will die because of meâŠâ
âExcuse me? Dear God, who says that?â
No matter how unstable the Princessâ position was, what kind of recklessness was to a child? Selina raised her voice with genuine emotion.
âThe Crown Prince.â
âHa! That absolutely crazy punk.â
The Princessâs shoulders shook at the savage remarks that burst out of Selinaâs mouth.
âCan you say something like that?â
âWhy not? He deserves to be called that.â
âThen, can you do it in front of him?â
âI canât! My life is precious as well.â
Even as she retreated, the Princessâs weeping stopped at Selinaâs imposing impudence.
âIf you cry and laughâŠâ
The Princess, who couldnât speak until after that, shut her mouth, but by that point, it had already come out of her mouth.
âWhat happens when you cry and laugh?â
âYouâŠâ
âYou?â
âYou⊠youâve grown up.â
âAhâŠâ
The Princess looked like she had realized it and nodded her head.
âThatâs right, Iâve grown up now.â
Selina came to her senses a beat late and clung to Kalcionâs arm.
âI said youâve grown up, but I havenât said youâre an adult yet. So, not my Cion.â
ââŠTsk.â
At those words, her lips pouted out. However, the harshness in her eyes looking at Selina was certainly less severe than she had before. She was such an innocent child who gave her heart so quickly. Unknowingly, Selina looked at the princess with a pitiful heart.
The Princess was in the process of sorting out Kalcion in her mind, and she shuddered again.
âAs expected, I wouldnât be chosen by anyoneâŠâ
Here we go again. A child must not give up all her dreams and hopes so easily. Selina took a deep breath and placed her hand on the Princessâs shoulder.
At that, she glanced up at Selina, startled.
âPrincess. You might get mad at me for being rude, but can I talk to you as someone a little older now?â
âYes? YesâŠâ
The Princess nodded her head startled, pushed by Selinaâs atmosphere. She forgot to point to her hand on his shoulder. Selina took a deep breath and cleared her throat before opening her mouth. These were the words that had been engraved on her bones, but she was trembling when she tried to say them to her others.
âNo matter how hungry you are, donât pick up poop and eat it.â
âWHAT?!â
The Princess, startled by the harsh words, raised her head that was looking at the ground endlessly. Selina grinned as the princessâ eyes turned to her as her tears faded away.
âPeople have a good side and a bad side because theyâre human beings. So, there is no need to listen intently to gossip that only shows the bad side.â
âBut itâs trueâŠâ
âWho doesnât have dust when theyâre shaken? If a person who speaks bad things is shaken, more dirty things will come pouring out. Those guys are shamelessly doing well, so why is the Princess the only one who has such a hard life? I would rather you speak badly like them? And, even take revenge.â
âThey are stronger.â
The Princessâs answer was more clever than expected. At a young age, she already knew the function of power.
For a moment, Selina was almost speechless.
âYou can still take revenge.â
ââŠHow? I have no power.â
âYou donât have to do anything right now. Still, donât give up on revenge. They said so harshly, so why forgive them? The time will definitely come.â
âWhenâŠâ
Even if she said this, Selina would also feel helpless if she had been in the Princessâ position. Nevertheless, it seemed she wouldnât give up.
âIt feels good if you succeed in revenge by putting dog poop in their shoes. If you donât get caught.â
âPfft!â
It was thrilling and fun revenge just thinking about it, wasnât it?
Selina laughed as she watched the princess burst into laughter. The world was not at stake for others, but her world was at stake. A world where even a single mistake or rumor would cut her off from her job, and once she was cut off, it would be difficult to enter the industry again.
In order to survive there, even if it was dirty and lethal, she had to endure that moment. Nonetheless, Selina never lived only by enduring. She didnât even humble herself as they were trying to suppress her.
In front of their eyes, she pretended.
She acted and waited only for the day of vengeance to come someday. With heavenâs help, Selinaâs day of revenge came one by one as she ascended triumphantly.
âI donât know if this is the right way or the right thing to do. However, thatâs how I survived and endured.â
âSo, was your revenge successful?â
Selina chuckled.
âAlmost all.â
âThere must be a revenge that you havenât done yet.â
âWell⊠recently?â
Come to think of it, she thought it was still acting, but if this was the real Selinaâs life, there would not be just one or two people on her revenge list.
âThere is the Princess who I was afraid to take away my man.â
ââŠ.!â
Selina said with a smile, but the Princessâs face was rather afraid. The tenacious veracity faced head-on was quite terrifying.
âItâs not that Iâm going to do anything right now, but if you reflect on yourself and apologize again, I may forgive you.â
âUhhâŠâ
Still, the Princessâ persistence was formidable, too. She knew that. Selina grinned inside and raised her eyebrows softly.
âYou donât seem willing, so shall I add one more debt?â
âDebt?â
âPrincess, did you come here to visit the Count?â
She nodded her head.
âThe Crown Prince was trying to prevent that.â
âYesâŠâ
âThen, wouldnât a visit be revenge?â
The Princessâs eyes widened.
âHow?â
âSend the carriage somewhere else for a while, hide in our carriage, and then go in when the Crown Prince returns.â
âAhâŠ!â
âThen, I can drive you to the place where the carriage has been sent, and from there, the Princess can go back to the palace. It wonât take that long to visit, so you can just use the excuse that the road was a bit blocked.â
âIs that okay?â
âItâs a debt.â
She didnât even have to help her out like this with the relationship theyâd had so far. Debt was half an excuse. She wondered why the Princess had come to the County without the Queen.
She didnât even have to do this, the Princess could just get on the carriage and pretend she was back, and then go in when the Crown Prince returned. The Princess, who was crushed by the Crown Prince, who thought she should not do what he said she should not do, just couldnât come up with it.
âThen, get in the carriage for now.â
Selina, who kept the servants guarding the porch of the mansion and the handmaid tight to silence them, also got into the carriage.
âIf possible, it would be better to act as if we had just arrived, right?â
To ensure perfection, she dismissed the carriage back to where it had just stopped and then approached after confirming the Crown Princeâs return.
âOh dear, to see you like this. I wonder if this is fate.â
The Crown Prince, unaware of the circumstances, saw Selina getting off the carriage and approached with a bright smile.
The contrast was so sharp that it could not be considered the same person as the person who assaulted the Princess a while ago. Even though Selina felt nauseous, she did not show it. She smiled and bowed her head towards the Crown Prince.
âCrown Prince.â
âRaise your head. I donât think itâs something to say now, but itâs nice to meet you like this.â
The Crown Prince was dressed in splendid attire that did not look like a visitor at all. From head to toe, it was evident from the beginning he had no purpose to visit Count Orlen. However, Selina still turned a blind eye and bowed his head.
âForgive me.â
âIâll wait when our time overlaps.â
Kalcion intervened in a timely manner by hitting the wall.
âIâm about to go back after my visit, so you can go in, Duke. Oh, but before that, can I talk to Lady Selina for a moment?â
Saying so, the Crown Prince sent a meaningful glance to her.