The Little Sister in the Devastating Novel Wants to Live

Episode 5

“Evelyn.”

When Igon called me like that, it meant that he had a proposition that I couldn’t refuse.

Sometimes, he called me Evelyn when I needed to concentrate.

Evelyne was like a signal to remind me of my position.

It was a word that could summon me that goes back and forth between my past and present self, and Evelyn.

“…”

Waiting for the words to follow, I quietly looked up at Igon.

The eyes that looked at me silently were just like those of a bird of prey.

My lips parted with a sigh when I took a step backward without even realizing it.

“Take an escort with you. Don’t let him leave your side at the Palace.”

I wondered if it was okay for a knight with a sword to be by my side at the Palace, especially at a women-only tea party.

However, because Igon was firm, I nodded my head.

“I’m worried you might get hurt, even now…”

Unnecessary words.

I quietly tilted my head to the side.

Igon shrugged his shoulders as if there was nothing he could do.

“Liam.”

One of the knights who was standing behind Igon stepped forward at the call.

He deeply bowed his head and silently waited for the next order to be given.

“Take good care of her.”

“Yes.”

It was a short and concise answer.

Liam deeply bowed his waist to Igon and then raised his head after hearing that he could stand up.

“Take care.”

Igon pulled my hand and kissed the back of it.

Even the moment I lowered my head, those bright, clear eyes did not look away from me.

“I’ll be back.”

After ending with a moderately friendly greeting, he released my hand from his grasp and turned his foot around.

As I was about to get on the last carriage, a hand suddenly came out in front of me.

My eyebrows furrowed uncontrollably as I checked the person who had extended their hand.

“What is it?”

“I will help you get on the carriage.”

Did he think I would take his hand?

“Step aside, Liam.”

I answered coldly and stepped firmly into the carriage.

Yes, my gait was not very ladylike.

It was usually right to accept help.

I sat down and looked out the window.

It seemed like Liam followed me and sat across from me.

Igon is smart. He doesn’t give me someone who I don’t know well and can easily trust as my escort.

Liam was the only person in this mansion that I disliked.

I glanced briefly at Liam.

His stubbornly closed lips, straight gaze, and posture did not falter even in the jostling carriage.

It would probably take us a considerable amount of time to reach the palace, and he would not open his mouth until I spoke to him first.

Liam had the perfect image of an ideal knight that people often imagine, an excessively principled person.

It was a perfect sentence that defined Liam.

There were times when his naivety was endearing.

When I was young and knew nothing, I liked Liam because he treated me like an ordinary person and didn’t bother me. Until I found out about his hypocrisy before Igon came to the mansion, he was the only person I trusted in this mansion.

“Liam,” I called his name quietly. He answered without turning to look at me.

“Please speak.”

“Why didn’t you refuse?

“Because it’s the Duke’s order…”

When asked why he hadn’t refused to escort me, Liam recited the first line of the routine answer. I tried to hold it in, but I burst into laughter.

His excuse for the woman he had always ignored was so ridiculous that I openly mocked him.

I laughed at him for a long time like that, then I brushed my hair back and opened my mouth.

“Don’t make that kind of excuse.”

I tried not to mix in my emotions, but anger mixed into my words without me realizing it.

“You should have refused. How dare you.”

I couldn’t breathe because of the overwhelming anger that had no way out.

I stopped talking and gasped for breath.

It was suffocating.

“Am I still a joke to you?”

At that question, Liam slowly turned his head.

Dark brown eyes met mine.

I trembled at the gaze and opened my fan as if to shield myself.

“I am disgusted with you, and I know you feel the same way as me.”

It was best for us to not be in the same space for the sake of each other’s well-being.

“Please refuse in the future.”

Liam’s pupils shook.

He looked somewhat taken aback.

Why?

It was a reasonable proposal for the sake of each other’s peace of mind, so why?

“Please.”

After saying that, I turned my head.

I covered my face completely with a fan and didn’t fold it until we arrived, even though my arm hurt.

It was said that it was a simple tea party with only a few noble ladies.

It was a pleasant sunny afternoon, but the place was prepared indoors to avoid spoiling the fair skin.

“Welcome. I was waiting for you.”

After being guided by the attendant and going inside, Countess Mirren approached and talked to me.

Before coming to the party, Igon brought portraits of noble ladies attending the meeting, so everyone’s faces were familiar.

In addition, Igon told me about their personal information, the implicit rules to be followed at the tea party, and what words or actions to refrain from.

The Countess was a lady of some influence in society and belonged to the older age group among those gathered here.

“It’s nice to see the Princess again.”

Countess Mirren said with a soft smile.

Even though this was only the second time they had met, even if it was the last funeral, she had a very friendly attitude.

It was hard to know what the blue eyes with bright smiles were thinking, but at least I knew that she was the only person here who would treat me kindly.

“I’m glad to see you again, Madam.”

Responding like that, I remembered the conversation I had with Igon before coming here.

‘The family of Countess Mirren and we have a very long history, leading to the oath we made a hundred years ago.’

‘Then I have to be careful…’

‘No, I mean I’m going to help you. I have told her beforehand that if there is any trouble, look at her.’

When I arrived, I found that the Countess had been more kind to me than I had expected.

Perhaps because of this, she was welcomed by other wives and noble ladies.

Her Majesty the Empress, who was the organizer and main character of the party, was sitting at the table in the center, watching me.

When she saw me walking there, she slowly rose from her seat.

“Thank you for inviting me to this precious event. This is Evelyn Rodri.”

My nervous body trembled in the unfamiliar environment, but I bent down as naturally as possible as I had practiced.

“Look up. I’m the one who should be thanking you for accepting the invitation.”

Her Majesty the Empress looked at me and was smiling benevolently.

I smiled back and hid my trembling feelings.

“If you think about it, I’m only a relative in name, but I’ve been too indifferent until now. Moreover, as a noble lady, there would be no appropriate relatives to lead you to society… From now on, I’ll take care of it.”

“Your Majesty.”

“By the way, the dress of the lady is very beautiful.”

“Ah…”

I looked down at the dress I was wearing.

The light pink dress was very beautiful and adorned with gems.

But like everything I had, it was provided by Igon.

I had nothing to add, so I lightly bowed my head.

“Thank you, Your Majesty…”

“And this brooch… it must be valuable as well.”

Before I could even express my gratitude, the Empress interrupted me and tapped the pearl brooch hanging under my neck.

“Only pearls from Bardos have this subtle hue. Did you know that?”

I didn’t know what kind of answer she was expecting.

Her curious gaze didn’t seem to have any malice in it, but it was too clear to assume she was asking out of kindness.

However, the way she asked the phrase “Do you know?” made it hard to interpret as a friendly gesture.

If I pretended to know and forced a conversation, I couldn’t predict how the situation would turn out.

To avoid prolonging the conversation, I lightly bowed my head and said, “I’m sorry. I don’t know much about jewelry.

I judged that it was better to be humble in this situation.

“I’m sorry. I asked about the jewels, hoping to have a conversation about them… I also have a few pieces of jewelry made from pearls from Bardos. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to come and see them together next time you visit.”

The Empress finished speaking and raised her hand.

The court attendant came over and showed me to my seat.

Although I knew it was meaningless, I pondered over what the Empress said to me. The party flowed naturally like water.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of being out of place though.

It wasn’t a difficult situation.

I realized that everyone was talking to me and ignoring me at the same time.

Lady Mirren, the Countess, pulled me into the conversation from time to time, but I kept repeating the process of being isolated naturally.

As someone who enjoys the sun and has red blood flowing, I was a foreign presence here. I thought the eyes of the blue-bloods sitting together in a space where the sun was not sufficient were different from mine.

Suddenly, I turned my head along with the faint sunlight.

I briefly lost a place to look while looking at the sun shining on the lace curtains.

It was when I shifted my aimless gaze from here to there.

My eyes met Eunice Durant, the heroine of the original novel, who was sitting at the table across from me. I stopped breathing for a moment.

The hair all over my body seemed to stand on end.

I knew she was coming and I had prepared my mind.

However, when I actually faced it like this, this situation was very different from what I had imagined.

I was even more surprised because it was unexpected.

And it seemed to be the same on Eunice’s side.