A variety of luxurious jewels filled the pouch.

At a glance, they looked extremely expensive.

This was money I earned by secretly selling blessing stones from my underground storage.

Of course, Han Jihyuk handled the transactions.

Even the smallest blessing stones sold for a tremendous price.

Thanks to that, I earned an amount that would make Lady Gonallong’s mouth drop—without even selling many.

“Are you giving this? Why, young lady?”

“I don’t really like Imperial Consort Ocelia.”

“But isn’t Astra allied with the consort?”

Enough to send Lady Gonallong, the consort’s closest aide, as an etiquette teacher.

“That’s true for now, but once the first prince becomes emperor, things will be different.”

Lady Gonallong laughed hollowly, as if she couldn’t believe a child was saying such things.

“Don’t you think you won’t be with the consort much longer?”

“...”

“Astra will become the consort’s good substitute.”

“...Are you saying the young lady will let go of her ties?”

Lady Gonallong raised an eyebrow.

“Who would believe me? If I tell the consort that the young lady is this kind of person—”

I chuckled.

Lady Gonallong’s expression twisted.

“Who would believe such nonsense?”

“...”

“I’m only three years old.”

I’d be four in a month, but still,

I was obviously very young.

Lady Gonallong glanced back and forth between me and the pouch in conflicted thought.

Then she sighed and rubbed her temple.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“Please say the hidden prince has been dealt with.”

“That’s impossible! If that gets out, I’m done for...!”

“You won’t get caught. The prince is in my hands, and it will never be revealed.”

“...”

Lady Gonallong bit her lip several times.

‘She’ll accept my proposal.’

If she failed to find Alexis this time, Lady Gonallong would be abandoned.

She was smart and knew that well.

So it was much more advantageous to take my hand.

“Alright.”

Lady Gonallong took the pouch.

“And also—”

“More?”

I smiled brightly like a child, resting my chin in both hands.

“Please arrange a meeting with the Empress Dowager.”

At last, I found the painting.

I went to the door to see Lady Gonallong off.

She looked almost dazed.

“Is this even real...?”

She murmured, like someone who’d just woken from a dream.

“Have a good night!”

I cheerfully waved my hand, and she shook her head with a hollow laugh, “Oh dear...”

“Good night to you, young lady.”

As soon as she left, Han Jihyuk came to the room.

He tilted his head.

“Why?”

“The noble lady looked like she saw a ghost just now.”

“Yeah. I paid her off to keep quiet.”

“What?!”

He shouted, then covered his mouth.

After quickly checking no one was around, he whispered,

“Is that okay? They’ll know you’re not an ordinary three-year-old.”

“Yeah. What about the painting?”

“They said they’ll tell me the location on the 4th of next month and told me to come then.”

I nodded.

At that moment, the maids entered.

“Miss, the fairy tea party is about to start.”

I went into my room and quickly gathered what I needed.

The maids put coats on me, saying it would be cold at night.

“Did you buy the tea leaves in the shopping district?”

“My sisters gave them to me.”

When I just arrived at the estate, I met Dionera and Riantin.

Dionera asked if I bought tea leaves, and I made excuses, saying I forgot because I was playing.

“Then don’t you have any tea leaves?”

“You can ask the servants.”

“Silly, to meet the fairies, the tea leaves have to be fresh.”

“Then Erilot must not have tea leaves... I’ll share mine.”

Dionera opened her bag and shared some of her tea leaves.

Riantin, who looked troubled, also gave me some.

“Oh my, it’s Lady Riantin?”

Riantin was known for being picky, so it was surprising she shared tea leaves.

‘Yeah, I was surprised too.’

“You’re a good girl, so the fairies will come to you.”

Hilda and Greta, putting bags on their shoulders, spoke kindly.

I brightly said “Yes!” and left the room.

The winter fairy tea party was held in the greenhouse.

The greenhouse was already bustling with many children.

Not only direct descendants’ girls but also close collateral relatives were there.

Collateral relatives considered it a great honor to be invited to the direct descendants’ fairy tea party.

Their faces were all flushed.

‘So that’s who they are.’

Most of them were familiar faces from the Twelfth Tower.

Well, the ones who went were among the more prominent collateral relatives.

I was the youngest class, and they were over ten years old in another class, so we weren’t close.

But whenever we met, they’d gather and giggle at me.

“Lady Juliana, how do you like my tea leaves? My father bought them for today, and I’d like to share if you like.”

“Hmm, they smell good.”

Juliana fanned herself gracefully.

Though cold at night, she looked like a magnificent black flame dragon.

“Lady Dionera, your hair is so beautiful. So bewitching... Oh, my name is Cassandra. Will you remember me?”

“Oh! Lady Riantin, it’s an honor to meet you.”

The collateral relatives fussed to get close to the direct descendants.

No collateral relative welcomed me when I entered.

Rather, when our eyes met, they looked away slyly.

‘They’re still kids.’

Adults would probably have rushed eagerly.

Because my father’s position was now much higher, and I was a ranked member of the main family.

But the way they ignored me was

‘She was always beneath me.’

—it started from that mindset.

It annoyed them that someone they looked down on suddenly changed.

‘I saw the same thing when I was Yoo Hyemin.’

In middle school, there was a boy who was quietly bullied.

I remember all the boys bullied him.

But when we had a reunion as adults, the bullied boy had succeeded hugely.

Everyone was loud and congratulatory, but once the mood relaxed, things quickly changed.

A former school thug joked,

“Wow, that’s why you gotta work hard. We didn’t even look at you in middle school. You bought me lots of bread.”

“Dude, what are you saying?”

“Nah, it’s nice to see. Remember? Their mom even bought me sneakers to get along with you.”

‘Adults get jealous when someone they knew suddenly succeeds; kids even more so.’

The collateral relatives ignored me and talked to Riantin.

“Lady Riantin, this lemon pie is really delicious.”

Riantin looked annoyed at their constant chatter, arms crossed.

She suddenly turned and met my eyes.

“Erilot. Come here.”

‘There’s no seat.’

Collateral relatives were stuck close to Riantin.

Riantin pointed to a girl in a yellow dress nearby.

She was the one who always looked at me with disdain in the Twelfth Tower.

“Move.”

“Huh?”

“This is Erilot’s seat. I told you to move.”

The girl in yellow turned bright red, unsure what to do.

She half stood up, and when her eyes met Juliana’s black flame dragon gaze, she spoke with a choked voice,

“Lady Juliana...”

It was a look begging for help.

Juliana folded her fan and spoke.

“What are you doing? Don’t just stand there.”

The intermediate education class girls each added their words.

“The direct descendant is standing.”

“How many times do I have to say it?”

The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.

The girl in the yellow dress bit her lip hard and stepped back.

The collateral relatives looked at me oddly.

An older cousin from intermediate class sighed deeply, arms crossed, and said annoyed,

“That’s why I hate bringing collateral relatives. They don’t know their place.”

The black flame dragon fanned herself and said,

“Looks like they’re too dumb to learn etiquette.”

The cousin frowned and glanced around at the collateral relatives.

“Don’t they know that when a direct descendant arrives, it’s family etiquette to stand and greet?”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...”

The collateral relatives became as quiet as mice.

They were ruthless in discriminating and looking down on others by blood.

But if the collateral relatives were kitten cubs, the direct descendants were full-grown leopards.

Deep-rooted main family superiority was ingrained in their bones.

Having what they did returned to them doubled made it even more shameful.

Riantin beckoned me.

“Come quickly.”

I hurried to sit next to her.

“Sis, don’t you dislike me?”

“No! Have some lemon pie.”

If she disliked me, why cut the lemon pie?

Dionera giggled.

“No, Riantin likes Erilot.”

“When did I!”

“She said she wants to compete again.”

“Stop talking nonsense!”

I chuckled quietly to myself.

Soon after, the tea party began.

The servants brought in trolleys laden with luxurious desserts.

Decorated with edible flowers, it truly felt like a fairy party.

The maids made milk tea with the tea leaves the children brought.

The collateral relatives, forgetting their earlier gloom, squealed in delight.

Such a lavish tea party was rare.

They had even moved trees into the greenhouse for the occasion.

Dionera happily tasted the milk tea.

“Delicious, right?”

“The pastry chefs at Astra Gongjakjeong are always the best.”

Riantin said arrogantly.

Desserts and delicious milk tea.

Pretty trees and flowers.

Through the transparent glass dome of the greenhouse, stars seemed to pour in.

‘I really feel like a fairy will appear.’

While thinking that, boxes began to arrive one by one.

“Fairies have sent gifts to the good girls.”

A steward maid entered with a kind expression carrying the gifts.

‘Ah, these are from the parents.’

The servants read the name tags and handed the boxes to the children.

Riantin was the first to receive a gift; she hurriedly opened the box.

It was a white teddy bear tied with a pink lace ribbon.

“It’s the series I wanted. Dad remembered!”

Dionera also opened her box. It was an ordinary teddy bear, but blotchy, looking hand-stitched.

“Maybe mom made it...”

The black flame dragon, other cousins from intermediate class, and collateral relatives all received gifts.

“Now, the last box... belongs to Lady Caroline.”

The girl in the yellow dress shouted excitedly and ran toward the box.

She opened it and found a very large brown teddy bear.

Hugging the bear happily, she glanced at me.

“Oh, but... it looks like Miss Erilot didn’t get a gift.”

Indeed.

There was no box for me.

It couldn’t be helped.

‘Father wouldn’t know about such events.’

I thought it was the twins who prepared gifts, but maybe I was mistaken?

Dionera hesitated and said,

“W-would you like to share this?”

“...”

Riantin silently stared at me.

Suddenly, the greenhouse grew quiet.

The servants noticed the children’s tension and tried to lift the mood.

“Is there anything else you need?”

“If you’re cold, would you like a blanket?”

Thanks to the servants’ efforts, talking started again.

The girl in the yellow dress passed by me hugging her bear.

Behind, I heard a soft snicker.

Sharp gazes from collateral relatives pierced my back.

Then suddenly—

Kyaaaak─!!

The children screamed and scattered.

The servants panicked.

A bear was coming through the door.

‘A bear?!’

The person carrying the bear was—

“Abami?!”

It was Father, who said he’d come with melon and blueberry.

Father put the bear down on the floor.

It was so heavy that when he set it down normally, it thudded loudly. The ground seemed to shake slightly.

“Today’s the day to give a bear to my daughter.”

Father tapped the bear with his foot.

“I caught the biggest one.”

The bear twitched as it was alive and moved, making the children scream and scatter in chaos.

The servants were at a loss.

The greenhouse was completely turned upside down.

I looked at Father with bleary eyes and said,

“...No.”

“Hm?”

“Not a no, a no!”

The bear was moved back to its original home.

It lived on Pendore Mountain in Astra.

They said it wouldn’t take long to return it.

Father was radiating a chillingly dark aura.

Enzo suddenly rushed into the greenhouse.

Father glared at Enzo as if ready to tear him apart.

“Today’s the day to give a bear.”

“‘On the day of the fairy tea party, the daughter receives a gift from the °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° parents. And the gift is a bear’ — that’s what I heard, so I ran here...”

The greenhouse fell silent as a mouse.

Direct and collateral relatives were frozen without a word.

Everyone rolled their eyes nervously, only looking at Daymond.

Then the twins came running.

“Found it, found it! Baby, I found it!”

“It’s me who found it.”

They were holding the bear.

‘A baby bear?’

It was an adorable little cub with pure white fur.

Balzac grabbed the cub and held it tightly.

I held it absentmindedly; the cub seemed very soft, just born recently.

Joshua smiled faintly.

“It took some time to find it. Sorry for being late.”

“What is it?”

“A snow bear. A monster. Even fully grown, it’s under 100 cm. Too weak to survive in the wild, so it’s endangered.”

Balzac said proudly in a loud voice,

“It’s tame and perfect to raise! I stole it from Count Langston—”

“Shut up.”

“Oops.”

Balzac covered his mouth with both hands.

I looked down at the little bear in my arms.

It yawned sleepily, rubbing its eyes.

“Wow—!”

So cute!

The other children’s eyes sparkled as if they thought the same.

“So cute...”

The black flame dragon even dropped her fan and covered her mouth with both hands.

Dionera and Riantin pressed close and watched the bear protectively.

“Really cute!”

“Cute...”

The collateral relatives looked at me enviously.

I gently stroked the cub’s back, and it closed its eyes, nuzzling into my arms.