Chapter 152
“Evebien?”
Evebie looked up in surprise at the woman suddenly calling her by the princess’s name.
That was the name of the princess—Eve—who should have been in another room.
Why was this stranger calling her that name?
“Uh… I’m not Her Highness…”
Evebie wondered if the woman’s eyesight might be poor. Perhaps she had mistaken Evebie for Eve because of their similar hair and eye color.
Then, almost without realizing it, Evebie thought to herself:
If only I were Princess Evebien…
If that were true, she could have called the Emperor “Dad” without needing permission.
Regretting that she hadn’t even been able to call him once, Evebie bit her lip.
“Sabina? Are you alright?”
At that moment, the hesitant maid stepped closer and spoke to Sabina.
Among the maids, rumors about Sabina’s condition had been spreading quietly.
‘She seemed… a little off,’ they had said.
The woman who had raised the young princess in the depths of the forest, whose hair had turned white and whose hands and feet were scarred—everyone had admired her and felt gratitude toward her.
But the maids responsible for her care noticed her mental state worsening over time.
“She still seems very unsettled. I went to her room last night because I heard her crying. She was apologizing while looking for the princess,” one maid said.
“She met the Emperor safely… why would she be apologizing?”
“Maybe because she was late in bringing the princess back?”
At first, it seemed minor, but now, seeing Sabina mistake Evebie for the princess, the maid realized the situation was worse than expected.
Trying to force Sabina to move, the maid reached out—but Sabina grabbed Evebie’s hand instead.
Tears glimmered in her eyes as she spoke:
“It’s my fault. When Lady Lilian handed Evebien to me, I should have held her tighter to my chest.”
Shivering as if guilty of a grave crime, Sabina continued:
“The wolves! The demons of the forest who feared Lady Lilian! They wouldn’t have spared the baby!”
Her voice rose as she recalled the day. Tears streamed down her face.
“In the end… I failed. I let the baby fall. Even if I had broken my own body, I should have fallen with her…!”
Sabina clutched her head suddenly, gasping.
“I remember now—I let go and couldn’t find the baby! I went back to search, but she had already disappeared…”
She shook her head violently.
“No… no. She’s alive. She met the Emperor, didn’t she? The Emperor held Evebien, didn’t he? You—you are the child of Lady Lilian and the Emperor…”
“Sabina!”
Finally, the maid who had been watching could no longer remain silent. She shouted, grabbing Sabina.
The palace was already in chaos over the Emperor having saved Evebie before Eve herself.
If anyone heard Sabina speaking now, it would spark even more scandal.
Other maids, hearing the commotion, rushed in.
“What’s going on?”
“Just in time! Help me! Sabina seems… agitated over the princess. We need to take her back to her room.”
The maids worked together quickly to lead Sabina out.
“Let go! Lady Eve! Go to the Emperor! Evebien!”
Sabina struggled weakly but was too exhausted to resist. Eventually, she slumped.
“We should probably call the doctor too.”
“I’ll do it. But what about this matter?”
The maid in charge of Evebie’s care frowned. Something didn’t add up.
Sabina said she had hidden the young princess in the deep mountains, then accidentally let her fall, and couldn’t find her again.
But the princess is in the palace now, the maid thought.
Seraphina had confirmed the child’s royal status, and the distinct mark on her hand was unmistakable.
Perhaps Sabina had indeed lost the princess temporarily and found her later.
Even so, the maid felt uneasy.
If Sabina hadn’t been able to recover the child, then who was Eve really?
And why was Sabina, who had supposedly raised the princess, mistaking another girl for her?
I need to report this to the steward immediately.
It was protocol to report any irregularities right away.
The maid entrusted Evebie to another caretaker and returned to the steward.
But when she came back, Evebie was gone.
Only a neatly written note lay on the bed:
[I’ll greet His Majesty and then return to the Academy. Goodbye.]
I’ll go back.
Evebie trudged along the palace corridor. She had already wanted to return to the Academy, but after hearing Sabina speak, her heart was restless.
I’m jealous of Eve.
Ever since Eve arrived at the palace, Evebie had felt envious whenever she saw her.
And yet, she kept wishing she were a princess herself.
I have blonde hair and green eyes.
I’m seven years old too.
I even have the mark on my hand.
Why doesn’t it show…?
Thinking like that, she ended up feeling a little resentful toward Eve.
The headmistress said not to covet others’ things.
So she had always tried to be a good child—letting younger kids have the warmer blankets, giving potatoes, handing over storybooks first.
She didn’t mind at all.
In fact, being praised for her kindness by the headmistress or other teachers made her happy.
But why couldn’t she stop herself from wanting to stay close to the Emperor, even though he wasn’t her father?
I guess I feel envious seeing the Emperor and Eve together.
Thinking that, she pouted again.
I’ll find my dad too.
According to the rules, students could enter the Academy early if they completed basic credits.
Everyone else will go before me… I want to go too.
Arcel, Luska, even Irene—all older than her—would go first.
I have to go too.
Evebie remembered why she first came to the Academy: to study, earn money, and help the orphanage while finding her parents.
What will I do when I find them?
She sniffled and pouted.
I’ll call them a hundred times a day.
Mom and Dad!
And… she stuck her tongue out at Eve in her heart.
She planned to tell Eve she wasn’t jealous because she had her dad too.
And she wanted to tell the Emperor: she would play with her dad now.
The festival was with her dad, so Eve could go with the Emperor.
Hmph. I won’t let you play the gacha. I won’t give you candy either, she thought, teasing in her imagination.
But since the Emperor had saved her, she gave him one candy anyway—her favorite strawberry flavor.
After imagining all this, Evebie found herself at the corridor outside Clois’ study.
“Hello,” she greeted the guards at the entrance with a bow.
“You’re here, Evebie. Come in.”
The guards let her pass without hesitation, following the steward’s strict instructions.
A familiar maid greeted Evebie near the study.
“Evebie, you’re here. But His Majesty is in a meeting with others. You’ll have to wait. The steward is also inside.”
The maid couldn’t enter during the meeting, so Evebie would have to wait for the steward to come out.
“Yes.”
She sat on a small chair placed outside the study.
She wondered if other children also used this little chair.
I probably won’t see him often…
She felt a bit sad.
No! I have to greet him politely.
Evebie waited quietly for the meeting to end or for the steward to appear.
But the meeting seemed serious and didn’t end.
The steward hadn’t come out yet.
The maid went briefly to fetch something for Evebie to drink.
Looking at the clock tower outside, Evebie decided:
I’ll just leave a note and go.
Professor Malres’ class would start in an hour, so she could still make it.
She wanted to return to the Academy to see Irene, Arcel, and Luska—and, of course, Professor Malres.
While searching for pen and paper, a loud voice came from inside.
What’s happening?
Had the Emperor and others started arguing?
Nervously, Evebie approached the door and, despite knowing it might be wrong, pressed her ear to it to listen.
Through a small crack, she faintly heard someone shout:
“That’s why I think Eve Alden should be sent far away!”
