Chapter 45
Cornelia ran to her room, yelling at Mathias, and locked the door behind her, sobbing.
She was upset. She had never intended to spill the tea on the baby.
On the contrary, she had tried to use her arms to block the falling tray to protect the baby.
She never imagined that her efforts would end up spilling on the baby instead.
‘How does my brother even see me?’
Suddenly, she felt annoyed at Eleanor, who had snuck into the Hilliard household, but she didn’t feel any hostility toward the baby.
Sure, it was irritating that the child was born out of wedlock.
But that was the fault of Eleanor and Mathias—the baby did nothing wrong.
In fact, the baby was quite cute.
If she wasn’t careful, she might even be tempted to gently touch the baby’s cheek.
That was partly why she kept her distance from the baby.
If she grew attached, it would only make her defenseless.
Yet the foolish Tedian, unaware of his own limits, had brought the baby and caused this mess.
‘Mathias should apologize first.’
Cornelia waited for Mathias to come to her room and apologize for misunderstanding her.
But even late at night, he hadn’t come.
Instead, she heard that Tedian had been severely scolded by Mathias and even put under house arrest.
Then worry began to bubble up inside Cornelia.
“I wonder if the baby’s condition has gotten worse…”
The baby she had seen was tiny.
So small and cute, like the child of a fairy.
To think such a little one had suffered a burn accident…
Cornelia paced the room anxiously.
Each time she glanced at the baby, her worry grew.
Eventually, late at night, she found herself at Eleanor’s door.
gulp
Standing in front of the door, Cornelia was tense.
She couldn’t stay in her room, so she had come, but now that she was here, she was afraid to see Eleanor.
Should she apologize?
But she didn’t want to apologize to a woman who had tarnished the prestige of the Hilliard family.
‘I’m just going to ask if the baby is okay.’
Taking a deep breath, she knocked.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing Eleanor, her face messy as if she had been crying.
“I’m sorry.”
Despite her earlier resolve, Cornelia immediately blurted out an apology.
The pure, white power that purifies all things.
There was no doubt—it was holy power.
A very strong one.
In the brief moment it took to hear the knock and rise from her seat, Eleanor realized she could not let anyone discover that the baby possessed holy power.
Even the original heroine, Charlotte, had first manifested holy power at twelve years old.
Just that alone had earned her praise and the title of a candidate for the next saint.
‘And this baby is only one year old.’
Moreover, there was no proper guardian nearby.
If anyone found out, the baby would immediately be exploited.
Nearby, the Duke was dealing with corruption in his magical domain.
And farther away, a third party would seek to take the baby’s holy power.
Eleanor covered the baby’s fully healed arm with a handkerchief.
She calmed her racing heart and opened the door.
“I’m sorry.”
She expected Mathias, but surprisingly, it was Cornelia who had come.
Cornelia immediately offered an apology and glanced beyond the doorway.
“I thought I should apologize. You trusted us with the baby, and an accident happened.”
“Your Highness.”
“Is the baby okay? Is he very hurt…?”
Eleanor closed the door and stepped into the corridor.
Cornelia’s expression darkened further at the thought that the baby might be in serious pain.
While Cornelia fidgeted, Eleanor spoke.
“It’s fine.”
“Huh?”
“The doctor gave me good medicine. The treatment was fast, so there should be almost no scar left.”
The scar had already been healed by the baby’s own holy power, leaving no trace.
“The baby is asleep now. I’m sorry, but I’d like to talk in the corridor so we don’t wake him.”
“Oh, I see… okay…”
Cornelia let out a sigh.
She tried not to show it, but her relief was evident.
Eleanor, watching Cornelia, asked:
“Are you okay?”
“Huh?”
“Your right arm. It looked like you were hurt.”
Cornelia’s eyes widened.
No one had known she had burned herself while blocking the tray that the maid had dropped.
The baby had cried so loudly in shock, and Tedian had caused such a commotion that she hadn’t had the chance to reveal her own injury.
“How did you know?”
“I remembered you holding your right arm all the time. Your sleeve also seems slightly wet.”
“…Even my maid didn’t notice, yet you did.”
“Did you get it treated?”
Cornelia shook her head.
She didn’t want to reveal an injury that no one had noticed.
It hurt her pride to do so.
It would seem like she was asking for attention just because she got hurt too.
Cornelia subconsciously gripped her right arm tightly, frowning.
“Wait a moment.”
Eleanor returned with a small round container from her room.
“Apply this. The doctor gave it to me for the baby.”
Cornelia looked at the ointment in her hand, startled, and asked:
“If you give this to me, what about the baby…?”
“I can get more.”
“No need. You should use it.”
“Please take it. The doctor said it’s good medicine.”
“You’ve got some nerve, huh?”
Cornelia finally snapped.
“I’ve made it clear I don’t like you, right? So why are you giving me this?”
“Because you’re hurt.”
“You—don’t think this will change my feelings. I can’t let a stranger of unknown origins into the Hilliard house. I won’t recognize a child born out of wedlock as my niece.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll leave eventually. Of course, without causing any harm to the Hilliard family.”
Cornelia frowned.
“You won’t stay in the Hilliard house?”
“Yes.”
“What’s your purpose then? Money? You haven’t gotten enough from my brother yet? Is that why?”
Eleanor considered carefully how much she should reveal.
‘Since the baby has awakened holy power, I need to find Charlotte as soon as possible.’
Only then could she shift attention to Charlotte, who was to be the next saint.
Gathering her thoughts, Eleanor slowly spoke.
“I’m not after money. I’m looking for someone.”
“Someone?”
“Yes. And His Highness the Duke is also looking for the same person. I’m just temporarily working with him because our goals align.”
“Who is this person?”
“My younger sibling.”
Cornelia furrowed her brow.
Even if Eleanor said that, why would her brother be looking for this woman’s sibling?
Cornelia was curious, but Eleanor had no intention of saying more.
“I’ll go inside now.”
“Ah, wait…!”
Cornelia grabbed Eleanor as she tried to enter her room.
Eleanor raised her eyebrows.
Cornelia hesitated, then finally said:
“I never meant to hurt the baby. I actually tried to prevent the tray from falling on him…”
Ah, that’s what she wanted to say.
Eleanor, who had been tense, softened her expression.
“I believe you.”
