Chapter 05
Yulias also flinched slightly when their eyes met, but after a moment of hesitation, he spoke.
“If you stay in your room, I’ll have the servants prepare food again. …And treatment as well.”
Without saying a word, Sheila gave a small bow. Until she entered her room, she kept glancing back repeatedly.
The child was checking whether Elysia was still standing there and had not left.
Only after the door closed did Elysia rise from her seat.
“…I have been terribly rude.”
Even though her clothes were a complete mess from the food, Elysia acted as if it did not bother her at all.
Seeing that, Yulias felt uneasy and stopped her as she passed by.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Are you planning to go home dressed like that? Change your clothes.”
“Ah, no. This much can be washed when I get home—”
Just as Elysia was fumbling for a polite refusal—
“Noonaaa!”
A familiar, booming voice echoed from the first-floor lobby.
Elysia’s head snapped around.
At the sudden unfamiliar voice, Yulias frowned.
When she looked toward the central staircase on the second floor, she spotted Joshua standing beside Hilmighton in the lobby.
“It’s Noona!”
He was like a baby bird chirping excitedly after finding its mother.
As the child’s voice grew louder, the servants began whispering and casting glances his way.
“Who is that child?”
“He’s my younger brother. I’m truly sorry, Your Grace.”
Elysia apologized quickly and moved before even waiting for a response.
The calm demeanor she had shown before vanished.
She practically leaped down the stairs and reached Joshua in no time.
Without hesitation, she crouched down and met his eyes.
“Joshua. How did you get here?”
“I walked!! People told me the way! They said if I kept going straight, I’d find the Grand Duke’s estate!”
Elysia glanced up at Hilmighton.
It was obvious that the one who had accepted the child after he insisted on being let in at the front gate was Hilmighton.
He simply smiled knowingly.
I really can’t afford to make a worse impression here.
Elysia muttered inwardly, but Joshua only grew more excited.
“It’s huge! It’s like a castle! It looks like a prince and princess live here!!”
Joshua burst into laughter and bounced around energetically.
The servants flinched and stepped back at the sight of the restless child.
Meanwhile, Yulias, who had been watching from the center of the second floor, noticed Sheila approaching after hearing the commotion.
Their eyes met briefly, but both quickly looked away.
“Joshua. Joshua?”
Elysia gently placed her hands on Joshua’s shoulders.
Still unable to contain his excitement, he continued.
“Noona! Are we going to live here now?! Then we can see the Grand Duke! And we’ll get to eat lots of delicious food!”
“Joshua.”
Elysia smiled as she pressed a finger to her lips.
Understanding the gesture, Joshua finally realized how loud he had been.
“Ah!”
He immediately closed his mouth and even covered it tightly with both hands.
“Noona came here because she wants to work here. And this isn’t our home. You know that, right?”
Instead of answering, Joshua nodded.
“That’s right. So since this isn’t our home and you made a lot of noise, you should apologize, shouldn’t you?”
As Elysia spoke calmly, carefully shaping each word with her lips, Joshua watched her intently before nodding again.
“Now then, let’s properly greet the owner of this mansion and apologize.”
“Okay.”
This time, Joshua answered in a much calmer voice.
After patting his shoulder, Elysia looked around and then turned toward Yulias standing on the second floor.
Following her gaze, Joshua turned and bowed deeply.
“My name is Joshua. It is an honor to meet you, Grand Duke.”
The excited child who had been shouting and running around moments ago was gone.
Instead, a boy with sparkling eyes spoke clearly and politely.
Watching him, Yulias merely mouthed, “Very well,” and gave a slight nod.
Elysia looked between the two before lightly tapping Joshua’s shoulder.
“Now you need to apologize. Let’s do it together.”
“Okay.”
Joshua replied calmly once again.
“I apologize for causing a disturbance.”
“My apologies, Your Grace.”
Elysia and Joshua bowed deeply in unison.
Sheila, who had not left, stared intently at Elysia.
Seeing this, a trace of interest appeared in Yulias’s eyes.
Joshua seemed to notice Sheila as well.
His calm eyes suddenly lit up.
“Oh! A friend! It’s a girl!!”
Joshua pointed directly at Sheila and shouted.
The servants were horrified and immediately began whispering.
“He just pointed at the Young Lady, didn’t he?”
“Right in front of her? As expected from an uneducated household…”
Elysia heard the whispers but showed no reaction.
Instead, she gave Sheila a polite bow.
“Joshua, that is the Young Lady.”
“Then she’s not my friend?!”
“Since this is your first meeting, how about greeting her first? Like you just did. After that, maybe you can become friends.”
Elysia gently reasoned with him.
The child listened carefully and nodded.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Young Lady. My name is Joshua.”
Joshua politely introduced himself once more.
Sheila flinched and took a step backward.
Yulias watched Sheila’s reaction from the corner of his eye before looking back at the two in the lobby.
The four people stood in different positions, their appearances starkly contrasting one another.
Elysia was covered in food, while Joshua looked disheveled from his difficult journey.
“Was your name Elysia?”
The moment Yulias spoke, everyone except Joshua held their breath.
“I’ll have new clothes prepared. Wash up and receive treatment first.”
“Y-Your Grace, does that mean…?”
“There are things I wish to ask. I’ll need more of your time.”
After finishing his sentence, Yulias turned to leave but paused.
“The same goes for your brother. It looks like he’s injured.”
“What?”
Elysia hurriedly examined Joshua.
His knees were scraped, and dried blood clung to the wounds.
“It doesn’t hurt at all!! Really!”
Joshua forced a bright smile.
Suppressing her distress, Elysia nodded.
Sheila watched the scene from a distance and was about to return to her room.
“Sheila.”
“…”
“While I speak with Elysia, you will stay with her younger brother.”
At Yulias’s words, Sheila’s mouth fell open.
It felt like being struck by lightning.
Stay alone with a boy she had just met?
Especially one as unpredictable as him?
When Sheila silently shook her head, Yulias frowned.
“If you dislike it, say so directly.”
“…”
“If you refuse to speak, I’ll take it as agreement.”
At those words, Sheila tightly shut her mouth.
Her expression darkened rapidly, and in the end, she had no choice but to nod.
Yulias let out a deep sigh at her reaction.
“Hilmighton. As I said, prepare new clothes, a room where they can wash, and supplies for treatment.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
After giving a respectful bow, Hilmighton guided Elysia and Joshua away.
Still bewildered, the siblings followed after him.
Watching the two disappear into the distance, Sheila glanced at Yulias with conflicted eyes.
His gaze remained fixed on Elysia, who was still unable to hide her confusion.
Perhaps… she could be a great help.
This had never been part of his plans, but seeing the situation unfold before him had changed his mind.
Unaware of Yulias’s thoughts, Sheila fidgeted with her hands.
Being left with a stranger already made her uncomfortable.
And now he was telling her to simply say it directly if she disliked it…
Something like that…
‘You’re just a lucky idiot who was born to the right parents.’
‘Hypocrite!’
‘You’re the Grand Duke’s daughter, yet you can’t even say what you mean?’
The mocking voices that had laughed at her echoed through her mind.
In the end, Sheila turned around and ran back to her room.
