Chapter 61

The two prince’s face looked so frightened. Brother and I glanced over our shoulders to see if there was someone on our back that trigger their fright, but we found nothing strange.

The people were walking back and forth, busy in buying supplies.

“D-Duchess!” Prince Caston stuttered with a shaky voice. Why did they look at me with those eyes as if I am going to eat them-?

Thinking of reasons why, I suddenly remembered our few encounters before.

“Hi! I am—"I immediately cut him off and looked at them with my chin up and left brow raised.

“So what? Shut up.”

It was Prince Caston’s birthday. I really did not plan to give him any gifts but since he is of royal blood…

Holding the box wrapped in a messy way, I thrust it to his chest and he almost stumble if he did not catch his balance. He looked at me with widened eyes.

“Maxine!” Duke Zachrono reprimanded. Tsk. How weak. I rolled my eyes on his frightened face before turning my back.

At the new year’s banquet.

“M-may I request a dance D-Duchess?” prince Aspall hesitantly lifted his palm in front of me, bowing a little with his other hand behind him.

I looked at him from head to toe before I slapped his hand away.

“Scram away.”

I did not only shame them three times but every time we meet, I always made them loose face. I almost slap my forehead if I am just alone. I just realized that I am such a hateful brat since I was a kid.

How loathsome, no wonder they call me an ‘Evil Duchess’ in the past.

To make up for my past mistakes and child’s play I did, I bowed with my head down, did curtsy to express my sincere apology.

“I am truly sorry for my past unruly behaviors, Your Highnesses. This mere Duchess bow to you to beg your pardon, spare for mercy. I will make sure that those things would not happen again. Please punish me according to what I deserve,” I said.

“Maxine.” Lein said in a slightly trembling voice as if he was a touched father to his daughter. The two in front became nervous and did not know what to do.

“P-please stand up, P-princess!” prince Aspall said in panicking as if he was going to faint any moment from now.

“Do not mind the past Duchess! We do not mind anymore!” prince Caston sternly said as if coaxing me.

They were still a kid, so it was a given that they were being forgiving. I lifter my head to see their reaction and I found them blushing because of embarrassment.

In the past, I never apologized to them, and I was lucky not to be punish because of my atrocity towards them and instead, I received a lot of help from the three princes -prince Aspall, prince Caston and prince Apregio.

Let’s say that they were already used in my mood that they did not mind anymore whenever I was being rude towards them.

“Maxine. You do not need to bow your head like that to these brats.” Brother Lein said with a sharp eyes and poker face while looking at the princes in front. prince Caston’s face immediately turned annoyed with Brother Lein’s remark. The second prince could only smile awkwardly while scratching his face.

I stood up back to my previous posture and I could tell what the two princes wanted to say with their slightly rounded eyes. ‘Wow. She really superb’, was what they want to react but chose to stay silent.

“Then, if it is like this, I thank you for the mercy, Your Highnesses.” I told them with my lively voice and gave them a wide smile. They were smitten by the sudden reaction I gave them.

Of course, everyone would if the person hostile towards you suddenly changed to beg for pardon and smiled sweetly like nothing happened at all.

“W-well. We have to go back now. Brother Caleidon must be waiting for us.” prince Aspall bid us. Just by hearing the prince’s name made my nerves tensed and I almost trembled if it were not prince Caston who looked at his brother confused.

“Huh? But brother said—" Prince Aspall covered Caston’s and dragged him away from us.

“Then, goodbye!” prince Aspall finale and dashed away from us, dragging his confused brother.

I expected them not to be easily comfortable with me since I did all those rude deeds to them. I last saw him in the boutique when Grent was nagging at him while he stayed silent.

I wonder where Apregio was. Maybe with their Brother Calei—

That detestable name again.

It’s not like I am afraid of the first prince. I was just traumatized, and that molded into anger. Instead of fearing him, I harbored a grudge against him.

Seeing his mischievous smile, he showed me when he once visited my cell, it makes my blood boil. I want to rush forward him and crush him into pieces where none of him would be recognize.

I still need years in order to go in and out of the palace as I wished since I still do not have permission to do so, unlike father who was an official.

I should ready myself to crush him.

“Are you okay, Maxine?” Brother Lein patted my shoulder that made me back to my senses. I just found out that I was trembling again because of anger.

“I am okay, Brother.” I smiled to assure him.

“Ah.” He removed his hand from my shoulder as if he was burned and quickly turned to his heels that made me confused.

“Let’s go,” he said.

“Have you already—"

“Yes.” I was not yet finished my question when he answered me eagerly without even looking back at me.

There was a parade at noon, so we decided to stay until before dawn before going back to estate.

To kill time, we wandered all around the place. There was so much steet foods that I just knew up until now and they were far delicious, the way it was cooked were unique that made the foods makes their own flavors. The tastes were different of that on our estate.

While holding a cotton candy, we watched a clown show. It made me laugh with their stupidness. We also went inside a humongous tent that they called a circus. These things were all new to me. I never imagined that things could be exciting!

While walking up and down, swaying my arms obviously because of happiness, I stopped when we passed on a not so busy street, and someone was gently tugging my dress.

I looked back just to see a kid, maybe 3 or 4 years old? She was a so skinny girl and dusts covered her, wholly like a skin and bone left. Her cheeks were sunken and dark. Clothes were poor and ripped, only sewed many times.

She looked like she was not eating for years to be this thin and I guessed she must have a very poor background that she could not afford anything.

I tugged Lein’s hem to catch his attention.

“What is it?” he looked back but immediately stopped midway when he says the girl behind me.

“Kindly, give me something. I have not eaten for days,” she said in a low voice, but Lein’s face turned sour.

Something stirred inside me after hearing what the kid said. I could not protest to what she had said when the proof was visible on her body. How could someone like her live like this?

“Go away you brat! You stink!” Lein shooed away. I immediately reprimanded him and faced the child with my smiling face.

“Should we go in a place?” I asked smiling. I could not ignore her now that I saw her pitiable state and physique.

“Huh?” Brother asked in surprised.

“Come here for a moment, Maxine.” Brother grabbed my hand and dragged me gently in a corner.

“What are you thinking, Maxine?” he asked on a hushed tone.

“Uhm…treating her food? She said, she has not eaten anything for days.” I replied bewildering with my tilted head.

“Do you even know what you are saying?” looks like Lein did not agree with me on feeding the child that came to me.

“Do you know that if you feed her now, you must take responsibility?”