Chapter 23

# 23

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Without realizing it, Filipa and the maids, along with the other servants, had a dumbfounded look on their faces.

Until just a moment ago, they had poured out their base and ugly emotions towards Navia as if it were a fun game, because they had received Nikan’s implicit permission.

But with just one word, the situation was reversed.

The hairpin was not meant for Vivian.

It was for Navia.

As a result, all the righteousness and justification tilted towards Navia.

Everyone opened their mouths wide in shock, as if they had been hit.

No one here had expected Navia to act this way.

Nikan was no exception.

Navia paused for a moment in the silence, then continued with a bitter tone, slightly curling her fingertips.

"Is it too much to ask?"

Nikan let out an involuntary sigh.

Until just a moment ago, Navia had been like a condemned prisoner standing on the scaffold.

But the atmosphere had suddenly reversed.

Even a seasoned schemer would find it difficult to turn the tables so easily.

Could it be that this was planned? Otherwise, the move was too cunning.

He looked at Navia intently, his eyes still filled with suspicion.

Navia suddenly found everything hilarious.

'Don’t they realize how ridiculous it is to cause such a fuss over a mere boutique item?'

Especially when it involved an eight-year-old girl.

Ultimately, it was a matter of birth.

For someone like her, receiving such a gift required a proper reason, as she was a tool and nothing more.

But she had never received a gift since the day she entered the Agnès household, except for the necklace Nikan had given her once and for the last time.

'Oh, so this would be the second gift?'

At that moment, her fingertips trembled.

It wasn’t an act; her hands were shaking involuntarily.

Navia took a deep breath.

This was not the time to be swayed by personal emotions.

She still hadn’t completely dispelled Nikan’s suspicions.

"Sorry for being greedy. I was just, so happy. So happy to receive a gift from Father..."

But her voice trembled.

It was strange; she wasn’t sad at all.

She wasn’t even wronged; it was just too funny.

It was normal to hold back laughter at their stupidity.

It was normal, yet...

Her eyes welled up with tears.

She felt heat rising in her head, which she thought had long since turned cold, as a tidal wave of emotions swept over her.

'No, I can’t, I need to pull myself together!'

Navia forced back her tears and bit the inside of her cheek.

Everyone was watching her.

If she ended this clumsily, she would lose the upper hand she had just gained.

"I only need this hairpin."

Her voice, heavy with emotion, filled the room with a thick, suffocating sadness.

"I won’t ask for anything else in the future."

A single tear, which she couldn’t hold back, fell, adding to the heavy atmosphere.

The moment Navia’s tear dropped onto the carpet and soaked in, Nikan realized he had clenched his fists so tightly that his palms had turned white.

He felt a cold sweat breaking out.

He had been so focused on Navia’s every word and expression.

'...Amazing.'

Nikan found it hard to believe that he had been momentarily overwhelmed by the other party’s emotions.

In fact, until just a moment ago, he had harbored doubts.

What if Navia was really being presumptuous and trying to deceive him? Nikan didn’t trust Navia.

Trusting a tool was a foolish notion; it was normal to trust the person using the tool.

That’s why he had scrutinized Navia closely.

He had seen countless things from the pinnacle of the upper class.

False joy and sorrow, fabricated smiles and tears...

The noble society was a place where people wore masks and engaged in despicable and intense political machinations.

Nikan, who was well-versed in the central political arena filled with all sorts of political struggles and intrigues, had decided to thoroughly examine Navia.

An eight-year-old’s mask would surely be laughably childish and flimsy.

And just now, he was certain.

'The brainwashing hasn’t wavered.'

There was no need to examine further.

A storm of intense sincerity had swept through the room, so strong that even Nikan was momentarily swept away by Navia’s emotions.

Now, what was important was not this ridiculous commotion.

'Those movements I just saw!'

The etiquette she displayed was so flawless and perfect, even though he had been watching right in front of him! Nikan felt a surge of elation.

'She looked like a true noble!'

His choice of Navia was indeed correct.

No, it couldn’t have been wrong.

How could the judgment of Nikan Agnès be wrong?

Nikan, in his most magnanimous fatherly tone, said:

"What do you mean? Navia, you are a countess of the Agnès family. It means you are in a position to ask for more."

Navia almost burst out laughing this time.

'Am I a countess of the Agnès family? And I can ask for more?'

If that were true, what was the point of your suspicion just now? The tears streaming down her cheeks stopped, and her heart dried up. Instead, it was filled with a cruel hatred.

'You’re so talented at spouting such insincere nonsense so easily.'

The word "shameless" must have been created for this man. Navia put on a mask, not just a good one, but a perfect one.

'Pretending to be a naive, good daughter as you wish is an incredibly easy task.'

"But because of me, right now..."

She deliberately left her sentence unfinished and observed the surroundings.

'You haven’t forgotten the ridicule and mockery that filled this room just now, have you, Count?'

Seeing Navia’s expression, Nikan immediately glared fiercely at the surroundings.

"Yes. We need to determine who is truly responsible for this commotion."

Filipa almost foamed at the mouth.

'How could the master fall for that wicked woman’s tricks?'

"This is all an act!"

Filipa pointed at Navia with a fiery gaze and shouted.

"Don’t be fooled by her cunning words! Look at her, pretending to be pitiful to avoid the crisis. How despicable..."

"Can’t you stop it?!"

Nikan’s roar made Filipa speak without thinking.

"If you had seen what that woman did to me, you wouldn’t let it go so easily..."

"What do you mean?"

Filipa’s eyes widened in realization, but it was too late.

Nikan’s sharp gaze pierced her.

"Are you daring to remain silent in the face of my question?"

Filipa had already destroyed all evidence of embezzlement.

She had even planned to expose the kitchen’s corruption, putting both Vianna and Charlotte in a difficult position. The fabricated ledger was supposed to reach her hands today.

'But I can’t act rashly before the ledger arrives...'

Filipa glanced at Navia.

Even though she had destroyed the evidence, if Navia mentioned the embezzlement in this situation, things could get complicated.

Just now, Navia had used some kind of magic to suddenly change Nikan’s attitude!

But Navia was quiet.

It felt eerie, but Filipa was too focused on the immediate problem to pay attention.

Filipa spoke cautiously.

"It’s... because I didn’t take proper care of Miss Navia, there was a bit of friction."

"But why blame Navia?"

"......I must have been hurt and lost my mind for a moment. Please forgive me, Master."

Filipa quickly bowed her head, but Nikan’s mood had already soured.

"It seems I trusted you too much, Filipa."

His gaze still lingered on Maki, who was kneeling on the floor.

"So, a mere maid dared to deceive a countess."

Maki’s face turned pale.

The situation was unfolding exactly as she had planned. An eight-year-old could never be her match.

But when she came to her senses, she found Nikan’s sword already at her throat.

The crime of deceiving her master. She would pay a terrible price.

Maki began to tremble. The other maids were no different.

"M-Master... I, I, I misunderstood, yes, I misunderstood..."

Teacher—

Nikan drew his sword from his waist, and Filipa quickly prostrated herself on the floor.

If she could just hold on a little longer, the evidence of corruption would arrive.

She could reverse the situation with that, but she couldn’t die like a dog here.

"Master, I was wrong! Please forgive me this once. Please, just this once..."

Nikan said coldly.

"Your audacity has gone too far."

Just then,

"Father...?"

Vivian, who had been unconscious, regained consciousness amidst the commotion.