TEWRIT 16

Chapter 16

Viscount Albich stood before Eliano, awkward and unsure of himself.

Honestly, it was painful to watch.

Eliano turned her gaze toward the ballroom.

Then, by chance, her eyes met someone else’s.

Out of habit, she smiled.

I really need to stop smiling so easily.

She had always smiled whenever someone met her eyes. Even in her previous life, it had been an instinct she couldn’t seem to break.

Why can’t I fix it?

She quickly looked away from those silvery-grey eyes that shimmered beneath the ballroom lights.

Yet even while her thoughts wandered, her dancing never lost its grace.

Her dress spun around her like a flower blooming in motion.

That night, Eliano danced with several young nobles—not just Viscount Albich.

Normally, the Lady of House Rosana only danced with the host of an event or with men personally selected by her father.

So when she accepted Albich’s invitation, it gave other young nobles courage.

One after another, they approached her.

And naturally, rumors began spreading.

Is Lady Rosana looking for a husband?

Eliano, however, returned home completely unaware of the storm she had caused.

The moment she entered her room, she found someone waiting for her.

Pamela.

And, apparently, the nanny had been reinstated.

“My Lady!”

Pamela smiled brightly.

“Your nanny is back right on time!”

She held a container of hair dye in one hand and immediately ordered the other maids to leave.

The maids hesitated.

Eliano gave a small nod.

Only then did they obey.

Pamela gently removed Eliano’s bonnet.

“Oh my…”

She examined her hair.

“Your roots have grown out so much.”

She sounded relieved.

“I was worried, but I’m glad you kept your bonnet on so often.”

Once the bonnet came off completely, pale pink roots became visible beneath the darkened hair.

Eliano stared at her reflection.

She hadn’t dyed her hair in quite some time.

Seeing that familiar color again brought back memories she would rather have forgotten.

“This nanny can never be away from your side.”

Pamela smiled as she prepared the dye.

“Who else would help you become the perfect Lady of House Rosana?”

Eliano remained silent.

Pamela began applying the dark black dye.

“If people saw this weak-colored hair, they would start questioning your birth.”

Her hand moved carefully through Eliano’s hair.

“In this household, you must always look perfect.”

Eliano closed her eyes.

So that’s what you told me.

In her previous life, she had been ashamed of her pale pink hair.

Not because there was anything wrong with it.

But because Pamela had taught her to be ashamed.

Nanny, why is my hair this color?

Poor child.

You were born with a pigment deficiency.

It’s a kind of illness.

And Eliano had believed her.

At the time, Pamela’s words had been her entire world.

After her husband eventually forced Pamela out, no one continued dyeing Eliano’s hair.

The pale pink roots slowly became visible.

But instead of laughing at her, her husband had admired them.

He had looked at her hair with genuine curiosity.

Why did you hide such a beautiful color?

Those words had moved her.

For the first time, Eliano had looked at her natural hair without shame.

After that, she stopped dyeing it.

And she began to believe it was beautiful.

But later…

The truth came out.

So that beautiful hair wasn’t an illness.

It was proof that you’re an illegitimate child.

You weren’t born to the Duchess.

And yet you dared to steal her heirloom and marry me?

Eliano’s fingers tightened.

She had been raised as the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Rosana.

But she wasn’t the Duchess’s child.

The Duke had secretly brought her into the family as the illegitimate twin of his young son.

And Eliano learned the truth in the worst way possible.

A letter had arrived from House Rosana.

House Rosana demands the return of a magical heirloom that alters hair color. It belonged to the late Duchess and should not be in the possession of Eliano of Zacador, who has no right to it.

The letter had been polite.

At least at first.

It had been signed by Demian Rosana.

Eliano had completely forgotten about the magical item.

She remembered wearing it as a child.

But Pamela had taken it away and replaced it with hair dye.

At the time, Eliano had been furious with Demian.

After using me and throwing me away, now you want to do this?

She ignored the letter.

That polite request quickly became something much uglier.

Because Bianteca and Zacador were enemies, House Rosana had no reason to show restraint.

Return the heirloom you stole, illegitimate child!

Have you forgotten the kindness of the mother who raised you?

Repent!

Return the item!

Thief.

Illegitimate child.

Bastard.

The entire world learned the truth about Eliano’s birth.

And in Zacador, where illegitimate children were treated as little more than trash, it wasn’t merely humiliating.

It was dangerous.

Eliano didn’t even have time to process the truth.

She had to act.

She couldn’t change the circumstances of her birth.

But she could at least prove that she wasn’t a heartless thief.

She searched through her childhood memories.

Then she remembered.

Pamela had taken the magical heirloom.

So Eliano wrote a letter explaining everything.

She even felt relieved.

Once they know the truth, everything will be cleared up.

She believed Pamela would explain herself.

After all, hadn’t Pamela raised her?

Hadn’t Pamela loved her?

But the response from House Rosana was even worse.

They accused Eliano of killing Pamela to silence her.

Eliano had been horrified.

I didn’t kill her!

She had given Pamela money.

Jewels.

Everything she needed to live comfortably in Bianteca.

She had even told her to live peacefully.

But House Rosana didn’t believe her.

Instead, they mocked her.

So greedy for treasure that you even killed the woman who raised you?

Thief.

Bastard.

They repeated those words so often that Eliano began wondering if the heirloom had ever truly been the point.

Perhaps they simply wanted to destroy her.

There was no escape.

The court began calling for her removal as Empress.

Not because she had stolen something.

But because she was illegitimate.

That was what truly broke her.

She had fought so hard to keep her position as Empress of an enemy nation.

And suddenly, the very foundation of her identity was exposed as a lie.

Even now, remembering it made her hands tremble.

Her noble birth had been a lie.

Her dignity had been buried beneath shame.

And if that magical item wasn’t with her…

It could be used against her again.

If she married and House Rosana demanded its return, what would happen?

Even Bianteca, though far less cruel than Zacador, still looked down on illegitimate children.

I need that item back.

Eliano’s eyes narrowed.

I need to take it from Pamela.

While Pamela continued working on her hair, Eliano thought carefully.

I need to speak with Isabella.

How can I recover the magical item without revealing that I’m illegitimate?

She had already searched Pamela’s private room while the nanny was on probation.

It wasn’t there.

Does she carry it?

Is it hidden somewhere else?

Or… did she already sell it?

If Pamela had sold something that valuable, surely Father would have noticed.

At least, Eliano hoped so.

“All done, My Lady.”

Pamela’s voice brought her back.

Eliano touched her hair.

Not a single strand had been missed.

“You could open a hair salon after you retire, Nanny.”

She smiled sweetly.

Pamela didn’t notice the sarcasm.

“Me? Retire?”

She laughed.

“Never. I’ll always stay by your side.”

Like a leech.

Eliano said nothing.

Pamela began massaging her scalp.

A dull headache soon began spreading across her head.

The dye was probably too strong.

“Shall we go to bed now, My Lady?”

Eliano quietly followed her.

She lay down.

Pamela tucked the blankets around her and placed a warm water bottle beneath them.

Then she began singing a lullaby.

The same lullaby that had once comforted Eliano.

Now it only tasted bitter.

---

The next day, Eliano entered Isabella’s room for the first time.

It was just as luxurious as her own.

She sat down.

“I have something important to discuss.”

Eliano looked around.

“Clear the room.”

“You heard her, Emily.”

Isabella waved her hand.

“Make sure no one hears us.”

She paused.

“Especially Pamela.”

The maid named Emily bowed and left.

The door closed.

Isabella immediately grinned.

“Viscount Albich looked at you like a dead fish.”

She giggled.

“I think he’s completely fallen for you.”

“You’ll have to marry eventually.”

Eliano calmly poured herself some tea.

“Viscount Albich isn’t the worst match.”

“Then you marry him.”

Eliano didn’t answer.

She had no interest in marrying a man like that.

Not even remotely.

“Isabella.”

She set her teacup down.

“How do you plan to get rid of the nanny?”

“Don’t worry.”

Isabella smiled confidently.

“I have a plan.”

“I’d like to know the plan.”

Eliano took another sip of tea.

Isabella’s smile widened.

“We’ll chase out the thief in our house.”

Eliano’s eyes narrowed.

One sentence was enough.

She understood.

They’re going to frame Pamela as a thief.

“We’ll expose her soon.”

Isabella leaned back.

“Just wait.”

She crossed her arms.

“I’ll take care of everything while Brother is away.”

Eliano had been planning to suggest doing exactly that.

But Isabella had reached the same conclusion herself.

For the first time, Eliano felt genuinely impressed by her younger sister.

Still, something was missing.

“Stealing one of my belongings isn’t enough.”

Eliano’s expression remained calm.

“Pamela has served this family for many years. Father won’t dismiss her over something so small.”

Isabella’s eyes sharpened.

“What if she also stole from our brother?”

“That would be better.”

Eliano paused.

“But there’s something even better.”

Isabella’s expression changed.

She understood immediately.

Her eyes widened.

“You mean…”

Eliano smiled faintly.

“Yes.”

If they wanted to remove Pamela permanently, they needed something much more powerful than theft.

They needed a crime that even the Duke of Rosana couldn’t ignore.