The Grand Duke’s Fox Princess

Episode 72: Bait-and-Switch (VI)

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Eristella’s mind broke into pieces, scattered about like rubble from a typhoon.

“You shouldn’t be mistaken.”

As Eristella mumbled, her eyes were unfocused and her face was haggard. She muttered in a helpless, shaky tone.

“At that time, it was… It was a time when I didn’t know what to do. It’s because I was immature.”

—It’s like a one-time mistake, so don’t ever misunderstand.

However, Heinricion’s smile only grew wider.

“Anyway, it’s true that I’m your first love.”

“…….”

With that one sentence, Eristella had no choice but to admit defeat.

Even if she fervently denied it, there was no way it would work. Rather, it would merely appear like a desperate struggle.

“Sonia and Charlotte were talking about me then.”

“We have something to thank the guy who locked us here.”

Heinricion muttered, then laughed meaningfully.

In contrast, Eristella’s anger towards the black wizard burned like a flame.

‘I’ll never let you go.’

“But why did you say it could never happen?”

Recalling the conversation between Sonia and Charlotte, Heinricion asked curiously.

The two of them were engaged until she disappeared. Meaning that if nothing had happened to her, it would have led to their marriage.

So it was strange.

Then, Eristella gave him a rather absurd look and spat out.

“You hated me.”

Not long ago, Heinricion resented Eristella, and the relationship between the two was at its worst.

He had completely forgotten about it.

“That…”

Just as he parted his lips, about to say something…

“And what does that matter!”

In a fit of heat, Eristella suddenly exclaimed.

“It doesn’t matter; it all happened when I was young. It’s nothing right now, so what is it?”

Eristella firmly drew a line, waving her hand vigorously.

It was something that didn’t matter anymore.

Eristella was just someone who wanted all of that to be in the past.

And in fact… Eristella already knew how it had gone in her past life.
(TL/N: it was mentioned in episode 1 or 2, I won’t blame anyone for forgetting.)

Their relationship did not lead to marriage.

Heinricion never intended to marry her. The engagement period between the two was time to find justification for a legitimate breakup.

‘It’s something that the Heinricion of today doesn’t know yet.’

This time, as soon as she returns to her original form, she intends to break off the engagement with Heinricion.

‘Then at least you won’t hate me like last time.’

It’s enough for her to be satisfied with her relationship with Heinricion.

‘Even now, this is an amazing change.’

She just hoped that she could keep the distance even if she returned to her original form later.

‘I don’t want to look like that innocent girl again.’

Eristella turned her attention to two children hiding in a corner of the backyard.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, where are you? Princess!”

The calls of the maids searching for the princess were heard, but the little princess did not move. Then a friendly voice resounded.

“Here you are.”

A low voice came from behind the hiding Eristella.

But instead of being surprised, the little girl turned around with a big smile.

“Mom!”

Eristella’s mother, the empress of the empire, looked at her daughter with her back slightly bent. 

Young Eristella ran with all her might and threw herself into the arms of her empress.

“My daughter ran away by herself again, so Mom came to find her.”

“Uh? I’m not alone! I came with Cion!”

“Cion?”

Those words made the empress look back.

“Me… Did you call me ‘Cion’?”

The young Heinricion rubbed his eyes. Apparently moved, he appeared ready to shed tears at any moment.

“There is no reason. It’s just easier to call you that.”

Eristella spoke curtly, denying his words, but the empress could see her daughter’s cheeks growing red.

“Oh. Did you become friends with Heinricion?”

“Yes! I will call her ‘Lala’ soon!”

“Does my Lala finally have a friend?”

It was when the empress was thrilled and rejoiced, clapping her hands.

“Finally?! It’s not like I don’t have any friends!”

“Oh. Wasn’t it?”

When the empress made a surprised expression, the little princess who was snuggled in her arms grew angry.

“Mom!”

Little Eristella protested at the empress’s mischievous remarks.

The present Heinricion, who had been watching this, turned his head and stared at the current Eristella.

“Why are you looking at me all of a sudden?”

She scratched her cheek and rolled her eyes. Heinricion’s gaze alternated between the young Eristella and the adult Eristella.

He smiled lightly and opened his mouth.

“It’s just that… I thought you had changed, but looking at it now, I think you’re the same as when you were younger.”

“…Is that an insult?”

The voice conveying those words was harsh. Of course, no matter how many times she thought about it, it was an insult.

“It’s the same.”

The corners of Heinricion’s eyes went up as he made the playful reply.

Turning his gaze back to young Eristella, he continued speaking in a low voice.

“You haven’t changed. I just thought I wasn’t trying to see you properly.”

“…….”

“This made me look back on what happened.”

He said he might be at fault for the times he had shown hostility towards her. Sincerity was shining through his reflection.

It was unexpected. However, in Eristella’s view, it was not something for him to reflect on. Rather… 

“It’s the same for me. Because I ignored it, I didn’t care what anyone thought.”

And that made her more misunderstood.

Eristella hoped that Heinricion would not bear such a burden in his heart.

Having been forced to face her childhood days, she kept looking back on herself. But she couldn’t keep doing this.

Her memories were still unfolding in front of her eyes.

The empress laughed for a moment at the cuteness and loveliness of her petite daughter’s reactions. She then said, holding her daughter’s hand tightly.

“Haha. Did you have fun today? Shall we have dinner?”

“Yes!”

Young Eristella, answering with glee, was still latched onto her mother like a koala.

“Lala. Are you going to continue hugging your mother?”

As the empress posed the question, she glanced at Heinricion, who stood stiffly next to her.

Realizing what she meant, Eristella pondered for a moment before falling out of the arms of the empress.

“I will walk!”

“Our Lala has grown up a lot.”

“Of course. Ehehehe.”

While the excited Eristella walked side by side with Heinricion, from the other side of the garden, the emperor was approaching with the crown prince.

“As expected, everyone was here.”

“The weather is nice today, so let’s have our meal in the garden.”

“Great!”

The two children ran around with faces full of anticipation as if they were genuinely happy.

“…….”

It was still vivid.

Her family which occupied most of her childhood.

Everything was good. As long as her parents and brother were present, there was no need for anything.

Eristella’s greatest blessing was neither being born as a princess of an affluent empire nor being born with the strongest power in history.

The fact that she was born as the daughter of her father and mother and the sister of her brother was the greatest blessing for her.

‘The time when the two of them were still alive.’

Here, little Eristella was spending happy days with the emperor and empress.

A long forgotten memory.

And the time she dearly missed.

A forlorn smile appeared on her face.

‘…I miss you.’

No matter what situation unfolded in the future, she wanted to put more images of the two in her eyes now.

So that she could remember this warm moment for a long time to come.

It was when Eristella kept the two of them in her eyes.

“I’m sorry to say this in this situation…”

“No, I know.”

Eristella calmly replied.

It might have been astounding to relive their memories, but the two did not once forget the situation they were in.

The black wizard must have some sort of intention to hypnotize them into the memories of the past.

The reason was not to publicize Eristella’s first love.

That must have been a variable that even the person who imprisoned the two of them could not have expected.

That meant the true purpose of this enchantment had yet to be revealed.

Soon, it would become clear. And that would never be good for the two of them.

Thus, there was no time to be immersed in nostalgia.

‘I know. I know, but…’

But no matter how much she knew, some things didn’t go her way.

At the end of Eristella’s gaze, the backs of the five people were caught.

Ame: Eri is such a tsun! I forgot about how this is actually her 2nd life, and my curiosity for actual details of the 1st (preferably, not from eri’s point of view) is bursting…

AP: I’m not crying. You are. 

Also plot twist she regressed. Author I feel scammed.