‘Frill Brentio’

She was a child who would have died already.

Frill, whom all doctors predicted that would die at birth, miraculously came to life after I possessed it.

However, as she unbelievably survived, her body was that of a sunfish. (T/N: 개복치 [sunfish] means ‘extremely fragile’ connotatively)

I didn’t even have the strength to suck on a milk bottle, and was breathing heavily just by lying down.

Nevertheless, all due to my parent’s efforts, I survived until now.

My mother has been importing medicines from all over the world, and my father mobilized his brothers to obtain all kinds of elixirs even in the midst of war.

The medicines, with enormous price one cannot afford, have gone through my body.

Thanks to that, this body, which was very weak, gradually regained its good health.

I was sucking on my teeth when my father carefully opened the door and came in. Today, his shoulders were clearly drooping.

Upon the death of my maternal grandfather, who’s the head of the Eustis family, the title was inherited by my mother, Luciana.

The problem is, the territory was located in the south.

Dad is the ‘Empire’s sword’, in charge of protecting the Emperor, so he’s unable to follow Mom.

The murderous smile faded from Dad’s face when Mom suggested for them to have a ‘couple weekend’ as she prepare for her leave to the south,

But what’s the matter today?

Seeing that Dad’s grumpy smile completely faded, it seems like a pretty good thing happened.

“His Majesty approved it today.”

No way…

My mother made an eye contact with me, who is in a cradle, wearing the same expression.

“What does that mean?”

He said, “I asked for permission to be assigned in the South… He gave me permission.”

Of course, how my father received this approval was tantamount to the result of ‘threat’.

He probably drove the Emperor crazy because he threw a bomb that he would resign if the assignation to the South was not approved.

Gerard, who was born as the youngest of the ‘Brentio’ family and has been praised as the golden youngest due to his outstanding abilities, will be a great national loss if they to lose his favor.

Reluctantly, the Emperor granted his request with the condition that he would return to the Imperial palace whenever the Empiror needs him.

Going down from the Imperial capital to the Southern estate is no less than a ‘demotion’. But I can’t believe my father has a smirk plastered on his face.

I quietly thought.

‘As expected. Love is crazy.’

Mom turned her head as if she agreed with the idea. By the way,

“Good job.”

Huh? What’s going on?

“I have a manor in the south. How about staying there?”

The two, who’s well-fitted with each other moved in an instant, and me with my cradle, was transported in the southern estate.

The sea, where cool breeze blew and the sound of waves crashing occasionally was where my mother sang.

Really, father is an idiot for his wife.

***

My 5th birthday.

Every year, unlike other young girls, my birthday was held with just a small family celebration.

It was said as a small family celebration, but the gifts I received these past four years was beyond imagination.

Dad’s handmade doll, Brentio’s sword, Kalhoff gold vein, and gifts from Eustis family…

Will I receive another ridiculous gift again today?

I’m already getting the chills.

Wearing a cone hat over my plump cheeks, I alternated looking at Mom and Dad.

My father, who was looking at the scene with joy, finally announced the present for his daughter’s birthday.

“I put the Atelier no.15 under the name of our Frill.”

“……!”

Did I heard it right just now?

To a five-years-old… A villa as a gift.

Dad, you’re the best.

I run and tried to hug Dad but I got picked up instead and he spin me around in the air for a few times.

“Who will my daughter take?”

As I rub my cheeks to Dad’s face, my Mom popped one more shot.

Then I said, “Of course, I’m going to bring a cooler guy than my Dad.”

Yes, mom.

I won’t get married in this life.

It’s a pity to let this beauty rot but……

‘It doesn’t matter.’

‘If I could see the killer smiles of this handsome man and beautiful woman, I’m all set for the rest of my life!’

Living as a single doesn’t seem so bad either.

Such happy days continued peacefully.

As I grew up, my parents always respected my opinion before making a decision.

In my own will, I decided to attend a social event after I fully recover to make friends.

There’s nothing to be worried about since considering my mental age, they would probably be a younger sibling than a friend.

On top of that, I hate exchanging formal words with fake haha and hoho in a place I didn’t even want to.

That gave me a lot of time.

What a golden moment given to a life of a workaholic!

When I possessed, I already decided to enjoy things I have never done before.

Watching operas and exhibitions. Collecting fashion dolls and playing model. Painter play… Up to the gourmet meals made by chefs.

Due to my weak body constitution, it was mostly static, but there was no vacation as good as this.

It was such a pleasure to enjoy a wagon ride and watch the colorful costumes of the aristocrats from time to time.

When I first saw them, I felt as if my forgotten dream was breaking through my heart again.

The sketch has already started in my mind. Before I knew it, a lot of sketches filled my head.

It was three years later that I started sketching in earnest.

After I was eight years old and my parents gave me permission to go to the Atelier alone, I often visited the villa.

My mother was busy with her work, and my villa was empty as my father escorted me.

Of course, the guard ‘Cayman’ that my dad put on was always escorting me from afar.

Cayman, who broke through Brentio’s tremendous competition and won the title of the youngest knight, is one of the family’s pride and my father’s unrivaled pupil.

He later made a name for himself as the emperor’s guard and strategist.

If such a person is in charge of escorting an 8-year-old child, the time may come for him to be aware of the reality…

I mean, who’s out of the mind that would stop my father?

Above all, Cayman seemed to feel it was an honor to be my guard. The job of protecting the most precious thing of his master.

He seemed to think that way, so I had no intention of breaking his sensibility.

Atelier no.15 was a space where you could hear the sound of the waves crashing around the sparkling sea that was so beautiful that it dazzles your eyes.

Here, I would open my sketchbook and often draw fashion illustrations.

My parents were open-minded and generously supported me on learning anything, but this one was a secret.

Because these sketches are so good that no one would think they’re sketches of an eight-year-old.

***

Two years later, I’m now ten years old.

My mother’s birthday, one of the most important events in our family, has approached us.

If there is one thing that changed from before, that would probably be my decision to attend the party.

Until I was nine years old, I used my health as an excuse to get away, but now I’m so healthy that I can’t even use it as a reason.

Most of all, my mother secretly wanted me to attend this party.

In particular, it was obvious that the rumors attached to me would grow even bigger this year.

Although it was a little early at age 10, it was already an appropriate time to talk about marriage between the sons and daughters among influential noble families.

But who would give their son to a child who never knew when she’s going to die?

From my mother’s point of view, it was something to be worried about.

I didn’t want my mother to receive sympathy from others just because of my small inconvenience.

And… I also wanted to find a decent guy.

There were days when I made up my mind to stay single, but seeing the relationship of my parents, my thoughts started to fluctuate.

The already beautiful appearance of mine renewed a new definition of beauty with the skill of the dedicated maid who gave her utmost effort as it was my first banquet.

My hair is braided in cute frill lace, plus my face is the perfect match for fashion.

Yeah, what’s wrong with this beauty?

A sexy provocative man, a sly man, a man as pure as sunflower…

I want to see you all in this life before I die.

When I think about it, I felt regretful about ‘dating’ because I was too workaholic in my previous life.

As I went downstairs holding my father’s hand tightly as he came into the room, I saw a cake tower as large as my father’s build.

‘It must have been prepared by father.’

In the center of the throne, my mother, today’s protagonist, was seated.

Her gorgeous reddish fabric with pearls added to her dress and a moderately sized tiara further accentuated my mother’s beauty.

The three aristocratic wives surrounding my mother had a hostile relationship with Eustis.

However, it’s too obvious not to hand out invitations in public, so it would have been mandatory.

Nevertheless, those who attended the party were nosy under the guise of formality today.

“Isn’t Frill ten years old now?”

“Hmm?”

“I know right. She’s already at the age of finding a fiancé…”

To mention such matter on my birthday, that should be a happy event.

Turning around and pretending to be concerned and exposing the opponent’s weaknesses was a typical nobility’s trick to crack.

“You must be worried, Mrs. Luciana. Let me know if you need help to get some medicine.”

My mother, who was arguing silently, gracefully folded her fan.

She’s as beautiful as always, then made an upset expression.

“You don’t have to worry. The medicine you’re going to get for my daughter isn’t something I can’t get.”

Even today, my mother, who poured cider into a bowl, maintained her relaxed posture.

“……Yes? You seem to have misunderstood something, but we were just worried that the child was only in her bed.”

“It’s a pity that it might be in vain, since there are a lot of people who would want to marry my child, so you don’t have to worry about that.”

The crowd, which had remained rigid at her mother’s words, widened their eyes.

“Was it because there’s already been a talk about engagement?”

My mother cast a dignified and beastlike expression on her face, as if trying to say something outrageous.

“No. It’s simply just because she’s my daughter.”

A faint smile hung over the beautiful face that had dominated the social world in the past.

“Because we have very good genes.”

‘Is it my turn now?’