"Valor is still very depressed about the fact that his paintings don't sell well. He wants to make a lot of money."

Looking like he was thinking of something, Charlotte said simply. "Why don't you let him draw something on a little prop or something for an experiment? Talk to him about putting it on display in Chartreu."

It was very specific and realistic conversation for children who were just seven and eight years old.

---

After Charlotte's tenth birthday party, her close acquaintances were entertaining her...

"So that's why Rex isn't here?"

Oswald was more embarra.s.sed than ever as tears grew in her huge green eyes, which seemed to contain all the green plants of the world. Duke Oswald hurled insults at his son inwardly, who was probably lying down in his fancy lounge, being groomed, and continued cautiously, "Princess Charlotte, ah, d.u.c.h.ess Charlotte. Rex is very sick. So I couldn't help it."

"Jeremy says he is going to Chartreu to order his new hunting cap this afternoon?" At Charlotte's words, Jeremy Valerian was startled at the side.

"I heard he stopped by Chartreu before attending my birthday party. It was exactly three hours and fifteen minutes ago. Wasn't it morning when Duke Oswald came out of the house? I understand there was an important meeting for you this morning."

Oswald gave up lying at the words of Charlotte, who urged him to tell the truth, looking askance at him with rather cold eyes.

Unlike Princess Charlotte, who was maturing early and cried out for love, Alexander Oswald, who turned eleven years old this year, was a boy who was only interested in beautiful costumes, jewelry, artwork, and his own muse. In a way, it didn't suit Alexander to have such a hunting cap, but it was not so strange.

The Chartreu Dressing Shop of the Kielini family, run by Empress Julietta herself, was the place that determined the trend of continental fas.h.i.+on. Every year, there were clothes that were specially made and showcased in the Chartreu Dressing Shop, and this year's show was spring and summer hunting clothes.

In fact, there was no horse-riding uniform in this world. Ladies were restrained from riding a horse. As a result of the wide and colorful carriages being used as a measure of wealth, power, and high rank, dress width naturally expanded accordingly.

As Julietta began to show off simpler and narrower dresses, the trends of the continent began to change rapidly. When Chartreu presented a dress with a wide skirt, everyone wore a rich and colorful dress. When they presented a thin and monotonous dress, each dress shop made such dresses.

During the summer hunting of Bertino this spring, Empress Julietta appeared in a hunting dress made of red checkered fabric. The eye-catching, colorful, and intense red checkered pants dress stood out more than anyone else in the green-infested hunting grounds.

Soon afterwards, the horse-riding suit, which looked like a dress at first glance, but was pants with a checkered pattern, became sensational on the continent. Anything she wore could not be out of fas.h.i.+on. The popularity of this horse-riding suit was different from its predecessors.

That was why the elegant Alexander Oswald, who laughed at hunting, had to get the checkered item. Of course, it didn't have to be today. For him, a very sensitive character, the love attack of the young Princess Charlotte was nothing but a burdensome and awkward act. So Alexander chose to go to the Chartreu Dressing Shop to order his hunting hat, rather than going to Charlotte's ten-year birthday party.

He had to endure Amelie and Sophie's unpleasant eyes, but he was still willing to go to Chartreu.

Charlotte, meanwhile, put a snowy white handkerchief around her eyes to push the embarra.s.sed Duke of Oswald further. It was a lethal technique Albert had taught her.

At eight years old, Charlotte promised when Alexander looked radiant and was close to her, that she would be engaged to him on the day she turned ten. Her oath had become so famous that everyone knew it, so Alexander could not possibly attend the party today.

As Charlotte pretended to have tears in her eyes, Duke Oswald was at a loss and soothed her. "Princess, I've thought about it carefully. A human being tends to avoid someone when they are affectionate and persistently ask for attention."

"Manny doesn't." Charlotte cut off Oswald's words and pouted.

"Manny is not a human being. You can't treat Manny and Alexander in the same cla.s.s." Even a hedgehog loved its child, so Oswald raised his voice and refuted her.

"Duke, are you mad at me now?"

"That can't be! I'm just saying that things are different from Manny." At Charlotte's annoyance, Oswald quickly dropped his tail.

Charlotte, pouting her lips with a sulky face for a moment, said, "It makes sense. Let's say so. What's the way?"

At the words of Charlotte, everyone who was tense, breathed out a sigh of relief.

Oswald glanced at Sir Albert, who was staring at him like an enemy from behind Charlotte. Sir Albert wiped off the sweat that was not there with a white handkerchief, and declared a silent war that he would not stay still if Oswald disturbed the Princess again. Oswald picked his words, avoiding Albert's eyes. "How about not paying attention to Alexander for the time being? Like getting closer to Jeremy or Raymond."

Charlotte's cute green eyes frowned as if she was much displeased. Oswald opened his mouth to persuade her more eagerly as he looked at the face that resembled Killian so much.

"So… All right. You want me to do a game of push and pull?"

At Charlotte's words, Oswald's eyes turned towards Maribel. Maribel shook her head and replied at his unspoken "What the h.e.l.l are you teaching a child?"

"Not me."

"My mother taught me that push and pull is needed in love. But it didn't work on my dad…"