The Harvest Mouse Exits the Fairytale Together with Cinderella

Sera used the expression "patronage" rather than "protection."

It meant that there was no need for someone to walk the path of hardship in her place.

It meant that she didn’t need anyone to shield her from storms.

What she wanted was simply the minimum support.

Elodie belatedly realized, upon hearing the girl’s unreserved words.

"I’ve been overly protective of Sera."

She thought to herself, I must have changed the future enough for this child to grow so much already.

It made her feel a bit wistful, though.

If this was the consequence of altering the future, then dealing with a prince would be something she could endure anytime.

Sera lowered her head and continued.

"And until I gain influence in the Bluewood family, I would like to stay here. I’ll make sure I won’t be a burden, and I will repay this kindness when I become the Count of Bluewood in the future."

Perhaps it was an unexpected statement.

Duke Valkyrisen stared at Sera for a moment, then sighed lightly.

"Oh, I see. I hadn’t thought of that."

"Is that alright?"

"I only thought an engagement was the best option, so please forgive me."

"I-I’m sorry."

"I don’t even know why you're apologizing."

Wasn’t he hinting that they shouldn’t refuse their grandson?

Sera, who had misunderstood, lifted her lowered head and scratched her cheek awkwardly.

Still, she had rejected a chance to connect with Valkyrisen, and yet the Duke seemed so nonchalant about it.

"If it’s Bluewood, I was planning to crush them completely according to the Ratson family's request, so I didn’t think that far."

The Ratson family’s request?

Sera looked down at Elodie.

Then, she recalled the overly cute estate that was so bad for her heart.

Elodie’s parents, whom she nearly pocketed without a second thought, and the High Priest of Ratson and Lady Ratson.

"Mm, my mom and dad did make such a request."

Elodie, who knew the language of mice, already knew what kind of ‘sentence’ had been handed down to the Bluewood family.

So, like Eisen, Elodie didn’t even think of using the Bluewood family.

It was a family that would soon be gone anyway.

"Did they request their extermination?"

Indeed, did they only request their annihilation...?

Elodie decided to remain silent, respecting the illusion of the Ratson family.

"Well, if that’s your wish, it’s also the wish of your little one, so I’m sure the Ratson family will show mercy."

"But is that really alright?"

After what Elodie had been through...?

Sera trailed off, tightening her embrace around Elodie.

Why worry about it?

Elodie always felt this way.

She wanted Sera to only see good and beautiful things, to treat her as precious and cherished.

She would bear all the hard and painful things herself.

But when I think about it, Sera had wanted to do medical service in her past life...

She hadn’t suddenly woken up to the dream of becoming a healer; it had been impossible to ignore once the war dragged on.

So many lives were being lost unnecessarily.

She just wanted to do something.

But she hadn’t been able to do anything because she had no training.

In that situation, the only thing that had occurred to her was to offer her services.

"Sera, there’s no way that knights who wield swords every day and cover themselves in blood would leave a beautiful woman like you alone."

"What, what do you mean by that? I’m a princess! I only want to fulfill my duties as royalty. There are so many people dying without proper treatment right now..."

"But you’re also a commoner without any backing. It’s obvious that men will look at you with dirty eyes. Do you expect me to send you out like that? I’m offering you protection, luxury, and a safe place, but what are you complaining about?"

"...."

Looking back, it wasn’t just the prince’s wandering heart that had made Sera depressed.

If what Sera wanted wasn’t protection...

She was already enough as she was, but if she longed to become someone better, Elodie was happy to support her.

"Do whatever you want, Sera."

Elodie herself, even at this moment, truly realized what her true wish was.

Eisen, too, added, as if nothing was wrong.

"If the family goes completely bankrupt, Bluewood will just wait for its end."

It would be far more futile to give a false hope, just enough to barely breathe.

And if the last thing that was taken from the child, whom they never regarded as family, was the family’s name...

That would be quite a satisfying revenge for everyone.

"The longer you hold onto useless hope, the greater the despair when everything collapses."

The Ratson family would prefer this.

Eisen quickly reached a conclusion.

Elodie, recognizing this, nodded with a contented smile.

Our Sera is a genius, isn’t she?

How clever she was to come up with a plan to both seize power and exact revenge?

Moreover, this was her rightful inheritance from birth, not something she should depend on others for.

"It’s not bad. I’ll support you."

"Thank you!"

Sera clenched her fist in joy, feeling like she had finally accomplished something.

Eisen, watching Sera and Elodie spinning around in a hug, smiled softly and said,

"Come to think of it, I think even the grandson would have refused the fake engagement. He’s such a stubborn boy."

Refuse? How could they refuse our Sera...!

"But well, in the end, he probably made the best choice for the Bluewood heiress."

Such a boy, indeed.

The old man spoke casually, stamping the approved papers with a seal, and added,

"Go together and get your real name back. If you explain, they’ll help you without needing to ask."

***

Such a person.

Elodie knew exactly what kind of person Eisen was referring to, even without an explanation.

Edmund Valkyrisen.

The young lord of House Valkyrisen.

One who would later rise to the position of Duke and contribute to the peace of humanity, dying gloriously in battle.

A boy who would always bend his large body to help those weaker than himself.

His kindness toward Sera had always been out of goodwill.

He was always neat and composed.

Of course, he had no personal emotions, and he never seemed particularly interested in the opposite sex.

Even fifteen years later, Elodie had never heard news of his marriage.

Of course, it was understandable given the war that broke out after his grandfather's death.

But it was a time when many men, even while participating in a war the next day, didn't give up on marriage.

Meanwhile, the prince was too busy committing adultery during the war to even care.

It made Elodie angry all over again.

The lives of common folk were just a matter of indifference to the noble royals.

When Sera begged to go to the battlefield and serve as a healer, he rolled his eyes and had a seizure.

"You're the princess, and you want to mingle with soldiers whose origins you don’t even know?"

Did he not understand the meaning of "service"?

How could he interpret it like that?

Thinking back, it was a disgrace to the royal family.

In comparison, Edmund was... no, actually, it would be quite disrespectful to compare him.

He was just too perfect.

"Why do you see it that way?"

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Every time he lightly shook his head, his jet-black hair shimmered like ebony.

His eyes, capturing the golden light of dawn, were as if they contained the first light of the morning.

His skin, so clear and transparent, would sparkle like gemstones whenever it touched the light.

His eyes were wide and clear, and his unusually long eyelashes gave him a delicate beauty, unlike his bold, sharp features.

When you looked at each of his striking features, you might say the prince had a soft, unfocused look.

He’s even tall and well-built.

At just fifteen years old, he was already tall and athletic.

There was no flaw to find.

He wasn’t just handsome and kind—his character and integrity were impeccable as well?

"Guilty man."

"Pardon?"