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Author's Note: If you read 229 yesterday within an hour of being published, please do skim through the latter half of the chapter once.
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Allison coughed. "W-Well, little girl, I'm sorry for teasing you earlier. We'll take our leave, you take care of your sister."
Emilia's attention was focused mostly on 'McQueen', only partially paying attention to the dark-haired woman's words as she had long since put Allison's goading and teasing out of her mind.
She couldn't help but frown. "Before you leave, please remove your helmet."
The fact that this woman hadn't taken off her helmet even though such a thing happened and she came to apologize made her a little suspicious.
Of course, the fact that she hadn't fled and came to apologize instead meant that she could give the woman the benefit of doubt for now.
Mrs. Macmillan froze. She should have known coming to apologize was a bad idea!
Was it too late to run now? But looking at the sharp-eyed lady by her student's side, Mrs. Macmillan had the feeling that even if she tried, she would get tackled to the ground in an instant.
The teacher gulped as her eyes flitted around nervously, though no one could see it clearly through the visor. "A-Actually, m-my face doesn't look so good. I'm afraid you'll lose your appetite if you—"
Emilia had already been a little impatient as her sister was still waiting in the car, and the woman's excuses weren't helping her mood at all. "Take it off."
Of course, her words weren't aimed at 'McQueen', but at Noelle.
"W-Wait!" Mrs. Macmillan panicked immediately when she saw the gray-haired lady make a move, and started taking the helmet off herself.
What a joke, would she still have any dignity left if things kept progressing like that? It was better to cooperate!
Emilia was stunned when she saw who 'McQueen' really was. She could vaguely recall that Koko had mentioned Mrs. Macmillan being a part of some biker gang in her youth, and how they had all giggled thinking that it was absurd.
Looking at it now though… maybe it was true, after all.
Mrs. Macmillan stood rooted to her spot in mortification as she waited for Emilia to make fun of her or something, but what happened next was even worse than what she could have imagined.
Emilia seemed to have been stunned speechless, and after looking at her in confusion for a while, the girl shook her head and waved them goodbye.
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Of course, contrary to what Mrs. Macmillan was thinking, Emilia's shock at Mrs. Macmillan's identity wasn't actually that deep. What she cared about most right now was still Sam's condition and the identity of the culprit behind the crash.
While Noelle was left to handle the latter, Emilia took charge of the former as she instructed the driver to head straight to the White Deer mansion.
The older girl looked a little embarrassed as Emilia caressed her head on her lap. "Big sister wasn't very cool today, was she?"
Emilia scoffed as she squeezed the girl's cheek. "Who dares slander my big sis? She's always the coolest."
"But I lost?"
The redhead rolled her eyes as she tugged at Samantha's soft earlobe. "And who decided that?"
"I-I mean—"
Emilia snorted, not giving the older girl the chance to continue. "Hmph. The winner drove recklessly, and you could have done the same to get the first position. I know that very clearly."
Sam sighed. Of course, if she really wanted to, she could have really contented for the first place. But knowing that Emilia must be looking at her through the cameras, she didn't dare take the risk at all. "I could have, but I didn't want to make you angry."
Of course, if she said such a thing out loud earlier, it would have made her sound like a sore loser. Maybe her little sister would even think she was uncool, which was just an unbearable thought.
Knowing that the little girl understood her thoughtfulness, however, Samantha couldn't help but feel touched as warmth spread through her heart.
Emilia grinned. "That's why I said my big sister is the coolest."
The older girl knew she looked anything but cool, having lost the race and being taken back home with her clothes in tatters. She even caused the entire event to be canceled!
But for some reason, when her little sister said it was so... Samantha couldn't help but believe it.
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It didn't take them long to get to the White Deer Mansion, and to Samantha's shock, her little sister lifted her up in a bridal carry, brooking none of her protests as she carried the embarrassed older girl inside.
The servants and the housekeeper looked at them with both amusement and worry, and even Michelle came rushing to help her princess.
She never thought she would see her princess do a princess carry. With Emilia's petite frame… the sight was both comical and jarring.
Of course, Emilia just shook her head as she easily carried the older girl. It may look a little awkward, and a slight ache in the muscles was unavoidable due to her current lack of strength, but the stamina regeneration of the void body made it so that she could do literally do this for hours and it would be fine.
"Open the door for me, please."
Michelle had already been rushing to the task before her words finished, and she watched her princess carefully enter with the girl in her arms, making sure her head didn't bump on the door frame.
The warmth and care in her actions made both Samantha and Michelle feel a little embarrassed, and it only got worse when Emilia motioned her 'servant' to close the door while she took the older girl to her bed.
Michelle couldn't help but sigh forlornly in her heart as she lingered at the closed door. 'Princess… why do you care so much about this girl? She clearly tried to keep me away from you to keep you from gaining too much power…'
Thinking of the naïvete of the royal vampire and how she seemed to care for her family so much, Michelle couldn't help but get worried. Feeling love for someone who held malice could never lead to anything good, as they would never appreciate it.
But when she thought back to the older vampire's expression, Michelle couldn't help but get confused again. It was very different from the type of face she expected the woman to make for her princess from their interactions.
Suddenly, it was as if a light bulb had been lit in her head. 'D-Don't tell me, she got won over by the sincerity of my princess?!'
Of course, though the royal vampire princess was a little perverted, Michelle thought that there couldn't possibly be a more naïve and adorable creature on the planet.
She couldn't help but feel both proud and sad at that thought as she walked away from Emilia's room. 'Even if her innocence and diligence can move her older vampire sister, won't she get taken advantage of if she remains like this?'
But as a mere servant, Michelle knew her position very well. Even if the royal vampire was willing to indulge her, she would never dare take advantage of her kindness. Even if she could, she would never preach anything to her princess.
Finally reaching her room, Michelle smiled as she leaned against the door, the decision she had made for her future turning firmer. "I shall serve you well, princess."
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Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Emilia's room seemed to have turned inexplicably romantic as Sam watched her younger sister carefully clean the scratches and bruises on her left thigh and upper arm before applying the healing ointment.
If Emilia's worried expression at the venue had made her feel shame for letting her down, the love and care that was spilling from the girl's eyes almost made Sam wonder if she wouldn't do the same again if she could.
Of course, it was just a passing thought, and she would never dare try to scare the little girl like that willingly. Recalling the panicked expression she had when she burst through that cloud of dust, Sam could still feel a prickling in her heart.
Recalling the accident, Samantha frowned as she suddenly recalled something she had forgotten in the mess. "W-What about the bike? I-Is it okay?"
Thinking about ruining her little sister's gift so quickly made her feel as if she was a scumbag.
Emilia rolled her eyes as she continued wrapping the bandage around the older girl's thigh, making sure it was neither too tight nor loose. "What's with that look, big sis? Do you think the bike is more important than your health? Anyway, Noelle will take care of getting it repaired and send it back here once it's done."
Samantha breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good. I hope it's not too damaged."
Emilia smiled as she kissed the upper part of Samantha's thigh after she finished tying up the bandage. "Every single hair of yours is worth more than that thing to me, you know? For damaging my precious treasure… are you ready to pay the price?"
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