“And last, this one’s for Eve~ Thank you so much for taking care of me all this time~” Elina smiled, cut a slice of cake about the same size as Caro’s, and handed it to the bewildered Eve beside her.

“Um… Your Highness Elina, you don’t have to give me any…” Eve hurriedly waved her hands.

“It’s fine~ I told you, I want everyone in the Frank Empire to be happy, and that includes you, Big Sis Eve~ Meow.” Elina tilted her head and smiled.

“That’s right! Eve’s my dear big sister too, so don’t stand on ceremony!” Caro nodded earnestly.

“Yes, Eve. Go ahead and accept it. It’s our daughter’s heartfelt gesture—and you really have done an excellent job these past few years.” Alaya nodded solemnly.

Eve hesitated, but when she saw Elina’s pure, innocent smile, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. She accepted the cake with a helpless smile and bowed. “Thank you so much, Your Highness Elina!”

Elina nodded and smiled. “All right~ Let’s all eat cake together! You too, Eve. Don’t feel awkward about it. From now on, just call me Elina. If you don’t, I’ll get mad~”

“Okay,” the three of them said in unison, then picked up their spoons and stuffed big bites of chocolate cake into their mouths.

The sweetness of the chocolate blended with the cake’s delicate aroma, making it impossible to stop eating. But this cake stood for more than just deliciousness. It carried the taste of Elina’s growth, and the three of them savored just how astonishingly much she had grown over the past few days.

Eve felt it most deeply. Aside from when Elina was asleep, she’d spent most of her time by her side—more time, even, than Alaya had. But although she’d served Elina for over a decade, Eve had always understood that Elina saw her as nothing more than a necessary servant. She’d accepted that, and had never tried to overstep the boundaries between them.

But Eve had never expected Elina not only to put aside any distance between them, despite Eve being a member of the Wood Elf clan, but to treat her like a sister with no blood ties between them—and even share her birthday cake with her. What an honor! From now on, Eve would do everything she could to serve Her Highness Elina and protect her as she grew.

Perhaps she really had grown up. Or perhaps reading and studying every day had taught her how to get along with people. Either way, it didn’t matter.

After all, this child… Eve smiled faintly. Perhaps she really could bring peace to the Phil Continent…

Elina watched Eve’s smile and nodded slightly. Looks like I made the right choice. I’d succeeded in winning Eve’s trust. It wasn’t as if I meant to use her—in fact, I was truly grateful for how attentively she’d taken care of me these past few days. Like how breakfast was always ready as soon as I got up and washed, or how she’d pick up my blanket whenever I kicked it off in my sleep. She barely had any time to rest, yet never once complained. Having such a thoughtful maid really moved me.

Still, just to be safe, I’d used a little psychological strategy to make Eve more loyal to the Sacred Rite Clan. I could tell that, before all this, there’d been a clear difference in status between Eve and Elina. It wasn’t as if spending over a decade together had made them just like sisters. So, to make sure there wouldn’t be any trouble with Eve’s place in the future, I’d chosen this moment to open up to her and help her feel part of the Sacred Rite Clan.

……